"I didn't expect His Highness the Crown Prince to go on such a long journey with us!"
Yuchi Baolin and Cheng Chubi were very surprised when they heard that Li Chengqian was also going to have a feast together!
Li Chengqian smiled and said: "I'm just going overseas with my teacher to gain experience, don't worry about me, you can continue as usual."
After the two of them greeted Li Chengqian, Su Chen asked, "Everything is shipped strictly according to the steps and measures I told you, right?"
Cheng Chubi and Yuchi Baolin said in unison: "Don't worry, Commander! We have personally inspected all the supplies and there are no omissions!"
"Okay, be careful in Sanmenxia. Let's go straight to Yangzhou without stopping!"
The two quickly conveyed the general's order to other ships. The fleet headed east and then turned into the Grand Canal.
Passing by Luoyang, someone was holding a telescope in the distance and watched the fleet go south without stopping at all.
"Quick report to the family master, Su Chen has led six naval ships to pass through Luoyang without stopping all the way. The journey is very urgent!"
…
After the Wuhuhai naval battle, Xiao Yu took the initiative to ask for help to dredge the canal.
Now the Grand Canal has returned to its busy scene. After all, river transportation is much safer than sea transportation.
Moreover, both sides of the canal are prosperous and prosperous areas, while most of the coastal areas are still deserted these days.
As the fleet moved all the way south, merchant ships traveling on the canal gave way.
Anyone who lives on the water now knows that the Royal Navy cannot be offended!
I kept driving all the way and it was already the end of May when I arrived in Yangzhou.
The speed on the canal is incomparable to that on the sea.
"Your Highness, it's been a hard journey!"
"You need to rest in Yangzhou for two days and wait for the warship to pick you up and go to sea."
Li Chengqian moved his body: "It's so hard that I can't even talk about it, so I just stayed on the boat all the way. I was so bored!"
Su Chen smiled and said: "Your Highness! You have to get used to this slowly."
"It's even more serious than this at sea. When the time comes, the surrounding area will be completely covered with seawater. There will be nothing, not even a scene to see..."
Su Chen didn't stop all the way. On the one hand, he was in a hurry.
The most important thing is for Li Chengqian to adapt to life on the ship as soon as possible.
Li Chengqian waved his hand: "I know! I will get used to it slowly in the future."
"By the way, don't these ships go to sea?"
Su Chen shook his head and said: "Go, they are transporting supplies to the navy."
"But I have to stay in Yangzhou for two days,"
"If Your Highness feels that you can still persevere, you can just follow him to the sea!"
Li Chengqian thought for a while: "I'd better follow the teacher. It's not necessarily a good idea to go to sea too much. It's better to take it step by step."
Su Chen nodded: "Okay, let's rest for a long time first!"
"To be honest, I have to take it step by step. I am not as good as Cheng Laosan and the others who have been floating at sea for half a year!"
The two rested for half a day and one night in Yangzhou.
The next day, Su Chen was going to the shipyard to handle some matters.
Li Chengqian was curious and wanted to go take a look together. Su Chen didn't object either.
When the two arrived at the shipyard together, the director Qian Mo was already waiting at the gate:
"Qian Mo has met the young master!!"
"Old man! Don't be too polite. This Mr. Li came to Yangzhou with me."
One less person knows the identity of Prince Li Chengqian, and there is less trouble.
Qian Mo didn't ask much. Anyway, as a young master, he had all kinds of powerful children around him.
"How are your preparations going?"
Qian Mo replied: "Master, the personnel have already been selected. They all know the basics and are ready to leave at any time."
Su Chen nodded and ordered: "Okay, you can start moving tomorrow!"
"Travel lightly and simply, just bring the people there. Fuzhou has made preparations for the rest."
"Also, let me tell the craftsmen more. Fuzhou is a little poorer now, but it will be no worse than Yangzhou in a few years."
Next, Su Chen led Li Chengqian to visit the shipyard, met with several senior craftsmen, and asked Qian Mo about the specific conditions of the shipyard.
Li Chengqian behaved like a well-behaved student throughout the whole process and did not ask any other questions.
"In a few days, the warship will also stop in Fuzhou when it goes south. I will come to see you then!"
Su Chen said goodbye to Qian Mo and left the shipyard with Li Chengqian.
"Teacher, did you just move to Fuzhou?"
Halfway through, Li Chengqian finally couldn't bear it anymore.
"Well, I am going to transfer the best personnel from Yangzhou Shipyard to Fuzhou. From now on, only a small number of craftsmen will be left in Yangzhou to undertake the construction of some old-style ships."
"Any new ships in the future will be built by Fuzhou Shipyard."
As far as shipbuilding was concerned, Su Chen never set his sights on Yangzhou from the beginning, as this place did not produce shipbuilding materials at all.
It's just that at that time, the shipbuilding craftsmen of the Tang Dynasty were concentrated in Denglai, Luoyang, and Yangzhou. Su Chen had no choice but to make do in Yangzhou.
Li Chengqian stared: "Teacher, you also have a shipyard in Fuzhou, that place..."
Although Li Chengqian has never been to Fuzhou, as the prince of the Tang Dynasty, he still has some knowledge of various places in the Tang Dynasty.
Fuzhou in the early years of the Tang Dynasty can be summed up in one sentence: poor mountains and harsh waters bring out unruly people!
That place is now not only poor, but also has strong folk customs!
The imperial court was having a headache trying to send officials there, and no one wanted to go!
Su Chen said to Li Chengqian: "Fuzhou is mountainous and rich in giant trees and tung oil. It is a good place for shipbuilding."
"Also, places like Fuzhou and Quanzhou, despite their current poverty, will soon become prosperous with the rise of maritime trade. It will only take a few years to surpass Yangzhou."
Historically, Fuzhou and Quanzhou began to rise slowly from the mid-Tang Dynasty. By the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Quanzhou became China's largest port city.
"What do you think of Fuzhou, teacher?"
"Of course! I asked Changle to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars buying land in Fuzhou, Jianzhou, and Quanzhou!"
"If His Highness wants to buy some property for the East Palace, it's still too late. Shipbuilding and tea alone can support a high-class state."
Li Chengqian shrugged: "Let's wait until we get back from Dashi! Anyway, no one is interested in those places except teachers, so there is no need to grab them!"
Su Chen and Li Chengqian rested in Yangzhou for another day.
On the morning of the third day, two naval gunboats arrived in Yangzhou.
"The last general, Liu Rengui, pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
Li Chengqian waved his hand: "Excuse me, please don't salute me again. This time I came out with the teacher to gain experience. I will report anything to your marshal."
"I will finally meet the marshal!"
Liu Rengui saluted Su Chen again.
Originally, Su Chen was the commander of the navy and Liu Rengui was the deputy commander.
Su Chen felt that this title was not grand enough. These days, even a team leader dares to call him the leader!
So he asked Li Er to give himself the title of marshal, and gave the command to Liu Rengui.
"You don't need to be polite, Commander Liu!"
Su Chen's track on Liu Ren.
"In the past six months, the Royal Navy, under the leadership of Commander Liu, has trained well, and even won the battle of Wuhuhai."
"Your Majesty is very pleased with this and has specially promoted Commander Liu to the rank of General Dingyuan!"
