"How many artillery pieces do you want?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked noncommittally.
"Of course, the more the merrier. But it is better to teach people how to fish than to teach them how to fish." Zhu Zhen said plausibly: "Father, you should give me a cannon-making yamen."
"That's nonsense. The Ordnance Bureau of the Ministry of Industry gave it to you. What will our army do? Do we still have to buy cannon from you?" Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head flatly.
"I'm not asking for the Ordnance Bureau of the Ministry of Industry. I heard that among the 24 yamen of our inner court, there is also a cannon-making yamen." Zhu Zhen explained quickly.
"You mean the Military Staff Bureau?" Zhu Yuanzhang's expression turned slightly bright.
The Bingzhan Bureau was one of the eight bureaus, and was responsible for manufacturing military equipment and ironware for the palace. Zhu Zhen grew up in the palace, so he naturally knew that the Bingzhan Bureau also manufactured cannons for the Jing army.
In Boss Zhu's original design, the Jing Army was responsible for the security of the inner palace, so it naturally had to be well-equipped. However, after many years, it was discovered that it was completely nonsense to expect these eunuchs to have combat effectiveness.
So we don't waste money on casting cannons and armor for them. It's enough for each person to be given a knife and patrol at night as a security guard.
"Can the Military Staff Bureau still make cannons?" Boss Zhu asked uncertainly.
"It should be possible." The prince was not sure, "We did not abolish the cannon-casting craftsmen, we just asked them to re-cast bronze bells. It should be possible to re-cast them... right?"
"Okay, all the cannon-casting craftsmen in the Military Staff Bureau will be assigned to the Municipal Shipping Department." Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, but added restrictions: "However, the rest of the people are not allowed to move, otherwise there will be no scissors in the palace.
You can’t hit it with a kitchen knife or anything like that.”
"Understood." Lao Liu nodded and secretly complained, shouldn't these things be purchased directly? Do we still need to make them ourselves?
But when I think about their family, the Empress of the East Palace bakes big cakes, and the Empress of the West Palace rolls green onions. It’s normal to make iron by yourself.
"Besides, you have to raise the money for the cannon by yourself." Boss Zhu added.
"I don't expect my father either." Lao Liu curled his lips.
~~
After coming out of the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Zhen was still in a good mood. Otherwise, why would he have to find the leader if something happened? No, the problems of ships and cannons have basically been solved.
"But you can't mess around." The prince reminded Lao Liu: "In any case, the Beiwa Fleet is the navy of the imperial court. If we really fight with them, the impact will be too bad!"
"Don't worry, brother, I will pay attention to the impact." Lao Liu said with a smile: "Why don't your own people hit your own people?"
"But don't be stupid. You have to wait until they take action before fighting back. You will suffer big losses!" the prince whispered again.
"Hey, I understand." Lao Liu nodded happily. After all, the prince brother still faced him.
~~
At the same time, in Wan'an Palace.
Over there, Concubine Da Ding and Lao Qi came to investigate.
"Look at how your son beat my Lao Qi so hard that he can't even open his eyes!" Da Shi pointed at Lao Qi's black and blue eyes and said to Concubine Hu Xian menacingly.
"He has squinted eyes." Concubine Hu Xian opened her eyes and told lies. "What does it have to do with our sixth child?"
"He was the one who beat me, and the prince saw it! Do you still want to deny it?" Da Shi asked Concubine Hu Xian angrily: "Just tell me what to do? If you don't give me an explanation today, I will go to the emperor to ask for an explanation!
"
She won't go to the queen because she has a grudge.
"Lao Qi, what did the prince say?" Concubine Hu Xian ignored Da Shi and asked Lao Qi directly.
"The eldest brother told me to go back first, and he took care of the sixth brother to vent my anger." The seventh brother replied.
"That's enough." Concubine Xian has assisted the Queen in running the Sixth Palace in recent years, and she is really good at it. "His Royal Highness will deal with it fairly, and it is not my turn to cause trouble."
"Sister Dingfei, don't always act like an old hen protecting her chicks. When will the child grow up?" Concubine Xian no longer knows how to do it. She has a more hurtful weapon -
-son!
To be precise, he is a good son!
"It's not that I'm boasting. Look, the sixth is only half a year older than the seventh. How much contribution has he made for his father and elder brother? Even the title of the virtuous concubine of this palace was earned by him.
"Yes." Concubine Xian's words were like a knife stabbing into Concubine Da Ding's heart.
"You..." Concubine Da Ding was so angry that her pretty face turned red and she almost wanted to vomit blood. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists tightly, wishing that this vicious woman would have her heart ripped out by a black tiger.
But her remaining sense told her that even if the two of them were tied together, they would not be a match for this female bandit.
Moreover, the opponent's rank is much higher than hers now, and she is the second person in the harem behind only the Queen. If she beats her, she can have someone beat her up without the Queen's support.
He could only stomp his feet angrily, turned around and slapped Lao Qi: "You trash!"
Lao Qi was already suffering from a bruised nose and swollen face, but this time his injuries were even more severe. Half of his face was swollen to the point of being swollen. Feeling aggrieved, he whimpered and turned around and ran out of Wan'an Palace.
"Just wait for me, and you will see how I deal with you!" Concubine Da Ding knew that she would only humiliate herself if she stayed any longer, so she chased her son and left without even saying hello.
When I walked to the gate of Wan'an Palace, I saw Lao Liu coming to greet his mother and concubine.
"Hey, Concubine Ding, you are a rare visitor." Lao Liu smiled and saluted Concubine Da Ding, not feeling guilty at all for hitting her son.
"Hmph! Your Highness, King of Chu." Concubine Da Ding looked at Lao Liu up and down, and said coldly: "Didn't your elder brother deal with you? Why is your whole body intact?"
"Why didn't you clean it up?" Lao Liu said with a face full of pain: "You beat me so hard that I rolled all over the floor. The main reason is that the place where I was beaten is not convenient for display, so you can't see it."
"Humph!" Concubine Da Ding didn't believe it. No one knew better than her what it would look like after having her butt pierced. But she couldn't tell Lao Liu, "I don't believe it. Take off your pants and come see me."
So I can only hold it in.
"Hmph!" Concubine Da Ding snorted again, and the suffocated Concubine Da Ding walked away without looking back. As for whether she would take it out on Lao Qi again when she goes back, that's probably for sure.
"You'll get wrinkles if you get angry too long!" Lao Liu said loudly behind her, with his hands clasped around his mouth.
"I want you to take care of it!" Concubine Da Ding's changed voice echoed in the night.
~~
Entering Wan'an Palace, Lao Liu greeted his mother and concubine with a smile.
"Son, have you eaten?" Concubine Hu Xian didn't even mention what happened just now.
"I ate at the old man's place with my eldest brother." After Lao Liu finished speaking, he smiled towards the palace door and asked, "Then the old ladies are here to trouble you?"
"She's the one? Is she worthy?" Concubine Hu Xian said proudly like a big rooster that has won a fight: "We are not on the same level, you know?"
"Good guy, Sister Hong can use her power to overwhelm others now." Lao Liu clapped his hands and said with a smile, "This way I don't have to worry about you being bullied all day long when I'm outside."
"That means, with my son supporting me, my mother is walking around in the palace!" Concubine Hu Xian said in disgust.
"You'd better take it easy, be careful if your mother will take care of you one day." Lao Liu said with a smile.
"That's not possible. Mom respects Sister Ma from the bottom of her heart." Concubine Hu Xian shook her head.
