After hearing Li Zhi's words, Zha Yunke thought for a while and said nothing.??
Li Zhi also wants to run to the sea.
As a businessman, Zha Yunke does not want a competitor to compete with him. With one more competitor, the purchase price of raw silk in Tianjin will be higher, and the price in Japan will be lower. Zha Yunke's profit
will decrease.
But Cha Yunke is not only a businessman, but also an official and businessman. The most important thing for an official and businessman is connections. Li Zhi is extremely powerful. Helping Li Zhi go to sea can earn Li Zhi a favor, which will have countless benefits in the future. For example,
The relationship between Cha Dengbei and Li Zhi seems not to be very good. I would like to do Li Zhi a favor. It might be useful in critical moments in the future.
Zha Yunke weighed it again and again, and finally said: "Master Taibao, these shipbuilders are engaged in illegal private shipbuilding, and ordinary people cannot inquire about them. If ordinary people want to inquire about shipbuilders from me, I will definitely not tell them.
Yes. But since Master Taibao has spoken, I must help you."
Li Zhi smiled and said: "Master Cha is an interesting person!"
Cha Yunke said: "I will bring the shipbuilder to see Mr. Taibao tomorrow. Mr. Taibao will wait for me at the mansion."
Li Zhi cupped his hands and said, "Then Li Zhi will wait at home for Mr. Cha."
Early the next morning, Cha Yunke entered the General Military Mansion with three craftsmen wearing thick turbans.
"The leader is Boss Wang, the head shipbuilder of Wangjiawan."
Li Zhi looked at the leading craftsman and saw that he had a short stature, dark skin and calluses on his hands. He looked like a fisherman.
Li Zhi asked: "What kind of ship can you build?"
Boss Wang seemed to have met many high-ranking officials. When he saw Li Zhi, the crown prince's chief protector, he did not flinch. He just said calmly: "Master Taibao, I can build the local pointed boats in Dagu. This boat
The bow is sharper than the Fu boat and the hull is flatter than the Guang boat. It is especially suitable for running on the northern sea. Generally, the material of the pointed boat is 2,000. The captain can be ten feet long, with three decks on the water, and the cabin is divided into a dozen watertight compartments.
If you use a cabin, you can travel to the East. If you are brave, you can also travel to the South. As long as you don’t encounter a hurricane, you’ll be fine.”
One foot in the Ming Dynasty is similar to one foot in later generations, three feet is one meter, and ten feet is thirty meters. Li Zhi thought about it for a while and felt that the ship Wang Datou mentioned had a displacement of more than two hundred tons.
Zha Yunke explained: "Sir, the two thousand data that Boss Wang mentioned are folk data, which are different from official data!"
Li Zhi asked: "How much money does it cost to build such a ship?"
Boss Wang said: "It depends on what kind of boat you want to build! The wood used in shipbuilding may be good or bad, and it needs to be dried in the shade. The price of drying in the shade varies in different years. If you want to build a good ship, you need to repair it.
A ship that can last six or seven years requires 4,000 taels of silver, 602 fir logs, 298 miscellaneous logs, 40 individual logs, four elm rudder posts, and four chestnut logs.
, seventy-six scull blanks. If it is inferior, a bad boat that only lasts two or three years, the wood used is very different, and the joints do not need to be made of bamboo dipped in snakeskin paste, just nail them with iron nails.
The construction cost is two thousand taels and that’s enough!”
A good ship of more than 200 tons costs four thousand taels of silver, which is not cheap.
Li Zhi said: "What if I want to build a bigger ship? For example, build a big ship with four thousand materials."
The head craftsman looked at Li Zhi and said, "I can build it too, but it requires more labor. If you want to build a large ship with 4,000 materials that can last for six or seven years, it will cost about 10,000 taels of silver."
"How many months will it take to build two large ships costing 4,000 materials faster?"
"The young man has recruited all the craftsmen he knows well from the area and can build it in five months."
Li Zhi nodded and said, "Do you know the ribs of the ship?"
The craftsman was stunned for a moment, thought for a moment and said, "I don't know."
Li Zhi said: "If I want to install cannons on the ship, I must lay wooden ribs on both sides of the keel for support. If you don't know, I can teach you."
Sea-going ships in the Ming Dynasty generally used watertight cabin structures. This kind of ship structure was very advanced in technology and allowed the ship to still sail even if it was partially damaged. The deck boards of the watertight cabins could also provide lateral support for the ship. However, this kind of support is relatively small.
It is limited and cannot withstand the recoil of heavy guns. The watertight cabin can support the recoil of a six-pounder, but if you want to install an eighteen-pounder on a ship, you must lay the ship's ribs.
Western-style sailing ships that traveled across several oceans after the 18th century all used rib structures. Li Zhi had previously understood the structure of the ribs of wooden sailing ships, and it came in handy at this time. With Li Zhi's knowledge and the experience of these old shipwrights,
I believe we can definitely build the ship's ribs.
The captain of the ship did not expect that the commander-in-chief also knew the technology of shipbuilding, so he was dubious about it.
But Zha Yunke knew that Li Zhi was a skillful craftsman and knew that Li Zhi didn't know many new things. He believed that the boat ribs Li Zhi mentioned must be useful new things. He said to Boss Wang: "Boss Wang, you are lucky. Help me."
The governor can also learn new skills in shipbuilding, and this trip will make a lot of money!"
Boss Wang then scratched his head and said, "I really don't know what a ship's rib is. I need the Governor to give me some advice."
Li Zhi nodded and said: "Two big ships with four thousand materials cost twenty thousand taels of silver? Can it be cheaper?"
Boss Wang said calmly: "Sir, all we earn is craft money, and we use enough materials. We can buy as much material as we have and build as big a boat as we have. If you give us less money, we will have to buy less."
If you use the materials to make a smaller boat, or if you buy inferior materials, the boat won't last for so many years. You can give me as much money as you like, but the final boat will be different."
Cha Yunke also said: "Don't worry, sir, these shipwrights are all craftsmen. They just make a living for their craftsmanship and will not be greedy for Lord Mo's money. He also built my ship, and I have repaired it with him every year these years."
, the money spent is worth every penny.”
Li Zhi thought for a while, nodded and said: "Okay, I believe you. I will give you 10,000 taels to buy wood first, but I will send someone to go with you to purchase and register and do the accounting. After the wood arrives, I will
I will teach you how to make ribs. In addition, I will also build two paddle wheels, and I will teach you together when the time comes."
Boss Wang said: "Okay! Don't worry, sir. You have invested so much money. I will definitely buy the best materials to ensure that your boat can be used for seven or eight years!"
Li Zhi smiled and nodded.
####
The shipbuilding cost of 20,000 taels was not a small figure. Li Zhi wanted to send someone to supervise the shippers' expenses, so he sent Zheng Kaicheng's younger brother Zheng Kaida to supervise Boss Wang's purchase. Han Jinxin was trustworthy, and Li Zhi believed that no one was watching Han Jinxin.
The former Jinyi Guardsmen would not spend money recklessly. Zheng Kaida, the deputy envoy of the Secret Guards, first went to work as a shipbuilding supervisor.
After arranging the shipbuilding matters, Li Zhi calmed down and began to study the steam engine.
