The ministers all had their own reasons, but as the emperor, he had no idea.
Whether to build two ships or to build one becomes the question.
The palace was probably warm because of the earth dragon burning. As soon as he entered the palace door, Li Qing felt a little sweat on his forehead.
Handing the cloak to the female officer who came over, Li Qing asked:
"Have you seen the prince?"
The female officer bowed and responded: "The prince is accompanying the young princess in the palace, and the eldest princess and Mrs. Wailang, the etiquette officer who entered the palace yesterday, are accompanying her on one side."
Mrs. Wailang, the Minister of Etiquette?
Li Qing was a little stunned. He really had no impression of who this was.
Next to him, Chang Ning explained: "She is Prince Su's servant Da Ya. Her current husband has been promoted to the position of Minister of Etiquette."
When Li Qing heard this, he realized it was Da Ya.
Shipbuilding is a state matter, so we can't let Daya know about it. According to ancestral rules, the inner palace is not allowed to interfere in politics, perhaps because these political affairs are easily eavesdropped by the officials and their families.
Li Qing entered the palace and saw Su Lu pushing Su Yi's cradle. Su Yun was sitting unsteadily on a recliner on one side, and Da Ya had half of her buttocks slanted on the stool with a look of embarrassment on her face.
"Da Ya, you are quite courageous. You came to ask for the official in no time. I asked you why you looked so embarrassed yesterday. It turns out you had such an intention."
Su Yun's voice sounded in the palace, and his voice was full of annoyance.
I treat you like a little sister, but I didn't expect that you just want to use me. It's okay not to go back to your parents' home after you get married. Now that you can use me, you want to come and see me.
Da Ya looked embarrassed and was about to answer when she saw Li Qing coming in. She quickly stood up and saluted Li Qing.
"Slave to see Your Majesty."
Li Qing waved his hand and said casually:
"Okay, if there's nothing else, please step back first."
Da Ya's face froze when she heard this, and she was about to say something, but Su Ge Changning stood over and stood on both sides of Da Ya.
Da Ya didn't dare to say anything and followed the two of them out of the hall obediently.
Waiting for Daya to leave the palace gate, Su Yun jumped up from the recliner, his tone full of annoyance:
"Humph, this big girl disappoints me so much."
"In vain, I thought she missed me, but I didn't expect that she came to ask for an official. I said why she was half-hearted when she talked to me yesterday, but it turned out that she came to ask for an official."
Su Yun walked up and down the hall, indignant.
Li Qing lay down on the recliner, ignored Su Yun, and started talking about today's court affairs.
"This year is still a bumper harvest, and the grain output in all states and counties has reached new highs, especially in Shazhou. The land should be suitable for the growth of potatoes and sweet potatoes, and the output is higher than last year."
"The people who persuaded the Agricultural Department made a huge contribution."
"There was another incident on the other side of Wangjiang River. The Yingte fighting ship collided with one of our large ships. The hull broke and water entered. Fortunately, no one was killed."
Su Lu stopped pushing the cradle, smiled and asked:
"Then Su Ping didn't say anything. Someone is bullying him. Su Ping is not someone who won't fight back even if he's beaten."
Su Yun sat down on the couch and said lazily:
"I must have fought back. I've never hit anyone before, so I had no choice but to file a complaint."
Li Qing shook his head: "You must have suffered a loss, otherwise this letter would not have been sent to the Ministry of War. Su Ping was angry that he did not have a big ship to use, so he tried another way to get a big ship from me."
Su Yun looked at Li Qing in surprise: "No way, Su Laosan is able to have this city. In the past, he was a straight-headed man with a very stubborn temper."
Su Lu glared at Su Yun: "That's right, you are Zangzi. Su Ping can command tens of millions of generals. If he is Zangzi, then his opponent will only have half a intestine."
Su Yun's cheeks were slightly red, and he wanted to argue a few words, but when he saw Li Qing next to him, he lowered his head again.
"Sister-in-law, our Ordnance Department has released a new weapon, a large flying bird. This flying bird is much faster and much more powerful than the original flying bird. The Ministry of War wants to build it, but the Ministry of Revenue is stuck and won't give the money."
Li Qing said lazily: "Then you want me to take the money. I don't have much money in my inner treasury."
Su Yun's face hardened, and he said seriously: "How can I ask you, sister-in-law, to spend money from the internal treasury? Building a new type of flying bird is a national plan, a major matter to protect the safety of ministers and people, and a major matter to break the blockade of Jiameng Pass by the Taixi people.
"
Su Lu suddenly said:
"Let Su Ping go out of the port, place ballistas on the small sampans, and give the Yingte people some color to see. By the way, isn't the first stern fighting ship ready? Let's go to sea and let the Yingte people have a look. We also have it.
Big ship."
Li Qing was a little reluctant: "That is our only treasure. If we really have a dispute with the Yingte people and it is broken, we won't be able to say anything."
Su Lu said lightly: "Ships are used for fighting. If they can't fight, why would I build them? Let alone two ships, not even one."
…
Looking at the river, Su Ping stood on the port pier, looking at the stern ship undulating in the water waves of the port, and asked the attendant next to him:
"In His Majesty's decree, do you really want me to attack the port? If the Yingte people dare to come up, I will have a fight with them?"
After receiving Li Qing's order, Su Ping was also confused. Although I really wanted to fight with the Yingte people, I didn't want to die. If I went out to fight with this stern battleship that was not fully equipped, I would die.
The vice-admiral smiled and said: "We are not allowed to leave the port now, but the decree says this. Once the follow-up armaments are delivered, we will board the ship immediately. We will lose both sides, and we will also let these Intel thieves take a look.
Not someone to be trifled with either."
Su Ping shook his head: "Hey, I made a miscalculation. I only wanted to use the Ministry of War to force His Majesty to invest more money in building ships. I didn't expect to shoot myself in the foot. The shipbuilding was still not done. Instead, my big treasure was gone.
It’s time to contribute.”
"By the way, have you asked the Ministry of War if you know what the armaments that will be shipped up later are?"
The deputy general shook his head, "Who knows, the people in the Ordnance Department have always been secretive. They even refused to let us see the ship building. How could such important news be passed on to us?"
"Hey, if you count the days, this armament should be here by now."
A school lieutenant hurriedly came in from outside the port. When he saw Su Ping, he clasped his fists and performed a military salute.
"Commander Commander, the armament approved by the Ministry of War has arrived, and the craftsmen from the Ordnance Department will come to install it on the big ship for us."
Su Ping nodded: "Go ahead, dispatch manpower, cooperate with the Ordnance Department, arm our fighting ship as soon as possible, and set sail to sea."
All the sailors around were extremely excited. They had been blocked by the British warships for several months, and now they could finally leave the port. Even if they were beaten, it would be better than being splinted like this.
The people from the Ordnance House moved very quickly, and cartloads of armaments quickly entered the port. Seeing the thick ballista tubes on the carts, Su Ping was a little confused.
