On the way home, Feng Ziying was still immersed in the conversation with Shen Yourong for more than an hour.
They talked about the formation and creation of the naval fleet, the importance of Ezo, Toban and Ryukyu, especially Toban, and the various possibilities of opening the sea to the south in the future. Of course, Feng Ziying also had to focus on Shen Yourong. Various thoughts on the naval fleet.
Shen Yourong was an honest man. He made it clear that he was familiar with the original fleet management model of the Zhou Dynasty, but if he wanted to build this kind of galenic ship according to the way the Xiyi people did, and the management was based on artillery battles to determine the outcome, He also doesn't have much experience.
He said that if he really wanted to take over, he would still be able to explore slowly, but he also advocated recruiting a large number of Western sailors to help his own naval fleet improve its actual combat level.
After all, the main enemy of the Zhou Dynasty fleet is not the Xiyi people for the time being. In the short term, the Japanese pirates and Japan are the targets at sea. What is even more important is to open up a supply line to ensure the south of the Yangtze River in Denglai, Liaonan, and then try to open up and bypass North Korea. The path that connects the Haixi Jurchens and the Barbarian Jurchens via Ezo.
The idea is beautiful, but there are many difficulties ahead. The construction of the ship not only requires recruiting merchants from the south of the Yangtze River to go north, but also requires craftsmen and shipbuilding technology from the Xiyi people. This even requires artillery technology. It's all a problem.
The key is that from shipbuilding to gun building, it is not just a matter of shipbuilding and gun building, but also involves a series of industrial technology system chains.
For example, shipbuilding involves the drying and processing of wood. It turns out that Dazhou uses natural drying, which is the best. However, it is obviously difficult to meet the time requirements. Who can stand the drying process of two or three years? This is the drying method. The appearance of the room.
For example, artillery is even more troublesome. When it comes to material improvement, it requires innovations in casting and forging technology and steelmaking technology. It also involves improvements in gunpowder and innovations in various processing technologies and equipment. In Europe, these things are It is not particularly advanced, but in Dazhou, it has obviously fallen behind, which also involves the cultivation of the entire technical talent system.
Feng Ziying and Shen Yourong discussed it for a long time, and both believed that it was feasible to help Da Zhou set up and build Xiyi ships through pure private recruitment or even poaching, but it might take a long time, but if it was through relatively open recruitment, The method may involve dealing with the government of the French people and the East India Company, the organization of the red-haired people.
Shen Yourong didn't know what was behind Hongmaofan, which was the Dutch East India Company, but Feng Ziying did.
Only by promising huge profits can Fo Lang Ji and Hong Mao Fan be tempted.
Different from Shen Yourong's point of view, Feng Ziying believed that if Zhou wanted to gain more support in shipbuilding technology and artillery technology, he might have to focus on the Dutch and the Dutch East India Company.
Because in this era, although the Dutch had already established themselves as the dominant maritime coachmen in Europe, their power in the east was still quite weak, and they were far from being able to compete with the Francois (common federation of Spain and Portugal) who had deep roots in Luzon. ) rival.
The Dutch are eager to obtain commercial interests, especially a commercial company that mainly focuses on profit-making. The purpose of colonization is still to earn profits. The seventeen-member board of directors of the Dutch East India Company needs to review the company's goals and countermeasures every year. As long as it can bring them They dare to do anything that will bring huge profits.
The Dutch have long coveted the markets and goods of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Japan, and Korea.
And Spain, who came first, now becomes their stumbling block.
It firmly blocked Luzon, a key place leading to the Great Zhou Dynasty and Japan and Korea. Therefore, the Dutch East India Company had to take the risk of completely falling out with the Francois to seize Ambon last year in order to gain a foothold in the East. Get a real foothold.
Only by taking advantage of this can the Red Mao Fan (the Dutch and their East India Company) be willingly used by the Zhou Dynasty. At least at this time, the Dutch East India Company has never thought of going to war with such a behemoth as the Zhou Dynasty, and even I haven't thought about it for a long time in the future, so this is an opportunity.
Although it was only a two-hour long conversation, Feng Ziying had basically determined that Shen Yourong was a very suitable candidate for the commander of the Navy. Not only was he proficient in naval affairs, but he also had clear goals and knew what kind of army the Great Zhou would need in the future. This kind of navy knows how to build such a navy, instead of just blindly copying the past like others. That is precisely what Feng Ziying is most worried about.
The problem now is to recommend such a person to Wang Ziteng and the Ministry of War, and this requires Feng Ziying to spend a lot of time to solve.
A position like the commander of the Denglai Navy requires at least one guard commander to work with him, starting from a third-grade official position. Fortunately, Shen Yourong originally started from a fourth-grade official. Such a two-level jump was rare in the Great Zhou Dynasty, but not It's rare to see someone who can do it with both a network background and solid performance.
But it is not easy for a military attache who has been idle for three years and then another year, and may not even be welcomed by the Ministry of War.
Feng Ziying has a normal relationship with Zhang Jingqiu, Minister of the Ministry of War. Although the other party has a good impression of him, they agree more with some military affairs and do not have much personal friendship. Fortunately, Chai Ke is about to return to Beijing, and the left minister of the Ministry of War has been vacant for a long time. , he should take over as Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of War after he comes back. At this point, Feng Ziying is confident to do Tong Chai Ke's job.
As for Wang Ziteng, it is easy to solve. The other party wants something from him, and he can also realize the exchange of interests. For Wang Ziteng, a naval fleet that can quickly open the logistics supply route to Denglai in southern Liaoning is the best solution. The most important thing is that Prince Teng also has no intention of staying in the position of Governor of Tenglai for long, as long as it can meet his needs and achieve his political goals.
When I got home, it was already dark.
He actually didn't leave himself to have a meal. Well, he still wanted to have a drink and have a good time. It seems that Shen Yourong is still lacking in the ability to please his boss. No wonder the people in the Ministry of War don't want to see him.
But for Feng Ziying, this is not important. A naval commander only needs to understand the goal and have strong execution ability. If he is too tactful or considers personal interests, he is really worried that the other party will be dragged into the trap by people like Wang Ziteng.
After returning home, Feng Ziying had dinner and then went into the study to write about what she had learned today.
This was a habit he had developed since he went to Jiangnan. Everywhere he went, he could write down whatever he saw, heard, felt, gained, or even recalled something from his previous life that he felt was useful and valuable. Writing is a bit like a diary, but it is irregular. You will only write when you feel you have gained something.
Of course, this harvest also refers to many aspects. You can write down your feelings about people, things, and yourself in a general way. This can be used as information for your future accumulation or writing of books.
He wrote down all the discussions he had with Shen Yourong today, including those that evoked memories of his previous life, such as the Dutch East India Company, the British strategy in India at this time, the relationship with the Netherlands, and Spain and Portugal. The conflicts between the Commonwealth and the Dutch, and the massive amounts of silver transported by the Manila galleon, all reminded Feng Ziying a lot.
"Sir, my wife and concubine please come over." Jin Chuan'er came to call, which surprised Feng Ziying, "At this time, didn't you say anything was going on?"
"My wife didn't say anything, but my wife and I should be discussing something. I heard from Mingzhu that my wife and I have been talking to each other for a long time." Jin Chuan'er is indeed better at handling things than Yun Shang and Xiang Ling. The time was shorter than that of Yun Shang and Xiang Ling, but they quickly achieved "harmony with the maids around the big and small Duans". Even Xiang Ling and Yun Shang were surprised how Jin Chuan'er did it.
You must know that since the master rejected the possibility of these maids coming to his house, these maids have always disliked Yun Shang and Xiang Ling. Unexpectedly, Jin Chuan'er came and quickly opened up the situation, allowing Mingzhu and Ming Huan and other maids did not dare to pick any more provocations.
Feng Ziying was a little confused, but she quickly passed by. When she saw her mother and aunt sitting on the kang in the room, their expressions were not too abnormal, and she felt relieved.
"Mom, aunt, why are you calling your son?"
"Brother Keng, you have been back for a few days. Before you went to Jiangnan, your father and your teacher had already sent a letter to the Shen family. Later, when you went to Jiangnan, the betrothal gift from your family had also been sent to the Shen family. , even if this matter is settled, the two families still need to discuss the specific time of getting married. Mom also wants to ask you when the time is suitable. Mom also knows that you are very busy now, so you have to make time for yourself. Come out, but you can’t delay it any longer.”
Mrs. Duan was also calm, "I have also inquired about the situation of the Shen family. The girl is very knowledgeable and reasonable, and her conditions are very good in all aspects. She comes from a scholarly family. I hope you can marry as soon as possible, so that your uncle can live in the house early." I'll give some explanation to your uncle Jiuquanxia. In addition, my mother also wants to discuss the affairs of our third room with you..."
Feng Ziying's heart trembled, she was afraid that this last sentence was her mother's main intention.
As for the uncle's apartment, it has been decided a long time ago. The specific time is just for the two families to agree and choose a good date. It will not be later than next year at the latest, and this year may be the most likely. After all, It's only February now.
"Mom, my son has no objections to the Shen family's affairs. As for the time, if possible, it's best to put it in the second half of the year or the first half of next year. I'm afraid I will have to be busy for a while in these two or three months." Feng Ziying
Carefully observing the changes in his mother's expression, he said, "As for what you said about our third house, mother, we don't have to be too busy, right? And my son feels that the eldest house has been settled, and the son of the third house hopes to find a condition that is not inferior to the eldest house.
