On 18 August, Zhu Cihong's dragon boat arrived at the Royal Naval Base in Zhoushan, Zhejiang.

Zhoushan Military Shipyard is the largest shipyard in the Ming Dynasty, and its scale has been expanding since it was handed over to Yang Wanli in the fourteenth year of Chongzhen.

In addition, the shipyard has a special institution to train craftsmen, and for more than ten years, shipbuilding technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, and the displacement of warships built has been continuously improved.

So far, Zhoushan Shipyard has launched more than 200 warships, large and small, all of which are sail battleships above level 5.

The first thing Zhu Cihong did when he visited the shipyard was to visit the Wanli battleship, which was the first first-class sail battleship independently developed by the Ming Dynasty!

In the Age of Discovery, warships were divided into six classes, and each class had strict requirements for the displacement of warships, the number of guns and sailors.

The Ming Dynasty currently has 200 sail battleships, including one first-class battleship, named Wanli.

There are three second-class sail battleships, which are named after the year names of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, such as the Apocalypse and the Chongzhen.

In the eighth year of Tianwu, the Taichang second-class sail battleship was launched.

There are more than 30 third-class sail battleships, named after the Big Dipper and the Twenty-Eight Nakshatras.

There are more than 60 fourth-class sail battleships, named after Wei Qing, Huo Quzhi, Yue Fei, Qi Jiguang and other historical generals.

Accompanying the Holy Driver on the Wanli battleship were the Royal Navy Minister Shen Shouchong, as well as some brigade commanders of the Nanyang Fleet.

Because most of the generals Zhu Chenggong and Shi Lang of the Jinghai Fleet went to the West with the ocean-going fleet, Zhu Cihong transferred part of the Nanyang Fleet to the Zhoushan base, and Kyushu Island was garrisoned by Huang Binqing to monitor every move in Japan.

Zhu Cihong and a group of generals, under the leadership of Yang Wanli, the squire of the Ministry of Works, boarded the warship and visited.

According to Yang Wanli's introduction, this super battleship was designed in the first month of the seventh year of Tianwu, the construction started on the second day of February, and it was launched in October of the eighth year of Tianwu, which took nearly two years.

After more than half a year of sea trials, the performance is good.

The battleship Wanli did not adopt the shape of a Spanish sailing ship with a low front and high rear and a tall rear and stern building, but adopted a Dutch-style smooth deck with only one floor in the aft building.

The Wanli has a total length of more than 70 meters, a width of 17 meters, a height of 24 meters, a draft of 7 meters, four decks, three masts, and dragon sails on the mainmast and foremast.

The ship has more than 280 rooms and is equipped with a total of 118 guns, with 30 guns on the low deck and the main deck and 30 guns on the upper deck.

There were fifteen guns on the bow floor, fifteen guns on the half deck, and ten bow guns and a number of tail guns, the largest of which weighed sixty pounds net and a salvo of one ton.

The ship has about 1,000 officers and men, a total displacement of 1,700 tons, and 12 anchors, each weighing two tons.

The Wanli sail battleship, whether it is displacement, the number of guns it is equipped with, or the number of sailors, is stronger than the British Sea Monarch, and it is currently the largest sail battleship in the world!

It is also a representative of the giant sailing warships of this era (17th century)!

Yang Wanli, the waiter of the Ministry of Works, heard that the British Sea Monarch was the first in the world, and at the beginning of the design, he was aiming for the first place in the world!

Just kidding, can the imperial ship of the Ming Emperor be smaller than that of the King of England? Isn't this the equivalent of a woman riding on a man, a great rebellion?

As for the naming of the battleship Wanli, the Admiralty originally proposed to name it "Tianwu".

The emperor's imperial warship, the Tianwu is the most suitable, and it also has great symbolic significance.

However, it was vetoed by Zhu Cihong, in the future, Daming will have to build ironclad battleships, and when the first ironclad battleship of Daming is named Tianwu, no one can rob it, Hongwu can't!

Of course, no one knew about the emperor's thoughts, and everyone felt that His Majesty was humble and respected his ancestors......

Emperor Wanli is currently the longest reigning emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and he has been the emperor for forty-eight years, and it is quite appropriate to name him after his era.

On the battleship Wanli, there are also suites dedicated to His Majesty the Emperor, as well as a battleship command room and a captain's special room.

Among them, Zhu Cihong's royal suite has a total of three rooms, namely the living room, study and bedroom, and the interior decoration is very luxurious, and only such a super giant ship can be so luxurious.

After looking around, Zhu Cihong was very satisfied, and was full of praise for this battleship, he could already imagine that once this super battleship sailed to the open sea, it would inevitably be a huge deterrent force in Shanghai!

Zhu Cihong said: "Since I have mastered the technology of building first-class battleships, I should hurry up and build more giant ships!" I look forward to the near future, a series of warships such as Hongwu, Yongle, and Xuande will be launched, galloping in the four seas and oceans, and showing off our national prestige! ”

Yang Wanli immediately bowed down and replied: "The minister respectfully obeys the holy decree, and will definitely do his best to step up construction, protect my Ming Dynasty, and raise the prestige of my Heavenly Empire!" ”

At this moment, no one can be more excited than Yang Wanli's heart, he is a cloth cloth, and he has been engaged in shipbuilding for generations, he would never have imagined that he would one day be able to become a member of the imperial court as a cloth cloth, let alone that he could build such a super giant ship!

All of this, fortunately trusted by the Son of Heaven, Yang Wanli's life is destined to make indelible contributions to the development of the Ming Navy!

"Your Majesty, there are three candidate captains for the Wanli, please decide on one and choose one as the official captain!"

Shen Shouchong called the three regiment commanders, all of whom were officers who graduated with honors from the Royal Naval Academy of the Ming Dynasty, and they were also outstanding generals in several naval battles sent to Japan!

"The last general, the Nanyang Fleet of the Ming Royal Navy, the first brigade and the first regiment of the regiment Lan Haoran, long live my emperor, long live long live!"

"The last general, the Jinghai Fleet of the Ming Royal Navy, the commander of the third regiment of the second brigade Gan Hui, long live my emperor, long live long live!"

"The last general of the Nanyang Fleet of the Ming Royal Navy, the commander of the second regiment of the third brigade Liu Guoxuan......"

The last time the three regiments bowed in turn, their lowered faces all showed adoring eyes.

This was the second time they had met the Son of Heaven, the first time at the Royal Naval College graduation ceremony, where the Son of Heaven personally presented certificates to outstanding graduates......

"You are Lan Haoran?"

Zhu Cihong's voice sounded leisurely, and in Lan Haoran's ears, it was like a heavenly sound.

He immediately straightened his back and said loudly: "Return to Your Majesty, the last general Lan Haoran, listen to the hadith!" ”

Zhu Cihong glanced at him, nodded slightly, and didn't talk to him.

In his eyes, these three people are all excellent regiment commanders, and they are all qualified to be the captains of the Wanli, such as Gan Hui and Liu Guoxuan, who once followed Zhu Chenggong to recover Taiwan.

In history, these two are also Zheng Chenggong's right-hand men, the main generals who oppose the Qing Dynasty and restore the Ming Dynasty. (In the end, Gan Hui was unyielding and martyred, and Liu Guoxuan was defeated and persuaded by Shi Lang to surrender to the Qing Dynasty)

Zhu Cihong paced two steps with his hand in his hand and said, "I will compare you with one question, and the one who answers well will be the captain of the imperial ship!" ”

In the slightly nervous eyes of the three of them, Zhu Cihong did not sell his son, and said: "What qualities and abilities should you have to become the captain of the imperial ship?" Name three kinds of each. ”

Liu Guoxuan replied first: "Strategy, decision-making, vigilance!" ”

Gan Hui then replied: "Command, calm, low-key!" ”

It was Lan Haoran's turn, only to hear him reply loudly: "Loyalty!" Loyal!! Loyal!!! ”

This kid's answer stunned all the admirals present, and the Minister of the Navy, Shen Shouchong, was just about to reprimand, but he heard His Majesty the Emperor laugh.

Zhu Cihong pointed at Lan Haoran and said with a smile: "It's you!" ”

Liu Guoxuan and Gan Hui are still a little confused, and some veterans such as Shen Shouchong have already understood it in a flash.

Since ancient times, the emperors have liked the most people who are loyal to them, and their abilities can be slightly inferior, but they must be loyal!

Not to mention such a big thing as guarding the royal car, loyalty is more important than ability!

In case of emergency, you can't run by yourself, you have to run with the emperor! Or to fight to the death to let the emperor run first!

Is Daming short of capable generals? There is no shortage!

Hearing this, Lan Haoran was overjoyed, and once again made a big salute, shouting: "The last general will thank my emperor Longen!" Even if the last general goes to the soup, he will ensure that His Majesty is safe and sound! ”

Looking at the emperor's satisfied smile, Shen Shouchong was very relieved in his heart, Lan Haoran, this kid, is fucking lucky again, and his future is limitless!

"Shen Shou Chong......"

Just when he was secretly proud, only to hear the emperor suddenly call his name, Shen Shouchong hurriedly stepped forward: "The minister is here." ”

Zhu Cihong said lightly: "Go and prepare, I will go to sea in three days, and I will come to Nanyang in person!" ”

"Obey the order!"

Shen Shouchong didn't dare to say a word of nonsense, let alone dissuade him.

He would not be naïve to think that the Son of Heaven came to Zhejiang at this juncture just to inspect the shipyard and naval base.

It should not be far before Luzon truly becomes a part of the land of the Ming Dynasty......