Coming out of the Yulin Bay Academy, these people went to the Yulin Bay Military Academy again, and all the children had a strong interest in the military school. Wang Hua also arranged a performance by a guard of honor, and Zheng Chenggong actually took the initiative to apply to audit a lecture of the Naval Section.

Coming out of the military academy, the sky was already dark, and the street lamps in various parts of Yulin Bay were lit one after another, and the commercial area and the residential area were connected into a one, and the lights were bright.

Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Zhihu were a little dumbfounded: "Brother Zhang, did you light these oil lamps by each family?" ”

"No, it's our streetlights." Zhang Guodong led Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Zhihu to the bottom of a street lamp, "General, please look, this is our street lamp, which is lit with whale oil." It is lit every night at the beginning of the night, extinguished at two o'clock in the morning, and is maintained by a special person. ”

Zheng Zhihu asked: "Then is this an order for one night, and when no one is around?" ”

Zhang Guodong smiled and said: "Yes, there is no curfew in Yulin Bay, so we don't know when someone will pass by, so we order it overnight." ”

Zheng Zhihu didn't believe it: "Then who will pay for the consumption of these lamp oils?" ”

"Since we come out of Yulin Bay by ourselves."

The next day, Sun Tianhao accompanied Zheng Zhilong to discuss the matter of the Qiong Rendezvous, and the military urgently convened a meeting to discuss how to move Zheng Zhilong to capture Tsushima Island.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with that." Zeng Guangxian, as the Minister of the Navy, was the first to speak, "We have agreed with Zheng Zhilong before that we want to attack Japan, but it has dragged on for a long time. Now let's put aside the Westerners and give him all of Japan, and he will definitely agree. ”

"Not necessarily." Leng Tianbing said, "If you want to capture Japan, you need a lot of warships. Zheng Zhilong has only sold him 20 30-ton gunboats so far, and the 500-ton warships we promised him have not been delivered at all. But we not only have the Pearl, but also the two thousand-ton ships of Guangdong and Fujian, and Zheng Zhilong's strength cannot be compared with us now. So I think even if he agrees, he will make some requests, he will definitely want to get some better warships, and this time he can send Zheng Chenggong to Yulin Bay shows that he has realized this. ”

"I agree with TechnoAlpin." Xu Lang continued, "The plan to capture Tsushima Island and Japan was first proposed by me, and now if we want to control Japan, we must arm Zheng Zhilong, otherwise not only will he not be able to take Japan, but I am afraid he will not want to fight Japan." ”

"It's not impossible to arm Zheng Zhilong, just sell him some warships to boost our economy." Han Wantao said, "But to what extent do you want to arm him, will he defeat Japan and bite us back." ”

"It's a troublesome thing." Xu Lang said, "Our next step is to control the whole of Vietnam, our army will be expanded, and I am afraid that it will be difficult for the navy to develop on a large scale in a few years." The Combined Fleet not only has to control Tsushima, but also has to beware of Westerners in the south, and it is difficult for our warships to do both. ”

"Xu Lang." Wang Zhaoxing asked, "I read your advice to my family, and the question you asked is a bit big, involving the entire strategic direction, whether to go north or south." I don't think this issue can be decided by a few of us, nor can it be decided by the Joint Command, and the final decision will have to be made by the Crossing Conference. ”

"Otherwise, I'll make a suggestion." Wang Hua, who had never spoken, said, "Let's not talk to Zheng Zhilong about Japan this time." Zheng Zhilong has just taken Taiwan, and he does not necessarily have the idea of occupying Japan now. This time, we will only talk to him about the Qiong rendezvous, and strive to sell him a few more warships to increase our economy and employment rate. As for Japan, we will wait for the July crossing conference to make a decision, anyway, we are not going to attack Japan immediately. ”

Everyone discussed for a while, and they all felt that Wang Hua's opinion was more reliable, and Zhang Guodong finally said: "Everyone has nothing else to say, let's do what Lao Wang wants." Xu Lang, you go and inform Sun Tianhao and ask him to discuss the matter of the battleship with Zheng Zhilong. Our economy in the past six months is very bad, and it is best to win a big order. ”

In the next few days, He Yun took Zheng Chenggong and more than 30 other children to visit the entire Yulin Bay and go to Wanzhou Academy, but the negotiations between Sun Tianhao and Zheng Zhilong reached an impasse. Zheng Zhilong had no opinion on the idea of the Qiong Fair, and promised to bring a large number of Japanese and mainland goods, but on the issue of warships, Zheng Zhilong put forward new requirements.

Zheng Zhilong saw the power of the Pearl in Taiwan, and after coming to Yulin Bay, he saw with his own eyes the two thousand-ton ships Guangdong and Fujian. Zheng Zhilong is now no longer interested in the 500-ton warship provided by Sun Tianhao, and has repeatedly expressed his hope that he can also buy the kind of iron ship without a mast, and if not, he will also buy a big ship like the Guangdong. Sun Tianhao didn't dare to agree, and the question turned back to the joint command.

Finally, at Zhang Guodong's suggestion, the first enlarged meeting of the committee in six months was held, and all the committee members and bureau directors at home attended the meeting.

The discussion was hot, the debate was also fierce, and a considerable number of people were unwilling to sell the thousand-ton ship to Zheng Zhilong. There are two reasons for this, the first is of course that I am worried about turning against Zheng Zhilong in the future, and the second is the delivery time. If it is a 500-ton warship for Zheng Zhilong, there is no problem with delivery within half a year, and there will be no delay in attacking Japan. However, if it is sold to Zheng Zhilong's thousand-ton ship, then I am afraid that it will be enough to complete it within a year, which will inevitably affect the capture of Tsushima Island.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me say a few words." Sun Dalei stood up and shouted, "I agree to sell the thousand-ton ship to Zheng Zhilong, because we are too short of money now." I think everyone knows the financial situation in the past six months, and the next step is to continue to expand the army, and we will also carry out infrastructure construction on the entire Hainan Island, which will cost money. The cost of two thousand-ton ships will not exceed 500,000 silver, but we can sell Zheng Zhilong 5 million, ten times the profit, at least in the second half of the year, there is no need to worry about money. ”

"Director Sun, you can't just think about money." Zeng Guangxian retorted, "Zheng Zhilong now has Taiwan, if he is allowed to take Japan again, then he really has the capital to turn against us." Another point I want to remind you that if Zheng Zhilong is allowed to occupy Japan, will Tao Min also contact him, have you ever thought about this? ”

"Impossible, Tao Min will never contact Zheng Zhilong."

"How is it impossible, I think what Guangxian said makes sense, let's beware of this."

The venue was noisy again, and Xia Yang waved his hand: "It's all quiet, it's all quiet." Let me have a suggestion. Let Tianhao and Zheng Zhilong talk about the price first, let's raise the price a little. Zheng Zhilong is now running the whole of Taiwan, and we don't know how much silver he can come up with. If he can't accept our price, then naturally there will be no problem; If he really accepts it, I don't think it matters if you sell it to him. One or two warships don't decide anything, but a few million dollars of silver will be very useful to our Yulin Bay. ”

Xia Yang's opinion became the final decision, first talk about the price, and then talk about something else.

Sun Tianhao raised the price of 1,000-ton warships to 3 million, and Zheng Zhilong really couldn't take out so much silver at once, because he spent all his money on the construction of Taiwan. After some bargaining, Zheng Zhilong finally decided to ask for 4 500-ton warships with a total price of 2.8 million. As for the issue of the 1,000-ton ship, Sun Tianhao and Zheng Zhilong signed another memorandum, and a second round of negotiations will be held after the Qiong Fair.

Zheng Zhilong left Zheng Chenggong to return to Taiwan, and Ye Zhan also returned to Yulin Bay with the second batch of soldiers. Ye Sunquan and Luo Shi secretly shed a lot of tears when they looked at their son, who was a lot darker.

Ye Zhan came back, and Ye Sunquan set up a few tables of banquets in Xiangyi Restaurant to invite Xu Lang's family. Xu Lang knew that Ye Sunquan was going to discuss the marriage of Ye Li and Ziyun with him, so he first talked to Cheng Yiyi and Zhao Zhiruo, and took a large family to the banquet.

When Ye Sunquan was in Yulin Bay just now, there were only seven people in the family, and now the daughter-in-law, grandson and maid, the whole family is nearly twenty. Xu Lang's family is the same, adults and children, plus Lu Tianxiang and his wife, are also more than a dozen. The two families sat at three full tables.

"Master Lu, Master Xu." Ye Sunquan raised his glass, "Thanks to your care, the second child is also home now, and we are going to add another ding, I salute you." ”

Xu Lang said with a smile: "Old Ye, it can be said that we took care of Ye Zhan when he went home, but it was not our care that Jiayi and Bihe wanted to give you a grandson, that was the credit of Ye Yan and Ye Zhan." ”

Xu Lang's words caused a burst of laughter, and Ye Zhan also picked up his wine glass: "Sister Cheng, Mr. Zhao, thank you for taking care of Bihe in the past half a year since I was away, and I also toast you." ”

"Drink together, drink together." Everyone drank their first glass of wine.

Ziyun didn't sit at this table, Luo turned his head and looked: "My lord, Ye Li will graduate from Wanzhou Academy in two months, you see that Ye Li is also seventeen this year, isn't it。。。。。。 ”

Xu Lang said: "Mrs. Ye, as long as the two children have no opinion on this matter, we will have no opinion." Ye Li is indeed not small, they all say that starting a family and starting a business, starting a family first and then starting a business. ”

"Okay, okay." Roche didn't expect Xu Lang to agree so happily, "Thank you, my in-laws, I'll choose a date when I go back." ”

Xu Lang said with feeling: "When I first saw your family eight years ago, Ye Li was still a little little, and now he is going to marry and start a family, and we can't accept it anymore." ”

Cheng Yiyi secretly kicked Xu Lang next to him, Xu Lang suddenly realized that Lu Tianxiang and He Yun were also present, and hurriedly covered up: "But, we are still old and strong, and it will be no problem to work for another twenty years." ”

Lu Tianxiang smiled knowingly: "You are still in the prime of life, let alone twenty years, there is no problem for thirty or forty years." ”

Zhao Zhiruo asked: "Ye Zhan, you can have a longer vacation when you come back this time, and accompany Bihe more at home." ”

"Mr. Zhao, I don't know." Ye Zhan replied, "The chief gave me ten days off, and I'm afraid I'll be busy again after ten days." ”

"It's only been ten days." Cheng Yiyi shouted, "Xu Lang, what's the matter with you, as soon as Ye Zhan went out, it was half a year, and he was only given ten days off when he came back." ”

"I don't count if I say it." Xu Lang said with a smile, "Ye Zhan is not from the General Staff, and his vacation will be decided by the Military Commission." ”

"Sister Cheng." Ye Zhan said, "Chief Han has approached me and hopes that I can help him train the Second Independent Division, so the vacation may not be very long. ”

"This Han Wantao." Cheng Yiyi said, "When I go to him, how can I use people like this." ”

"Forget it." Lu Tianxiang said with a smile, "The army will arrange the affairs of the army, so let's leave it alone." ”

He Yun asked Sun Jiayi, who was sitting next to him, "Jiayi, how many months do you have left?" ”

"Grandma, it's less than three months."

"You'll have to keep an eye on that." He Yun instructed, "Your body is getting heavier and heavier now, so you have to be more careful in everything." ”

"Don't worry, old lady." Luo Zhi smiled, "We are all taking care of Jiayi, and we found a maid for her a few days ago." ”

Hearing Luo's words about finding a maid for Sun Jiayi, Xu Lang asked, "Mrs. Ye, is it easy to find a maid now?" ”

"It's not easy to find." Luo replied, "Now that there is no one in Yulin Bay to do the work of serving people, I still have to ask someone from other counties to help find it." ”

"Xu Lang, why are you asking this?" Cheng Yiyi stared at Xu Lang and smiled, "Is Ziyun married, and you want to find a few maids." ”