Chapter 224: The Eight Kings Water Army

Zhang Zhimu returned to his cabin and took out a ball made of a large coconut shell, which had been scraped clean with a knife and painted with white paint. Zhang Zhimu saw that the lacquer had dried, so he drew the equatorial line, several lines of latitude and longitude with his pen, and according to his memory, he began to sketch the general outline of the continent on the ball. He also drew the north and south poles. For places where the memory is relatively clear, such as the Yellow Sea, the Bohai Sea, the Liaodong Peninsula, the Shandong Peninsula, as well as Taiwan, Hainan Island, etc., Zhang Zhimu's paintings are generally accurate.

After finishing the globe, Zhang Zhimu spread out a large piece of paper and prepared to draw a map of the world. At this time, Yang Yulin came in: "Come and see if the things I bought are good, you don't care about what I bought at all." She took a bunch of things she bought in Guangzhou and showed them to Zhang Zhimu.

Zhang Zhimu said: "I'm not as good as you when you buy things, just be happy to buy it!" ”

"No, it's not my business to go back and get married, you have to care." Yang Yulin had to force Zhang Zhimu to watch.

Zhang Zhimu had no choice but to look at the things she selected with Yang Yulin one by one, Zhang Zhimu knew that Yang Yulin spent a lot of thought on buying these things, and Zhang Zhimu couldn't help but sigh.

Yang Yulin asked, "Why are you sighing?" Think you're spending too much money? ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Am I so stingy? I sighed at a commanding 'fire phoenix', and I was stunned and turned into a little woman. It's a pity that the chivalrous woman. ”

Yang Yulin came over and put her arms around Zhang Zhimu's waist, leaned on his shoulders and said, "I don't want to be a chivalrous woman, I just want to be a little girl." ”

Zhang Zhimu kissed Yang Yulin and said, "Let me finish the work." ”

Yang Yulin had no choice but to snort, and reluctantly let go and said, "You know that you are busy with your own and don't care about the marriage that goes back at all." ”

Zhang Zhimu picked up the pen again and said, "I don't have to worry about what you do, I don't have to worry about it anymore." ”

Zhang Zhimu's world map is to draw a rough outline, but to draw the latitude and longitude, he also wants to draw a picture for Shi Tao and them, and more accurate drawings will be drawn by them in the future.

Zhang Zhimu took this globe made of coconut and the world map, and when he came to the cab, Shi Tao and the others looked at it and knew that Zhang Zhimu must have something new to tell them.

Zhang Zhimu said: "What I am holding in my hand is a model of the earth, you can take a look." Zhang Zhimu combined the globe and introduced to them that it is Eurasia, Africa, North America, Australia, Antarctica and the North Pole. And tell them that the Arctic is made up of ice floes, and that the continents are beneath the Antarctic ice sheet.

Shi Tao asked, "Where is that Franc machine?" ”

Zhang Zhimu admired Shi Tao's use of his brains when he encountered an accident, and pointed to the place north of the Strait of Gibraltar with a pen in Spain in his previous life and said: "This place is Franc Ji." You see that the place is small and pitiful, but the people who come out here are all over the world. ”

Shi Tao said: "In such a small place, our Ming Dynasty is bigger than them at will, why can they crisscross the world." ”

Zhang Zhimu pointed to his head and said, "The difference is here?" Herein lies the difference between man and man. ”

Shi Tao and the others all nodded. Zhang Zhimu opened the map again and said: "This is a map that spreads out the circle of the earth, you see, I can only draw a general location map for you now, and you will have to redraw the detailed map in the future." Here the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, I can only draw a rough sketch of the diagram right now. ”

Shi Tao said: "In the future, all locations will be marked by latitude and longitude, which is too clear. But our dimension can be counted from the equator, so where does longitude start from? ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Shi Tao, I think you are a natural navigator, and the questions you ask are very good. This longitude is only for us to define a position, since we want to define ourselves, then choose a position that is most convenient for us to use, but also easy to reference, it is best to set a fixed sign on land. Think about it, and you have the final say on what to do. ”

Shi Tao and others discussed for a while and said: "Just build a tower in our kiln and make a zero-precision line there." Everybody has to go there to see the same. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Good idea, but this matter is not busy, you are discussing it well." If it's settled, it's still a sight. ”

Then Zhang Zhimu introduced the working principle of the sextant to Shi Tao, and then said: "After returning to the kiln, I will ask Sun Liang to help you make some sextants, and then it will be more convenient for you to sail, but you have time to do the basic work in advance, and you must prepare in advance for the work of the sextant, it is best for you to organize a special team to study a problem, and prepare for the production of detailed charts in the future, and you will study these problems with Mr. Lu Bingyi after you arrive in the kiln. He will give you better advice, and his disciples have almost made a more detailed map of Shanxi. Together, you're bound to have something to communicate with. ”

Shi Tao said: "When I see Commander Fan, I will definitely make this suggestion to him." When we have more steamers, we will also drive to the Furlong machine to see what they have to offer. ”

Shi Tao's idea resonated with everyone in the cab, Zhang Zhimu thought to himself, no matter what era there are some angry youths, these hot-blooded soldiers are the guarantee of the dignity of this nation.

The speed of the ship was really fast, and when it arrived at Quanzhou Bay, the steamship was about to leave the fleet and go to Quanzhou according to the agreement, and after Shi Tao sent a signal to Fan Chengkun on the other ship, he sailed to Quanzhou Port.

Li Mao arranged an office in Quanzhou very early, and they kept sending back the grain and other information here. After they came here to contact the people in the office, they followed Lu Chengxiang's arrangement, and together with the people in the office, they asked around where there were houses to sell, and after this period of work, they had already selected a few houses, and they waited for Lu Chengxiang to come to make the final decision.

Due to the strict maritime ban policy of the Ming Dynasty, the largest port in the East has been depressed a lot, and her past style can be vaguely seen from the various buildings dotted around. Unfortunately, many of these buildings have fallen into disrepair, and the walls and yards are overgrown with weeds.

After Zhang Zhimu and everyone went ashore, he sent someone to contact the people who arrived first, and under their arrangement, they came to the inn to rest for a day. Wait until the seasickness has passed, and then get up to move.

But Lu Chengxiang has been busy all day, and he is not seasick by nature.

Waiting for Zhang Zhimu to slow down, Lu Chengxiang said: "Mr. Zhang, I saw two houses near the dock, you should also go over and have a look!" ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Oh, Mr. Lu, you can just watch it, I can watch it or not." ”

But Lu Chengxiang didn't follow, so he had to let Zhang Zhimu go over to take a look, so Zhang Zhimu had to follow him to a place not far from the dock to see the two houses. Zhang Zhimu is very optimistic about a courtyard, which has two small buildings built on the hillside, and a very complete courtyard around. It's just in disrepair and looks a bit dilapidated. Zhang Zhimu knew that with a little time to renovate, the courtyard would soon return to its original appearance. It's a great place, and it's a good place to have a branch. In the future, if the house is not enough, there is still a large area behind the yard, and some more houses can be built.

Zhang Zhimu nodded at Lu Chengxiang, Lu Chengxiang immediately understood, and said to the owner: "You see if the price can be talked about anymore, if you can't talk about it, we will leave." ”

The owner saw that Lu Chengxiang was really leaving, so he promised to reduce the price a little more. As a result, it didn't cost much money to buy this two-building courtyard.

This time he came to Quanzhou, Lu Chengxiang was very well prepared, in addition to bringing a full set of people, he also brought a lot of reinforced concrete. These things were prepared for the construction of underground vaults. The soldiers on the ship were also invited to participate in the renovation of the vault, and during this time, Zhang Zhimu and Lu Chengxiang visited Lord Zhizhou, and also visited the chambers of commerce in Quanzhou. Zhang Zhimu: Their business with ticket numbers made everyone very interested. However, the guild halls did not express their position, and they did not need to remit silver with the kiln gang ticket number.

Zhang Zhimu said to Lu Chengxiang: "The ticket number is to do business by reputation, this matter is not in a hurry, and when our ticket number opens, they will officially use us to remit silver after observation and testing." ”

There were three grain ships of 15,000 stones, five of 10,000 stones, and six of 5,000 stones in Quanzhou Port, and Zhang Zhimu asked Lu Chengxiang to buy all the grain and asked them to transport the grain to Huai'an. Of course, all of this went well.

Zhang Zhimu saw that the renovation of the vault could not be completed in a day or two. Tell Lu Chengxiang to let the semicolon people slowly repair it themselves, and after repairing, all the people who stay here are required to learn Hokkien dialect, and if they can't speak Hokkien, they can't do business here. The next time the ship comes, I'll bring the bottom money of the ticket number. At that time, it was officially opened. The goods brought by the two big ships were unloaded and handed over to the branch to operate slowly. Lu Chengxiang bought a large amount of tea and spices and other goods in Quanzhou, and the unfilled warehouse bought the Annam rice that had already been landed and loaded it.

After arranging the affairs of Quanzhou, Zhang Zhimu and their steam ship set sail for Huai'an with the ordered grain ship.

After leaving the Quanzhou wharf and leaving Quanzhou Bay, Lu Chengxiang took the big account book and came to Zhang Zhimu's cabin. Yang Yulin saw Lu Chengxiang coming, so she poured some water and went out.

After Lu Chengxiang sat down, he was about to speak in the account book, when Zhang Zhimu said, "Mr. Lu, I just want to know how much grain we bought this time." ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "That's easy to do. As he spoke, he turned a few more pages and said, "The grain we bought from Guangzhou was seven ships with 15,000 materials, ten ships with 10,000 materials, and twelve ships with 5,000 materials, and we bought 10,000 stone of rice from Guangzhou in Guangzhou." There were three grain ships of 15,000 stones, five ships of 10,000 stones, and six grain ships of 5,000 stones, and they also bought rice of 2,000 stones. The total is 387,000 stone of rice. ”

Zhang Zhimu nodded when he heard this, and said, "Great, but this time back to Huai'an, it will take some time to get back." This grain will probably cost a lot of silver, right? ”

Lu Chengxiang said: "Don't worry about the silver, you don't have to worry about it, the cost is less than a fraction, and we are much richer than the imperial court now." When this grain arrives in Huai'an, it is almost one tael of silver and two stones of rice, and it will be earned several times when I go back. I think we should buy less wheat in Xuzhou, which is much more expensive than our rice. ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "This time we not only want to buy wheat but also buy more, after we go back, we want to get off the bran skin of wheat, and we want to use them to make monosodium glutamate, which is also more MSG." ”

Lu Chengxiang asked: "What is MSG, what is MSG for?" ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "MSG is a good thing, no matter what vegetables and soups, as long as you put a little bit of them, these dishes and soups will be delicious." Isn't it a good thing, you say? ”

Lu Chengxiang was still confused, and said, "Why didn't I eat the bran skin and umami?" ”

Zhang Zhimu said: "Bran skin is just a raw material for making MSG, of course you can't eat umami." I'll tell you that one pound of wheat can buy at least two pounds of wheat if you exchange it for silver to make monosodium glutamate made from bran husks. ”

At this moment, Lu Chengxiang understood and said: "Oh my God, that is to say, if you do this, you can not only eat white flour for nothing, but also earn two catties of wheat." Then you must buy more of this wheat, and the more the better. After saying that, he seemed to be a little unconvinced, "Is there such a thing in the world?" ”

Zhang Zhimu smiled and asked, "Mr. Lu, have you heard me tell a lie?" ”

"No, I just can't believe that there is such a thing in the world. If that's the case, we can't even get rich if we don't want to. Ha ha! After Lu Chengxiang finished speaking, he laughed.

Zhang Zhimu suddenly thought that there was too much grain transported back at once this time, and Li Mao in Huai'an didn't know if they could arrange it.

Li Mao is really a cautious person, they sent Zhang Zhimu away, and Mu Yi drove the flat-bottomed steam boat back to Yangzhou along the canal, preparing to go to Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province first. Because there are a few things this time that you have to go to Jingdezhen to buy. This time, Zhang Zhimu brought more than a dozen patterns of various porcelain to Li Mao, as well as the porcelain and silk that Lu Qi and they needed to return to Nanyang, all of which needed to be purchased in Jiangxi. I also have to go to Jiangxi Dayu to engage in heavy stones. Even manganese ore has to go to Jiangxi to buy it, because Lu Wenchen packed all the manganese ore there in Jingdezhen last time. It is said that manganese ore is from Huguang, this time it is not good to say that I have to go to Huguang once, we must make it clear that the mine there is the place of origin, Mr. Zhang needs a long-term supply of things is not child's play, relying on Jingdezhen to make a little ore for pigments is definitely not good. That is, manganese ore is not engaged, this time in order to even tin (antimony) also go to Huguang, although in Yangzhou through businessmen can get tin, but even tin ore is named by Mr. Zhang. Not only tin but also tin ore, although Li Mao didn't know what this meant, Li Mao knew that Mr. Zhang would not want those useless things. Therefore, Li Mao arranged the affairs of the family and set off with Mu Yi with some of the goods, Li Mao no longer worries about the affairs of the family, after more than a year of hard work, he has cultivated some backbones who can take care of things, and the goods that arrive are not to be sold, so he is also very relieved to leave Yangzhou.

Li Mao and the others went out of the canal and entered the Yangtze River, and the first stop was Yingtianfu (Nanjing), where they only stopped for one day to send out some goods, and continued to swim upstream along the Yangtze River that night.

Li Mao feels so wonderful now, this steamship is good, the countercurrent is not downwind, there is no need for a slender man, the speed is not slow, and it can sail day and night. When they went up the river at night, the searchlights on the ship startled the boatmen who were on the shore at night, thinking that the devil was coming. They had never seen such a bright light, and it would be a long time before they could see anything again when the light swept in front of their eyes.

Especially the ship was roaring and smoking, and there was a string of boats dragging it upstream, which made the boatmen even more incomprehensible.

Leaving Yingtianfu, Li Mao commanded the fleet without making any stops and went straight to Jiujiang.

Along the way, Mu Yi and Li Mao were also very emotional together. Mu Yi said: "I have been on the water for many years, and only this time I feel the most different. In the past, we had to look at the wind direction all the time, and the wind direction was not right, but this time it was different, we can borrow the wind, and we are not afraid if there is no wind to borrow, we have a steam engine to drive. ”

Li Mao said: "In the future, if we organize a naval army of all steamboats, then we can dominate the water." ”

"There is also a fortune boat and flat-bottomed boat at home that is being renovated, and when I go back, all the fortune boats and steamships will be converted into steamboats. Mr. Zhang said that in the future, steel-hulled steamships will be built, and at that time, the steamships will be equipped with real naval guns, which will be invincible warships. Mu Yi said.

Li Mao asked even more energetically: "What kind of real naval artillery is?" ”

Mu Yi smiled and said, "Hehe, I also listened to what Mr. Zhang said, and I don't know what it is." Ha ha! The two of them laughed together.

Li Mao longed and said: "At that time, we will be able to gallop freely on the Yellow River, the Huai River, the Yangtze River, the Qiantang River, and all the coasts, and at that time we will have the final say in all the places that our shells can cover, and then cooperate with our musketeers." By then..., hehe! ”

"Li Gongzi, don't worry, I see that this matter is very fast, I haven't been in the kiln for a long time, but I feel that the kiln is changing every day. Sometimes I really feel that the days before coming to the kiln were in vain. I'm sometimes superstitious and think that after changing my name, it's really like a different person. When my brothers who came with me saw me, they said, "Just because I brought them to the kiln, they didn't come back with me in vain." Mu Yi also said excitedly.

They were in a happy mood, talking all the way to Jiujiang. Mu Yi asked Li Mao: "Don't we sell some of our goods in Jiujiang?" ”

Li Mao said: "There is no hurry, and the goods will not be sold when they arrive here." Let's go to Jingdezhen first. ”

Li Mao's steam ship arrived in Jingdezhen, which also caused a sensation, first, the big Yaogang man came again, and second, a steam ship came. Everyone came to the pier to see the steamboats.

Li Mao deliberately made it very mysterious, and ordinary people were not allowed to come on the boat to see it. When he arrived in Jingdezhen, Li Mao paid attention to his identity, found a good inn to live in, and then visited the porcelain kilns of several old customers who bought porcelain last time introduced by Lu Chengxiang, and took out those patterns to show these porcelain kilns, and asked them to quote a price.

Li Mao divided the people he brought into two ways, all the way to follow the people who had been to Dayu last time to get tungsten ore; Another way to Huizhou to buy paper, pen and ink and other things, Mr. Zhang repeatedly instructed that the paper at home is not enough, this time to buy more, and to negotiate with the papermaker to order according to the amount of monthly requirements they send to Yangzhou, so as to establish a long-term order contract, the producer has a long-term market, the user has a stable supply of goods, both sides are beneficial.

The next day. Li Mao paid a deposit with several porcelain kilns and set the porcelain to be made. Then I inquired separately and figured out that the manganese ore used to make pigments in the porcelain kiln was near Changsha.

Li Mao and Mu Yi didn't stop any longer after discussing it, leaving a few people here to wait for the others, and then set sail directly. Out of Poyang Lake, come to the Yangtze River, and continue upstream. Things went well, and Li Mao and Mu Yi were also very happy. But after Wuchang, when he was about to arrive in Yuezhou (Yueyang), something happened. At this time, it was morning, and on the river, three large boats blocked the way, and they rushed downstream.

Li Mao and Mu Yi looked through the binoculars, and Li Mao said: "It's the person of Zhang Xianzhong, the eighth king, and it's a little difficult to do." We don't want to be their enemy, but we can't do it if we don't fight. ”

Mu Yi said: "We have a lot of goods and payments, and we can't do it if we don't fight. Let's talk about it when we're done. ”

Li Mao nodded and said, "Order the artillery to prepare, and the musketeers to prepare." ”

Mu Yi said: "If you want to do it, you will strike first, and order: 'The mortars are aimed at these three big ships, the closer the better, the first fire oil bomb, the second ***, ready!'" ’”

On the foredeck of the steamship, there was a bustle.

At this time, on the ship in front, a "bang" came over. The shells fell far into the river next to the boat. Apparently the other side is threatening to open fire.

Li Mao said: "They want to capture us alive, so we will get close and fight again, so that the accuracy is higher." ”

The artillerymen on the ship stalked the three warships in front of them little by little through the gunners, Li Mao and Mu Yi saw clearly through the high-powered telescopes the officers and soldiers of the Eight Kings on the opposite ship, they obviously regarded this string of ships as their own bag, pointing and pointing one by one, there was no sign of combat readiness, they thought that there was no suspense for the three warships to deal with a few flat-bottomed boats, but they didn't understand why the ship was emitting black smoke. I guess that's what they're talking about.

------------------

Calculus formulas, tables of chemical elements; Conquer Japan in the east and attack Mayi in the south; Penicillin, syringe. --Progress of "Memories of the Southern Song Dynasty".