On the pier of the Jialing River, there are more than ten warships of all sizes parked. There are two ships that are very special.

Because it has no sails, there are not many boatmen with long bamboo wormwood in their hands on the side of the ship, but the sides of the boat are densely packed with long oars, like a centipede crawling on the water. Zhu Pingjin gave it a name, "Centipede Warship".

The centipede warship is a new-style warship redesigned by Zhu Pingjin at the suggestion of He Gui and Wang Zuyi in early September, and it is much larger than the rowing boat equipped by the original navy. The length of the boat is 7 zhang 1 foot, the width is 1 zhang 2 feet, and the traditional Chinese inland river ship style with flat bottom, square head and square stern.

On the bow deck there was a seven-pound copper cannon that could rotate on a circular seat.

The middle and aft sections of the hull are divided into three layers: upper, middle and lower.

The lower level is ballast and storage tanks, which are basically below the surface of the water.

The middle deck is the oarsman's cabin, less than six feet high, with nine oars on each side of the left and right sides, each of which is rowed by two people. The tail end of the paddle shaft is drilled with a lead counterweight to maintain balance on both sides of the paddle support point. The support point is a universal joint composed of two copper bearings, which can be quickly released and pulled back when approaching the shore or in close combat, preventing the oars from breaking.

The superstructure is a low, open platform for fire. In order to further lower the center of gravity and keep the hull stable, the platform consisted only of a wooden female wall covered with raw cowhide and a bamboo mat canopy supported by four bamboos, which was large enough to accommodate fifteen gunners and gunners to play on it. There are gun muzzles at the bottom of all four sides of the female wall, and there are prefabricated gun mounts on the floor, which allow four tiger squatting cannons to fire from the muzzles.

At the stern is a protected helmsman's cabin. The helmsman's compartment controls a semi-balanced rudder with multiple diamond-shaped holes. When encountering a shoal sandbar, you can lift the rudder to prevent it from running aground.

The speed of the Centipede warship was slightly inferior to that of the light and slender rowing boat, and the draft was deeper. However, compared with the civilian ships used by the officers and soldiers, they are fast, agile, and powerful.

The seven-and-a-half-pound bronze cannon in the bow of the ship is the main battle equipment of the centipede warship. In an engagement, the seven-and-a-half-pound bronze cannon can rotate on all sides with manpower, with a firing range of nearly 270 degrees, and fire solid iron bullets, eight large shotguns for the navy, and one or two ordinary shotguns.

The solid iron bullet can easily penetrate the side of a 300-stone grain ship in 70 paces, and can even be shot out from the other side of the ship after double charge.

The large shotgun is loaded with eight cannons weighing one pound, and each cannon is the size of a rice ball, so the soldiers also call it a rice ball bullet (Note 1). This kind of rice ball can penetrate the side side of the 300-stone grain ship in 30 steps.

One or two shotguns are common equipment on land and water. Ten catties can pierce leather armor within 100 steps, causing heavy damage to the human body.

Even if they are forced to engage in melee combat, the centipede warship will not suffer. Each ship had 36 oarsmen, 5 helmsmen and penniesmen, 25 gunners, gunners and officers, a total of 66 people, and was equipped with tiger squat guns, gunners, gunpowder packs and all kinds of cold weapons.

Because Sichuan's inland waterway shipping has to adapt to the dangerous shoals of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River and the shallow and sandy rivers such as the Tuojiang River and the Fujiang River, the common large ships are only 300 stones, carrying about 100 troops, and equipped with firearms, rockets, and cold weapons. There are not many ships of 500 stone and 1,000 stone, which are mainly used in the main channel of the Yangtze River and the Minjiang River. It was estimated that a single Centipede warship could rely on its speed and firepower to withstand the attacks of at least two 300-stone ships.

However, the shortcomings of the Centipede warship are also very obvious: there are no living facilities, and it is impossible to even sleep and nap with the entire crew. If the shit is worse, you must grab the rope and stick your bare butt out of the side of the boat. If you are not careful, you will have to go down to the river to take a bath.

……

On the upper platform of the centipede warship, the cold river wind whistled across Zhu Pingjin's face. He Gui stood straight beside Zhu Pingjian, just as he had been a combat staff officer in the Jinde Hall before.

He pointed to the boats of the officers and sailors on both sides, "Shizi, don't look at their ships are taller than us, as long as the water is open and gentle, we can beat five of them!" ”

Zhu Pingjin was very satisfied with He Gui's confidence. He smiled and said, "You want to use the advantage of speed to engage them from a distance with artillery, so that they can't get close and can't fight back when they are beaten!" It's just that the battlefield environment is complicated, and any kind of prediction is just a simplistic thing, and cannot be used as a predicted outcome of the battle. Soldiers should practice both long-range artillery battles and close-range broadside battles. Anticipate the worst-case scenario, such as a fire, grounding, breakage, or being swept downstream by a riptide. What you need to know: the work of foresight is doubled! ”

He Gui replied: "The last general understands! It's just that, as Shizi said, you can only train elite soldiers in actual combat! ”

"I won't leave you behind!" Zhu Pingjin laughed, "This time I let you travel thousands of miles to come here, just to let you participate in the war!" Once you control Qujiang, you can split the formation of the soil tyrant in half! ”

He Gui excitedly patted the wooden wall, "Thank you, Shizi!" When will my dad ......?"

"It is estimated that your father will arrive in Dingyuan tomorrow, and He Huan will come with Mr. Shu and Mr. Sun. This battle is a major battle since the formation of the royal army, and no one can fall! However, our family can't finish the battle. ”

Staring at the warships of those officers and soldiers, Zhu Pingjin said to He Guinunu, "Yu Dajiang has more ships and soldiers than us. ”

"The last general understands, and he wants to engage in a united front with the officers and soldiers! By the way, try their combat power. If there are those who can fight, the last general will dig them up! It's a pity that these capable sailors are officers and soldiers! ”

"You're as smart as your young master!" Zhu Pingjin praised from the bottom of his heart, "You quietly told them to bring in 100 people as company commanders and 400 people as battalion commanders!" ”

"It's just that Yu Dajiang is not good, I heard that he is very loyal to Zeng Ying!"

"Then put the effort on Zeng Ying and have a pot! Remember, the Mongol Tartars won the country with bows and horses; And our Emperor Gao, the Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, won the country with a boat division! How can two centipede boats be enough! ”

"The last general understands!"

As the two were talking, a soft sigh came from behind. Zhu Pingjin turned around, and it turned out to be a handsome young man. The young man, who was younger than Zhu Pingjin, was with his hands on the women's wall, and was sticking his head out of the side of the boat, obsessively watching the rows of oars on the side of the ship neatly turning, entering the water, and moving back and forth.

"Ru Xuan!"

"Shizi!" The young man's face was full of youthful shyness.

"My cousin doesn't have to be separated from this son!" Zhu Pingjin walked over and took his hand, "Our brother is still the same as when he was a child!" Let's go, cousin will take you down to watch the oarsmen row! They are the hardest! ”

……

On the official ship, Liao Daheng sat alone in the cabin and closed his eyes to recuperate. Wang Xingjian stood at the bow of the boat, staring at the centipede ship in front of him. Seeing that the prince had taken his cousin of the Qiu family from Chongqing Mansion off the platform, he was about to return to the cabin, but he saw that the oars on both sides of the centipede boat suddenly changed rhythm. The two rows of oars left the water at the same time and rose high diagonally upward, and a centipede flashed its wings. What tricks are you playing? He didn't understand.

Wang Xingjian came back from the bow of the boat, and when he saw Liao Tycoon pretending to sleep, he sighed: "Duke Liao, the son of the world is ingenious, and he is really different from ordinary people!" His centipede boat, dragging me and waiting for this official ship, can actually walk like flying! It's just that the ship we are waiting for is dragged by the ship of the son, and the lower officials are a little panicked! ”

"Fear what!" Liao Daheng opened his eyes slightly, "He is a teenager, and he is the age when he loves to play!" He dragged the old man and showed off in front of the officers and soldiers, I don't know how proud he was! ”

"Those who know the son of the world, only Liao Gongye!" Wang Xingjian exclaimed.

"The harmony of the feudal domain is also for the official kung fu!"

Liao smiled and his eyes opened.

"Without the silver of the palace, where can you and I find the silver to raise soldiers! If the silver is short, I am afraid that those warriors will immediately turn their faces and plunder the place! Huguang news said that the king of Chu refused to give out the silver, and Song Yihe (Note 2) couldn't take out the silver, so the Zuoping thief did his own to find food and drink, and robbed Xiangyang and Yunyang to cry and call his mother, and it seems that even Chengtianfu has begun to complain recently! Song Yihe bowed to impeachment, and Zuo Ping defended himself in a letter that if he did not let the soldiers loot, the soldiers would mutiny. Whether to loot or mutiny, let the court choose for itself! What else can the emperor say? You can only issue an edict to reprimand the locality! ”

Wang Xingjian sounded a little weak. He received news that the Hezhou gentry were in tandem and were preparing to go to the Yamen of Taiwan to sue Zhao Ronggui. Zhao Ronggui grabbed something, and he himself had a share. When Liao Daheng said this, was he beating himself?

Fortunately, Liao Daheng did not continue on this topic: "So, the harmony of the feudal domain is the overall situation today!" More attention should be paid at the local level. He is a noble family, and he has a young heart, and he also has a muddy and spilly nature. We, the ministers, all read poetry and books to the fullest, and we can't deal with him, so we always try not to hurt the peace. ”

Wang Xingjian reacted. It turned out that Liao Fu was talking about the king of Neijiang coming to Chongqing Mansion to reclaim the fields!

Early last month, the king of Neijiang sent his eldest son to Chongqing, and when he got off the docks, he clashed with Wang Yingxiong's only son, Wang Yangxi. A few days later, Wang Yangxi reported to the prefect's yamen, saying that the barren land occupied by the king of Neijiang in the north of Ba County belonged to his royal family. The eldest son of the king of Neijiang sent a eunuch to spread the word, saying that the Shu domain was ordered to reclaim the famine. As long as it is wasteland, it doesn't matter which one he owns, it will be reclaimed. Whoever reclaims the land is his!

Because this matter implicated the interests of many gentry, and even more involved the understanding of the emperor's will, Wang Xingjian did not dare to be arbitrary, and had already submitted a document to the second Taiwan and three divisions, presumably Liao Daheng had already seen it.

"It's hard to get off the job!"

Wang Xingjian hurriedly explained one of the joints in detail. He emphasized that there is indeed a lot of barren land in Chongqing Prefecture, but how many ordinary people can have? I'm afraid that there are not a few acres in the middle house, and most of them are from noble families.

"What's so hard about that?"

After listening to Wang Xingjian's statement, Liao Daheng stroked his beard with a smile: "The envoy is gone, but the deputy envoy hasn't left yet!" Ask the Chincha to know the Divine Will! Does Lord Wang know who this messenger is? ”

Wang Xingjian shook his head.

Liao Daheng smiled and said: "The Marquis of Wuqing's family, the hereditary Jinyi Wei Deputy Qianhu, named Li Cunliang, this time Mao recommended himself to go with the army. Since he was a hereditary nobleman and a personal soldier of the Son of Heaven, the old man asked him to sign as the deputy supervisor of the Protector Army. ”

As soon as Wang Xingjian heard it, he knew that the Wang family was going to be unlucky. The Marquis of Wuqing is in the line of the Empress Dowager Xiaoding, who is an authentic relative and is inextricably linked with the imperial family, how can he stand on the side of the cabinet minister of Zhishi? Besides, although the Wang family has great power in Chongqing, their connections are not good. Two years ago, because the Wang family was rampant in the township, he was sued by the Beijing Division, and the charges reached more than 480. Although the person who sued by name was Wang Yingxi, everyone knew that his brother Wang Yingxiong could not escape from it, and the royal court also clearly mentioned the amount of wealth collected by the Wang family: 1.7 million taels of silver. If Li Cunliang brings up the old matter again and brings this matter to the Son of Heaven, the emperor, who is short of silver, may beat the Wang family's crooked idea.

Wang Xingjian was still entangled in this matter in his mind, but he heard Liao Daheng say again: "From the old man's point of view, it's not okay for the gentry to always leave the fields barren!" Their family has a big business, and it doesn't hurt to collect three or five stones less. But the old man lacks these three or five stones! You know, the emperor is pressing and wants the old man to take the silver to protect the black yarn. If the tax is insufficient, the old man's black gauze hat will not be able to wear it steadily! Your Chongqing government had a certain amount of tax arrears last year, and if you clear the taxes, it is easy to say, if not...... If the king of Neijiang doesn't come, Benfu will also come! Benfu's charter is: Whoever can pay taxes will come to cultivate the land! It doesn't matter if he's a vassal king or an outcast! ”

At the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, because the degree of destruction was relatively light, Ming Yuzhen chose to build the capital in Chongqing, rather than Chengdu, the thousand-year-old Shu capital. Hongwu established the country, and the level of tax collection also took care of the actual situation in Sichuan at that time, so the level of tax collection in Chongqing was much higher than that in Chengdu. In the 20 prefectures and counties of Chongqing Prefecture, the amount of tax collected has reached one-third of Sichuan's total tax. Chengdu Prefecture is known as the country of abundance, and there are 36 prefectures and counties, but the annual collection amount is only more than 160,000 stones.

This amount of food has been passed down from generation to generation, and it has not changed much until now. The three salaries and miscellaneous taxes are all compared according to the grain amount, that is to say, the tax amount to be borne by the 20 prefectures and counties of Chongqing Prefecture is still one-third of that of Sichuan, about one million taels of silver, and an average county has to pay 50,000 taels of silver every year!

Liao Fu is showing his attitude, and he is warning himself harshly, Wang Xingjian is clear about this. But if you want to let the gentry of Chongqing Mansion give up so much silver, or give up so much land, the black yarn hat of the Liao tycoon is kept, but his own black yarn can't be kept! Thinking of this, Wang Xingjian suddenly frowned.

"Actually, the gentry also valued the land too much. How much silver can be found in the soil? Liao Daheng narrowed his eyes and continued to recuperate, "Nowadays, in Chengdu, it is prevalent to invest in money banks and machine bureaus to make money. ”

"It just so happens that the lower official wants to ask, does the Machine Bureau have any plans to build ships?"

No wonder Wang Xingjian saw the ship in front of him and praised the world's "ingenuity", it turned out that they had plans to build ships!

The ship of Shu out of Sichuan and Jiangnan often has no return. The boss sold the goods, so he sold the ship at a discount. Just because the ship is going upstream, it has to pull the fiber through the rapids and rapids of the Three Gorges, which takes too long on the road and the labor cost is too high. Sichuan has abundant forest resources, and Chongqing has the convenience of driftwood, and the shipbuilding industry is very profitable.

Liao Daheng thought it through, opened his eyes silently and said, "Old man, I don't know. But I can help you with a question or two. It's just that Lord Wang, you have to make things clear first......"

Note 1: The diameter of a catty (Ming system) iron bullet is about 5.2cm.

Note 2: Song Yihe, then governor of Huguang.