Worried that the news leak would cause the recruits to mutiniin and flee on a large scale, Yinzhen only stayed in Weihaiwei for half a day, inspected the port situation, and then boarded the ship the next day and went south with most of the troops.

Weihaiwei port is basically not developed at present, Yinzhen specially rushed to Weihaiwei is not to inspect the port, Weihaiwei as a sub-base of the Qing Beiyang Fleet, has the advantage of being the queen of nature, this is very clear to him, the opposite Lushun, Sanshan Haikou (Dalian) is also a natural ice-free port, but he has no energy to develop now, can only put it first.

When he came to Weihaiwei, he was purely worried about the thousands of Spanish prisoners of war, the Tianjin Mutiny, and hundreds of naval soldiers died in close contact with the Spanish musketeers.

All the way south, the new students are under the guidance of the Spanish instructor to learn to actually operate the warship, Yinzhen, Yinxiang, Wu Ge three people on the deck for a while to see the cabin and then back to the cabin, beckoning several people to sit down, Yinzhen said to Wu Ge: "The Beiyang Fleet began its expedition to the Americas this year, this time to come, is a year, you can not be limited to the training of students, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea route you must be familiar with the chest, to the Ryukyus, to Korea, to the Japanese route, the surrounding sea map, must be detailed mapping. ”

Wu Ge was stunned when he heard this, training new students, he was already too busy all day long, where did he have the time and energy to do these things? These things can take time and effort. And it also requires a lot of manpower and material resources.

Yinxiang smiled and said, "What? The meaning of the fourteenth brother is to conquer the Japanese kingdom, conquer Korea, and set up prefectures in the Ryukyus, and when you have your hands free, you will go on the expedition, so that you can prepare. ”

The conquest of the Wa Kingdom, Wu Ge is clear. Unexpectedly, even the two vassal states of Korea and Ryukyu, the fourteenth master did not let go, he hesitated slightly, and then replied loudly: "Yes, mark the honorable order." ”

See this. Yinzhen knew that he had doubts in his heart, so he said: "There is no need to say anything about the harm of the Japanese invaders, it must be completely destroyed in order to be able to do it once and for all. That's also a country, let's not want those false reputations, swallow them directly, save worry and trouble, all countries come to court that set of false names, we are not rare, nominally they pay tribute, but in fact, we have lost a lot. ”

After hesitating, Wu Ge hesitated and said, "Dean, there are many vassal states in the Qing Dynasty. Will this cause panic? ”

"Panic? Aren't they panicking now? Yinzhen said disdainfully: "These vassal states are all grass on the wall, if we are strong, he will pay tribute and become vassals, and when he is strong, he will bite us in turn." "Thinking of the bottomless pit of dissatisfaction filled by North Korea, Vietnam turned its face and did not recognize people. He was angry, and said hatefully: "If there are conditions, they will be destroyed, so as not to leave trouble for future generations." ”

As he spoke, he turned to Yinxiang and said, "In the next few years." The navy will use Guangzhou and Karopa as bases to conquer Annam, Champong, Laos, Siam, Nanzhang, Burma and other countries along the southeast coast.

In addition, the flying pigeon transmission system of the navy's various combat units, Nanyang, and Australia should also be perfected as soon as possible, and the areas of Annam, Siam, and Burma are no less than Jiangnan, and the Qing Dynasty does not mind having one more Jiangnan come out. ”

Not only Wu Ge, but even Yinxiang didn't react for a long time, this appetite is too big, right? After hesitating for a while, he asked, "Does Huang Ama agree?" ”

"Hehe, we have consolidated the South Seas, these feudal kingdoms are the meat of the mouth, and the fat is flowing oil, how can Huang Ama bear not to eat it?" Yinzhen chuckled and said: "As soon as the navy captured the South Seas, Huang Ama was moved, but how to fight these vassal states still needs to be carefully considered, and if the northwest is not completely consolidated, it is not appropriate to make a big move here." "...,"It is true that the northwest must be consolidated first before we can let it go." Yinxiang nodded and said, and then sighed lightly: "Conquering Nanyang, the Qing Dynasty seems to have broken through a bottleneck, and the whole world is presented in front of our eyes. ”

Yinzhen said slowly: "The expansion of the army is inevitable, Guangzhou will soon establish a naval base, set up a naval branch, and build it according to the standard of 10,000 people, so that after three or four years, 30,000 high-quality naval officers and soldiers can be trained every year. ”

Yinxiang nodded and said: "There are not many soldiers in the elite, although it is a little slower, but what is trained in this way must be elite soldiers." ”

"Elite soldiers are fought, not trained." Yinzhen said in a deep voice: "Fortunately, we are not short of battlefields now, and we are not worried about the lack of training."

"This is said thoroughly, the elite soldiers are indeed all beaten, and the prestige of our Eight Banners soldiers is also fought out by one knife and one shot on the battlefield." Yin Xiang said with deep sympathy: "However, with so many Han soldiers, isn't the fourteenth brother worried that it will be difficult to control in the future?" ”

Yinzhen glanced up at Yinxiang and Wuge, and then said in a deep voice: "Thirteenth brother, the reason why the sea can accept all rivers is that it is good at it!" The Han people, the Mongols, the Tibetans, and the Hui are all the people of the Qing Dynasty. ”

Yinxiang listened to it, what kind of truth is this? Wu Ge was surprised and said, "Dean, if you don't watch out, they won't rebel?" ”

"Why rebel?" Yinzhen said step by step: "Everything the people do, including rebellion, is to survive and survive!" The common people can be fed and clothed, can marry a daughter-in-law, and can reproduce offspring, who will have enough to eat and support to rebel? Who is the emperor and what does he have to do with it?

Scholars can become officials through normal channels, businessmen are not expropriated and exploited, they can solve food and clothing through their own operations, make a fortune, and the gentry can ensure that their interests are not infringed upon. Who wants to rebel? Rebellion needs a reason! It's also going to destroy the Nine Clans! ”

Yin Xiang sneered: "I'm not worried about any natural disaster** or something, or someone with ulterior motives, the heart of regaining sight will not die." ”

"Natural disasters**, the imperial court has relief, and the 'Four Hengs' have now begun to lend at low interest rates, and people are living in hope. Where there is a glimmer of hope, who wants to take the risk? Yinzhen said: "It has been more than 70 years since the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains, and you have regained your sight? It's just an excuse for some careerists. There is no shortage of careerists in all dynasties, but they always have to take advantage of the situation. The world is peaceful, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and those who try to rebel are called ignorant of current affairs and take their own lives. ”

Regarding the proportion of Manchu and Han in the navy, Wu Ge is also quite worried, afraid that time will pass. Forming a situation where the tail is too big to fall, he immediately followed the conversation and said: "Dean, with the development of the navy, the proportion of Manchus and Han in the navy will become more and more disparity, and the thirteenth master should be worried about the naval mutiny." ”

Well, this problem is not only the concern of Lao Thirteen, Wu Ge and others, but I am afraid that Kangxi is also worried, after all, the greater the disparity, the more difficult it is to control. But now it is a difficult situation to ride a tiger, and the navy can no longer afford not to develop, but for Yinzhen, this situation is not easy to come by.

Nodding slightly, Yinzhen said: "There are few Manchus, and the navy is developing." This will naturally become more and more disparity, but this must not lead to the preferential treatment of Manchu soldiers and officers. The most taboo thing in the army is that the rewards and punishments are unclear, the treatment is unfair, and the navy is just being built. I expected the navy to be vigorously developed. Therefore, from the first batch of cadets, I have vigorously promoted the equality of the Manchus and Hans, not only to enhance combat effectiveness and enhance the ability of officers and men to cooperate and cooperate with each other, but also to thoroughly implement the idea of equality in the navy, so as to promote a fair promotion system and a strict system of superiors and subordinates in the navy.

Once we can thoroughly implement the equality of all people in front of their military exploits, then all officers and men will inevitably consciously safeguard this system, and this is the same as officialdom, all officials will abide by the rules of officialdom, otherwise, you will not be able to get into the mix.

I have told you that the navy's salary will be the highest, and this expedition to Europe and the Americas will make the navy's official salary, and the basic standard has not yet been finalized, but it is certain that it will be at least twice as high as the salary of the Eight Banners.

With high salaries, fair promotion channels, and no shortage of opportunities to make military exploits, not only can you glorify your ancestors, but also can you seal your wife and son, in such an army, can there be a large-scale mutiny? ”

Yinxiang and Wu Ge were completely stunned, and the navy's salary was so outrageously high? Who raised it? How much silver does 30,000 navy cost a year? Million? And what about the 100,000 Navy? Tens of millions! The Navy in this case, mutiny? There is no possibility at all, even if the navy is asked to follow Yinzhen to rebel, no one will frown.

"Isn't it too high?" Yin Xiang asked with some concern: "The navy's salary is so high, how can the Eight Banners Green Battalion have no opinion?" Huang Ama will definitely intervene. ”

"What's the opinion of the Eight Flags Green Battalion? If you have an opinion, you can let them come to the navy. Yinzhen said disapprerovantly: "The navy is playing with its life, don't look at the ease of fighting in Penghu in the South Seas, it is in the near sea, once the cross-sea expedition, it is not the case at all, the Eight Banners Green Battalion has an opinion, you can change the name, call the sea subsidy, do not go to sea, the salary is the same." ”

This will work, and there will be another subsidy for the Eight Banners soldiers to fight, Yinxiang nodded slightly, but he was puzzled in his heart, is the navy really that dangerous? Worth such a high salary?

*

Compared with Weihaiwei, the news in Shanghai is much better-informed, Fu Han, who is in charge of the training of new cadets of the Naval Academy, learned the news of the expedition to Europe and the Americas as early as a few years ago, he couldn't believe it at first, the fourteenth master was still saying that there was a sea battle in the South Seas, how could it become an expedition to Europe in a blink of an eye? Could it be that the situation has changed? But how did the Fourteenth Master get the news in Beijing?

It wasn't until Zheng Qinghai, the chief financial officer of Liuchun Garden, confirmed the news that Fu Han was sure, like Wu Ge, he was also worried that there would be a commotion after the new trainees learned the news, so he was tight-lipped, and arranged the ship to sea and actual combat training more intensively.

Zheng Qinghai, the chief financial officer, did not doubt the authenticity of the news, and without Yinzhen's instructions, he immediately began to purchase logistics materials, and at the same time asked factories and workshops such as firearms, casting, and gunpowder to rush to work and increase reserves.

The three major shipyards in Shanghai also went against the norm and began to work overtime to build warships and merchant ships, and Zhang Yuanlong was even more keenly aware that the Fourteenth Master was preparing to open up trade between the West and the Americas. Now, he was worried, he never expected that this day would come so quickly, and it was going on on two continents at the same time, and the number of three-masted galleons on his hand could not make up two fleets to follow the battleship. What to do when you come back?

Just when Zhang Yuanlong was worried, his good daughter, Zhang Mengjiao of Liuchun Garden, brought another message, and he immediately contacted all the big shipowners in Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong who had ships sailing in the South Seas, and they gathered in Shanghai after the Shangyuan Festival.

Received this message. Zhang Yuanlong's brows couldn't help frowning deeper, this season is the season to go to sea, these shipowners are busy, are they willing to come? However, he didn't dare to slack off on what his daughter explained, no matter whether anyone came or not. The notice still had to be announced, and because he was worried that the sea merchants would not sell it, he simply showed the signboard of the fourteenth master. ..., now in the entire Qing Dynasty, but anyone who has something to do with maritime trade, who dares not to give face to the fourteenth elder brother Yinzhen, although it is not a post made by Yinzhen himself, but the relationship between Zhang Yuanlong and Yinzhen, who does not know about the maritime businessmen? After receiving the post, no one dared to slack off, and rushed to Shanghai to celebrate the Yuan Festival.

Zhang Yuanlong was unlucky. was busy meeting guests all day long, but she didn't know what Zhang Mengjiao's purpose was to gather all the maritime merchants in Shanghai, and she didn't ask her why, so she was depressed as you can imagine.

On the twenty-fifth day of the first month, the fourth elder brother Yinzhen arrived in Shanghai with a huge delegation of envoys on an expedition to Europe, accompanied by Fahai, the new governor of Guangdong, who rushed to Guangzhou to take up his post.

On the 26th of the first month, Shi Shibiu, the chief admiral of the expedition to Europe, also arrived in Shanghai with a group of generals.

This one comes. Everyone knows in their hearts that the fourteenth elder brother Yinzhen will arrive in Shanghai in the near future, and at the same time, the news of the Qing expedition to Europe and the Americas has also begun to spread slowly, and Zhang Yuanlong heard the news. I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. However, Fuhan of the Naval Academy immediately tensed his nerves and immediately took measures to conduct closed training for naval cadets.

Once the Qing Dynasty directly opened the merchant ship trade in Europe and the Americas, the trade volume was no longer limited to the number of foreign Western merchant ships, and the merchants who held the shares of the Qing Dynasty's ocean-going trade fleet were even more overjoyed.

The most shocking are the Western missionaries in Shanghai, the Qing Empire only defeated the Spanish Far East Fleet last year, and this year began an expedition to Europe and the Americas. It's a huge empire.

*

Honggang in the northeast of Shanghai county, now it has become the most attractive place in Shanghai, after the reconstruction of Shanghai county, Honggang and the county seat are connected by a wide avenue, all kinds of buildings on both sides of the road have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, and Honggang and the county seat have gradually become a piece.

All the businessmen who came to Shanghai were determined to go to Honggang to take a turn, and many of the gentlemen and gentry who came to Shanghai for the first time also came to watch the curtain name, with a long experience, and now, it has developed to the point that they have not been to Honggang to see, and they are embarrassed to say to others that they have been to Shanghai.

The fourth elder brother Yinzhen and Wu Sidao are even more interested in Honggang, this place is the place where the old fourteen started their homes, and the next day when the two arrived in Shanghai, they took a sedan chair carried by two people in casual clothes along the slate avenue all the way to Honggang.

As soon as they arrived in Honggang, Yinzhen and the two were attracted by the prosperity here, the wide streets, densely packed with shops, the crowd of people coming and going, many of the small merchants and vendors on the side of the road are women, the men on the street are generally dressed as gentlemen, and occasionally see a few men dressed in ragged craftsmen, but strangely they rarely see children, and the half-grown children often seen in various towns are also very rare.

The two got off the sedan chair and wandered all the way, looking at the women dangling all over the street, Yinzhen couldn't help but say strangely: "This place is really different, do you know why?" ”

"It's not surprising." Wu Sidao said casually: "Men are all working in factories and workshops, and women naturally have no work to do, so they can only do chores or work as small traders and vendors to earn a few small money, as for the children, it should be the fourteenth master who has run a righteous school, but the strange thing is that there is not even a little girl, is it that they all enter the righteous school?" That's a rarity. ”

As they spoke, they turned the corner, and as soon as they looked up, they saw a lot of ragged people gathered not far in front, but it was extremely quiet, and many people dressed in clothes similar to the navy's uniforms were watching and asking questions in the crowd, which felt like a very orderly one-person market. Both of them knew that this must be the factory workshop where craftsmen from other places wanted to enter Honggang, which was a place for a package of work.

After a glance, there should be three or four hundred people in this group, and both of them couldn't help but be secretly surprised, could it be that so many people were waiting to enter the factory every day? On this occasion, both of them were reluctant to get closer, so after a few glances, they turned around and walked a few steps, before Wu Sidao groaned: "Fourth master, why don't you go to their factory workshop and have a look?" ”

Yinzhen nodded, beckoned to the sedan chair driver, and the two got on the sedan chair, and then instructed the sedan chair driver: "Go to the nearest factory and workshop." ”

The sedan chair man bowed down and said: "Two masters, all the factories and workshops in Honggang are not allowed to enter by outsiders, the checkpoints are extremely strict, we will be stopped at the street entrance, the two masters want to see the scale of the factory workshop, you can rent a boat, look along the river, or go to the third floor of the 'Star Picking Building' restaurant, climb high and look far away." ”

So heavily guarded? Both of them are the same, but when they thought that the factories and workshops here were all making muskets and artillery warships, the two of them were not relieved, and they were not strict before they called it strange, and after a little groaning, Yinzhen said: "Then go to the 'Star Picking Tower'." ”