After Zhengde released a cannon, Duan Fei didn't dare to let him play with the cannon again, and directly diverted Zhengde's attention with 'there is a new musket for the emperor to play', and the danger of fiddling with the gun is much smaller, these guns made of new steel are of good quality, and there is no problem with the new guns that are well maintained to shoot two hundred bullets, even if they explode, it is just a shock.

These muskets are still arquebuses, but the muzzle guns are equipped with crosshairs and doors, after mastering the know-how, Zhengde can basically hit the target within 100 meters, and even often can hit the good results of seven or eight rings, he had fun, Guo Zhen took advantage of the air to drag Duan Fei aside, and complained: "Lord Duan, you played too much just now, in case the emperor misses ......."

Duan Fei interrupted him and said with a smile: "Isn't the emperor good now?" No one will say anything about the emperor's cannon, and it is also a rumor to say it, so Gonggong Guo doesn't need to worry. ”

Guo Zhen shook his head, and Duan Fei asked with a smile: "Gonggong Guo, I heard that your fleet has been formed, have you installed the artillery?" Nothing is wrong, right? ”

When it came to Guo Zhen's career, his spirit came, and he said happily: "Thanks to Master Duan, otherwise how could my side develop so fast?" The artillery has already begun to be loaded, and I tried a few more guns at the Jiangnan shipyard two days ago, and it was very good, no problem, but ...... It would be nice if Master Duan could give me more credit. ”

Duan Fei smiled bitterly: "Grandpa Guo, how can I not help you with this kind of money-making thing?" But I'm also difficult, you know that this new type of Franc cannon needs to be molded and cast with special steel at one time, that kind of steel is extremely difficult to smelt out, and it will be scrapped accidentally when casting, so the cost is very high, and providing five cannons per month is already the current limit, Guo Gonggong, if you are really in a hurry to load the cannon, you can take the three cannons just sent here, and I don't have more, or you go to the Ordnance Bureau to take a look? I can provide the drawings free of charge. ”

Guo Zhen sighed: "It's useless, I've asked the Weapons Bureau and the Staff Bureau, they said that there are no useful materials, they can't make exactly the same thing, and even if they do, it's not so easy to use, and I don't have any money." ”

Duan Fei heard that Guo Zhen had ordered another twenty large sea ships, his idea was very simple, that is, to rapidly expand the strength of the fleet, and it could become a decisive political and military force in the future, just like Zheng He back then, anyway, Duan Fei could give him credit here, just like a crazy person who swiped his credit card, trying his best to spend future money, regardless of the consequences.

It's not that Duan Fei can't afford to give more cannons, on the one hand, he doesn't want Guo Zhen to develop too fast, and secondly, Duan Fei himself is also hoarding newer cannons, which require a lot of steel, and giving Guo Zhen five cannons a month is indeed the limit.

Listening to Duan Fei say this, Guo Zhen has no choice, in fact, there are not a few cannons on the warships of this era, Duan Fei has given Guo Zhen thirty cannons so far, barely evenly spread, in addition to the flagship reserved eight cannons, other ships are equipped with two, some are equipped with one, and some are equipped with old cannons produced by the Ordnance Bureau and the Staff Bureau.

Guo Zhen is now counting his fingers, as long as it takes two months, about fifteen of the thirty ships he ordered in the first batch will be able to be delivered, and when the time comes, fifteen ships will be equipped with forty new cannons, and they will not be unscrupulous at sea? Why should I worry about it? Besides, now that the sea has been opened to trade, the number of pirates has been greatly reduced, and his fleet is just fighting smuggling, so he will train his troops, and by next year, fifty big ships will sail to the South China Sea, and drive those hateful Francoji pirates back to their hometowns, recover the subject country Manchu, and open up the territory and restore the territory, which is a great merit!

Ruan Xiangshu and Xie Zhijun both felt that Duan Fei was appeasement, but Duan Fei didn't think so, Zhang Yue didn't know why he repeatedly avoided hiding in the background, Duan Fei needed to find someone to come out as a shield, Guo Zhen became the best choice, Duan Fei was by no means passive, secretly he kept a hand, and when he needed it, as long as he farted a little, he could shock Guo Zhen to death.

Zhengde not only played with guns by himself, but also watched the drills of Jinyiwei, and after seeing the power of Jinyiwei's continuous rain of guns and bullets, Zhengde couldn't help but be amazed, and he sighed: "Duan Aiqing, I finally believe that you have indeed defeated a million thieves with 3,000 men!" If I had gone out of the customs to fight the Tatars......"

Zhengde narrowly defeated the little Mongolian prince back then, he knew this very well, the thrilling picture of that year suddenly flashed in front of his eyes, Zhengde took a breath and said: "Duan Aiqing, you say, how can I train my million-strong army into elite soldiers like the one in front of me?" ”

Duan Fei Duan Fei smiled bitterly: "Your Majesty, if the emperor supports it, and the hundred officials also support it, without any resistance, no shortage of silver, and no shortage of talents, it will take about a hundred years to let Weichen preside over it." ”

Zhengde wondered: "How can it take so long?" ”

Duan Fei explained: "Your Majesty, the main problem is that it is difficult to find steel, at present, my Daming's steelmaking technology is not up to par, and Wechen only recruited the fireman Yasan to let him develop a new steelmaking method to make better steel, but this is far from enough, on the one hand, the cost is very high, a lot of capital investment is required, on the other hand, this process is complex and small, and the output is pitiful. A hundred years can make Daming sweep the world and become the world's first power, which is not a long time! ”

Zhengde said dissatisfiedly: "Aiqing, a hundred years is too long, and there are countless variables, what else can you do to shorten the time?" ”

Duan Fei shook his head and said: "This matter is easy to say, but difficult to say, Your Majesty, it depends on whether you are determined or not." ”

Zhengde said: "Of course I have the determination, I want to build an invincible lion in the shortest possible time and sweep the world, Duan Aiqing, you say, how can I do it?" ”

Duan Fei said: "Your Majesty, the only way is to carry out thorough reforms, everything Gui Cao has done in Suzhou is just the beginning, and he has already encountered so much pressure, it is really difficult to promote it throughout the country, the emperor, Weichen thinks it is better to go with the flow......"

Zhengde was the most unprovoked, Duan Fei's words made the stubbornness in his heart come up again, he seemed to have forgotten the scene of the earth-shaking noise in the court during the period when Gui Cao took office and carried out reforms, and said with a stiff neck: "If I support you, whoever dares to be verbose will withdraw him!" You say, "What should I do?" ”

Duan Fei said: "Don't worry, the time is not ripe now, if you rashly raise it at the court meeting, it will definitely attract great opposition, it is better to wait for the emperor Weichen to discuss it secretly, make up your mind to get ready, and then it is not too late to propose it in the court." ”

Zhengde nodded knowingly and said, "Okay, that's it, you get ready first, and I'll talk to you in detail when I find a time." ”

The two whispered intimately, making Guo Zhen and Zhang Rui behind them feel quite uncomfortable, just when these four people who can be called the most powerful people in the Ming Dynasty today were thinking about each other, they suddenly rode into the training ground on a fast horse, and were stopped by the Golden Bull Guard, who was wearing an official robe, looking like a post man, and he shouted loudly: "Eight hundred miles urgent!" Eight hundred miles expedited! Where is the emperor? Death to those who stand in the way! ”