Jiangnan Mansion, Lingling County, County Guard's Mansion.

Tang Tingbai was still sitting on the main seat.

Two days had passed since he had wiped out the 50,000-strong army of the Ryukyus.

"Your Majesty, although Guiyang County and Jianghua County have been recovered by our army, the people who fled to other counties in the two places are still unwilling to go back." Jiangnan prefect Hua Sheng's face was full of helplessness.

Oh?

Hearing this, Tang Tingbai frowned, a little curious: "What is the reason why those people are unwilling to return to their hometowns?" ”

Hua Sheng smiled bitterly.

"Your Majesty, here's the thing!"

"Because the Ryukyus army burned and looted in the two counties, and even destroyed the food of the people, they couldn't afford to live even if they returned to their hometowns, so it was better to stay in the field, and although they didn't earn much through part-time work, they could indeed support themselves."

After listening to Hua Sheng's explanation, Tang Tingbai nodded.

Yes, who would want to leave their homeland if they could keep them alive?

"Lord Hua, isn't there any food in the treasury of Jiangnan?" Tang Tingbai asked again.

This......

Hua Sheng was a little embarrassed: "Back to the emperor, there is actually grain in the treasury, but there is no order from the imperial court, even if the minister is a member of the imperial court, he does not dare to open the granary privately, that is a capital crime, the minister can only let the people of other counties raise some donations, these grains are enough for the people of the two counties to eat for a month." ”

Tang Tingbai looked at Hua Sheng, with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

That's right, just admiration.

I have to say, this flower sheng is not an ordinary person.

There are at least a few million people in the two counties, and how much food do these millions need?

That's an absolutely astronomical amount.

Even if one person only eats one pound of grain, those millions of people need millions of pounds of grain.

You know, it's just a day.

And at least 200 million catties of grain are needed a month.

And these grains can be solved only by the donations of the people in Jiangnan.

I have to say that the unity of the people in Jiangnan is indeed richer than that of other places.

"Lord Hana, after I destroy the Ryukyus, can you go to the court? I give you an official position of the second grade, so that you can exert greater ability? ”

This......

Hua Sheng smiled helplessly.

"Your Majesty, the minister is an official, and he is naturally happy to hear that he has been promoted, but the minister can't agree."

"Because once you go to the court, it is equivalent to being separated from the people, and the old minister doesn't know the suffering of the people, so the old minister still stays in Jiangnan Mansion to watch the emperor's house."

"After all, your goal is by no means Dayan, Lao Chen stays here, he can provide you with a steady stream of food and grass, so that you will not worry about food and grass when you are in a foreign war!"

Hearing this, Tang Tingbai was a little moved.

If the officials of Dayan were all like Hua Sheng, maybe the people of Dayan would really be much better off than they are now.

This is the second time that Tang Tingbai has this kind of thought.

Hua Sheng coughed lightly: "Your Majesty, if you want to counterattack, it's not easy, we don't have a warship." ”

What?

No warships?

Tang Tingbai stood up from his chair, a little incredulous.

"Lord Hua, don't joke with me, Jiangnan is close to the sea, how can there be no warships?"

Hua Sheng smiled helplessly: "Your Majesty, don't you know about the sea ban?" ”

This......

Listening to Hua Sheng's words, Tang Tingbai suddenly remembered that when the first emperor was in power, the first emperor ordered the sea to be banned.

Therefore, since decades ago, Dayan's craftsmen have not built any warships.

Even if it is an ordinary fishing boat, there are not many in Jiangnan Province.

That's not a problem.

Tang Tingbai touched his chin, his face was a little gloomy.

Gangnam Province is actually not far from the Ryukyus, but it is impossible for the warriors to swim there, right?

Tang Tingbai turned to look at Shen Da, the envoy of Jinyi Weibei Town, Fu Si: "How many warships have we captured from Ryukyu?" ”

Shen Da immediately replied: "Back to the emperor, there are two thousand ships, and each warship can carry two hundred soldiers!" ”

A ship with 200 people, and 2,000 ships, is 40,000 people.

In the early period, 40,000 people occupied two prefectures of the Ryukyus.

After that, these two counties were used as springboards, and they could be attacked, retreated, and defended.

"Okay, send someone to protect these two thousand warships......"

Without waiting to finish speaking, Qiu Baye of Jinyi Wei hurriedly walked in: "Your Majesty, the big thing is not good, the two thousand warships we captured in Ryukyu suddenly caught fire and were ...... It was all burned. ”

What???

Hearing this, even Tang Tingbai's eyes widened.

Tang Tingbai took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart: "Have you found out who did it?" ”

Qiu Ba shook his head: "It hasn't been found out yet, but the subordinates have identified a few suspects, and now they just need to find evidence." ”

Tang Tingbai nodded: "Okay, this matter will be handed over to you, and I will be given an answer within three days." ”

"Subordinates obey." Qiu Ba nodded and immediately turned to leave.

"Your Majesty, it is almost impossible for us to counterattack Ryukyu now, why don't you personally write a letter to the King of Ryukyu, let him become a subject of Dayan again, and at the same time compensate a huge amount of gold and silver." Hua Sheng smiled bitterly.

He is the prefect of Jiangnan, and he is very aware of the situation of Jiangnan warships.

Although there are more than a dozen of them, they are also decades old, and they have long since become a pile of rotten wood, and it is impossible to go into the water.

Besides, what if you can get into the water?

It's just a dozen warships, how many people can they carry?

"Lord Hua, do we still have a shipyard in Jiangnan Mansion?" Tang Tingbai spoke calmly.

"Yes, but most of them build ships to carry grain, and they don't know how to build warships at all, and they don't have the ability to do that." Hua Sheng replied immediately.

He was telling the truth, as the prefect of Jiangnan, he knew everything about Jiangnanfu.

Tang Tingbai didn't speak, and directly closed his eyes and entered the system.

"System, are there any drawings for the construction of warships?" Tang Tingbai asked.

As soon as the voice fell, the voice of the system came immediately.

"Dingdong, yes, and there are quite a few."

"However, with Dayan's current situation and financial resources, there is only one way to build, and that is the ironclad ship, does the host need it?"

Ironclad?

Tang Tingbai's eyes lit up.

"Yes, of course it does!"

"Ding Dong, the system rewards the blueprint of the host ironclad ship, and Master Lu Ban, the chief engineer of the ironclad ship."

"At present, Master Lu Ban is implanted as the chief shopkeeper of the Jiangnan Lujia Shipyard, and the drawings of the ironclad ship are in his hands."

Hearing the system's words, Tang Tingbai's breathing became a little heavier.

The system is so good to him.

Not only did they reward the blueprints of the ironclad ship, but they also rewarded a king hero.

This is something that Tang Tingbai never expected.

Exiting the system, Tang Tingbai looked at Jiangnan Prefect Hua Sheng again: "Lord Hua, have you heard of the Lu Family Shipyard?" ”

Hua Sheng nodded: "The minister has naturally heard that the Lu family shipyard is one of the three major shipyards in the south of the Yangtze River, and it is good at building large transport ships, and at least thirty percent of the orders of the Caoyun Yamen of the imperial court will be handed over to the Lu family every year, and the emperor is preparing to find the Lu family to make warships?" ”

After speaking, Hua Sheng sighed: "Your Majesty, the old minister thinks that the Lu family is not good, because the sea ban has been around for decades, and the older generation of craftsmen who can build warships have basically passed away, and also because the sea ban warships are useless, so this craft may not be passed on to the next generation." ”

Tang Tingbai smiled: "Don't worry, I have my own plan!" ”

Hua Sheng nodded helplessly: "Okay, the old minister still has something to do, so I'll retire first." ”

Tang Tingbai raised his head, looked at the sun outside and said, "Lord Hua, pay attention to rest, and deal with official business tomorrow." ”

Hua Sheng shook his head: "Hey, the old minister is a hard life, the old minister will deal with it early, and the people of Jiangnan Mansion will be able to wait a little less, and they may be able to save several lives." ”

After saying that, Hua Sheng turned around and walked towards the door.

But as soon as Hua Sheng walked to the door, he suddenly felt that the sky was spinning and he fell directly on the steps.

His forehead was covered with blood.

"Flower-sama—"

Tang Tingbai exclaimed: "Shen Da, go find Bian Que......"