The three big characters of Zheng He were hung high, and on the deck, one command after another was being transmitted rapidly.

"The helm is ready!"

"Fuel bunker checked!"

"The water tank has been checked!"

"The grain tank inspection is complete!"

Jin Ying wore armor and stomach, came to Zhu Qizhen, and saluted solemnly: "Zheng He's second sea trial is ready, please give an order to the emperor!" ”

Looking at the high-spirited sailors and crew, Zhu Qizhen was very satisfied.

The ironclad ship is the weapon of the country, and everyone on board must show unstoppable courage.

In the vast ocean, there are countless treasures, but also countless dangers.

From now on, Daming's voyage career is about to enter a new level, and in the near future, these people will set foot on a vast new continent and plant the sun and moon flags in that rich and fertile land.

"Set sail!"

"Yes!"

Jin Ying turned around and said in a loud voice: "The emperor has a decree, set sail!" ”

"Set sail!"

"Set sail!"

On deck, the order was passed down, and the various cabins began to act.

The sails are lowered and the iron anchors are pulled up.

Woo –

On the large chimney, black smoke slowly rose, accompanied by a low roar, and the entire hull shook violently, as if the transmission system had begun to operate.

Next, the hull actually began to tilt......

The officers accompanying the ship were frightened, some of them timid, and they had already begun to sit on the ground.

Belin looked at the restless crowd and said disdainfully, "Don't panic, everyone, it's just that the hull of the ship is turning." ”

The biggest difference between an ironclad ship and a treasure ship is the pointed bottom, and when the rudder is turned, it will inevitably tilt.

In the fuel tanks, a large number of crew members were shirtless, constantly filling the boiler with coal.

The second boiler started up, and with a loud roar, the hull shook again, and then slowly moved forward.

Although Ningbo Province is located on the coast, many officials are actually from the inland and do not know how to swim, and when they find the port getting farther and farther away, they realize that the hull of the ship is already accelerating.

When I anchored on the shore, I was more or less sure, but since I left the port, people couldn't help but panic when they looked at the land that was drifting away.

No matter how huge the ironclad ship is, it is no different from a leaf in the endless ocean.

At this moment, many people deeply feel how small human beings are in front of nature.

On the deck, Jin Ying finished his patrol and then returned to Zhu Qizhen's side.

"Your Majesty, it's windy outside, so you better go back to the cabin and rest!"

Zhu Qizhen thought for a moment and said, "Golden companion!" ”

"The slave is here!"

"How long did you stay at sea the first time you went to sea?"

"This ......"

Jin Ying's face was a little ugly, because it was an unbearable past......

"It's about two months."

"How does it taste?"

"Back to the emperor, that feeling...... Not so good. ”

"Isn't it bitter?"

"It's just a bitter thing, it's just a ......"

Jin Ying's face was full of embarrassment, and said: "Drifting on the sea, there is always a sense of powerlessness in my heart, it is really ...... Life and death are all based on the will of heaven, and the slave is not afraid of the emperor's jokes when she says it, at that time, she really can't stand it......"

Zhu Qizhen nodded and said slowly: "I can't survive for two months, but Peng Qing's fleet has been gone for two years and gone to the wooden bones thousands of miles away, how did they do it?" ”

"Master Peng is indeed ...... Hard ......"

Jin Ying really has nothing to say, slap her face in the face, is this okay?

Zhu Qizhen was still standing on the deck, looking at the coastline of Mohu Lake, and he could clearly feel that the speed of the hull was very fast.

Driven by two boilers, the speed of the ironclad has far exceeded the sail power.

There will be times when the wind and waves will be long, and the clouds will sail into the sea!

However, as the speed increased, the officers on the ship felt more and more panicked.

Most of them are accustomed to the porcelain earth under their feet, and now it is normal for them to be uneasy when they are floating on the sea.

Zhu Qizhen turned to leave, but did not enter the cabin to rest, but inspected every position on the ship.

In the fuel tank, the boatmen were naked, all sweating, as if they were soaked in water.

Most of these people had never seen the emperor, and, because they were working in their hands, they didn't notice that someone was coming in the noise.

Jin Ying cleared her throat and said loudly: "The emperor has come to visit the big guy!" ”

Knowing that the emperor suddenly came to the fuel tank, most people were a little unexpected, and they were still holding a shovel in their hands when they saluted.

"Knock on the emperor!"

"Knock on the emperor!"

Zhu Qizhen waved his hand: "No need to be polite!" ”

The boatmen nervously stood up, but they didn't know what to do.

Zhu Qizhen smiled and said, "Everyone has worked hard, and when the trial is over, all will be rewarded!" ”

Everyone was stunned again, and Jin Ying hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Don't thank you yet!" ”

"Thank you...... Thank you, Your Majesty! ”

"Emperor Xie!"

Zhu Qizhen looked at everyone at a loss, and said, "Okay, let's go get busy!" ”

After saying that, he turned and left.

Because if you don't leave, the boiler will stop!

The boatmen reacted, but felt something...... Incredible.

"That ...... Is it really the emperor? ”

"But isn't it, you didn't see Grandpa Jin by your side, who else in the world would dare to let Grandpa Jin accompany him?"

"Quick...... Hurry up and add coal! ”

"Oops, I forgot ......"

In the cockpit, the helmsmen are holding charts to study.

It is necessary to have a more fixed route to the ocean, because there are many risks in the unknown seas, such as ocean currents and reefs, so the safest route is to go along the coastline.

In this case, it is necessary to be familiar with the situation in the near sea, such as when the ocean currents can be used, which islands can replenish the water, and the changes in wind direction and wind strength, all of which are summed up by countless experiences at sea.

At the beginning, Peng Qing insisted that the information of the Museum of Culture and History of the Hanlin Academy was wrong, because his ancestors had traveled to the sea and had mastered a lot of information on the sea.

Moreover, he is even the importance of this information, but if anything goes wrong, it will be a huge risk.

"Knock on the emperor!"

Finally, when one of the helmsmen turned around, he noticed a man in front of him.

He even took a step back to see that it was the emperor.

Zhu Qizhen stretched out his hand to support this person, and then said to the people who were stunned and had not yet reacted: "I just came to see, you can be busy with whatever you should be busy, don't salute." ”

Everyone was even more stunned, seeing that the emperor did not salute, what kind of rule is this?

Jin Ying said: "What are you doing in a daze, why don't you take out the map and show it to the emperor?" ”

"Oh, here, here'......"

At the helm holding the map, it was obvious that he was a little nervous and stumbled when he spoke.

"Yes...... It's ......."

"Don't be nervous!"

Zhu Qizhen patted him on the shoulder, and then looked at the map, where a location had just been marked.

"Is this the position now?"

"Back to the emperor, yes...... Yes! ”

The end point of the trial voyage is Fuzhou, starting from Ningbo, about more than 1,000 miles, and if you take the land route, the ordinary carriage will take at least half a month.

However, judging from the map, the speed of the ironclad ship is much faster than expected.

"If you don't stop and keep sailing, how long will it take?"

"Go back to the emperor, sail as originally planned, and keep the two furnaces running alternately...... It took about a day and a night. ”

Hiss –

Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but gasp, this speed was already comparable to that of a train.

He really didn't expect that the speed of Daming's first ironclad ship would be so fast!

From Ningbo to Fuzhou, the boat arrived in one day and one night, such a thing, if it was placed in the past, I would not even dare to think about it.

However, today it has really come true.

Even if the railroad is built, the capacity of the train is far less than that of the ship.

Zhu Qizhen found that he was shocked by what he had created!

Sure enough, science and technology are the primary productive forces......

The ironclad ship is very stable, much more stable than the treasure ship, but it is still inevitable that there will be some shaking, if you are not used to it, you will be dizzy and nauseous after a long time, that is, ...... Seasickness.

Zhu Qizhen looked at the crew in the cabin again, here, many people couldn't stand steadily, but they were all working tirelessly.

It is precisely because of such a group of people that Zheng He was able to complete the construction, and the process is easy to say, but it is difficult to do.

When the holy decree was issued, no one dared to guarantee that the ironclad ship could really be successfully developed.

What if countless people give everything they have and end up failing?

The most admirable thing is that it is this group of people, they don't know where the road ahead leads, and they don't know whether the direction is right, but they move forward without hesitation, groping, and after countless days and nights, finally, they succeeded!

Zhu Qizhen was full of emotion in his heart, and said to Jin Ying: "After the sea trial, the Ningbo shipyard will expand its scale, and I hope to see an ironclad fleet within three years." ”

Jin Ying hurriedly replied: "The slave will live up to the emperor's trust, even if she gives up this old life, she will build the emperor's ironclad ship!" ”

Zhu Qizhen looked at him and said slowly: "Tell me about it, among the secretaries, who can be in charge of this fleet?" ”

Jin Yingmeng was stunned for a moment, and a look of decline suddenly appeared in his eyes.

However, this look disappeared immediately.

"The matter is big, the emperor should still discuss with the cabinet, and the slaves and maids dare not speak up."

Zhu Qizhen chuckled and said, "It's okay, just talk about it." ”

Jin Ying thought about it again and again, and then said: "The slave maid thinks that Master Peng is more suitable. ”

"Peng Qing has experience in sailing, but he now has an overview of the Ming Dynasty, and he is also old, so he is not suitable for going to sea all year round."

"Then ...... Bei Hanlin is deeply influenced by Master Peng's true biography, and it is more appropriate for him to take over. ”

"Belin is in charge of more things now, all scientific research in the world belongs to the Academy of Sciences, and a steam train is enough for him to be busy, how can he have the energy to go to sea?"

Jin Ying thought about it and said, "General Shi Heng has been fighting overseas for a long time, I don't know what the emperor thinks? ”

"It's okay for Shi Heng to fight, and he will be assigned an ironclad ship in the later stage, but if the entire fleet is handed over to him......"

Zhu Qizhen projected a strange look in his eyes, and said slowly: "Is it appropriate?" ”

Jin Yingmeng remembered that Shi Heng had the experience of rebellion......

"It's the slave and maid who owe it to consideration, please forgive the emperor!"

Zhu Qizhen waved his hand and said, "I've said it, it's okay, just take it as small talk." ”

However, Jin Ying didn't dare to say anything, since it was not right to say anything, there was only one possibility left, the emperor had a candidate!

The person who guesses by himself is not the one people want......

He suddenly worried, who is suitable?

Could it be...... King Servant?

Since Emperor Taizong, the Ming Dynasty strictly forbade the vassal king to take charge of the army, and the emperor has set a precedent for the king of Yu, it stands to reason that now it is time to beware of it, you are good, and you want to send someone an ironclad fleet, is this possible?

Aren't you afraid that King Yu will drive an ironclad ship and land directly from Tianjin and take the Beijing division directly......

No, it's not King Yu, so who could it be?

Jin Ying racked her brains, but she still couldn't figure it out.

Zhu Qizhen suddenly turned his head and asked Yuan Bin: "Yuan Qingjia, come and see, who is more appropriate to be in charge of this fleet?" ”

Yuan Bin hurriedly replied: "I don't know! ”

Zhu Qizhen smiled: "What, I'm afraid that if I say something wrong, I will blame you?" ”

Yuan Bin lowered his head: "The minister really doesn't know!" ”

"Do you not know, or do you not want to say?"

Yuan Bin was helpless, looked at Jin Ying, and said, "Compared to the three people I just mentioned, perhaps, Jin Gonggong is more suitable......

Jin Ying was suddenly stunned, and the whole person was a little overwhelmed.

Zhu Qizhen just looked at him meaningfully, and then turned to leave.

On the other hand, he also said: "Sleepy, go to sleep!" ”

The sky slowly darkened, and since the purpose of this sea trial was mainly to test the performance of the ironclad ship, it did not dock at night, but continued to sail.

Although the cabins had been sealed as tightly as possible, the entire hull of the ship shook as soon as the steam furnace was turned on, and the sound seemed to penetrate into the bones, and most of them could not sleep at all.

But those crew members, when they were on duty to rest, slept soundly.

Zhu Qizhen was also sleepy, his sleep quality was not bad, just lie down.

In my sleep, I seem to hear someone say something about the poor island......

Call!

He sat up and shouted, "Someone! ”

Fan Zhong was on guard outside, heard the voice, opened the hatch and came in.

"Your Majesty!"

Zhu Qizhen looked outside, the sky had just dawned, and the sun had not yet risen.

"Go and call Jin Ying and let him come to see me immediately!"

"Yes!"

"Wait a minute!"

Zhu Qizhen thought for a while and said, "Let's go over!" ”

With that, he casually put on his clothes and walked briskly towards the helm cabin.

Jin Ying didn't sleep all night, and at this time he and the helmsmen were staring at the map and observing the route.

He must ensure that this trial voyage is foolproof, because the emperor is on board!

Zhu Qizhen took Fan Zhong to the helm cabin, and shouted from afar: "Jin Companion, quickly get the map!" ”

Jin Ying felt a little surprised, looked at the emperor, and then looked at the sky outside, and secretly said in her heart, when did the emperor get up so early?

Could it be...... Bumpy sailing and not sleeping well?

The emperor hates it when others disturb his sleep, how can this be......

He had no choice but to spread out the map, pointed to the route above, and said: "Your Majesty, please see, this is our current location, according to the current speed, there is still an hour to reach Fuzhou!" ”