The afternoon sun shined through the gaps between the branches and leaves of the osmanthus tree, scattering countless spots of light on the ground, Xu Jin stretched comfortably, sat up slowly from the recliner, and finally woke up.

It is said that in order to prepare for the prisoner sacrifice ceremony of the court, Xu Jin got up at three o'clock in the morning today, and in addition to the fierce exchange of sprays with the old-fashioned officials who opposed the ban on opening the sea at the court meeting, he did not disperse until noon, and then had lunch with Zhang Xuanguicao and other upstart factions, and it was inevitable to drink some wine during the banquet, so after returning to the residence, he was really sleepy, and fell asleep on the recliner.

"Master, the emperor is here, and he went to the study." When the two pretty maids saw Xu Jin wake up, they hurriedly told nervously. Xu Jin rubbed his face with both hands and asked calmly, "How long has the emperor been here?" ”

"It's been half an hour!" In the early summer, he stuck out his tongue secretly, the emperor came, and the main family still couldn't sleep soundly, among the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty, I'm afraid it's just the lord who has this kind of treatment.

"Miss Zhi'er is also in the study." Hatsuharu reminded in a whisper.

Xu Jin nodded, finished freshening up under the service of the two pretty maids, changed into a set of household clothes, and then walked in the direction of the study.

"I've seen the Marquis of Jing'an." The guards and little eunuchs who were guarding outside saw Xu Jin walking slowly and hurriedly saluted respectfully, including Lu Bing.

Xu Jin smiled and nodded in response, and asked politely, "Lu Qianhu, the imperial ......"

Before Xu Jin's words were finished, Lu Bing raised his index finger and sighed lightly, pointed to the door of the study with a strange expression and said loudly: "Back to Master Hou, my son-in-law is talking to Miss Zhi'er inside." ”

Xu Jin was slightly stunned, but the door of the study was opened at this time, and he saw Emperor Jiajing, dressed as a scholar, standing there, with a dog-legged smile on his face: "Brother-in-law has finally woken up, and the four guns have been waiting for you for a while!" ”

"Four guns?" Xu Jin is the second King Kong who is confused.

Zhu Houxi's kid blinked vigorously, his fingers slammed into his chest, and at the same time he pouted behind him very vividly. Xu Jin's gaze crossed Zhu Houxi's shoulder, and he happened to see He Zhi'er sitting behind the bookcase, tilting his head and looking over with a suspicious expression.

Xu Jin's heart moved, and he suddenly came to his senses, coughed dryly, and said, "It turns out ...... It's four guns, why don't you wake me up when you come? ”

Zhu Houxi secretly gave a thumbs up, and said with a smile: "I saw my brother-in-law that you slept soundly just now, so I didn't dare to call, Ah Bing, let someone make a pot of tea, my son wants to ask my brother-in-law for teaching." ”

"Okay, Childe, wait!" Lu Bing replied smartly.

"Brother-in-law, come in, there are still a lot of things I don't understand for you." Zhu Houxi is serious and authentic.

Xu Jin couldn't help laughing and stepped into the study. He Zhi'er stood up and called out crisply: "Brother! ”

Xu Jin nodded gently and asked, "Zhi'er, have you finished the exercises that my brother left for you?" ”

"It's been done a long time ago!" He Zhi'er said obediently: "Brother, do I want to go to the yard to play for a while?" ”

Xu Jin said dotingly: "Go, your favorite osmanthus cake has been made in the kitchen, let's play after eating." ”

"Okay, eat osmanthus cake!" He Zhi'er cheered, and then bounced out of the room.

Zhu Houxi's kid looked at He Zhi'er who ran out of Sa Huan'er, and said a little depressedly: "Why does Sister Zhi'er think that she is only ten years old? ”

Xu Jinruo glanced at Zhu Houxi meaningfully and said, "If Zhi'er's mind wasn't only ten years old, it is estimated that the emperor would have been beaten out as a disciple just now." ”

Zhu Houxi smiled awkwardly: "I didn't know that Sister Zhi'er was here before I came in, brother-in-law...... cough, Xu Qing, I think Sister Zhi'er seems to be very powerful, and I can't understand most of the pictures she draws. ”

Xu Jin smiled and said: "Zhi'er is indeed very talented in mechanics, when in Guangzhou Mansion, the problem of the Franc machine gun was solved by Zhi'er, and this girl also discovered the reason why the range of our Ming Franc cannon is not as good as that of the Western Franc cannon." In time, Zhi'er may become the best firearms craftsman in my Ming Dynasty. ”

Zhu Houxi has an almost adoring trust in Xu Jin, so he has always been convinced of Xu Jin's judgment, and he just pestered He Zhi'er with a dead face and chatted for half an hour, and found that the various models of Franc cannons designed by others are not just scribbles, but really feasible.

"By the way, Xu Qing, what did Sister Zhi'er say just now that this steam engine is? Can you really make a carriage without a horse, and a battleship without sails? Zhu Houxi picked up the notebook on the bookcase, turned to the page of the steam engine drawings, and asked with great interest.

Strictly speaking, this is not a steam engine drawing, Xu Jin also knows nothing about steam engines, he just described the principle of steam power, as well as the general shape of the steam engine, and then He Zhier drew this steam engine sketch according to his imagination.

Xu Jin nodded and said in an affirmative tone: "Of course you can, but the premise is that you can make it." ”

Zhu Houxi's eyes lit up, with his cleverness, of course he understood how huge the role of this thing was, not to mention anything else, just by installing this thing on the battleship, the sailors of the Ming Dynasty could definitely crisscross the seas and be invincible.

"Then does Xu Qing think this steam engine can be built?" Zhu Houxi rubbed his hands and asked expectantly.

Xu Jin shrugged his shoulders and said bluntly: "It's difficult, even if it can be built, it will take a long time, and it will cost a lot of silver." ”

Zhu Houxi said arrogantly when he heard this: "The silver is not a problem at all, didn't Xu Qing just bring back tens of millions of taels of silver from Manraka, the key is how long it will take?" ”

"If you're lucky, you may be able to build it in ten years, but if you're unlucky, you're afraid you won't be able to build it for decades or hundreds of years. In terms of silver budget, you have to prepare at least 20 or 30 million taels of silver, and it is estimated that it will be more. ”

"What!" Zhu Houxi couldn't help but gasp and said, "Xu Qing, are you sure you're not joking?" ”

Xu Jin nodded seriously, he was really not joking, engaging in scientific research is originally an act of burning money and time, for example, if China wants to make its own chips, throw hundreds of billions, and spend more than ten or twenty years to get it. As far as the current level of craftsmanship in the Ming Dynasty is concerned, it is probably not much easier to make a steam engine and apply it to transportation than it is to make chips in modern China.

Zhu Houxi's heart couldn't help but feel cold, and he said in shock: "This thing takes so long and costs so much silver, my God, my annual tax payment in the Ming Dynasty is not enough for four million taels of silver, I really can't afford it, and it's not worth it!" ”

Xu Jin said calmly: "It's not that you have to take out so much silver at once, and once the sea ban is opened, the minister is sure that it will definitely not be a problem for the income of the Ming treasury to double, and it will not be difficult to get a part of the budget every year." ”

Zhu Houxi said suspiciously: "Xu Qing, is the profit of maritime trade really so rich?" ”

Xu Jin nodded affirmatively and said: "It's absolutely rich that you can't imagine, otherwise those Westerners would not hesitate to risk their lives and cross tens of thousands of miles of wind and waves to come to Daming to do business?" After our Ming tea, raw silk, silk, porcelain, spices from the South Seas, etc., are transported back to the country of Westerners, the value can be increased by more than ten times, or even dozens of times. These silver Westerners can earn, why can't we make it? ”

Zhu Houxi nodded thoughtfully, and Xu Jin continued: "The minister sent troops to Manraga this time, and he has a deep understanding of this, Manlaga is just an island country, but because of the maritime trade, it has accumulated a wealth of nearly 10 million taels in just ten years, not counting those that were plundered by Portugal."

In addition, the minister also learned that the Westerners have occupied Tianzhu and other places and began to colonize, and the local wealth is being plundered by the West.

And once the Westerners become rich and strong, the tentacles will inevitably reach out to our Daming, and the tragedy that happened to the Qing Dynasty may be repeated in our Daming. The reason why the minister stationed troops in Manraga was to prevent the Westerners from continuing to colonize in the east. ”

Zhu Houxijun's face couldn't help but turn red, and he clenched his fists and said proudly: "It's impossible, my Daming country will definitely not fall to the beginning." ”

Xu Jin sighed and said: "Your Majesty, the minister has the courage to speak out, now the Westerners are far ahead of my Ming Dynasty in navigation, and the power of artillery is even better than my Ming.

If we wait until the Westerners occupy the Nanyang countries and gain a firm foothold and receive a steady stream of support, then I will be in danger! ”

Zhu Houxi's face changed slightly when he heard this, he shook the folding fan in annoyance, and asked in a deep voice: "Xu Qing, what should we do?" ”

Xu Jin said solemnly: "Naturally, it is to open the sea ban, vigorously develop the sailors, and seize the dominance of the ocean, as long as the fist is big, no one dares to mess with us, only we can provoke others, and we will clean up whoever is not pleasing to the eye." ”

Zhu Houxi smiled and said: "Haha, what you said is reasonable, but Xu Qing also saw that there are still many officials who are resolutely opposed to the opening of the sea ban, and they can't do anything about it." ”

Xu Jin said coldly: "The trend of the times is mighty and unstoppable, those who go along with it prosper, those who go against it die, three or five stubborn stumbling blocks, just kick them away." ”

Emperor Jiajing's eyes flashed, the folding fan snapped shut, and then knocked heavily on the palm of his left hand, and said loudly: "It's good to talk about it, those who go along with it prosper, and those who go against it die, three or five stumbling blocks that don't work, kick them away, Xu Qing, you will write again tomorrow to open the sea ban, and if you don't succeed, you will become benevolent." ”

Xu Jin doesn't sweat, he must succeed, he doesn't want to become a benevolent!

Next, the two of them chatted secretly for half an hour, discussing the steps of tomorrow's coordinated "battle", and then left the study with a smile.