Chaohu Lake is located in the southeast of Yingtian, a small half is in Changzhou, most of it belongs to Suzhou, and is connected to the Yangtze River by the Weixu River.

The military department also has a shipyard in Chaohu, located in Hushuguan, which mainly builds river boats of less than 100 materials. Every year, hundreds of various river patrol boats, wind clippers, etc. are built from here to supplement the Jianghuai Water Pass and even the three major water camps.

Before Zhao Ran and Lu Xixing arrived, they already had an understanding of the situation here, and after the on-site investigation, they knew it more clearly.

It is true that only small boats can be built here, and they are basically flat-bottomed boats, and the draft is between two and three feet. It is unrealistic to want this place to afford to build 500 materials, even if it is only more than 300 materials. At most, there are only 200 materials, and the slipway has to be transformed.

In addition to the lack of experience and ability of shipwrights and workers, the slipway here is also not suitable for large ship construction and needs to be vigorously remodeled. In addition, the 300 materials made of the sea boat, the draft is six feet to one zhang, such a deep draft, some waterways of the Misu River are not passable, need to be fully dredged.

As it stands, it's too late.

After consulting with the military officials and chief craftsmen of the shipyard, Zhao Ran ordered 30 200-material patrol ships and 60 100-material fast sentry ships. Zhao Ran brought the drawings and instructions of the patrol ship and handed them over directly to the chief craftsman, and the shipyard had the drawings of the fast sentry ship itself.

The total price of the order is 120,000 taels, which is equivalent to the total amount of orders received by Hushuguan Shipyard in the past eight years. Fortunately, there are more slipways here, and there are many craftsmen and workers, which can be completed in three batches, and it is expected to be delivered by the end of June.

Zhao Ran took the order and the advance payment of 60,000 taels, and pulled Lu Xixing back to Longjiang Shipyard, on the way, he said to Lu Xixing: "My mistake, I neglected, I didn't pay enough attention, I didn't make full preparations, I should have placed an order to build a ship, and I was delayed for half a year." This half a year is too important, if this half a year had not been delayed, Li Dayin would have obtained a large number of warships by now, and it would not be so difficult. ”

Lu Xixing said: "Zhiran has done well enough, I started preparing in February and March last year, who would have thought that Lingao Island would dare to confront my Daomen? Zhiran must be calm, survive the early stage, with the strength of the Ming Dynasty, how can he not lose." ”

Back at the Longjiang Shipyard, all eight slipways have been started, and four 500-material warships and four 200-material patrol ships are being built at the same time. Lu Xixing directly ordered in the name of Chaotian Palace, asking the Xinjiangkou branch under the management of the Ministry of War to immediately expand the slipway.

The officers and chief craftsmen of the Vehicles and Drivers Division of the Ministry of War quickly came up with an expansion plan to add four slipways within two months. This is already the maximum capacity, the slipway is not complicated, there is no technical content, the real difficulty is the craftsmen and boatmen, the expansion of four slipways requires at least forty more experienced craftsmen and two hundred boatmen, and there are not so many people in the Xinjiang Kou branch.

Thanks to the evil labor system, under the pressure of Lu Xixing, the Ministry of War issued a document to Nanzhili and the coastal provinces of Zhejiang, forcibly recruiting local experienced shipwrights and shipwrights to come to Yingtian to serve, and arrived within one month.

The two returned to the civilian shipyard, where sixteen slipways were busy building various civilian ships. Lu Xixing also ordered in the name of Lei Xiaoge to requisition the slipway of this shipyard, and the ships built on the slipway now were completed and one slipway was requisitioned, and all civilian ship orders were postponed and converted to warships.

Zhao Ran calculated the production speed, and by the end of June, the inspection fleet would have 26 of the latest 500-material warships, 40 200-material patrol ships, and 60 100-material fast sentry ships.

As long as Li Dayin's side can hold out until the end of June, the situation will begin to tilt towards Daming's side.

Zhao Ran prayed silently: "Lao Li, you must hold on." ”

When he returned to the Jiming Temple, Zhao Ran received a report from Pei Zhongxi: "Senior brother, someone from the East China Sea is here, and I want to see you." ”

Zhao Ran asked, "Who is it?"

"Two, one surnamed Gu and the other surnamed Chen, said that they were from Lingao Island. ”

Zhao Ran pondered for a moment and ordered: "You see it first, I'm very busy here." ”

To be exact, only one of the people who came was from Lingao Island, named Chen Mianzhu, and the other was called Gu Chong, not from Lingao Island, but the leader of the famous Sanxiu sect in Nanzhili, the Baisha Gang.

The Baisha Gang mainly lives on the water, and their territory is also on the island, which is Baisha Island, a hundred miles northeast of Chongming Island. The distance between Baisha Island and the mainland is delicate, so it also creates a delicate relationship between the Baisha Gang and the Daomen and the government.

On the surface, it is accepted and managed, but it is not so easy to really want to manage.

Gu Chong, as the leader of the gang, accompanied Chen Mianzhu to the Jiming Temple, which itself illustrates this point. He smiled and said to Pei Zhongxi: "Manager Pei, I was also entrusted by others to introduce you on my behalf." This is the Chen leader of Lingao Island, and the Chen leader is entrusted by the lord of Wutong Island to visit the abbot for an important matter. I'm just a middle-aged person, if you have anything to say, you two talk, I'll stay outside. ”

Pei Zhonglu nodded, Gu Chong's meaning was very clear, he was actually a guarantor, to Zhao Ran, Chen Mianzhu did represent Lingao Island, not just someone who came to cheat under the banner.

After Gu Chong went out, Pei Zhongxi said to Chen Mianzhu, "What's the matter with you?"

Chen Mianzhu smiled, sat on the chair opposite Pei Zhonglu very casually, a white snake with a length of a foot crawled out of his sleeve pocket, wrapped it around his wrist, stood up his tongue and spit out the core to Pei Zhonglu viciously, and then turned to Chen Mianzhu: "Mianzhu, this is Manager Pei?"

Chen Mianzhu nodded: "Yujingzi Daoyou is invited, and on the opposite side is Manager Pei of Jimingguan." ”

Yu Jingzi hissed: "It is said that Manager Pei is as beautiful as a flower, but that's it, ordinary." ”

Chen Mianzhu smiled: "Daoyou Ancestor has been to Bai Yujing, of course ordinary people can't get into your eyes." ”

Yu Jingzi said: "It's such a truth, it's boring to come for nothing." Let's wait until I see Abbot Zhao, I'll take a nap. ”

Is this deliberately inviting a spirit demon to show off to himself? Pei Zhonglu sneered in his heart, and didn't bother to speak, and asked, "What is the matter?" Tell me quickly, Abbot Zhao is very busy, and I am also very busy. ”

Chen Mianzhu shook his head and said, "Manager Pei, are you very busy at the moment? It's no wonder that my East China Sea army is about to come to the door, and Abbot Zhao is afraid that he is in a hurry, right?" ”

Yu Jingzi also laughed, tilting her head to look at Pei Zhongxi.

Pei Zhonglu didn't say a word, just looked at Chen Mianzhu fixedly. After the two laughed for a while, they felt bored, and Chen Mianzhu said: "Let's make it clear, entrusted by the owner of Wutong Island of Lingao Island and hundreds of island owners, I am here to ask Abbot Zhao a word." ”

"What?"

"Maritime trade license, to withdraw or not to revoke?"

Pei Zhonglu nodded: "Are you here to talk about the maritime trade permit?"

Chen Mianzhu said: "Then Manager Pei thinks that I, Chen, am here to drink tea with you?" haha...... It's not that you can't ......."

If it was someone else, Pei Zhongxi directly taught him a lesson, but after Zhao Ran's order, he knew that the overall situation was the most important, so he endured his anger and said: "Since we are talking about business, please rest today." Old Gu—"

Gu Kexue entered the house in response: "Manager Pei?"

Pei Zhonglu said: "Prepare a room for them, so that they can be entertained, don't be lazy." ”

Chen Mianzhu was stunned: "What does this mean?"

Pei Zhongxi calmly explained to him: "Since we are talking about business, of course we are going through the procedure." ”