Zhu Youjian's departure from the palace this time was in line with his previous style of light chariots and private visits.

More than 20 guards and three or five carriages were Zhu Youjian's personal team. Such teams are very common on the official roads between Beijing and Tianjin.

Moreover, Zhu You did not inform Tianjin Prefecture before he was found out. First, he did not want to disturb the people along the way, and second, he wanted to see the real situation of the Tianjin Navy, so as to have a basic mental preparation for the subsequent establishment of the navy.

Even though he was mentally prepared for the ships of this era, Zhu Youjian still couldn't accept it when he saw the sand and lucky ships moored on the port.

‘Is this the Ming Navy? The fishing boat is almost the same.’

Zhu Youjian's family in his previous life was in coastal areas, including fishing boats, cruise ships, transport ships, and warships, but these naval ships anchored at Tianjin Port made Zhu Youjian mistakenly think that he came to the small fishing village in his previous life.

The largest flat-bottomed sand boat and big-bellied blessed boat are only four or five meters long, and there are less than ten. The others are small boats of two or three meters long, and there are even small fishing boats that can only take four or five people.

Moreover, not only are the small ships, but there are not even basic large self-defense weapons on the ship, that is, there are a few small cannons on the flat-bottomed sand ships and the lucky ships, and there are not even small cannons on the other ships.

Zhu Youjian looked at these navy ships that were not even as good as fishing boats in later generations, and did not speak for a long time.

During the Xuande period of Yongle and Xuande in the Ming Dynasty, when Zheng He voyaged the West for seven times, the main ship of his fleet had reached more than 30 meters long and more than ten meters wide.

Moreover, there are more than 60 such ships, the largest of which is forty-four zhang long, eighteen zhang wide, and three or four zhang high.

In addition, Zheng He's fleet also has special horse ships (horse transporters) and grain ships and boats, which are basically more than twenty feet tall.

Not only that, Zheng He's fleet was composed of a variety of ships, and it had the concept of formation combat as early as the 15th century. The concept of navigation and combat capabilities were second to none at that time.

However, after more than two hundred years of unremitting efforts, these dilapidated sand ships and blessed ships were finally left.

This can also show the decline of the Ming Dynasty's national strength and the changes in its maritime strategy.

The country was prosperous in the early Ming Dynasty, and whether it was land or ocean, it was filled with thunder and trembling, and had the courage to sweep everything.

After Xuande, the country's power became increasingly weak, and both land and oceans retreated again and again. Just defense was exhausted.

So the big ship disappeared, leaving only a small boat that could only move along the coast. It could fight Japanese pirates during the Wanli period of Jiajing, but now it can only be used for fishing.

Standing on the dock of Tianjin Port, Zhu Youjian's face was so gloomy that he didn't say a word for a long time.

"Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty's sea defense has been abandoned for a long time. This is not a matter of a day or a night. I hope Your Majesty will be relieved."

Yuan Keli, the Minister of War, saw Zhu Youjian's face full of gloom, and felt unbearable, so he stepped forward to persuade him.

"Oh, Old Yuan, I am so heartbroken today. The navy who had conquered more than 70 countries in the Ming Dynasty was so declining. If the eunuch of the Three Treasures had spirits in heaven, it would be even more heartbroken than me."

This time, Zhu Youjian came to Tianjin to inspect the sea. In addition to guarding, he also brought Yuan Keli, the Minister of War and Xu Guangqi, the Minister of Works.

"Old Xu, tell Old Man Yuan, what have the ships on the Western side developed now?"

Then, Xu Guangqi, who also looked heartbroken, popularized Yuan Keli with the main ships of the Westerners of this era.

In the seventeenth century, the navies of various countries basically entered the era of sailing warships. These warships with giant sails generally reached more than ten feet, and were equipped with dozens to hundreds of smoothbore artillery guns on the side.

When war begins, the ships are connected to each other at the head and tail, facing the enemy with their side, and the shape of a battleship has been issued.

Moreover, in the current sea overlord, the Spanish Invincible Fleet, double- or triple-deck Garen ships have appeared, used to equip more artillery, and their firepower has been further improved.

The West has entered the era of sail battleships, and the Ming Dynasty is still thinking about jumping on the sidelines. How can this make Zhu Youjian not feel sad?

Two hundred years ago, when the Ming Dynasty's giant ships dominated the ocean, Westerners could only navigate the Mediterranean.

Now, Magellan's voyage around the world has ended for more than a century, and Spain and Portugal have also defined their respective spheres of influence, and even reached the doorstep of the Ming Dynasty.

Looking at the Ming navy again, not only did it no longer exist in the early Ming Dynasty regulations, but it was even less than the sea ships of the Song Dynasty. It was really the more it developed, and it was getting backwards.

After hearing Xu Guangqi's words, Yuan Keli was really surprised. What a powerful firepower the warship equipped with hundreds of artillery must be.

One hundred artillery cannons are enough to defend big cities like the capital.

Yuan Keli couldn't imagine what kind of ship it was like with a warship equipped with a hundred artillery, but just thinking about the scene of a hundred artillery firing at the same time, it felt a bit terrifying.

I turned around and looked at the three or four feet of sand ships anchored on the pier. I am afraid that after a round of artillery fire, they all sank to the bottom of the sea.

"Your Majesty, I am guilty."

Yuan Keli bowed and bowed.

The scholars and officials of the Ming Dynasty were generally not stubborn and obsessed with the incompleteness. There were many people who were ruthless about various advanced technologies and advanced ideas in the West, and there were even many Catholic officials.

"It's not too late to be brave after knowing shame. We still have time for the Ming Dynasty."

Looking at the endless ocean in front of him, Zhu Youjian seemed to be comforting Yuan Keli, but also comforting himself.

China in history missed the Age of Discovery and the First Industrial Revolution, and was eventually opened by Westerners with giant cannons and ships.

Over the past century, the Chinese nation has paid an extremely heavy price for this.

"Go to the governor's office!"

Zhu Youjian's eyes became firm again and turned to the carriage.

The restructuring of Tianjin's military affairs was not long. It was initially the 25th year of Wanli, and then it was abolished in the 27th year of Wanli. It was not until the first year of Tianqi that the Liaodong war was reestablished, and has served seven governors so far.

The current Minister of Revenue Bi Ziyan has governed Tianjin twice and prepared military salaries in Liaodong. It is enough to show that Tianjin's main function is to raise and transport military salaries in Liaodong.

Today, the current governor of Tianjin is Cui Erjin, a native of Shaanxi, and a Jinshi in the Wanli period. Huang Yuntai, who just took office at the beginning of the year.

At this moment, Cui Erjin was planning the next batch of food and money for transfer to Dongjiang with his staff. Since Zhu Youjian ascended the throne, the food and money for Dongjiang that had not been once every three months has now been changed to once every month.

Mao Wenlong, who was promoted to the Prince's Young Guardian after the victory at the beginning of the year, naturally did not disappoint Zhu Youjian's efforts and went ashore many times to harass the coastal strongholds of the Jin Dynasty.

He took a boat to raid the enemy and left when he encountered it. Although he didn't get much each time, he made Daishan, who was stationed in the Liaodong Peninsula, really troubled him.

Cui Erjin had just decided on the food and fodder for transportation this time. He was about to have a cup of tea and took a break when he saw the butler enter the main hall in a panic.

"Master, more than a dozen people came to the front yamen and said they wanted to see you. They were quite arrogant in their words. I wanted to ask about their origin, but one of them said that you understood after seeing the famous post."

"Who?"

When Cui Erjin heard this, his brow frowned slightly. Although his governor's official rank is not as good as the rank of the Thirteenth Provincial Governor's Office, his official power is not at all.

"Dong Weng is calm and he will be fine when I wait for him."

Seeing that Cui Erjin was a little unhappy, the aide first took the famous post handed over by the housekeeper. After opening it, his face changed again and again.

"This, this, this..."

When the staff saw the three big words on the visiting post, they were so shocked that they couldn't speak.

"how?"

Cui Erjin glanced at the staff with some dissatisfaction, reached out and took the famous post over. With this, he became a stuttering like the staff member.

"This, this, this, this, true, true, is it Master Shangshu?"

Trierjin threw down his famous post, turned around and ran out the door.

"Dongweng, demeanor!"

The aide also recovered at this time. Seeing Cui Erjin running wildly with his robe, he quickly reminded him.

At this time, Cui Erjin also noticed that he was only wearing a home-style Taoist robe and didn't even bring a wardrobe on his head.

"Oh, I can't take much care of it anymore, hurry up and open the middle door."

Cui Erjin didn't care about the officials' demeanor at this time. Lord Shangshu came in person, which was not something that border officials like him could neglect.

Without border greeting, it was extremely rude to open the road. Now he was personally approached and turned away. Such a crime was not something he could withstand, a small governor of Tianjin. Just a disrespectful Shangguan would be enough for him to drink a pot.
Chapter completed!