Chapter 47 This Ship Is Built Wrong

"Right now, our Great Ming's weaponry is acceptable, but if we don't develop it further, we will fall behind! Before we know it, those people will be riding on our necks and shitting on our heads...!"

Taking advantage of the moment, Zhu Xiongying said, "Imperial Grandfather, this grandson believes we should elevate the social status of artisans and craftsmen, and encourage everyone to delve deeply into their crafts! If no one bothers to research and innovate, won't we just end up being bullied by those fellows in the future, forcing our descendants and generations to learn their languages?"

Empress Ma nodded in approval upon hearing this. "Indeed! Chongba, I think Xiongying is right!"

Old Zhu fell into deep thought. "Mmm! That is indeed true! Later, I shall issue an order abolishing the traditional four classes of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants; from now on, all commoners shall be treated equally!"

"Many thanks, Imperial Grandfather...!"

The little fellow cupped his hands in a bow and said happily, "Then does that mean this grandson can go to the Directorate for Palace Armament?"

"Uhm... why must my precious grandson insist on going there?" Old Zhu frowned, still reluctant.

"I will give this world map to Imperial Grandfather!"

"Haha... I'm not doing this for the map! Since my precious grandson wants to go, then go ahead!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded feignedly in agreement while quietly pulling the map closer to his side.

He sighed with emotion, "I truly never imagined that besides our Great Ming's surroundings, there are actually so many other countries out there! Does that mean if we conquer them all, the entire world will consist solely of our Great Ming?"

"That goes without saying!"

Zhu Xiongying nodded decisively, pointing to various locations on the map as he explained, "This region is rich in spices, that one possesses countless jewels, and over here are endless coal mines..."

He briefly introduced the abundant resources of various regions to Old Zhu, making the old man's eyes glow with undisguised greed.

"Hahaha! In the future, all of these shall belong to us! The descendants of our Great Ming shall never learn the languages of those foreign tribes!"

A single map instantly ignited Old Zhu's grand ambitions.

***

With Old Zhu's permission, the little fellow brought Shunzi along and ran over to the Directorate for Palace Armament the very next day.

Looking up at the plaque above, he frowned slightly, "Who penned the characters on this plaque? It's somewhat subpar, isn't it?"

Before the system bestowed him with master-level calligraphy skills, he had thought the plaques in the palace were decent. But looking at them now, they fell far short of his own abilities!

Shunzi awkwardly replied, "I heard the plaques in the palace were all personally inscribed by His Majesty!"

"Ah... well, that explains it!"

In his childhood, Old Zhu had grazed cattle for landlords and couldn't even read, let alone practice calligraphy. He only began learning after joining the army. To be able to write like this was already quite remarkable!

"Later on, I'll write one for them myself!"

With his little hands clasped behind his back, he swaggered inside, bringing Shunzi along with him.

Zhu Yunwen happened to be passing by, narrowing his eyes as he stared for a long time. "Does that person look like the Imperial Elder Brother to you?"

The young eunuch looked closely and got a fright. "Oh! It really seems to be him! And Shunzi is following right behind!"

Even if he couldn't recognize the Imperial Grandson, he was thoroughly familiar with Shunzi's silhouette.

"Why would the Imperial Elder Brother come to the Directorate for Palace Armament?"

"Your Second Imperial Grandsonship, you must not go in there! Everyone there holds a humble registry status, and His Majesty has never permitted princes or imperial grandsons to enter; otherwise, you will face severe reprimands!"

The young eunuch hurriedly stepped in front of him, offering earnest advice.

"Of course I know that!"

A trace of an imperceptible smile played at the corners of Zhu Yunwen's lips. He immediately turned around and headed back toward the Eastern Palace.

"Eh? Your Highness? Weren't you going to visit Her Majesty the Empress?"

"I'll go later!"

At a time like this, he was rushing back to deliver the news and simply didn't have the leisure to visit any empress. The empress would be there every day anyway; she wasn't going to run away!

***

Inside the Directorate for Palace Armament.

Upon receiving the report, the Directorate Supervisor hurried out.

"This subject was unaware of Your Imperial Grandson's arrival and failed to welcome you from afar. Please forgive this subject's offense, Your Imperial Grandson!"

"No matter, no matter!"

The little fellow waved his hand, his gaze constantly sweeping across the courtyard.

The entire Directorate for Palace Armament was quite vast; the front section served as the administrative area, while the backyard was where the actual manufacturing took place, and it was exceedingly noisy.

"If Your Imperial Grandson has anything that needs to be crafted, you need only dispatch someone with an order. Why trouble yourself to come here in person?"

The Supervisor was currently trembling with apprehension, terrified that His Majesty would lay the blame and implicate him as well.

"This Imperial Grandson has merely come to take a look. You go ahead and attend to your business; if I need anything later, I'll naturally send someone to call for you!"

The little fellow's gaze never lingered on him for even a fraction of a second, remaining fixed on his surroundings as he looked around.

"Ah... very well!"

Since the Imperial Grandson had put it that way, the Supervisor could hardly refuse. He assigned two men to act as guides for the Imperial Grandson and returned to his duties.

Upon reaching the backyard, craftsmen could be seen holding planes to shave wood, wielding hammers and chisels to carve decorative patterns, and carrying materials back and forth in a flurry of intense activity.

Furniture and roof beams in this era were entirely joined using mortise and tenon structures, crafted purely by hand. They were sturdy, durable, and stood firm for ages! Even the decorative motifs were painstakingly carved by craftsmen bit by bit, requiring an immense amount of effort!

"Ouch!"

In a corner, a young man took a blow to the head and stumbled backward.

"You're not doing your job properly and you've sneaked over here to peer again! What's the matter? Do you know how to build this ship...?"

A master shipbuilder brandished his fist, driving the young man away. "Quick, quick, quick! Go carry your timber! Stop peeking over here whenever you have a spare moment!"

"This ship shouldn't be built this way!"

However, far from leaving, the young man clutched his head and talked back to the master builder.

"Oh ho? When did it ever become your turn to speak on how a ship should be built...?"

The master builder grew even more irritated. "Allowing you onto this ship to broaden your horizons is already a blessing accumulated by your ancestors! Otherwise, in this lifetime, you would never even lay eyes on a vessel this large!"

The multi-decked warship was over twenty meters long and stood three stories high. In this era, its scale could indeed be considered colossal!

"This kind of sail is unfavorable for turning. If we were to make modifications..."

"Get lost right this instant! My ancestors have built ships for generations, and our craftsmanship is unmatched in this world! Do you really think you need a wet-behind-the-ears child to teach me?"

Before the young man could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the master shipbuilder and forcibly driven away.

With no other choice, the young man could only hoist a heavy piece of timber and trudge onward with a dejected expression!

"Wait..."

Zhu Xiongying could no longer stand by and watch. He led Shunzi toward the shipbuilding area.

The craftsmen in the backyard lived and ate right inside the Directorate for Palace Armament. If they occasionally visited home, guards would escort them directly out of the palace. Anyone caught wandering about privately would be beaten to death!

Consequently, not a single soul in the Directorate recognized Zhu Xiongying.

However, judging by his lavish and opulent attire, his status was either noble or exceptionally high! None of them dared to be negligent, quietly waiting to see what instructions this distinguished guest might have.

The little fellow walked up to the young man and asked, "What did you just say about how this ship should be modified?"

The young man's eyes darted around, seeming somewhat timid, afraid that he might have spoken out of turn and brought disaster upon himself.

The records clerk who had been acting as their guide behind the little fellow spoke with a darkened expression, "When His Imperial Grandson addresses you, why do you not answer truthfully?"

"Yo... Your Imperial Grandson?"

The young man had never encountered any high officials before. Hearing that the person before him was the Imperial Grandson filled him with even greater panic.

"Have no fear. Just speak your mind," Zhu Xiongying said.

"Ah... yes!"

The young man nodded. Looking up at the massive warship, he said, "If a multi-decked warship is to sail upon the sea, besides stability, the sails are also exceedingly crucial..."

Once he started discussing the modifications for the warship, the young man lost his previous reticence, speaking with eloquence and profound insight.