The Bagui Ferry was quite lively today. Starting from early in the morning, ten warships came over one after another. They were lined up outside the water a mile or two away from the ferry, almost crossing the river.
There were dozens of large and small merchant ships on the ferry, and there were many business travelers and porters coming and going. Seeing such a grand occasion, they all stopped to watch, and gradually rushed to tell each other, and the Eight Ghost Ferry was already overcrowded.
"What big event happened today that all the military ships in the military government gathered together?"
"Could it be that they are going to attack the water ghosts in the West River again?"
"What a spectacular fleet! I have never seen such a huge ship in my half life on the water! Old Caozi people all say that 'water cannot carry ten thousand people', and the big warship in the middle can probably carry ten thousand people." It’s so rocky!”
…
The shipbuilding technology of the Tang Dynasty is now the best in the world. Various shipbuilding technologies have long been popular in the watery land of the south, the most common of which is the "flat-bottomed anti-sand ship", which is generally popular among the people. The large warships in front of us are extremely rare "lucky ships" of the Jingxiang generation, also known as "Wuyue sea ships". The biggest feature of this ship is that it has a large displacement, is sturdy and is good for breaking waves, and is mostly used along the southeastern coast to travel on deep-water routes in the South China Sea.
These large warships in front of me are what Zhao Chong calls the "Sacred Fish Spaceships". They cost a lot of money and hired experienced boat masters from the Wuyue land in the southeast, and it took a long time to build them. Made. The shipbuilding materials alone are all high-quality pine, fir, camphor, and nanmu specially transported from the land of Wuyue. The shipbuilding technology used is also a "living water tank" and "multiple water tank" that are extremely rare in small water moorings in the Jingxiang area. Advanced technologies such as "mast" and "mortise-and-tenon jointing".
This is like being in a small car dealership full of BYD and Chery QQ, and suddenly a few limited edition Ferraris arrive. It is extremely difficult not to cause a sensation and attract attention.
On one of the largest divine fish spaceships, Zhao Chong held the command flag with a handsome face, pursed his lips and said nothing. Next to him stood a group of generals and subordinates from the Xiangzhou Military Mansion, all of whom were waiting quietly. But many people were obviously impatient.
"Zhao Chong, did General Qin make this appointment with you yesterday?" Guoyi Captain Du Chengyuan came up and asked.
"To tell you what the general said, that's right." Zhao Chong raised his head and raised his hands to look at the sky, then sighed and said, "The hour is coming soon, but I don't know why it hasn't come yet."
"This General Qin may not be too weird in what he does. How can a new official take office without first going to his post to meet with other officials?" Du Chengyuan frowned and said with a look of displeasure, "But it's good for him. He came here incognito first. He made a private visit and ended up in a prison; then he held a military parade with great fanfare, but only the sailors were paraded, and he didn’t know what kind of medicine he was selling. "
"I am the future son-in-law of the emperor, the prince-in-law of the Tang Dynasty. What does he want to do that is not just a word? Maybe he wanted to show off his prestige on a whim, but it was just a casual sentence that caused us brothers to work extremely hard. "Zhao Chong curled his lips and said with some disdain, "Beijing officials are all like this, they are big and difficult to serve."
Du Chengyuan smiled slightly and said: "Zhao Chong, don't underestimate this Qin Mubai. I know some of his details. It doesn't matter whether he is the emperor's future son-in-law or not. This man can be regarded as... not simple."
"Why isn't it simple?" Everyone was aroused and asked.
"Have you heard of Baiqi? It is a newly formed personal guard by the emperor in recent years. It is said that all the soldiers of Baiqi can stop hundreds with one, have unpredictable abilities, and are known as the kings of soldiers." Du Chengyuan said , "I went back to Chang'an to visit my relatives a few years ago, and I heard that people on the streets were spreading rumors about Qin Mubai. He was the first Hundred Cavalry Envoy, and he personally organized and trained the Hundred Cavalry Guards. In addition to some , this man's resourcefulness and martial arts were both extraordinary, and he had close contacts with the royal nobles of Chang'an. It is said that he even studied the art of war with Duke Wei Li Jing, which shows how much the emperor valued him. In time, there is no telling if he will become a rising star in our army of the Tang Dynasty. But don’t forget that he was born as a general, after Qin Shubao, Duke of Yi State... "
Du Chengyuan spoke a long story, which made Zhao Chong and others stunned for a while.
"I didn't expect that this Qin Mubai has such a great background and ability!" Everyone was shocked. "We only thought that he was a dandy who got the title of captain because of nepotism!"
Du Chengyuan raised the corner of his mouth slightly and said with a somewhat solemn expression: "Let me tell you this... I would rather underestimate King Wu than underestimate this Qin Mubai! Who knows when this Qin will be here? Xiangzhou is making a big splash—just like when he assisted King Wu in Jiangzhou!"
…
At this moment, Qin Mubai led Pang Fei and a group of thirty hundred cavalry soldiers, all dressed in military uniforms, jogging on the river bank to Baguidu.
"General, I heard Zhao Chong brag about how amazing the Shenyu spaceship and Bailang navy in Xiangzhou Prefecture are. You can see them today." Pang Fei grinned, as if he was a little disdainful.
Qin Mubai smiled: "Zhao Chong said this with hidden irony. Historically, people from the north ride horses and people from the south use boats. He is bullying us, people from Guanzhong, who don't know the nature of water and can't use boats!"
"Haha! If Baiqi doesn't know the water and can't sail a boat, wouldn't it be ridiculous?" Pang Fei laughed, "Our hard training on the Weishui River every year is not in vain. When it comes to water battles, what? White Waves and Black Waves, we really don’t take them seriously!”
Qin Mubai raised the corner of his mouth and smiled: "Actually, sometimes being looked down upon by others is not necessarily a bad thing."
The group of people moved forward for several miles and saw a dark crowd on the Eight Ghost Ferry in the distance. It was extremely noisy and lively. In the distance, there is a row of boats moored in the center of the river, closely connected and lined up, like a city built in the middle of the river. They are impregnable and powerful. The rumbling military drums and clanking horns sounded toward the sky, causing the waves of the Han River to crash against the shore.
"Yes, it is indeed spectacular." Qin Mubai said with a smile, "Such a giant ship is rarely seen in the swamps and lakes in the south. It must have cost a lot of money. This ship is enough for navigation, and it can be used in Deng, Ying, and Penglai areas. This kind of warships are abundant in military ports in China, and they can easily cross the sea and reach countries such as Baekje and Silla. I didn't expect that a small Xiangzhou would use such a giant ship to deal with water ghosts... Haha, what a killer. Use your sword!"
"General, you are really well-informed. We have only seen such a big ship in our lives!" The soldiers were surprised.
Qin Mubai smiled: "This is the first time I have seen it. But when I was in the Imperial Study Room, I accompanied His Majesty the Emperor to see the blueprints of sea ships sent from Donghaihai Town, so I had a slight impression. Building such a ship , it’s better than building thousands of iron cavalry, it’s worth a lot of money!”
Just as he was talking, a group of cavalry came quickly from the front. The leader, a small colonel, dismounted his horse and bowed his head: "May I ask your Excellency, are you General Qin?"
"Exactly." Qin Mubai raised his riding whip, "Are you from the Xiangzhou Military Mansion?"
"It's Biao Xia!" The military academy stood up and stood aside, "General, please come on board for a military parade. Everything is ready!"
"Okay." Qin Mubai and his party got off their horses and walked toward the river. The people watching were in an uproar, and they all looked up and down.
Walking to the riverside, a flat-bottomed sand control boat was waiting here. Qin Mubai and others got on the boat. The sergeants on the boat waved flags, beat war drums and blew horns. At the same time, a huge flag was raised on the ship's topmast flagpole, with the word "Qin" written on it!
At the same time, the ten Shenyu spaceships lined up in the middle of the river also sounded the war drums and horns in unison, waving the same flag.
"Oh, these navy soldiers are indeed well drilled. They are uniform and professional." Qin Mubai praised with a smile.
Pang Fei and others were stunned for a while, and someone asked: "General, what do these flags signify?"
"The flag language of the Tang Navy." Qin Mubai said, "I was negligent. I have never taught these flags in Baiqi before. In fact, if I hadn't learned them from Li Jing's military book, I wouldn't have understood the meaning of these flags."
"Then how do they explain these flags?"
"It's nothing, just welcome and respect me."
Pang Fei and others sighed: "It's really like separated by mountains..."
While talking, the flat-bottomed sand-proof warship on which Qin Mubai and others were riding sailed towards the country. In fact, this ship is not small. Among the merchant ships and passenger ships moored at the wharf of Haggidu, the largest one is just like this. But when it sailed to the center of the river and was placed together with those divine fish spacecraft, it simply became a dwarf ship.
One of the largest flying fish boats had a cabin opened on the side, allowing Qin Mubai and others to walk in easily. This made Qin Mubai a little surprised. He didn't expect this ship to be so advanced!
When they reached the bow deck, all the soldiers came to pay their respects in unison.
Qin Mubai had a relaxed smile on his face, hugged his fist and returned the greeting: "Brothers, please excuse me! Qin is new here, and I will be grateful for your support in the future. I would like to thank you in advance!"
"General Qin is so polite!"
Qin Mubai walked to the middle of the soldiers with his hands cut behind his back. He saw the familiar Zhao Chong first and smiled at him: "Zhao Lieutenant's navy is indeed well drilled. I am a very good captain. Especially this ship. It really opened my eyes as a landlubber from the north!”
Zhao Chong clasped his fists and replied: "General, actually, this ship is not a commonly used ship in the Jingxiang area in the south of the Yangtze River. It was built by a famous boat master from the Wuyue area who spent a lot of money and spent many years to build it. In the Deng and Ying areas, such warships are mostly used in naval battles, and they are unique in the interior. "
"Yes." Qin Mubai nodded and smiled, "When I was in the capital, I heard that Wu Yue was very ingenious and his shipbuilding skills were unparalleled in the world. There is a saying that is popular among the boat masters in the south, which is 'water cannot carry ten thousand people' , the implication is that there is no boat on the river that can carry tens of thousands of stones. However, there is a kind of giant ship in Wuyue area. There are more than hundreds of workers, and many people spend their entire lives on the ship. They live and die on the ship, as if they are their home. Look at the ten divine fish ships in front of you. They are simply moving fortresses!
Everyone looked surprised after hearing this, and Zhao Chong suddenly stood in awe: "General, you are indeed well-informed! In fact, this ship is Wu Yue's unique 'Fu Ship', also known as 'Wu Yue Sea Ship'. The so-called divine fish... It's just that It’s just a nickname I’ll give it in the future!”
Qin Mubai smiled: "I'm just talking about war on paper. When it comes to water warfare, I don't know anything about it, so I have to rely on you! Look at the soldiers I brought, all of them have big butts and ride horses all year round. It’s like this. Look at the sailors on the Shenyu spacecraft. They are all barefoot and each has a big foot. They stand much more stable than us, which shows that you are very diligent in training!”
All the officers and generals laughed, and Zhao Chong said: "Actually, the Shenyu spaceship uses a living water tank to drain water. It is extremely stable on the sea surface and feels like walking on flat ground, not to mention walking on the river. Later, it will drive away. Come on, the general will probably think that we are still on land."
"Okay, then let's move forward!" Qin Mubai waved his hand, "Let's go to Xihetrough and have a look!"
"Yes!" Zhao Chong promised loudly, walked to the command platform and waved flags, and all the ships beat the drums together, and the sound was as powerful as a hurricane and moved forward. During this period, the ten giant ships continued to change their formations under the command of Zhao Chong, which was indeed well-trained.
Qin Mubai secretly shook his head: These guys are more engaged in 'formalism'. With such a large formation, how about going to cross the sea to pacify Japan? It's just to fight a few water ghosts, there is no need for such a giant ship. Hearing you beating the drums and clanking, people would have jumped into the water and dispersed like birds and beasts. Is such a big ship used to suppress bandits, or is it used to show off its achievements
On the surface, it seems that the Xiangzhou Military Mansion is going to war and spending a lot of effort to deal with the water ghosts; in fact, it is all inaction to scratch an itch. It is conceivable that in the past, when the big moves were made to exterminate all the water ghosts, they were all pretentious. It's like using a giant hammer to hit an ant. It doesn't matter whether it kills or not. What they care about is whether it is cool and handsome when swinging and smashing the hammer, but they forget that it only takes one to crush an ant to death. Just use your fingers.
To put it bluntly, this is the surface article used by the Xiangzhou Military Mansion to deal with the superiors, and it is indeed very gorgeous!
While the ship was moving, Qin Mubai also got to know the generals and commanders of the military government. What interested him the most was Du Chengyuan, one of the captains of Guo Yi who served as his right-hand man along with Pang Fei.
"I think General Du is an extraordinary man, a scholar, a handsome man, and an elegant man. He certainly comes from a famous family." Qin Mubai smiled at him and said, "Chang'an Wei Du is five feet away from the sky. General Du comes from an extraordinary family!"
"Where, where did General Qin laugh?" Du Chengyuan replied with a polite smile, "The general is just a side branch of the Du family, how can he compare with the general's family? Last year, His Majesty the Emperor newly issued the "Clan "Zhi", the Qin family is already one of the most famous families in this dynasty, ranking ahead of the Du family! "
Qin Mubai smiled slightly and remained silent.
Because, although Du Chengyuan's words were polite, they were actually sarcastic!
The Tang Dynasty was only founded more than 20 years ago, but in the eyes of the world, it still respected the old-school noble families. Historically, both the royal family and high-ranking officials have taken pride in intermarrying with established official families. The daughters of these wealthy families are actually more popular than the princesses of the royal family, and their influence among officials is also quite huge.
As the emperor, Li Shimin couldn't help but be annoyed, so a few years ago he ordered people to reorganize the clan history and conduct a rigid ranking of the clans with surnames. As a result, the minister in charge of compiling clan chronicles at that time ranked the names of Chang'an Weidu, Taiyuan Wang and several other old nobles from Shandong before the royal family Li!
This really annoyed Li Shimin, so he took matters into his own hands and issued a hard order to rank the Li family first, and the surnames and clans of many other founding veterans were also ranked first.
The Qin family, who originally came from a poor family, was one of them.
But the fact is that the concept of family status that is deeply ingrained in everyone's minds is difficult to change for a while.
In the eyes of those established aristocrats and officials, the emperor's move was just a fig leaf forcibly covering himself, and he was just talking to himself and enjoying himself, and others did not buy it. The current situation is that the old wealthy families are still very famous and popular, and there is no change compared to the past. Secretly, many people laughed at those poor families who were "forcibly" pulled into the nobility by the emperor, saying that they were pretending to be nobility, and that they were arrogant and generous.
This is like what happens when a person wearing "Abidas" walks to an Adidas store. Du Chengyuan was like a salesperson in a specialty store, praising Qin Mubai for his nice clothes - and scolding Qin Mubai for being a bald donkey in front of a monk!
Although Qin Mubai didn't care about his family background, he was openly provoked and ridiculed, and his family was tainted... Although there was a smile on his face at this moment, a trace of karma was faintly ignited in his heart.
It can be seen that Du Chengyuan has a transcendent status among the generals in the military mansion. Everyone subconsciously respects him, and he is the only one who follows the lead. He was probably used to being the boss in the military government, and suddenly a new official came to put pressure on him, which made him feel uncomfortable. In front of all the generals, this new "powerful dragon" can be embarrassed a little, so as to show his power and remind everyone to never forget - I am the real boss!
Qin Mubai thought to himself, if I want to convince the public in the military mansion, if I don't deal with this local snake like him first, how can I survive in the future
Well, Du Chengyuan, you made the first move as soon as I came... Not to mention you, a small offshoot of the Du family, even if the son of Du Ruhui, the prince-in-law of the dynasty, is standing in front of me, you still have to give me a little obedience. Stand at attention!
If it weren't for the big scene today, I wouldn't want to slap you in the face in public and embarrass everyone, and you'll be the one to suffer!
Let's wait and see!