After leaving Youzhou, this area can be referred to as the Northern Land.

Rucheng County, a county city that connects Youzhou and the Northern Land.

On a tall mountain within the borders of Rucheng County, Tie Muer dismounted, and his Personal Soldiers handed him a wooden cylinder as thick as a baby's arm.

This cylinder is called the "Thousand-Mile Mirror," a novel creation from the Western Regions.

With this item, one can see very far, and with considerable clarity.

Of course, the "Thousand-Mile Mirror" doesn't mean it can truly see a thousand miles away; it's purely a catchy name given by merchants to sell well.

Tie Muer held the Thousand-Mile Mirror, gazed at the vast landscape and couldn't help but sigh: "It seems what those Song People said is true, the Great Song that defeated us and forced us far from our homeland hundreds of years ago has indeed become a sick tiger now."

Back then, the Grand Ancestor Emperor of the Great Song had such a profound impact on them, it was like a shadow cast over them, and later Jin Xia learned the culture of the Great Song, which led every citizen of Jin Xia to greatly admire and aspire to the Great Song.

When Tie Muer was very young, he felt the same way, so now, within just a dozen days, he traveled southward, crossing from Ying City to Rucheng County, and this sense of entering an uninhabited land particularly moved him.

"We can go back and report to the Khan that the hatred from hundreds of years ago can finally be avenged now." Tie Muer handed the Thousand-Mile Mirror to his subordinate, then dismounted, gazed deeply at the magnificent landscape, and said: "I will return."

After speaking, he turned his horse around, spurred its belly, and left the place.

The Great Song is not a sick tiger.

Now, in Tie Muer's eyes, it is a fat sheep.

Great Song's prosperity had been deeply ingrained in every individual from Jin Xia since Jin Xia began to learn the culture of Great Song.

For Jin Xia.

At present, the Great Song is like a dying patient guarding a mountain of gold, waiting for Jin Xia to plunder.

...

Time moved to May.

Linzhou.

A small boat quietly docked, and this place is the Celestial River, traveling upstream along the river is Jiangdong.

Currently, it is the time of the shipyard's completion, and Chen Mo traveled all the way from Yu State for inspection.

Amongst the verdant willows, through the gaps between the branches with scattered summer patches, Chen Mo, Nangong Wen, Zuo Lianglun, and Chief Engineer Huang Youping from the shipyard laughed and talked as they walked out.

"If there is enough money to support, I guarantee that within three months, by August 4th, the shipyard can produce the first warship," said Huang Youping.

(The timeline refers to late Ming period's "Records of the Envoy to Ryukyu," where it took only three months from the Court's order to the completion of the ship.)

Huang Youping is a Chuanhai native, with generations of shipbuilders in his family, possessing great craftsmanship. To win him over, the Nangong Family made him a son-in-law of theirs.

Chen Mo wasn't well-versed in this field, so he directly asked whether the ship is big or small, and how many people it can carry.

"To Marquis. It's a big ship capable of withstanding the winds and waves of the sea. This ship estimates to have 32 cabins, with a capacity of 3300 shi, and each ship should be staffed with more than 70 sailors and ship workers, and over 160 soldiers," Huang Youping said.

Chen Mo nodded and then asked: "Chief Engineer Huang, how much does it cost in total to build such a warship?"

When saying this, Chen Mo even held his breath for a while.

If he remembered correctly, before his time-travel, he watched a drama online.

It seems to be called "Great Ming Dynasty 1566," the beginning of which involves the end of Jiaqing's 39th year where the Cabinet reviewed the previous year's accounts, and the Ministry of Works accounted a 300,000 taels ship expense to the Ministry of War.

The Ministry of War said they didn't receive the goods, and Assistant Minister Yan Shifan said 10 warships were transporting palace wood, and 20 were borrowed by the Maritime Trade Bureau; after clarifying accounts, the Maritime Trade Bureau never appeared again.

If calculated this way, the cost of each warship is about 100,000 taels.

Though this price contains much water, including political struggles, it reflects from the side that the cost of building a warship is very expensive.

Such large-scale warships, Huang Youping has built many for the Nangong Family; hence, he knows the building costs but didn't immediately answer, instead he glanced at Nangong Wen.

Nangong Wen shouted: "Just answer what the Marquis asks, why look at me?"

Only then did Huang Youping say: "Around one thousand taels to two thousand taels."

(Here it refers to the Ming Dynasty's ten-zhang Fu ships, with documented ship prices from four hundred taels to one thousand taels, and equipment prices at two hundred taels.)

"How much?!"

Chen Mo was taken aback, the difference is too large.

Huang Youping, thinking Chen Mo felt it expensive, said: "Wood is transported from Yu State, so this transport cost is a bit high; if sourced locally, it can be within one thousand taels."

Nangong Wen beside, upon seeing this, said: "Marquis, my Nangong Family is willing to gift you one hundred large warships as our Nangong Family's dowry."

Regarding these one hundred warships, the Nangong Family had long prepared to give them to Chen Mo.

But giving them also depends on strategic benefits, the timing of the gift, all have particular considerations.

If given when unnoticed, it would be in vain.

If given on Nangong Ru's entrance day, with too many dowries documented, these hundred warships wouldn't be prominent, hence didn't include them then.

Nangong Wen is a meticulous person, knowing that now is the right time to mention it.

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow; if calculating by one ship for one thousand taels, that means one hundred ships, that equals one hundred thousand taels.

He could say it's quite opulent; although Chen Mo isn't short of one hundred thousand taels, saving some is beneficial, therefore Chen Mo also didn't decline Nangong Wen's offer but smiled: "Then thank you, big brother."

Nangong Wen and Nangong Ru belong to the same generation, yet of direct lineage, and among them, the oldest, hence Chen Mo calling him big brother is fitting.

Nangong Wen smiled.

For a qualified navy, just having large ships isn't enough; large ships though accommodating more people, are difficult to maneuver due to size, lacking agility.

Thus, medium and small warships must also be equipped, forming a fleet to facilitate attack and navigation and protect the large ships.

In other words, several shipyards need establishment, each building different model warships.

This expense must be undertaken by Chen Mo himself.

However, currently, the Fu Ze Hot Pot Restaurant's operations are favorable, with five branches already opened just in Yu State.

Preparations are underway in Qingzhou Pingting County and Linzhou Xiangfen City.

It is estimated they'll open by next month.

Besides the restaurant, honeycomb coal from Pingting County is gradually accepted by the people due to its low price, thus selling abundantly.

The fine salt transported to Jiangnan recently started bringing returns, contributing significantly to Chen Mo's revenue.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.