Chapter 1380 Ye Mingsheng’s dream of an ironclad ship!
Therefore, in order to realize the overseas strategy formulated by Ye Mingsheng as soon as possible, Ye Mingsheng believes that Daqian’s naval development needs to overtake on the curve!
If you want to overtake others in naval development, equipment technology is the key!
So after the unification of the world, Ye Mingsheng once again started the research and development of steam engines. Ye Mingsheng hoped to successfully develop the steam engine, replace wooden ships with ironclad ships, and replace human wind power with steam power, to create a new Daqian navy with extremely strong combat power!
In order to achieve this goal, Ye Mingsheng also raised the priority of steam engine research and development, and had the First Manufacturing Bureau and the Second Manufacturing Bureau unite to jointly concentrate scientific research efforts on research and development. This time, for the sake of his own overseas strategy, Ye Mingsheng also made up his mind that he would never stop until the steam engine was developed!
Under Ye Mingsheng's order, the two manufacturing bureaus gathered hundreds of technical backbones to carry out research and development work. After spending two years and tens of thousands of taels of silver, they finally developed the prototype of the steam engine!
Although in the memorials of Chen Changgui and Su Junjie, the steam engine was just a prototype and it was still a long way to go to move it onto an ironclad ship, Ye Mingsheng was still very happy. The successful development of the steam engine undoubtedly showed that Daqian was on the right track. As long as they persevered, a strong naval force could be expected!
If possible, Ye Mingsheng wanted to go to the First Manufacturing Bureau to see the steam engine in person, but unfortunately it was already evening, and if Ye Mingsheng remembered correctly, he would have to listen to the work report of Chief of Staff Zhao Han next.
Therefore, it is impossible to inspect the steam engine today, but Ye Mingsheng has decided to postpone some of tomorrow’s things, so that he will go to inspect the steam engine tomorrow and express his condolences to the technical backbones of the research and development...
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Yijing, Night
Gu Sansi returned to the Gu Mansion with a tired body. With Ye Mingsheng's task of cutting another 10,000 jobs before the end of the year, he, the Minister of Personnel in charge of personnel affairs, became busy again.
When Gu Sansi handed Ye Mingsheng the report on the cutting of 6,000 jobs, he thought that Ye Mingsheng would be satisfied with it and would put an end to the work of cutting T jobs.
However, Gu Sansi miscalculated in the end. Ye Mingsheng did not stop there but asked the Ministry of Personnel to make further efforts. Later, Gu Sansi heard about Ye Mingsheng's idea of laying off 70,000 jobs!
Regarding Ye Mingsheng's idea, Gu Sansi felt that Ye Mingsheng was too idealistic, even a little crazy!
Now the blade is turning inwards, cutting 6,000 jobs, which has already made the people below complain bitterly. If they really want to cut 70,000 jobs, won't the people below riot?
If it were before, Gu Sansi would definitely find a chance to express his thoughts and opinions in front of Ye Mingsheng, but now Gu Sansi is very hesitant about this. He has been able to deeply realize that Ye Mingsheng no longer trusts him as before. In the eyes of His Majesty, he, Gu Sansi, may no longer be the indispensable pillar of the country!
Therefore, if I continue to give direct advice as I did before, it may not only fail to achieve very good results, but may even anger His Majesty!
So with the idea of preserving himself, Gu Sansi finally suppressed his own thoughts. He felt that as an idealist, His Majesty might need to hit a wall before he could regain his composure, and some ideas and policies would become more realistic...
When Ye Mingsheng expressed his idea of cutting 10,000 jobs before the end of the year at the cabinet meeting, Gu Sansi did not raise any objection.
After the official order was issued, Gu Sansi, as the Minister of Personnel, began to prepare step by step. However, other departments of the court, as well as the Yijing Prefecture, Youyan Provincial Administration, and Youyan Censorate, all came to report the situation to the Ministry of Personnel, hoping that Gu Sansi could talk to Ye Mingsheng.
However, Gu Sansi was indifferent and turned a deaf ear to it. He continued to do the preparatory work every day. These preparatory works also increased Gu Sansi's workload. He had to work overtime for an extra hour every day to barely catch up with the progress.
After a tiring day, Gu Sansi returned to his room and was just about to eat a hot meal and take a hot bath when he heard sobbing sounds coming from the room. Gu Sansi was puzzled and walked into the room, only to see several maids surrounding Chen Wanting, while his beloved little wife, Minister Gu, was crying softly with an ice pack covering her forehead.
Seeing Gu Sansi appear, Chen Wanting immediately wiped away her tears, forced a smile and said:
"Master! You are back!"
Gu Sansi turned a deaf ear and walked straight to Chen Wanting. He gently took off the ice pack and observed the injury on Chen Wanting's forehead. He saw a big red and swollen bump on Chen Wanting's fair and smooth forehead. Gu Sansi said with some heartache:
"Wanting, how did you get hurt?"
Facing Gu Sansi's question, before Chen Wanting had time to answer, a maid could not help but speak angrily:
"Master, this is the eldest son..."
"Snapped!"
Before the maid could finish her words, she was slapped on the face by Chen Wanting. Under Chen Wanting's cold eyes, the poor maid could only cover her face in grievance and dare not speak. Chen Wanting continued to smile and said:
"Master, I'm fine. I just fell down accidentally while walking in the back garden just now!"
"It's all my fault for accidentally falling like this. The redness and swelling will go away in a few days!"
Looking at the bump on Chen Wanting's forehead which didn't look like something that had been caused by a fall, and then looking at the forced smile on Chen Wanting's face, Gu Sansi knew what was going on and felt both angry and touched.
At this time, Chen Wanting also said softly:
"Master! The old man and the eldest lady, the eldest master has just finished his meal. I just asked the kitchen to make you your favorite steamed fish. It should be ready now. I'll ask the kitchen to bring it up!"
"Xiao Cui! Go prepare a bath for the master!"
Hearing that Chen Wanting was still so concerned about him despite having a forehead injury, Gu Sansi was even more moved. However, as the Minister of Personnel, he had long been accustomed to not showing his emotions on his face, and he just kept Chen Wanting's kindness in his heart.
After dinner, Gu Sansi did not rush to take a bath, but called the butler Gu He over and asked:
"What's the matter with the injury on Madam Chen's forehead?"
Facing Gu Sansi's question, Gu He said evasively:
"Mrs. Chen accidentally fell in the back garden just now..."
Hearing this answer, Gu Sansi's expression turned cold and he said:
"Is this what Madam Chen taught you?"
Gu He was silent for a while after hearing this, but finally nodded. Seeing this, Gu Sansi said lightly:
“Gu He, you are an elder in the mansion. I think you know the truth from your own mouth!”
Feeling the seriousness in Gu Sansi's words, Gu He did not dare to hide it and said directly:
"Just now, Madam Chen was taking the young master for a walk in the back garden, and someone shot at the young master with a slingshot. The first shot missed but was discovered by Madam Chen. Madam Chen immediately used her body to protect the young master, and was hit on the forehead by a small stone!"
Hearing this, Gu Sansi's eyes flashed with anger. The Minister of Personnel of Daqian immediately said coldly:
"Who shot him with a slingshot?"
"No one noticed this, but later when I led people to search the back garden, we found the slingshot that the eldest son used to play with!"
Hearing this, Gu Sansi looked at Gu He again, and this time Gu He did not evade his gaze. Seeing this, Gu Sansi immediately stood up and walked towards the East Courtyard. A moment later, Gu Sansi came to his son Gu Quan's room. Gu Quan, who was playing with building blocks in the room, seemed to realize something when he saw his father's appearance. A hint of fear appeared in his eyes, but he still managed to greet Gu Sansi calmly:
"Son meets father!"
Gu Sansi took a deep look at Gu Quan who was bowing and asked:
"Where's your slingshot?"
Hearing his father's question, Gu Quan, a six-year-old boy, became even more flustered, but he still spoke:
“I lost it a few days ago!”
"Where did you lose it?"
“I forgot where I lost it…”
Seeing that he was still quibbling, Gu Sansi was very disappointed. He said coldly:
"Gu Quan! A real man should be able to do this!"
"If you confess now, I can give you a lighter sentence later. But if you persist, then your father will have to teach you a lesson!"
Feeling the undisguised chill in his father's words, Gu Quan's expression showed a hint of fear but he still spoke:
"I don't know where the slingshot was lost. The wound on that bitch's face was not caused by me!"
After hearing this, Gu Sansi became even more angry and slapped his eldest son in the face and cursed:
"Who are you scolding, you rebellious son?"
Gu Quan, who was slapped by his father, also started to cry. At this critical moment, Chen Wanting appeared in time. Seeing Gu Quan crying with his hands covering his face, she immediately stepped forward to check on him. However, she was met with a cold shoulder. Gu Quan did not buy it at all. He pushed Chen Wanting away and cried, saying:
"I don't want your hypocritical kindness! You are a bad woman! I want my mother!"
Gu Sansi, who was already furious, saw that Gu Quan dared to be rude to Chen Wanting in front of him, and he became even more angry. He was about to slap Gu Quan again. Seeing this, Chen Wanting immediately blocked Gu Quan and begged her husband:
“The master’s child is still young! Maybe he was framed or bewitched by someone. You must calm down and stop hitting the child…”
Seeing that Chen Wanting, who had a big bump on her head, was still repaying kindness with all her heart to protect her stepson, Gu Sansi felt extremely guilty and said immediately:
"Wanting, I know you have a kind heart! But this child is no longer good. Now he only knows how to use a slingshot to hurt people. Will he kill people and set fires in the future? I must teach him a lesson today!"
After saying that, Gu Sansi was about to raise his hand to slap Gu Quan. Seeing his father's hideous face, Gu Quan was frightened out of his wits and cried even more heartbrokenly. At this time, an old man and a young man came over, and the old man in the lead immediately shouted anxiously:
"Think twice, stop it now! Don't hit the child anymore!"
Hearing this voice, Gu Sansi turned around and saw that the people coming were his father, Gu Lao Taiye, and his eldest daughter, Gu Qianqian.
Gu Sansi immediately opened his mouth and said:
"Dad! This kid is so bold that he actually used a slingshot to injure Wanting. I must teach him a lesson today. Otherwise, if I let him continue like this, it will really harm him!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Sansi was about to continue punching Gu Quan. Seeing that Gu Sansi was determined to do so, the old master Gu was helpless. Gu Qianqian stood up and said loudly:
"Gu Sansi! Stop hitting my brother! Was it me who hit this bitch with a slingshot?"
Everyone was stunned when these words came out, and Gu Qianqian quickly walked to her brother and looked at her father stubbornly...
Seeing this, Gu Sansi also said angrily:
"Qianqian! Stop protecting this rebellious son!"
Gu Qianqian said loudly:
"This is none of my brother's business. I'm the one holding the slingshot, and I'm going to hit this bitch and her little bastard!"
After hearing this, Gu Sansi was stunned. He never expected that his usually well-behaved daughter would actually say that her stepmother and brother were bitches and bastards.
After a long while, Gu Sansi asked with some anguish:
"Qianqian, why are you doing this? Wanting has been so good to you two, how can you two repay kindness with hatred?"
"Pooh!"
"This bitch is as vicious as a snake. If she hadn't interfered, how could my mother have gone crazy? I want to avenge my mother!"
At the end, Gu Qianqian became even more emotional and looked at Chen Wanting with hatred and threatened her with death:
"Chen Wanting, you bitch, don't be so proud here. I will definitely avenge my mother. I will definitely kill you!"
As soon as Gu Qianqian finished speaking, Gu Sansi pointed at Gu Qianqian and wanted to say something, but at this moment, the Minister of Personnel of Daqian, who was already trembling with anger, could not say a word. Seeing this, Chen Wanting immediately stroked Gu Sansi's chest and comforted him:
"Master! Qianqian is ignorant, so please don't get angry! Don't get yourself hurt by being angry!"
After saying this, Chen Wanting also said to Gu Qianqian with a pleading look:
"Qianqian! I beg you to apologize to your father and tell him that what you just said was nonsense!"
"Pooh!"
“Chen Wanting, you bitch, stop pretending here. You can fool my father but you can’t fool me. Just remember that sooner or later I will avenge my mother and kill you and that little bastard!·················"