Thank you to Nora7 for the ko-fi~ ₍⑅ᐢ.ˬ.ᐢ₎
Sails reaching the sky, drums and horns resounding like thunder. Above the Luo River, two fleets of warships are engaged in a fierce battle. The “Meng Chong” ships have narrow and elongated hulls covered with oxhide, swiftly penetrating the enemy formation like a shuttle. The “Dou Jian” warships are equipped with Nu walls, feathers flying without evasion, engaging in frontal combat. The “Chi Ma” ships are small and narrow, as agile as galloping horses, moving like fish in the water. Countless ships are entangled in a chaotic melee, the battle raging fiercely.
However, the most conspicuous are two flagship vessels. One of them has a towering structure, reaching ten zhang, and is divided into three levels. Each level is equipped with Nu walls and open window holes for soldiers to shoot crossbows. The ship is adorned with flags and banners, with blades and spears standing tall, displaying an unstoppable might. The other ship resembles a battle cruiser but is even larger, densely packed with paddle wheels along its hull. Behind the Nu walls, rows of artillery mounts resemble a dense forest.
The two massive warships move like river dragons, parting the water waves as they confront each other. Below them, smaller boats engage in continuous skirmishes, their formations shifting as they attempt to break through the enemy blockade and penetrate the opposing fleet. Suddenly, the modern warship comes to life, its paddle wheels spinning and creating colossal waves as it accelerates at an astonishing speed. Drums sound on the deck of the warship, and thousands of soldiers rush to the side windows, bows and crossbows at the ready for battle.
However, faster than them all, the battle cruiser swiftly maneuvers sideways. The artillery mounts on one side resonate with a buzzing sound, launching dozens of cannonballs toward the enemy at an incredible speed! Even the stone-throwing machines on the deck of the opposing warship have yet to enter their range. How dare this peculiar warship strike first? Yet, with a series of crisp impacts on the deck, red and blue smoke billows out.
Red represents fire, and blue signifies the ship’s destruction. Seizing the initiative with this initial strike, the colossal warship changes its course and continues its forward charge. The high prow, adorned with copper and iron, rises above the water, carrying the force of ten thousand jin, and collides with the enemy vessel!
“Ding ding ding,” the clear sound of metal resonates over the river. The outcome is clear.
Sitting on a high platform by the riverbank, Liang Feng nods in satisfaction. “The warships are effective.”
The Zhao Empire’s navy has been established for three years, and this is the first time Liang Feng has personally inspected it. The performance of these modern warships surpasses his expectations.
The current naval warfare model is vastly different from what Liang Feng is familiar with. Without reliable power sources and effective weaponry, naval battles used to rely on the principle of “bigger ships and more troops.” The large ships built by the renowned Western Jin general Wang Jun could accommodate over two thousand soldiers, constructed with wooden walls, raised decks, and four exit gates allowing cavalry to move freely. Sun Quan of Eastern Wu even created colossal ships like “Chang An,” capable of carrying three thousand soldiers.
These large-scale ships, when armed with a barrage of bows and crossbows, proved to be formidable. At a slightly greater distance, they would hurl stones and splash iron juice. Alternatively, they could equip powerful paddle poles to smash enemy ships. When combined with smaller boats specialized in functions like “Meng Chong,” “Pai Jian,” “Huo Fan,” and “Chi Ma,” a variety of naval formations could be formed.
However, such warships require a significant number of skilled sailors, and the Northern Army, skilled in archery and horsemanship, inherently lacks the expertise in naval warfare compared to the Southern Army.
To compensate for this deficiency, Liang Feng ordered improvements to the ships. Sea vessels followed the trend of enlargement. The deck was strengthened using nailed and tenon joints, multiple sails were added, bed crossbows were installed, stern rudders were increased, and watertight compartments were introduced. Additionally, the widespread use of the astrolabe and sextant was promoted in preparation for future ocean voyages.
For riverine vessels, the focus was on attack range and speed. Two years ago, the Ministry of Works designed a device that utilized human pedal power to rotate the ship’s oars, creating a “flying boat.” After several improvements, it was finally extended to the main battleships, now known as “vehicle ships.”
Compared to warships, vehicle ships could carry much fewer naval forces, but their travel speed was unmatched. They could move swiftly even in calm or headwinds. The ships didn’t have heavy towers on board, allowing space for smaller versions of catapults that could launch iron and incendiary projectiles, significantly increasing range and firepower. The bow of the ship was also equipped with a ram, which, when combined with the paddle wheels, could even overturn the top-heavy tower ships. For Zhao, a nation with scarce naval forces, this was indeed a useful weapon.
What was currently being practiced was the perfected formation of the naval forces. If a hundred or more vehicle ships were built, they would undoubtedly be useful in the upcoming southern expedition against Jin.
“Bring the vehicle ships ashore; I want to board and inspect.” Just observing from the shore wasn’t enough for the Emperor. Liang Feng stood up and walked towards the riverbank.
Upon the Emperor’s command, the vehicle ships quickly approached the riverbank. With a supporting hand from Yiyan beside him, Liang Feng casually placed his hand on Yiyan’s arm and stepped onto the ship. The size of the vehicle ship was not small, and it was anchored near the riverbank. After boarding the deck, surprisingly, there was no sense of turbulence, giving it a resemblance to warships of the future.
Liang Feng smiled and asked, “With a ship like this, does Boyuan still get seasick?”
During the initial formation of the Navy, there had been a unified vehicle training exercise. To everyone’s surprise, General Boyuan, renowned for his archery and horsemanship, got seasick, providing Liang Feng with a source of amusement for several days.
Yiyan smiled faintly, “If the ship starts moving, I would still get quite seasick. I might find it challenging to ride on it.”
A person who gets seasick even in a carriage really can’t mock others.
Liang Feng made a soft hum and walked towards the catapult. To prevent jolts and maintain balance, there were gun mounts on both sides of the ship, fixed to the hull, ensuring they wouldn’t loosen even during simultaneous firing. Unlike the thunderbolt carts on land, this type of catapult resembled a crossbow, using torsion, hence the name “crossbow cannon.” The barrel was short, and the range wasn’t great, but the projectiles on the ship were relatively light, capable of reaching four to five hundred paces.
Liang Feng reached out and touched the dry barrel, asking, “Is this crossbow cannon easy to maintain?”
Yang Hui, the naval commander on the side, replied, “Reporting to Your Majesty, this cannon is small, and the torsion mechanism is not easily affected by moisture. It can fire 200 rounds without damage.”
With a lifespan of only 200 rounds, it wasn’t considered long. However, compared to the cost, it was still acceptable. In an era where science and technology hadn’t reached the standards of firearms, cannons might not necessarily have absolute advantages in range and lethality. Their prices were exorbitant, making various types of catapults and bed crossbows more cost-effective.
“The cannons still need practice, and the gunners should diligently improve their accuracy,” Liang Feng instructed.
Yang Hui accepted the order and added, “There’s a shortage of incendiary shells in the army, requesting Your Majesty to allocate more.”
This incendiary shell was actually a burning projectile made from petroleum, and with the addition of gunpowder, its destructive power became even more astonishing. However, petroleum wasn’t something easily obtained. It was only after Liang Feng sent people to survey extensively that they discovered a surface deposit near the Yan River in northern Shanxi. However, this area belonged to the land of the Qiang and Hu tribes. It was only after taking over Yong County that they organized a large-scale collection. The burning effect of petroleum was much better than the previous coal tar. All military forces were looking forward to the upgrade.
“I have already ordered the Ministry of War to expedite the extraction. In another two years, it will surely be sufficient,” Liang Feng promised.
The Emperor’s words hinted at the possibility of a southern expedition in two years. Yang Hui’s face showed a pleased expression, “As long as the Ministry of Works can produce enough vehicle ships, within two years, I will surely train competent commanders!”
He had been in silent competition with Lu Kai of the Northern Navy. Now, each newly built naval vessel was larger than the last. If they could sail south, directly entering Jianye from the Jiang Pass, wouldn’t that maximize their achievements? With the addition of the vehicle ships, the naval forces’ formations became more flexible. He didn’t want to fall behind!
Liang Feng smiled faintly, “The usefulness of the navy is not just for southern expeditions. Now that the Fenshui River is open, the Navy can directly enter Yong County. It can be greatly utilized for transporting troops and supplies. The naval forces on water also need to undergo preliminary training for joint operations.”
Whether it was Yong and Qin or You and Bing, they were all frontlines for guarding against nomadic tribes. Luoyang, located in the Central Plains, required efforts in military operations to effectively control these regions. Road construction was secondary; the key was to have a smooth waterway. Now, ships could sail directly from Ye City to You County and from Jinyang to Chang’an. This provided significant space for military mobilization. In the future, after pacifying the south, there might be plans to build a canal from the Yellow River to the Huai River. In this way, the prototype of a North-South Grand Canal would emerge. However, these plans were not achievable in just one or two generations; gradual progress was the key. Liang Feng had no intention of imitating Emperor Yang of Sui.
Hearing this, Yang Hui felt a bit disappointed, but he quickly rallied. Wasn’t training the troops also for the Southern expedition? The more prepared they were, the more advantageous it would be for the navy!
After inspecting the crossbow cannons, Liang Feng arrived at the lower deck where the paddlewheel chamber was located. The space here wasn’t cramped, and each paddle blade was connected to a wheel. The oarsmen could push the ship forward by pedaling the wheels with their feet. Surprisingly, before the advent of pedal bicycles, pedal boats were already fully developed. Liang Feng nodded in satisfaction, “This is a useful weapon for the navy. You all should study it carefully, emphasizing strengths and avoiding weaknesses.”
However, vehicle ships also had drawbacks. If they were approached closely by tower ships and engaged in close combat, the disadvantage in troop strength would be challenging to resolve. Additionally, enemies had offensive small ships like fire boats and battering ships. Vehicle ships, which stored large amounts of flammable and explosive materials, needed to guard against fire attacks. There was no invincible weapon in the world; hence, military strategy was particularly crucial.
All the generals around him took the orders.
After touring the new ships, Liang Feng met the victorious navy. Besides rewards, he also inquired about their hometowns. As expected, many of them were from Qing County and Jing County.
“It seems that the development of ships in the northern regions will still take some time,” Liang Feng sighed, “Boyuan, how is your military unit’s ‘Flying Leopards’ doing?”
The “Flying Leopards” were essentially the ancient version of the naval marines. They had to be skilled in both swimming and horse riding, excelling in martial arts and archery to be eligible.
“We already have two thousand. There are many skilled horsemen in the army, but those proficient in water skills are few,” Yiyan found it challenging to cultivate such formidable soldiers, especially considering that even he couldn’t adapt to sailing.
Liang Feng nodded slightly, “Select another three thousand water-savvy individuals for naval training. Yang Qing, these soldiers are all under your command. If they are trained successfully, they will be part of your forces!”
Yang Hui was overjoyed, “Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Initially, when Lu Kai took a thousand “Flying Leopards,” their combat strength was outstanding. However, it made Boyuan envious. Now, giving himself three thousand strong soldiers, as long as they were trained properly, wouldn’t it be another elite force? For him, training sailors was straightforward, but training skilled archers and horsemen was challenging!
However, Boyuan secretly thought that the Lord might be planning to attack Qin County. He was well aware of the strategic plan formulated by the Military Affairs Bureau: first, pacify Qin County, then advance towards Jing County and Xu Zhu, and finally conquer Liangzhou. Gradually compressing the Southern Small Dynasty and causing internal chaos. Naval battles were inevitable, but they couldn’t be reckless like Emperor Wu of Wei. Therefore, whether it was Qin County or Jing County, naval training had to come first. He didn’t know how much use this campaign would have.
However, Zhao State had not yet mobilized its forces, and news came first from the south. Jiangdong was suffering from a prolonged drought, showing signs of extending into the new year. The fields had no harvest, and there were two consecutive solar eclipses. Wang Dun could no longer sit still and, under the pretext of “cleansing the court,” raised troops. Now, Wang Dun could be considered the most capable warrior in Jiangdong, commanding tens of thousands of elite troops. He crushed everything in his path and headed towards Jianye!
The author has something to say:
The inventor of the vehicle ship was actually Zu Chongzhi, but it’s three generations ahead in the story.
