Chapter 1202 Let’s build an ironclad ship!

When he arrived at the Shipping Department, Yun Zheng began to check the accounts.

As he watched, Yun Zheng realized that something was wrong.

Even if the cost of transporting the wood here is a little higher, it shouldn't be that expensive for one piece of wood, right?

Also, the purchase price of this grain is obviously high!

He always keeps an eye on the grain prices in Shuobei.

If the price of grain was this high two years ago, it would be understandable.

But after last year's autumn harvest, grain prices in Shuobei did fall a bit.

But the price of purchased grain shown in their accounts is still the same as the year before!

The level of corruption seems... not high!

Or did he think that no one would check the shipping company's accounts?

Yun Zheng threw the account book aside and looked up at the secretary, "I am too lazy to check it carefully, just explain it yourself!"

"Your Highness..."

Tisi avoided his gaze and said nervously, "Your humble servant...does not understand what Your Highness means."

"Although I don't manage the accounts, I will still check them."

Yun Zheng looked at Ti Si calmly, "If you tell the truth, you can suffer less physical pain! If you refuse to tell the truth, and I waste my time to find out the truth, you will go to the sea to feed the fish!"

He was too lazy to check.

This is a typical case of misreporting purchase prices.

He may not be sure about the price of wood, but he knows the price of food better than anyone else.

Hearing Yun Zheng's words, the chief's heart suddenly trembled, and he fell to his knees with a "bang", wailing: "I admit my guilt, please show mercy, Your Highness!"

"Tell me, how much silver have you embezzled?" Yun Zheng's face was calm, without a trace of anger on his face.

Miaoyin glanced at Yun Zheng and couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

She had told Yun Zheng before that all officials are corrupt.

It only took a short time for Yun Zheng to find out the corrupt people in Shuobei.

Tisi buried his head tightly and answered tremblingly: "A total of 43,453 taels, and the people below got 15,000 taels..."

"You remember it very clearly!"

Yun Zheng was so angry that he laughed. "Last year, the Shipping Department allocated a total of 800,000 taels of silver, and you embezzled more than 40,000 taels of silver. You are really good!"

A small official dared to embezzle so much money.

He is not afraid of having the life to spend it!

"I admit my guilt." The commissioner lowered his head even lower, crying out in tears, "I am willing to return all the stolen money, and I only ask Your Highness to spare my life. I will never dare to do it again..."

Yun Zheng glanced at Tisi and lowered his brows in thought.

After a moment, Yun Zheng raised his head and said, "The annual budget of the Shipping Department is only so much. Where did you get all the money you embezzled?"

Tis's voice trembled, "It's mainly... squeezed out of the wood..."

timber!

Yun Zheng's eyes flashed with coldness, and he asked coldly: "Selling inferior goods as good ones, or falsely reporting losses, or adding some invisible costs?"

Tisi raised his head in horror and looked at Yun Zheng in disbelief.

Your Highness, have you even guessed what they were thinking?

After a brief moment of panic, the commissioner lowered his head again and replied tremblingly: "I know the importance of wood very well and dare not pass it off as good quality. The main reason is to falsely report the loss and increase the transportation cost..."

The loss of wood is the easiest to make a fuss about.

The loss of each piece of wood is different.

No matter who checks the accounts, it is impossible to find out the specific losses.

Compared with losses, there is less that can be done about shipping costs.

"It's rare that you know the importance of wood!"

Yun Zheng let out a long sigh, then asked with a stern face, "Did you cut corners on the other materials?"

These people's greed for money is secondary.

I’m afraid that they will cut corners and the quality of the warships will not be up to standard.

"No no!"

The officer shook his head repeatedly. "In addition to the wood, there are also some false reports of losses of three ash and two hemp. But I dare to guarantee with my life that there is absolutely no cutting corners in the warship..."

"Okay, I will trust you."

Yun Zheng slowly stood up, thought silently for a moment, and asked the secretary: "Do you think it is feasible to reduce the floor of the ship and cover the hull with iron armor?"

The hull is covered with armor?

Tisi slowly raised his head and looked at Yun Zheng in confusion.

Zhao Liuliang was also a little confused.

armor?

If this warship is covered with iron armor, can it still sail?

Shen Luoyan and Miaoyin didn't say anything, but just looked at each other at the same time.

Yun Zheng's ideas have always been bold, so they are not surprised.

I just don’t know why Yun Zheng suddenly came up with the idea of ​​an ironclad ship at this time.

Aren't we talking about this commissioner's corruption here?

Why did it suddenly get to the topic of ironclad ships?

"The King is asking you a question."

Yun Zheng looked at Tisi coldly.

Tisi suddenly shuddered and came back to his senses with difficulty.

After suppressing his fear and thinking for a while, Tis nodded and said, "It's feasible! But...it depends on how thick the armor is. If the armor is too thick, the ship may not be able to withstand it."

"Just add a thin layer of iron."

Yun Zheng replied: "It's about the thickness of two or three pieces of armor! You can think of it as adding a layer of armor to the warship!"

"That should be feasible!" Tis swallowed hard and said carefully, "However, how to install the armor plates and how to embed them into the hull are both problems. I'm afraid the overall structure of the warship will need to be adjusted..."

"It doesn't matter!"

Yun Zheng didn't care. "Since you think this ironclad ship is feasible, I will put your head on the list first! All the money you embezzled will be returned!"

"I will give you a chance to make amends for your crimes. When you finish building this ironclad ship, I will reward you three times the amount of silver you embezzled!"

"If you can't figure it out, you'll stay here forever, and you'll never see your family again in this life!"

Get an ironclad ship?

It sounds easy to build an ironclad ship, but it is not that easy to build one!

Tisi wailed in his heart and kowtowed heavily: "Thank you for sparing my life, Your Highness! I will do my best to build an ironclad ship!"

No matter how difficult it is to make this ironclad ship, he will find a way to make it.

This is his only chance!

"it is good!"

Yun Zheng nodded slightly, "What materials are needed, what kind of craftsmen are needed, just report it when the time comes! Also, I will pay special attention to you, if I find out anything messy again, I will reward your whole family with a coffin!"

Anyway, he was only responsible for coming up with ideas and providing logistical support.

As for how to achieve it, that is their business.

If this is not possible, then they will just stay here for the rest of their lives and be free laborers.

"I will remember this!"

Tisi's heart trembled, and he quickly agreed tremblingly.

Yun Zheng was too lazy to talk nonsense with him. He told Shen Kuan to ask the inspector to hand over the other people involved in the corruption, and then he walked out.

Shen Luoyan and Miaoyin hurriedly followed.

"call……"

Coming outside, Yun Zheng faced the cold wind and let out a long breath.

Damn it!

The salary I give them is not low!

Not to mention making them rich, at least they can allow their whole family to live a comfortable life.

In the end, they are still greedy.

Ugh!

What a greedy person!

"Are you angry?"

Shen Luoyan came to Yun Zheng and asked softly.

"well enough!"

Yun Zheng smiled indifferently and said, "Make the best use of everything and everyone! Don't they want money? I will give them a chance to make money in an honest way. It depends on whether they can grasp it!"

People like Ship Sistis are already experts in the field of shipbuilding.

It would be a waste to just kill them or send them to mine.

If they can really produce a qualified ironclad ship, he will be generous in rewarding them!