Lin Rusong, holding Lin Yi's hand, couldn't help but exclaim excitedly, " Yi'er, well done!"
To be honest, if his own son hadn't built it, he would never have believed that such a terrifying warship existed in the world; it was practically indestructible.
If we had had this thing a few years earlier, we wouldn't have needed to fight so hard; we could have just swept through the enemy lines.
"Ah, this is the result of everyone's joint efforts. If it weren't for Minister Ma's ability, even I, a skilled cook, would be powerless to do anything without ingredients," Lin Yi couldn't help but laugh.
Although these were rewards he had drawn himself, if Ma Jun and others hadn't converted them into cash, it would probably have taken a long time for them to materialize.
After all, knowing the theory is one thing, but actually putting it into practice is another.
"Your Majesty flatters me. I was merely following your theory; I am hardly a hero," Ma Jun said modestly.
Hahaha!
Lin Rusong couldn't help but burst into laughter, exclaiming, "No matter who made this thing, from now on, my Great Liang will be blessed, and from now on, the ocean will be our territory!"
Who would dare disobey the use of such warships to patrol the seas?
By this time, the Pangu had circled the area once and finally docked at the shore, instantly eliciting cheers from the crowd.
Lin Rusong said excitedly, " Yi'er, why don't we go to the battlefield and see for ourselves how this groundbreaking technology was made?"
To be honest, he was filled with curiosity. How exactly did this warship manage to float on the water? How much power did it require? How was it supported?
"Sure."
Naturally, he wouldn't refuse his elderly father's request, and simply had someone lead the way as the group boarded the Pangu.
Lin Yi glanced at Cai Yan and the others, and whispered, " Wenji, are you and Lele seasick?"
Many of them were pregnant, and if they were seasick, it would be difficult for them to board the warship, lest problems arise.
Cai Yan was slightly taken aback, but quickly realized what she meant and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, then we won't go, lest it affect the fetus in your womb. You should go with Consort De and Qiling."
Although she was also eager to see how powerful this new weapon was, she ultimately chose to prioritize safety for the sake of her unborn child.
Lin Yi nodded and took the other concubines who were not pregnant with him onto the warship.
Once aboard the warship, Lin Yi noticed a problem: while the hull of this ironclad warship was made of iron, its deck was made of wood.
Clearly, in order to reduce weight, Ma Jun and his team made certain reductions; it was not an absolutely ironclad warship.
But that makes sense. Putting aside the current state of iron plate manufacturing processes, its resistance to seawater is a problem, so it's impossible to use iron plates for everything.
Ma Jun proactively explained, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, our warships are made of an alloy metal, plus a special anti-corrosion paint, which ensures their corrosion resistance."
However, the production volume is not very high, and the life cycle is not very long, only about seven or eight years. Therefore, we did not use this kind of iron plate for the plywood, but instead used the more sophisticated steel-wood.
This type of steel-wood composite has good seawater resistance and can reduce weight, making it the best choice.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yi instantly understood: this warship had another drawback—its lifespan.
"Seven or eight years?" Lin Rusong frowned slightly, his mood immediately souring.
If the steel used in a steam-powered warship with an iron head can only be used for seven or eight years, then once it becomes unusable, the entire ship must be scrapped, which would be a huge waste.
If too many are built at once, and then phased out in seven or eight years, the losses will be enormous.
To be honest, he was really reluctant to part with it.
Xun Yu and the others couldn't help but frown slightly; it was somewhat of a pity, a flaw that was the only imperfection in the otherwise perfect design.
Lin Yi, however, seemed unconcerned and laughed, "Father, don't worry. This is the first generation product; it's already quite good that it can last for seven or eight years."
By the time it's time to phase out, our new generation of steel warships will have already been built, so the replacement will be complete and there won't be any problem at all.
These iron-headed warships are expected to enter the battlefield soon, and their wear and tear will be a natural consequence; they may not even last that many years.
After all, no matter how powerful these warships are, they will still suffer wear and tear and damage after countless wars.
But this is completely harmless; the sheer deterrent and shock it brings makes the minor losses negligible.
Even if this warship is decommissioned seven or eight years later, it won't be a big problem, because it has fulfilled its responsibilities and it's time for a new batch of warships to be launched.
After all, technology is constantly evolving. When stainless steel and seawater-resistant steel are developed in the future, warships will further evolve, becoming true, immortal sea fortresses.
Great Liang's rapid expansion will only be completed within the next few years, so it will take seven or eight years, or even longer.
"That makes sense. It's good that you understand, Yi'er!"
A hint of shock flashed in Lin Rusong's eyes. He hadn't expected his son to have such ambition. He was truly looking forward to this moment more and more.
Perhaps after some time, Great Liang will once again open up a new world in the sea.
What he didn't know was that the Great Liang had already seized many colonies and was beginning to flex its muscles on the sea, no less powerful than on land.
Ma Jun nodded and smiled, "Based on the lord's suggestion, we are already researching more alloys and rust-resistant coatings, and we should make progress soon."
"Very good, I will have the Net gather all scientific materials from both the East and the West, including those from the Moses Empire and the Xinma Empire. We will surely find some clues!" Lin Yi gave him an approving look and said with a smile.
Although our technology is ahead of its time, many things have actually begun to emerge long ago, and there is still some value in learning from them.
Once we absorb the essence of their technology, the Great Liang Empire can reach a new level and achieve true technological dominance.
Ma Jun's eyes lit up. Although those technologies weren't very advanced, they might still offer some insights and could lead to new ideas.
Lin Rusong and his men stared intently at the cannons on the deck. Their thick barrels were much thicker than the Red-Coat Cannon, making them veritable steel behemoths.