479: Chapter 480 The Navy is like dumplings being brought in; let's go back to the palace.

The atmosphere inside the flying saucer suddenly became lively.

Yin Susu couldn't help but smile and said, "You are the most carried away. Your Majesty is truly biased, giving only you nine cranes to lead the way."

Ji Xiaofu also nodded in agreement, "Indeed, Sister Huang Yi's limelight this time has completely overshadowed us. I'm afraid the history books will only record the legend of Consort Yang ascending while riding nine cranes."

Yang Huangyi emerged from Lu Chen's embrace, looking at him with eyes full of admiration. Her tone was filled with the pride of a young girl, "Husband, you are truly amazing! Only you could think of such an earth-shattering method! It was simply a stroke of genius!"

Lu Chen reached out and gently pinched her cheek, which looked even more tender due to her excitement, "It was just a small scene, nothing worth mentioning. It's mainly because my beloved consorts are naturally beautiful that they could act this scene so realistically and touch people's hearts."

Yang Huangyi was still immersed in the excitement of the nine cranes' worship. Her little face was flushed as she pulled Ji Xiaofu along, chatting incessantly.

“Husband, where are we going next? Is there something even more fun?” She turned to look at Lu Chen, her eyes full of expectation.

Lu Chen leaned back in the large seat, his gaze distant, "To see my shipyard."

Yang Huangyi's eyebrows twitched, "Ships? Aren't Your Majesty's Dragon Boats all..." Halfway through, she suddenly remembered Lu Chen's endless stream of methods and immediately changed her words, "Could it be that Your Majesty has built new ships again?"

Fang Yanqing's red lips curled slightly as she glanced at Lu Chen with a half-smile, "We have long since grown accustomed to Your Majesty's surprises."

Ji Xiaofu smiled gently, "Husband's heart is set on the four seas, so naturally, the more ships, the better."

“To the Black Sea,” Lu Chen ordered calmly.

The Zixiao Flying Saucer turned silently, like an invisible flash of lightning, piercing through the clouds.

A moment later, a busy coastline appeared outside the porthole. Huge dry docks were lined up like the ribs of a giant beast, with countless figures busy within them.

“We've arrived,” Lu Chen said succinctly.

The saucer landed like a ghost in a secluded corner of the shipyard, without disturbing anyone.

As soon as Lu Chen's group stepped out of the teleportation array, Bai Guishou, who had received the imperial decree, led a group of officials to meet them quickly, kneeling excitedly on the ground.

“Old official Bai Guishou greets Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!”

“Rise.” Lu Chen waved his hand, his gaze already fixed on the towering silhouettes of the ships on the slips not far away, “What is the situation?”

Bai Guishou stood up tremblingly, his face glowing, “Reporting to Your Majesty! Thanks to Your Majesty's great fortune, twenty Ten-thousand-liao giant ships have been built. They only await Your Majesty to install the cores and perform the sacrificial refinement before they can be launched!”

...

Familiar with the process, Lu Chen quickly finished the refinement of the Treasure Ships, “Launch them.”

There were no tedious celebrations, no noisy drums and gongs.

At Lu Chen's command, the shipyard's sluice gates slowly opened, and seawater rushed in.

Under the bated breath of countless craftsmen, the massive body of the first giant ship shuddered slightly. Then, like a giant beast being awakened, it slowly slid into the deep blue seawater, kicking up a towering wave.

Next came the second ship, the third...

Twenty brand-new Ten-thousand-liao giant ships, like tigers released from their cages, broke through the waves one by one, casting heart-palpitating shadows on the sea surface.

“Wow! So... such big ships!” Yang Huangyi's mouth hung open slightly, her eyes wide as she tightly gripped Lu Chen's sleeve.

Lu Chen glanced at her, a playful smirk curling his lips, “Like them? I'll give you one later so you can play with it on the West Sea.”

“Really?!” Yang Huangyi almost jumped with excitement, then stuck out her tongue sheepishly, “With a ship this big, I'm afraid I won't be able to steer it well.”

Yin Susu and Fang Yanqing exchanged a glance, both seeing a trace of helpless amusement in each other's eyes. This Majesty was teasing Sister Huang Yi again.

Ji Xiaofu just pursed her lips and smiled, watching quietly.

The twenty giant ships finished lining up in the harbor, a dark mass like a mobile fortress on the sea.

“Next location,” Lu Chen said without any superfluous words.

The saucer rose from the ground again, heading straight for the Caspian Sea.

The same scene played out again.

Another heavily guarded secret shipyard, and another twenty brand-new Ten-thousand-liao giant ships launched into the water.

The sea breeze blew against Lu Chen's robes as he looked at those steel beasts with a calm gaze.

“Your Majesty,” Yin Susu said softly, “with these forty giant ships, our Great Ming Navy should be able to dominate the four seas, right?”

Lu Chen didn't turn his head, merely saying indifferently, “This is just the beginning. My true goal is five thousand ships!”

...

The saucer cut through the sky and arrived at the Tabriz Palace.

This place was far from the hustle and bustle, with beautiful scenery. It was the temporary residence of Consort Xian, Ma Xiuying, along with the princes and princesses.

The saucer did not disturb anyone, landing silently on a clearing in the courtyard.

The hatch slid open.

Ma Xiuying, dressed in elegant palace attire and accompanied by a group of palace maids, was holding several children of various sizes. She stood under the corridor with a smile as gentle as water, quietly watching the saucer as if she had long known of their arrival.

“Xiuying, you've worked hard during this time,” Lu Chen said, looking at Ma Xiuying.

Ma Xiuying shook her head slightly, her smile gentle, “Your Majesty toils for state affairs abroad, while I take care of the children within; it is merely my duty. There is no talk of hardship.”

“Come, let's return to the palace. I'll take you all for a flight,” Lu Chen said with a wave of his hand.

“Destination: Great Ming, Jiangnan Shipyard,” Lu Chen issued the command to Zixiao.

The saucer vibrated slightly and rose silently into the air, carrying the whole family as it sped toward the east.

Below was the bustling Jiangnan Shipyard.

Compared to the shipyards at the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, the scale here was more than double.

Countless huge dry docks were lined up along the riverbank. Dense crowds of craftsmen scurried between them like ants. The sounds of hammering and rhythmic chanting rose and fell, creating a scene of incredible bustle.

The installation and refinement were quickly completed.

Under the watchful eyes of the multitude, the shipyard gates opened in sequence.

They didn't launch one by one; instead, as if receiving a unified command, fifty sky-obscuring Ten-thousand-liao giant ships from fifty docks slid slowly into the sea almost at the same time!

They kicked up monstrous waves that reached the sky!

The fifty giant ships were like mobile small mountains. Carrying an unmatched Aura, they proudly sailed out of the docks, forming a majestic formation on the wide sea.

“Great Ming for ten thousand years! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empresses!”

“The Great Ming Navy is mighty! Your Majesty is wise!”

Thunderous cheers erupted from the shore, shaking the clouds and lasting for a long time.

Lu Chen looked at Yin Susu beside him and smiled, “Susu, now your brother shouldn't have any grievances about being sent to Australia, right?”

Yin Susu's eyes were full of smiles as she nodded gently, “Your Majesty is joking. Brother will only be moved to tears of gratitude and swear his life to serve Your Majesty.”

The saucer did not linger for a moment. Like a divine eagle patrolling its territory, it proceeded to the Quanzhou Port Shipyard and the Liaodong Shipyard.

Every shipyard presented the same grand scene, with fifty brand-new Ten-thousand-liao giant ships launching simultaneously.

In just a few days, the Great Ming Navy had added one hundred and ninety super warships, each with a displacement of five thousand tons.

Such a terrifying shipbuilding speed and such a massive fleet scale were enough to make any enemy tremble with fear.

Crucially, these warships could also be used as transport ships.

“My Great Ming Navy finally has a bit of the scale needed to roam the four seas.” Lu Chen watched as the last warship anchored steadily in Quanzhou Port, a faint curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.