amaotonovel Chapter 495 Maiden Voyage
Chapter 495 Maiden Voyage
As soon as the decree was issued, the entire Langya Port seemed to be injected with boiling water, instantly becoming bustling with activity.
The soldiers of the Imperial Guard carried sacks of grain on their shoulders, their steps as synchronized as a pendulum, the "thump-thump" of their footsteps blending wonderfully with the rhythm of the waves crashing on the shore. Each sack of grain was wrapped in thick linen, and a bright red "Qin" seal was stamped at the opening, shining like a dancing flame in the sunlight.
When the grain was moved into the ship's hold, the lead craftsman deliberately opened the hatch so that the onlookers could see clearly that the grain was stored in separate compartments, each separated by a thick Lingnan hardwood board with black tung oil ash inlaid in the seams. Even in the face of strong winds and waves, there was no need to worry about the grain getting damp and moldy.
On the other side, aboard the "Tongji," officials from the Ministry of Rites were directing scribes to move books. These newly printed books were carefully wrapped in waterproof tarpaulins soaked in tung oil, like precious jewels, and neatly stacked on specially made wooden frames. The four corners of the wooden frames were firmly connected to the iron rings on the cabin walls, so they remained perfectly still no matter how the ship rocked.
Chunyu Yue personally stepped forward to examine the scroll. His fingertips gently brushed the cover of a copy of the "Cangjie Pian" and found the scroll smooth and the ink as fresh as new. He couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "In the past, when Confucius traveled around the states, a cartload of books required dozens of guards. They had to stop and seek shelter from the wind and rain, and it took several months to travel a thousand miles. Now, this boat carries the equivalent of a hundred cartloads and can travel a thousand miles a day, undeterred by wind or rain. It is truly a miracle of nature and a testament to the strength of a powerful nation!"
Ying Wuyou stood by the watchtower high on the dock, gazing into the distance. The crew of the "Qingu" were squatting by the hatch, repeatedly adjusting the brass gears on the winch, locking the last hatch door securely. The brass lock made a crisp "click" as it fell, as if putting a reassuring insurance policy on this giant ship.
The scribes of the "Tongji" ship were inscribing words on the ship's side with cinnabar. Their brushstrokes were vigorous and powerful. The five large characters "经史传四海" (meaning "History and Classics Spread Across the Four Seas") gradually took shape, complementing the red lacquered wooden plaque of the "Tongji" ship at the bow and exuding a solemn sense of literature conveying the Way.
“Your Highness,” Mo Li walked over quickly, holding two yellowed hemp paper navigation plans in her hands. The edges of the pages were frayed from repeated readings. “These are the route maps and emergency plans for the two ships. Each cabin is equipped with three sailors who are familiar with the water. There are also ten barrels of tung oil putty for repairing the cabins and thirty spare planks in the hold to ensure that nothing goes wrong.”
Ying Wuyou took the plan and his eyes fell on the clauses that stipulated "measure the ship's speed at dawn, check the cabin's sealing at noon, and record the wind direction and water flow at dusk." Next to those densely packed small characters, there were also supplementary explanations marked by Mo Li in red ink, which showed his care.
She nodded slightly, her voice clear and gentle: "Lord Mo is meticulous in his work, I am at ease. Tell the boatmen not to rush things. If they encounter any county or prefectural officials along the way, let them board the ship and take a look. There is no need to hide anything—good things should be seen by the whole world."
Mo Li accepted the order and left. Not long after, three long, drawn-out horn calls rang out from the dock, like the low growl of a giant beast, echoing for a long time in the harbor—this was the signal to set sail.
The "Qingu" and "Tongji" raised their sails almost simultaneously. The snow-white canvases billowed in the sea breeze, resembling a soaring roc. The "Qin" character embroidered in vermilion on the canvases stood out vividly in the sunlight, like a burning flame. The boatmen's shouts as they pulled the mooring lines rose and fell, rough yet powerful, intertwining with the crashing waves against the hull, creating a magnificent ode to their departure.
King Qin stood on the viewing platform at the very front of the dock, watching the two ships slowly sail away from the harbor. At first, the sails were just two small white dots on the sea surface. As the sea breeze grew stronger, the white dots grew larger and larger, and the character "Qin" on the sails became clearer and clearer. Finally, they turned into two distinct sail shadows, sailing northwest along the coastline and gradually merging into the distant horizon where the water and sky met.
"Your Majesty," Feng Jie said suddenly, his voice filled with anticipation as he gazed at the two sails, "I have already had preparations made for the 'Chengwei'. The helmsman, craftsmen, armor, and provisions are all ready. We are just waiting for the two ships to return so we can head south immediately."
The King of Qin grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze still following the departing ship. His voice carried a subtle, distant quality: "The Chu people are skilled in naval warfare. Back then, Xiang Yan relied on his ships to maneuver against our army along the Huai River, taking advantage of the complex network of waterways to inflict considerable suffering on our forces. This time, sending the 'Chengwei' is not only to show them the ship's sturdiness, but also to show them that our Qin ships have surrendered soldiers from Chu at the helm, and shipbuilders from Chu among the craftsmen."
These words stirred something in Ying Wuyou's heart. She thought of Old Zheng, the helmsman of the "Chengwei". The man who always grinned was originally a boatman from the Yunmeng Marsh in Chu. Five years ago, when the Qin army attacked Chu, he surrendered to Qin with his fishing boat simply because the Qin army cook gave him a hot meal of millet.
He was an excellent swimmer, intimately familiar with the treacherous waterways of Chu. After being selected for the shipyard, he became one of the most capable helmsmen in just six months. Sending such a man to steer the "Chengwei" into Chu, through those waters he knew so well, would be far more painful to the King of Chu's pride than a thousand words.
Three days later, news of the arrival of the "Qingu" and "Tongji" ships at Linzi Port was relayed back to Langya by express messengers.
The report was written with a hint of hurried excitement: When the two ships entered the port, the people of Linzi almost packed the dock. Men, women, and children stood on tiptoe and craned their necks to see that the "Qingu" could go upstream without being pulled by boatmen. The ship was twice as wide as the largest cargo ship in the area, and the deck was as flat as land. Everyone exclaimed in amazement.
When the boatmen opened the hatch and showed the plump grains and pristine scrolls of the books stored in the compartments, even King Tian Jian of Qi personally boarded the ship. He gently ran his fingers over the watertight bulkheads, feeling their solid texture and the seamless construction, and couldn't help but exclaim, "The exquisite craftsmanship of the Qin Dynasty is truly breathtaking."
Looking at the report, the King of Qin suddenly chuckled and said, "Tian Jian is more pragmatic than his old father."
Ying Wuyou stood aside and said softly, "The people of Qi have always valued commerce and crafts. Seeing the stability of the 'Qin Gu Hao' in transporting grain and the abundance of the 'Tong Ji Hao' in carrying goods, they naturally understand the difference between the strong and the weak."
As they were talking, Feng Jie stepped forward with a newly drawn map of the Chu region. The map marked the dangerous shoals and reefs of the Huai River tributaries in vermilion: "Your Majesty, the crew of the 'Chengwei' has become familiar with the operation of the watertight compartments, and the helmsman, Lao Zheng, who was a surrendered soldier from Chu, has repeatedly rehearsed the route. We are just waiting for the two ships in Linzi to send back the final speed data before we can set sail."
The King of Qin took the water map and his gaze fell on the mark "Sishui River flows into Huaihe River": "Old Zheng is from Chu, so you should know that there is a dangerous shoal called 'Ghost's Sorrow' there, right? Back then, Xiang Yan's fleet used that whirlpool to ambush our army's grain ships."
Feng Jie nodded: "Old Zheng said that although the whirlpool looks dangerous, there is actually a side current that can be used to bypass it. The 'Chengwei' has a pointed bottom and a nimble rudder, which can make good use of this current. He also said that he wants to show the old troops of Chu that the ships of Qin not only dare to sail through the 'Ghost's Sorrow', but can sail more steadily than Xiang Yan's ships."
"Well done, old Zheng." The King of Qin rolled up the water map. "Let him go through 'Ghost's Sorrow'! Let all the Chu people along the river see that the treacherous shoals that once caused the Qin army to suffer defeats have now become a thoroughfare for our great Qin warships."