The next day the fleet set sail into the sea.

Hundreds of ships set sail one after another, and the port was full of people who came to watch and see each other off.

Standing on the bow of the boat, looking at this thriving scene, I can't help but feel happy.

However, after the boat left the bay, Mei began to feel a little uncomfortable. Xingyun helped her back to the room to rest for a while, but she still didn't get better, so she had to invite Qu Kuan over.

Because there is still one in the stomach next to the eyebrows, it must be very cautious, so Qu Kuan lives in the next room, which is also convenient. He checked the pulse and said, "It's okay, it's just that the qi and blood are a little surging, but it looks like a ...... Seasickness. ”

"Our master used to be seasick." Xingyun hurriedly said, "When I took a boat to Xijing for the first time, I was dizzy for several days!" Later, it was good to get used to it, and I never committed it again when I took the boat back. Why is it starting again now? ”

"I'm afraid it's because I'm pregnant." Qu Kuan said, "Besides, the sea is stormy, and the turbulence is even worse." The symptoms are not severe now, and if there is a strong wind and waves, I am afraid it will be even worse. ”

"What's the solution?" Eyebrows asked.

Qu Kuan thought for a while before saying, "It's not good for you to drink medicine casually now, I remember that there used to be a recipe for fruit tea, which is very effective in relieving vomiting, you can try it." It's just that the supplies on this ship are tight, and I don't know if I can find them. ”

"Fruit is there." Xingyun immediately said, "When the master was pregnant with Xiao Shizi, there was a time when I wanted to eat all kinds of fruits. The prince was worried about it, and had already prepared several boxes for the stone to be on the ship. said that after eating all this, it was time to find a place to dock, and then find something else. What do you want? I told people to find it. ”

"Yes, that's it." Qu Kuan picked up the pen and wrote a prescription, "Tell someone to do it." Then he turned to his eyebrows and said, "He takes care of you." ”

An embarrassed smile on his eyebrows. Although in front of Yuan Ziqing, she admitted that these things were very generous, but in front of her elders, she was a little embarrassed.

Seeing her like this, Qu Kuan shook his head slightly, and he couldn't help laughing.

He used to think that the gap between Yuan Ziqing's identity and Meibian was too big, and he was always afraid that she would be bullied. Now it seems that this fate is very well chosen. The eyes on the eyebrows are better than his, which is naturally a happy thing.

Yuan Ziqing finished settling down, and when he came back, he heard that Meibian was uncomfortable, so he hurriedly rushed over. Seeing that she was holding a cup of fruit tea, drinking it one sip at a time, her face was ruddy and her expression was relaxed, so she breathed a sigh of relief, "Didn't you say that she was unwell?" ”

"Uncle Shi has seen it and prescribed a prescription." Said with a smile on his eyebrows.

"What recipe?"

Meibian raised the cup in his hand to show him, "This is it, it tastes excellent." Uncle Shi said that as long as you drink one cup a day, it will be no problem. ”

"It's ...... Tea? Cure what? Yuan Ziqing tasted it himself, and he was very unaccustomed to the sweet and sour taste, and couldn't help frowning.

"Seasickness." Said with a smile.

Yuan Ziqing then understood what was going on. Since it was only a minor problem and it had been solved, he was naturally relieved. He said, "As I said earlier, with Uncle Shi here, you don't have to worry." ”

"Uh-huh, you're right." Yuan Ziqing nodded perfunctorily, and began to worry again, "If we have to drink fruit tea every day, I'm afraid the fruit we prepare will not be enough......"

"I asked Uncle Shi, and he said that the dried fruit was barely usable." Eyebrows said. She learned a little common sense from Zhou Yingyue about going to sea, and knew that the fleet would now prepare dried fruits and other things, and it was inevitably insufficient, and the reserves were very large.

"Is it hot out there?" Meibian wiped the sweat on Yuan Ziqing's forehead with his own handkerchief, "You, don't worry, sit down and rest for a while." ”

"I just put away the guard of honor." Yuan Ziqing sat down and poured a cup of tea.

Because I was going to board the ship today, I knew that some people would come to watch, so it was natural to put out all the guards of honor in order to show the royal majesty. Therefore, Meibian did not board the ship with Yuan Ziqing, and only glanced at it from a distance.

Hearing Yuan Ziqing's words at this time, he couldn't help but smile and said, "My husband looks very energetic when he wears this." ”

Yuan Ziqing was wearing a pro-dynasty uniform. Because it is the prince of the clan, you can use the pattern of a three-clawed golden dragon. The black base cloth is embroidered with silver thread with dragon patterns, looming among the cloud patterns, and it looks very spiritual. In addition, Yuan Ziqing was born well, and this body became more and more handsome, not like mortals.

When he walked in the guard of honor, he also added a bit of prestige, and in the eyes of his eyebrows, he was actually a little strange. But I was a little proud in my heart, because such an excellent and outstanding person was my husband.

Yuan Ziqing smiled when she heard this, "If the lady likes it, she can see it many times in the future." ”

But no, all the ships docked at the port along the way, they had to wear it once, and after a long time, maybe they were tired of looking at it.

I don't suffer from seasickness, and I go to the top every day to enjoy the sea view. In the past, I felt that the river was wide enough that I couldn't see the edge at a glance. But now in the sea, this kind of scenery that cannot be seen on all sides is really so vast that people feel small.

In fact, they are still offshore now, after all, they have only been out of port for less than a day. But even then, the scenery seems to be very different from on the shore.

Yuan Ziqing said, "After sailing on the sea for a long time, people will feel impetuous. So along the way, we'll make a little trimming up on the island, so that everyone can get off the boat and walk around, so that nothing will happen if you stay on the boat for a long time. ”

This road was made little by little by the Maritime Chamber of Commerce (in fact, most of them came out of the Zhou family's fleet, but the Maritime Chamber of Commerce later went further), in fact, Yuan Ziqing felt that based on this alone, it was worth it for the imperial court to hand over the first five years of maritime trade rights to the Maritime Chamber of Commerce.

Otherwise, even if the imperial court itself wants to detect such a sea route, I don't know how much work it will take.

The next day they saw the first island. It is said to be a small island, it is really small, and the radius is only the size of a yard, and it looks more like a reef, if it is not for the growth of plants on it, it is really not easy to notice.

Of course, there was no need to dock at such a small island, but everyone had walked so far at sea and finally saw the land, and they all went to the deck to watch.

At this moment, Mei was writing his travelogue in the room. Yuan Ziqing was reluctant to let her write at first, but later Qu Kuan said that it is good to have something to do, and it is good to be able to pass the time, as long as you don't spend too much energy. That's when he agreed.

It was another three days before they passed through a relatively large island. The island was deserted, and the Maritime Chamber of Commerce did not establish a stronghold again, but only used it as a marker. But that's the merchant's idea, and for the imperial court, this is the land! Even if no one lives on it now, it doesn't mean that there won't be one in the future.

So Yuan Ziqing took people to the island and set up a stone tablet here, stating that this was part of the land of Dachu and noting the time of landing on the island. In this way, even if someone else comes here in the future, they will know that this is Da Chu's territory. According to Zhou Yingyue, this is called "enclosure", and when encountering a borderless land at sea, it is usually tacitly acquiesced to this "first come, first served" rule.

-- Zhou Yingyue did not sue him, this was the beginning of Western colonization in later generations. However, it should be different in Da Chu. Because Da Chu pays attention to the vertical arch and rule, the four Yi come to serve. If there are people living there, as long as they can take the initiative to be vassals, they can even get the last time from the imperial court. Colonization and oppression are less likely to occur.

However, if the borderless land can be reclaimed by immigrants, it will naturally be a part of Dachu in the future for a long time.

It was not convenient for the big boat to dock, so Yuan Ziqing let the boat go down.

Qu Kuan also followed. Taking advantage of the time to carve the stone, he could go up the mountain to collect medicine. Yuan Ziqing also allocated four of him for this purpose. Because he is a doctor, no one wants to—the sea is vast, and if there is any illness, all can only count on these doctors. Collect more medicine, it's good for everyone.

To Meibian's surprise, Qu Kuan planned to take Xiao Jiu down, but Yuan Ziqing actually agreed.

"Isn't that nonsense?" Knowing the news, his eyebrows were startled, "How old is Xiao Jiucai, what is he going to do, is he making trouble?" ”

"What is this called, although Xiao Jiu is small, he is smart and well-behaved, and he has followed me to identify medicinal materials these days, and he is quite spiritual. I took him down for a long time, wouldn't it be possible? Qu Kuan said, "Don't worry, the child will definitely be sent back to you in peace!" ”

It's not safe, or it's not all safe, and Mei Pan thinks that children are not suitable for this kind of activity. But in the end, the three big and small men united, and she had no choice, nodding with difficulty in Xiao Jiu's tears.

In fact, in her heart, she wanted to say, since even a three-year-old child like Xiao Jiu can go, how about taking me, a pregnant woman, with her by the way?

Of course, she didn't have a chance to say it. Because after she nodded, Qu Kuan quickly took the child away, and Yuan Ziqing was also in a hurry to set off. So when she came to her senses, she was left alone.

Meibian secretly made up his mind that next time the boat stopped, he must follow. Even if you don't do anything, just stand on the shore for a while and look at the scenery?

At least you can write it in your own travelogue. For the first time, I stayed on the land outside of Dachu or something, what a meaningful thing.

The stone is carved quickly. Because there are no fine requirements, as long as the carving is deep enough, it can't be erased for a while. There are a lot of people, and it is naturally very quick to move, and it takes less than half a day to get it done.

When Yuan Ziqing came back, he also brought her a bouquet of flowers picked on the island.

There was still anger on the side of the eyebrows, but when I received this bouquet of flowers, the anger was vented at once. Forget it, it's just such an opportunity anyway, and there will be more in the future, so you don't have to care so much.

They waited for a long time before they came back.

Xiao Jiu also brought something to the eyebrows, it was a fish weighing nearly two catties, strung with a straw rope, Xiao Jiu held it in his arms, the tail of the fish fluttered all over his body, and then he shouted to the eyebrows with excitement, "Mother, I caught a big fish!" ”

"You caught it?" Mei Pan was taken aback. She thought that Qu Kuan had caught it for the child to play with.

Xiao Jiu nodded again and again, "Uncle and grandfather made a straw cage and put it in the water, and the fish ran in by themselves!" ”

"Wasn't that caught by my uncle?" Raise eyebrows.

"But I put the cage and I found the fish!" Xiao Jiu insisted.

"Okay." Mei Pan smiled helplessly, "Even if you catch it, hurry up and hand it over to someone else to take away, see if you get a body of water." Go take a shower first and come back. ”

"Okay." Xiao Jiu said, "Uncle and grandfather said that you can raise fish, mother, is it okay?" ”

"Ask your father." Eyebrows said.

Then he lowered his head and wrote on the paper: The child is three years old, and he got off the boat with his parents, caught a big fish, and returned with his hand.

Then he turned around and stuffed the pen to Yuan Ziqing, asking him to draw this scene. In the future, when Xiao Jiu grows up, he can show it to him. He may not remember it now, but it was a journey that would affect a lifetime.

Xiao Jiu was used to letting his father paint a portrait, so when he saw Yuan Ziqing lifting the pen, he immediately hugged the fish tighter, and looked over here with wide eyes, ignorant and cute.

After a while, Qu Kuan also came, and actually carried a straw cage filled with all kinds of fish. Xiao Jiu immediately jumped over, "These are all mine!" ”

"Okay, I'll raise them for you." Qu Kuan said with a smile.

He originally looked like a fairy wind and bones, and he had the temperament of a master outside the world, and when he smiled like this, he felt even more benevolent. I can't complain that Xiao Jiu likes to be close to him.

Qu Kuan asked people to find a big wooden basin to come over, poured all the fish into it, and then beckoned Meiban and Yuan Ziqing to go and see it together, "The fish here also seem to be very different from the Central Plains." ”

"Of course," said Mei Pan, "I heard Yingyue say that there are far more kinds of fish in the sea than in the river, and they are very interesting in different shapes. It's a pity that if you take it to land, you can't change the seawater every day, and you can't feed it at all. Otherwise, maybe the homes of dignitaries and nobles will raise a few ornaments! ”

Qu Kuan sighed with emotion, "The world is so vast that I used to be blind. ”

"If Uncle Shi says so, then we will all be ashamed of ourselves." Yuan Ziqing said, "These things, if you don't see them with your own eyes, who can believe them?" ”

"The person who first went to sea was really far-sighted and admirable." Qu Kuan Road.

Meibian and Yuan Ziqing couldn't help but smile at each other. If Qu Kuan was just a woman of their age until Zhou Yingyue, I don't know what the expression would be on her face?

Qu Kuan didn't know what the two of them were thinking, and said, "Now that the court is open to the sea, it is really a good thing for the country and the people." If we continue to close ourselves to the country, I am afraid that we will only be blinded and will not make any progress. ”

This is the same as a farmer who has lived in a small mountain village all his life, only has his own one-third of an acre of land in his eyes, and the gossip of chickens and dogs in the village.

In the following period, everyone understood the difference in overseas scenery. Again, there was even a fish that had never been seen before chasing their fleet, leaping out of the water, setting off beautiful waves, and chasing the fleet for a long time before gradually dispersing.

Whenever he encounters an island on the road, no matter whether there is someone or not, Yuan Ziqing will send someone to the island. Qu Kuan will also follow, occasionally bringing Xiao Jiu. Only Meibian, no matter what she said, Yuan Ziqing and Qu Kuan did not allow her to get off the boat, saying that they were afraid of danger.

On this day, when we arrived at a large island, the boat would dock here for a day of rest, and finally Meiban had to get off the boat. However, before she could rejoice, she learned that the island was completely controlled and built by the Maritime Chamber of Commerce for transit and rest. In other words, although it is an overseas island, except for the scenery, everything else should be no different from that in Dachu.

Mei Pan couldn't help but be deflated when he learned this.

Yuan Ziqing saw her depressed and unhappy appearance, so he relieved, "When I get to the island, I will allow you to walk around, and I will never detain you." ”

nodded inevitably on the side of his eyebrows, covered his mouth and yawned, "Anyway, it's still a group of people hugging each other, what's the difference between it and being on the boat?" Forget it, I'm used to it. Go about your business, leave me alone. When the time comes, just take a walk. ”

"I've wronged you." Yuan Ziqing touched her face, "Just wait for the child to be born." When the time comes, I'll take you out, and you can go anywhere. ”

"That's what you said." He said, "Okay, there are still a few months, and it's over after a while." Although the sea is boring, the scenery and the animals in the sea are also interesting. ”

Occasionally, the official ship will also go down to the net, and in addition to the fish, there are other marine creatures, sea crabs, shrimp and shells, etc., and once a large conch was fished, the color is bright, and the eyebrows are very fond of it, and it is still placed in the room of her ship.

Although you can't get off the ship, the days at sea are quite interesting. After all, there are a lot of new things. But after a long time, there is endless water on all sides, and it is still irritating. Especially pregnant women.

After Yuan Ziqing comforted his eyebrows, he hurriedly left. He is a Qincha, and when he arrives on this island, he naturally has to line up the guard of honor to let these people of Dachu see the majesty of the royal family.

Mei Pan disembarked from the boat accompanied by other people and quickly merged into the flow of people. There were many people who came to watch the Qincha, and the dock was crowded. Thinking about it like this, she couldn't help but feel a little proud in her heart, after all, these people came to see her husband.

But when I think about it, no matter who the people are, as long as they have royal blood and represent the majesty of the royal family, these people will still come, and I feel bored.

is different from what Mei Pan thought, there are not only Da Chu people on this island, but also many foreigners who look and dress very strangely. After some inquiry, I learned that after the maritime chamber of commerce developed this island, many of those who do business with them will buy houses and land here, obviously to do business for a long time.

These foreign businessmen live here half of the year and return to China for the other half of the year, which can be regarded as leisurely.

Yuan Ziqing naturally wanted to meet with these merchant representatives, and when he heard that Yuan Ziqing was going to their country, everyone welcomed them, and even some of them were ready to go with the fleet. -- Anyway, after they have purchased enough goods, they have to send them back to their home countries. But they are not very large, at most a dozen boats. Sailing at sea is also risky, and it will be much safer to follow Da Chu's official ships.

Yuan Ziqing inquired with them a lot of news by the way, and came back in the evening to say fresh: "I heard that there are no unified big countries overseas, all of them are small countries the size of our state, and they are both married and at war with each other, and the relationship is very complicated. And women also have inheritance rights, so occasionally a queen will appear. And even if the daughter marries, the child still has the right to inherit. So occasionally there will be cases where the prince of this country cannot inherit his own country, and then goes to inherit his mother's country. It's breathtaking! ”

"Women also have the right to inherit?" Mei Pan is most interested in this, "Do they also participate in politics like men?" ”

"Yes. And their king will knight them. Yuan Ziqing nodded.

He asked, "Is there a country where women are inferior to men?" ”

Yuan Ziqing shook his head and smiled, "I've never heard of this." I don't think so. He raised his hand and nodded the tip of his nose on the side of his eyebrows, "What are you asking for?" ”

"Oh...... I'm just curious, if there really is such a country, if we go, should I come forward to deal with them? He smiled narrowly, "The husband will deal with the gentlemen who are sitting at home and have nothing to do." ”

"Well, that's the idea. It seems that I shouldn't have stopped the ladies from coming, I should have let you feel the feeling. "Yuanzi Qingdao.

After laughing for a while, Yuan Ziqing saw that her eyebrows were tired, so she went to sleep.

On the second day, the fleet continued to set sail, this time with a very definite goal, which was to occupy the city.

By this time, Mei Pan found that the thick clothes he had brought before were no longer usable, because the farther south he went, the hotter it became. It was already late summer and early autumn when they went out to sea, but after walking so far, the weather became hotter and hotter. Although the sea is windy and the water vapor is heavy, it is still hot every day, and everyone is sweating.

The weather is hot, and the eyebrows are a little lazy and can't get up, unwilling to go out of the house, and these days there is no meaning to even start writing, and the sleepy appearance makes Yuan Ziqing very worried. To make matters worse, her appetite has even dropped dramatically, and she refuses to touch her daily meals after one or two bites.

Qu Kuan has come to see it, but there is no better way, just let people cook in a different way. It's just that the conditions on the boat are limited, and the ingredients are just a few things, the fish is fresh, and I can't eat it on the side of the eyebrows, and I almost want to gag when I smell a little fishy.

After a period of time, the whole person has lost a lot of weight.

While Yuan Ziqing ordered the people to speed up the voyage, he also made a decision, when he arrived in Zhancheng, he stayed there and waited until Meibian to give birth.