King Quang Binh's ship was still walking unhurriedly on the canal. Zhao Xiu had nothing to do during the day, except for practicing calligraphy and painting, he began to spend his time translating some English books.

She was the first to translate maps. She took a large piece of stiff white paper, traced a shallow bottom on it according to the atlases sent by Little Wells, and then made some corrections according to the map of the world she remembered. The final map is almost as good as the maps of later generations. She didn't dare to do exactly the same, for fear of making people wonder where she knew about it. Wherever she has been revised, she can find a little evidence, as if she made a little "reasonable imagination" under the description of foreign map editions and books.

When she finished drawing the map, she marked the names of countries and places in Chinese, including oceans, straits, islands, cities, and ports. The map was three feet square, and she used a pen of Western ink, and the characters were very small, and they were all written clearly.

Zhang Shi looked at the map, only to feel dazzled, and exclaimed: "How did you come up with the idea of drawing this?" I didn't say that she was doing useless work, but the thoughts were different from hers: "This picture should be dedicated to the imperial court." It can probably come in handy in the army. When the time comes, let the capable people in the army draw a detailed map of the northeast and northwest areas, maybe it can help the border army a lot. "She is the wife of a general, and the first thing that comes to mind is this, as for those places in the West, the South Seas, etc., they are all idle for her, only sigh a few sentences, and there will be no follow-up.

Gao Zhen had a different opinion when he saw it, and his eyes were surprised and happy: "Sister Zhao is really extraordinary!" With this map. If the imperial court wants to send people to the sea, it will not be blind. Is this a synthesis of the atlas presented by the Wells family by my sister? I'm going to tell my father! ”

King Guangping's eyes are still medicated, and his vision has not yet been restored. But that didn't prevent him from imagining what the map would look like according to his son's description. He was also very pleased, and praised Zhao Xiu again and again: "Sister Xiu has made a great contribution this time!" ”

Zhao Xiu was praised and blushed a little, and hurriedly said: "I just drew such a picture according to those old maps, and I also revised it many times during the period, until I felt that I could see people." before you dare to take it out. I didn't expect to be so praised by the prince. I don't dare to say that there is any credit, if this picture can really be used by the court, it will be my creation. Grandfather in the spirit of heaven. will also be happy for me, and feel that I have not insulted the lintel of the Zhao family. ”

King Guangping smiled and nodded: "Zhao Jungong will definitely be happy." Then he said to Gao Zhen: "Go find someone who is good at drawing maps, draw a larger one according to this map, and go to the capital." Just dedicated to the emperor. I know that the emperor has long been interested in opening up foreign trade. asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to open up the Nanyang Trade Road, but was always persuaded back by the Sixth Ministry. According to what you said, this map clearly depicts all the major islands in the South Seas, and there are all kinds of shipping routes and ports, which can help the emperor. ”

Gao Zhen said: "Father, I'll paint it." It's useless to call someone who is good at drawing maps these days. Sister Zhao's map is not the same as the map we usually use, much clearer and clearer than what they draw. If you ask them to draw. I'm afraid that I will draw the map poorly. ”

Zhao Xiu glanced at him in surprise, thinking about the ancient maps he had seen. I felt the same way, so I didn't say anything. In fact, there are many rather abstract maps in those Western atlases, but there are still two or three that are very accurate, which are close to the standards of later generations. If it weren't for these maps, she might not have been able to draw such a map of the world with her memories of more than ten years ago.

King Guangping didn't look at the map, but Gao Zhen said so, it would not be untargeted, so he followed his son's wishes, but at the same time, he also asked someone who was good at drawing maps to draw another backup, just in case. Gao Zhen didn't care, but said to Zhao Xiu with a smile: "When I return to the capital and dedicate the map to the emperor, Sister Zhao's credit will be even greater, plus the good name during the disaster relief, which girl in the capital can compare with Sister Zhao?" ”

Zhao Xiu smiled: "Who wants to compare this with others?" She said to the king of Guangping: "If the emperor is more concerned about the situation in Nanyang, it just so happens that I also have a few missionary diaries and notes in my hand, and I don't know how little Wells got them." Many of these missionaries had been to Nanyang, but there were records of this, so I translated them into the language of my country and presented them to the emperor. What does the prince think? They also have some small dictionaries that I can copy, but unfortunately I don't have much time to make a complete Chinese-English dictionary, otherwise it will be much easier for others to look at it. I don't know if there is a good translation between Korea and China? If I can find one or two capable helpers when I return to the capital, my speed will be much faster. ”

King Guangping was surprised: "Of course it would be better." There is no need to be in a hurry to do this, first make a small booklet and let the emperor read it, and he will ask the Ministry of Rites to follow up. You're still a little girl, you don't have to work so hard. ”

Zhao Xiu smiled: "I can't say I'm tired, and I won't forget to sleep and eat, I just think that this is within my ability, so I want to do my part." "Thinking about her traversing, she didn't do anything great, if she could compile a large Chinese-English dictionary, translate some literary works, etc., it can be regarded as a disguised history to leave a name, right? Thinking about it this way, she was quite excited.

She really doesn't need to be in a hurry, this is a big project, it will take at least ten or eight years, or even twenty or thirty years of hard work, she just takes her time.

If she got the King of Guangping, she handed over the map, and she tossed it up with Gao Zhen, anyway, she still had the draft here. Now she is dedicated to sorting out the small dictionaries compiled by those missionaries, and rummaging through their notebooks, looking for records related to the voyage in the South Seas, what politics, military, economic and people's livelihood, customs, weather changes, etc., all translated into vernacular Chinese, which is more straightforward and easy to understand, and will not cause any misunderstanding.

This work is also a big project, and she even stopped her daily calligraphy and painting practice for the time being. Zhang was still a little whispered at first, but when she heard her say that it was an important matter ordered by the king of Guangping, he didn't say much, but persuaded her to pay more attention to rest, don't get tired of her body, and every time she docked, she also ordered someone to buy some nutritious food to nourish her.

Zhao Xiu was so busy that he left everything else behind. Suddenly, one day when I docked at a small port. Liu Lu whispered to her: "The prince asked me to sue the girl, and the person found it." She was stunned for a moment before she reacted.

Gao Zhen has found Niu's.

Actually found it? Put it this way. Niu didn't die? She was so sick that she couldn't even walk, and she was left by her grandson in a foreign land where she was unfamiliar, and she could still live until now? What a scourge for thousands of years!

Zhao Xiu put down the pen in his hand, got up to wash his hands, and then turned around and went downstairs. Gao Zhen was sitting in the open hall waiting for her, and when he saw her coming, he stood up and smiled: "There is already news." I didn't think she was still alive. ”

It seems that Gao Zhen also feels the same way as her. Niu's is so hard!

Zhao Xiu asked him, "Where is she now?" What do you do for a living? ”

Gao Zhen said: "Our party has a different identity, and whenever we dock on the canal, we will definitely alarm the local government." The pier area will also be cleared for us. I remember you mentioned that Zhao Yan had left his grandmother on the dock, and he was afraid that when the government cleared the scene, he would also clear her away. So he sent someone to find out the news two days in advance. It didn't take long to find out. She was indeed begging on the docks in this area, but now she had been driven away and was forcibly carried away by others. ”

Turned into a beggar? Zhao Xiu suddenly felt very relieved in her heart: "She also has today!" ”

Gao Zhen smiled: "She wasn't that miserable originally. The county officials here were originally from the capital, and the year before last, after the Shuji Shi was disbanded, he was entrusted with the post of county commander here, and he was released. He built a local almshouse to take in the widowed and lonely poor and beggars. Niu was thrown on the dock at the beginning, crying and scolding his grandson for his unfilial piety, and the servants saw him. So he carried her to the almshouse. Although life is not richer than before, it can also get food and clothing. She would have been quite honest. Help take care of the orphans in the almshouse, and sometimes guide the little girl and daughter-in-law to needlework. But last year, our fleet passed here, and she heard that Jiannanhou was on the ship of King Guangping, and also stopped here, so she shouted, saying that she was a person from Jiannanhou's mansion, and Jiannanhou also called her an uncle, she was greatly wronged, and asked Jiannanhou to be the master for her, and took her back to take care of her. ”

Zhao Xiu never expected that when he passed by here last year, there was already such a story, and he hurriedly asked: "What happened then?" Someone else believed her words? ”

Gao Zhen shook his head: "Which one believes her?" Others will only think that if she is really the one who built the Nanhou Mansion, how can she be reduced to the point of begging on the dock? The ambassador of the sanatorium was afraid that she would shout indiscriminately and make a big fuss, and alarm Wang Jia, and he would ask the county magistrate to blame him for not taking good care of the people in the house, so he ordered someone to gag her mouth and lock her in the room and not be allowed to come out. However, he was also worried that this matter was true and would offend the Hou Mansion, so he quietly reported it to the county magistrate. The county magistrate went over overnight to ask her identity, but she didn't dare to say it clearly, but she was a relative of the Zhao clan, and she originally returned to her hometown from the capital to spend her days, but she didn't expect her grandson to be unfilial, so she left her halfway and ran away. She will cry out for injustice, and want to invite the most prominent Jiannan Marquis in the clan to make decisions for her, the uncle. ”

Zhao Xiu heard it and said: "Zhao Yan is not a good thing, and she is not wronged!" You actually have the face to call my brother to call the shots? What kind of aunt is she? ”

Gao Zhen said with a smile: "The county order is not stupid, seeing that she refuses to explain her identity, and she refuses to even mention her husband's name, I know that there is a hidden secret." So he went and asked the rest of the house. Niu spent her days in the hospital, and she would show a little arrogance in her spare time, telling acquaintances how prominent her identity was. One of the old women remembered it in his heart, so he sued the county order, and the Niu family once told people that her husband used to be a marquis, but he was framed later and lost his title. is not only a member of the Marquis Mansion of Jiannan, but also a marquis, who else has lost his title, except for Zhao Jiong? This county order came out of the capital, so naturally I have heard rumors and know that she is the mother of the rebels, where will I believe her? I didn't report it at all. When the fleet left the next day, Niu knew that there was no chance, so she began to cry and make a fuss, and every day she had no peace, clamoring for someone to take her to meet her nephew. The others were annoyed by her quarrel and ignored her, and until this spring, the whole people in the nursing home couldn't stand her, and simply threw her back to the dock, leaving her to fend for herself. That's why she begs on the docks. ”

If you don't do it, you won't die. Niu's person is the kind of person who has a good life but has to seek death.

Zhao Xiu snorted coldly and said to Gao Zhen: "That's it, now that I know her whereabouts, I don't have to go to see her, so that she won't recognize me and make a lot of noise." It's not good to be noisy with me, and it's not good to disturb other irrelevant passers-by. Let her continue to live happily as a beggar. ”

"Who begs?" Zhang's voice came from behind, Zhao Xiu froze, turned around, and saw Zhang standing by the door of the open hall, looking over with a puzzled expression. (To be continued......)