Chapter 105 The Storm and Storm Are Turbulent

The weather is getting colder and colder, and standing on top of the mast, the wind blows even the two-layer cotton clothes can't resist it.

"Sizzle!"

Hu You sniffed hard, three days ago, he had a little cold, even so, as the captain of the "Gan Ying", he still had to set an example and climb the mast to look into the distance.

Although he is not a formal righteous boy, he is not much different from a righteous boy. Since his grandfather Hu Ke arrived on the hanging island, his body and bones have become stronger and stronger, he can eat half a catty of meat at every meal, and his voice is as loud as a bell.

His cousin Hu Yichen has now taken over Hu Ke's position as the chief shipbuilder of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, and Hu Ke has become a consultant. This made Hu You feel worry-free, and he could finally sail the seas. Grandfather not only did not dissuade, but strongly agreed, he built a boat all his life, and also dreamed of being able to sail overseas on the big ship he built, and now it is impossible to realize it because of old age, but it is also a comfort that his grandson can realize his dream.

These sea boys originally had a kind of adventurous blood from their bones.

"Captain, can you see something?"

Duncan Polo asked as he craned his neck and tilted his head on the deck.

"It's business as usual." Hu You replied with some frustration.

After they set sail from the Wa Kingdom, they sailed all the way into the ocean, and although they saw several small islands along the way, they were all uninhabited, and only used the rain to replenish the fresh water on the ship. To this day, he has been floating on the ship for two full months, but there is still no sign of landing. Although the ship was well prepared, more than a dozen sailors or escorts had died of illness in the past two months, which was a great blow to the ship's morale. With the help of the sextant positioning, Hu You estimated that the fleet had traveled to about 38 degrees north latitude and 122 degrees east longitude, which should not be far from the land marked by Zhao and Ju on the globe. Since the day before yesterday, he had taken the opportunity of the fine weather to climb up the mast and look into the distance, but all he had been disappointed in the past three days.

"Naturally, there is no mistake in the official's map......

Although in the eyes of ordinary people, the saying that the earth is a round ball is still extremely absurd, but for these men on the sea, this point is more acceptable, if the earth is not round, why look at it with a clairing mirror, always see the tip of the other pair of masts first, and then see the ship? However, after this long and arduous voyage, the people inevitably began to wonder whether the globe, which was regarded as a treasure by the captains and navigators of the ships, was right or wrong.

Qiu Shuang also frowned, and in order to prevent the sailors from getting sick, they prepared a large number of dried citrus and dried carrots, which were still imported from Persia and planted in large quantities in fresh water only a year ago (Note 1), and at the same time, each ship used wooden pots to hold soil, planted celery, and was tended to by a special person (Note 2). In the intervening months, no one had scurvy, but the morale of the sailors was still low, and there were already clamors of returning home.

If this goes on for a long time, I am afraid that the sailors will mutiny-after being cramped on the ship for a long time, the sailors are now all impetuous, and they are righteous boys, and they are also a little panicked at this time.

While he was thinking about it, he heard someone shouting outside, and then a righteous young man rushed into the cabin: "Qiu Yizheng, it's not good, there's a commotion outside!" ”

Qiu Shuang's heart tightened, he was worried about something, but something happened!

He was on the "Ban Chao", the captain was Deng Zhen, this person had been Lin Xi's deputy for a long time, and he was virtuous but not powerful among the sailors, so these sailors made trouble, and he couldn't hold it down alone, so he sent someone to inform Qiu Shuang. Walking on the boat for a long time, Qiu Shuang is adjacent to ten Langzhong, measuring the pulse and temperature every day, and winning the respect of sailors. But when Qiu Shuang came out, he found that the sailors who had been making a mess had quieted down, and there were two people rolling on the ground, and a man with a full face was standing next to them.

Qiu Shuang recognized that this man's name was Ouyang Yingfeng, who was originally a pirate, a person received by Huo Chongcheng, and now he is a boatswain in the fleet.

"If there is someone who can beat Lao Tzu, don't say that he goes back to Tamsui, it is heaven and earth, and Lao Tzu also thinks for him!"

Ouyang Yingfeng yelled at the gang of sailors: "Lao Tzu was a pirate at the beginning, floating on the sea for three or five months is a perennial thing, and after only two months, he shouted and turned back, you touch the crotch of your pants and the work is still not there, how can you only think about home like a girl!" ”

"You've really been at sea for three or five months?" Someone asked in disbelief.

"Have you ever heard Lao Tzu brag about cowhide? Being a pirate is not a glorious job, does Lao Tzu need to brag? Ouyang Yingfeng pointed to the supply ship "Fa Xian" in the distance, and said: "Besides, although there is no shortage of fresh water on our ship, is it possible to support this sea for two more months and go back?" We have been on a smooth journey for two months, and who knows how long it will take to go against the wind? ”

"This man has sharp teeth." Qiu Feng said in his heart, and when he saw a righteous boy beside him, he asked in a low voice, "Why is this?" ”

The two took the lead and shouted for the captain to turn the rudder and sail back, but they were knocked out by Ouyang Yingfeng with a punch. The young man said with some admiration: "This pirate is silent on weekdays, but he does things neatly, and he started to do things neatly. ”

Qiu Shuang looked at the sailors around him, and couldn't help but secretly thank Ouyang Yingfeng in his heart, if he hadn't made a quick decision, captured the thief and captured the king first, and knocked the two leaders to the ground first, I was afraid that half of these sailors would be coerced.

"Everyone came to this ship, they originally risked their lives, there are wives and children at home, and there are also their own island owners who will take care of them, and those who have no relatives are just like me Ouyang Yingfeng, but I am just a single person, taking the risk to follow this boat, it is nothing more than to earn a future!" Ouyang Yingfeng smiled again: "Think about it, if you slip back like this, you will return to Liuqiu alive, what do others think of us!" ”

These sailors made trouble, which was originally instigated by others, but now the leaders have fainted on the deck, and the rest of the people have no leader, so naturally they can't make trouble. Ouyang Yingfeng saw that all the sailors had the intention of dispersing, and shouted: "All of them are scattered, and we have enough spirits, and it won't be long before we can see the landing!" ”

Everyone dispersed, and Deng Zhen called for people to tie up the two guys who were the leaders, and tied them to the bow of the boat, which could be regarded as hanging for public display. The two of them were awakened by the sea, shivering in the wind, but their mouths were blocked by wooden chews, and they could only whine.

Qiu Shuang sent a young man to quietly call Ouyang Yingfeng into his cabin, and after inviting him to sit down, he smiled and said, "You have done a great job today, and after returning to Tamsui, I will talk about this matter to my master." ”

Ouyang Yingfeng's spirits perked, he is a knowledgeable person, in Tamsui for a few years, he has long seen that the island owner's ambitions are not small, and now his own name can enter the ears of the island owner, and he is talking about a trusted island owner disciple like Qiu Shuang, so it is not in vain that he has just come out.

"Thank you Deputy Governor, villains are used to mixing among pirates, so I know the thoughts of those people, and I don't deserve the praise of the Deputy Governor."

"There's one thing I don't know, but you've really been at sea for five or six months?" Qiu Shuang asked.

"That's bluffing them, they don't have a backbone at this time, let's say whatever we want." Ouyang Yingfeng said with a smile.

"Sure enough......" Qiu Shuang was about to speak again, when he suddenly heard another violent noise on the boat, those sailors seemed to be making trouble again, Ouyang Yingfeng also heard the change of color, he just stopped those sailors, it was to take advantage of the surprise, if it started again, he was afraid that he would be helpless!

The two hurriedly got out of the cabin, and only then did they get to the door, a righteous young man rushed over and hugged Qiu Shuang: "Brother Fengqing, land, land!" ”

After two months and sixty days of wandering, they finally saw land. (Note 3)

The place they saw, in the era when Zhao and Ju crossed over, was called "San Francisco", and the famous Golden Gate Bridge naturally did not exist at this time.

Duncan jumped up and down on the mast, roaring, beating his chest with his hand, while Hu You, next to him, was a little dejected in joy.

It is often so coincidental that Hu You, who has been staring at the east every day for the past few days, did not notice that the land was close in front of him, and Duncan climbed the mast hand, and soon saw the clouds in the sky, and the seabirds flying between the clouds—which meant that they were not far from the land.

"You've taken advantage of me!" Hu You couldn't help but complain.

"What I saw, I saw first, you are unlucky, don't blame me!" Duncan is still crazy, Yang Miaozhen made a promise before they traveled, first discover the land painted by Zhao and Ju, the people can get a hundred miles of land as respect, listen to Duncan's heart, is to canonize the title, he thought that if he returned to Europa, back to Venice, he would be called the nobles from the East who owned the hundred miles of fiefdom Lord Duncan, he couldn't help but boil his blood.

"Don't jump, beware of joy and sorrow, jump off the mast!" Hu You couldn't help but speak coldly.

As soon as they found land, they notified the other three ships with flags, so that the entire fleet of ships on the voyage was extremely excited.

After the excitement, Duncan picked up the clairvoyant mirror again, stared straight ahead, and did not move for several hours. Hu You was too lazy to talk to him, so he went down the mast by himself, and he didn't call him when it was time for lunch, and Duncan was so hungry that he came down from the mast.

According to the time of the Great Song Dynasty, it was the Renzi Day of October in the 14th winter of Jiading of the Great Song Dynasty, and in Western Yuan, it was December 17, 1221. In the evening of the same day, at seventeen:05 a.m. in a quarter of an hour, the guns of the four ships fired in unison, and the two sampans led them into a certain harbor in what would become San Francisco.

Upon setting foot on the field, almost all of the sailors suffered from motion sickness, but joy allowed them to overcome the discomfort quickly. A stone tablet that had been prepared for a long time was hoisted from the "Fa Xian" to the sampan and sent to land, on this marble slab with a height of 1.8 meters, a width of 1.2 meters, and a thickness of 0.2 meters, the following words were inscribed on the front:

"The Great Song Dynasty Zhao and Ju and the people of Dongshengzhou made a covenant, and listened to the rest of the words: (Note 4) Crossing the sea, thousands of miles of danger and hardship, not for selfish desires, but for the destiny of heaven. From the side, flesh and blood are connected, and you are diligent. The virtue of Yao Shun, the sage of Confucius and Mencius, all together, do not be suspicious. ”

When the inscription was erected, the ship fired cannons, and the resulting explosion was resounded.

Except for a few people who stayed on the ship, almost everyone was drunk that night, and even Qiu Shuang, who had always drunk very little, made an exception and drank half a catty of spirits.

The next day, everyone got up very late, and when Qiu Shuang woke up, it was ten o'clock in the morning, and the weather was extremely sunny, he looked for Lin Xi, and asked with a smile: "Brother Mengchu, you woke up early." ”

"Far away in the wilderness, don't dare not be cautious, you all drank too much yesterday, but I didn't drink a few glasses!"

Lin Xi is over thirty years old, and he is much calmer than when he met him on the Hanging Island at the beginning. He smiled and said, "Didn't you say that there are natives on this island, if the natives are fierce and attack at night, I'm afraid we won't be able to please us." ”

"There are natives on the island, but my master said that the natives here have no country or borders, and they are simple and friendly by nature (Note 5)." Qiu Shuang smiled: "If it weren't for that, I wouldn't dare to drink more." ”

"Your master ......" Thinking of that unfathomable young man, Lin Xi felt admiration, the globe, he originally didn't believe it, but now it seems that the master is really knowledgeable about astronomy and geography.

"Gather the captains of the ships together and consider what to do." Hiding his awe of Zhao and Ju in his heart, Lin Xi said to Qiu Shuang: "Let's rest here for some time before we go south, according to the strategy of the officials, we have to go south for thousands of miles!" ”

Qiu Shuang also restrained his smile, although they did not meet the natives where they landed, but with the increase of the exploration area, they will have to deal with the natives sooner or later, even so, they must first prepare discipline, especially adultery, there must be no fornication. It is very normal for these men who have been at sea for a long time to want women, but if they make a war with the natives because of this, it will be inappropriate to violate the official's inscription "flesh and blood are connected".

Among the people who were summoned, there was also Ouyang Yingfeng, because he was quite wise and brave in stopping the sailors from mutiny, so Qiu Shuang talked to Lin Xi and promoted him to the deputy of the Ban Chao to help Deng Zhen.

They are all resolute people, and there is no mother-in-law or mother-in-law, so they immediately set a charter, and whoever kills indiscriminately or rapes the natives will be killed without mercy. If you want a woman, you must be willing to do it with the natives, and report to the captain for confirmation. At this order, the sailors did not object, after all, not even a single native figure has been seen, and it is really impossible to oppose the chiefs and leaders for this.

Then, taking the place where the ship was moored, they began to cut down the wood and earth and build a temporary fortress. Although Zhao Youju said that the natives here are not cruel, everyone still thinks that having a dock fort to protect them is to sleep more soundly than not having a dock fort to protect them. At the same time as the camp was temporarily docked, they sent three expeditions, each with 100 men, fully armed, carrying compasses and other necessary things, and began to march inland to look for traces of the natives.

Note 1: Baidu Encyclopedia says that carrots were introduced to China from Iran in the 13th century.

Note 2: The neighbor's grandmother used discarded car tires to hold soil and planted flowers and vegetables on the roof of the building, and the growth was very gratifying.

Note 3: I have not found out whether this section of the North Pacific will take two months, but in Verne's "Around the World in Eighty Days", it took 22 days by steamship from Yokohama, Japan to San Francisco. Fawcett, the famous explorer and billionaire, sailed from Yokohama to San Francisco on a solo sailboat in 16 days, 17 hours and 21 minutes.

Note 4: This sentence comes from "Tang Oath", and the word "I" is changed to "Yu".

Note 5: The evaluation of the Indians on the west coast of North America is from the diary of Captain Cook, a famous navigator during the Age of Discovery.