On the calm sea, most of the time Liu Ming felt that the boat did not move, as if it had just stopped quietly on the boundless water. Presumably because, there are few obvious references around, and the nearby ships also maintain almost the same speed, which looks more like stationary.

Only by paying attention to the puffed sails above the deck, or by looking closely at the water, can one feel that the ship is moving forward.

This is all the senses of the layman, in fact, the soldiers on the ship can still estimate the speed, even if the treasure ship seems to be moving.

Liu Ming also probably learned something, the method is to release a buoy from the boat, let the buoy continue to drag out the long rope from the stern, and then use the hourglass to measure, you can calculate the length of the rope dragged out by sailing for a period of time.

At present, the speed of the fleet is also measured, and it is maintained at a speed of about 110,000 feet per hour. However, the direction of the formation is not a straight line.

Once the sails of the treasure ship are raised, they will still be slower than other ships. So Liu Ming could see that every once in a while, the soldiers and sailors would maneuver the long oars to increase the speed of the treasure ship in order to maintain a distance from the surrounding ships.

The long oars of the Great Treasure Boat are located on both sides and the stern, and when the sailor is maneuvering, the tail end of the oar moves like a propeller, which is much faster than rowing with ordinary wood pulp. These structures are all mechanisms that people have invented over a long period of experience.

In addition, there is a tool for measuring the distance between ships on the command building, and the height of the stern tower of nearby ships can be observed by a mechanism, and the distance can be roughly estimated. Then, using the method created by the Ming Emperor Zhu Gaoxu, the distance can be more accurately calculated by measuring the position angle and the distance of the ship in a certain direction.

Liu Ming has experienced several changes in his feelings for more than a month.

The initial amazement and novelty are long gone, and I get tired of watching the scene that almost never changes every day. Later, he experienced the torment of boredom, and even hallucinated on sunny days, thinking more than he usually did. However, as the days passed, the ship's supplies were sufficient and smooth as usual, and Liu Ming gradually began to get used to it again, and regained his calm and indifference......

At the end of June, the weather changed somewhat, and when Liu Ming returned to the bedroom before nightfall, he obviously felt that the hull of the ship had a big undulation. However, the generals on the ship told him not to worry, and with many days of experience, Liu Ming was very confident in the sturdiness and stability of the treasure ship. He went to bed in peace.

What's more, according to the report of the army, the fleet has been located between Guangzhou and Fujian recently, and everyone is still within the border of the Ming Dynasty, which will also make people feel inexplicably relieved.

Liu Ming was in bed and was woken up by rolling his body. He opened his eyes in a daze, and suddenly saw that the world was spinning around him! A lantern hanging from the roof of the cabin flickered and flickered, as if it would go out at any moment.

Liu Ming was startled, quickly sat up from the bed, and then put on his shoes.

At this moment, a sergeant opened the door, leaned on the door panel, and clenched his fist at Liu Ming in a strange posture. Liu Ming asked, "What happened?" ”

The sergeant said: "The fleet has encountered a big storm, and the sails of all the ships have fallen, so Liu Yuanjun does not need to worry too much. ”

Liu Ming looked for the surrounding borrowing place and said, "The officer will go to the command building to have a look." ”

The sergeant persuaded: "Liu Yuanjun had better not go out, there is a pillar there, let's just hold on and wait." ”

Liu Ming could no longer stand firmly, so he agreed with the sergeant's method and climbed to the side of the wooden pillar in an embarrassed posture. The sergeant had obviously been on the sea more than once, and his figure was very nimble, and he staggered like a monkey, and quickly reached the place where the lantern was hung, and reached out to lift the lampshade, and the light inside was immediately blown out by the strong wind.

There was darkness all around.

The sergeant's voice just now came: "I'm afraid that the lantern will fall and catch fire." ”

Liu Ming answered, hugged the pillar beside him tightly, and had nowhere to go.

The ups and downs of the hull were so big that Liu Ming could barely stand firm holding on to the pillar, so he had to sit on the floor. Suddenly, he felt his body light, and his whole body seemed to float out, and he hurriedly grabbed the wooden pillar.

Then the whole ship seemed to make a loud noise, and there was a clanging sound around it, and the mixed West seemed to be crashing in all directions.

There was a loud bang, Liu Ming was shocked, and he felt that the hull seemed to fall from the air to the ground! In the midst of the great noise, he seemed to faintly hear the sound of wood breaking.

A sense of fear, which was only then realized, shrouded Liu Ming's heart, as if a chill arose in the heart of his feet.

"Liu Yuanjun! Liu Yuanjun ......" the sergeant's worried voice shouted loudly.

Liu Ming came back to his senses after a while and replied, "I'm here, brother, are you okay?" ”

In the darkness, the sergeant let out a long sigh. Only then did Liu Ming feel that his body had been splashed with seawater, no wonder he felt the coolness just now.

The waves don't stop, and they're going to come again in a while. The wind was howling, almost making it impossible to breathe, and sometimes Liu Ming couldn't hear the shouts of the sergeants in the cabin.

The terrible thing caught people off guard, and Liu Ming realized that he and the whole boat were like death row prisoners on the execution ground, and could only wait for the verdict of fate. He couldn't do anything but hug the wooden pillar next to him like a drowning man, clutching at a life-saving straw.

The wind and waves were too great, and the huge treasure ship was also in the middle of the wind and rain. Occasionally, Liu Ming felt that death was imminent, but he retained a trace of luck in his heart.

I don't know how long it took, but the wind suddenly stopped, and the undulations of the hull gradually flattened. Cries for help and cries could be heard outside.

Liu Ming exhaled a long breath and sighed: "It's just a time to be closed from the ghost gate!" ”

He slowly felt his way to the hatch and walked out, and the faint light outside finally allowed him to see the environment clearly. He hurriedly walked to the wooden staircase, and at this time a military general recognized Liu Ming and shouted: "Liu Yuanjun, Commander Tang is not above, he is in the helm tower below." ”

So Liu Ming turned around and walked downstairs. The rudder tower was full of people coming and going, and Tang Jing's voice soon came: "Don't rush to the medical building, tie the injured people to the pillars and railings!" ”

Liu Ming followed the voice and walked over. Tang Jing also found Liu Ming, but he didn't do anything, just looked at Liu Ming and nodded.

"Send someone up and tell the command tower to light the glass lamp, and beat the drum to warn you not to let other ships accidentally bump into it." Tang Jing pointed at a sergeant and shouted.

"Order!" The sergeant clenched his fists in response, turned around and ran out.

Tang Jing's palm kept grasping the rudder, and he didn't mean to leave half a step. Why didn't he go to the command building? It stands to reason that there should be someone at the helm on board, and the commander should preside over the bureau in the command building. Liu Ming didn't know the reason, but seeing that Tang Jing couldn't pull away, he didn't ask much.

Liu Ming looked at Tang Jing's face, and only felt that this military general suddenly became very unfamiliar at this time.

Tang Jing is a dark-skinned, strong man, sometimes with cynical banter, sometimes unattractive, sometimes bold and happy. But at this moment, Tang Jing's face was very serious and focused, and the vertical lines between his eyebrows were clearly visible.

His eyes were bright, as if there was some sorrow, but there was absolutely no fear. After Tang Jing gave the order, he was staring at the dark sea outside the helm tower and pondering. He doesn't look like a martial artist anymore, but more like a minister who wants to borrow the scenery to be lyrical and full of strategy.

Liu Ming approached and stood next to the rudder, he didn't say anything to disturb Tang Jing, just followed Tang Jing's gaze and watched the scene outside. But there was hardly anything to be seen outside, the light was very dim, and there was no moon in the sky, not even half a star.

After a while, Liu Ming's eyes adjusted and he was able to see the nearby sea clearly. The waves were not big anymore, and the surface of the sea, with its countless folds, looked black, as if the sea was filled with ink. The dense waves make people feel an inexplicable sense of fear, and the dark and hideous things seem to have tumbled up from hell.

"The ship has turned around, and now we're drifting north." Tang Jing took the initiative.

Liu Ming's heartbeat was still fast, but seeing that the wind and waves had decreased, all that was left was fear. He turned his head and said, "Isn't the fleet going south?" ”

Tang Jing said: "The wind is blowing northward, and the prodigal son is also moving northward. Now that the sails have been lowered, the treasure ship can only drift with the wind. Drift in the direction of the wind and waves, let the rudder in the back, in order to turn faster. ”

He also gestured and tried to explain how the stern controlled the hull turn, but it was not clear. However, Liu Ming is very sensitive to the "truth", and he understands it at once, maybe it's like a lever.

"It's really rare to see such a big storm, and we're not very lucky." Tang Jing said again.

Liu Ming sighed with relief: "Fortunately, there is no danger." ”

"Who's?" Tang Jing was surprised.

Liu Ming was even more surprised and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

"Eye of the Storm." Tang Jing said coldly.

He turned his head and glanced at Liu Ming, and then said, "If you are not mistaken, we are currently in the middle of the storm, so let the wind prevail for the time being." To finish through the storm zone, you have to go through a gust of wind and waves. ”

Liu Ming froze in place and was speechless.

Tang Jing said calmly: "The next thing is the most dangerous, the hull may have suffered some damage, and inexperienced people will take it lightly due to lack of preparation." Most of the ships survived the first big wave and died in the last waves! ”

"What about the other ships?" Liu Ming asked.

Tang Jing said: "I don't know, it may be nearby, or it may be part of it lost." The formation is not important at the moment, so don't let the ship capsize and pass the wind and waves. ”

Liu Ming stared at the sea outside, and the heart he had just put down was raised to his throat again. The rapidly undulating black folds, although ugly, look so calm and even, that it is difficult to imagine where and when the danger is hidden.