After solving the problem of the Li family, I still have a lot of things to deal with next. Among them, the most important is to find the fifth son of the second uncle, Zhang Yunxiu and * Zhang Youxi.

When the second uncle was still alive, he once asked me to take these two children away. I was in such a hurry that I didn't have the time or opportunity to find and take them away. Now that I have the opportunity, I can't just let it go.

The last time he sent a letter to Yu Shenxing, he had already said that the two young sons of the Zhang family still lived in the old courtyard of the Zhang family. In this life, the second uncle and ancestor have not been liquidated as in history, so the corresponding treatment is retained.

During the day the next day, I listened to a report from the agent in charge of Ming business. Transferring the business to them at the beginning was equivalent to putting on a vest, but in fact, it was a change of soup and not a change of medicine.

In the past few months, due to the impact of the general environment, the business volume has declined as a whole, but it still remains in an acceptable range, because our raw material prices are low and the profits are all on labor.

In terms of jewelry processing, that Holmes has long been sent away, and the current craftsmen are all trained by our own family, with high loyalty, easy command, low cost, and very easy to use.

So I set the tone for them – stability first, profit secondary. The person in charge here immediately responded.

I summoned Mo again and asked him to continue to spread the intelligence system on the side of the Ming Dynasty, and the current environment is much more relaxed than before. Mo also agreed.

When it was time to see it in the evening, I ate casually, got into the carriage, walked through the streets and alleys, and went straight to Zhang's house.

The same scenery, the same lights, the same insects, but the same people. When I saw Zhang Yunxiu and Zhang Youxi in the back hall, I sighed in my heart.

Zhang Yunxiu was about twenty-one or two years old, born white and handsome, wearing a navy blue robe, and his waist was not filial piety. The eyebrows are quite like the second uncle's ancestor, but he is still very young in temperament, and he can't talk about the connotation of the city.

Zhang Youxi is a little girl of seventeen or eighteen years old, about the same age as I am in my current life, dressed in plain white with white flowers on her head. Although there is a vague pain and sorrow between his eyebrows, he still can't hide the youth and innocence of a child of this age.

I sat across from them, although Zhang Yunxiu was one or two years older than me, but facing them, I was completely an elder in every way.

Taking a sip of tea, I sighed and said, "Yun Xiu, Youxi, before the second uncle died, he once explained to me and asked me to take the two of you out of the Ming Dynasty. You all know this, right? ”

The two nodded together, and Zhang Yunxiu said: "My father once said that after he passed away, my sister and I will go with you." It's just that my health is not good, and after my father passed away, I fell ill and never returned to my hometown to keep filial piety to my father. My sister also stayed with me, alas, if we really want to leave, can we come back? ”

I put down my glass, smiled slightly, and said, "If you want to come back, you can come back at any time." Of course, if the environment doesn't allow it, what's the point of you coming back? ”

Zhang Youxi said: "What Qilan said is true! Before his death, his father also said that in his life, he had offended the literati of the world, and he was afraid that there would be chaos after he passed away! However, he also said that because Qilan reminded him many times that he had made arrangements, presumably the situation would not be too bad! Judging by the current situation......"

I followed: "As things stand, it's true that the situation hasn't gotten to the worst, but it's not optimistic. You should also see that the current momentum is either you destroy me, or I destroy you! Whoever loses will be ruined! When the second uncle asked me to take you away, I just wanted to leave an incense for the Zhang family, so you must have agreed! ”

Zhang Yunxiu nodded and said, "Since it is my father's arrangement, I naturally will not resist." It's just that I want to ask, where should we go after leaving the Ming Dynasty? ”

Zhang Youxi also said: "Qilan, are you in Dongying?" Seeing me nodding, she smiled and said, "It is said that the battle in Dongying is ten times more fierce than that of the Ming Dynasty, and it doesn't seem to be a good place to go there!" ”

I took another sip of tea and thought, "Actually, there are a few other places to go besides Dongying." ”

The two of them immediately raised their heads and looked at me with interest.

I stretched out my first finger and said, "If you want to be close to the Ming Dynasty, it's Goryeo over there." Although the conditions of Goryeo are average, the customs, culture and language are the same as those of the Ming Dynasty. Going there, on the one hand, the environment is familiar, and on the other hand, it is easy to come back. ”

The two of them nodded together and motioned for me to continue.

I stretched out my second finger and said softly, "Secondly, you can choose Nanyang." As he spoke, he asked the Nine Ghosts to spread out the navigation map he had brought with him.

Zhang Youxi looked at the patchwork of warp and latitude lines on the map, and exclaimed "wow": "What a delicate map!" Qilan, do you use this at sea? ”

I laughed and said, "Exactly! This is our nautical chart! ”

Zhang Yunxiu coughed twice and said with a smile: "Youxi has liked these charts and charts since he was a child, and often copies all kinds of mountains and rivers graphics, nothing like that!" When you go out with your family, wherever you go, you draw them all lifelike! Everyone says that Woo-hee's brushes are like engravings, and they are extremely accurate! ”

I sighed and looked up at Zhang Youxi again. This little girl with two dimples with a smile on her face still has such a big ability?

Zhang Youxi pointed to the Nanyang area on the map and smiled: "This is what you are talking about!" I heard that the eunuchs of the Three Treasures went to the West four times, and the most of them went here. There are the most Chinese here, and the language is also fluent, but the climate is too hot! I don't know if I can stand it! ”

After speaking, he stuck out his little tongue, which was very cute.

I smiled slightly and said softly, "Since you know the situation, it's better, you can think about it." ”

After speaking, I stretched out my third finger and said, "Actually, the place I want you to go to the most is the Western Ocean on the other side of the world!" ”

Zhang Youxi suddenly shouted: "Earth! Qilan, I didn't expect you to know this word! I also heard about it from a few Western missionaries! They say, "The earth on which we are is a round ball, and it keeps turning." However, it is said that in the West, this proposition has not been proven, and it is more regarded as a fallacy! ”

I nodded and smiled, "You know a lot!" In order to prove that the earth is round, Westerners have sent many fleets to make round-the-world voyages, and it is said that there have been successful cases. But ......"

Zhang Youxi asked, "But what? ”

I smiled and said, "However, the current world navigation charts have not yet been drawn, and there are still large areas of uncharted waters waiting to be explored!" It is said that some nobles in Europe specialized in this business, and they collected the navigators' navigation maps, paid money, and wanted to put together an accurate navigation map! ”

Zhang Youxi's face suddenly showed a fascinated expression, and after thinking about it for a long time, he suddenly asked me: "Qilan, you just said that you want us to go to the West the most!" You tell me why, and I'll talk about what I think! ”

I nodded and smiled: "My Ming Dynasty has always stood on top of the world, which has been the trend since the Han and Tang Dynasties, although there have been several twists and turns in the middle, but the overall strength is still the best in the world." However, over the years, the development of the West has also been very rapid, especially in machinery, navigation, and science, and the progress has been very rapid, and it has embarked on a completely different development path from the Ming Dynasty. Where I want you to go, I want you to see a fresher world and live a different life! ”

Without waiting for Zhang Yunxiu to speak, Zhang Youxi jumped up and said: "See a fresher world and live a different self!" Qilan, that's exactly what I want! ”

As she spoke, she jumped to her feet, pointed to the dark places on the chart, and said, "I want to go to the West!" Go learn their science and seamanship! One day, I'm going to take the fleet and find out all these dark places! Draw the most perfect map in the world! Qilan, do you think it's okay? ”

I looked at her and asked with a smile, "On the sea, there are storms and tsunamis!" When those disasters come, everyone is the only one who prays, just asking God not to take them away, are you afraid? ”

Zhang Youxi shouted: "Don't be afraid! ”

I turned my head to look at Zhang Yunxiu, Zhang Yunxiu's mouth obviously wanted to open into the shape of the word "afraid", but when the words came to his mouth, Zhang Youxi slapped him on the shoulder, he screamed "ah", then rubbed his shoulder, glared at Zhang Youxi and said: "If you are not afraid, you are not afraid, what are you doing beating people?" ”

Zhang Youxi ignored him, just looked at me with burning eyes.

I asked, "There is no law at sea!" The seven seas are full of pirates, who will ask for people, property and harm people's lives! Bad luck, I'm afraid that there will be no bones! Are you afraid? ”

Zhang Youxi jumped up again and said, "Don't be afraid!" As he spoke, he punched and kicked all the way. When I saw it, it was the fist and foot kung fu that prompted the second uncle and ancestor to breathe the internal strength of the martial arts! This girl!

Zhang Yunxiu saw that this fist was coming at him, and he didn't wait for her to hit herself, so he shouted anxiously: "Don't be afraid!" Unafraid! ”

Zhang Youxi looked smug at this time, and turned his head to stare at me again.

I sighed and said leisurely: "On the sea, the most terrible enemy is not natural disasters, nor pirates, but ......."

Jang Woo-hee stared at me and asked, "And what?" ”

I faintly spat out two words: "Lonely." ”

"When you're at sea, you often don't go ashore for a month or two, or even half a year. Eat aged pickles, and drink barreled water. It's impossible to wash your face every day. All day long, there are so many familiar faces that I can't see a single living person. There is no drama, no temple fair, not even a sense of time, the longness is like eternity, and it seems to be unreal at all. In short, are you afraid? Lonesome? ”

Zhang Youxi stared at me, and asked after a while, "Qilan, are you afraid?" ”

I looked at her with a smile and replied, "At first, I chose to go to sea in order to find a way out. But now, I feel that the sea is where I belong. The heart is connected, the soul is warm, in fact, it does not depend on where the body is. If your soul is empty, you are in the middle of the city and still feel lonely. There is a weight in the heart, even if you are floating on the sea, you know what to do. As for you asking me if I'm afraid? I...... Unafraid! ”

After hearing what I said, Zhang Youxi's eyes stared at me brightly, and he suddenly smiled: "Since you are not afraid, I am naturally not afraid!" Yun Xiu is older than you and me, and he doesn't dare to be afraid! That's it! Take us to the West! I want to be the best navigator in the world! Qilan, that's it, okay? ”

I rubbed the tea bowl in my hand, and my heart was full of emotion, Second Uncle Zu, when you wanted to hand them over to me, did you expect them to be today? Is it really what you want to want them to go to sea with me? When it comes to the sea, I can't really guarantee their thoroughness, in case of accidents...... How shall I deal with you?

Seeing that my face was hesitant, Zhang Youxi pulled my sleeve and said, "Brother Qilan~ My biggest interest is here, I'm not afraid of anything!" Moreover, I'm not the weak little woman, it's definitely no problem, just promise me! ”

As she spoke, she pointed at Zhang Yunxiu and said, "It's him that you don't worry about, right?" Let him stay on shore! If he follows, I still have to take care of him, which is very troublesome! ”

Zhang Yunxiujun's face turned red, and he said urgently: "When will I be tied to you?" Literary and martial arts, well, in addition to drawing, what am I inferior to you in? I'm just cautious! Cautious, understand? Qilan! ”

Saying that, he looked at me and said angrily: "Go and go!" At that time, who will pull whom, who will help whom, it is not necessarily! ”

I looked at his face, and squinted at Zhang Youxi's triumphant expression like a little fox, and said in my heart: Is it really the right thing to take these two living treasures to sea? Forget it, the road is your choice! So be it!

So, I nodded heavily at the two of them.