In the calm sea, you can't train a good navigator.

- English proverb

At the beginning of 1421, Zhu Di sent the capital of the Ming Dynasty to Beijing, and his heart calmed down a little. He is still uncertain about the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen so far.

On March 3, Gong Chengxiang, who had reached the age of 31 and had become a father, accompanied Zheng He on his sixth mission to the West.

Gong Chengxiang felt that this trip was not smooth from the beginning.

The convoy had just arrived at the coast of Fujian when two large ships collided for no apparent reason, resulting in the tragedy of ship damage and death.

Zheng He ordered the ship to be repaired quickly and continue sailing.

After passing Manraka, the fleet turned westward, but instead of heading straight west to Ceylon and Guri, it sailed north along the coast of Burma to Punggar Thorn (present-day Bengal), on the edge of the Indian subcontinent.

On the way, the flotilla suddenly encountered a strong strong wind. The big ship, which usually encounters the wind and waves, is still stable at this time, leaning forward and backward, sometimes floating on the tip of the huge waves, and sometimes hovering in the middle of the whirlpool of the sea.

The officers and men on board had never encountered such violent stormy seas, and they were so frightened that they thought that the end of the world had come. One by one, they knelt on the deck, weeping in terror as they prostrated themselves to God for protection.

Zheng He, who was over the age of six, stood in the cockpit and commanded the crew to quickly lower the sails, grasp the mechanism that operated the rudder, and ordered the ships to keep a distance from each other to avoid colliding with each other.

The wind and rain flew into the cockpit like sharp arrows, soaking Zheng He's clothes.

Gong Chengxiang hurriedly ran into the cabin, took out a quilt and wrapped it around Zheng He's body, and then hugged Zheng He's body tightly to shelter him from the wind and rain.

The thrilling storm has finally passed.

The blue sky and white clouds, the sun is shining, and the sea instantly becomes calm, as if nothing has happened.

The more than 20,000 crew members who survived the disaster knelt on the deck again, kowtowing like a stone hammer pounding garlic, thanking God for his blessing.

Gong Chengxiang excitedly shouted to everyone: "You should kneel to Lord Zheng!" It was his old man who saved us! ”

The crew shouted in unison, "Thank you, Lord Zheng!" ”

After all, time is not forgiving. Zheng He soon felt that his food was not fragrant and he was weak. He finally fell ill.

Gong Chengxiang waited day and night in front of Zheng He's sickbed, carrying water and decoction medicine, and serving carefully.

On the third day, Zheng He's condition began to improve. He struggled to sit up, leaned his body against the quilt, and asked Gong Chengxiang, "How old is your child?" ”

Gong Chengxiang replied: "The eldest is 3 years old, and the younger one is 1 year old." ”

Zheng He said softly: "My child is 33 years old. ”

Gong Chengxiang asked in surprise, "Your child?" ”

Zheng He nodded slowly and replied, "Yes." My baby. Is it that if we become eunuchs, we are not worthy of children? ”

Gong Chengxiang's heart was very nervous, and he quickly shook his head.

Zheng He said slowly: "Who doesn't want to be a complete man, marry a virtuous wife, give birth to a large group of children, and enjoy the joy of humanity? ”

Gong Chengxiang's lips trembled nervously, and he asked boldly, "Lord Zheng...... Was it forced? ”

Zheng He looked at Gong Chengxiang with a sharp gaze for a while, and began to tell about his bitter experience, and couldn't help but cry when he was excited.

Gong Chengxiang hurriedly persuaded: "The adult's body has just improved, don't be sad anymore, so as not to be sad and sad." ”

Zheng He continued: "There are a total of 6 of us brothers and sisters. The eldest brother's name is Ma Wenming. I am the second son and have four sisters. When the eldest brother saw that I was living alone in my old age, he was afraid that I would be lonely, so he passed on his eldest son Ma Enlai to me and asked Enlai to pass incense to me. Ma Enlai has now changed his name to Zheng Enlai and is the standard-bearer in our fleet. He's my child! ”

Gong Chengxiang lowered his head and thought for a while, and then asked quietly, "Don't adults hate the Ming Dynasty?" ”

Zheng He's emotions became excited again, and he said categorically: "Daming is our country. The Emperor is the supreme Son of Heaven. Who do I dare to hate? Who can I hate? At the end of the day, I don't know who I should hate! ”

Gong Chengxiang didn't know how to answer Zheng He's question, so he had to comfort him: "Lord Zheng, you only have one son, Zheng Enlai, it's a little thin. If you don't dislike it, I can be your adopted son. My child is your grandchild. ”

A bright light flashed on Zheng He's face, and a happy smile immediately appeared. He said kindly, "Since the day you made me a guard, I have regarded you as my own son. ”

Gong Chengxiang knelt on his knees in front of the couch, kowtowed to Zheng He, and shouted loudly: "Father! ”

On August 12, 1424, Zhu Di personally led his troops to the Mongolian steppe to defeat the remnants of the Great Yuan, and on the way back to his division, he fell seriously ill in Yumuchuan (present-day Uzhumuqin, Inner Mongolia).

Before his death, he was still worried about the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen unknown, and told his henchmen to tell Zheng He that he must find out the whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen.

After Zhu Di's death, his son Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne as Mingrenzong.

Zhu Gaochi once spent more than ten years in Nanjing in the East Palace and has a deep affection for Nanjing. After he ascended the throne, facing the dilapidated Beijing Imperial Palace, he immediately had plans to return the capital to Nanjing.

He ordered the withdrawal of the original seal letter of the Sixth Department of Beijing, and added the word "Xing Zai" to the new seal letter, which was tantamount to abolishing Beijing's status as a Beijing teacher.

The ministers took the opportunity to write letters one after another asking for the return of Nanjing. Even Chen Xuan, the Pingjiang Bo who presided over the relocation of the capital during the Yongle period, wrote to request: "Nanjing is really the foundation of the country, and it is necessary to plan for far-reaching consolidation." Today, the edict was issued, the army and the people were encouraged, and the hope of returning to Luan was raised, and the holy will was left behind, and the generals were appointed to benefit the soldiers, and they were strictly guarded, which was a plan for the country for ten thousand years. ”

Akihito announced to the world: "The imperial court will return the capital to Nanjing, and Beiping will still be called Xingzai, and Nanjing will be restored to Beijing." ”

What I never expected was that just as the imperial court was preparing for the return of Nanjing in the spring of the second year, Akihitozong suddenly died.

When Ming Renzong died, he left an edict saying: "The north and the south provide hundreds of millions of labor, the army and the people are in difficulty, the Quartet looks up to Nanjing, Si Yiwu's plain heart, and the people of the monarchy should follow the will of the people." ”

The first political task left by Akihito to his successor was to return the capital to Nanjing.

When Emperor Xuande Zhu Zhanji was still the crown prince, he was sent by Mingrenzong to Nanjing to supervise the country. During this time, the frequent earthquakes in Nanjing brought a huge psychological shadow to him. The continuous earthquakes made Zhu Zhanji, who was at the center of the earthquake, feel imaginable. In contrast, during the Hongxi period, there were dozens of earthquakes in Nanjing, but there was not a single earthquake in Beijing. From the first year of Xuande to the eighth year of Xuande, there were 35 earthquakes in Nanjing and only 5 in Beijing.

Numerous earthquakes erupted intensively in Nanjing, interrupting the work of returning the capital to Nanjing.

Emperor Xuande officially determined that Beijing was the capital of the Ming Dynasty and no longer called it a line. The plan to return the capital to Nanjing is far from hopeful.

In January 1431, the 41-year-old Gong Chengxiang followed Zheng He to the seventh Western Ocean on the order of Emperor Xuande Zhu Zhanji. This time, he has already served as the captain of the big ship on which Zheng He and other officials are riding. Gong Chengxiang, who has entered middle age, has been weathered, resolute and experienced.

Their fleet set sail from Longjiang Pass (present-day Xiaguan, Nanjing) and continued to visit various countries along the former routes, demonstrating the style of the Ming Empire and spreading the orthodox culture of the Ming Dynasty.

When the fleet arrived in the country of Guri, it was met with the country of Ghuri sending people to the kingdom of Celestial (present-day Saudi Arabia).

Zheng He sent seven people, including Ma Huan, a Hui returnee, to Mecca, the holy land of Islam, with musk, porcelain and other specialties, along with the delegation of the Guli Kingdom.

This is the first Muslim pilgrimage with official status in Chinese history.

The delegation led by Ma Huan was welcomed and courteous by the Kingdom of Heaven in Mecca.

Ma Huan's trip to the Kingdom of Heaven lasted for a year. There he bought lions, ostriches, and other curiosities, and brought back a copy of the original copy of the Picture of Heaven.

The Map of Heaven is one of the earliest maps of Mecca in China, and has had a profound impact on Chinese Muslim culture.

When Ma Huan and the others left, the king of the Heavenly Kingdom sent an envoy to follow Ma Huan to visit Daming.

At the beginning of April 1433, the fleet was on its way back to the Ming Dynasty.

One morning, a personal attendant of Zheng He suddenly came to Gong Chengxiang and reported to him: "Lord Zheng has been in a bad mood these days and doesn't think about eating, please go over and take a look." ”

Gong Chengxiang hurriedly asked, "Have you seen it?" ”

The squire replied, "Yes." The doctor said that it was dampness and heat that caused the sum of the spleen and stomach. However, after two days of taking the decoction, it did not get better. ”

Gong Chengxiang said: "You go back first and serve carefully." I'll go over as soon as I'm done with what I'm doing. ”

Gong Chengxiang hurried to the cabin where Zheng He lived, only to see Zheng He's eyes closed, his face withered, and his breath weak.

Gong Chengxiang called softly: "Lord Zheng, Lord Zheng, where are you uncomfortable?" ”

Zheng He slowly opened his eyes, his eyes lost their former luster, and his lips moved twice but he couldn't speak.

Gong Chengxiang turned around and asked the doctor standing aside, "Think about it again, is there any other treatment?" You must cure Master Zheng's illness! ”

The doctor shook his head helplessly.

Gong Chengxiang pondered for a while and said, "This is the sea area of Guli Kingdom. Immediately ordered the fleet to dock immediately to see if the doctor of the Guri Kingdom had a good way. ”

The fleet immediately sailed to the ports of the country of Guri.

Gong Chengxiang sent someone to invite a famous local doctor to treat Zheng He, but there was still no effect.

Zheng He opened his eyes slightly when he was dying, and said intermittently: "My ancestor is a Hui from Bukhara. I once retreated to Buddhism because of the necessities of life. After my impermanence, return to the source, and everything will be to the Lord. ”

Zheng He stopped breathing after saying his last words, and there was a smile on his white face.

Gong Chengxiang, Zheng Enlai, Ma Huan and others cried loudly. The civil and military officials and men also wept bitterly together.

Gong Chengxiang, Zheng Enlai, Ma Huan and others followed Zheng He's last words and buried Zheng He on the land of Guli on the spot in accordance with the way of the Hui people's quick burial and frugality.

Gong Chengxiang looked at Zheng He's grave and couldn't help but think in his heart: If Fu Youde and Mu Ying had not stepped into Yunnan back then, Zheng He could have enjoyed a carefree childhood like a normal child. However, strange armies ravaged his homeland, slaughtered his family, and took him into slavery and castrated him in a brutal manner. No matter what, God finally favored Zheng He. He was blessed by misfortune, met the noble Emperor Yongle, seized the opportunity at a critical time, and became a world-famous navigator in one fell swoop.

From Yunnan to Jiangsu, from Yingtianfu to Beiping, from the Ming Dynasty to more than 30 countries in the West, Zheng He's life has always been in constant turbulence and migration. In the end, at the age of 62, he was buried in a foreign country.

Zheng He was both a victim of the Ming Dynasty and a staunch defender of the Ming Empire, making indelible contributions to the national prestige and navigation of the Ming Dynasty.

After dealing with Zheng He's funeral, the highest leadership body of the fleet decided to replace the commander-in-chief of the fleet by Wang Jinghong, the deputy envoy of the Ming Dynasty and Zheng He's close assistant, and Gong Chengxiang to continue to return to the Ming Dynasty.

On July 22, 1433, the fleet finally returned to Nanjing.

Wang Jinghong made a special trip to Beijing, reported the situation of the tour to Zhu Zhanji, Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, and handed over Zheng He's clothes to the imperial court.

Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty issued an edict to commend Zheng He's outstanding achievements and ordered him to be buried at the southern foot of Niushou Mountain in Nanjing.

Since then, on the Islamic festival of Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha (Eid al-Adha) and Zheng He's impermanence, Gong Chengxiang and Zheng Enlai will bring their children and grandchildren to Zheng He's grave to remember his great achievements and pray for him to be peaceful and prosperous in heaven.

Gong Chengxiang stared at Zheng He's mound and said to the children affectionately: "Master Zheng has led us to a total of 36 cities and countries, all over the Western countries. During the reign of Emperor Yongle for 22 years, countries related to Zhengda's trips to the West sent envoys 318 times, an average of 15 times a year. It's an unprecedented event. ”

Zheng Enlai continued: "Before my father went to the West, the international environment around Daming was turbulent, and countries were suspicious of each other and fought with each other. Pirates roam the seas and are very arrogant. There is no security guarantee for the sea lines of communication. All these directly threatened the security of the south and affected the international image of the Ming Dynasty.

The emperor adopted a peaceful foreign policy of 'internal peace in China, external care for the four provinces, equal treatment, and sharing peace', sent a fleet to the Western Ocean, mediated and eased the contradictions between countries through various means, maintained the safety of maritime traffic, linked the stability of the Ming Dynasty with the development of the surrounding areas, established a long-term stable international environment, and enhanced the international prestige of the Ming Dynasty. ”

In fact, the significance of Zheng He's trip to the West is far more than that.

Zheng He's large-scale voyages pushed the ancient maritime industry to a peak of development and made important contributions to the maritime civilization of mankind.

First, it opened up intercontinental routes between Asia and Africa, 87 years before Columbus discovered the American continent, 114 years before Magellan traveled around the world, and 92 years before da Gama arrived in India, paving the way for Westerners to sail to Asia and Africa.

Second, it has carried out some oceanographic surveys in the western Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, and has collected and mastered a lot of marine scientific data, which is more than 400 years earlier than the British "Challenger" conducted oceanographic surveys.

The third is the strategic layout of the navigation area. According to his mission and knowledge of the ocean, Zheng He chose Champang, Manraka, Jiugang, Guli, Kurumus and other places as the key areas for maritime development, which was conducive to expanding the scope of overseas transportation and trade.

At that time, the Ming navy had 3,800 ships, more than any other Asian country at any time in history, and perhaps even more than any European country of the same era, and even more than the combined navies of all European countries.

Zheng He comprehensively applied a variety of navigation methods such as astronomical navigation, compass navigation, land mark navigation, and measurement of water depth and sediment, which was very advanced at that time. They drew the "Zibao Shipyard Sailing from Longjiang Pass to the Water Zhidi Foreign Maps" using the traditional landscape painting method, starting from Yingtianfu and reaching as far as Slow Basa (today's Mombasa) in Kenya, East Africa, including more than 500 place names, quite accurately recording the course, voyage, port of call, reef, shoal distribution, detailed record of the many new waterways opened up during the whole voyage, effectively promoting the navigation industry, enriching the Chinese people's understanding of the world.

What's more valuable is that the map clearly shows Wansheng Shitangyu (Nansha Islands), Shitang (Xisha Islands), and Shixing Shitang (Zhongsha Islands), indicating the Ming Dynasty's control over this sea area.

In order to commemorate the great cause of Zheng He and others, in 1947, the government of the Republic of China named a group of islands in the Nansha Islands as Zheng He Islands, as well as Feixin Island, Mahuan Island and Jinghong Island, and named the two groups of islands in the Xisha Islands as Yongle Islands and Xuande Islands respectively.

There are still many stories about Zheng He circulating overseas. Malaysia has Sambaoshan and Sambojing. Indonesia has Semarang, Sambo Temple. These place names express the infinite respect of the local people for Zheng He.

The descendants of Zheng He's son, Zheng Enlai, are divided into three branches.

The first descendant is in Zheng He's hometown of Yunnan, which is the eldest son of Zheng Enlai, and there are about more than 100 people.

Zheng He's 17th generation descendant, Zheng Songlin, was unable to bear the oppression of the government in the last years of the Qing Dynasty, and fled from Yunnan to Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand with the Ma Gang, where he married the daughter of Chiang Mai Tusi, and since then has taken root in the local area and formed a second descendant. Due to their age, about 1,200 people in Thailand today no longer speak Chinese and do not even know where they came from.

The third descendant lives in Nanjing, Jiangsu. They have been living in Mafu Street, located on the east side of Taiping South Road, Qinhuai District, Nanjing City. During the Qing Dynasty, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom occupied Nanjing and set fire to Mafu. The Ma family was forced to move out.

At the foot of Niushou Mountain in Nanjing, Zheng He's mound stands quietly, witnessing the vicissitudes of life. It echoes with the bones of Zheng He on the land of India, an ancient civilization in South Asia, and tells the world the legendary story of a great man in ancient times.