Half an hour later, Zhang Yuan took four faithful servants to Victoria Harbor, the largest port in Boulder City.

The four loyal servants were all born sailors, and the first one named Duncan, who had reached retirement age, had to go back to the mountains to help the young owner.

Trains whizzing in the distance bring with them a lot of coal and ore, and these fossil fuels are indispensable for the normal operation of a city. According to the statistical estimates of geologists, the current reserves of mineable coal in the mainland can keep the whole society running normally for at least 400 years.

400 years is not a long time, for Zhang Yuan, who has lived for a long time, it is just a very short number, short enough to make him feel a faint sense of fear, even if he is in this world, it is likely that he will not live for a hundred years. This may be the forward-looking experience that brings.

He was desperate to do something for the world.

"Boulder is a place where coal and steel are produced. Transporting local specialties to other cities and earning the difference in price between two cities is the most basic way to make money. The price of goods is different for each period. Lord Earl, if you want to do this business, it is a compulsory course to judge the price fluctuations of commodities on the various islands. Duncan Sr. whispered.

Zhang Yuan nodded.

There is also a talent market near the port, where a large number of young people gather, and some captains like to recruit sailors here, after all, it is a high-risk, high-income industry, and there are many people who can't hold on and even go crazy after sailing in the dark for months.

There is also a smuggler, who is being caned. In this society, smuggling is a very serious crime, and it has to be subjected to both physical and mental torture

Old Duncan admired with relish the scene of the prisoner being whipped with gusto. He smiled and said, "Lord Earl, these young men are too tender...... These smuggling methods are all left over from our play, what cabin mezzanine, human cargo, hehe...... If they want to make more money, they have to use their brains. ”

Zhang Yuan said with a smile, "You can come here to find an errand to do in the future, just because of your rich experience in tax evasion." ”

He just glanced at it from afar, and then lost interest.

They saw their ship—a massive steel ship with hideous barrels glowing a dull metallic sheen under the gaslights.

Since the entire ship was borrowed from the duke, and all the crew members were ready-made, there was naturally no need to recruit any men. Although Zhang Yuan's mental age is not young, he has never done such a job, so no matter how smart he is, he thinks that he should maintain a humble attitude, and it is always good to be able to learn more things.

"Your Excellency, Earl, although you have bought the right to use this fleet, I hope that you will be able to plan your voyage in advance. And in the process of sailing, do not be directly involved in the management of the crew...... It's better not to bring a maid on board or drink heavily on board, smoking is fine, but hopefully you will be able to smoke on deck, after all, we carry coal in our cargo. ”

The middle-aged captain saw Zhang Yuan for the first time, and said worriedly.

If it weren't for the duke's orders, he wouldn't have wanted to take on this job at all.

He had seen too many second generations, and at first he rushed on the ship, thinking that sailing for months would be a beautiful experience. As a result, one by one, after three or five days, they became neurotic, especially when the pressure was extremely high, these second generations liked to yell at the sailors and vent their emotions on the crew......

This is an act of absolute death!

Some sailors got angry, slaughtered the nobles, and then committed suicide by jumping ship, only to be punished by the whole ship when they came ashore......

As for not being able to carry a maid, it is because during the long voyage, the young sailor's hormones have nowhere to vent, and the presence of women may form a strong temptation, and may even make it impossible for the crew to work normally. This is another important reason why women are taboo in sailing.

Zhang Yuan hurriedly said: "No problem, Mr. Duncan will join your work, and he will be responsible for everything." I just want to learn some navigational knowledge, including astronomy and meteorology, without interfering with your work. ”

"Of course, I hope you can understand that I will pay all the wages."

The captain listened to Zhang Yuan's tone, not like the ignorant second generation, and the old Duncan was a very famous and knowledgeable first mate, although he was old, there should not be any big problems, so he breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhang Yuan returned to his room, which was not too big, about 30 square meters, but it was more than one grade better than others. This should be his place for a long time to come, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.

Three days later, with all the cargo loaded, the ocean liner left Boulder City with a "whining".

……

Zhang Yuan is a very polite person, and he is equally polite to everyone. This practice, although there will be a sense of alienation for acquaintances, but for young, low-status sailors, it is completely spring-like warmth.

Zhang Yuan would even humbly ask the sailor for a question, how could an earl not answer the question?

Sometimes, Zhang Yuan would ask them how their lives were and if they had any dreams......

Dream? Of course not, it's nice to be full.

“…… Shells attached to a ship, that's it? ”

"Yes, yes! These shells are called 'Amissi', and they like to be corroded by the ship, which can also affect the speed of sailing. If it goes on for a long time, it will corrode the chassis, so we have to clean it every few months, but when you cook it in water, it's a very delicious dish! The sailor, who had just come out of the water, explained, untying the rope from his body as he spoke.

"It's really hard to have such a big wave." Zhang Yuan said softly.

Sailing on the sea is actually very boring, the scenery is exactly the same every day, and only when you measure your position with an astrological compass do you know how much distance you have moved.

Zhang Yuan couldn't help but miss the interstellar travel in Kunlun Mountain, which seemed to be similar to now.

He would often tell very grotesque stories to the uneducated sailors, ranging from religious fables to specific scientific principles.

Although most of the content was incomprehensible, the sailors also seemed to have a lot of fun. However, the captain and the old Duncan and the others always showed expressions of relish, and they did not know where this young man had read so many books.

"Do you have a dream, Lord Earl?" A sailor, who had read a little, asked a little respectfully, a little curiously. When he asked this question, he was hit by his companions.

"You're not talking nonsense! Of course, it's to make more money and get a beautiful wife! It's better to be able to marry a princess! ”

All the sailors burst out laughing.

Zhang Yuan said with a smile: "Of course it is necessary to make money. Without money, nothing can be done. However, the final route is the direction of science and technology, and the second is the direction of society. ”

It's hard to ...... in every direction, though.

The first stop is the so-called "Getang City", which arrives in 21 days, a city that produces spices and mushrooms, and the climate here is a bit hotter than that of Boulder City, about 32 degrees Celsius.

As soon as they came ashore, all the sailors were addicted to churches, taverns, gambling houses, and brothels, and all the gold coins that had just been issued were suddenly spent.

The second stop, "Malfa", arrived in 49 days, where a large number of "sweet grass", a very strange algae organism, float from the west following the warm ocean current, and you can fish a lot of them into the water.

Their family's candy factory is here.