Different from the Western sailing ships that came from the east, a huge cargo ship slowly sailed into the river mouth port from east to west, and headed for the anchorage under the command of the guide ship.
Of course, apart from where it came from, what is more eye-catching about this ship is its huge hull, which looks like a giant beast from the wild, cruising by. Even the local indigenous people know that this is a treasure ship from the Han Empire.
The design with oriental characteristics, the majestic layout, the three-story pavilion, the spacious deck, the horizontal and vertical sails have been stowed, but several masts are still erected high into the sky, and the large oars are protruding from the hull. , stir slowly, and drive the boat forward.
In the process of the Han people's expansion into the sea, the Han's ship civilization also spread to every corner where the Han people set foot, completely refreshing the foreign barbarians' understanding of the Han people.
The treasure ship of the Han Dynasty is the most obvious symbol. The ship of the Han Dynasty is so big that it often has a majestic momentum that looks down on the world. The ship of the Han Dynasty is not just a ship, but more like a work of art.
Decades of development, as well as the craze for going to sea from the government to the private sector, have made great progress in Dahan's shipbuilding technology. More and more ships are being built, and they are getting bigger and bigger, especially seagoing ships.
The treasure ship that entered Hekou Port at this time was named Haifeng. It was 37 feet long and 15 feet wide. It was built by the Runzhou Shipyard in Jiangnan. During the more than 20 years of unification, the shipbuilding industry of the Han Dynasty developed vigorously, and the shipbuilding industry of the Han Dynasty flourished. There are several large factories with advanced technology and complete equipment, among which Runzhou Shipyard is the leader, especially good at building large ships.
In the past, it had been responsible for providing ships for the navy. Later, it was gradually opened up and began to build civilian ships, mainly sea-going ships. The Haifeng was specially designed and is also the largest sea-going ship sold to the outside world, with a price of 20,000 guan a piece.
This is not the pinnacle work of Runzhou Shipyard. It is said that two years ago, the shipyard had built a larger treasure ship, a super treasure ship that was forty-five feet long and eighteen feet wide, with a load of more than seventy thousand stone. .Of course, this kind of important weapon of a big country is currently only serving in the military or for official use.
However, to be able to own such a second-class treasure ship like this, in addition to strong financial resources, there are also status requirements, and ordinary people are not qualified to buy it.
The docks on the river bank were filled with various sailboats, and the Haifeng was obviously the most eye-catching. Whether it was the coolies loading and unloading the cargo or the sailors resting on the boat, they couldn't help but stare at it with shock on their faces. .
They had seen many big ships of the Han Dynasty, but this was the first time for such a big one. In terms of size, it was bigger than those warships of the Nanyang Fleet. After crossing several river bends, the Haifeng entered a relatively empty dock. It is newly built and has enough room. Otherwise, with the size of the Haifeng, it would be a problem to berth on the shore.
I have already experienced this while traveling south. Most of the ports along the way are too narrow to accommodate and cannot be docked at all. Whether loading and unloading goods, transferring materials or loading and unloading people, all need to be carried out by barges.
Fortunately, the conditions on Liangping Island are slightly better, but they are still limited and can barely accommodate docking. This is only one ship, and if there are a few more ships, it may not be able to carry it.
As the Haifeng slowly docked, its figure became clearer. The hull was very new, and the traces of wind and waves were more like medals of sharpening. When the anchor was dropped and the board was lowered, there were already coolies waiting, with their eyes wide open and their necks straightened. , just waiting to work.
Perhaps it was because it was too shocking, so they didn’t even need to be whipped by the supervisor. Everyone was very enthusiastic and wanted to board the ship to experience such a majestic treasure ship in person.
The owner of the Haifeng is named Zhang Yinian, who is the nephew of Hailing Marquis Zhang Yanqing. He once served in the South China Sea Fleet and participated in the operation to recapture Liuqiu, but later retired due to injury.
Under the influence of his family, after he recovered from his injuries, he also devoted himself to maritime trade and began running ships in Southeast Asia. With his family's power and connections, he earned a lot of wealth relatively easily.
Three years ago, after the news of the sale of treasure ships from Runzhou Shipyard came out, he returned to Jiangnan excitedly and paid a visit. He was very familiar with the treasure ships produced by Runzhou and was very greedy.
I had never had the opportunity to own one in the past. When the opportunity came, I just grabbed it and ordered two ships. At Runzhou Shipyard, facing a customer with a background like Zhang Yinian, there was no reason to refuse. The cooperation went smoothly and a deposit was collected.
Afterwards, arrangements were made for construction.
Forty thousand guan for two ships is something that most people in the world would be hard-pressed to earn even for three lifetimes without eating or drinking. Of course, for Zhang Yinian, it is not a small amount of money, but he is very decisive when he spends the money.
Not even blinking an eyebrow.
Zhang Yinian himself has calculated the full load capacity of more than 40,000 stones. After taking into account various costs, he can basically make back his money by running on the Nanyang route for two years. Moreover, owning such a treasure ship is a kind of status, status and wealth in itself.
It's a symbol and you can earn face.
As the Haifeng's first trip to Nanyang, Zhang Yinian also had the rare opportunity to follow the ship in person. After docking, he stepped off the ship on the bridge and looked down at the scene in the estuary port.
The prosperous port was somewhat quiet due to the arrival of the Haifeng. Zhang Yinian couldn't help but enjoy the envy and awe in the eyes of all kinds of people.
Loading and unloading were done by his own men. Zhang Yinian was obviously a little tired after running the boat all the way. Liangping Island was the end of the trip, so he planned to go ashore to rest.
Similarly, he also had a mansion and property on the island. Liangping Island was considered the territory of the Guo family, and within the navy, the Guo and Zhang families had quite a struggle, but they could not break through the fight, and they could still keep pace in Nanyang affairs.
Zhang Yinian was engaged in maritime trade, and there were many places where he needed to communicate with Guo.
In addition to the merchants, sailors, and coolies who were attracted by the Haifeng, even the officials at the dock couldn't help but look askance. The tax collectors, who always like to manipulate and wait for the merchants, also moved to the dock to join in the fun.
On Ryangpyeong Island, no matter which merchant ship it is, after berthing at the dock, the first thing to do is to report to the tax office at the dock and pay the management fee and commercial tax. It is no exception. Those who control the money bag have great power, and the status of tax collectors naturally also
high.
However, he obviously knew Zhang Yinian, so he still had to give him some face, and greeted him with a smile: "I wonder who it is that makes such a big deal, it turns out to be Zhang Daguan! When this treasure ship comes, the whole Liangping County will be shaken.
!”
"I don't dare take it!" Although he didn't like this little tax collector very much, Zhang Yinian still smiled and responded: "I don't know whether Liangping Island will be shaken or not, but in the future there will be more and more treasure ships heading south.
If the river is not dredged and the wharf is not expanded, I am afraid it will be unbearable!”
When the tax collector heard this, he said: "The official has hit the mark. The county government has already planned to build a new pier in the southern harbor, which will be able to accommodate even the largest ships!"
"Oh?" Zhang Yinian immediately became interested and said with emotion: "This Liangping County Yamen is quite foresighted!"
"This ship of goods is all shipped from China. I have already told my subordinates to cooperate fully with the tax matters!" Zhang Yinian said to the tax collector.
"Thank you, Mr. Zhang!" the tax collector thanked. Looking at the huge warehouse visible to the naked eye and the scene of preparations for unloading, he couldn't help but envy: "The draft is so deep, I wonder what kind of goods the official has brought this time?
"
Zhang Yinian said calmly: "It's just some silk, ironware, ceramics, cotton cloth, and some artemisia annua powder."
Silk and porcelain were the main commodities of the Han Dynasty's foreign trade. The volume of transactions was large, but they were ordinary because they were common. But this artemisia annua powder was different. In the Nanyang region, the most common disease was malaria.
, often life-threatening.
Artemisia annua powder is a newly developed medicine in China. It has miraculous effects in relieving heat and reducing heat stress. Since its research, it has been rumored to be a miracle medicine that can cure all diseases.
Since the output is not large and it is a noble drug, the supply is still in short supply at home, let alone overseas. On Liangping Island, the price is absolutely gold, and Zhang Yinian was able to get a batch of Artemisia annua powder.
It is conceivable that he will make a lot of money again.
"As expected of Zhang Daguan," the tax collector, who also had some knowledge, couldn't help but sigh. At the same time, he was also secretly happy that this cargo could collect a lot of tax money.