The sky is high and the clouds are clear. On the dock of Guli City Bay, the sea breeze blows gently and the weather is cool.
It’s almost November now, and if we were in the Ming Dynasty, it would already be the middle of winter. North of the Yellow River, it’s probably already a harsh time when the earth is frozen and the wind is biting. But this is South Asia, so it’s like spring all year round.
But it is winter after all. The sun is far away from the equator and reaches the Tropic of Capricorn. The weather in South Asia, which is located north of the equator, also becomes cooler.
Zhang Yanling stood on the turret on the pier, wearing a long robe, with his head open, dressed very casually. Next to him, Catherine stood beside him, her blond hair flying in the wind.
Both of them looked at the sea far away in the bay and whispered something. Soon after, a huge sailboat appeared on the sea far away in the bay. The sailboat quickly approached with the help of the wind, and soon Zhang Yanling and others could clearly see the mast.
The Ming Dynasty dragon flag is hung on the sky, indicating that the person to be greeted has arrived.
What came was Zhu Qingyi and her merchant ship. When Zhang Yanling set out from the Port of Coulombo, because she was worried about Zhu Qingyi's safety, she did not allow her ship to follow her. He also asked her to leave the Port of Coulombo and return to the Port of Malacca to berth, because Coulombo
Hong Kong is also at risk of being attacked.
Zhu Qingyi naturally refused to return to Manchuria. After her ship left the port of Coulombo, it anchored on the southeastern sea of Ceylon Island for a few days, and then returned to the port of Coulombo to wait for news. When she learned that Zhang Yanling led his army to defeat the Eastern Fleet
After hearing the news about the Folangji people, Zhu Qingyi immediately set off for Guli Port.
In the morning, Zhang Yanling learned the news from a small boat brought by the palace guards who had arrived in advance, and learned that Zhu Qingyi was arriving, so she and Catherine came to the dock to greet her.
After the merchant ship docked, Zhu Qingyi appeared on the deck accompanied by Caiyun. Both of them wore men's clothes to avoid being noticed and not reveal their identities.
Zhang Yanling didn't care about that. In front of everyone on the dock, he hugged Zhu Qingyi, who was wearing men's clothing, causing some soldiers who didn't know what was going on to look at him in confusion.
"Qingyi, you're just disobedient. It's not peaceful here yet. You shouldn't have come." Zhang Yanling complained with a smile.
Zhu Qingyi smiled and said: "I don't care. I came all the way from the Ming Dynasty, but you asked me to go back to Manlajia. So what am I doing here? I'm not afraid of danger. I'm not afraid of anything when you are here."
Zhang Yanling laughed. He really didn't want to leave Zhu Qingyi in Manlajia Port. In fact, he had already planned to ask Changshun to pick Zhu Qingyi up here.
Catherine stepped forward and saluted: "Hello, Miss Qingyi. We meet again."
Zhu Qingyi returned the favor with a smile, stepped forward and took Catherine's arm and said: "Sister Catherine, why are you so polite? I was thinking all the way that the first thing I did when I saw you was to ask you for wine. To be honest, I
Now I’m addicted to the wine you gave me. I can’t sleep at night if I don’t drink it.”
Catherine knew Zhu Qingyi's identity and was a little nervous when she saw Zhu Qingyi. Seeing that Zhu Qingyi was approachable and familiar with her, she felt at ease. She smiled and said, "Wine does help with sleep. I have a lot more here. I'll order someone later."
Just send more to the ship."
Zhu Qingyi was overjoyed and thanked her profusely.
Zhang Yanling laughed dumbly and said: "Qingyi likes wine? What a coincidence. I have hundreds of barrels of fine wine in the castle wine cellar in Guli City. It will be enough for you to drink for decades. However, you have become an alcoholic.
Not good."
Zhu Qingyi smiled and said: "Don't I have any temperance? How could I become an alcoholic? So much wine was confiscated? All of it belongs to me. At worst, if I give you the money, it will be treated as a purchase."
Zhang Yanling laughed endlessly.
The servants lifted a carriage that was divided into three parts from the ship, and assembled a gorgeous carriage in a short time. Zhu Qingyi pulled Catherine into the carriage, while Zhang Yanling rode beside them and talked to them while slowly entering the city.
And go.
After dinner, Zhang Yanling and Zhu Qingyi sat in the small hall on the second floor of the central castle and chatted. Catherine was very knowledgeable and knew that the two had reunited after a short break, so she came over to sit for a while after dinner, and then went back to her room to sort out her manuscripts.
This small hall is a private reception room on the second floor of the central castle. The Franco officials who originally lived here enjoyed it very much. The floor is covered with thick Persian carpets, and a bench is covered with thick cushions.
It was then covered with a leather case sewn from the fur of an unknown beast. It was soft and comfortable.
After taking a shower, Zhu Qingyi wore an elegant long dress, with her hair pulled back in a bun, exposing her snow-white neck. She looked elegant and indifferent. Although she was already a mother, she was as refreshing as a girl, with smooth and white skin.
, like curdled milk.
After seeing each other again after a long separation, there was naturally some rubbing. However, Zhu Qingyi stopped Zhang Yanling from making any further moves, took away Zhang Yanling's hand that was hidden in her skirt, and told Zhang Yanling with a red face that she was menstruating and could not be intimate with her.
Zhang Yanling was speechless and had to suppress his mood.
Zhu Qingyi asked about the situation of the war. Zhang Yanling, while playing with Zhu Qingyi's long and fluffy hair on his fingertips, briefly introduced the battle and some of the current situations.
Zhu Qingyi listened to Zhang Yanling's story, her eyebrows furrowed tightly and her body tensed, obviously very nervous.
"This battle was a brutal one. Master, you are taking too many risks. Five hundred people came to attack this city? You are facing tens of thousands of enemies. It is unimaginable. How could you take such risks?
Act?"
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Qingyi, it's not the first day you know that I am such a person. When I attacked Ningxia City, didn't I just sneak into the city with more than ten people? If I didn't take risks, how would I have met you?
?How could you and I know each other?"
Zhu Qingyi laughed, reached out and poked Zhang Yanling's forehead and said: "It's better if I don't meet you, so I don't have to get entangled with you and be tortured by you for the rest of my life."
Zhang Yanling laughed and said: "It's too late to regret it now. The baby has also been born, so I can't get rid of it. Just accept your fate."
Zhu Qingyi pursed her lips and smiled, rolled her eyes at Zhang Yanling, and then frowned and asked: "According to what you said, the war is over here, wouldn't it be possible to return to the court soon? This is the last stop on the sea trade route, isn't it?
What?"
Zhang Yanling shook his head and said: "This is only the last stop of the trade route that I, the Ming Dynasty, can control, but it is not the end of the trade route."
Zhu Qingyi asked confusedly, and Zhang Yanling told Zhu Qingyi that he wanted to reach a peace agreement with the Folangji people and extend the trade route to Europe where the Folangji country was located. At the same time, he also saw the conflict between him and the Jialuo country during this period.
What happened was told.
Finally, he sighed and said: "I also want to return to the country as soon as possible, but if these things are not arranged properly, I will not be able to escape. I have never dreamed of returning to China, and I have been separated from Wanyi Ruqing, Axiu and the others for more than a year.
.I never dreamed
I often dream about them. But if things here are not arranged properly, the battles fought for more than a year will be in vain, and the blood of the brothers will be shed in vain. As soon as we leave, this place will immediately become the same as it was. That is absolutely impossible.
of."
Zhu Qingyi sighed: "Hey, it's really difficult. Who would have thought that this thing is so difficult. Not only do you have to fight and die, but you also have to spend so much energy on planning and stabilizing the situation. Others think you are here to go out on a boat.
You are traveling around the mountains and rivers, who knows how worried you are."
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "I'm not afraid of worrying. I'm just afraid that I won't be able to achieve the goal I want in the end and my work will be in vain. I told you that the opening of sea trade routes and the establishment of overseas colonies will relieve the pressure on our Ming Dynasty land.
It is important to promote the Ming Dynasty's handicraft workshops and the circulation of various goods. The development of sea trade routes and the surrender and cooperation of the Southeast Asian countries are only the first step of this big plan. There are many things to worry about after that."
Zhu Qingyi remained silent, stretched out her hand to caress Zhang Yanling's face, and said softly: "You must not be able to sleep well. I see that your eyes are dark and you have lost a lot of weight. You must be thinking about these things all the time."
.”
Zhang Yanling sighed and said: "To tell you the truth, I have terrible insomnia today and it is difficult to fall asleep. I am always very anxious in my heart."
Zhu Qingyi looked at Zhang Yanling worriedly and said: "Yanling, you must take care of your health. What is the reason for you to be like this? Have you been away from home for too long and miss them late? Don't worry, they are all fine.
Besides, once things here are settled soon, you can go back and reunite with them."
Zhang Yanling shook his head and said: "Of course I miss them, but I think this is not the main reason. I have often fallen into two situations recently. On the one hand, I am excited about the opening up of trade routes. When I think about the new world that will usher in,
situation, I was excited and looking forward to it. But the other party
In this regard, I often feel powerless. Many things are difficult and complicated, and I have to consider all aspects. I even feel powerless, wondering whether my ability exceeds what I have to do, and fearing that something has gone wrong. This makes me feel anxious.
.Comparatively speaking, the latter makes me suffer more."
Zhu Qingyi looked at Zhang Yanling with her beautiful eyes. She was worried at first, but suddenly she laughed with mockery in her eyes.
"My father-in-law, is there anything in this world that is beyond your power? The prospects you described to me are comprehensive, and you have thought of everything. You even described many incredible things that may happen in the future. You
I was dumbfounded when they said that the Ming Dynasty would create jet-running steel monsters in the future, what kind of steam engines it would create, what kind of industrial revolution would happen, and so on. You can all think of these, and even describe them to me.
I believed it, but now you say that this is beyond your ability? But you have already achieved the most important step. You only led a fleet to defeat the Folangji people, and you have reached this point. What else can you do?
Stopping you? I suspect you are deliberately showing off. My father-in-law, I have never seen anyone in this world who is more capable, visionary, and imaginative than you. If you feel that you are not up to your ability, then who else can?
Do these things?”
Although these words are sarcastic, they are actually a great compliment. Zhang Yanling actually felt very useful after listening to these words. Although I don’t know how many people have praised me in person or behind my back, but there is nothing that I love so much.
What is more satisfying than a compliment from a woman?
"I guess you may just be too tired. No one can help you and really share your burden. But you can't blame others, because others can't reach your wisdom at all, and they don't understand what you want to achieve.
Goal. In fact, the people around you have worked very hard. At least they have followed you through life and death, completely believe in you, fully support you, and even shed their blood. For more than a year, you have always been nervous and have to consider the situation.
, we have to face a dangerous battle again.
It’s just that you are exhausted mentally and physically after fighting and accumulating. You have to relax. You also said that many things will happen naturally. You just have to open a way out. Right? Not everything needs you to do. Just like
sprinkle the seeds,
After watering and fertilizing, trees, flowers and crops will grow. You sow the seeds, and after watering and fertilizing, you don’t have to watch them every day to see when they will germinate. Because they will sprout and grow on their own." Zhu Qingyi said softly to Zhang Yanling.
And said in the ear.
When Zhang Yanling heard this, he suddenly understood as if he was enlightened. He understood why he was so anxious. It was not because he felt that he was incompetent or lacking in ability, as he thought, nor was it because of his success, as he thought.
And it was due to excitement. What he had been thinking about was how to make the land of the Ming Dynasty the soil for future changes, produce huge changes, give birth to epoch-making machines like the steam engine, and allow the Eastern land to launch a revolution that could change the world.
He didn't know if everything he did was causally related to that incident. Could it be that he was working in vain and was just changing Ming's current predicament. He didn't know if what he did would inevitably lead to industrialization.
The revolution occurred in Ming Dynasty.
In fact, he was anxious about this matter because he was not sure what would happen. Will everything he did lose its meaning.
Zhu Qingyi was right. He took the first step that he thought he should do. As for what happened next, he couldn't control it. Let nature take its course and everything has its own rules, so why should you worry about it.
Zhang Yanling stood up, bowed to Zhu Qingyi and said, "Qingyi's words made me enlightened and enlightened. Please accept my bow."
Zhu Qingyi was startled and said with a smile: "I can't stand it. I just talk nonsense. Don't take it seriously. What do I know about women?"
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "But I do understand."
Zhu Qingyi sighed: "Let's not talk about these anymore. Let's talk about other things, such as our children, and how to start a business. These are easy topics. I don't want to be like you and can't sleep with worry."
Zhang Yanling nodded and sat down, and the two leaned together and whispered softly. That night, Zhang Yanling slept very sweetly. While Zhu Qingyi was talking, he fell asleep peacefully in Zhu Qingyi's soft and fragrant arms.