Chapter 755: Don’t Be Conceited—Keep Moving Forward
For half a month straight, the carriages and boats in Guangzhou City, as well as the laborers at the docks, were extremely busy. Even many strong farmers from the surrounding areas, who had nothing to do for the time being, came to the Huangpu Town docks in search of temporary work and to see the massive fleets they had never seen before. As a result, the number of people coming and going in Huangpu Town tripled compared to before. Add to this the onlookers, and the streets were packed tightly. If it weren’t for the five hundredmen sent by the local authorities to maintain order with their troops, the situation would have quickly become chaotic.
Since it was impossible to go to the docks to see those magnificent ships, the town’s three or four most famous two-story restaurants became highly sought after. The scholarly and official families, who disdained profit, debated loudly about the court’s decision to send ships to the West to seek treasures, but their sons and daughters were still curious and gathered in groups to watch. As for the wealthy merchants and landowners, they brought their wives and families, so the private booths by the sea were fully booked every day. Men and women in bright clothes sat by the wooden windows, gazing at the sea and sky, with some even resolving in their hearts to embark on a sea voyage someday.
Although Qiuhen loved to join in the excitement, she was now pregnant, so no matter how curious she was, she couldn’t ask others to take her to watch. So whenever someone from the household went to see the ships, she would ask them to describe in detail what they had seen. At that moment, Jingguan, excited, blurted out something in front of her. Seeing Qiuhen smiling at him, he had no choice but to rack his brain to recall what had happened the previous day.
“Those ships were huge. I used to think six-masted ships were already terrifying, but these ships had even more masts and sails. I couldn’t see clearly. Father said the largest ship had nine masts and could carry twelve sails—it was as tall as four stories!”
Jingguan made an exaggerated gesture, looking around. Seeing that his mother was talking to Lingxi and not paying attention to him, he climbed onto the Xiangfei couch in the shade of a tree and whispered in Qiuhen’s ear, “Second madam, please don’t tell mother. Eunuch Zhang treated me very well. He let Brother Cao take me and Uncle Liu on a trip aboard one of those ships. It was truly enormous. If it weren’t for Brother Cao refusing, I would have gone down to see how people rowed the oars. It’s a shame Father is going to Qiongzhou Prefecture by ship but won’t take me.”
Qiuhen also knew that Zhang Yue was setting off for Qiongzhou Prefecture that day to handle some important official matters. Seeing Jingguan, she stuck out her tongue and couldn’t help but gently scratch his nose. “He’s going to handle official business—how can he take you with him? As long as you behave well, won’t you be able to go wherever you want in the future? At least you’ve been on a boat before; I and your second concubine can’t even go to the dock!”
“Didn’t the second concubine go to Qiongzhou Prefecture with Father?”
“Jingguan!”
Hearing Jingguan’s words, Qiuhen was stunned. It wasn’t until she heard the voice behind her that she realized Du Wan had already stood by the bed at some point. She quickly smiled and said, “Young mistress, he just blurted it out. There are no outsiders here. It’s only natural for the young master to have someone to serve him when he’s away. Besides, I…”
“It’s still a secret that Humo is going with him, so everyone at home only knows that she’s accompanying the lady to Guangxiao Temple to perform rituals!” Seeing Jingguan quietly hide behind Qiuhen, Du Wan felt both annoyed and amused. “Stop hiding. A real man should be brave enough to face consequences. Come out and tell me where you heard this.”
Only then did Jingguan hesitantly step forward. Seeing his mother’s gentle yet sharp gaze fixed on him, he became even more flustered and stammered an explanation, “Mother, don’t get angry. I just happened to overhear you and Father talking that day. Then, because Sixth Uncle called out outside, I left. I only heard part of it. I just forgot for a moment…”
“Sometimes you might forget and blurt something out, but other times you can’t!” Du Wan glared at her son with a rare stern expression and scolded him, “It might not matter if family members hear it, but what about outsiders? You’ve been out with your father these past few days. If you also blurt something out, what will others think? You’re not a child anymore. Dealing with people isn’t just about being sweet to win affection; you must always remind yourself not to get too arrogant! Go to the study and practice writing ten sheets of characters to calm your mind!”
Seeing Jingguan’s gloomy face, he promptly bowed respectfully and left. Qiuhen, who had initially felt awkward, now showed a thoughtful expression. She hesitated for a while before suddenly asking in a low voice, “Young mistress, are you not afraid that by disciplining Jingguan like this, he might agree on the surface but be unhappy inside? Since the young master was little, the lady hardly ever got angry at him. Parents and children share a close bond, and children of this age are especially delicate. Isn’t it too harsh to make him think things over by himself?”
By this time, the sun had risen high in the sky, and patches of sunlight filtered down through the gaps in the leaves above. Coupled with the gentle breeze, it made one feel extremely lazy. Hearing Qiu Hen’s question, Du Wan couldn’t help but smile slightly. “The wife is the wife. You know well how strict the old lady used to be. If even the wife scolds him harshly all day long, he might become discouraged. Jingguan, on the other hand, was loved from the moment he arrived. You and Humble allow him whatever he wants. Both the master and mistress like him, and even the old lady doted on him. Even his own father hardly ever raised his voice or spoke sternly to him. If I dote on him any more, he’ll become even more unruly. He’s honest-hearted; it won’t take long for him to recover.”
“I was wrong in thinking otherwise. Things are indeed different now from before. Back then, the young master wasn’t as pampered as Jingguan.” Qiu Hen nodded in agreement, then whispered, “Don’t worry, young mistress. I won’t reveal a single word about Humble. I’ve known her for many years; we even slept in the same bed. Others may not know her, but I’ve heard her crying and complaining in her sleep… Compared to her, I’ve faced few hardships in my life; I’m much luckier than her.”
It happened to be the day when Zheng He’s treasure ships set sail for distant seas. Watching the countless sails gradually disappear into the distance, Zhang Yue also boarded the ship along with his entourage. After the disturbance caused by Gu Xingzu, the Li people in Qiongzhou Prefecture, who had been peaceful before, began to feel uneasy. Fearing that any problems might arise and be impossible to fix, the prefect of Qiongzhou reported the situation as a serious matter. Moreover, Hainan Island was one of the best places outside Guangzhou for growing three types of crops. After much consideration, he decided to go there in person with Liu Da, fulfilling Humble’s wish as well.
At this moment, since all the merchant ships had followed the treasure ships, the docks, which had been crowded for days, were now completely empty, with only their ship remaining. After giving instructions to Xiang Shaoyuan, the right vice governor who came to see them off, Zhang Yue stepped onto the deck. Strong winds blew his dark blue robe high, but they couldn’t shake his steps at all.
The ship Zhang Yue and the others were on was a large six-masted, three-deck vessel that could carry up to nine sails. It was produced by the imperial shipyard in Nanjing. Zheng He had brought it along on his southern expedition, saying it was an order from the emperor as a favor to him. Zhang Yue accepted it with a smile. Hearing the imperial edict brought by Zheng He and Wang Jinghong, he felt even more relieved.
With Zhang Qian in charge of the Maritime Trade Office and Xiang Shaoyuan overseeing the Provincial Administration, he only brought a few dozen people on this trip. The huge ship thus seemed extremely spacious. Xu Tao, the Left Advisor, occupied a room on the second deck, while Yu Qian, the Imperial Censor from Guangdong, took a room at the back. The other officials shared rooms either in pairs or threes, while Zhang Yue and his entourage occupied the entire third deck.
The large cabin in the center of the third deck was elegantly arranged and tidy, with the scent of wood filling the air. However, the sea was different from inland rivers, and turbulence was inevitable. As the ship left the Pearl River estuary and entered the open sea, the winds and waves grew stronger. Amber, dressed in men’s clothes, couldn’t withstand such turbulence and began to vomit nonstop. Zhang Yue quickly sent for Liu Da. Liu Da, who was used to sea voyages, had her hold ginger slices in her mouth after taking a look. Zhang Yue comforted her for a while, then had her sit in a reclining chair fixed to the floor behind a screen, covering her with a blanket before leaving with Liu Da.
“When I first set sail, I too was unaccustomed to such turbulence and waves. It was especially bad when the shore couldn’t be seen. Once, the fierce winds and waves almost capsized our ship. Though we’re near the coastline now, it’s still not like sailing on canals or the Yangtze River. You seem quite resilient. Xu Da and Yu Qian down there are also suffering greatly; they just asked me how to feel better.”
“Sea sickness varies from person to person. Maybe I’m just one of those who doesn’t get sick at all. Besides, it will get better once I get used to it,” Zhang Yue said with a smile. “I’ve heard that those who are used to living at sea may feel dizzy when on land.”
“That’s why the military officials in this fleet would rather go to the front lines than stay in Nanjing.”
After chatting for a while, Zhang Yue asked about the experimental fields. Learning that the crops were growing well, he said thoughtfully, “Three harvests a year can indeed enrich farmers and fill their granaries, but the costs and labor must be considered. Many people will be skeptical in the first year, so we can’t rush things. Therefore, the extra two rice crops in the first year should be provided by the government. When they see more grain harvested, others will naturally follow suit, but it’s a long process. Additionally, two harvests of rice or wheat can increase income by 20–30%, while three harvests could double it or more. Low grain prices harm farmers, which is also something we must take into account.”
Liu Da was only interested in farming and agricultural tools; he hadn’t given much thought to other matters. Since Zhang Yue had mentioned it, he couldn’t help but calculate the increase in production, his expression immediately turning serious. Seeing his reaction, Zhang Yue waved his hand and smiled, saying, “But you don’t need to worry too much. Low grain prices harm farmers, but that will only happen after the policy is implemented nationwide. It’s already remarkable if ten counties in Guangzhou adopt this system within three years, and other places vary due to geography and weather conditions. Now that the country is at peace, the imperial court won’t engage in constant wars like before, so the population will grow significantly. Plus, there are unforeseen disasters—by then, there might just be a shortage of food. Besides, it’s unlikely that Jiaozhi can rely entirely on self-sufficiency; the extra output from Guangdong can also find a market. In short, don’t get too proud. If you want to be remembered in history, you still have a long way to go!”
“I’m just an unknown person; what does it matter to me whether I’m remembered or not? I never expected these old bones to still have such a chance to be useful! The lord has shown me kindness and a desire to help the people—how could I hesitate to use my skills?”
The two exchanged smiles, filled with anticipation for the future. Historical records are written by scholars, so the prosperous eras mentioned are almost always times of peace without warfare, with ample food and no hunger—not times of supreme martial prowess or the greatest territorial expansion. If Zhang Yue could further enhance the already highly praised reign of Renxuan, he would naturally be delighted.
Qiongzhou Prefecture was headquartered in Qiongshan County. Isolated in the South China Sea, the position of prefect of Qiongzhou had always been one of the most difficult to fill in Guangdong Province. Thus, after such a major incident occurred and the higher-ups were arguing among themselves, the poor prefect Lu Haishan was living in constant fear. He had been demoted to this position in the first place; if anything else went wrong, the best outcome would likely be being exiled to Jiaozhi. Qiongzhou Prefecture, though not perfect, was at least relatively peaceful, whereas Jiaozhi was plagued by miasma and rebellion—where one could easily lose their life. So, upon hearing that the Li people seemed to be stirring up trouble, the terrified Lu Haishan immediately reported the situation to the provincial administration.
Yet, he never expected that Zhang Yue, the left vice governor, would come in person!
After catching a boat at the dock in Qiongshan County, Lu Haishan invited Zhang Yue to the prefectural office and immediately bowed in fear, admitting his faults: “It’s all because of my incompetence and failure to notice. I didn’t realize it would disturb the vice governor. The initial incident’s news spread too widely, and the autumn grain, which should have been collected by the end of the year, still hasn’t been collected. I didn’t dare send anyone to urge them…”
“Alright!” Zhang Yue saw Cao Jixiang, whom Zhang Qian had insisted on sending with him, standing there with a displeased expression. Several times he tried to speak in defense, but Zhang Yue waved his hand to stop the incessant chatter of the governor of Qiongzhou. “Choose for me today a Li tribe village that is close to Qiongshan County and known for being rebellious. I want to take people there. The messengers sent earlier should have arrived by now, so you must be aware of the situation with double-cropping and triple-cropping rice. You should have an idea in mind.”
Start working right away?
Lu Haishan had seen Shangguan before, and he had also seen people who were decisive and efficient, but this was the first time he had encountered someone who started working without even taking a break as soon as they arrived. Just as he was about to offer some advice, Yu Qian interjected, “Lord Zhang is right. There’s no time to lose. First, the Li people indeed need to be pacified. Second, autumn grain is of utmost importance. Third, Lord Zhang came here specifically for the triple-cropping rice. Please, Governor Lu, handle this as soon as possible. Let’s go right away today to avoid arousing suspicion by sending someone else.”
Zuo Canzheng Xu Tao suffered from severe seasickness, vomiting so much that he was barely conscious. At this moment, he had no strength left in his body. He wanted to object but couldn’t even speak, inwardly groaning in pain. Just then, he suddenly heard words beside him that made him very pleased.
“Also, since Xu Da Canzheng suffers from severe seasickness, go and invite a doctor to check on him. He probably can’t move for a while, so he doesn’t need to go. He can stay in your office and rest.”