Chapter 305: Books on the Ship

The route from Guangzhou to Xiamen was one they were familiar with. The traditional route followed the coastline. As long as they were careful not to hit reefs and run aground, there would be no danger.

Therefore, once the ship was on its course, apart from the helmsman who was responsible for watching the compass and following the needle path, who remained vigilant at all times, observing the sea and the coastline, everyone else was lazy and scattered. The working sailors also had a relaxed look on their faces. The Dongshanju used soft sails, which was indeed a bit unusual for Chinese sailors who were accustomed to the simple operation of hard sails. Fortunately, using soft sails was not some great secret technique. European ships sailing in East Asia and Southeast Asia often hired Malays and Chinese as sailors, so it was not difficult to find people who knew how. With the old hands teaching the new, they became familiar after a few voyages. It was inevitable that there would be a few accidents while climbing the masts to tie the yards, resulting in some deaths and injuries among the sailors, but in this era, human life was not precious, and this was not considered a big deal.

For a merchant ship sailing along the coast, with good weather and a favorable wind, apart from the sailors on duty, everyone else was happy to be at ease, each with their own way of passing the time. The sailors and crew would either gather in the hold to study the pips of dice and the combinations of dominoes, or they would have a couple of drinks and chat on the deck while catching fleas, or simply fall asleep. As for the big boss and the second boss, one was playing chess with the poor Manager Liu, and the other was engrossed in a book.

“Huamin, what book is that? You’re reading it so intently?” Liu Deshan moved his chariot to the bottom of the board, smiled at Manager Liu who was frowning in thought, and then turned his head to ask.

“Oh, it’s a book I bought last time I was in Hangzhou, from an Australian-owned bookstore called ‘Wanbi Shufang’.”

“I’ve seen books printed by the Australians. They are indeed always beautifully printed. But Huamin, didn’t you give up on the idea of taking the imperial examinations? Why are you picking up these eight-legged essays again?”

Chen Huamin scratched his head in embarrassment and said with a smile, “This is not a classic of history or literature, just a leisure book, a storybook.”

“A storybook? Is it Romance of the Three Kingdoms? Water Margin? Or The Plum in the Golden Vase?”

“None of those. It’s a storybook written by the short-hairs that has recently become very popular among the scholars in Jiangnan.”

“Oh?! What’s it about?” Liu Deshan’s interest was piqued when he heard it was a book written by the Australians, and he no longer paid attention to Manager Liu who was staring at the chessboard in a daze.

“I don’t know who wrote this storybook. Everyone says it’s from the hand of an Australian. The name is The Old Story of Imperial Protector Huang’s Resistance Against the Jin. It’s about a scholar named Huang Shi from Tianjinwei of our dynasty, who somehow went back to the early Southern Song Dynasty, became a disciple of Marshal Yue, and was given the courtesy name ‘Qubing’ by Yue Wumu. Then Huang Shi helped Marshal Yue to reorganize the army and repeatedly defeated the invading Jin soldiers. And after Marshal Yue was unjustly killed, he supported the Southern Song Dynasty on his own while dealing with the treacherous officials at court, and finally rebuilt the mountains and rivers of China.”

“Sounds very exciting! But how can a person from today go back to a past dynasty? It’s a bit illogical.”

“It’s just a story like a dream under a locust tree. But although the writing of this story is simple, it can move people’s hearts. I’m now reading the chapter ‘Marshal Shi Enters Yanyun Alone to Slay the Barbarian Chieftain,’ and it’s truly soul-stirring, leaping off the page! It’s as if there really is such a great hero, protecting our Han family’s rivers and mountains from being lost. No wonder the scholars in Jiangnan praise this book and this marshal with the words ‘a body that has fought in a thousand battles over three thousand li, a sword that can block a million soldiers’.” Chen Huamin became excited as he spoke, stood up, and struck a pose of holding a sword and pointing, as if he himself were the great general in the book, leading elite troops to sweep the Tartar barbarians out of the Central Plains.

But then, Chen Huamin sat down dejectedly and murmured, “If our great Ming really had a figure like Marshal Huang, how could the Jiannu barbarians have reached the gates of Beijing, as if there were no one there to stop them!”

“Huamin!”

A soft cry pulled Chen Huamin’s thoughts back.

“Sorry, sorry! I got too into it and lost myself unconsciously.”

“It’s alright. Just listening to the introduction of this book is enough to make one’s blood boil, as if one were there in person. It also alludes to the situation in Liaodong. It’s not strange that Huamin would get lost in it.”

“Exactly. Although Liaodong is a thousand li away from here, the fate of a nation concerns all the common people. Now I hear that the situation in the north is getting worse day by day. I’m really afraid that one day the great Ming will repeat the mistakes of the Song Dynasty!”

As an ordinary merchant, Liu Deshan was not particularly concerned about the situation in Liaodong. Hearing Chen Huamin speak so seriously, he was a little dismissive: “Although the Eastern barbarians can reach the gates of the capital, at least there are still hundreds of thousands of troops in Liaodong and the capital. The barbarian chieftain’s country is small and his soldiers are few. Even if his barbarian soldiers are made of iron, how many nails can they make? It won’t ruin the big picture.”

Chen Huamin shook his head. “Cousin, you and I have both studied for a few years, but our understanding of the world’s affairs is still very shallow.” As he spoke, he took a book from his personal book box.

This book was different from The Old Story of Imperial Protector Huang’s Resistance Against the Jin in format. It was twice as large, but much thinner. It was also bound in the Australian style, opening to the left, but the cover had a picture: a warrior in full armor, mounted on a black horse, standing in a world of ice and snow. Although it was only in black and white, the engraving and printing techniques, whatever their secret, made the warrior, the horse, and the landscape in the background so vivid that one felt as if one were there.

The title was “War History Research” in five Song-style characters, and below it was a line of small characters: “Liaodong War Situation Special.” The cover also listed small titles: “Snow Fills the Bow and Saber: The Beginning and End of the Ming Dynasty’s Campaign in Liaodong,” “The Impact of the Deng-Lai Rebellion on the Liaodong Situation,” “A Brief Analysis of the Eight Banners System,” “The Beginning and End of Hong Taiji’s Accession to the Throne”…

Liu Deshan, unlike Chen Huamin who often lingered in Guangzhou, was not very familiar with Australian affairs, but the binding, title, and style of the sentences in this book were clearly Australian. He was originally not very interested in military affairs, but the cover and title were too attractive, so he took it and flipped through a few pages.

Once he started, he couldn’t put it down. Although the Australians wrote entirely in vernacular, it was not difficult for someone like Liu Deshan, who had not read much, to understand. The articles were easy to understand, the analysis went from shallow to deep, and every point was explained very clearly and was quite interesting. Even a merchant like Liu Deshan found it fascinating to read. He didn’t like reading about war and strategy, so he went straight to the “palace secrets” section, “The Beginning and End of Hong Taiji’s Accession to the Throne,” and read it with great interest. He ignored Manager Liu, who was staring at him with wide eyes, still waiting for him to make a move, and only looked up after he finished reading. “That was fascinating! I think even the imperial court probably doesn’t know the situation of the barbarians in such detail!”

Chen Huamin nodded. “Exactly! As they say, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles. I think now in the court, their understanding of the internal situation of the Eastern barbarians is probably just like a blind man feeling an elephant. How can they know it as clearly as the Australians? Not to mention the discussions and comments in this article. I think although there are many officials in the court, you can’t find a few who have such insight.” He sighed. “The Australians are not our great Ming people, yet they are so concerned about the war in Liaodong. It’s truly rare.”

Liu Deshan sighed. “If the Australians were willing to serve the court, even a hundred Eastern barbarians would be wiped out. The Zheng family was so powerful, yet they were gone in a day!”

Chen Huamin sneered. “The Australians are so capable, how could they be willing to serve the court? I think sooner or later…”

Manager Liu turned pale with fright. Although this was their own ship, it was still very inappropriate to say such things. Not to mention the government, even the Australians might not like to hear it. He quickly said, “Young master, be careful with your words! Be careful!”

Only then did Chen Huamin stop: Manager Liu was a trusted servant of his family and was naturally looking out for him. But thinking about it, if the Australians were really to change the dynasty, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. At least under their rule, everyone’s life was not bad.

Liu Deshan said, “It’s stuffy down here in the hold. Let’s go up to the deck for some fresh air.”

The three of them went up to the deck. Chen Huamin asked loudly, “Xiao Wang, where are we now?”

“Reporting to the boatswain, we have just entered the territory of Xiamen. We will reach Xiamen soon.”

At this moment, the voice of the lookout came from the top of the mast: “Ship spotted ahead, approaching at high speed!”

The two of them, along with Wang Chengdi, immediately ran to the bow and each took out a monocular telescope to look.

After a while, Wang Chengdi said, “It’s a fast boat with a triangular sail, and it’s flying the blue-bottomed star flag. It’s the Australians!”

Chen Huamin lowered his telescope. “Hmm, from the ship’s type, it should be a fast patrol boat. It seems the Australians have officially marked this sea area as their territory.”

The voice from the mast came again: “They are signaling us to stop for inspection.”

“Just do as we usually do.”

“Yes.” Wang Chengdi turned his head and shouted, “Lower all sails, raise the Lingao sailing flag.”

“Stop lying around, get up, you lazy bums! You over there, put some muscle into it, haven’t you eaten?!”

After the Dongshanju came to a stop, the patrol boat with the triangular sail came alongside. The officer on board, with a few sailors, boarded the ship. He first checked the ship’s Lingao registration documents, then examined the cargo manifest, and finally had someone open the hatch covers and carefully inspect the cargo. Finally, he asked, “Are you carrying this much salt to sell in Xiamen?”

Liu Deshan was very quick-witted and immediately replied, “This is to be sold in Shanghai…”

“Do you have a salt permit?”

This hit him where it hurt. Liu Deshan stammered for a moment, then had to say it was “private salt.”

“Private salt in Jiangnan has always been transported from the north. Since when did it get smuggled from Guangdong? Aren’t you afraid of losing your capital?” the officer sneered. “Don’t lie: you’re going to sell this salt in Xiamen.”

Liu Deshan swallowed. With the Australians, denying and bribing didn’t work. He had no choice but to say with a smile, “You are wise, sir. This salt is indeed intended to be sold on Xiamen Island. I was blinded by greed, thinking I could make a small profit…”