Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
At this moment, when the topic of conversation turned to ships, Luzi immediately thought of Meng Wu, who was heading to Qianzhou County City. Ever since their parting in Qi State, he had not heard any news about Meng Wu and wondered how things were going over there.
Luzi had initially only considered sending someone to investigate whether there was indeed something going on with Fairy Island overseas, but he had never found the time to think about who would go out to sea. Hearing Xun Ke mention the term Helmsman made him think of this issue right away.
"Xun Hall Master! When it comes to navigating a ship, my title as Helmsman is just for show. I wonder if you know any brothers who are knowledgeable in this area? If everything goes smoothly, I would like to select a few to go out to sea. Considering certain restrictions, it would be best if they are trustworthy."
It is well known that the Chu Region has many rivers. Some villages are built along both banks, and people rely on boats for transportation. Although they all row boats, rivers and the sea are two entirely different concepts. Both the Great Rivers and the sea can be described as having three feet of waves without wind, but the differences between them are significant. Without considerable experience at sea, mere courage is definitely not enough.
Out to sea!?
Upon hearing this, Xun Ke thought to himself that there was already enough to deal with on land; why was Luzi considering going out to sea? After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "Grandmaster, where do you want to go?"
Luzi did not intend to reveal his plans because it was not the right time. "It's temporarily confidential! In any case, the ship can be arranged later; right now, we are just lacking experts in this area."
Xun Ke nodded and did not press further but said, "Grandmaster, to be honest, it is true that we have many rivers here and almost every household has small boats. If someone claims they can't row a boat, no one would believe them. However, this small-scale rowing is completely different from going out to sea; those who know what they're doing can only be found by the coast."
"I understand!"
Luzi nodded in agreement and was about to change the subject to ask why this so-called hall master had come out at such a late hour when he heard Xun Ke continue discussing the matter.
Xun Ke grew up by the sea and had gone out fishing alone at the age of thirteen. Although he had only ventured into nearshore waters, he experienced an unexpected thunderstorm during that trip. Every fishing boat from the village was caught in it, including many seasoned fishermen who had been dealing with the sea for decades.
Just as the women, children, elderly, and young in the village were praying for their family members' safety by offering sacrifices to the sea, a small boat suddenly appeared on the calm surface of the water. Those with sharp eyes quickly noticed this miracle: the child who was least likely to return had actually survived!
According to Xun Ke himself, he is a person who has died once, which allows him to see through all worldly matters. However, it must be admitted that Xun Ke's mindset is unique. Surviving a thunderstorm like he did involved luck, but luck alone is not enough.
If one lacks the ability and becomes flustered due to external factors, neither mindset nor luck can save them. Luzi has also been out to sea, but he sailed along the coastline. Listening to Xun Ke recount his experiences felt as if he were there himself, thrilling and heart-stopping. The listener was already sweating profusely, while the speaker seemed to be telling a story unrelated to himself.
After finishing his tale, Xun Ke reached for his teacup to sip some water and soothe his throat. "My ancestors originally served in the navy of Wu Region and had several experiences of sailing for months. Later, when Wu Region was destroyed by Yue Kingdom, my ancestors became disillusioned with the bustling world. From then on, they changed their names and moved to the seaside to make a living by fishing."
Luzi quietly listened to Xun Ke's explanation and suddenly understood why Xun Ke had become so sentimental today. If his assumptions were correct, the ancestors of the Xun family must have been a naval general from Wu Region who loved sailing. The anticipation of exploring unknown territories through navigation had long been ingrained in their bones.
Sailing is not something ordinary families can achieve; even wealthy families cannot afford such a game. From building ships to training sailors and acquiring vast amounts of supplies, it is not something that just one or two families can bear!
Thus, it can be understood that only state funding can help sailors realize their dreams. What Xun Ke referred to as his ancestors' disillusionment was merely a grand excuse.
With King Wu dead and Wu Region subsequently destroyed by Yue Kingdom, the funding chain that could have supported maritime expeditions was severed. Once a voyage loses state support, its dreams are shattered as well. As people from Wu Region at that time, the Xun family naturally could not receive assistance from King Yue and were forced to abandon their dreams out of necessity.
But would the fire in their hearts extinguish just like that? Probably not!
Sailors would pass their dreams down to the next generation and simplify their invaluable maritime knowledge for future generations. To spark interest in sailing among the younger ones, elders would even weave their past experiences into captivating stories for everyone to hear.
Everything was done in hopes that someone in the future would realize their dreams. At this moment, Xun Ke was seen as a future sailor with great expectations placed upon him by the elders! Villagers who did not understand this profound meaning believed that this thirteen-year-old boy's survival was merely divine mercy; in reality, it was the skills learned from his ancestors that ultimately saved his life.
Reaching this conclusion made Lu Dashi, who was troubled amidst turbulent times, feel as though he had glimpsed a new world. He stood up and invited Xun Ke, who carried generations of maritime dreams, to sit down and then said:
"Setting sail is not something one or two people can accomplish; from a broader perspective, only an extremely prosperous nation can achieve it. And I believe Great Qin can do it while opening a new chapter for future sailors! Alas! It's just..."
Upon hearing about setting sail for distant horizons, Xun Ke, who had not yet had the chance to feel excited, could not help but ask, "What do you mean?"
"General Xun knows that our Qin State is an inland nation. Although we established our country relying on the Wei River, we cannot hope to roam the seas. It is precisely due to the lack of experts in this area that... it may take a century before we can even consider venturing out to explore the world. I fear we may never see that day, but we must believe that future generations will realize this dream!"
Seeing the dream slip away once more, Xun Ke could no longer sit still and stood up to say, "Grandmaster! We don't have to wait that long! Your Excellency is more than capable of this task! As long as our King Qin supports it, Your Excellency should simply forgo this official position's salary!"
Luzi smiled slightly, signaling the agitated individual to sit down and speak. "General Xun just mentioned that relying solely on luck is not enough for setting sail. Moreover, knowing how to row does not equate to being able to venture out to sea; after all, these small skirmishes are entirely different from maritime navigation. This matter is not a joke and requires careful consideration."
If they were to deliberate further, it would take another century!
Xun Ke knelt on the ground and pledged, "My life's dream is to sail and explore vast oceans in search of broader lands for Great Qin. I firmly believe that on the other side of the sea, there must be land as expansive as our Huaxia!"
Comment 0 Comment Count