Sailing on the vast sea is very boring most of the time, but you can see the most beautiful morning sun and the most gorgeous sunset. From time to time, you can also see some strange islands and reefs, and the sky at sea is also exceptionally blue. On a clear night, you can always see the bright starry sky.
After nearly three months of voyage, a fleet of forty ships finally saw a strange land. There were many islands and reefs around this land. The ships had to be extra careful to avoid running aground on the rocks.
On a leading Xia-class battleship, there were several handcuffed people standing on the deck, looking into the distance, their expressions full of sadness. They were Zhu Yunwen, Fang Xiaoru and others, and these forty ships carried , they are all diehards loyal to Zhu Yunwen and their families, numbering in the tens of thousands.
Some of these people even assassinated Wan Lei and were directly exiled to Nanzhou. This was considered a lenient sentence. However, being sent overseas thousands of miles away from home, they always felt very lonely and unwilling.
The person responsible for escorting these people was a naval division-level formation with five battleships and the others were ordinary ships. They were not driven by steam engines, so their speed was very slow. It took three months to cross the equator to Nanzhou, and Nanzhou The northwestern part of the continent is a desert area that is not suitable for human habitation. Naturally, we cannot release the people there. We have to go around the coast of Nanzhou to the plains in the southeast. Only then can we release the people.
Since there were so many people escorted to death, of course these people could not be let out to roam around on the ship. Instead, they were locked below the deck. Only people with special status such as Zhu Yunwen were qualified to come out and breathe fresh air.
"Your Majesty, I heard that we can land tomorrow." Fang Xiaoru whispered to Zhu Yunwen. Although Zhu Yunwen had abdicated, he was still loyal to Zhu Yunwen and still regarded him as his emperor.
"Sir, can we really establish a foothold here?" Zhu Yunwen still asked a little sadly, separated by a vast ocean, he knew that he would probably die of old age in a foreign country in this life, and would never be able to return to China.
"Your Majesty, don't worry. There are more than 10,000 loyal ministers and adopted sons who are loyal to your Majesty. How difficult it is to revive the prestige of the Ming Dynasty." Fang Xiaoru glanced around and found that the guards ignored him, and whispered: "Your Majesty, first I have been recuperating and working hard on this island for decades, but the outcome is still unknown!"
"I hope it's as he said." Zhu Yunwen sighed. He also knew that this was Fang Xiaoru comforting him. You must know how difficult it is to gain a foothold on a wild island, let alone develop and eventually cross the ocean to counterattack the Central Plains. Well, that would be an almost impossible task.
And in a few decades, the people of the Central Plains may have forgotten all about the Ming Dynasty. Even if they are able to counterattack by then, they will probably have to pay a heavy price, let alone whether the Republic of China can develop at a rapid pace. Catching up is always a problem.
The future was uncertain, but at least he had saved his life, and there was still a slim hope of keeping him alive. Zhu Yunwen stood somewhat numbly in the autumn wind, and his expression became much more relaxed.
"Your Majesty, I heard that Nanzhou is located south of the equator, and the season is opposite to that of the Central Plains. It is autumn at this time, and the cold winter is approaching. It is necessary to prepare things for the winter as soon as possible, and to build a wall as soon as possible to prevent outsiders from attacking." Fang Xiaoru said again.
"You have the sole authority to handle these matters. If you encounter problems in the future, you can discuss it with Lord Geng and do it conveniently without asking for instructions." Zhu Yunwen said. After many failures, he finally understood that he was not a political person, so he simply delegated power. , be the master of throwing hands.
While Zhu Yunwen and others were wandering at sea, Wan Lei also came to Fujian by boat. Unlike Zhu Yunwen who was in a miserable situation, Wan Lei received the warmest welcome from the Fujian officials and gentry, because after decades, the Fujian people finally I can return to the sea openly and honestly.
When Wan Lei came to Fujian, he not only brought preferential policies to Fujian, but also encouraged the people to spontaneously form caravans to subscribe for sea-going ships and gather together to go to Nanyang to do business. At the same time, he also went to Meizhou Bay to worship the goddess of the sea, Tianfei, and even donated money. A thousand silver dollars were allocated to expand the Tianfei Palace.
Wan Lei personally came to pay homage to Tian Fei, which is like a shot in the arm for the Fujian people. You must know that Tian Fei is a native of Fujian. Her original name was Lin Mo. She was born in the Northern Song Dynasty and dedicated her life to doing good deeds and helping others. She spent her whole life in the sea. Mercedes-Benz rescued people in emergencies and rescued many fishing boats and merchant ships in stormy waves, so he was revered as the God of the Sea by the people along the coast.
From the Northern Song Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, the imperial concubine was canonized many times by the court, from the original lady to the holy concubine. The latest canonization was in the fifth year of Hongwu. The Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty issued an edict to canonize her as "Zhao Xiao, Pure and True Fuji Influence Saint" "Concubine", but the local people are still accustomed to calling her Tianfei.
In fact, Tianfei, as a folk god, is a kind of spiritual sustenance for the people for a better life. It does not need to be certified by the court at all. Wan Lei's visit to pay homage to Tianfei this time is mainly to encourage Fujian people to carry forward the spirit of navigation and have the courage to march towards the ocean. , and even encouraged the Fujian people to colonize Xiaoliuqiu Island across the sea.
The so-called Xiaoliuqiu is actually Taiwan. In the early Ming Dynasty, people knew little about this island and mistakenly believed that the island was smaller than Ryukyu Island, so the official name was Xiaoliuqiu. However, the people along the coast of Fujian called it Taiwanese.
The Ming court paid very little attention to Xiaoliuqiu. It only set up an inspection department in the Penghu area. Later, Zhu Yuanzhang listed it as a country not subject to conquest. What is ridiculous is that there are many indigenous tribes living in Xiaoliuqiu. There is no unified dynasty yet, it cannot be considered a country at all, and it has never paid tribute to the Ming Dynasty.
Now that the Republic of China has been established, it will naturally not close its eyes and listen like the Ming Dynasty. Wan Lei sent people to Xiaoliuqiu early to find out, and found that the local indigenous people are divided into two types: flatland people and mountain people. The flatland people gather on the coastal plains In this area, there are exchanges with the Central Plains. Some people also understand Chinese and can be said to be familiar with it. However, the mountain people gather in the high mountains in the central part. Their folk customs are fierce and unruly. They are completely raw.
The mature ones are naturally easier to deal with than the raw ones. Wan Lei has already planned to use troops on Xiaoliuqiu within two years. He will first conquer the plains in the west and then march into the central part. Of course, before using troops, he still has to do a good job. For united front work, the so-called public opinion goes before the troops are mobilized. Wan Lei asked more Fujian people to go to the opposite side to do business, make friends with the locals, and cultivate more leading parties.
When everything is ready and the navy is advancing in full swing, wherever the army goes, those who obey will naturally prosper and those who resist will perish. Those who do not surrender will be taken back as serfs. Wan Lei will not be merciful to those natives, let alone Treat surrendered indigenous citizens directly.