Early the next morning, the sun was shining brightly, the waves were calm, and the heavy rain and wind seemed like just a nightmare from last night.
After checking the damage, it was found that only that small boat was seriously damaged. Even if it was overhauled, it would be difficult for it to undertake ocean-going missions. Several other boats had varying degrees of damage and leaks and needed to be repaired. In addition, dozens of crew members were injured.
Huge waves crashed into the sea, and more than a dozen crew members were injured and needed medication.
Xu Hu sent people ashore to explore and found that the place where they anchored was a deserted beach, but seven or eight miles away, there was a small village of locals. Most of the people here were black-skinned people. Xia Xun knew that
They have entered Africa.
Fei Yinglun took several people to the village, but finally brought an Arab. It turned out that Arabs had settled in this place a long time ago. This Arab was very enthusiastic. After accepting Xia Xun's gift,
He is even more enthusiastic about them.
According to him, this place is called Shanglawa. Xia Xun has heard of this place. They had already inquired about the situation here at the last resting point, but the first stop after crossing the Red Sea was supposed to be Mugudushu, and the second stop was Mugudushu.
The first stop was Shanglawa, but because of this sudden big storm, we went directly to the second stop.
This place belonged to Somalia in later generations, but now it belongs to different countries. The fleet stopped here to repair the ship, let the injured crew recover, supply drinking water, and buy food from the locals. There is little vegetation here, and the locals specialize in
Fishing is the industry, and most of what can be compensated is various kinds of fish.
During this period, some soldiers began to feel tired and wanted to stop the voyage and turn back. In their view, they had already received money that they could not spend in a lifetime, so why continue to move forward at the risk of destroying the ship and killing people?
?
Xia Xun still insists on moving forward. Someone has to take the first step. He has already come this far, why give up? Next, more merchant ships from the Ming Dynasty will come west one after another, and ships representing the official government will
If the fleet is significantly reduced, then the fleet will no longer have such huge strength, and it will be more difficult to explore the route.
At that time, the merchant ships of the Ming Dynasty were likely to follow the old route, disembark from Khrumos, and go from the Middle East to the Mediterranean. So before the Europeans discovered this new route, the cost of trade would increase exponentially, which would probably make it impossible for the Europeans to discover this new route.
Chinese people who like to travel far limit their trade to the Persian Gulf.
However, more and more crew members were tired of continuing to sail to more distant places. Under pressure from his subordinates, Xu Hu found Xia Xun and expressed his opinions to him.
At this time, the stonemason was carving a huge indicator icon on the cliff. This icon was not only used as a road sign for Zheng He's fleet. Future Ming merchant groups could use this huge stone icon and the Zheng He fleet that followed.
The slowed-down sea chart easily followed the path Xia Xun walked and embarked on a golden route.
Xu Hu worriedly said to Xia Xun: "My lord, the road ahead is getting more and more dangerous. Our ships are all damaged. After repairing them, I'm afraid we won't be able to continue our voyage. Furthermore, we crossed the wooden bone capital to get here directly.
Yes, Eunuch Zheng’s fleet has reached Mugu and can’t even see the road signs we left. It’s a big question whether they will continue moving forward.
At the same time, there is another difficulty. When we sail on the sea, we mainly use the North Star as the target to determine the direction. However, the more we travel in this direction, the more the North Star sinks to the ground. Now it is almost invisible. If we cannot find a new star
As a pilot star, I will not know where to go next. If I get lost on the vast sea..."
Xia Xun said: "Next, we will sail completely offshore and move forward close to the land. In this case, whether it is a problem with the ship, a problem with supply, or a problem with navigation, it will not be a problem."
Xu Hu whispered: "My lord, we have been away from the large fleet and sailing alone for too long. We have been sailing on the sea all day long, especially the journey in recent days. The food is hard, there is no wine, and there are no women...
…, many crew members were irritable and had fights, and some dared to openly defy the orders of their superiors. I was worried that trouble would occur.”
Xia Xun pointed at the turbulent sea water and rebuked: "Our journey is like Tang Monk's journey to the Western Sutra. There are wind, flowers, snow and moon, there are naturally monsters and monsters, and there are rich clothes and fine food. Naturally, there are also hardships such as lack of water and food. Is it possible that we can only make big fish along the way?
Big meat, rich woman? She can’t bear even a little bit of hardship!”
The author of Journey to the West is Wu Chengen, but he did not make up the stories of Journey to the West. He was just the organizer and compiler of many stories about Sun Wukong. Many stories about the Monkey King had already been told through storytellers, operas, scripts, etc.
It has been passed down to the world, so Xu Hu can completely understand Xia Xun's metaphor.
Xia Xun turned around, stared at Xu Hu, and said seriously: "What we lack is the spirit of adventure and hardship. You were pirates in the East China Sea. Logically speaking, you should be able to endure more hardship than ordinary officers and soldiers. How can you do it now?"
With this look, I think... your discipline is indeed very poor!"
Xu Hu blushed and explained: "My lord, our brothers have never been so far away. They..."
Xia Xun waved his hands and said: "I don't need to explain! Xu Hu, please remember, although we pretend to be pirates, we are still officers and soldiers at heart. As soldiers, we must obey orders. Even if there is a mountain of swords in front of us, I call you
Climb, you have to crawl! There is a sea of fire ahead of you, if I tell you to jump, you have to jump too!"
Xu Hu said dejectedly: "Yes, I humbly obey my orders!"
Xia Xun snorted coldly: "Stay the wounded soldiers. After the boat is repaired, ask them to drive it back to Mugudusu, where they will wait for Eunuch Zheng's fleet to arrive. The rest will continue on their way. Anyone who disobeys military orders will be beheaded!"
If they really think they are pirates, then follow the pirate rules and hang them!"
Xu Hu was shocked and frightened, and quickly lowered his head and said: "Yes! I humbly obey my orders!"
At the seaside, after hearing Xu Hu convey Xia Xun's order, Fei Yinglun, as if he had won the lottery, raised his injured arm and shouted happily in the Shandong accent he had just learned: "I'm injured! I want to
Go back to Mugudusu!"
"Get the hell out of here!"
Xu Hu kicked him and said angrily: "You have to follow anyone who doesn't want to go. If you don't obey, I will hang you!"
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The sea route is really becoming more and more difficult.
After Xia Xun's fleet continued on the road, it entered a more dangerous and unpredictable sea area.
This sea area is constantly turbulent, with typical windless three-foot waves. Sometimes there will be huge waves that stand like a cliff in front and slowly push in like a hillside behind. This slowness is only relative to the hugeness of the ocean.
Yes, when the huge wave, which was five to six feet high and was like a city wall, came down, it was as if the earth was cracking and the sky was falling.
Sometimes polar winds cause rotating waves. If these rotating waves are superimposed on the oncoming huge waves, the situation will be even worse. One of the ships in the fleet disappeared under such huge waves.
When the huge waves came over the sky and covered the earth, and gradually disappeared into a ball of foam, the big ship Ren Juying was riding on disappeared. There were more than two hundred soldiers on the big ship, and there were five people they had plundered.
One-third of the treasure, and the biggest material guarantee for the entire fleet: food and water.
Although food and drinking water were allocated to each ship, Ren Juying's ship carried the most food and drinking water. After the ship disappeared, the entire fleet was in a dilemma. They had continued to sail forward for more than half a month.
The land is gradually becoming barren. At this time, no matter whether you turn around and return or continue forward, you will still find yourself in a desperate sea, with not much food left.
Xia Xun didn't know that they had already rounded the Cape of Good Hope during that big storm. The place where they parked at this time was completely deserted and completely a desert area. The sight was red and yellow, with no head or tail, so naturally there was no way to ask.
Probably no one has been here in history, so there are abundant fish resources on the seaside, so there is no need to worry about food. If there is not enough drinking water, they can also use the seawater separation method to obtain it. However, the drinking water obtained in this way is too little, so they have to take advantage of it.
It collects rainwater when it rains.
The problem is that they have no other food except fish, no fruits and vegetables to eat, and many of them have already developed symptoms of scurvy. They are now in a dilemma. If they stay here to wait for Zheng He's fleet, they are
It was blown here by wind and waves, and we couldn't predict whether Zheng He would come. But if we go forward, we don't know when it will end.
The deaths of more than 200 people on the ship where Ren Juying was aboard had a particularly severe blow to morale. Some people not only openly resisted the orders of their superiors out of irritability and despair, but even openly robbed the drinking water or food allocated to others.
In the vastness of the world, people's awe is weakened. If this behavior continues to be indulged, it may soon turn into a mutiny. And in the current situation, once a mutiny occurs, the result will be the death of everyone. Therefore,
Xia Xun had to take severe measures and hang those who blatantly disobeyed military orders from the mast to restrain the morale of the army.
The road of adventure is always full of risks, and sacrifices must be made, but now Xia Xun doesn't know whether his decision was right.
Maybe... it would have been better to stop advancing when they reached Shanglawa and wait for Zheng He's fleet? Owning those giant ships will provide you with greater security at sea, and the risk will be much less than traveling with your own few ships.
However, that would be tantamount to declaring that his mission to find Emperor Jianwen had failed. Would Zheng He think it was worthwhile to continue this long journey? After all, in their view, they had already reached the distant horizon, and everyone along the way was
Tell them that this is the end of the sky and there is no road ahead.
Xia Xun sighed softly and looked at Tang Sai'er, who was sleeping on his lap. Tang Sai'er was suffering from mild scurvy, tired and lethargic, and weak all over. His originally lively and active temperament was now languid.
I have been without energy all day long, and my little face is so pale that it makes people feel sad.
Xia Xun was anxious. The current situation in the fleet was caused by his decision. You can imagine the psychological pressure on him. Su Ying walked over gently and handed a grilled fish to Xia Xun.
She said softly: "Ying'er, tell me... am I wrong?"
At this time, Xia Xun was haggard, his clothes were ragged, his hair was disheveled, and his beard had not been trimmed for a long time.
Su Ying held his hand distressedly and whispered: "No matter whether we have taken the wrong road or not, if we turn back now, we will die, and if we stay, we will wait for death. We can only move forward! I don't believe it. There is no such thing as this sea."
The end! I don’t believe it, it’s all desert!”
Xia Xun's eyes lit up, and Su Ying said softly: "Cheer up! Didn't you say that where you are going to take us, we have to walk a long way? This is our military training! If you don't endure hardship,
How can we train good soldiers?"
"That's right! If the mentally weak can't even bear these hardships, how will they take root and live in a distant foreign land in the future?"
Xia Xun put Tang Sai'er in Su Ying's arms, stood up, and said in a tone that left no room for doubt: "Keep going forward! This time I just walked the darkest road!"