Chapter 347: Discovered a New Continent

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After Zhao Yu ascended the throne, he continuously developed maritime trade, shipbuilding technology, and navigation techniques, and consistently recruited civilian navigators and explorers to explore the oceans.

Precisely because Zhao Yu and Wu Nü were well aware that Europe had not yet begun its Age of Exploration; if the Song Dynasty could act first, it could monopolize global shipping routes.

For this reason, Zhao Yu, following Zhang Chun's advice, proposed the slogan "Ten Thousand Li of Sea Borders, Riches Hidden in the Oceans," and unusually elevated the functions of the Ministry of Works and the Imperial Work Supervision, openly declaring, "Ships and oars are the foundation of national prosperity; navigation is the path to opening the world."

Regarding the development of seafaring vessels, Zhao Yu and Wu Nü provided constructive guidance based on their knowledge:

Abandon the traditional flat-bottom design of inland canal barges; adopt a keeled, pointed hull to withstand wind and waves;

Add watertight bulkheads, dividing the hull into twelve to fifteen independent compartments, so that even if one compartment is breached, the entire ship will not sink;

Reinforce the hull with transverse ribs, and cover the outer layer with bamboo strips soaked in tung oil and iron sheets to resist marine organism erosion;

And later, develop toward steam-powered ships.

"Navigation relies on sight; long-distance voyages rely on instruments," Zhao Yu and Wu Nü knew that to initiate the Age of Exploration, they must develop navigational technology.

First came the improvement of the compass. Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao upgraded the traditional "floating method" compass into a "dry compass": using a copper circular base with a central pivot, the magnetic needle fixed to the pivot, the dial marked with the Twenty-Eight Lunar Lodges and Twelve Earthly Branches, allowing rapid orientation by rotating the disk. More crucially, she introduced the concept of "magnetic declination," marking on the compass edge "the difference between magnetic north and true north," enabling sailors to more accurately calibrate their course during ocean voyages—this improvement predates Europe by nearly two centuries.

Next, Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao invented the "sextant."

Seeing Ma Xiao Jiao sketched the instrument from memory: a circular arc of one-sixth the circumference as the base, fitted with a rotatable sighting tube and mirror, measuring the angle between the sun or stars and the horizon to calculate latitude.

Later, Wu Nü pooled collective wisdom, and Ye Shi Yun compiled the "Navigational Arithmetic Classic," training sailors in the method of "noon solar observation to determine latitude."

Additionally, Wu Nü promoted "hourglass timing," "sounding lead" (a lead weight coated with beef tallow to collect seabed sediment and judge terrain), and even refined the "terrestrial maps" from the "Compendium of Military Classics" into "maritime charts," marking islands, reefs, monsoon patterns, and more along the routes.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yu learned from the Ming Dynasty's experience—where the imperial court funded Zheng He's voyages, eventually leading to maritime prohibition—and instead funded everything himself, recruiting civilian navigators and explorers through a shareholding system.

Specifically, Zhao Yu provided the ships, money, supplies, and grade-level goods such as silk, porcelain, glass, soap, and light industrial products; navigators and explorers provided personnel and their lives; both parties partnered to explore the oceans.

All goods sold, all cargo brought back, all profits earned—after deducting costs—were split fifty-fifty between Zhao Yu and the navigators and explorers.

All newly discovered lands belonged entirely to Zhao Yu; he rewarded navigators and explorers according to their discoveries, even granting them honorary official titles.

Of course, Zhao Yu could not neglect guarding against these navigators and explorers—what if they chose not to explore the oceans, but instead sold the ships and goods he provided them?

The "Lángyá Bǎng" contains this dialogue: Mei Changsu advises Prince Jing on strategy, telling him, "Look at this man in my courtyard, named Tong Lu. I entrust him with all my external dealings. I trust him utterly. Yet his mother remains under my care in Langzhou. Thus, two sides coexist: I entrust him with great responsibility, showing my sincerity; I keep his family in my hands, as a safeguard against any contingency—that is my method."

In truth, the underlying logic between individuals and between nations is often the same.

Why was Qin Shi Huang born in Handan, Zhao? Was it not because he had once been a hostage?

Carrot and stick held together—no inconsistency.

Don't forget: when the Bodhisattva lowers her gaze, beside her stands the Vajrapāṇi with furious eyes.

Political masters understand the complexity of human nature—many factors can cause a person to change their mind and act unexpectedly.

Therefore, political masters always prepare two courses of action:

First, I treat you with sincere goodwill.

Second, if you act contrary to our original agreement, I still hold leverage and means to restrain you.

Some might think: isn't this too treacherous?

If he truly holds such thoughts, he is likely still emotionally immature.

Zhao Yu can believe in a person's goodness, yet never underestimate the evil in human nature.

Otherwise, why does the old saying go: "Do not harbor ill will toward others, but never let down your guard against them"?

Objectively speaking, this is human nature.

Thus, while heavily relying on these navigators and explorers, Zhao Yu also relocated their families—including crew members' families—to the capital region, placing them under supervision.

Zhao Yu instructed Huang Jingchen to tell these navigators and explorers: if they diligently help him expand maritime territory, he would never neglect their families; if they died abroad, he would honor their families as fallen soldiers; but if they stole his ships and goods and fled, their men would be exiled to the harshest frontier posts, and their women would be sent to the Imperial Entertainment Bureau to become public prostitutes.

Over these decades, Zhao Yu dispatched over a hundred fleets to sea.

Countless navigators and explorers prospered through cooperation with Zhao Yu, gaining both fame and fortune.

For instance, the group that sailed south to the Nanyang region had already discovered Australia as early as ten years ago, returning with news that Australia was rich in gold, silver, and gemstones.

Zhao Yu quickly named Australia "Huazhu."

"Hua" means Huaxia, implying sovereignty over Australia; "zhu" originally referred to a small island in water, extended to mean a large offshore island, softening the heaviness of "zhou" and adding a touch of liveliness. The two characters are elegant, combining cultural identity with geographic description.

At the time, Zhao Yu specially dispatched officials, accompanied by laborers recruited at high cost by the Ministry of Revenue, to Huazhu; he even exiled convicts to Huazhu to mine gold, silver, opals, sapphires, and other gemstones.

Simultaneously, Zhao Yu's propaganda department spread word that Huazhu was covered in gold, attracting civilian adventurers and navigators to rush there in search of fortune.

Notably, Zhao Yu dispatched officials—and even troops—to seize all critical transit points along the routes, especially strategic locations (including those under control of minor states), then built ports, docks, banks, supply stations, taverns, and even brothels and gambling dens.

This was not merely official conduct.

Gentry families also followed to feast—they organized fleets, recruited laborers, and sailed to Huazhu to make fortunes.

Refugees and impoverished commoners followed to sip the broth—they either boarded official ships to sail south in search of gold, or answered the gentry's recruitment to embark on the journey to that mysterious continent.

For a time, the coastal ports of the Song Dynasty buzzed with activity; ships came and went like a woven fabric, laden with hope and dreams, sailing toward that unknown land of gold.