Chapter 553: Qingdao

"So you are Xu Fu... hmm... Xu Shi?"

The voice from above was lofty and condescending, but to Xu Shi's ears, it was already like heavenly music.

Xu Shi's face was somewhat pale, and he walked with a stagger. This was the seventy-eighth day of his imprisonment, the first time he had been released from the dungeon.

Along the way here, the slightly warm sea breeze told him that spring had already arrived, and the important figure who had previously kidnapped Xu Shi had finally come to this small coastal town named "Qingdao" and met him in person.

The black cloth over his head was finally removed, but then his vision went dark again — it turned out that a high official, his skin swarthy brown like a seaside fisherman, was seated before Xu Shi. He appeared to be around thirty years of age, his expression full of amusement, like a tabby cat watching a little mouse beneath its paw.

Xu Shi, who had seen something of the world, strove to steady himself and replied, "This humble one is indeed Xu Shi, courtesy name Fu. Greetings to the Commandery Governor of Jiaodong!"

Heifu, upon hearing Xu Shi's second sentence, did not explain why he had kidnapped him or what he intended to do with him. Instead, he asked, "I hear that from a young age you began sailing the seas, that you not only know the arts of observing the stars and gazing at the moon, but are also extremely familiar with the Qi region's coastlines?"

Xu Shi was a clever man. Behind him stood Gong Ao, his hand always ready on his sword. He knew his petty life hung by a thread, the other end held in the hands of this Governor Heifu. To have dared kidnap him at the risk of deceiving the emperor, the purpose was naturally to strike at the fangshi alchemists. Yet to have kept him alive and not killed him meant that he was still of some use to this man...

Xu Shi was very clear about his own strengths, so he answered readily, "In all the realm, those who observe the stellar qi number over three hundred, all fine scholars. Yet when it comes to discerning bearings upon the great sea and understanding the conditions along the Lesser Sea's coasts, none can surpass me!"

Heifu laughed. "Though your reputation precedes you — all of Qi and Lu knows that any ship with Xu Shi aboard will return safely, and fishermen and boatmen all regard you as a god — empty words are no proof. I must still test you. Let's start with something close at hand..."

Without caring whether Xu Shi was willing or not, Heifu began his questioning. "I hear from my personal attendants that you have already guessed this place is Buji County, a hundred li south of Jimo, where a fishing village was opened up as a port, with walls and a town built and renamed Qingdao. Tell me then, can this Qingdao serve as a seaport?"

Xu Shi was inwardly furious, but when the knife is the chopping block and I am the fish meat, what could he do? He could only force a smile and say,

"Your Excellency should know that the ships of Qi shuttle across the Lesser Sea. From Zhifu as a transit point, north to Jieshi in Yan, south to Langya in Ju, there is already an established sea route. This humble one is a man of Langya. In my youth, I often traveled between Yan and Ju. Among those journeys, from Langya to Chengshan Cape, this Buji... Qingdao was a necessary passage, so I am very familiar with it."

Then, Xu Fu began to recount the advantages of Buji County, saying that this place had the benefits of both mountain and sea. The mountain was Mount Lao, soaring high into the clouds, plunging into the sea, with the sea encroaching beneath the mountain. When great mists arose, it was like a fairyland — the finest place for fangshi alchemists to practice grain-abstinence cultivation.

And where mountain and sea met, there were reefs clustered thick, startling waves pounding the shore, a twisting coastline with bays and headlands interlaced. Away from the shore, islands stood in great numbers, lush and verdant, cut off from the world.

Yet within this county, there was one bay where fine sand whispered softly, gentle and tender as water. Because the shore was sheltered, blocking wind and waves, the bay within was calm and tranquil. Best of all, a river of no small width extended from Jimo City all the way here to enter the sea, navigable by boat for transporting goods. Thus this bay was very suitable as a natural fine harbor...

The bay Xu Shi spoke of was naturally what would later be Jiaozhou Bay. Although the finest harbor in the Qi region was still Langya Terrace, that, after all, belonged to the territory of Langya Commandery. Jiaodong still had to rely on its own efforts.

And so the new seaport Heifu had chosen was situated at Jiaozhou Bay, precisely the location of the later Qingdao, and he named it Qingdao as well. As the de facto ruler of Jiaodong, Heifu still had the right to name a small fishing port.

Although the coastline differed somewhat from two thousand years later, the bay enclosed by the mountain ranges had already taken its final form. The many islands scattered within Jiaozhou Bay were mostly uninhabited. The former small fishing village had no more than a hundred households, but now walls had been built, a dock opened up, and it was already quite prosperous.

The fleet from Kuaiji Commandery, under the pretext of "protecting the commandery seat," had also been partially transferred here to be stationed and trained.

Heifu's treatment of these sailors was hardly stingy. Hadn't Jiaodong just relocated the various Tian clans? Over a hundred thousand qing of land had been vacated. Heifu gave priority in distributing it to the stationed Qin troops for military farming, one hundred mu per man. Next came the Chu and Yue sailors from Kuaiji, eighty mu per man. The remaining land was then distributed to the poor of the lü-left, fifty mu per man, in accordance with the court's "land-grant system" regulations.

These lü-left poor did not receive land for nothing. They had to, like the peasants of the Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn periods, after tending to their private fields, go work on the "public fields" for several days each month. These so-called public fields were in fact the salary fields granted to the Qin soldiers and the sailors of the fleet...

In this way, the poor had land to cultivate, the soldiers had grain to eat, and no resentful words would arise.

Although the fleet Ren Xiao had brought possessed a certain fighting capacity, to contend with the sea bandits, their numbers were still insufficient. Moreover, they needed the assistance of people familiar with the local waters. So Heifu and Commandery Commandant Ren Xiao discussed that the main fleet force stationed at Zhifu Island would be used to guard against sea bandits, while Qingdao Port to the south, protected by the bay, could be used to construct new ships and recruit sailors for training.

To build new ships, a large quantity of timber was naturally needed, and the area around Jiaozhou Bay also possessed such conditions. Jiaonan was situated in mountainous terrain, with abundant trees, rich in shipbuilding timber. The area around Mount Lao was still vast stretches of primeval forest at this time, with pines, oriental arborvitae, cloud catalpas, ginkgoes, household locusts, white poplars, and flat-willow trees covering the hills and plains. These trees were precisely the finest timber for shipbuilding and oar-making.

But the problem came back to this: manpower was still insufficient. The court could allocate a batch of laborers from Langya to help, but for the long term, Heifu's gaze was still fixed on the peninsula...

Since Heifu had received the First Emperor's command to clear the coastal pirates within the year, and also desired to seize population from the Korean Peninsula, he had come here on an inspection tour to check the fleet's training and the construction of new ships. Only then did he have the time to see the kidnapped Xu Shi.

A figure like Xu Shi, who could leave legendary deeds in history, did possess some genuine ability. He explained clearly and plainly the reasons Qingdao could serve as a fine harbor, and even flattered Heifu for his vision — with such a honeyed tongue, no wonder he had been able, historically, to hoodwink the First Emperor into giving him three thousand virgin boys and girls and countless great ships to go out to sea and skip stones for fun...

However, Xu Shi was destined not to have that opportunity, because he had met Heifu.

Heifu nodded. "Not bad, you do indeed have some skill. Since you know the near seas like the back of your hand, I shall ask you about distant matters."

He propped his head on his hand, assuming a contemplative pose. After a moment, he said, "This official has recently taken an interest in Korea, as well as the Huimo and the Nine Yi. But my subordinates are mostly unfamiliar with them. If you know of them, do explain in detail."

Xu Shi was startled, then overjoyed. Although he had not sailed to each of those places himself, he had heard others speak of them many times and was quite familiar.

So he first introduced "Korea" to Heifu. This name was not something bestowed by the later Ming dynasty, but had existed since ancient times. As the saying goes, "Within the Eastern Sea, at the corner of the Northern Sea, there is a state named Korea" — the location could not be clearer. And the founder of Korea was said to be Jizi, one of the Three Benevolents from the time of the Yin-Shang.

By this time, the atmosphere of the conversation had grown quite relaxed. Heifu had someone bring food and granted Xu Shi a mat and table. The two ate and talked, and Xu Shi, wanting to demonstrate his capabilities, did his best to narrate in vivid detail...

He said, "Jizi was the uncle of Emperor Xin. After King Wu of Zhou destroyed the Shang, he was enfeoffed in Korea. However, when I was in Liaodong, I spoke with a man of the Jizi-Korean people, and he said that in Korea there is another account: Jizi was not enfeoffed by the Zhou people. Rather, before the Yin-Shang perished, seeing that the tide had turned, he took a portion of the Shang people and migrated northward, reaching Liaodong..."

According to this exotic account from Xu Shi, the Yin-Shang came from the north and returned to the north. Eight hundred years ago, north and south of the Yan Mountains, there were many Zi-surname fang-states of the Yin-Shang, such as the Guzhu State, which had always been opposed to the great city of Shang. Boyi and Shuqi received Jizi and allowed him and his clansmen to settle in the Liao River basin east of Guzhu.

However, the Zhou people did not give up their northern campaigns. With the Duke of Shao's northern expedition, the entire Yanhao region, including the Guzhu State, submitted to the Zhou. Jizi could only continue crossing the Liao River and migrate further east, reaching distant Korea, a place the Zhou's power could hardly reach, and there established a fang-state of the Yin-Shang remnants: Korea.

Thus, according to Xu Shi's account, the so-called "Son of Heaven of Zhou enfeoffed Jizi in Korea" was merely the Zhou people acknowledging a fait accompli. From beginning to end, the Zhou dynasty never relaxed its vigilance toward Korea. Jizi's descendants had to serve as hostages in the State of Yan. Over time, this formed the Jizi lineage of Yan, who served as grandees.

However, with the increasing encroachment of the Rong and Di barbarians, Yan's control over western Liaoning gradually waned. Even the Guzhu State launched attacks against them. Had Duke Huan of Qi not campaigned against the Mountain Rong and beheaded Guzhu, the State of Yan would likely have been destroyed.

It was precisely during that great Rong-Di invasion that the connection between Yan and Korea was severed. In short, throughout the entire Spring and Autumn period, the Central Plains had only a foggy understanding of Korea. Separated by the sea, even the people of Qi, who roamed along the coastlines, knew little of that place.

It was not until Yan and Korea fought a war that this state's veil of mystery was once again lifted.

"Yan and Korea fought a war?"

Heifu knew nothing of this matter. Even the historical records of Yan did not record it in detail. It was Xu Shi, a man who had long wandered between Yan and Qi, who knew some specifics.

He told Heifu, "That was during the time of King Zhao of Yan. Korea and the Eastern Hu jointly divided Liaodong. But because Jizi's descendants had grown arrogant and unrestrained, they were disrespectful toward Yan. Not only did they fail to show submission, they even presumptuously declared themselves kings, showing great intent to contend with Yan for supremacy. So King Zhao of Yan, to punish Korea, ordered Qin Kai to lead troops eastward. After smashing the Eastern Hu, he continued to attack Korea, seizing over two thousand li of territory, reaching Manfanhan as the border..."

Thus, at the height of Yan's power, its territory reached the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, where it established officials and built barrier fortifications. Korea was considered a vassal of Yan.

After this, Qi also established contact with Korea. After all, their common enemy was Yan. Their contact was mainly by sea. Qi had trade relations with Korea and the "Nine Yi" around Korea. Korea's specialty product, "patterned hides," was even sold across the sea in the Zhuangyue Market of Linzi.

However, Xu Shi added that the sea route from Jiaodong to Korea was somewhat complicated. One had to sail north from the Penglai Islands. Along the way, there were islands that could provide anchorage and fresh water replenishment. After that, one only needed to wait for a wind, and in just a few days, one could cross the Lesser Sea and reach the vicinity of what would later be Dalian and Lüshun. With good luck, most ships could reach their destination intact...

After that, one would have to go around from Liaodong to Korea. Attempting to set sail directly eastward from Chengshan Cape still posed some difficulty.

It was precisely because of the difficulty of travel that after the fall of Yan, the Qin dynasty also had little interest in the petty marquisate of Korea overseas. The two sides had yet to establish contact.

On the contrary, many restorationists from Yan and Qi crossed the sea and fled to Korea, as well as to the surrounding lands of the Huimo and the Nine Yi, constantly brooding on a counterattack against the mainland.

The Huimo were a people of Liaodong who practiced a mix of farming and fishing-hunting. Pressured by the Eastern Hu, they gradually flowed into the northeast and the Korean Peninsula. Now they had established many small town-states around the state of Korea. The most famous was undoubtedly "Lord Canghai." It was said to be a coastal town where people of any ethnicity and any state could live as equals, gathering large numbers of exiles from the Central Plains. Lord Canghai's renown had even spread to the Qi region, where he was hailed as the "Mengchang of Overseas."

The Nine Yi were the indigenous peoples of the peninsula. "Nine" was not a specific number but merely indicated multitude, for they had not established any civilization at all. Xu Shi also knew very little about these backward tribes, having only heard from people who had come from Korea that the Nine Yi lived in mixed settlements without walled cities, but they knew slash-and-burn agriculture and had a large population.

The Huimo and the Nine Yi could be considered the direct ancestors of the later Koreans.

"A large population? That's enough."

Hearing this, Heifu felt it was about enough. To Xu Shi, who was about to volunteer his services, he said, "In truth, I asked you about near matters, then about distant matters. But what I most wish to ask about is only one thing — a matter neither near nor far."

Xu Shi very much wanted to hoodwink Heifu into releasing him, or entrusting him with an important task, giving him a chance to escape, or to expose Heifu's crime of deceiving the emperor. So he smiled and said, "To be able to share the Commandery Governor's burdens is Xu Shi's good fortune. Governor, please ask without hesitation!"

This time, Heifu did not keep him in suspense and asked directly, "An Qisheng, Lu Sheng, Han Zhong, and you — when you lot urged His Majesty to send people out to sea, I'm afraid it was not merely to swindle money and silks, was it? What exactly is your purpose? Is it connected to the activities of the anti-Qin fighters overseas?"

Xu Shi was stunned. Before he could react, even more terrifying questions came one after another:

"The anti-Qin brigands of the Qi region — the lair of Yongmen Sima is on the islands between Liaodong and Qi. Tian Du of Yeyi was rescued by him. Do you fangshi alchemists have any contact with them? How does one find the location of their nest?"

After firing off these questions like a string of cannonballs, Heifu waved his hand. Gong Ao and the trusted retainers behind him once again pinned Xu Shi down and covered his head with a burlap sack — this was the prelude to taking him back to the gloomy dungeon.

Xu Shi cried out that he was wronged, while Heifu casually slapped his thigh, stood up, and said, "Time's about up. Xu Fu, if you've thought these questions through, then explain them one by one, clearly in black and white. I'll come see you next time — whether that's in a month or a year depends on your performance!"

PS: Still need to fix the punctuation. You guys grabbing a spot in the comments is pointless anyway, sigh.

(End of chapter)