Chapter 604: The Wind Has Risen

In the thirty-third year of the First Emperor, mid-May, the harbor of Yantai was thronged with people. Many high officials of Jiaodong, including Commandery Governor Heifu, had gathered here, all standing under the shade of the eaves, craning their necks in anticipation.

Heifu sat in the center. Chen Ping stood beside him, leaning close to his ear and whispering something. Though Heifu's expression appeared calm, inside, he still felt a few traces of anxiety.

"I still shouldn't have let Wei Yang risk his life at sea…"

The matter had to be told from half a month ago. After completing a series of technical preparations such as star-guiding arts and the compass, it happened to be the start of May. Just as Xu Fu had said, the monsoon from the south began to blow right on schedule.

"The winds off the coast of Jiaodong change with the four seasons. From October to March, north winds are most common. In April, the monsoon shifts, the wind direction is unstable, and one cannot rashly set out on a long voyage. By May, the wind turns southerly, and from June to August, along the Jiaodong coast, there are even strong gales blowing from the southwest to the northeast!"

May to August was the best time to ride the wind on a long voyage to Korea, and Heifu naturally would not miss it. In just a few days, the first official fleet to open a new sea route was ready: one large ship and two small ships, disguised as merchant vessels, with a total crew of four hundred.

When selecting military officers, one Five Hundred Leader and two Hundred Leaders were needed. Wei Yang, who held the rank of Hundred Leader, volunteered on his own initiative to join this long voyage.

Heifu was somewhat hesitant at first and said to his nephew in private, "The wind and waves at sea are unpredictable. If anything were to happen to you, how could I face your father and your grandmother?"

Wei Yang was the eldest grandson of the family and the darling of his mother. Heifu did not wish for any mishap to befall him.

Wei Yang, however, had a degree of ambition. Puffing out his chest, he said, "Uncle Zhang (Zhang Cang) once told me a story, 'Chu Long Admonishes the Dowager Queen of Zhao.' There is a passage in it that your nephew still remembers to this day."

He recited, "Even the sons of a ruler, flesh and blood kin, cannot rely on honor without merit or emolument without labor, and yet still hold onto the weight of gold and jade—how much less can a subject?"

"You, Uncle, made me an officer of the towered ships in the hope that Wei Yang could gain a firm foothold among them. But what the army respects most is courage and daring. If I can only ever bask in your authority, how can that last? Ocean currents, monsoons, latitude, star-guiding, the compass, and the improved large sailing ships—you, Uncle, have made so many preparations for this long voyage. Now that the south wind has begun to blow, why not let your nephew give it a try!"

Wei Yang pleaded with all his might, and in the end, Heifu could not dissuade him. He could only agree to let him take charge of one of the three-hundred-hu small boats, and also had Xu Fu accompany the fleet.

At the start of May, the three ships departed Yantai. They initially sailed along the coastline and spent the night at Chengshan Cape. A day later, as the fog at Chengshan Cape dispersed, with the wind-direction bird atop the mast pointing north, the three ships left the mainland completely behind, gradually receding until they vanished beyond the horizon…

According to Xu Fu's plan, the large ship sailed with the wind. Even at a speed of only five knots, it could cover two hundred li a day. In just two short days, it could reach the outer seas of Jizi Korea and dock at its harbor, "Liekou." After a brief rest, it could continue north and reach the Qin dynasty's most remote border fort, Manfanhan.

From there, it was the sea route that the Jiaodong Fleet had explored clockwise. The ships would then follow the ocean current back to Jiaodong via southern Liaoning, and the speed would also be very fast. In just over ten days, they could return to Yantai.

Today was the date the fleet was due to return, but from morning until noon, though ships occasionally shuttled across the sea, they were all passing travelers, not the returning men.

"Could something have gone wrong?"

"I knew that alchemist was unreliable…"

The towered-ship officers under Ren Xiao did not refrain from whispering among themselves. Their strategy had been rejected by Heifu in favor of Xu Fu's plan. Although Xu Fu's reasoning was clear and logical, the men could not help feeling somewhat unconvinced in their hearts.

Of course, all this discontent had been silenced by the fact that Heifu had sent his own nephew, Wei Yang, out to sea with the first batch of ships.

Just as Heifu was growing somewhat anxious, the petty officer keeping watch in the distance at the harbor raised a fiery red flag!

And then, the clanging of metal was struck!

This was a system of metal gongs and banner signals derived from the army, signifying the troops' return to camp!

The crowd was overjoyed and rose to their feet one after another, craning their necks in anticipation. On the sea in the distance, illuminated by the setting sun, two ships were approaching the harbor at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Two ships?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ping's heart skipped a beat. By then, they could also see clearly: it was one five-hundred-hu large ship and one three-hundred-hu small boat…

One fewer than the three that had set out!

And Wei Yang had been on precisely the small boat!

The hearts of Heifu's advisors rose into their throats again, but Heifu remained composed, his face expressionless, watching the two ships dock at the shore. The men aboard disembarked one after another and walked toward them.

He did not immediately ask whether his nephew was among them or if he was safe. Instead, he calmly gave the order: "Play the victory song."

For these several hundred warriors who had braved death to go to sea, they deserved to be welcomed with the victory song!

A burst of cheers erupted on the shore. Drums and music sounded in unison, and soldiers crowded both sides of the street, welcoming their comrades who had crossed the great sea!

They drew near. The Five Hundred Leader in charge of the large ship strode at the front, beside him the composed and smiling Xu Fu, and closely following behind was a familiar young figure—it was Wei Yang, who had been in charge of the small boat!

The three men passed through the colleagues lining the path to welcome them, walked before Commandery Governor Heifu and Commandery Commandant Ren Xiao, and bowed in salute.

"Commandery Governor, Commandery Commandant, your subordinates have not failed in their mission!"

Heifu nodded and helped the Five Hundred Leader and Xu Fu to their feet, then looked at his nephew. After more than ten days of sea wind and scorching sun, his face was flushed red and somewhat peeling. There was a touch of sorrow in his eyes, but also a bit more spirited brightness.

Heifu felt a measure of comfort. That little brat who, over a decade ago when he returned home from military service, had tugged at his clothes with grubby little hands begging for candy. That young boy who, when he recounted his experiences on campaign, had clenched his fists and opened his eyes wide, full of yearning.

Now, he had grown up.

"Uncl… Lord Governor!"

Wei Yang bowed and presented the maps drawn on this long voyage, the observed distances between the North Star and the earth at different locations, the calculated "latitude" data, and the Navigation Log that Heifu had instructed him to keep when he departed.

After Heifu took them, he did not look at anything else. He first opened the map, and after a quick glance, he repeatedly exclaimed his approval. Pointing at the three men and the three hundred towered-ship soldiers disguised as merchants and sailors, he said loudly:

"A year ago, when His Majesty was at Chengshan Cape, he changed the name from Heaven's End to Heaven Without End! He did so to encourage the towered-ship soldiers to cross the sea and seek a path, so that the domain of Great Qin would have the Eastern Sea to its east. Now, you have returned from patrolling the sea. This is equivalent to adding several hundred li of maritime territory to Great Qin out of thin air! For such a magnificent feat, I will certainly request recognition of your merits from His Majesty!"

…

That night, at Yantai harbor, Xu Fu and Wei Yang reported to Heifu everything they had seen and heard on this long voyage, as well as the fate of the missing three-hundred-hu boat.

Wei Yang said with some sorrow, "When crossing the great sea, the first day was fairly smooth, but on the next day, we encountered a rainstorm. The wind and waves were extremely fierce, and many people were thrown overboard. After the storm passed, that ship had become separated from us, and we do not know where it drifted to…"

The Hundred Leader on that ship was his colleague and comrade. They had sailed and studied star-guiding arts together for these past few months and had a good relationship. The unknown fate of him and his hundred crewmen made Wei Yang somewhat sad.

Xu Fu added, "We waited an extra day at Liekou, but that ship never rejoined the fleet, so we could only return first."

Three had set out, but only two returned. This was no small cost, and it also gave rise to some dissenting voices within the Commandery Commandant's office, who believed that crossing the sea directly was still too dangerous.

But Xu Fu assured them that this was merely an accident, and that as autumn and winter approached, stormy weather would become less frequent, making this sea route increasingly safe.

"Truly?"

Heifu could only bluff in theory and intimidate Xu Fu a little, but when it came to actually going to sea and dealing with wind and waves, he had no concept at all. This all relied on the decades of experience of old boatmen and sailors; an outsider could not dictate. Besides, even two thousand years later, even extremely advanced steamships fared poorly when encountering large waves.

He glanced at Wei Yang. The wind and waves were merciless and did not distinguish between the worthy and the foolish, the noble and the lowly. His nephew had come just a hair's breadth away from becoming a sacrifice to this exploration. This was also the reason why people feared the great sea.

"Perhaps this is the price that exploration must pay…"

Heifu felt somewhat helpless, but immediately hardened his heart again and said:

"Dispatch five more ships to sea at once. Set sail on the southwest wind, following the same route. This time, there is no need to pursue speed; proceed slowly. Carefully measure the latitude along the coast of Jizi Korea and scout out the hidden reefs along the way to ensure absolute safety! Incidentally, also search along the coast for that lost ship, officers, and soldiers! Tell the towered-ship soldiers that this officer will never abandon any single man!"

…

The new sea route still needed exploration and refinement, but time waited for no one. While several batches of ships were successively dispatched to cross the sea on long voyages, on the other side, escorted by the fleet's warships, over ten grain transports also set sail north from Yantai harbor. They would travel against the ocean current, taking the old route that took longer but was safer and free of major storms.

Commandery Governor Chief Clerk Chen Ping, as Heifu's plenipotentiary representative, was also aboard. The destination of this fleet was the mouth of the Yalu River, a small coastal settlement called "Xi'anping" (Dandong). They had to deliver the first batch of grain there for stockpiling before Prince Fusu's army arrived, and use the convenience of the fleet to build a pontoon bridge across the river for Fusu…

"Rest assured, Commandery Governor."

Before parting, Chen Ping smiled warmly: "Your servant will certainly follow my lord's instructions, properly oversee the provisions and fodder, and assist the young master in crossing the river!"

These words, however, made Heifu furrow his brow. Although Chen Ping was loyal to him and handled matters very effectively, lately his ideas seemed a bit too numerous...

But there was no better candidate at the moment. Heifu did not want to send Xiao He or Cao Can to meet Fusu. Chen Ping had also served as Chief Clerk in the northern territories and had met Fusu face to face, so dealing with him would be more convenient.

After mulling it over repeatedly, he still decided to send Chen Ping, but beckoned him over with a wave and warned him by his ear:

"Without my permission, do not stir up trouble!"

"Ping is, after all, a Qin official. Serving the state with all my heart and fulfilling my duties is barely enough — how would I dare act recklessly?"

Chen Ping seemed frightened and meekly assented. Only after boarding the boat, as he turned back to look at Heifu waving them farewell, did he bow deeply. Then, straightening up and gazing at the gradually receding shoreline, he clasped his hands behind his back and smiled:

"My lord's lord is not my lord..."

(End of Chapter)