Chapter 218: Farewell

The eleventh year of Hongwu, the nineteenth day of the ninth month.

Longjiang Dock.

The sun had just shifted westward, the river surface glittered, and twenty steamships and twenty transport vessels were ready to set out.

On the dock, the send‑off crowd was a sea of black.

Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma stood at the front, behind them Zhu Biao led a few younger brothers, and further back were the officials of each department and the honored martial generals.

Zhu Yong stood at the bow of the Hongwu, clad in a dark battle robe, with the pair of drum‑pot golden hammers hanging at his waist; though he rarely used them, he always took them on campaign, as they were his hallmark.

Guanyin Nu stood at the front row of the dock with two children.

Zhu Huanhuan, already six and a half, was tightly holding her mother's hand, her eyes red yet she endured without crying.

Zhu QiongJiong, almost two years old, was cradled by the wet nurse, unaware of what was happening, but curiously watching the great ships belching black smoke.

"Father! Father!" Zhu Huanhuan finally could not hold back and shouted.

Zhu Yong waved to his daughter, a simple smile spreading across his earnest face.

Guanyin Nu did not shout, but stared steadily at him, her lips trembling slightly.

Zhu Yong knew what she was thinking.

The last campaign was long ago; the Great Ming had already secured the borders and faced no threat. She thought her Prince would never go on another expedition, but...

Yet some matters must be done.

More than four thousand lives cannot be lost in vain.

"Imperial Father, Imperial Mother, your son has departed," Zhu Yong bowed at the bow, his voice hearty yet more solemn than usual.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and shouted, "Yong Er, we await your swift report at Yingtian."

Empress Ma opened her mouth to speak, but finally said, "Yong Er, return safely."

Zhu Biao stepped forward and proclaimed loudly, "Prince Wu, go forth, raise our nation's prestige, crush the petty foes, and return in triumph!"

Behind him, the ministers shouted in unison, "Raise our nation's prestige, return in triumph!"

The steam whistle blared long, and the bright wheels turned.

The Hongwu led the way out of port, its massive hull slowly pulling away from the dock.

Twenty steamships followed closely, black smoke billowing, their momentum overwhelming.

Behind them were twenty transport ships, laden with ammunition, grain and fodder, and five thousand Longxiang troops.

On the dock, Zhu Huanhuan finally could not hold back and began to cry.

Guanyin Nu lifted her and whispered, "Don't cry, your father is going to fight the bad guys; he'll be back soon."

"Really?"

"Indeed."

Guanyin Nu watched the fleet recede, silently thinking: must return.

The fleet drifted downstream, the river wind slapping their faces.

Zhu Yong stood at the bow, watching the scenery on both banks rush backward.

Chang Yuchun walked to his side and whispered, "Prince, go in and rest a while! It will still be two or three days before we set out to sea."

Zhu Yong shook his head and said, "I'll stay a bit longer."

Chang Yuchun understood his mood, offered little persuasion, and simply stood with him.

After a moment, Chang Yuchun stepped away for a while and then returned.

He carried a jar of Wine and handed it to Zhu Yong, saying, "Take a sip, warm your body."

Zhu Yong took it, tipped his head back, and gulped a large mouthful.

"Delightful, I've long wanted to deal with those barbarians, but never had the chance. Now it's perfect—going out with the Prince, a satisfying fight!" Chang Yuchun laughed.

Wang Baobao also emerged from the cabin, standing on the other side.

He gazed at the river and said softly, "There's a saying on the Grassland: blood debts must be repaid with blood. Those who killed over four thousand of us must be answered with forty thousand lives."

Zhu Yong nodded, saying nothing.

The fleet sailed eastward; by the next evening it passed the mouth of the Yangtze and entered the East Sea.

The sea widened, and the waves grew considerably.

Most of the Longxiang troops were from the Northern Region, never having ridden a sea vessel; many became violently seasick.

Fortunately, the army doctors were prepared, issuing many anti‑seasick medicines, which steadied the situation.

Zhu Yong, however, did not suffer seasickness; his constitution differed from ordinary people, and the wind and waves meant nothing to him.

On the fourth day, the fleet entered the South Sea region.

Sea and sky merged into one, the azure waves stretching endlessly.

Zhu Yong stood at the bow and took out the telescope Zhu Biao had given him, a new creation of the Ministry of Works, based on a formula taken from those barbarians, capable of viewing distant objects with crystal clarity.

Since Zhu Yong unveiled many technological devices, both the court and the Ministry of Works have been actively seeking such formulas; this telescope's formula was retrieved by the Ministry of Works.

Of course, whether there was any coercion or inducement remains unknown.

Zhu Yong looked southward; it was nothing but sea after sea.

"Prince, at the current speed, we will reach the Champa waters in another ten days," the navigation officer reported.

Zhu Yong nodded and said, "Send the order: all vessels maintain formation, with round‑the‑clock watch rotations."

"Yes!"

After the navigation officer left, Chang Yuchun leaned in again, saying, "Prince, do you think those barbarians already know we are coming?"

"I don't know, but they certainly wouldn't expect us to be this fast," Zhu Yong said, putting away the telescope.

Steamships travel more than twice as fast as sailing ships; at normal speed, the journey from Yingtian Prefecture to Champa would take over a month by sail, but they need only half a month.

That is the element of surprise.

Wang Baobao walked over, spread out a sea chart; it was a South Sea chart drawn by the Ministry of Works based on Zhou Dahai's description, and although crude, the general locations were all marked.

"Prince, according to the plan, we first send envoys to Champa, pretend to inquire about the caravan's whereabouts, hold them up, and the main force will bypass Champa and go straight for Java."

Zhu Yong nodded and said, "Who will go?"

"I, the younger, am willing to go." A voice came from behind.

The others turned back; it was Zhou Dahai.

His injuries had mostly healed; this time he voluntarily asked to join the expedition, saying he wanted to personally avenge his brothers.

"Prince, I am the most suitable; I recognize that Champa official's face, and also recognize the general in Java. Let me go; I can hold them up."

Zhou Dahai's sea route.

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and said, "Fine, but remember, don't be reckless; if you sense something wrong, retreat. My fleet will be waiting for you in Java."

"I understand!"

Zhou Dahai took the order and left, bringing a few brothers adept at water, transferring to a small steam fast ship, and set off toward Champa first.

Zhu Yong watched the fast ship disappear at the edge of sight, turned to Wang Baobao and said, "Elder Brother, let's move as well."

"Yes!"

The fleet adjusted its course, no longer approaching the Champa coast, but instead made a large circle, heading straight toward Java.

Another five days passed.

Occasionally some fishing boats could be seen on the sea surface, but from afar, the sight of this massive fleet frightened them into turning back and fleeing.

Zhu Yong did not pursue, letting them go to report.

In any case, when they ran back to Java to report, we would already have arrived.

On September 29th, the fleet arrived in Java's waters.

The navigation officer pointed ahead and said, "Prince, according to Zhou Dahai's description, Java's main port lies to the southeast; another day's sail remains."

Zhu Yong nodded, "Send the order: tonight all ships extinguish lights, keep silent; tomorrow morning, dock and land."

That night, twenty steamships and twenty transport ships rested quietly on the sea, unlit, with only Moonlight falling.

Zhu Yong sat in the cabin, lighting an oil lamp while looking at the sea chart.

Chang Yuchun and Wang Baobao were both present.

"Prince, what's the plan for tomorrow?" Chang Yuchun asked.