My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Thus, the massive royal southern patrol fleet departed from Tianjin Port and began its voyage slowly southward along the coastline of the Ming Dynasty.

This massive fleet, mainly composed of Zheng Zhilong's elite navy and supplemented by some Tianjin naval vessels, stretched for miles with its banners fluttering, resembling a moving maritime city-state sailing on the azure sea.

The fleet did not pursue speed at all, but adopted an extremely cautious strategy.

Every day after sunrise at Chenshi (7-9 AM), they would weigh anchor and hoist sails, and before sunset at Shenshi (3-5 PM), they would find a suitable harbor or near-shore anchorage to moor overnight, never sailing at night.

The primary consideration in this move was naturally the safety of the current emperor, Chongzhen.

This was the emperor's first foray into sea travel. Although Zheng Zhilong and others repeatedly assured him of the safety of navigation in the near sea, visibility was poor at night and the wind and waves were unpredictable. If anything went wrong, no one could bear the consequences.

Secondly, the purpose of the southern tour was to inspect, appease, and demonstrate power, rather than simply to travel. Traveling by day and anchoring at night not only ensured the safety of the journey, but also allowed the accompanying royal family members and civil and military officials to gradually adapt to life at sea and avoid excessive fatigue.

Therefore, the pace of the voyage these past few days has been so relaxed that it's almost leisurely.

During the day, the massive fleet cuts through the waves on the azure sea, its white sails billowing like clouds in the southeast wind.

Chongzhen's initial tension and unease gradually gave way to a novel experience as the sun rose and set and the sea became calm. He grew accustomed to the rhythmic, gentle rocking of the deck beneath his feet, to the salty sea breeze on his face, and to the magnificent, boundless view where the sea and sky met in the distance.

Even when the sun sets and the golden afterglow paints the sea into a magnificent tapestry, a unique feeling arises in his heart—a feeling he had never experienced before in the depths of the Forbidden City—a feeling that blends the vastness of the universe with the insignificance of the individual, which then transforms into a sense of pride and a desire to conquer this blue land.

According to the route plan meticulously devised in advance by the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, and naval commanders such as Zheng Zhilong, the sea route for this imperial tour to the south was roughly as follows:

Phase 1: Patrol the Bohai Sea, consolidate the coastal defense of the capital region, passing through Beizhili and Shandong.

The fleet departed from Tianjin Port and first sailed southeast into the Bohai Sea.

As an inland sea of ​​the Ming Dynasty, the Bohai Sea had relatively small waves, making it an ideal area for the emperor and most of his entourage who were not accustomed to water to get used to sea voyages.

The ship will stop at the following ports along the way:
Cangzhou Bohai Fortress is a military stronghold with a large garrison. The emperor might make a brief stop there to inspect the troops and show his favor.

Dengzhou Port was one of the most important naval bases in northern China during the Ming Dynasty, and the Dengzhou Garrison was located there.

The fleet will make a long stop here to replenish supplies such as fresh water and food. Emperor Chongzhen may also personally visit the naval base to inspect the warships, meet with local military and political officials, and demonstrate the court's emphasis on coastal defense.

The second phase: heading south along the west coast of the Yellow Sea, controlling the vital sea route, passing through Shandong and northern Southern Zhili.

The fleet rounded Chengshan Cape at the eastern tip of the Shandong Peninsula and entered the Yellow Sea, which has several ports, namely:
Laizhou Port, also an important coastal defense town, provides insights into Shandong's coastal defense.

Mizhou Port has been a good port since ancient times. During the Ming Dynasty, it was home to garrisons such as Lingshan Guard, which controlled the throat of the Yellow Sea and held an important strategic position.

Haizhou, this place belonged to Huai'an Prefecture of Southern Zhili during the Ming Dynasty. It was one of the important sea outlets of the Lianghuai Salt Fields, and the emperor may have paid attention to the salt administration and coastal defense.

The third stage: managing the East China Sea, inspecting the wealthiest areas in the southeast, passing through southern Zhili and Zhejiang.

The fleet continued south, and after passing the mouth of the Yangtze River, it entered the more open East China Sea.

Phase Four: Going upstream along the Yangtze River, directly to Nanjing, the secondary capital.

This is the final stage and the end of the entire voyage.

The imperial entourage will anchor at Longjiang Pass, which was once the starting point for Zheng He's fleet and has great symbolic significance.

The emperor will move into the Nanjing Imperial Palace to begin an in-depth inspection and rectification of the administration in the south.

The entire voyage was designed with safety and practicality in mind, and it also carried a strong political symbolism, namely, to inspect the coastal defenses, assert maritime power, appease the local people, investigate trade, and finally arrive at Nanjing, the secondary capital, to complete this southern tour with "ocean" as its theme.

As for the more southerly regions like Fujian and Guangdong, once the emperor takes up his post in Nanjing, his authority will naturally be sufficient to cover them, and relevant officials, gentry, and merchants will come to pay homage, eliminating the need for the emperor to travel such a long distance.

The days at sea were initially full of novelty, but after a while they inevitably became a bit monotonous.

For Zhu Cilang, who was used to life in the north, this "leisure" time spent facing the blue sky and the sea all day long gradually became a bit boring.

On this day, the afternoon sun was shining brightly, the sea breeze was gentle, and the giant ship sailed steadily on the Bohai Sea.

With nothing to do, Zhu Cilang strolled to the foredeck for some fresh air.

Looking at the white foamy waves that were cleaved by the bow of the ship, he suddenly had a whim and thought of a way to relieve his boredom.

He then summoned his personal eunuch and gave the following instructions:
"Go and invite Zhang Shize, the heir of the Duke of Yingguo, the third son of the Marquis of Dingyuan, and those young men from the Earl of Cheng'an. Tell them that I have something to discuss with them."

Before long, several noble sons of similar age to Zhu Cilang, dressed in magnificent robes with arrow-sleeved sleeves, arrived excitedly.

Leading the group was Zhang Shize, the heir apparent of the Duke of Ying. Although he was a few years older than Zhu Cilang, he was still extremely respectful in front of the Crown Prince.

These young people, who are usually dashing and adventurous in Beijing, have been quite bored on the ship these past few days.

"I am waiting to see His Highness the Crown Prince!"

The group bowed in unison.

Zhu Cilang smiled and waved his hand:
"No need for formalities. You must have been bored on the ship. I invited you here today to have some fun."

He pointed to the azure sea outside the ship's side.

"How about we go fishing?"

"fishing?"

Zhang Shize and the others were taken aback. Fishing on a moving ship? That was quite novel.

Zhu Cilang explained:

"This fishing method is different from other fishing methods. It does not require sitting still and casting the line. Instead, it imitates the ancient method of 'trolling'."

He then ordered his guards to bring the specially reinforced, thick fishing line and large fishhooks that had been prepared earlier.

"Tie this long line to the side of the boat, hang fresh meat as bait, and throw it into the sea. Use the power of the boat to drag it along. If there are big fish in the sea, they will chase and bite the hook. This method is effective at sea, and the catch is often extraordinary."

Which young person doesn't love novelty and excitement?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shize and the others immediately rubbed their hands together, excited.

So, under Zhu Cilang's command, several thick fishing lines were firmly tied to the sturdy gunwale, with large pieces of cured meat or live fish hanging at the ends as bait, and were thrown into the surging waves at the stern.

Sure enough, this "trolling" method was quite effective. In less than half an hour, the fishing line was suddenly taut, and the reel made a "squeak" sound!

"It's hooked! Quick! Reel it in!"

Zhu Cilang also became interested and personally stepped forward to help.

Several noble sons and guards worked together to wrestle with the incredibly strong prey in the water.

After a fierce struggle, a huge, shimmering silver sea bass was hauled onto the deck, wriggling and jumping in the sunlight, drawing cheers from the crowd. From then on, sea trolling became a regular pastime for Zhu Cilang and his group of young nobles during their voyages, with almost daily catches including mackerel, large yellow croaker, and even once a small shark, leaving everyone amazed.

The fish caught were immediately handed over to the imperial chefs on board to be cooked, either steamed or braised, and the taste was extremely delicious.

Zhu Cilang was quite happy to enjoy the fun of "self-reliance" at sea.

On this day, the fleet was sailing in the waters east of the Shandong Peninsula. The weather was clear and visibility was excellent.

As usual, Zhu Cilang and Zhang Shize were having a great time trawling at the stern when suddenly a loud and urgent horn sounded from the direction of the guide ship ahead!
"W-W-W-W-!"

This horn sound was different from the long, drawn-out horns that usually conveyed information; it was short and continuous, carrying a clear warning!
Immediately afterwards, Zhu Cilang saw several fast ships acting as scouts and sentries about a few miles ahead of the fleet quickly turn around, their flags flashing urgent signals.

At the same time, two small formations consisting of several warships equipped with cannons were immediately separated from the main fleet and sped towards the sea area ahead like arrows!

At the same time, Zhu Cilang felt that the speed of the flagship beneath his feet had slowed down significantly, and the huge sails seemed to be adjusting their angle, drawing less wind.

"what happened?"

Zhu Cilang put down his fishing rod, frowned slightly, and looked at the distant sea, but apart from the shimmering waves, he could not see anything unusual for the time being.

"Your Highness, I will go and investigate."

Li Hu, the commander of the Eastern Palace guards who was standing to the side, immediately bowed and asked for permission.

"Go."

Zhu Cilang nodded.

Li Hu accepted the order and strode towards the command center.

A short while later, he returned with a relaxed smile on his face and reported:

"Your Highness, there is no major problem ahead. It was the advance speedboats sent by Lord Zheng that discovered a large group of whales in the waters ahead. To prevent these behemoths from disturbing Your Majesty or colliding with the fleet, Lord Zheng has ordered the forward warships to drive them away."

"The fleet will pause briefly and wait for the whales to disperse before continuing its voyage."

"Whales? A whole swarm?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang was not worried at all; instead, his eyes instantly lit up with great interest and curiosity!

As a person from later generations, he had long heard of this giant sea creature, but had never seen it with his own eyes.

Encountering a pod of whales in these 17th-century waters was a rare and spectacular sight!

Almost simultaneously, Emperor Chongzhen, feeling the ship slow down, came from the top deck to the foredeck, surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids.

He looked well today, dressed in casual clothes with a cloak over them. Upon seeing Zhu Cilang, he asked:

"Lang'er, why has the boat slowed down? What happened ahead?"

Zhu Cilang turned around, a slight smile on his face, and stepped forward to reply:
"Father, a pod of whales has been spotted in the waters ahead. Zheng Zhilong has sent men to drive them away to ensure the safety of the waterway."

"A pod of whales?"

Emperor Chongzhen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and then a strong sense of curiosity appeared in his eyes.

He had recently been cramming on a lot of maritime miscellanea, so he naturally knew what a "whale" was. Ancient books often referred to it as "Kun," describing it as "unknown in its vastness," which, though exaggerated, showed that its size must have been extremely large.

He blurted out:

"But is it the Kun mentioned in Zhuangzi's 'Free and Easy Wandering' as 'In the Northern Ocean there is a fish, its name is Kun'?"

"more or less."

Zhu Cilang nodded vaguely in response. At this point, he was too lazy to explain to Chongzhen what a whale was. Chongzhen thought that if a whale was a Kun, then it was a Kun, since it was pretty much the same thing anyway.

Emperor Chongzhen immediately became very interested, took a few steps forward, leaned on the railing and gazed into the distance, seemingly trying to find the silhouette of the giant beast on the shimmering sea, and said:

"I really want to see for myself what this sea monster looks like!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the eunuchs and close ministers standing nearby changed slightly.

Whales are enormous creatures, and although they are fish, their size is comparable to that of a boat. If they were to approach and disturb the royal procession, who could bear the consequences?
Just as everyone was about to offer gentle advice, a nimble transport boat pulled up to the side of the ship. Zheng Zhilong, fully armored, nimbly climbed onto the deck, strode to Chongzhen, and knelt on one knee.
"Your subject Zheng Zhilong kowtows to Your Majesty! I have disturbed Your Majesty's presence; I deserve to die!"

Emperor Chongzhen seemed to be in a good mood, and gestured with his hand slightly:

"Rise, my dear subject. Are there any whales ahead?"

Zheng Zhilong stood up and replied respectfully:

"Your Majesty, indeed, about five miles ahead, we have spotted no fewer than twenty or thirty fin whales migrating. These creatures are enormous, and although they generally do not attack ships, if we get too close or are startled, there is a risk of capsizing small boats."

"To ensure safety, I have dispatched warships to disperse them with the sounds of gongs, drums, and horns. Your Majesty, please wait a moment until they are far from the waterway before continuing your journey."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded, indicating his understanding of the security measures.

But before he could express his desire to see it up close, Zhu Cilang, standing to the side, seemed to have thought of something and looked at Zheng Zhilong, asking in a casual tone:
"Father-in-law, you spend most of your time at sea. When you encounter whales like this, do you usually just drive them away like you did today?"

Although Zheng Zhilong was somewhat puzzled as to why the Crown Prince suddenly asked this question, he still answered honestly:
"Your Highness, it's not always about driving them away; it depends on the situation. Sometimes we also hunt them down."

"Oh? Hunting?"

Zhu Cilang raised an eyebrow, revealing an interested expression.

Emperor Chongzhen also turned his questioning gaze to Zheng Zhilong.

Zheng Zhilong explained:

"Indeed, Your Highness, you may not know this, but whales are a treasure trove. An adult fin whale or sperm whale can weigh tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of kilograms! Its meat is edible, though a bit coarse, but after being pickled, it can be used as military rations or sold."

"The hide is extremely thick and tough, and can be tanned to make armor and boots. The most valuable part is the oil inside the hide, which is several feet thick. The 'whale oil' extracted from it is a top-quality lamp oil and candle material. It burns brightly and produces little smoke, and is very valuable."

"And then there's the whale baleen, which is exceptionally flexible and can be used to make bowstrings, whips, and even the ribs for women's corsets. If you're lucky enough to catch a sperm whale, you can also get the precious 'ambergris' from its intestines. It's a rare fragrance, more valuable than gold."

He paused and added:

"However, whaling is also an extremely dangerous business. It requires special small boats, harpoons, and spears to fight against giant whales. There is often a risk of shipwreck and loss of life. My fleet is mainly engaged in trade escort, so we rarely engage in this business. However, in the coastal areas of Fujian, Zhejiang, and Guangdong, there are fishermen who specialize in whaling, which are called 'fishing the sea' or 'whale fighting'."

Zhu Cilang nodded secretly, knowing that Zheng Zhilong's words were true. (End of Chapter)