I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 351 Zhao Yu's Planning Over a Decade
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In the spring of the sixteenth year of the Hongwu reign, Zhao Cheng and Zhao Kai each led a large fleet and set sail from Mingzhou Port to the Huangzi Continent to expand the territory of the Song Dynasty and the Zhao family.

The vanguard, Zhao Cheng's fleet, was led by the treasure ship "Suzhou".

The rear fleet, which was Zhao Kai's fleet, used the treasure ship "Hangzhou" as its flagship.

The two fleets were thirty li apart, each leading more than three hundred ships. Among them, six treasure ships were in the center, while grain ships, craftsmen's ships, and laborers' ships were arranged in a goose-like formation on both sides. Ten thousand soldiers recruited from the south, skilled in swimming, were stationed on the decks of each ship, standing tall and proud.

Mingzhou is the location of the Maritime Trade Office, and its port has mature storage facilities. After so many years of renovation and construction, it can support the initial supply of a fleet of 100,000 people.

Before setting sail, the two fleets stocked up on sufficient food, fresh water, tung oil (for ship repair), and all the necessary tools for the voyage at the port of Mingzhou.

In addition, the ship's hold was filled with farm tools, armor, machinery, and seeds of various grains, fruits, and vegetables, as well as fruits and vegetables (such as citrus fruits and root vegetables) that were resistant to spoilage, high in vitamin C, lightweight, and not easily perishable, in order to prevent septicemia.

As the two fleets set sail, the wind came from the southeast, and the sails and masts formed a forest, cutting the sea into two shades of light and dark, while the Kuaiji Mountains along the coast gradually faded into a faint shadow.

On the deck, Zhao Tang and Zhao Kai, who were going to sea for the first time, held onto the gunwale and saw the vast sea. The coastline that was clear yesterday had shrunk to a line. Only the salty wind carrying the smell of the sea hit them, making their steps unconsciously heavy, even though they were used to marching on land.

On the seventh day of their journey, the two fleets entered the Blackwater Ocean.

The seawater here is as dark as ink, and occasionally flying fish skim past the side of the boat and disappear into the waves in an instant.

When there is no moon at night, only the lanterns hanging from each ship form a band of light in the darkness, and the compass needle points steadily to the northeast. The sailors use the "star-gazing technique" to calibrate their position—alternating between the star-gazing board on the deck and the water-floating compass to ensure that they do not deviate from the predetermined route.

Three days later, the two fleets arrived in Ryuchiu one after the other.

After more than a decade of development and construction, Liuchiu has grown into a treasure island with a permanent population of several hundred thousand.

Ryukyu is no longer the wild and untamed place it once was.

The western bank, stretching for hundreds of miles from the mouth of the Tamsui River to Takow Port, was a fertile plain. The dikes and canals built under the supervision of Emperor Zhao Yu diverted the stream into irrigation canals. The rice paddies along the canals stretched out like green carpets, interspersed with mulberry and hemp fields and sugarcane plantations. Most of the farmers were migrants from the southeastern region. They worked in the fields wearing straw hats, and post horses often galloped along the field ridges, delivering harvest documents from various settlements.

As you ascend the valley, you can see rammed earth fortresses with flags of "Fujian Road Military Command" flying over the walls. Outside the fortresses, a market is gradually taking shape, with vendors calling out their wares in Mandarin with a Fujian and Guangdong accent. Bamboo stalls display porcelain, silk, glassware, light industrial products, and all kinds of food, creating a lively atmosphere that is no different from that of an inland county town.

The northern port of Danshui and the southern port of Takow present completely different scenes.

The shipyard on the north bank of Tamsui Port occupies half of a mountain valley, with giant wooden sheds stretching for miles. Dozens of ships under construction are under the sheds—the longest, a treasure ship, is nearing completion, and craftsmen are using winches to erect teak masts.

More than a dozen cargo ships were moored in the port. Some were unloading various goods brought from Quanzhou, while others were loaded with rice and sugarcane produced in Liuqiu, ready to sail to Zhejiang Road. The cranes (simple pulley devices driven by water power) on the dock creaked and groaned, and porters carried cargo boxes back and forth. On the wall of the government office on the shore, there was a notice for recruiting shipwrights, and dozens of strong men surrounded it before the ink was even dry.

By this time, the total population of Ryuchiu Island had exceeded 600,000, mostly concentrated in the western plains and around the port. The imperial court established a county each in Tamsui and Takow, with Confucian temples and mathematics schools built in the county towns. The schools not only taught classics and history but also methods of land surveying and calculating losses in water transport. The original mountain tribes had been eradicated, and the remaining members had been assimilated into the Han Chinese population. Although the eastern part of the island was still mostly mountainous and forested, post roads had begun to wind their way into the depths, with beacon towers every ten miles along the roads. The soldiers stationed on these towers kept watch, vigilant for any signs of Japanese pirates on the sea.

This once uncivilized land is now a barrier and granary for the southeastern coast of the Song Dynasty.

The ships from both fleets inspected their hulls one by one here, while replenishing their supplies of fresh water, food, vegetables, and fruits.

The people on the ship disembarked one after another, rested in Ryukyu for three days, visited restaurants and brothels, gambled a few rounds at the casino, and bought some things that interested them.

Some people with a business mind took what they carried and sold it at the market.

Three days later, the two fleets set sail again.

In less than four days, the two fleets arrived at the Luzon Islands one after the other.

The route from the departure point to Luzon was within the scope of the Song Dynasty's "Eastern Sea Route," and Song Dynasty merchant ships frequently traded in Luzon.

A few years ago, the Song Dynasty simply asked the Ma Yi Kingdom for their best harbor (near Manila Bay in later generations). This place has a river estuary (abundant fresh water), and the island has abundant timber (which can be used to repair sails and planks). At the same time, the local tribes had contact with Song merchants, so it was unlikely that conflicts would occur.

At this time, Mayi was a settlement with more than a thousand households, ruled by a chief, and its social organization was a village community (Balanggui) alliance. It would be as easy for the Song Dynasty to destroy it as to crush an ant. If they asked for some territory, how could they dare not give it to them?

With a wave of his hand, Zhao Yu built a city here that could accommodate three thousand households, sent people to relocate people here, stationed a thousand soldiers here, and built a large transit station before entering the ocean, as well as a den of iniquity such as restaurants, brothels and gambling dens.

After resting and replenishing their supplies in Luzon, the two fleets entered the Pacific Ocean.

After another twenty days, the outline of coral reefs gradually came into view on the sea, and the Guam supply point was already ahead.

This outpost is a key node in the western Pacific. Among the islands, Guam and Saipan have natural harbors (such as Apra Harbor in Guam), tropical rainforests (providing access to fresh water), and hilly terrain (easy to defend, allowing for the construction of stone fortresses).

The Song Dynasty built a city here on the reef, capable of accommodating 3,000 households. They sent people to relocate the population, stationed 1,000 soldiers, built permanent warehouses, planted grain crops, and arranged for craftsmen to be stationed here to be responsible for repairing ships.

There is also a sizable market here, with restaurants, brothels, gambling dens and other places where money is easily spent.

After resting for three days in Guam, the two fleets continued their journey.

Heading east from Guam, you enter uncharted waters.

When sailing in this sea area, the sky is often pale purple during the day, and when the sea is calm, coral reefs can be seen several meters underwater. At night, phosphorescent creatures shimmer along the stern of the ship, like scattered stars.

By this time, those who traveled with Zhao Cheng and Zhao Kai had gradually become accustomed to the rise and fall of the ship.

After sailing for another ten days, the two fleets arrived at Micronesia.

The islands here are surrounded by coral reefs (which can buffer the waves and make it easy to dock), and there are freshwater lakes on the islands. The indigenous tribes are small in scale (easy to control). Zhao Yu sent people to set up a "temporary supply point" here, with only three hundred households. They were responsible for guarding the warehouse, which mainly stored fresh water and emergency food (such as compressed biscuits), serving as an emergency station in the middle of the journey - if the fleet deviated from its course due to wind and waves, it could adjust its course here.

Once in the central Pacific, the islands are sparsely distributed, so it is necessary to select larger islands as springboards for "long-distance jumps" to ensure the supply of materials across the vast ocean.

On the advice of Li Lin, who was familiar with world maps, Zhao Yu chose the Hawaiian Islands as a springboard.

The two fleets planned their routes in advance and took advantage of the trade winds to sail in the Pacific Ocean for twenty days. At one point, they even used steam engines to sail against the wind for five or six days before finally reaching Cang Island (the Hawaiian Islands).

Cangdao Island has a volcanic island topography, abundant fresh water (lakes and rivers formed by volcanic eruptions), and fertile land (suitable for growing food), making it an ideal large-scale resupply point for transoceanic journeys.

To Zhao Cheng and Zhao Kai's utter surprise, they encountered Zhao Yu's other prince, Zhao Cang, on Cang Island.

Zhao Cang was the son of Zhao Yu, born to a palace maid. Because his mother was of low birth and he himself was not very capable, he was relatively average among his brothers. He had attended the Imperial Academy and martial arts school and had also experienced the battlefield, but he had not achieved any significant results. It seemed that his development was rather limited.

No one expected that Zhao Yu would actually bring Zhao Cang to this island to become its lord.

Zhao Cheng and Zhao Kaixin wondered, 'What mistake did he make to be sent here to guard the island?'

Through their conversation with Zhao Cang, Zhao Tang and Zhao Kai learned that Cang Island, located in the central Pacific Ocean, serves as a crucial maritime hub connecting Asia, America, and Australia. Its relatively balanced distances from the west coast of North America, eastern Asia, and Oceania facilitate transshipment. Furthermore, the island boasts important ports like Pearl Harbor (which function as both naval and commercial ports), enhancing its operational capacity as a transportation hub. As a central node in the Pacific, it not only radiates influence to surrounding sea areas but also connects transportation networks across different continents, making it a natural "crossroads" in both military and commercial spheres.

Therefore, Zhao Yu wanted to find one of his sons who was reliable and steady to stay here permanently.

After learning about this, Zhao Cang volunteered.

Zhao Yu praised Zhao Cang highly and renamed the Hawaiian Islands after him as "Cang Island".

Zhao Cang led 3,000 Song soldiers and 10,000 households to settle down on Cang Island. They built a port (reinforced the dock with stone to facilitate the docking of treasure ships), cultivated farmland (planted rice and vegetables to reduce dependence on local food), and arranged for his entourage and their families to settle here, forming a long-term support base.

Zhao Cheng and Zhao Kai realized that when the fiefdoms were distributed in the future, the Cang Island area would most likely become Zhao Cang's fiefdom.

Zhao Cang was very hospitable. He provided supplies for Zhao Cheng and Zhao Kai's fleet and treated them and their confidants well before sending them on their way to the Prince's Continent.

Sailing about 40,000 li south-southeast from Cang Island, the two fleets arrived at Hope Island (also known as Easter Island).

Although the island is small, it has freshwater springs and a harbor that can accommodate small and medium-sized vessels (treasure ships need to anchor in the open sea and use small boats to transfer supplies).

This place serves as an "emergency supply point": mainly to deal with extreme situations (such as when Cangdao Island is unable to be resupplied due to a disaster), storing a small amount of fresh water and ship repair materials. There are only 300 households stationed on the island, mainly for observing the terrain and marking shipping routes.

Located about three thousand miles from Hope Island, with a sailing time of about twelve to fifteen days, it is the "outpost" on the west coast of the Prince's Continent—Sentry Island.

Zhao Yu sent people to set up this place as a supply point before landing, that is, to repair ships, replenish fresh food, and allow the waiting crew to use small boats to explore the sea ahead to confirm whether there was a continental outline.

It takes about ten more days to travel from the outpost island to reach the Prince's Continent.

This is the safest air route that Zhao Yu discovered and developed over fifteen or sixteen years, at a cost of countless sums of money.

Even so, it was only because Zhao Yu had Li Lin, who had the advantage of knowing the world map.

—Li Lin provided a great deal of advice during Zhao Yu's expansion of maritime territory. She even drew the initial world map herself and helped Zhao Yu select every node on the Pacific route.

Otherwise, even if Zhao Yu spent more time and money, he would not have been able to discover and develop this relatively safe route in his lifetime.

After the two fleets arrived at the Prince's Continent, they chose to dock in a natural harbor on the peninsula (St. Lucas Bay), where there is a river estuary (abundant fresh water).

To Zhao Tang and Zhao Kai's surprise, Zhao Xiu had already occupied the area and sent people to set up a temporary camp on the coastal plain.

When Zhao Cheng and Zhao Kai arrived, they saw Zhao Xiu personally leading the Song soldiers and laborers he brought with him to dig wells, build warehouses, repair farm tools, assemble machinery, and prepare to receive the following fleet.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Cheng asked, "Second Imperial Brother, why did you choose this place as your base?"

Zhao Xiu smiled and said, "As the elder brother, I have come here first, so it is only right that I pave the way for my brothers. The Prince's Continent is vast and boundless, with fertile land stretching for thousands of miles, about ten times the size of our Great Song Dynasty. It is enough for my brothers to each realize their ambitions, without having to fight for even an inch of land."

After a pause, Zhao Xiu's gaze swept over the busy soldiers and civilians in the camp, and he continued, "This place is near Danshui and controls the sea estuary, making it an excellent base for our initial arrival. My construction of camps, storage of provisions, and repair of equipment here are laying a solid foundation for the arrival of other tribes later. Once you two have chosen your preferred location, I will assist you if I am able. We are brothers and sisters, and should expand our territory together, not fight amongst ourselves..."

Zhao Tang and Zhao Kai listened without comment. They had come here to compete for supremacy, so how could they not compete as Zhao Xiu said?

However, the struggle for power between the brothers is still a long way off. Perhaps they won't even fight in their generation; it's their descendants who will have to deal with it.

Therefore, both Zhao Cheng and Zhao Kai expressed their willingness to listen to their elder brother and prioritize the overall situation.

After resting at Zhao Xiu's place, Zhao Tang and Zhao Kai continued their journey, one heading to Florida and the other to San Francisco in California on the West Coast.

Here, the two brothers, Zhao Tang and Zhao Kai, officially parted ways.

A dozen days later, Zhao Kai arrived at their destination.

Zhao Cheng's journey was much longer, because the Panama Canal had not yet been opened, so he had to detour through South America to get to Florida...

……

(End of this chapter)