Chapter 1048: It's Not Too Early to Start Preparations Now
When Li Daoxuan's perspective switched back to the ship, the second platter of seafood was already served. Bamboo shrimp, which looked utterly delectable.
As he peeled a shrimp, he addressed Zheng Zhihu, “General Zheng, you just mentioned you wanted these seasonings, right? No problem! We also operate as Imperial Merchants, so we're always doing business. It's a deal too good to pass up. We'll ship some seafood soy sauce and dipping sauces for you to resell in a while.”
Zheng Zhihu was overjoyed.
No sooner had Li Daoxuan finished speaking than a shrimp, perfectly peeled and dipped in sauce, was popped into his mouth. Utterly satisfied, his cheeks working, he continued, “General Zheng, you conduct business with Westerners and Nanyang people too, don't you?”
Zheng Zhihu nodded. “Our Zheng family's business is quite extensive. We call at Damni, Brunei, Champa, Luzon, Wangkang, Beigang, Tayouan, Hirado, Nagasaki, Mumbai, Banten, Palembang, Batavia, Malacca, Cambodia, Siam... our merchant ships go to all these places.”
As he rattled off the names, Li Daoxuan remained unfazed, but Shi Lang was astonished. “What? The Zheng family's power is that great? How many ships... do you actually have?”
Zheng Zhihu puffed out his chest slightly, a hint of pride in his voice: “Over three thousand vessels.”
At that number, Shi Lang muttered to himself, “Surely he's exaggerating?”
Li Daoxuan, however, knew it was no exaggeration. The Zheng family's three thousand-plus ships were historically documented; they truly possessed that strength.
Peeling another shrimp, Li Daoxuan inquired, “General Zheng, what's your assessment of Westerners?”
Zheng Zhihu replied, “Westerners, though few in number, possess formidable fighting power. Their shipbuilding and navigation skills, in particular, are extremely advanced. Fortunately, they come from thousands of miles across vast oceans; this place is too far from their homeland to pose a threat to us for now.”
Li Daoxuan hummed in acknowledgment. Such an assessment already placed Zheng Zhihu at the forefront of contemporary understanding.
Zheng Zhilong suddenly gestured toward the Wanli Sunshine beneath their feet. “Though Western ships are large, they are not as grand as our Zheng He's Treasure Ships.”
So, he too mistook this great vessel for a Zheng He Treasure Ship.
Li Daoxuan offered no correction, content to let him believe it was a Treasure Ship. Smiling, he asked, “General Zheng, if I were to lend you a Treasure Ship, could you pilot it across the vast oceans, all the way to the Westerners' homeland?”
“That...” Zheng Zhihu shook his head awkwardly. “The farthest we can go is Nanyang. West of Nanyang, to Francia, Europa, and the Red-Haired nations, lies tens of thousands more miles, a journey we've never made. We would have to explore it little by little... Without a decade or more of arranged supply ports along the way, it would be impossible.”
Li Daoxuan chuckled knowingly, “As for those supply ports, how about we just take them directly from the Westerners?”
“What?!” Zheng Zhihu exclaimed.
The words startled him, making him drop the shrimp he held. He looked up sharply at Li Daoxuan, his eyes wide with disbelief. From that single sentence, he grasped that Li Daoxuan harbored ambitions to expand into Western nations.
But the idea was far too audacious.
Li Daoxuan, completely unperturbed, calmly dipped a piece of fish into the Sichuan-style spicy sauce with his chopsticks, then leisurely said, “This endeavor won't be easy, but it's not impossible. I hear General Zheng has an excellent relationship with the Red-Haired people. Why not send a few trusted subordinates to board their ships and visit the various Western nations? Most importantly, they should thoroughly map out the sea routes and all the supply ports along the way, preparing us for the day when we might venture there ourselves.”
Zheng Zhihu thought to himself: “This emissary must surely be acting on the Emperor's command, intending to confront the Western nations. To think the current Emperor is so ambitious! Is he truly a man of such grand strategy?”
“Mr. Li, isn't it a bit too early to start inquiring about sea routes to the West?”
“Too early?” Li Daoxuan countered. “A round trip to the West takes at least half a year, perhaps even a full year. One trip isn't enough to memorize the route; it would take several journeys to fully understand the currents, ocean patterns, and monsoon winds... In other words, without several years, we wouldn't even scratch the surface of this maritime path.”
Li Daoxuan let out a wry chuckle. “Starting now to understand these things isn't early; it's already late.”
Zheng Zhihu was momentarily speechless, choosing to remain silent.
Li Daoxuan continued, “It's alright if General Zheng doesn't want to undertake this task, or if you don't have anyone suitable to send. Simply find an opportunity to introduce my people to the Red-Haired traders, so they can take my envoys aboard their ships to the various Western nations. Would that be amenable?”
Zheng Zhihu clasped his hands in a respectful salute. “Such a small matter, I shall certainly do my utmost.”
Next, it was time to finish off the seafood.
After the meal and drinks were concluded, Zheng Zhihu provided contact information, arranged future meeting points, and agreed to cooperate on dealing with Liu Xiang and conducting business. Only then did he take his leave.
As soon as he departed, Li Daoxuan sighed. “Well, I need to find someone to travel with the Red-Haired people's ships to the Western nations and become familiar with their routes.”
This was no easy task!
This person needed to be clever, literate, and able to endure the hardships of sea travel.
Li Daoxuan truly had no suitable candidates in mind.
Just then, Shi Lang, who had been nearby, suddenly stood up, clasped his hands, and addressed him, “Heavenly Lord, I have a candidate.”
“Oh?” Li Daoxuan uttered.
Shi Lang replied, “My younger brother, Shi Xian, can do this.”
“Your brother?” Li Daoxuan echoed.
Shi Lang explained, “He's three years my junior, twelve this year, and like me, he's had some schooling. He also grew up by the sea, is quite familiar with maritime affairs, and is adept in both scholarly and martial arts. Crucially, he's still very young. Even if a round trip to the West takes several years, he'll still be young enough to be of great use upon his return.”
Li Daoxuan considered this carefully. “Hmm? That's quite true.”
Slipping a twelve-year-old onto a Dutch ship, even if he asked many questions, wouldn't easily rouse the Dutchmen's suspicion. They could simply say the child wanted to see what the Western nations were like.
Li Daoxuan stated, “The crucial question isn't whether he's suitable, but whether he's willing. We must fully respect his personal wishes, for this is a matter of life and death.”
Shi Lang asserted, “My brother will certainly be willing. He's long harbored the desire to join the army, but his age has prevented him from doing so. If he could join the military in this manner, he would be absolutely delighted.”
Li Daoxuan nodded. “Very well. As long as he is personally willing to go, I have no reason to object. Every individual has the right to decide their own life.”
That very evening, Shi Lang set off for his ancestral home in Fujian and brought his younger brother, Shi Xian, back. Though only twelve, the boy possessed immense courage. Like his brother, he yearned to join the military and forge a future for himself, readily volunteering to travel to the Western nations to familiarize himself with the sea routes.
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