Chapter 932: The Wanli Sunshine
Shi Kefa soon arrived at the military port in Xiaolangdi.
As a military port, security was naturally tight. The moment he approached the entrance, several militia soldiers swiftly stepped forward. "Who goes there?" they challenged.
Shi Kefa quickly clasped his hands in a respectful bow. "Shi Kefa, by the Heavenly Lord's command, I have come to Xiaolangdi military port to board the new ship."
"What is the Heavenly Lord's password for you?" the guard asked. "Without it, you could be an impostor, a false Shi Kefa."
"Three updates daily," Shi Kefa promptly replied.
"Average subscriptions over ten thousand," the guard responded.
"Thirty-Two Transformations," Shi Kefa stated.
"Is a eunuch," the guard concluded.
The codes matched!
Shi Kefa mused, *The Heavenly Lord's camps are indeed strictly managed. Far more orderly than those of some of the court's own generals.*
Just as he pondered this, hurried footsteps echoed behind him. Zhu Piaoling, who had journeyed with him, arrived, practically flying towards them and shouting, "Wait for me, Brother Shi! Fancy running into you again here!"
"Oh?" Shi Kefa uttered.
Zhu Piaoling reached the gate, and the guard's face snapped back to a serious expression. "Who goes there?"
Zhu Piaoling immediately declared, "Zhu Piaoling, the wandering hero of the Four Seas! The Heavenly Lord has specially granted me permission to board the new ship and travel to Nanjing for leisure!"
"What is the Heavenly Lord's password for you?" the guard asked.
"Subscribing is the best support," Zhu Piaoling promptly responded.
"Tipping should always be within one's means," the guard returned.
"Those who rush for updates will be executed," Zhu Piaoling stated.
"Those who praise the author will be highlighted," the guard finished.
The codes matched again!
The guard smiled. "Hero Zhu, please enter."
Shi Kefa was utterly astonished. "Brother Zhu, you actually have a Heavenly Lord's password too, and are allowed into the military port? You... just what..."
He desperately wanted to ask, "Just who are you?" but as the words reached his lips, his adult social instincts forced him to swallow them back.
Zhu Piaoling chuckled. "Don't underestimate me. I am also someone favored by the Heavenly Lord."
Now certain that Zhu Piaoling was one of them, Shi Kefa let down his guard. Together, they walked towards the military port's dock, where a hidden cove, concealed by the Eagle's Beak Cliff, lay out of sight.
But as they rounded the cliff and looked ahead, both gasped sharply.
Before them lay an enormous ship, a hundred meters long.
Zhu Piaoling's jaw nearly hit the ground. "This... this huge?"
Shi Kefa, too, was startled. He'd once heard that the Westerners' three-masted galleons could be dozens of feet long—an intimidating size.
Yet, this divine vessel, bestowed by the Heavenly Lord, appeared to be even larger than the grandest Western warships.
"It's so massive, can it even sail in the Yellow River?" Shi Kefa exclaimed, utterly dumbfounded. "And if this... if this were used in naval warfare, wouldn't it be invincible?"
Zhu Piaoling, however, mused, "So big? Sailing such a huge ship to Nanjing... wouldn't it draw too much attention along the way? The regional navies would surely stop us for endless inspections."
Those words jolted Shi Kefa!
His mind snapped alert, and he quickly scurried towards the ship's base. There, in front of the colossal vessel, countless dockworkers were hauling supplies aboard: vast quantities of rice, flour, oil, salt, tea... and cotton clothes, woolen sweaters, iron equipment...
Basket after basket, they were ferrying supplies onto the ship with frantic energy.
Bai Yuan stood on the dock, directing the operation.
Shi Kefa rushed to Bai Yuan. "Master Bai."
"Ah! You are..." Bai Yuan began.
"I am Shi Kefa," he clarified.
"Ah, yes, yes, of course," Bai Yuan confirmed. "You are Shi Kefa. I remember clearly."
"This is the new ship the Heavenly Lord mentioned?" Shi Kefa asked.
A look of immense pride spread across Bai Yuan's face. "Precisely! This is the one. The Heavenly Lord bestowed this new ship upon us just a few days ago, naming it the 'Wanli Sunshine.' I had the sailors training on it for days, and it's been quite a challenge to get it running properly. This vessel is so immense it defies common sense. Mastering its operation is no small feat. Look, all these supplies being loaded now? They're for you."
Bai Yuan clapped Shi Kefa on the shoulder. "Of course, these aren't really *for* you. They're for the common people of Anqing Prefecture and Chizhou Prefecture. Minister Shi, you're an honest official, so I needn't even say it, you understand."
Shi Kefa, of course, understood that. He anxiously spoke, "That's not what I'm concerned about, rather... such an enormous ship, sailing so conspicuously. It will pass through countless prefectures and counties as it travels down the Yellow River to the sea. How could the imperial navy *not* come to investigate? This... what are we to do?"
"Don't worry," Bai Yuan assured him. "We've already figured out a solution."
Bai Yuan smiled and waved a hand. "Tie Niaofei, it's your turn to explain."
From the nearby crowd, Tie Niaofei emerged, grinning as he approached. "Oh, Minister Shi, you're already here? What? Are you discussing the issue of the ship being inspected along the way? Hahaha, Minister Shi, there's no need to worry."
Tie Niaofei produced a token. "You see? An Imperial Merchant's token."
"Oh?" Shi Kefa responded.
Tie Niaofei chuckled. "I've been appointed an Imperial Merchant by the court. I can travel freely throughout the land, conducting business everywhere, and no local official may obstruct me."
"But... even with that," Shi Kefa began, "the navy will surely question such a large ship..."
Tie Niaofei's face suddenly hardened. He raised the token and declared in a fierce, intimidating tone, "Which naval battalion are you from? How dare you attempt to inspect my ship? Do you know who I am? I am an Imperial Merchant, procuring supplies for the royal court! This vessel is a royal secret, and everything it carries is also classified. Anyone who dares to pry will be charged with treason! You have never seen this ship, do you understand?"
After delivering this speech, his expression instantly reverted to normal, and he chuckled. "Minister Shi, do you think my little act just now would be enough to deter the navy?"
Shi Kefa found himself between laughter and tears. "Aren't you essentially faking an imperial decree?"
"I'm protecting the navy, actually," Tie Niaofei laughed. "Would they truly enjoy the consequences if they caused trouble with us?"
Shi Kefa thought about it carefully. He supposed it was true. *Sigh! Falsifying an imperial decree is clearly a bad thing, yet somehow, it leads to a good outcome?*
By now, the loading of supplies was nearing its end.
The sailors began to board as well.
This maiden voyage carried immense significance. The ship was vast and difficult to handle, and it needed to navigate out of the Yellow River, enter the open sea, and then sail all the way into the Yangtze River.
It was a monumental test for everyone involved.
Each sailor wore a serious expression, imbued with a heavy sense of mission.
Amidst their solemn, unsmiling demeanor, a stark contrast appeared.
Zhu Piaoling, with a flourish, hopped onto the narrow gangplank. He strode, no, *pranced* towards the ship, laughing heartily all the while. "Riding such a huge ship to the Qinhuai River, all the ladies there will have to kneel for me, hahahaha!"
"My lord," a guard informed him, "while this is a river-and-sea vessel, it's too big for a small river like the Qinhuai. It can only enter the Yangtze."
"Eh? Can't go?" Zhu Piaoling questioned.
Distracted while speaking, his foot slipped...
And with a splash, he tumbled into the river.
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