Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 278 Maritime Trade

The camel bells of the Western Regions trade route had just begun to ring outside Kaiyuan Gate when another, wider and more dangerous route quietly awakened in the east and south of the empire.

In the second year of the Qiming era, in May, the South China Sea in early summer was calm, and the sky was a clear, deep blue.

On the Lingdingyang waters off Guangzhou, three massive ships were slowly sailing toward the Pearl River Estuary. The lead ship was wide and tall, with a ferocious dragon head carved on its bow. Rows of long oars extended from both sides of the ship, and a large black flag hanging from its mast fluttered in the sea breeze—it was a patrol ship of the Jinghai Navy.

The two ships behind were completely different. They were longer, with higher sterns, and their sails were different—wide triangular sails. They were drafted deep, clearly fully loaded with cargo. The man standing on the deck was dark-skinned, wearing a headscarf and short tunics that were quite different from those in the Central Plains. He was pointing at the approaching land, his expression a mixture of excitement and tension.

"Persian ships." Shen Qing, the naval commander of Jinghai, stood at the bow of the flagship, squinting at the two foreign merchant ships, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Your Majesty's predictions are indeed correct. This year, Western merchant ships have indeed sailed directly to Guangzhou."

The lieutenant approached: "Commander, shall we conduct the routine inspection, or...?"

"As is customary," Shen Qing interrupted him, "but be polite. His Majesty has decreed that all merchant ships arriving from overseas should be treated with courtesy, regardless of their origin. Our navy's swords are for dealing with pirates, not merchants."

He paused, then added, "However, we still need to investigate. Weapons, contraband, and people of unknown origin—we can't let any of them slip by. Go."

Fuxu Port, outside Guangzhou, was exceptionally lively on this day.

The port and wharves had already been expanded. Last autumn, Chen Xing approved the joint petition submitted by Shen Qing and the Ministry of Revenue, entitled "Memorial on Expanding the Ports of Guangzhou, Mingzhou, and Quanzhou," allocating 200,000 strings of silver from the Imperial Treasury for dredging waterways, reinforcing wharves, building more granaries, and establishing the Maritime Trade Office. Now, the number of berths in Fuxu Port that can accommodate ships with a rank of 1,000 shi or more has increased from five to twelve, and the port warehouse area has doubled in size, with a special area designated for foreign merchants to store their goods.

At that moment, the two Persian ships were slowly docking. Officials from the Maritime Trade Office, interpreters, porters, and—Guangzhou merchants who had come after hearing the news—were already waiting on the shore.

Before the Persian merchants even disembarked, people on the shore were already calling out in broken Persian: "Honorable guests! Guangzhou welcomes you! We have the finest silk, porcelain, and tea! Fair prices!"

On the ship, a middle-aged man with a thick beard and a white turban leaned out, squinting as he surveyed everything on the shore. His name was Holmz, a wealthy merchant from the famous Persian Gulf port of Syrav. He was leading his fleet eastward, originally intending to stop in India before turning towards the long-awaited "Chendan"—China. However, last year on the Malabar coast, he heard that a new emperor had been appointed in Chendan, who was vigorously encouraging overseas trade and had even established a special office in Guangzhou to receive foreign merchants. He immediately changed his plans, bypassing the traditional Indian ports and heading directly north.

He gazed at the neat granaries on the shore, the porters shuttling back and forth, and the smiling officials in their robes, and took a deep breath of the sea-scented air.

"Allah above," he murmured in Persian, "this trip was worthwhile."

Holmes stayed in Fuxu Port for twenty-three days.

Over the course of twenty-three days, his three ships unloaded spices, jewels, ivory, rhinoceros horn, coral, and something Guangzhou merchants had never seen before—Persian carpets. These goods were appraised and stored by the Maritime Trade Office, and then purchased by local Guangzhou merchants at a "Foreign Goods Auction" hosted by the office. Holmes watched the entire process, dumbfounded by this open, transparent, and far more expensive trading method than at the ports of Tianzhu.

"In Calicut, those native merchants gang up to drive down prices, and I often only get half the price I'm willing to pay," he said to the interpreter at the Maritime Trade Office in broken Chinese. "Here, you...you actually let the merchants set their own prices, with the highest bidder winning? And your government...doesn't take a cut?"

The interpreter explained with a smile, "The Maritime Trade Office only collects customs duties, one-thirtieth of the total. How much the goods are sold for is a matter between you foreign merchants and local merchants. However, a contract must be signed after the transaction is completed, and the Maritime Trade Office will step in to adjudicate any disputes."

Holmes fell silent. He thought of the insatiable port owners in the Persian Gulf, the monopolistic merchants in India who colluded with princes, and the layers of exploitation along the way... Looking at the port in front of him, he suddenly felt that all his forty years of business had been in vain.

On the twenty-fourth day, he began purchasing goods for the return journey. Silk, porcelain, tea, lacquerware, bronze mirrors—these oriental goods, which he had already treasured before his departure, were piled up in the warehouses of Fuxu Port, and the prices were much cheaper than he had imagined. He filled almost all the remaining space on the ship, even piling several boxes of tea in his own cabin.

Before his departure, an official from the Maritime Trade Office handed him a document bearing the seal of "Xingqi Maritime Trade Office".

"This is your travel document," the official said. "If you come again next year, you can use this document to bypass the initial inspection and directly enter the port to trade. In addition, His Majesty has decreed that all foreign merchants who come to the court for the first time may voluntarily send one of their sons or apprentices to study at the 'Foreign School' in Guangzhou to learn Chinese, Chinese characters, and accounting. The tuition will be borne by the court."

Holmz was stunned for a long time.

He thought of his eight-year-old son, and how the boy would pester him all the time to learn how to do business...

"Next year," he said, his voice a little hoarse, "I'll bring him next year."

What Holmes didn't know was that while his fleet was loaded with cargo and hoisting its triangular sails in preparation for returning home, another, larger fleet was sailing south from the north.

That was the main fleet of the Jinghai Navy—twenty thousand-stone warships, carrying three thousand elite naval troops, and a secret mission.

Inside the command center of the flagship "Jinghai," Shen Qing unfolded a huge nautical chart. On the chart, the empire's coastline meandered from the Liaodong Peninsula all the way to Jiaozhou, marked with red and black symbols. Red indicated areas already under effective patrol; black indicated areas not yet covered or posing potential threats.

"Since last year," he pointed to the map, "our Jinghai Navy has completely eradicated the pirates along the Yangtze River estuary to Quanzhou Bay. The 'Sea Shark Gang' entrenched in Zhoushan has been uprooted, and three Japanese pirate strongholds off the coast of Wenzhou have been burned down. Now, merchant ships can sail in groups from Mingzhou to Guangzhou without worrying about being robbed."

He raised his head and looked at the generals inside the cabin.

"But what Your Majesty wants is not just 'merchant ships can sail.' What Your Majesty wants is for all merchant ships that depart from the coast of the Great Song Dynasty, whether they are going to Goryeo, Japan, Ryukyu, Champa, or India, to know that there is a navy behind them to protect them, and a navy to seek justice for them if they encounter danger."

He paused, his tone turning somber.

"Our mission on this journey is threefold: First, to formally inspect the islands of the South China Sea, draw nautical charts, and mark shipping routes; second, to establish friendly relations with Champa, Cambodia, Srivijaya, and other countries, informing them of our maritime trade system and inviting their merchants to trade in China; third—and most importantly—to ascertain the shipping routes and anchorages in the Strait of Malacca. His Majesty has said that it is the throat of the Western sea routes, and in the future, our ships will have to pass through this strait to go to India and the Abbasid Caliphate. We must find out the details first, so as not to fight an unprepared battle."

"Yes, sir!" came the unanimous reply from inside the cabin.

In May, the South China Sea gradually calmed down.

Twenty warships, lined up in two columns, cleaved through the azure waves and headed south. The spray from their bows shimmered like silver in the sunlight, and the wakes they left lingered long afterward. Seabirds chased after the fleet, sometimes swooping down, sometimes circling, emitting clear, melodious cries.

Shen Qing stood at the bow of the ship, facing the sea breeze, and suddenly remembered ten years ago.

At that time, he was still in the Southern Dynasty's navy, just a minor general, ordered to lead a few dilapidated ships to hunt down pirates at the mouth of the Yangtze River. He never dreamed that one day he would be able to command the imperial navy, sail the South China Sea, and explore those distant places that only appeared in ancient books and legends.

"Commander," the adjutant leaned over and handed over a newly written military report, "this is our voyage record for today. According to His Majesty's rules, a report must be submitted daily, rain or shine."

Shen Qing took it, glanced at it, and nodded slightly.

"Send it," he said. "His Majesty is waiting in Chang'an."

At the end of June, Shen Qing's fleet arrived at the coast of Champa.

The King of Champa sent envoys to board the ship to respectfully welcome the "Celestial Empire's Navy." Shen Qing received them according to protocol, presenting them with silk and porcelain, and read aloud Chen Xing's letter of state. The letter was humbly worded, only mentioning "trade and amity," without mentioning "tributary relations." The King of Champa was overjoyed and immediately expressed his willingness to send envoys to Chang'an to pay tribute and to open the port for Chinese merchants to trade.

In mid-July, the fleet continued south, reaching the waters off Zhenla (Cambodia). Zhenla was then at the height of the Angkor Dynasty, its power formidable, and it was quite wary of the arrival of the Celestial Empire's navy. Shen Qing did not force his way into port, but instead anchored in the nearshore waters for several days, engaging in small-scale transactions with local merchants while secretly sending people to survey the waterways and record hydrographic data. Before departing, he had an interpreter deliver a message to the Zhenla officials:

"His Majesty the Emperor of Xingqi has no intention of interfering in your country's internal affairs. He only wishes for merchants from both countries to trade and for each other to benefit. If your country is willing to open its ports for trade, our dynasty can send envoys to formally conclude a treaty; if not, we will not force you. However, the sea route is already in place, and merchant ships will come naturally. All who come are guests, and we hope your country will treat them well."

After these words reached the Khmer royal palace, it is said that the King of Angkor remained silent for a long time before finally saying something to his close advisors:

"That new dynasty in the East... is not simple."

In early August, the fleet crossed the Gulf of Thailand and arrived at the east coast of the Malay Peninsula.

This area is now within the sphere of influence of the Srivijaya Kingdom. Srivijaya controlled the Strait of Malacca, monopolizing trade between the East and West for centuries, and was highly vigilant against any foreign power. As soon as Shen Qing's fleet appeared at the eastern entrance of the strait, dozens of Srivijaya warships surrounded it.

The two sides remained locked in a standoff for three days.

Shen Qing never ordered the firing. He simply kept the fleet on high alert, while sending small boats daily to drop cargo samples and copies of the official letter to the Srivijaya warships. In the letter, Chen Xing had personally written a passage:

"I have heard that your country controls the sea routes, commands a prominent position in the West, and is a hub of merchants, making you one of the wealthiest nations. I have no intention of competing with your country for profits; I only wish for the free movement of merchants between our two nations, each to conduct their business in peace. When your merchants come to Guangzhou, I treat them as honored guests; and when my merchants cross the strait, I hope your country will treat them well as well. Why not do something mutually beneficial?"

The king of Srivijaya—an aging but still shrewd ruler—finally ordered the siege to be lifted after receiving the third letter of credence.

He sent a messenger aboard the ship and said one thing to Shen Qing:

"Your emperor is a good accountant. Such a person is worth dealing with."

Shen Qing smiled slightly and returned the gift to the envoy with a piece of silk and a bronze mirror.

In mid-September, the fleet returned to port.

The ship's hold was filled with valuable materials collected during this voyage south: more than thirty nautical charts, marking the islands, reefs, channels, tides, and monsoon patterns along the way; dozens of product lists, recording rice from Champa, ivory from Cambodia, spices from Srivijaya, and tin mines from the Malay Peninsula; and a thick stack of "Interviews with Foreign Merchants," records of conversations between interpreters and merchants along the way, detailing the markets, currencies, laws, and customs of various places.

Shen Qing sat in the command center, flipping through the documents, a satisfied smile on his lips.

He pulled out a sheet of white paper, picked up a pen, and wrote down the most important line of this trip:

"The Strait of Malacca is navigable. The water is deep enough, and there are freshwater supply points on both sides. Although Srivijaya is strong, it is outwardly powerful but inwardly weak, and there are signs of power struggles within its royal family. If managed properly, within ten years, our merchant ships will be able to fly directly to India."

He carefully folded the paper and put it into his inner pocket.

"Commander," the lieutenant suddenly pointed out the window, "look!"

Shen Qing looked up through the porthole. In the distance, the setting sun was slowly sinking below the horizon, turning the entire sea golden and red. A dozen seabirds chased after the fleet, their cries carrying far on the sea breeze.

"Let's go home," he said softly.

In early October, the fleet arrived in Guangzhou.

On the dock, the waiting crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers. Merchants who had arrived in Guangzhou over the past few months, upon hearing of the navy's triumphant return, rushed to greet them. Holmes was among them—he had indeed brought his eight-year-old son.

As Shen Qing stepped off the ship, the first thing he saw was the Persian merchant with a white turban and the boy with wide, curious eyes.

"Are you Holmz?" he asked in broken Persian.

Holmz paused for a moment, then quickly nodded.

Shen Qing patted the boy on the shoulder: "Study hard. When you grow up, our ship might be able to sail directly from Guangzhou to your hometown."

The boy couldn't understand Chinese, but he felt the weight of the large hand and the kindness in the smile, so he smiled too.

At the end of October, Shen Qing's report arrived in Chang'an.

After reading the document in the Wenhua Hall, Chen Xing remained silent for a long time. He placed the paper that read "Within ten years, we will fly directly to India" under the armillary sphere on his desk.

"Prime Minister Jia," he said, "guess what the South China Sea will look like a hundred years from now?"

Jia Wen pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "This old minister cannot guess. But this old minister knows that from this year onwards, those waves are no longer ownerless waves."

Chen Xing nodded slightly and looked out the window.

Autumn has deepened. The plane tree leaves in Chang'an have all fallen, and the sky is high and azure. And thousands of miles away in the South China Sea, merchant ships are setting sail, and naval forces are patrolling. A new era is slowly unfolding on the shimmering water.