The Lingnan naval forces still had some sea charts. Back when Xiao Cangsheng helped Yun Ye purchase some from Hu merchants, naturally those Hu merchants also disappeared into the vast ocean. Over these years, after Li Anlan’s extensive reorganization of the Lingnan region, many things Yun Ye needed had gradually been sorted out.

Especially after Scholar Jin Zhu from the academy stayed in Lingnan for two years, he gradually organized a clear context for Lingnan’s developmental history. In particular, Scholar Jin Zhu’s compilation of Lingnan’s maritime trade history filled Yun Ye with joy.

After the Qin destroyed the six states, it began to pacify the Baiyue lands of the Lingnan region. Emperor Qin Shi Huang dispatched Tu Sui as commander-in-chief and Zhao Tuo as deputy commander, leading five hundred thousand troops to pacify Lingnan. Tu Sui was killed due to indiscriminate slaughter that provoked fierce resistance from the Yue people. Emperor Qin Shi Huang reappointed Ren Xiao as commander-in-chief, who together with Zhao Tuo led the great army south. After four years of effort, they completed the great undertaking of pacifying Lingnan.

The Qin established three commanderies in Lingnan: Nanhai Commandery, Guilin Commandery, and Xiang Commandery, and centered around Nanhai Commandery gradually developed a prosperous Lingnan economic circle. At the end of the Qin, warfare was continuous in the north, while the Lingnan region was ruled by Zhao Tuo, historically known as the state of Nanyue, which was a rare peaceful region at that time.

After Liu Bang succeeded the Qin, Emperor Gaozu of Han, in order to implement a policy of recuperation, made peace with the state of Nanyue, and the two countries developed trade relations. After Liu Bang’s death, Empress Dowager Lü, acting as regent, came into conflict with the state of Nanyue. Both sides engaged in fierce battles at Nanling, with the war situation deadlocked. At that time, the Lingnan region mainly produced silk textiles. Zhao Tuo, seeking the important military resource of iron, began to pursue sea routes to Western countries to conduct trade, and at the farthest point had even reached Athens…

Scholar Jin Zhu discovered silver vessels with obviously non-Tang style in some villages. These were all sacrificial items. Hypatia, through illustrations, recognized that these things should belong to the Athenian city-state. On the broken walls and ruined pillars of the Nanyue royal palace in the jungle, there were clearly stone columns made by Athenians.

After the naval commanders combined the sea merchants’ charts, they finally determined that large ships departing from Guangzhou, passing through Great Island, Huan Kingdom, Men Du Kingdom, Gu Da Kingdom, Dragon Tooth Gate, Luo Yue Kingdom, Srivijaya, He Ling Kingdom, Gu Luo Kingdom, Ge Gu Luo Kingdom, Sheng Deng Kingdom, Po Lu Kingdom, Lion Kingdom, South Tianzhu, Brahman Kingdom, Xindu River, Ti Luo Lu He Kingdom, Wu La Kingdom, Dashi Kingdom, Mo La Kingdom, San Lan Kingdom, and finally reaching Savage Kingdom—meaning they could already reach black Africa. This was truly astonishing.

When Scholar Jin Zhu’s research was placed before Yun Ye, he couldn’t believe it at all. The patterns drawn on Lingnan people’s cliff walls could actually prove that in an era when writing hadn’t even appeared, they could pilot dugout canoes for transoceanic crossings.

As everyone knows, the opening of the Maritime Silk Road was because the Dashi people cut off the land routes, forcing people to try sea routes out of necessity. Now there was finally an extremely clear route. With the help of trade winds and ocean currents, one could board a large ship and reach distant Africa. Yun Ye’s desire to understand this world sometimes even exceeded his desire to transform the Great Tang.

But a large family firmly held back his footsteps. When he learned that his three large ships had been completed, he couldn’t suppress his restless heart. Even if he couldn’t go that far, looking around the surrounding areas would be a good choice. That’s why there was this grand action by the entire Yun Family.

The sea chart on the wall was so simple—no longitude lines, no latitude lines, only inexplicable patterns one after another. A coconut meant there was water, a wooden stick meant there were natives there, and some messy lines indicated turbulent currents there. Relying on these extremely simple methods, their ancestors rampaged through the oceans, which made Yun Ye admire them tremendously.

The noisy commotion in the courtyard started up again. Needless to say, Xinyue had returned with her shopping army. Before they came back, many merchants had already delivered countless goods—these were all the fruits of their shopping today. There was just one thing he didn’t understand: Hypatia wasn’t his wife or concubine, so why did he need to pay for everything she bought?

Yun Ye took down the sea chart hanging on the wall. After Daming Temple sent over their sea chart, he would make a comparison and also supplement it. These things needed to be sent to Yongzhou to find specialized personnel in the naval forces to work on them.

“Big Brother, Big Brother, Sister-in-law bought back eleven foreign-looking maids today. Can you give me one?” As soon as Xiao Ya returned, she grabbed her brother and acted coquettishly. She really liked that small Hu slave girl. She had asked her sister-in-law for one on the road but got scolded instead, being told those Hu slave girls were people, not cats or dogs that could be randomly given away to play with. She wouldn’t give her any, keeping them at home to work. Seeing that her sister-in-law’s route wouldn’t work, Xiao Ya ran to her brother’s side to try her luck.

“Why didn’t your sister-in-law give you one? Your sister-in-law manages all these matters. Be good and go play. Brother has things to do.” Yun Ye had no intention of engaging in idle chat with Xiao Ya. Collecting sea charts in Yangzhou these days was the real business.

Seeing her brother was busy, Xiao Ya wanted to pester him more, but discovered Xinyue walking in from outside. She could only slink away dejectedly. If her sister-in-law saw her pestering her brother again, her allowance would be reduced by a lot.

“Husband, you need to manage Na Rimu too. Everyone has hearts practiced into stone. Seeing people being sold at the auction house, women stripped completely bare, she was actually unmoved. Tell me, hasn’t she been taught badly by Hypatia?” While admiring the silk brought over by the maids, Xinyue complained to her husband.

“Mm, indeed excessive. Those things are very common in the West—they’re all savages, so it’s not strange they’d do anything. This is the Great Tang. At minimum, propriety must be observed. Otherwise, if everyone acts like beasts, the Great Tang will be ruined. Since you saw it, with your compassionate heart you must have bought all those women, right? Just now Xiao Ya was pestering me for one to play with. She said she likes their golden hair.” Yun Ye simply sat down. Since Xinyue wanted to talk, having a good conversation was fine too.

“That won’t do. Husband, it’s not that I’m unwilling to give one to Xiao Ya—I’m afraid this child doesn’t know restraint. These are people, not playthings. You know her carefree personality. What if she accidentally kills someone? Tell me, would I punish her or not?”

“What you’re saying is too excessive. Xiao Ya has been a kind child since childhood. When Hanhan died, she was sad for more than half a year. Since then she hasn’t kept any more pets. Even the civet cat I gave her, she didn’t like. Since she likes one, just assign one to serve her. Just explain clearly to her not to mistreat them.”

“Yes indeed, Great Master. No matter what’s said, you’re always right. After the steward properly trains these women, I’ll send one over to Miss. Oh right, Husband, I was a bit unreasonable today—I snatched away some female slaves someone else had already bought.” Xinyue apologized to Yun Ye rather embarrassedly.

“No problem. You were accumulating virtue and doing good. Snatching is snatching. Snatching a few female slaves—no one should have an opinion, right? Eh? When you did this kind of thing before, you were always proud and pleased. Why are you apologizing today? Did you use harsh methods?” These little tricks between an old married couple couldn’t fool Yun Ye.

“No one died. When Old Zhao was leading them back, quite a few people jumped out. If it weren’t for our guards being capable, we would’ve suffered losses. Dong Ping and the others used hand crossbows to cripple all of them.” Xinyue carefully spoke while sneaking glances at Yun Ye’s expression.

“As long as no one died, it’s fine. Since you were impolite first, tomorrow have Old Zhao take my calling card to apologize to them, and this matter should be settled. Tomorrow there are quite a few sea merchants coming to visit. You should arrange things with Old Zhao.” Seeing the food being brought up, Yun Ye stopped talking. Having been busy all day, his stomach was indeed somewhat hungry.

Halfway through the meal, Old Zhao reported that someone had come to the door bearing thorns to plead guilty. They had also carried over a large group of people with injured legs—the very group that had been shot by the guards. It was dark outside so they couldn’t clearly see whether they had come to apologize or to demonstrate and seek justice.

Yun Ye laughed, because he actually saw Xinyue pout. Such a childish expression hadn’t appeared in a long time. He flicked her lips with his finger, then turned and went out to stand under the entrance hall portico, wanting to see what this was all about.

Two rows of guards stood in the courtyard supporting their horizontal sabers. After the servants hung lanterns throughout the courtyard, they withdrew. As soon as the main gate opened, someone outside announced their entry.

“The proprietor of Tianfu Company, Qiu Ning, has come especially to your residence to plead guilty and beseech the Marquis’s judgment.” A robust, bearded man with a bare upper body strode boldly in from outside. Walking to the middle of the courtyard, he knelt on one knee and again requested punishment.

“This commoner’s subordinates were ignorant and offended your lady. Please, Marquis, impose punishment.”

Yun Ye walked around this fellow in a circle. Interesting—on his muscular, knotted back he carried a thorn branch full of barbs. Behind him, seven or eight men being carried in all had their legs exposed and swollen. It looked like a physician had already treated them, then someone had washed off the medicine. This method of expressing apology was truly peculiar.

“East Battalion Company Commander Qiu Hu pays respects to the Commander!” Hearing this voice, Yun Ye noticed there was another person standing to the side—his own subordinate, Qiu Hu. Previously a squad leader, having accumulated merit through the Goguryeo and Dongting campaigns to become a company commander, this fellow was a decent soldier. When fighting, he was fearless and had many battle achievements. He hadn’t expected this guy now actually had a relative who was a sea merchant.

“Qiu Hu? Hmm, remarkable. You still remember your Commander. I thought after you got promoted your eyes grew onto your backside. What, come to seek justice for your relative?”

Yun Ye’s two sentences could be called cutting to the heart with every word. Sweat gathered on Qiu Hu’s chin as he stammered, not knowing what to say, only able to kowtow continuously.

“Bastard, just this little bit of courage? I thought following me would help you develop more guts. If you’d come to demand justice, I would’ve thought better of you. The Lingnan naval forces don’t produce kowtowing worms.”

“Commander, forgive me. It’s all this humble officer’s fault. My younger brother Qiu Ning hasn’t seen much of the world and acted recklessly. Please, Commander, considering that this humble officer has been diligent in killing enemies, spare him from death.” Qiu Ning, prostrate on the ground, never imagined that his subordinates had merely gotten into a fight with someone—and lost—yet judging by his elder brother’s tone, he was going to die?