Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 410 Return
After the Qi envoy finished observing the "Qin-Luo dispute,"
He finally decided to return to his homeland.

"It has been three years since we set sail."

"The ship I am on has withstood enough wind and waves, so it should be able to sail far into the deep sea."

The Qi envoy addressed his friends from Qin who had come to see him off:
"Both Qi and Qin were ancient states that experienced the flames of war during the Warring States period."

"The Qin state has expanded its territory to such a vast area beyond the borders, and has never allowed the prestige of the Chinese nation to decline. This is something I greatly admire."

"Now, it's Qi's turn to contribute to the expansion of the Xia people."

"No matter how huge and terrifying the wind and waves may be, the people of Qi will eventually raise their sails at sea and spread the glory of the Chinese nation!"

Upon hearing this, his friends exclaimed in admiration, "That's a very lofty ambition."

"No wonder the State of Wu, despite possessing such fertile land, could not compete with the State of Qi at sea."

The situation in the Kingdom of Wu
The Qin people had some understanding of this through their interactions with the Han Dynasty and through certain well-informed individuals who appeared and disappeared mysteriously throughout the country.

They even supported Qi's bullying of Wu.

After all, this was the style of the Wu Kingdom.
Even more so than Wu Taibo's "cutting his hair and tattooing his body" during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, which was despised by the gentlemen of the Xia people.

After all, the former was only a helpless measure due to an unstable foundation, and later, the civilized and refined culture of the Chinese people was restored.

However, the Wu Kingdom chose to decline after defeating the many barbarian states that ruled Luzon.

How could this gain the approval of the Qin people, who were based outside their territory and constantly reminded themselves not to forget their ancestors and not to abandon their roots?
Therefore,
From the perspective of the Qin people, if the State of Qi could annex the State of Wu, it would be a good thing to maintain the dignity of the various Chinese states.

of course,

If the State of Qi becomes powerful and can use its strong and flexible navy to cause trouble for the Han Dynasty, the Qin people will be even happier!
Who could have heard the news that the Han Dynasty, their arch-rival, was gradually growing stronger?
It will make the Qin state feel even worse than if it had suffered a defeat!
The Qi envoy was unaware of the Qin man's dark and twisted inner thoughts. In response to the Qin man's praise, he simply smiled proudly.

then,

The Qi delegation boarded ships and sailed along the river to the port where it met the sea.

He Bo, on the other hand, acted as a kind-hearted boatman for this part of the journey, rowing the boat for Qi envoy free of charge.

He told the envoy, "I am famous for my speed in rowing!"

"Besides, you once fulfilled my wish, so now let me repay your help and see you off!"

The Qi envoy, of course, would not refuse.

He stood at the bow of the boat, facing the gentle breeze blowing across the river, his gaze sweeping over the scenery on both banks.

Many people were walking along the riverbank, either fishing or washing clothes.

It's a bit far away.
You can also see people of different ethnicities with distinctive features, leading camels, horses, or cattle and sheep by.

This is a landscape that the State of Qi could not possess.

"So, it's still important to get out and about more and broaden your horizons."

The Qi envoy suddenly uttered a sentimental remark about parting, "If we remain isolated on this island, how can we know the vastness of the world and the richness of human relationships?"

He Bo asked him with a smile, "Will you go out to sea again in the future?"

"Will do!"

"Then please keep the jade pendant I gave you earlier safe and sound."

"Let me take this opportunity to join your journey and see the scenery of the distant seas."

The Qi envoy did not refuse.

Upon arriving at the port and boarding the ship, Qi Shi bid farewell to He Bo.

He was somewhat reluctant to leave.
But He Bo blinked and said to him, "We'll meet again someday, why be sad?"

"With this kind of energy, you might as well pray that you don't get arrested and thrown into a jail to be fed to rats when you pass through Xia Kingdom."

The Qi envoy said helplessly, "Would the emperor of Xia still be able to see me and order his subjects to imprison me?"

When in Andu City
The Qi envoy was not solely focused on heading west.
If possible, he would inquire about the Xia Kingdom from others to find out how it was doing recently.

His original intention was

This stemmed from the close ties between the various Xia states, and the hope that the Xia state could emerge from the turmoil and restore stability.

unfortunately,

After two years of turmoil, the Xia Kingdom showed no signs of peace.

Upon hearing that the emperor had died in a foreign land, the remnants of the feudal lords in the east immediately enthroned the sons of the feudal lords who were hiding among the common people, declaring that the bloodline of the former crown prince was the rightful master of the Xia Kingdom!
In the capital, since the emperor had not designated a crown prince before his death, another power struggle ensued. It was only after a long time that the emperor's young eldest son, who was not even old enough to begin his formal education, was chosen to succeed him.

The Xia state thus split into Eastern Xia and Western Xia, and a fierce struggle ensued over who was the legitimate successor. The Qi envoy felt that...

Under such circumstances, no one would care about a passing envoy like himself.

After all, the Xia Kingdom was in chaos, with the throne contest at the top, powerful families building manors and fortified villages to control their own territories, and the Taiping Dao leading a peasant uprising at the bottom.

Where would they find the energy to waste on trivial matters like meeting with foreign envoys?

"Farewell!"

Turning around and walking onto the ship, Qi Shi waved to He Bo on the shore.

A sea breeze blew, making the sails billow and swell.

Subsequently,

The large ship gradually moved away, heading towards the direction where the sun was rising.

……

They drifted at sea for a long time.
After experiencing several extremely dangerous storms, the Qi envoy finally managed to return to the State of Qi.

He reported his experiences on this mission to King Lü Peng of Qi and presented the records he had written to the monarch.

Lu Peng listened quietly to him finish speaking, then stared at his old, aging eyes and carefully began to peruse the thick document.

After a long time,

He was deeply moved and said to the Qi envoy, "You've really worked hard!"

"With a minister like you, how could the State of Qi not become powerful?"

Detained and humiliated by the Xia state, he refused to bow his head; this was Qi's "Su Wu"!

The Qi envoy humbly replied, "Upholding the dignity of the nation is what I should do."

Lu Peng nodded with satisfaction, "Being neither arrogant nor impatient is the mark of a gentleman."

"But I cannot deceive you simply because you are a gentleman!"

"Loyalty should be rewarded!"

He waved his hand, bestowing upon the Qi envoy a great deal of wealth and land, and promoted him to an important position in the country.

However, the Qi envoy refused the reward.

He bowed to Lü Peng and said, "I have the ambition to sail the seas, and I hope Your Majesty can grant my wish."

Lü Peng was somewhat surprised by his choice.

navigation,

It is a very dangerous thing.

Moreover, for the rest of the sea voyage, Lü Peng planned to send men to the desolate waters to the east.

Compared to the sea routes that led to Qin and Xia, and even Rome, this route was far more difficult.

Therefore,
Lu Peng only wanted to follow the old example of King Qi Jian sending people to explore the East Sea, select a few neglected young nobles as leaders, recruit warriors from the country to become crew members, and explore the deep ocean.

A figure like the Qi envoy,

He hoped to remain in the court as a pillar of support for the next King of Qi.

then,

Lu Peng tried to persuade the other party to give up his risky idea.

Ke Qi's will was very firm.

"How can one live a life without pursuing a great achievement that will leave a mark on history and inspire future generations?"

"Moreover, His Majesty often teaches us that if we want to prosper the State of Qi, we must be courageous and adventurous!"

"How could I disobey your teachings out of fear of danger and reluctance to risk my life?"

Upon hearing this, Lü Peng remarked with emotion:
"How can I possibly stop you now?"

"Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty opened up the Western Regions, and you are to go and expand the sea frontier for my Qi State."

"May you receive the protection of the gods and spirits, safely weather all storms, and reach the end of the sea."

The Qi envoy kowtowed and said, "I will certainly not fail in my mission!"

(End of this chapter)