Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 351 New Look
The pungent sea breeze, carrying the scents of sawdust and charcoal, blew across the newly paved bluestone streets of Linhai City (now Kushiro Port).

At the dock, a trawler fully loaded with salmon is slowly approaching the shore. The ship is painted in striking red and blue – this is the mark of the "Haifeng" – the property of the first private fishing company in Linhai.

On the deck, the Ainu sailor, Big Dog, skillfully tossed the ropes, his bronze arms revealing whalebone tattoos that rippled with the movement of his muscles.

Eight years ago, he was still using a wooden fork passed down from his ancestors to navigate a canoe and fight against schools of salmon in the waves. Now, he can precisely control pulley winches and trawl nets and hoist a full hold of fish ashore.

"Old manager, this season's harvest is 30% more than last year's!" A young shop assistant dressed in coarse cloth shorts jogged up to Manager Chen, who was keeping accounts, waving a wet ledger in his hand. "The fish processed using the new salting method are so good that even Japanese caravans are scrambling to place orders!"

Manager Chen shook his head, smiled, moistened his brush with saliva, and made a few entries in the ledger.

"Alright, alright, by the end of the year, I'll give you all a red envelope!" He smiled and squinted at the other side of the dock.

Three brick chimneys were belching white smoke. That was the "Linhai Grain and Oil Factory," run by the colonization team. Day and night, they pressed soybeans and peanuts into clear oil, which was then packed into wooden barrels and transported to various fortresses in the south.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle pierced the air, and the foreman on the dock waved his large hand and shouted, "Speed ​​up! The transport ship will be loading cargo in a few days!"

In a corner of the fish market, a young female worker secretly stuffed a piece of scrap fish into her apron pocket; enough for her family to have a delicious fish feast.

Outside the West Gate, on the newly built "Mill Street," water-powered stone mills are grinding oats into flour.

Dozens of immigrants squatted by the roadside, using lime mixed with volcanic ash to build bricks, preparing to further expand the residential area.

The cement and bricks from the government-run building materials factory in the city were in short supply, so many residents simply used straw, mud, and clods to build their houses.

Today, Linhai City has a permanent population of over 4,200, making it the largest city on Beiying Island.

The city is centered around the old town, with four main streets radiating outwards.

Along both sides of Haichang Street, fish shops, fishing tackle shops, and boat repair shops stand side by side, and the air is filled with a strong fishy smell.

In Baigong Lane, the sounds of hammering and striking echoed from blacksmith shops, carpentry shops, and ceramic workshops.

Along Xuezheng Road, several schools and technical schools were filled with the sound of students reading aloud. Students not only had to read and recognize characters, but also had to study arithmetic, mechanical principles, and practical knowledge.

The most bustling market was Fanyi City, where the Ainu people traded furs and dried fish for ironware and cloth, the Oroqen people brought precious animal hides and medicinal herbs, and Japanese merchants brought lacquerware and silver. The cries of vendors in different languages ​​mingled together, creating a unique atmosphere of bustling activity.

"Eight years have passed, and it's finally taking shape!" Liu Pingshun, the garrison commander of Linhai City, looked at the newly completed three-story government office building with great excitement.

The hardships involved in building a large port with thousands of people from a desolate mudflat can only be understood by those who experienced it firsthand.

The hardships and struggles are still insufficient to fully describe this glorious period.

"Sir, two immigrant ships have arrived at the dock!" His political assistant rushed over, sweat dripping from his forehead.

“When immigrants arrive, the relevant departments will handle it themselves. Why are you in such a hurry?” Liu Pingshun said irritably, stepping into the “luxurious” office building.

"My lord..." The assistant wiped away his sweat and took a few breaths, "My lord, also accompanying the ship is... Lord Meng!"

"Which Lord Meng?" Liu Pingshun stopped and turned to look at him in surprise.

"I am Meng Huisheng, member of the Xinhua Decision-Making Committee, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Plenipotentiary Representative to the Ming Dynasty!"

"Ah!..." Upon hearing this, Liu Pingshun's expression immediately changed. He pushed aside his assistant and, disregarding his image as an official guarding a city, sprinted towards the dock.

Good heavens!

This Lord Meng is the superior of their superior's superior. He is in charge of the entire Beiying Island colonization team, and even all Xinhua's institutions and units stationed in the Ming Dynasty.

Before any specific instructions were issued from the New Continent, all his decisions represented the will of the continent, and his word could decide the life, death, and future of everyone.

With both Lord Wei, the head of the colonization team, and County Magistrate Zhou of Linhai County, absent from Linhai City, Lord Meng's sudden arrival by boat suggests something significant may have occurred. I absolutely cannot be negligent!
"Mother, where is Xinzhou?" Inside the post station by the sea, a five-year-old child clung to the woman's arm, looked up, and asked the question again.

“Xinzhou…” Song Yuerong hugged the child in her arms and said with a smile, “It’s on the other side of the distant sea. We can get there in a little over a month by boat.”

"So we're not going back to Guangzhou anymore?"

“Hmm…” Song Yuerong’s expression froze, she sighed and said softly, “From now on, Xinzhou will be our home. You will go to school there, play with your new friends, see many new and interesting things, and eat all kinds of delicious snacks and treats.”

"Oh..." the child blinked. "Mommy, is Xinzhou as lively as Guangzhou? Are there many friends to play with there?"

“It’s just as lively there as Guangzhou, and you’ll find groups of friends to play with and have fun with.” Song Yuerong reached out and pinched the child’s cheek. “During festivals and market days, there are all sorts of novel tricks to keep you entertained!”

"Mother, you're lying to your brother again." At this moment, the little girl, who was staring blankly at the courtyard from the window, pouted and said, "I once heard Father say that the entire New Continent only has 60,000 to 70,000 people, which is less than 30% of Panyu County! How lively do you think it can be there? Oh, this population must exclude the number of local natives."

"Oh, you little rascal!" Song Yuerong blushed as her daughter exposed her, and scolded, "You've learned a lot after studying for a few years. Don't you know that every year, thousands upon thousands of people are transported from the Ming Dynasty to Xinzhou?"

"By the time you grow up, Xinzhou might have as many people as Guangzhou! It will definitely be very lively then."

"Hehe..." The girl made a mischievous face at her mother. "Mom, do you know how big Xinzhou is? Even if you filled the entire population of Guangzhou Prefecture into it, you probably wouldn't see a single person within a hundred miles!"

"Huh?..." Song Yuerong's expression faltered slightly, a hint of embarrassment and annoyance on her face. "Hmph, you learned geography and astronomy from your father, and now you're showing off in front of me, aren't you!"

“Mother, I’m just describing the actual situation in Xinzhou to you, not showing off.” The girl said in a serious tone, “As Father says, the development of Xinzhou is a long and arduous task, and it is currently in its initial stage.”

"However, once we grow up, the responsibility of leading the rapid rise of New Zealand will fall on the shoulders of our generation of knowledgeable, idealistic, and energetic young people. Only then will New Zealand truly prosper and flourish."

"Heh, you're just a young lady, why would you need to show your face and shoulder the so-called heavy responsibility of construction and development!" Song Yuerong said, both amused and annoyed.

"My father said, 'Women hold up half the sky!'" the girl said with considerable pride. "Back in Guangzhou, whether in school or at home, which boy could possibly surpass me in terms of knowledge and experience? Humph, when we grow up and have to do things, they still won't be able to compare to me!"

“You little rascal…” Song Yuerong shook her head helplessly, “With your competitive nature, I wonder how you’ll ever get married.”

"Mother, why must we girls marry and depend on men when we grow up?" The girl said defiantly, "Hmph, when I grow up, I won't just marry anyone and stay at home to be a wife and mother. I want to go out and do great things, I want to be remembered in history like Hua Mulan and Li Qingzhao."

"Hehe, thankfully they didn't say they wanted to emulate Empress Lü and Empress Wu Zetian." Song Yuerong couldn't help but smile upon hearing this.

"Well..." The girl listened and actually began to think seriously, "If Xinzhou allows women to serve in government and hold official positions, it's not something I can't consider."

"..." Song Yuerong chuckled again, "You little girl, I wonder what kind of unorthodox ideas you've picked up from your father."

“Mom, this isn’t considered rebellious,” the girl said earnestly. “Father said it’s called liberating our minds and letting our true nature shine. And also, the bigger your heart, the bigger your stage will be!”

Upon hearing this, Song Yuerong stared blankly at her daughter.

This girl seems completely different from traditional women in our Ming Dynasty!

"Sigh..." she sighed softly.

"Mother, Mother..." The door was suddenly kicked open, and a boy who looked about seven or eight years old rushed in, panting heavily as he ran. "Father is back!"

"Oh, Egg, Daddy really came?" The girl immediately sat up from her chair and grabbed her younger brother's arm.

"They're here! They've really come!" the boy exclaimed. "I heard from the people at the post station that two large ships arrived at the dock, and Father came on board. The officials from the city all went to greet them, saying they wanted to pay their respects to Lord Meng... Isn't our father surnamed Meng?"

"Hmph, Egg, it's rare for you to be so smart!" The girl laughed, ruffled her brother's hair, lifted her skirt, and dashed out of the room like the wind.

"Mom, was my sister praising me just now?" The boy scratched his head and asked in a low voice as he saw his mother leading his younger brother out the door.

"..." Song Yuerong turned around and smiled, "Yes, I'm praising you!"
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(End of this chapter)