Ming East India Company

With the first galleon, the Ryukyu Navy acquired the capability for long-range operations for the first time.

Although this galleon is only roughly equivalent to a Tier IV or Tier V ship in Europe, once you have the first one, the second and third will become increasingly faster.

……

The summer wind, carrying humid heat, swept across the vast wilderness of Dongfan Island, and also swept across Bai Kecheng's bloodshot eyes.

He stood on a makeshift earthen platform, with newly reclaimed, semi-cultivated wasteland beneath his feet. Before him stretched a dense array of puddles that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see, their surfaces shimmering with a murky green light. Swarms of mosquitoes buzzed and danced on the water's surface, like a persistent black fog.

"Young Master, are we really going to Kagoshima in Satsuma?"

Inside the wooden stockade of Keelung Harbor, the servant He Zheng said with a heavy heart.

"What else can we do? If this continues, all of us on the Dongfan plantation will die."

Bai Kecheng held the letter of appointment that Bai Ye had given him and said helplessly.

In the letter of appointment, Shirano, recognizing his contributions over the past few years, appointed him as the Minister of Reclamation of Ryukyu.

Several years ago, Bai Kecheng, under the orders of Bai Ye, led a large group of Japanese immigrants to this place to reclaim wasteland.

After several years of hard work, Bai Kecheng led the immigrants to cut down trees, clear weeds, level the land, and dig ditches, working day and night.

Although the early days were tough, watching the wasteland gradually turn into fertile fields and the simple thatched huts built one by one, everyone's face was filled with anticipation for the future. The work chants during the day and the laughter between the huts at dusk echoed across the island's wilderness.

Bai Kecheng himself became increasingly convinced that he could once again establish a solid base for the family, just like Bai Ye had done in Ryukyu.

No one could have predicted that a continuous summer rain would completely shatter Bai Kecheng's illusions.

This summer, the rains on Dongfan Island came exceptionally early and were exceptionally heavy.

For a month straight, torrential rains and thunderstorms raged, and the drainage ditches that had been dug were no match for the torrential downpour.

The low-lying areas of the island were all flooded by rainwater. Fields, thatched huts, and forest clearings were filled with puddles of rainwater, some as large as ponds and others as small as stone mortars, scattered throughout the entire settlement.

After the rain stopped, the sun blazed high, and the humid air enveloped the entire island. The puddles, warmed by the sun, became breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Swarms of dark brown mosquitoes hid in the woods and huts during the day and swarmed out at night. No matter how much the immigrants smoked mugwort or wrapped themselves in linen, they could not escape the bites of these tiny poisonous insects.

During the day, mosquitoes swarm around people's faces, necks, hands, and feet, biting them relentlessly. If you swat them, your hands will be covered in blood. At night, the buzzing of mosquitoes is incessant, and you are covered in bites, making it impossible to sleep all night.

At first, no one paid any attention to these mosquitoes. The island was naturally teeming with insects and mosquitoes; they thought the bites and itching would pass quickly. But a few days later, disaster struck.

First, a ten-year-old child suddenly developed a high fever at night. His whole body was burning hot, and he curled up on a straw mat, shivering, his jaw clenched, and he kept talking nonsense.

The child's parents panicked and sought out an elderly immigrant who knew a little about medicine. The old man thought it was just a common summer heat and cold, and brewed some herbal medicine to clear heat and relieve symptoms, but it was of no use. In less than half a day, the child fell into a coma, his body burning hot and then suddenly turning cold. Even covered with a thick burlap quilt, he was still shivering uncontrollably, and finally died in agony.

Everyone thought it was just an isolated case; after all, the island was wild and the children were weak, so it wasn't uncommon for them to die suddenly from illnesses. But then, the nightmare began to spread.

A few days later, a strong middle-aged farmer working in the field suddenly collapsed. He first shivered uncontrollably and his face turned bluish-purple. Then his body temperature soared, he had a splitting headache, and he vomited repeatedly.

Before long, women and elderly people fell ill one after another, with the same symptoms: first chills followed by fever, alternating chills and fever, unbearable pain during the attack, and weakness and emaciation after the relief.

This strange disease comes on quickly and is highly contagious; anyone bitten by a mosquito will likely contract it.

The immigrants didn't know its name, only that it was the poisonous miasma brought by the rain, the evil spirits of the island seeking their lives.

Bai Kecheng knew what was going on. Bai Ye had reminded him to take precautions against malaria every year, and he had been carefully clearing the ditches and taking precautions every year.

As in previous years, he followed the local recipes brought from Ryukyu and the Ming Dynasty, boiling mugwort, calamus, and honeysuckle, and burning them everywhere in an attempt to dispel the miasma.

At the same time, orders were given to fill in any puddles that could be filled, dredge drainage ditches, and try every means to eliminate mosquitoes. However, there were too many puddles, and rainwater would fall again from time to time, so all efforts were of little use.

People fell ill and died every day. At first, they could hastily prepare simple coffins and bury the deceased on the hillside next to the stronghold. But as the number of deaths increased, they ran out of coffins and could only use straw mats to carry the bodies down the hillside for burial. New graves sprang up one after another on the hillside, quickly forming a continuous expanse, a scene of desolation hidden among the overgrown weeds.

The immigrants' hopes were utterly shattered by fear. The work chants disappeared, the fertile fields were left unattended, the newly planted rice seeds rotted in the water, and the seedlings gradually withered and turned yellow.

Everyone huddled in their simple thatched huts, afraid to go out for fear of being bitten by mosquitoes and contracting the deadly malaria. But even without leaving the huts, mosquitoes could still sneak in. Fear was like an invisible net, trapping everyone tightly.

Some people started crying, some started complaining, some knelt on the ground all day praying towards Ryukyu, and some went directly to Bai Kecheng, crying out that they wanted to return to Ryukyu and never stay on this deadly desert island again.

"Lord Bai, please, take us back! This place is no place for humans. If we stay any longer, we'll all die here!"

"My lord, my wife and children are all gone! I don't want to die! We want to go back to the Central Plains, even if it means being treated like cattle and horses, it's better than waiting to die here!"

Listening to these complaints, Bai Kecheng, unlike his usual stern self, constantly encouraged everyone to persevere. However, seeing one grave after another being erected, more and more immigrants stopped believing him.

During this period, Bai Kecheng also sent people to Ryukyu to seek advice, but apart from a few words of encouragement, there was no further response.

Since Hakuno seized Satsuma, he has spent more and more time in Kagoshima than in Shuri Castle and Naha.

The reason is simple: although Japan at that time was a poor and remote place compared to Ming Dynasty, it was still much more comfortable than Ryukyu.

Many of the veterans who had fought alongside Shirano chose to build villas in Kagoshima, keep servants, and live a very comfortable life.

Moreover, with the increasing number of immigrants, the food pressure in Ryukyu was constantly increasing. Sending people directly to Satsuma could at least reduce some of the transportation losses.

Moreover, Kagoshima has an abundant manpower, which is also beneficial to the shipbuilding industry.

However, this caused Bai Kecheng, who was clearing land near the chicken coop, to suffer a great misfortune.

Previously, when Shirano was in Okinawa, he wholeheartedly supported Shirano's pioneering plan out of a sense of public duty.

They provided manpower and funds when needed, and offered advice when difficulties arose. Although Bai Kecheng was not entirely satisfied, he was at least living a decent life.

But now that Bai Ye has gone to Kagoshima, many of his documents and memorials have been intercepted by Bai Wenzheng and Bai Ling before they even reach him.

These two aren't going to tolerate him. What Bai Ye promised before barely counts, but he wants new policy support?

No way.

Without Bai Ye's command, Bai Kecheng quickly realized his own inadequacy.

He used to be able to get through the malaria epidemic with Shirano's guidance, but now that he has lost Shirano's supervision, he is helpless in the face of this overwhelming epidemic.

There was only one way: head straight to Kagoshima and secretly ask Hakuno for help.

He was well aware of the risks of this move. Bai Ling and Bai Wenzheng on Ryukyu Island were always looking for ways to find fault with him. If he were caught, he would be dismissed from his post and imprisoned at best, and even lose his life at worst.

But he had no choice; he had to go back. It was his duty as Minister of Colonization, and the only hope for these surviving immigrants.

Over the next two days, Bai Kecheng, despite his physical limitations, quickly arranged matters concerning the stronghold. He selected a relatively sturdy seagoing vessel, prepared fresh water and dry rations, and chose a dozen strong, healthy, and sea-savvy trusted men to accompany him.

The remaining immigrants were reorganized, and temporary supervisors were appointed. They were repeatedly instructed to keep their huts tightly closed, minimize going out, continue filling in puddles and burning mugwort to keep mosquitoes away as much as possible, care for the sick, and not to leave the island without permission. They were told to wait patiently for news.

He traveled throughout the entire settlement, visiting each of the infected immigrants, holding their hands and offering them heartfelt comfort:

"Fellow villagers, I, Bai Kecheng, am sorry for what I have done to you. I will return to Ryukyu as soon as possible to see the master and beg him to send a doctor and medicine. No matter what, I will take you home or find you a way to survive."

After more than ten days of clandestine voyage, Bai Kecheng's energy and spirit were quickly worn away.

The ship sailed disguised as a merchant vessel, daring not to openly display fire or make a fuss. The wind and waves soaked their robes, salt frost formed a hard crust on the fabric, their hair clung messily to their foreheads, and their eyes were bloodshot.

Bai Kecheng was filled with anxiety about the rampant malaria, the tragic deaths of immigrants, and the complete ruin of reclamation on Dongfan Island. He was constantly on edge, walking on thin ice, until his ship entered the inner bay of Kagoshima and he was quietly brought into the city by his confidants. Only then did his tense nerves relax a little.

In the former residence of the Satsuma clan, Bai Kecheng finally met Bai Ye.

After listening to Bai Kecheng's anxious report, Bai Ye angrily pointed at Bai Kecheng's nose and cursed:

"I told you a long time ago to actively drain the water and take precautions, and to isolate anyone who might be sick. But you just ignored me!"

Bai Kecheng respectfully apologized to Bai Ye:

"The owner is right, but who could have predicted so much rain this year? There are so many gullies; we simply can't keep up with the cleanup!"

Bai Ye was furious:

"Don't you ever think about why I write to you every year, telling you that malaria originates from mosquitoes, mosquitoes originate from water sources, and that proper isolation will make things much easier? Have you been reading all that nonsense?"

Bai Kecheng could only nod in agreement repeatedly.

"In previous years, malaria occurred occasionally, but I didn't expect it to be so severe this year. I will definitely take measures to drain water and prevent mosquitoes from breeding in the future."

"After that, it was too late. Every summer would be like this from then on, and there would never be a peaceful day on Tofan Island."

"Ah!" Bai Kecheng exclaimed in shock, "What do you mean by that?!"

"You don't know, this Dongfan Island was originally free of malaria. As long as you take precautions, clean up any sick people in time, and don't get bitten by mosquitoes, the plague will not spread."

But with this year's major epidemic, I'm afraid malaria has already taken root in the puddles on Dongfan Island. From now on, every mosquito on Dongfan Island will be venomous, and they'll come out to bite people every summer. Just imagine what the consequences will be!

Baiye knew that malaria was the number one killer for developing Southeast Asia. Tropical puddles and mosquitoes had buried countless generations of residents.

Fortunately, there was no history of malaria on Dongfan Island, so Bai Ye kept reminding Bai Kecheng to take precautions and isolate himself.

Every summer, if someone falls ill, they should be immediately isolated to prevent the spread of germ spores to the island. In the long run, this will keep malaria out, and the future development plan of Dongfan Island will be much less of a problem.

Despite repeated warnings, Bai Kecheng still messed things up.

Now that things had come to this, Shirane knew that continuing to scold would not help, so he could only bite the bullet and clean up the mess.

"Go back now and tell the people that they should forget about this year's harvest and focus on saving lives. I'll figure out a way to solve the food problem."

"But in the past few years, more than 100,000 immigrants have come to the island from the Central Plains, Ryukyu, and the East Sea. So many people don't farm at all, where will the food come from?"

Although Bai Kecheng was far away in Dongfan, he knew about the food shortage in Ryukyu, so he was skeptical of Bai Ye's promise.

"You don't need to worry about that, I have my own way. Secondly, tell the people on the island to stay home from now on and completely isolate themselves. Do everything you can to prevent the spread of the plague."

Bai Kecheng nodded in agreement.

"As for how to deal with malaria, I will deliver the elixir to the island within two months. I guarantee it will cure the disease."

"A cure-all? Master, how is that possible!" Bai Kecheng couldn't believe his ears. He had just experienced a major epidemic and knew the power of malaria. He had never seen a miraculous medicine that could cure malaria so easily.

"This is none of your business. Since I dared to ask, I have my own way of doing it."

Bai Kecheng quickly shut his mouth and dared not ask any more questions.

After arranging these two matters, Bai Ye immediately sent Bai Kecheng back to Dongfan Island to reassure the people.

To ensure his return was expedited, Shirane had him board the Ocean Ship, which had just been launched and was still undergoing sea trials, and expedite his journey back.

Watching Bai Kecheng board the ocean liner, Bai Ye couldn't help but sternly rebuke him:

"Damn you, you got my hands on the maiden voyage of the first galleon ship in Ryukyu. You got a good deal, kid."