Chapter 3, The Smuggling Ships of the Ming Dynasty

Although Yu Xiaotian has a background in the sciences, it does not mean that he is completely ignorant of history. During his junior and senior high school years, he attended history classes, through which he learned some knowledge. Additionally, like many men, he has a keen interest in historical and military matters. In his spare time, he often browses the internet, reading historical novels or exploring topics related to history and military affairs.

Moreover, through the past two days of life on the boat and from the words of these boatmen, Yu Xiaotian has roughly understood the dynasty he is in, which is the Ming Dynasty during the Tianqi period. However, due to the boatmen's vague descriptions, he can only ascertain that it is likely in the early years of Tianqi, but he has not yet determined the exact year of Tianqi.

Therefore, Xiao Tian had no choice but to abandon this thought, and while working on the ship, he deliberately concealed part of his strength, pretending that the work was very strenuous, which prevented the people on the ship from becoming more vigilant towards him

The reason is simple: it is because that sailboat bears a close resemblance to the vessel he is on, being a double-masted wooden fishing boat. This completely shattered the last remnants of hope in Yu Xiaotian's heart. The reality told him that he had indeed traveled through time.

Yu Xiaotian felt an overwhelming urge to curse his luck, unsure whether it was due to his extraordinary fortune or sheer misfortune. To encounter such a bizarre situation seemed to him even less likely than winning the lottery, yet it had inexplicably befallen him.

However, he did not feel sorrow due to the quality of this bowl of rice, but rather because of the sailboat that had just passed by them! At this moment, his heart felt cold and desolate, completely sinking to the bottom.

Another sailboat passed by in the distance, crossing paths with the one where Xu Xiaotian was located. Driven by the sea breeze, it was heading north at a relatively fast speed. The two boats had even exchanged greetings at close range just moments ago, indicating that the people on that boat might be acquainted with Captain Liu.

His understanding of the history of the Ming Dynasty is not extensive; he is likely most familiar with events from the late Ming period. Additionally, he has some knowledge of the Ming Dynasty's attitude towards the sea. Historically, for a significant period, China's maritime technology was at the forefront of the world. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, China's maritime industry experienced unprecedented development, outpacing Western countries.

However, Yu Xiaotian's current status is rather unique; he is neither considered a household servant of Captain Liu nor an employee. He is merely an auxiliary boatman, to put it bluntly, he is just a jack-of-all-trades on this boat

At present, Xiao Tian can be considered the lowest-ranking person on the ship. His position on the ship is that of a general laborer, which means he does all sorts of tasks, primarily menial work. Therefore, he can only eat this inferior shredded potato rice, which is typically reserved for the lower servants.

Therefore, he has some understanding of the history of the Ming Dynasty. According to his knowledge of Ming history, although the early period of the Ming Dynasty was relatively strong, it began to decline rapidly after the mid-period.

In this era, although the threat of Japanese pirates has significantly diminished, the Ming Dynasty has not completely lifted the maritime ban. Consequently, many coastal merchants, driven by the prospect of substantial profits from maritime trade, have taken risks and ventured out to sea, secretly transporting land goods by ship to foreign markets despite the danger of being caught.

It is indeed a fortunate occurrence to encounter a ship on the desolate sea, where both parties can greet each other amicably. However, upon seeing this ship, Yu Xiaotian became petrified, displaying a face full of despair as he sat dazed at the bow of the boat

Although Yu Xiaotian was not particularly tall in the old timeline, at most he was of average height, the majority of ordinary people in the Ming Dynasty were relatively short due to their dietary structure. Therefore, in this era, Yu Xiaotian could be considered quite tall.

Initially, after a cursory glance at the vessel, he assumed it was likely a coastal fishing boat, with the individuals aboard being fishermen. However, he quickly realized that although the boat superficially resembled a fishing vessel, with fishing nets piled on board, the people seemed to have no interest in fishing. Even when schools of fish appeared alongside the boat, they ignored them and continued to navigate southward. Moreover, they were evasive along the way, making an effort to avoid the coastline and remain close to the edge of the shore.

Liu Chuan Dong is a miser. After setting sail, the meals provided to the crew on board were quite poor. The rice was coarse, and to save on rice, the cook was instructed to add a considerable amount of dried sweet potato shreds. Fresh vegetables and meat were certainly absent; instead, only some pickled vegetables were added for a hint of saltiness. At most, a bit of dried seaweed was mixed in, making the taste utterly unpalatable.

However, the Ming court and even the government remained oblivious to the ongoing Age of Discovery in the world, continuing to implement a policy of seclusion. Even during the later years of the Longqing period, when the court slightly relaxed some maritime restrictions, it did not fundamentally alter the policy of maritime closure

The people on the ship are also divided by rank. As the shipowner, it is certain that he would not eat such food. Shipowner Liu himself eats specially prepared white rice, accompanied by designated side dishes. The meals for the crew, from the helmsman to the deckhands and even the anchor handlers, vary according to their importance on the ship. For important members like the helmsman, the shredded potato rice occasionally includes pieces of salted fish or salted meat, while those of lower status can only eat the plain shredded potato rice without any meat.

After finishing his meal, Yu Xiaotian tidied up the bowls and chopsticks and took them to the stern of the boat. The people on board teased him, calling him a mute glutton, but he pretended not to hear, dismissing them as if they were merely making noise. After tossing the bowls to the cook, he turned around and returned to the bow of the boat to help organize the ropes piled there.

He merely followed his uncle on the first voyage, only to be seized by the hand of fate, which cast him back several hundred years. He still has not figured out exactly how it happened; in any case, it is related to that strange and unusual fog.

A dolphin leaped from the surface of the sea in the distance, then plunged into the water, creating a spray of white waves. Some water birds circled above the boats, occasionally swooping down to the stern to snatch a small fish before quickly ascending, bringing a sense of vitality to the sea surface

Therefore, it is now very clear to Xu Xiaotian that if he wants to survive in this era, maintaining good health is the most fundamental condition. Thus, he pays no attention to the taste of the food on the ship; as long as it is mealtime, he eats as much as possible to ensure he consumes more nutrients. Over the past two days, under his vigorous eating, his originally very weak body has begun to recover rapidly, to the extent that the people on the ship jokingly scold him as a glutton who eats like a mute!

Moreover, what surprised Yu Xiaotian a bit today was that he found his physical strength had not only recovered after two days of rest, but it also seemed to have increased compared to before. Some heavy items on the ship, which he had originally estimated would require a great deal of effort to move, turned out to be not so difficult to lift when he actually tried to do so, which left him quite astonished

He originally wanted to stretch his limbs and see if the strength and speed of his punches and kicks could be improved. However, considering that the people on the ship currently do not trust him, and he has already stated that he does not know how to fight, if he were to demonstrate his skills, it would surely lead the others to misunderstand him as a pirate or a villain. There is a real risk that they might collectively decide to throw him overboard, which would be a great injustice

Later, Yu Xiaotian learned through observation and by listening to the conversations of the people on the boat that this vessel was not a fishing boat at all, but rather a smuggling operation disguised as one. Upon realizing this, Yu Xiaotian couldn't help but chuckle to himself, as it turned out that these individuals were actually his contemporaries in a future life

Yu Xiaotian held a large coarse porcelain bowl, sitting at the bow of the boat, lost in thought for a while. At first, his mind was a chaotic mess, and he found it difficult to sort through his thoughts. However, fortunately, he was not the type to easily blame the heavens or the earth. Once he fully understood his current situation, he quickly recovered from the confusion.

Thinking of this, he picked up the large bowl, brought it to his mouth, and regardless of the taste of the food, held his breath and began to shovel it into his mouth.

After cursing in his heart, Yu Xiaotian felt much better, and even a hint of a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. He thought to himself, "Surviving a great disaster must bring future blessings! Since I have been chosen by this damned fate and thrown into this era, and have not been drowned on the spot, who knows, perhaps I will accomplish something earth-shattering in the future!"

Although during the reign of the Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di inexplicably dispatched Zheng He on seven voyages to the South Seas, creating the most magnificent records of ancient maritime exploration in Chinese history, the Ming Dynasty subsequently imposed maritime bans after Zhu Di's reign. This effectively stifled China's advanced navigation and shipbuilding technologies, leading to a rapid surpassing of China's maritime achievements by several newly emerging Western nations. By the Wanli period, ships from Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and England had all reached the coasts of China.

Through his observations over the past two days on the ship, he gradually understood what this vessel and these people were engaged in

Considering the era in which Yu Xiaotian lived, the nutritional structure of food was already quite good. Additionally, since Yu Xiaotian practiced martial arts from a young age, his physical condition was excellent and robust. His strength was significantly greater than that of the boatmen on the ship. The reason why Captain Liu kept him on board was likely largely due to his impressive physique, as he sought to acquire a free and strong laborer.

The sea breeze swept across the deck, urging the sails while also bringing with it a fresh, moist, and briny scent. This old sailboat gently swayed in the waves as it moved forward slowly. However, due to the lightness of the sea breeze and a slight headwind, the boat could only use its side sails to gain some propulsion, maintaining its forward direction. As a result, the speed of the boat was very slow, almost giving the impression that it was not making any progress at all

Subsequently, the Manchu invaders entered the pass and implemented even stricter maritime policies, thus these two dynasties worked together to completely stifle China's maritime industry

Although Yu Xiaotian is not very old, he has faced quite a few setbacks. Perhaps due to his naturally open-minded personality, he rarely gets stuck in a rut and is often able to quickly overcome low points. This time is no exception.

In any case, there is no medicine for regret in this world; sitting there regretting is futile. Yu Xiaotian took a deep breath and silently cursed in his heart: "Damn it, the ball is facing up; if I don't die, it's still New Year! Since I have come this far, I will make the best of it. Relying on my own abilities, I refuse to believe that I cannot survive!"

It is evident that this Liu Chuan Dong is one of them. He utilizes the ships he owns, disguising them as fishing boats to engage in trade at sea. As for the crew on board, some are his household servants, while others are employees he has hired to work for him.

Yu Xiaotian was temporarily too lazy to quibble with those boatmen, simply eating when there was food and working when there was work. When Captain Liu saw him eating, he felt quite pained, but when he noticed that Yu had regained his strength and could start helping with the work on the boat, he felt quite comforted

However, after the mid-Ming Dynasty, a significant change occurred. After Zhu Yuanzhang ascended to the throne, possibly due to his peasant background and limited understanding of the sea, or perhaps for other reasons, he showed little interest in maritime affairs. Coupled with the frequent incursions by Japanese pirates along the coast, Zhu Yuanzhang simply issued an edict prohibiting ships from entering the sea, and this became a family tradition that was passed down.

He was holding a large coarse porcelain bowl, which contained a bowl of dark food that was unidentifiable. There was hardly any aroma of rice; instead, it had a foul smell reminiscent of pig feed, making Yu Xiaotian feel a bit nauseous

Although Yu Xiaotian felt nauseated just by looking at this bowl of rice, he did not refrain from eating it. During the days he drifted at sea after falling overboard, his body consumed a significant amount of energy without receiving any nutritional replenishment, resulting in severe dehydration and extreme weakness when he was rescued