Chapter 444

Chapter 444

Can a strategist not ascend the throne? Side Story: The Sea Voyage (4)

Book: Can a Strategist Not Ascend the Throne?

Chapter 444 Side Story (4) (Bug Fix)

Lu Meng hesitated for a moment before picking up the small ball in front of him.

At such close range, he became increasingly certain that the material used for this toy ball was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

He also keenly realized that this elastic, special substance couldn’t possibly be limited to just children’s toys.

“Don’t be afraid…” Lu Meng spoke to the child.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, he suddenly realized that he was in a land where no one from the Central Plains had ever set foot. His words of reassurance meant nothing to the child.

Sure enough, the moment he spoke, the child, as if seeing something terrifying, bolted away without even caring about the ball still in Lu Meng’s hand.

Just as the child turned to flee, Lu Meng clearly saw something similar on the child’s shoes.

In a flash, countless guesses raced through Lu Meng’s mind. He chased after the child while shouting, “Catch him!”

The child, having never seen such a scene, sprinted wildly through the mountains.

But no matter how familiar the child was with these mountains, which were his home, he stood no chance against Lu Meng and his small group of mountain-dwelling followers. After running three or four miles, the child was finally caught and pinned to the ground.

Seeing that the child couldn’t understand their language and even tried to bite his hand, Lu Meng didn’t hesitate to knock the child unconscious with a swift chop.

But now that they had caught the child, the real problem was how to communicate with him.

This… wasn’t exactly the best start for a friendly conversation.

When Lu Meng brought the child back to camp, planning to use food to show goodwill once the child woke up, he quickly discovered that their camp was being spied on by local natives.

Some sharp-eyed soldiers even noticed that the natives’ weapons were tipped with poison.

To avoid being caught off guard, Lu Meng decided to strike first. Using fishing nets from their sea voyage, they captured the natives.

But solving one group only led to another…

By the next morning, Lu Meng sat by the fire, scratching his head in frustration, and asked his soldiers, “We came here to find new species, not to become human traffickers, right?”

Before the soldiers could respond, he looked around the camp at the group of bound and shouting locals and sighed.

In less than a day, he had turned the camp into a hunting trap to fend off the relentless attacks.

To avoid escalating the conflict, he refrained from killing any of the natives, only injuring them and bringing them to the camp’s medic.

But this endless cycle of attacks had to end.

Otherwise, it would only be a matter of time before things escalated into full-blown warfare.

At that point, there would be no room for negotiation!

After all, they didn’t even have a common language to negotiate with.

Lu Meng’s mind raced, and he suddenly signaled for a soldier to bring a spare set of iron armor. He then grabbed the armor and quickly approached the child he had captured earlier.

The earlier skirmish with the locals wasn’t entirely useless—it gave him a crucial piece of information!

These people had no iron tools!

Crude bronze and stone tools were the best they had, which meant iron armor was something completely unheard of to them.

Just like how he had never seen an elastic ball or shoes made of special material.

But even with this realization, communication was still a monumental challenge.

Using gestures, tone, and even sound effects, Lu Meng tried to explain that he only wanted the ball and shoes and was willing to trade the iron armor for them. He didn’t want to cause such a big conflict.

The terrified child finally realized that his earlier cries for help might have caused unnecessary trouble and began explaining the situation to his tribesmen.

Lu Meng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As the shouting locals gradually quieted down, he felt confident that he had made the right choice.

The only problem now was that he couldn’t let them think they could trade a toy ball and shoes for a set of iron armor.

He needed to offer something more.

Otherwise, it would be hard to get what he wanted from these still-hostile locals.

He wondered if the gold, silver, and silk that His Majesty had said were universal currencies would work here.

——————

“Not just gold, silver, and silk—paper can also be used as a bargaining chip!” When the northbound and southbound groups reunited at Victory Port, Gan Ning proudly declared upon hearing Lu Meng’s story.

In the several rudimentary cities they passed through on their northward journey, especially the largest one, Gan Ning noticed that their paper-making techniques were quite different. Even though they used tree bark, the paper was much thicker than what they used in Da Yong.

This thickness didn’t mean it was more durable than bamboo paper. On the contrary, it was less portable and more like “tree bark slabs,” prone to breaking when bent.

When Gan Ning showed them the unused sea voyage manual from the ship, the locals treated it as a treasure far more valuable than iron weapons.

This budding civilization, with its writing, statues, and rituals, desperately needed an effective medium to record its development.

Paper was the answer!

In contrast, Lu Meng, who had gone south, saw large-scale temples and various statues but no written language. He couldn’t find anything as useful as paper for trade.

Fortunately, since these people had formed tribes, there was inevitably a social hierarchy.

Exquisite gold jewelry and silk, different from their woven cloth, immediately caught the attention of the tribal leader.

Lu Meng also gifted two luxurious garments as an apology for injuring some of the tribesmen. Soon, the previous hostility vanished, replaced by the etiquette reserved for honored guests.

“I gestured that we had sailed for over a hundred days to reach this place, convincing the leader that we came from a mysterious and powerful foreign land. In the end, whether it’s paper or silk, as long as we achieve our goal, the rest isn’t that important.”

Gan Ning laughed, “That’s not quite right. Compared to this place, isn’t our homeland mysterious, powerful, and historically rich?”

They weren’t just putting on a show with a few items.

When they, fully armed with iron armor and weapons, set foot on this largely undeveloped land, they couldn’t help but feel a clear and direct realization—

If they wanted to destroy this still-weak civilization and enslave these natives who only knew slash-and-burn farming, it wouldn’t be much trouble.

But it was precisely their own long and rich history that gave them the confidence and grace to choose trade over conquest.

Gan Ning couldn’t help but mutter, “Honestly, I rarely feel like I’m being a good person.”

“Well, I don’t,” Lu Meng replied, “I took the kid’s toy ball, and in exchange, the iron armor was taken by his elders for study.”

Gan Ning and Lu Meng looked at each other and suddenly burst out laughing.

“Alright, alright,” Gan Ning waved his hand, “Tell me about your findings.”

Lu Meng straightened up and placed a pair of rubber shoes in front of Gan Ning, “Aside from the food, this rubber is worth mentioning first. I initially thought it was some kind of animal glue, but it turns out it’s extracted from plants.”

“When the bark of this tree is cut, it oozes this rubbery substance, which the locals use to make water containers, shoe soles, and rubber balls. Coating clothes with it provides much better waterproofing than oilcloth.”

“Even more interesting is a local crop with edible roots, similar to yam, but shorter… yes, like the one in your hand.”

Lu Meng pointed to the sweet potato Gan Ning was holding, “A variety of this plant has white sap in its vines that, when mixed with the rubber tree sap, makes it more durable and elastic.”

“If we bring this back to the Ministry of Works, it will definitely be useful.”

Lu Meng didn’t even need to bring it back to Huang Yueying and the others to guess its potential.

This material, both elastic and waterproof, would surely have uses on ships.

Its ability to transform from liquid to solid also made it ideal for sealing.

This discovery was practically rewriting the rules of invention!

It deserved to be ranked above all other plants.

Gan Ning carefully took the shoes from Lu Meng.

Even though he knew their elasticity meant they wouldn’t break easily, he couldn’t help but handle them delicately upon realizing their potential.

With this, they had at least a minimum guarantee when reporting back to His Majesty in Da Yong.

And they had more than just this to offer.

Lu Meng continued—

“These two… let’s call them tubers because of the yam. Since you have them too, I won’t go into detail.”

Perhaps the only difference between Lu Meng’s and Gan Ning’s findings was that the southern tribes used a special type of sweet potato sap to vulcanize the rubber early on. Otherwise, their cultivation and consumption methods were quite similar.

Gan Ning nodded, and Lu Meng brought out the next item, “I initially thought it was a miracle that we could get cotton from India through the reopened Silk Road.”

Without cotton clothing, countless people would have frozen to death during the harsh winters of recent years. Without cotton, their soldiers would never have been able to cross the Hindu Kush and achieve victory against the Kushan Empire.

And let’s not forget last year’s Sui Zhou battle, where cotton played a significant role.

“Who would have thought that cotton, which is most needed in cold regions, only grows in such hot climates.”

The heat of India was well-known, and the mountainous region Lu Meng explored, though slightly barren, was also hot and humid.

What surprised him even more was when Gan Ning opened a nearby box, revealing cotton as well.

Interestingly, the two types of cotton weren’t identical. The southern cotton had longer fibers, making it more suitable for weaving, while the northern cotton had a finer, fluffier texture. However, when they compared the yields, they found that the northern cotton was much more abundant.

Regardless of the type…








The flowers here are much longer than those currently planted in the Da Yong territory.

“Do you think these two types of cotton can adapt to Da Yong’s climate? Or is there any possibility of combining the advantages of these two varieties?” Gan Ning held one cotton flower in each hand, comparing them as he asked.

But as soon as he asked, he shook his head and said, “Forget it, let’s leave the specialized stuff to the experts. We just need to bring back enough seeds and cotton.”

Can we really expect him to be like Jia Xu, who, in addition to being a strategist, also knows how to farm?

Nah, let’s not.

Seeing that Gan Ning didn’t intend to dig deeper, Lu Meng picked up the next item. “Next is this melon.”

It was a gourd-shaped golden melon.

“The sandy soil in these mountainous areas has nurtured quite a few hardy plants, like this one. Yield aside, the people living in these hills rarely suffer from night blindness. After some gesturing and guessing, they told me it’s probably because they eat this. I think the medical academy would love it.”

After saying this, Lu Meng looked at Gan Ning and asked with some confusion, “Why do you have that expression?”

Gan Ning chuckled, took another box from a subordinate, and opened it to reveal two types of melons. Though different from the one he found in the south, they had some similarities. Coincidentally, the melon Lu Meng found seemed to be an intermediate variety.

“I haven’t heard from the locals that this can prevent night blindness. Perhaps its uses will only be known after we bring it back to Da Yong. Anyway, having this to satisfy my cravings without having to deal with persimmon leaves is already satisfying enough.”

“It’s just that their cooking methods are terrible. They insist on adding some spicy, tongue-numbing red fruits. There must be other ways to prepare it, but we’ll figure that out after returning to the Central Plains.”

Adding chili to melons is one thing, but Gan Ning still feels a bit queasy thinking about the mashed potatoes mixed with clay he received from the locals when he first met them.

Yes, potatoes.

Since the edible part grows underground and the tubers are small, resembling enlarged beans, Gan Ning didn’t hesitate to name them “potatoes.”

Thinking about how they mix soil into the cooking process, he feels the name is just perfect.

But what Gan Ning didn’t expect was that while he was pondering whether to bring the potatoes back, he saw Lu Meng wave to his subordinates, who then dragged over two sacks.

When the first sack was opened, it revealed potatoes, but they were several times larger than the ones he had found.

And Lu Meng immediately said, “When it comes to food harvests, nothing surpasses this.”

Gan Ning: “……?”

Lu Meng explained, “The locals living in the high mountains couldn’t change the environment, so they had to make the crops adapt. In the wild, there are many varieties of this, some poisonous and must be eaten with clay, some with low yields unsuitable for farming. It took who knows how long for them to domesticate this.”

Thinking about the yield of potatoes here, based on what the locals said, it could reach several hundred pounds per acre, unlike the yams recorded in the Leping Monthly Report, which require strict planting processes and careful tending. Lu Meng couldn’t help but feel pleased.

If this crop can maintain its adaptability after being brought back to Da Yong, the merit of saving lives would be immeasurable!

He said with some regret, “Unfortunately, there are still some limitations. For example, it’s not easy to store. Once it sprouts, it becomes toxic. So, to store it long-term, the locals have to crush it, wash it, and then dry it on the hillside, turning it into this.”

Under Lu Meng’s instruction, the second sack was opened in front of Gan Ning, revealing yellow-white dried balls, indeed in a state easy to store.

But…

Gan Ning raised an eyebrow: “Crushed?”

Lu Meng straightened his face, “They wore rubber shoes.”

He might as well not have said it. Using such a serious tone to explain this excuse made Gan Ning feel something was off.

He waved his hand behind his back, signaling his subordinates to take the wild potatoes away and not embarrass themselves here, while also deciding to let Lu Meng’s explanation slide. No need for both of them to suffer over potatoes.

After all, if they were to compare, it’s hard to say who had it worse.

Once these are brought back, His Majesty, who has experimented with various foods, will surely find a reasonable solution.

As for how to bring them back, despite the storage issues, with the capacity of the ships, it should be manageable.

Their meeting went much smoother than expected. Before the sixth month of Yuanzhao Year 5, they had already returned to their original departure points.

This means that if their westward return voyage goes smoothly, they might even make it back for the Yuanzhao Year 6 New Year.

After fully reporting their respective harvests, they set up a grill, skewering the corn and lamb Gan Ning brought after the potato exchange.

Gan Ning cracked the sunflower seeds he brought and the peanuts Lu Meng brought, pondering how to transport their respective finds back.

The consumption of their fleet on the way here, and even the losses due to storms, might not change on the return trip despite their increased maritime experience.

It’s already fortunate that both their northern and southern teams returned safely. They can’t expect to avoid nature’s wrath during the voyage.

If any of these items were lost mid-voyage after having been obtained, Gan Ning would never forgive himself.

“The northerners love this and consider it a staple. Trading for enough won’t be a problem, and storing it after drying isn’t too hard,” Gan Ning pointed at the corn on the grill.

“The two types of tubers are the same. Plus, the peanuts, sunflower seeds, melons, cotton, and rubber tree seeds, place a batch on each ship.”

“Rubber trees take time to grow. Just bringing back seeds isn’t enough. Use the ship’s gold, silver, and silk to trade for a few more barrels. No need to distribute these; just place them on our two main ships. We can’t afford to lose both main ships to a storm.”

The two main ships are the largest of the Funan fleet, designed to withstand tropical voyages, and after thorough inspections by craftsmen from Xu and Yang provinces, all potential issues were fixed.

These two ships can carry much more weight than the others, making them perfect for the current cargo.

That leaves the potatoes.

Since they can’t survive a five-month voyage in regular storage, let’s not store them conventionally!

Gan Ning decisively ordered, “Convert several storerooms on the two ships into farmland and plant the potatoes directly.”

After all, Lu Meng said that after being domesticated by the mountain people, one of its biggest advantages is its hardiness. As long as the soil, light, and moisture in the storerooms are sufficient, they should survive and be presented to His Majesty.

We can’t just bring His Majesty these dried potatoes.

That would be too shabby.

The importance of potatoes and rubber warrants such careful handling.

Under Gan Ning’s command, the trade with the northern and southern New World peoples quickly took off.

What gave Gan Ning a headache was that the leader of the northern peninsula, in broken Han, kept saying “go,” not to urge them to leave, but to have someone accompany them to learn paper-making.

Even though Gan Ning made it clear that their arrival was by His Majesty’s grace, and they couldn’t guarantee a safe return, possibly dying during the hundred-plus day voyage, and that it was unpredictable when they would next arrive, the leader remained adamant.

Unable to refuse the leader’s insistence on sending people, and considering His Majesty might be curious about their writing, Gan Ning asked the leader for some stone and bark tablets, and requested that those boarding the ship know their local script.

Once they learn Central Plains script, they can decipher these foreign texts.

Looking at it this way, bringing a few locals might not be such a bad idea.

After a month of trading, the ships were loaded with provisions and fresh water, along with items crucial to Da Yong, and set sail on a fine afternoon.

Gan Ning, Lu Meng, and the others were eager to return, wishing they could appear on Da Yong’s coast the next moment.

The tribal leader, who should be called a Maya, still moved slowly.

He watched the fleet sail away until it disappeared beyond the horizon, then finally looked away.

“Foreigners…”

The footprints left by these foreigners on the bay would soon be erased by the next tide.

But the iron weapons, armor, paper, and the friendship of a powerful overseas nation left here would be etched on their stone tablets.

Also not disappearing anytime soon is a large stone erected on the bay.

Carved on the stone is this line of text:

“In the spring of Yuanzhao Year 4, Da Yong’s Admiral Gan Ning and Commander Lu Meng, by the Son of Heaven’s decree, sailed here and forged friendship between the two shores.”

Author’s Note:

The Maya civilization peaked from around 250-900 AD (some say 300-900). It’s currently 200 AD, so Gan Ning saying it’s in its infancy is correct.

To summarize the harvest:

Shared by the northern and southern routes: sweet potatoes, cassava.

Northern route: pumpkins, zucchini, upland cotton, wild potatoes, corn, chili peppers, sunflowers.

Southern route: squash, sea island cotton, domesticated potatoes, rubber, peanuts.

A few additional notes:

1. Corn is also found in South America, but it became widely cultivated during the Inca period. Early on, it was the Maya who loved it most.

2. Potatoes were mainly domesticated in South America because the harsh conditions of the Andes made potato cultivation necessary to fill food shortages. Thus, around 200 AD, potatoes were larger in the south.

3. Tomatoes were far from being domesticated at this time, so they’re not included.

4. Zucchini, pumpkins, and squash are all from the Cucurbita genus, with many skin colors. They’re quite similar, not as different as one might think. For example, there’s a variety of squash called the golden melon.

Other crops can wait until the next trip.

I’ve often wondered if Chinese maritime exploration had reached America first, could Indigenous civilizations have been preserved? But it’s just a thought. In fiction, anything goes.

In short, Qiao Qiao is about to have a bountiful harvest. (Suddenly feeling the joy of a hoarding story.)

The maritime part will end in two more chapters, not too long.

See you tomorrow at 9:30 AM.