Li Huamei, who found nothing, came out of Simida's place and walked toward the dock in boredom. Since she couldn't get any news for the time being, she might as well go back to the ship and check the ship carefully to see what areas could be improved. [Read the full text] She has long been curious about the Australians' ship modification technology: many old and broken ships, once they fall into their hands, will become very beautiful when they are put into use again, and the ship's maneuverability and The speed has been greatly improved.
But these "magic modifications" are only available on their own ships. Outsiders cannot get these improvements no matter how much they pay. Now that she has joined the team, she is considered "one of our own". No matter what the Southeast Asian company does, there is no problem if she requests to modify the ship - not to mention she is willing to pay for it herself.
For people like her who make a living at sea all year round, the boat is not only a simple means of transportation, but also a place where they place their lives. The condition of the ship often determines everything at the critical moment. Therefore, she never skimps on money in the maintenance and repair of ships.
She was thinking about it. First, install the steering wheel. This device that can change the direction with just one turn is so easy to use and is much more flexible than the rudder stock. Then there is the sail system. The Australians seem to use a system similar to that of the Europeans. Chinese people have different hybrid sails, which use wind much more efficiently than ordinary ships.
Of course, the most important thing is to get more Australian cannons - she has long been interested in the thick and short carronade cannons. The 48-pound shells fired can deal a devastating blow to enemy ships. Although it is not as good as the best cannons of the Australians, this is installed on the Hangzhou. Except for the Australians, they are invincible at sea.
The other is to equip your sailors with a batch of Nanyang-style rifles. The rate of fire and accuracy of these rifles are eye-catching - especially in gang battles, if your own men have such weapons, they will be able to attack the enemy's matchlocks. Guns and even better flintlock rifles have overwhelming advantages - she doesn't dare to hope to get the kind of rifle used by the Fubo Army.
But when I got to the shipyard, I asked. But she was told that there was no time to accept her business at the moment, even if she was a ship owned by a Southeast Asian company. If she had an urgent purpose in modifying the ship, she would have to ask the company to report on her behalf, so that the modification of the Hangzhou could be included in the list. Shipyard production schedule.
Li Huamei's consistent thinking is that as long as she brings silver coins, there is nothing she can't do. She was defeated in front of the planned economy for the first time, and she couldn't help but feel very uncomfortable.
In desperation, I had no choice but to go to the Southeast Asia company's office for help.
"You came just in time." The female clerk said happily. "So I'm looking for you too. The Hangzhou doesn't need to be modified for the time being. Here is an order from you: in three days you will command the Hangzhou to transport a batch of goods to Kaohsiung."
"What?!" Li Huamei was still thinking about renovating the ship, but she didn't expect that a job would be offered to her immediately, "Are you going to Kaohsiung?"
"Yes. Let's go to Kaohsiung." The clerk took out a document bag, "This is the sailing mission book and the nautical charts. Please keep them carefully. They must be returned after the mission is completed."
Li Huamei knows Kaohsiung - she has been to Dayuan many times in the past. I know that Kaohsiung is on the coast not far from the Dutch port of Damuan, a place originally called Dog Fighting.
"Understood, I'll leave early tomorrow morning -" Since the Australians already have something to do for her, it's better for her to be more positive.
"No, no," the female clerk quickly stopped her, "ships are assigned voyages, and you must sail according to the time specified in the task book. You cannot sail without permission - otherwise it will be a serious violation of discipline. When you serve the chiefs, you must abide by the rules. .You can’t act without authorization.”
Li Huamei was educated by a female clerk in a Southeast Asian company before slipping out: It felt really bad. He, who was originally a free and free person, now feels as if he has been caught in a net. When he lifts his legs and steps forward, there are many restrictions everywhere. When he opens his mouth, he needs a certificate, and when he shuts up, he has to fill out a form. Everything is governed by rules - ―You still don’t have freedom under the young lady.
Li Huamei couldn't help but sigh: Eat people's food and be controlled by others. This Australian's seafood porridge is not that delicious, and there are too many rules - if it weren't for her sister's whereabouts, she would really be reluctant to come here as an undercover agent.
I recall that in the pubs in Macau, the "young men" of the navy wanted to recruit themselves to be captains and wanted to show off their wealth. Compared with the appearance of the Australians in recent years, the Australians have been turned upside down in the past few years. There is already a vague South China. As the overlord of the sea, I probably no longer care about him in their eyes.
If he had accepted the conditions to become their captain, maybe he would be a famous big shot here now. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but sigh.
Since she already has a specific mission, and she can't modify the ship now, she might as well take advantage of these three days to find her sister first - anyway, she already has an ID card, and there will no longer be any obstacles to her going anywhere in Lingao. By the way, find a place for yourself - she no longer wants to live in her own business building.
She had been to Dongmen City several times before, and it was the first time she went there by herself and at ease under the condition that someone was accompanying her.
However, she was somewhat unaccustomed to this "naturalized citizen uniform". Although her skirts had always been shorter for the convenience of fighting at sea, she still wore pants on the street like a horse racing prostitute. She still felt a little "humiliated" when she was dangling - no serious woman, whether it was the Ming Dynasty or the Portuguese in Macau, dressed like this.
Therefore, she would unconsciously pull the hem of her uniform, as if trying to make it function as a skirt in vain.
The road leading to Dongmen City has been widened. The slow-moving ox carts that were common in the past have now become less common. There are more horse-drawn carriages of all kinds running on the road - two-wheeled, four-wheeled, and passenger-carrying. , transporting goods. Everywhere you could hear the bells ringing under the horses' necks. Although the quality of the horses is not very good, Li Huamei was surprised by the number of horses here. It is generally difficult to see horses in the whole of South China.
There is a public carriage to Dongmen City at the transportation terminal in Bopu. All the ox-carts have been stopped because they are too slow. However, she had long wanted to try a "steam train" that could pull the carriage by itself while emitting black smoke. Speaking of which, the Australian cars and boats seemed to emit black smoke, could run on their own without oxen and horses, and were extremely powerful.
Li Huamei boarded the "Lingao Metro" from Bopu to Dongmen City. She knows the most prosperous and lively place in Lingao, Dongmen City. If her sister works for an Australian, she will not fail to show up here.
The subway fares are very cheap, so the trains are crowded with farmers and vendors carrying vegetables, chickens, ducks and various goods. Li Huamei bought a second-class ticket. Although it was also an open car, because the ticket price was half that of third-class, the carriage was much empty and the carriage was further away from the front of the car that was emitting black smoke. The people riding the second-class bus were all workers and staff wearing the uniforms of naturalized citizens like her, and occasionally there were a few "officials" with four pockets. They belong to a group with higher income levels in Lingao.
The small train was running briskly on the wrought iron track. Li Huamei sat in the back seat, where she could not only enjoy the scenery, but also be far away from the black smoke that drifted from time to time.
Looking around, everything is green. The period is dotted with many red and white brick houses. There used to be a large area of desolate wilderness along the way from Bopu to Dongmen City. Now many new settlements and farms have been built along the highway.
The fields on both sides of the Wenlan River are flat and easily irrigated, making them particularly suitable for growing rice. They have been Lingao's main agricultural production area since ancient times. However, due to lack of water conservancy facilities and scarcity of labor, most of the land remains undeveloped. In recent years, with the continuous development of the Agricultural Committee, a lot of land has been converted into standardized farmland, and a number of intensively managed state-owned farms have been established. They are cultivated by immigrants from the mainland who are placed in standard villages - they are no longer ordinary Homeowners or tenants are agricultural workers affiliated with the Council of Agriculture.
Many people who are wealthy and pioneering and good at farm work, whether they are landowners or refugees, have received support from Tiandihe and have operated private farms of varying sizes. All of these large and small farms have been conducted to a certain extent in accordance with the standardized farmland standards of the Council of Agriculture. The transformation, channels, roads, sluices, barns, stables, woods... are all neat and uniform, reflecting a unique modern beauty.
The small train spewed black smoke and white gas, running in this beautiful field. A gust of sea breeze blew away, blowing away the smell of coal smoke, and the breeze brushed her cheeks, making her feel relaxed and happy. This picturesque scenery is the work of Australians. Just like they built a speedboat on the originally deserted Bobu Beach that can sail across the sea at will - full of incredible.
What kind of magical spells have they mastered that can transform everything into magic and turn stones into gold? Li Huamei used to be full of curiosity about Australians, but now she is full of reverence. So much so that I no longer hate my undercover mission.
She got off the bus at Dongmen City Station. Dongmen City has expanded into a large-scale street market. In terms of scale and population, it has far exceeded Lincheng Town, the original location of Lingao County. And it is continuing to expand southward along both sides of the Wenlan River, and it seems that it will not be long before the entire Lingao County is annexed.
Li Huamei stood on the busy streets of Dongmen City, feeling at a loss. Where can I find my sister in this crowd? She couldn't even think of what to ask anyone, everyone here seemed to be in a hurry. Where will my sister be? (To be continued...)
