"Shipman, can we really reach Jinling in two days?"
"Don't worry, Young Master, we have been walking this way for some years, and it's going smoothly now. We won't miss the Young Master's schedule."
On the sea heading to Jinling, a cargo ship with a deep draft was drifting on the sea. The boatman who was helping the boatmen to work heard a man asking him, patting his chest and promising.
I saw that the person who asked was dressed as a scholar, different from the slightly shabby common people, and the boatman was more respectful.
After all, scholars represent force in this era, and with such scholars on board, the voyage will naturally be more stable.
The captain immediately responded with a smile, and Song Mu also nodded. He looked at the chilly sea today, and then looked back. At this moment, on the side of the cargo ship, Tao Fengming was wearing a large cloak and sitting on a shelter piled with cargo. , and threw out the pole in his hand.
Less than a day after they left Lin'an City, they finally caught up with a cargo ship at a ferry on the Qiantang River. This cargo ship would sail offshore all the way to Jinling.
Although this trip is not a long one, Song Mu is still a little worried about his safety during this trip.
After boarding the ship, Song Mu used his mind to explore the situation on the ship. Although he didn't find anything unusual, it still made people feel a little uneasy.
After chatting with the boatman for a few words, Song Mu also headed in the direction of Tao Fengming.
Today, he seemed to be a little more in high spirits. At this moment, he threw out the fishing rod in his hand again, watching the fishing line cut through the waves of the sea as the boat sailed downwind, with a sense of satisfaction on his face.
"Jing Zhao, what do you think of the scenery near the sea?"
Song Mu looked into the distance and pursed his lips. In fact, Song Mu didn't have a good impression of this offshore sea. After all, the reason why he came to this world had nothing to do with the fact that the Song family sold goods and sank off the coast.
But now Tao Fengming asked like this, Song Mu thought carefully for a moment and replied.
"The offshore sea is calm and calm, and you can usually sail a boat and buy a lot of fish. It is the life of many people who rely on the sea."
Tao Fengming also nodded immediately, seemingly feeling more deeply about this matter.
"Yes, the fishing is plentiful in this offshore area, especially in autumn and winter. The southern offshore area is difficult to freeze, so it is a good route for shipping."
"There are many people in our Wen Dynasty who rely on the sea for survival. When natural disasters come, the output of this offshore sea will already be very prosperous."
As he said this, Tao Fengming seemed to look far away and said lightly.
"So Hai Boping is the key to Wen Dynasty's future."
Song Mu nodded. At this time, the fishing rod in Tao Fengming's hand suddenly trembled. Tao Fengming immediately lifted the rod and pulled a big fish out of the sea with the fishing line. Tao Fengming immediately swung the big fish onto the cargo ship. .
"Haha, let's have fish soup today."
As Tao Fengming said this, he saw that he swung two more poles into the water, but he took them back with half-hearted interest.
The boatman had already come up to help take the fish away for processing, but Song Mu was a step slower. He suddenly turned his head and looked at the slightly turbulent sea.
On the distant sea surface, a shadow immediately sank underwater and disappeared.
The ship kept going north. Because the cargo was heavy, the ship was moving very slowly at the moment. It was just a smooth journey and it would probably reach Jinling in two days.
It can be regarded as just in time for New Year’s Eve.
Late in the afternoon, Song Mu had just used Wenli to help Tao Fengming warm his clothes and bedding, and made a pot of hot tea, when he heard a sound coming from outside.
"Lower the sails, lower the sails, an official ship is coming."
The boatman stood there and spoke loudly. After hearing this, Song Mu immediately looked out and saw a group of boatmen busy, and the sound of thumping footsteps on the entire deck continued to be heard.
Many people in the cabin next door were also a little commotion at the moment, and they were quite uncomfortable with this sudden situation.
Not long after, the cargo ship with lowered sails was drifting on the sea, and two ships with huge ramming angles could be seen approaching from the left and right. The soldiers in full uniform were building a gangway to the cargo ship.
The soldiers' cheers suddenly sounded on the deck. Song Mu and Tao Fengming looked at each other and walked outside.
When they came outside, several soldiers on the official ship had already jumped into the cargo ship. The leading lieutenant pointed around, and the other soldiers immediately dispersed, looking like they were searching aggressively.
The arrogant-looking lieutenant had already found the boatman and was currently checking his route.
The boatman and all the boatmen on the ship were standing tremblingly at this moment, seeming to be very afraid of this situation.
Song Mu generally understood the attitude of ordinary people towards the government, but Song Mu felt a little strange about this appearance, and there was a bit of curiosity on his face.
The lieutenant finished checking the boat's route and didn't seem to find anything inappropriate at the moment. The expression on his face was still cold. His eyes suddenly turned and he caught a glimpse of Song Mu, a scholar, standing to one side.
Seeing a scholar on the boat, the lieutenant seemed a little embarrassed on his face. He stepped forward and held his hand towards Song Mu.
"I am a lieutenant of the Jiangnan East Coast Navy. I don't know who you are..."
The lieutenant and Song Mu asked, and Song Mu immediately took off his waist badge and spoke.
"The students from Jiangnan West Road are traveling to Jiangnan East Road and are preparing to go to Jinling."
The other party had already walked in front of Song Mu. When he saw that Song Mu was holding a waist card, he checked Song Mu's cultivation level and immediately frowned, with obvious surprise on his face.
But his expression seemed to be more uncertain.
The other party paused for a moment, briefly asked Song Mu, and then said that this was a routine inspection. When no problems were found, he asked the soldiers to leave.
After the two official ships left, the boatman breathed a sigh of relief and quickly called on the boatmen to raise the sails and continue moving forward.
Seeing that nothing happened, Song Mu was about to go back, but at that moment he was stopped by the boatman.
Song Mu turned around, and the other party bowed respectfully towards Song Mu and said with gratitude.
"Thank you for your help, sir."
Song Mu was surprised, but before he could ask why, the other party had already started to explain.
"To be honest, the navy of Jiangnan East Road has been quite domineering in recent years, especially when sailing in this offshore sea, they often collect shipping taxes."
Song Mu frowned when he heard this and said.
"Isn't it enough for the boat operator to pay the tax when loading and unloading the goods at the dock? Why do you have to pay the shipping tax during this trip?"
The boatman looked bitter, but he looked around, and then whispered.
"This is a method that the new governor of Jiangnan East Road came up with. He said it was to consolidate the navy. We originally wanted to make some peace with each other for safety, but what these people do is really..."
When the boatman said this, he sighed.
"If the young master hadn't been on the ship today, the lieutenant would have dared not mess around. Otherwise, I might have given away 20% of the ship's money."
Song Mu then remembered the box that the officer had taken from the boatman when he left. He picked out some things and threw them out, and then left with some fear of Song Mu.
Song Mu was surprised for a moment. He had never thought that there would be such a reason. He frowned, but did not make any comment on the matter.
At that moment, the boatman sent Song Mu back to the cabin with great gratitude. The cargo ship continued to sail forward, and the episode just now had gone with the wind.
When night fell, something happened this time. Due to the temporary inspection by the official ship, the cargo ship raised and lowered its sails, and it was still some distance from the dock where they wanted to rest.
Fortunately, there seemed to be a fishing village ahead. The boatman did not dare to rush in the dark, so he could only anchor next to the fishing village.
As soon as the cargo ship anchored, several people with torches came from the village, and then a group of people wearing rags came forward holding things.
"Does the boatman want to catch the fish? We want to exchange for some oil rice."
…
