AD 1482, late August, in the Gulf of Guinea in the South Pacific.
When Xilote took the boat division and just landed south of the city of Xilotepec. Thousands of miles away in the far east, seven Calavia ships had just crossed the equator. They relied on the power of the southeast trade wind and against the weak Gulf of Guinea current to sail southward persistently.
These Calavia sailing ships are about 20 to 30 meters in length, 6 to 9 meters in width, and the length-to-width ratio is about 3.5:1. They can only be regarded as a kind of small boat. At this ratio, the ship's balance is extremely high, and its speed and maneuverability are relatively suitable. The sailing ship weighs about fifty tons, is single-layered, and is equipped with two masts, and the masts are hung with triangular sails, which are common in the Mediterranean.
At this moment, under the mild monsoon, the sails of the Calavia sailing ship were slightly opened, driving the boats southward at a medium speed of 4 knots, running 7.4 kilometers per hour. If the wind is strong enough, a nimble boat can even reach an astonishing 8 to 9 knots.
This kind of ship was a powerful weapon of the Portuguese Kingdom, the pioneer of navigation, and was widely used in offshore and mid-sea exploration. From the North Atlantic to the South Atlantic, from Santa Cruz Island off the coast of Portugal to San Antonio in the Gulf of Guinea, the Calavia sailing ship explores all the way south, looking for the way to the rich East, and also looking for the kingdom of the legendary and powerful King John .
The same is true for the fleet in front of them. They have just crossed Cape Lopez near the equator and are continuing southward, looking for new land and oceans. At the top of the masts of the seven sailing ships, the flag of the Portuguese royal family is flying high.
In the center of the flag is a blue cross on a white background. The blue cross consists of five groups of eleven proportions arranged in a shield shape. These proportions, which resemble silver coins, symbolize the initially independent Kingdom of Portugal, which had the right to issue its own currency.
The outer circle of the flag is a green patterned Avish cross, plus twelve neatly arranged yellow castles. The Avish cross symbolizes the founder of the Avish dynasty, Emperor John I the Great. He inherited the kingdom as the leader of the Knights of Avish. The yellow castle symbolizes the common ancestors of Portugal and the Kingdom of Castile, which were once closely connected.
The equatorial sun, with its warm trade winds, shines on the largest sailing ship. Although early artillery had been widely used in the field of expelling the Moors, this exploration ship was not equipped with it. Exploration ships are not designed for combat. Their tonnage is very limited and space needs to be left to carry more food and water.
In front of the deck of the sailboat, a middle-aged white man in Chinese clothes with a gloomy face was standing on the bow of the ship, silently gazing at the sea and sky in the distance. He wears a flat captain's hat, a silver Catholic cross necklace around his neck, a neat red and blue captain's uniform, and a ceremonial sword at his waist. Even though he was in the hot tropics, he still tightened his collar, cuffs and trouser legs tightly. The tie around his waist tightened his upright figure, and he looked ahead meticulously.
Behind the captain is a busy crew. Every once in a while, sailors climb up the tall mast to observe the distant coastline.
On this two-masted sailing ship, the main mast is in the front and is about 18 meters in height, and the auxiliary mast is in the back and is about 15 meters in height. On the deck on a clear day, a good sailor can see more than 30 kilometers, and for every two meters of mast climbed, he can see about 1 kilometer more. Therefore, without a telescope, the ship's maximum viewing distance is more than 40 kilometers.
This exploratory fleet has always maintained a safe distance within forty kilometers from the coastline, and continues to explore southward along the edge of the wild jungle of the West African continent.
A dozen meters behind the captain, under the shadow of the mast, was a young man in a gorgeous uniform, sweating profusely. He took off his noble hat, unbuttoned his collar, and wiped the sweat from his head. Then he quietly took out a kettle and took a hearty sip of water mixed with wine.
"Aha! Senior sailor Bruno Kang, how dare you steal wine!" A short-haired sailor suddenly appeared behind the young man in Chinese attire. The sailor was strong and strong, and his face was tanned. He was only wearing a sailor's blouse, with a Moorish scimitar on his waist. At this time, his eyes widened and he shouted in a low voice.
"Shh, keep your voice down. Senior sailor Paul! Do you want the respected Captain Diogo Kang to find out? This damn weather." Startled by Paul, Bruno wiped the sweat from his face again.
"Then let me drink some. Come on, give me a taste. We have been on the ship for two full weeks! Foda-se! (That means Fxxk) The sun is almost baking me, and you are the only one. The noble children can still have some wine."
But Paul's eyes were only looking at the kettle, and he couldn't help but stretched out his hand.
"Okay, I'll give you a taste... Damn it, that's enough, that's enough, don't drink it! I only have half the pot."
"Ah, Foda-se! Praise the Virgin. I finally taste the taste of wine again." Paul finally poured the kettle vigorously, licked the water droplets from the spout, and thought with unfinished aftertaste.
"Damn it!" Bruno snatched back the empty kettle and shook it, but there was no sound of water. The melancholy unique to the Portuguese came over him instantly, and his heart became haggard in an instant.
"Tenhosaudades! I miss you! It makes me so sad to lose you."
Paul grinned and laughed. He grabbed Bruno's shoulders and shook the young man's body vigorously.
"I said, Brother Bruno, you should learn from the captain. Take a look at the captain's expression and movements." As he spoke, Paul, a senior sailor, nuzzled toward the bow of the ship.
"Look at his melancholy eyes, deep face, and slightly sad mood. He is really a perfect Portuguese man. If my sister is not married, I will give my sister to the captain. She will definitely go crazy!"
"What you think is wonderful! The respected Captain Diogo Kang is the illegitimate son of the royal noble Lord Gonsalves Kang. He is a true descendant of the nobles, how could he marry a commoner girl without a surname!"
Paul curled his lips, knowing that this was unrealistic. "You are also a noble with a surname, why are you hanging out with commoners like me?"
"How can we compare?" Bruno Kang smiled helplessly, "Although we are all from the same family, my grandfather died in the war with the Moors long ago, and my father was also a poor illegitimate son. . All my property is this set of clothes passed down by my grandfather. By the way, let go! Don’t ruin my clothes.”
"That's it, then if my sister is not married, it would actually be good for me to marry her to you. You are actually not bad. By the way, she is very beautiful!" Paul looked at Bruno for a while and shouted in a low voice.
Bruno was stunned for a moment, and seemed to be tempted for a moment. Then, he looked at Paul's thick face with suspicion: "Does your sister look like you?"
"How is it possible! She is the most beautiful girl in the town of Faro on the southern coast. Of course, she has some Moorish blood like me."
Bruno rubbed his bearded chin with his hand. He did not rule out the Moorish appearance, but felt that it was more refined than the rough girls in Iberia.
"Damn, but you just said she was married!?"
"Yes, she is married, married to a blacksmith in the town, and has two children. A boy and a girl."
"Then what else do you say!" Bruno glared.
"Oh, Foda-se! They are dead, they are all dead. There has been a war in the past few years, and then the Black Death spread to the south. My sister's husband is dead, my nephew is dead, my niece is dead, they are all dead. My sister was the only one who made it through. Tenhosaudades! I miss those two kids." Paul sighed, the fierce sailor's expression heavy.
Thinking of the horrific Black Death, the waves that repeatedly harvested life. The two of them were silent for a while. They all had familiar relatives who died among them. All Europeans had familiar relatives who died among them!
They invariably immersed themselves in the most common sadness among Portuguese people.
"Blessed Mother of Mercy! Tenhosaudades!" Bruno made the sign of the cross and asked instead. "So how is your sister doing now?"
"Foda-se! She wears a black gauze all day now, hiding alone in her home in a small town, and doesn't go out to meet people. I'm a little worried, thinking it would be better to marry her off." Paul said with a look on his thick face. Sad.
"Hiding alone in a small town!? You must be careful." Bruno was also worried about Paul's sister.
"The Inquisition is hunting down witches everywhere. A single woman like this, whose husband and children are dead but still alive, can easily be targeted by the Inquisition! If a neighbor reports it and provokes the mad dogs of the Inquisition, the Almighty Lord We can’t save her, and she will definitely be burned at the stake.”
Thinking of the cruelty of the Inquisition, both of them shuddered and fell silent again.
After a moment, Bruno suggested.
"I live in a civilian area of Lisbon, the capital. The capital is a big city of 70,000 people! People come and go every day, and there are merchants from various kingdoms everywhere. People don't know each other, and they don't care about each other. For this adventure, you can save more With a little money, buy a house near my house, and then move your sister over to live with me. I can also take care of you."
"Haha, Brother Bruno, I've been waiting for your words! Don't worry, I've been saving the money for a long time."
The capable sailor Paul opened his mouth and showed a bright smile. He patted the scimitar on his waist and took out two bloody gold bracelets from his arms.
"When I first arrived on the Gold Coast, I saw that the local indigenous people had a lot of gold. At that time, the fleet's schedule was tight and I didn't find time. When we stopped in Ghana to build Elmina Castle, I I went out to Xun Kong with the sailors and slaughtered two villages of natives. These natives were much weaker than the Moors!"
"Look at these two big gold bracelets. They belong to the old woman with the highest status in the indigenous village. As soon as everyone passed by, I saw it at a glance. I rushed forward and chopped off everything in the way with two sharp cuts. None of the other sailors could beat me!" Paul continued to grin.
Hearing this, Bruno was a little shocked. He asked eagerly: "Has anyone escaped alive? We haven't established a foothold on the Gold Coast yet. Don't attract powerful tribes."
"Foda-se! How is it possible? It's not like they are novices working for the first time. The guys are already very skilled. The old ones and the young ones are all dead and alive. Not even a chicken can escape. In the end, they are all piled up together. Light the fire!" Paul's face was still bright.
Bruno was relieved. "That's good. Anyway, the Pope also said that dead pagans are good pagans, and killing them is also a contribution to God."
Then Bruno looked at the gold bracelet in Paul's hand, and the greedy light of gold reflected in his pupils.
"Is this real gold? Is it so big?"
"Really, I've tried it a long time ago. When I go back, I will take my sister to Lisbon to find you and buy a new big house." Paul smiled simply, looking forward to a better life in the future.
"Tenhosaudades! I miss you! I actually missed the opportunity to make a fortune!" Bruno fell into sincere sadness again. Immediately, he thought of something and looked at Paul eagerly.
"When you go back, if you go out again, you must call me and come with you!"
"Okay, brother Bruno, as long as you marry my sister, we will be a family. Let's make a fortune from the black natives together!" Paul gave Bruno a brotherly hug.
"We are working together for God. The merciful Virgin protects us!" Bruno made the sign of the cross again.
After talking about their plan to make a fortune together, the atmosphere between the two became obviously much warmer.
Bruno thought of what he saw in the royal capital and decided to share it with his future brother-in-law.
"Some time ago, many foreigners gathered near the King's Sintra Palace."
"Some time ago? The old king died, and a new king has ascended the throne!" Paul thought for a moment, and he had also heard other sailors say this.
"Yes. The noble King Alfonso V has returned to the Kingdom of the Lord, and the benevolent Joao II has just ascended the throne. Joao II is really a great man like Prince Enrique, and this voyage is sponsored by him. It was under the will of the Pope and the King that the noble Captain Diogo Can sought the way to the east, found the kingdom of the powerful King John, and attacked the evil Ottomans."
Bruno's face was full of yearning for heroes and kings.
"Bah. Foda-se! It's okay to go to King John. I heard the priest said that there is a land flowing with milk and honey. But it's a fool who goes back and fights the fierce Ottomans. Ever since he encountered the Ottomans once when he was plundering in North Africa. , I never want to see them again in this life." Paul's fierce face was full of unbearable fear.
"The Ottomans are so powerful? We Portuguese are never afraid of enemies. The independence of the kingdom comes from fearless fighting!" Bruno was obviously unconvinced.
"Let's put it this way, it is not much harder for the Ottoman army to kill us than it is for us to kill these black natives. Boundless cavalry, continuous infantry, thousands of artillery, and new arquebuses. If our ship hadn't run so fast, We all have to stay on the coast of North Africa." Paul sighed, sincerely sighing at the power of the Ottomans.
"Oh, but to be honest, these black natives are not easy to deal with. Iron weapons, war elephants and cavalry, as well as terrifying jungles and diseases, I don't know how it happened, and the people were gone. When, It would be great if we could meet a tribe richer and weaker than the black natives!”
"Foda-se! Then we can send them all to hell, burn them all, and then have a good time!"
Paul's eyes were filled with the desire for wealth. As for the lives of pagans, the devout believers just look at their pain and laugh!
Bruno curled his lips. He felt that Paul lacked heroism. Then he changed the topic: "This time the kind-hearted João II ascended the throne, the Spanish also sent an envoy to congratulate him."
"Bah, the Castilians are bulls that are in heat at any time. The Moors can't hold on for long, and the trial court in Madrid has been prepared for a long time. This bull can't find any other target, and now it keeps salivating at the kingdom. Foda-se! They are our biggest threat!"
"Alas, the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon have merged long ago. Now they are called Spain, Espana, a country with wealth and minerals." Bruno's noble surname gave him the opportunity to gain access to more knowledge.
"Bah, Foda-seaovelha, Espanhol! The Spaniard of the sheep!"
"Oh God...nobles and commoners have always been two completely different groups, destined by blood!" Bruno thought quietly.
Due to the legacy of Prince Enrique, there were always a large number of children of minor nobles in the Portuguese exploration team. In fact, among the navies of various countries, the Portuguese fleet was the most reserved and civilized at this time. It will be difficult for future generations to imagine what kind of hell the Spanish exploration team, which was composed purely of the dregs of society, was like.
No Portuguese can ignore the threat of Spain, and cursing Spain is also a common pleasure for everyone. The two cursed quietly for a while before Bruno continued to tell some novel experiences.
"After the benevolent Joao II came to the throne, a rogue sailor named Columbus came from the commercial city-state. Hearing that the king supported navigation, this guy repeatedly wanted to see the king, saying that he wanted to sail to the west and reach India!"
"Ha, he must have drunk too much, and he is full of devilish lies. Columbus? No surname, Foda-se!! Still a commoner?!" Although he has never met Columbus, this does not prevent Paul from hating the people of the city.
"Yes. I heard that he is the son of a woolen weaver in a commercial city-state, a gangster who has been on a ship for many years, a captain without a ship, and a smuggler without goods. He didn't know where he heard that the world is round, and he asked the king to sponsor him. Head west into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean to find your way to India and China.”
Bruno made a joke and laughed at this city-state gangster as one of the sources of fun for everyone.
"Ha, Foda-se! The people in the commercial city-state are Satanists who sold their souls to the devil. They are demons who hoard food, lower prices, and make loan sharks everywhere! They should be sent to the stakes of the Inquisition!"
Bruno agreed. "This man is just a bombastic hooligan. We Portuguese are all silent and practical people, and we don't like chatty people who shout all day long. The nobles of the Sintra Palace simply ignored him and told him to get out."
Paul also smiled. He assumed the posture of a captain staring at the sea and sky, and shouted softly.
"Foda-se! Tenhosaudades! I miss you! King John where are you."
At this moment, the sailor on the mast suddenly shouted loudly: "The water in front has changed color, and there is a freshwater estuary!"
Diogo Kang, who was as depressed as a sculpture, suddenly came to life: "The fleet turns left and approaches the coast! Boatswain, distribute weapons! Sailors of all levels are ready to fight!"
Bruno and Paul stopped talking immediately, and the noble sailors and civilian sailors showed the dexterity of the old sea dog at the same time.
They took over the scimitars, steel crossbows and matchlock guns, and grabbed the ropes between the ships. With murderous intent on their faces, they were ready for everything.
In less than two hours, a mighty long river appeared in front of everyone. The width of the long river is ten kilometers wide, and the edge cannot be seen at a glance. It surges from the depths of the jungle and merges into the sea. At the end of the river is an open flood plain, and a few smokes are rising from distant villages.
"Such a big river! Where is this big river? Have you heard any rumors about it?" Captain Diogo Kang grabbed the Feng interpreter who had just become a Catholic on the Gold Coast and asked seriously and eagerly.
The dark-skinned native translator thought for a long time before stammering in his newly learned Portuguese.
"The only river that is particularly big and long is the legendary Zaire River from far away! NzadiKongo!"
