At several key ports in western Nanyang such as Lion City, Java, Old Port, and Diankun, a large number of ships were parked and set sail again after completing supplies.
After passing through Jinzhou Island (Sumatra Island), the fleet converged behind the Little Western Ocean.
A total of more than 600 ships of various types, including passenger ships, troop carriers, oil carriers, bulk carriers, and some escorting warships, formed a huge fleet whose edges could not be seen at a glance.
They were the first batch in the first year of Ankang in the Ming Dynasty and the first batch in the Ankang era. They were the immigrants, officials, army, navy, and supply and trade fleets who went from the mainland of the Ming Dynasty to Mozhou and the Dashi Country.
The fleet sailed straight west on the Little Western Ocean, passed through the Tianzhu Peninsula, and entered the Arabian Sea, which was divided into three parts.
Part of it turned slightly south, approaching the coastline of Dongmozhou, and then followed the coastline southward to the later Tanzania and Zanzibar regions.
Part of it entered the Red Sea to the north, entered the Daqin Sea through the West Sea Canal, and dispersed to several offices of the Chief Envoy of Beimozhou.
The last part turned north, entered the Persian Gulf, and headed for Liusha City, the capital of the Great Food Kingdom.
The location of Quicksand City is almost the Dammam Port, the eastern oil port of Saudi Arabia, in a small bay on the Dashi Peninsula on the west side of Qatar and Bahrain Island.
On the twelfth day of the first lunar month of the first year of Ankang, Zhu Jingyuan came to the dock in person to greet him with his palace officials, his staff, guards, and maids.
Because my mother is here.
The largest ship in the fleet is the same type of Zhoushan Island that Zhu Jingyuan sailed on when he went to the Western Cape. The Yangzhong Island is fully loaded with 35,000 tons.
The separate rooms used by Zhu Jingyuan and Zhu Jianfeng were combined into one on the Yangzhong Island and used as one room for the sole use of the imperial concubine Liang Yunying.
As an imperial concubine, Liang Yunying's key point is that as a concubine, leaving the palace is an absolute big deal.
Before the Renwu Dynasty, it was also a very sensitive matter, and most of the concubines had no chance in their lifetime.
After the Renwu Dynasty, the control of the harem was relaxed a lot.
In addition to traveling with the emperor, the concubine can also apply to go back to her parents' home alone to visit relatives, or go to other places to see her sons and daughters who have been exiled.
Of course, it still requires the approval of the emperor, and there are special escort troops, honor guards and accompanying personnel.
These people are both protectors and supervisors, and are actually the same as those of wealthy families.
It is impossible to allow women to run around alone.
A group of guards, officials, and entourage disembarked first and met with officials from the Dashi Kingdom who were preparing for the ceremony. They checked to confirm that the ceremonial guards prepared on site met the standards.
Then Liang Yunying slowly walked down with a group of maids.
Chunxiang and Qiuyue in Zhu Jingyuan's room were also among the crowd behind Liang Yunying.
Zhu Jingyuan was used to living alone, so seeing his mother found it a bit troublesome.
According to the etiquette officer's advance notice, bow and greet everyone honestly.
When Liang Yunying saw her son in the distance, her eyes suddenly turned red.
But after all, it was a public occasion, and now she was the imperial concubine of the Ming Dynasty.
Liang Yunying tried her best to straighten her posture. After watching Zhu Jingyuan salute, she followed her son onto the carriage prepared by Dashi Kingdom and returned to Zhu Jingyuan's palace.
The other clan members and officials were led by Shi Liu Zhixin, the chief minister of Dashi Kingdom, and went to the pre-prepared houses to rest.
Their formal meeting and greeting ceremony with Zhu Jingyuan would have to wait until the next day.
Today is the time for the imperial concubine Liang Yunying and other clan members.
Liang Yunying entered the Dashi Palace and entered the room prepared for herself by Zhu Jingyuan.
After the irrelevant people left, he relaxed a little.
Holding Zhu Jingyuan's hand, he said with slightly red eyes:
"It's been a whole year... Let me take a good look... I've grown taller..."
Zhu Jingyuan put on a smile and stood there honestly for his mother to observe.
When I heard this question, I subconsciously replied:
"Even if you are sixteen years old during the Chinese New Year, although there is still a chance to grow older, but
I'm worried that I won't grow to 1.8 meters..."
Liang Yunying was immediately amused:
"You really like tall people. Are you going to be a burly general? Do you also want a tall person when looking for a wife?"
"There are no outsiders now. Tell mother, do you like older people or tall people?"
Zhu Jingyuan and his mother did not shy away from anything, and even complained a little:
"The conditions I gave to my father and mother are not my personal preferences in finding a wife.
"It's just because as a prince, I have the responsibility to reproduce as soon as possible.
"The female is in her early twenties, not too thin, not too short, and has a wide pelvis.
"These are all chosen purely from the perspective of being suitable for fertility.
"As for finding a wife, I just go with the flow and find someone who suits my eyes."
Liang Yunying was a little shocked now. She was a little suspicious when she saw Zhu Jingyuan's request.
Zhu Jingyuan's criterion for choosing the prince's concubines was their ability to have children, not his personal preference.
If he personally likes older people, this really worries Liang Yunying.
Now that she had verified it herself, Liang Yunying was relieved and at the same time even more shocked.
As a prince and an eldest child who has just turned sixteen, his thinking in choosing a woman is like that of an old peasant woman.
In Liang Yunying's opinion, this is really too sensible and mature.
However, considering Zhu Jingyuan's consistent performance, Liang Yunying was relieved.
This baby of mine is really different.
So Liang Yunying continued to hold her son's hand and said secretly:
"Mom has brought ten girls here. When I meet the ministers tomorrow, I will let you see each other after the business is over."
Zhu Jingyuan's eyes widened, he was a little nervous and a little confused, and he also reminded him embarrassingly:
"Ten...don't I want two? The prince only has ten concubines in total...
"Besides, you won't be able to use it all before you turn twenty..."
Liang Yunying said of course:
"I know you can't use it all. You still need to take good care of yourself when you are twenty.
"I didn't even ask you to stay. What if I just bring two of them here and you don't like them?
"I'll bring ten girls here and ask you to choose two to take over.
"Others can go back, or stay in the Dashi Kingdom as officials.
"Girls in their twenties, the smartest ones have already graduated from college, or have reached the age for practical training, so they don't need to go back to school."
Zhu Jingyuan breathed a sigh of relief:
"Mom, you're still thoughtful. By the way, Chunxiang and Qiuyue, how are you doing at the crafts school?"
Liang Yunying looked behind her. Chunxiang and Qiuyue were standing there, looking at Zhu Jingyuan with longing faces.
The two of them were the most relaxed when they were around Zhu Jingyuan.
Although Liang Yunying would not do anything to them, his management was much stricter than Zhu Jingyuan's.
At the same time, as the prince's personal maids, they lost the opportunity to follow him closely, which put a huge potential pressure in their hearts.
Mainly because of confusion and anxiety about my future.
Even if there is no one to manage them, it is difficult for them to relax.
So after a whole year of separation, the two girls missed Zhu Jingyuan very much.
When I saw him again, I was very excited and yearning.
But when Liang Yunying was talking to Zhu Jingyuan just now, both of them honestly did not dare to speak out.
Liang Yunying introduced with a smile:
"Chunxiang is very smart. She completed the two-year course of the county-level craftsman school in one year.
"Now I have obtained the ninth grade craftsman certificate.
"This girl Qiuyue is a little behind, she should still have to complete two years of schooling.
"Among the personnel arranged by the imperial court this time, there is a team of teachers from the county-level craftsman school.
"The old gentlemen in the court said that for ordinary immigrants,
For the people, they prefer to send their children to crafts schools than to formal secondary schools.
"Because after graduating from a crafts school in two years, you can get a very good salary, and it is very easy to find a job. The difference between primary and secondary schools is obviously much worse.
“So craftsman schools must also be built, even more important than ordinary primary and secondary schools.
"Qiuyue can continue to go to school here..."
Zhu Jingyuan was also very satisfied after hearing this:
"Chunxiang did a good job. Now that she has completed her studies, please stay with me and become a formal secretary."
Chunxiang has worked tirelessly in the past year because she knows that if she finishes her studies early, she can graduate early, and if she graduates early, she can return to Zhu Jingyuan early.
Now that my wish has finally come true, I tried hard to suppress my excitement and solemnly made another blessing ceremony:
"My slave must do her best..."
Qiuyue next to her felt a little uncomfortable.
Although I saw Zhu Jingyuan, he still had to go to school, so Chunxiang didn't have to go.
Qiuyue immediately felt particularly annoyed that she was too stupid.
Zhu Jingyuan glanced at Qiu Yue and continued to say with a smile:
"Qiuyue, just like you did in the capital, continue to go to school during the day and continue to take care of me at night. I am still used to using you two. When you graduate, you will be the same as Chunxiang..."
Qiuyue immediately breathed a sigh of relief, as long as she could stay with Zhu Jingyuan, she immediately saluted:
"Thank you, Your Highness..."
