Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

A magnificent ship sailed on the broad Fen River. To combat the unfavorable southeasterly wind, the sails had tied the masts tightly, preventing them from taking advantage of the wind. Below deck, the steady, heavy clatter of horns and the clatter of oars cutting through the water echoed as dozens of sturdy sailors furiously paddled their long oars, propelling the massive vessel southward.

On the upper deck of the ship, Zhang Jingwei leaned against the railing, his brow furrowed as he gazed at the seemingly endless river, his heart filled with anxiety. He turned and shouted to a young constable guarding the cabin door, "That...that...Xiaoshuan! Yes, you! Come here!"

The constable hurried over, his face a little embarrassed, and replied respectfully, "Sir... your humble servant... your humble servant is Lin Kuo. Yang Xiaoshuan has gone to rest for his shift."

Zhang Jingwei rubbed his temples. He had been trying very hard to remember the names of these new faces over the past two days, but with so many people around, it was still easy to get confused. "Oh, Lin Kuo. Go ask the boatman how long it will take us to reach Jinzhou City?"

Lin Kuo replied, "Your Excellency, I just asked the captain. He said we have just reached the border of Linshui County. At our current speed and wind direction, it will probably take at least another day."

"Another day?!" Zhang Jingwei's voice couldn't help but rise a few notches, his annoyance evident. "Didn't we agree when we set out that if everything went smoothly, we'd arrive in one day? How did it become another day?"

Lin Kuo explained carefully, "Please calm down, sir. The wind is really not favorable. It's blowing from the southeast, so the sails can't be opened and the boat can't be used effectively. We have to rely entirely on the boatmen to row, so naturally we can't go any faster. The captain also said that it's better to be steady. After all, safety comes first."

"It's stable, but the speed... is too tiring!" Zhang Jingwei looked at the slowly moving river bank outside the window, feeling anxious.

At this time, Qian Ming, who was pale and had been suppressing his discomfort, came over holding on to the cabin wall. He was very seasick and suggested: "Young Master, I've inquired about it. Linshui County is actually not too far from Jinzhou City. How about... let's get off the ship at the next pier, or go by land. I... I really can't stand this shaking anymore." He felt his stomach still churning.

Liang Dahai, who was lying on the cushion next to him in an awkward posture, wailed immediately when he heard it: "Stop! Brother Qian! Master, please be kind! I... my butt is almost blistered by the saddle, and I can finally lie down! It takes a whole day to get there by horseback riding, it's better to take a boat, at least... at least I can lie down!" He tried to prove the superiority of the boat.

Ding Xu, standing by, muttered quietly, "But I think... I'm more comfortable on horseback. This boat is shaking so much that it makes me dizzy."

Liang Dahai tried to share his experience: "The boat does shake a bit, but if you keep your body straight, strengthen your core, and follow the rhythm of the boat, it won't be so uncomfortable!"

Before he could finish his words, he heard Yuan Liang's weak voice coming from the corner: "Sir... Sir... I also think... it's better to ride a horse..." He was seen slumped in the chair, his face pale, with a vomit bag in his hand. "Yesterday... I couldn't eat the whole day yesterday. I just managed to squeeze in a few bites of cakes. The boat shook... and, I confessed everything again... Ugh!" After that, he had another heart-wrenching dry heave.

Liang Dahai looked at Yuan Liang's miserable state with a touch of pride. He scratched his head and laughed, "Hehe, isn't that strange? This is the first time in my life I've been on a boat, and I don't feel dizzy at all! It seems I'm born to be a sailor!"

Zhang Jingwei looked at his group of "elite soldiers" in different conditions, sighed helplessly, and finally made the decision: "Okay, stop arguing. Since you are already on the boat, just sit on it. Some wind and waves and bumps are indeed inevitable. Everyone, just bear with it, it will pass." Although he was also eager to go home, his reason told him that changing horses at the last minute would only cause more trouble.

Qian Ming was still unwilling to give up, and said with all his strength: "Master, how about... I pay a few strings of cash to hire more boatmen to take turns rowing? That would definitely make it faster, right?"

Zhang Jingwei shook his head and pointed to the bottom of the cabin: "It's useless. I just checked, the rowing positions in the dock are already full of people, there is no room for more people. I want to get there faster too!" His tone was full of powerlessness.

Wang Ergou also stood up, covering his mouth, and walked out with unsteady steps: "I...I'd better go to the deck outside to get some fresh air. It's too stuffy in here, and I feel dizzy..."

Liang Dahai looked at his embarrassed back and added, "You're useless!"

Wang Ergou didn't even have the strength to turn around and glare at him. He just waved his hand weakly and staggered out, holding on to the wall.

Zhang Jingwei turned his gaze back to Liang Dahai, the only lively and energetic person, and asked curiously, "Come to think of it, it's strange that a genuine northern man like you doesn't get seasick."

Liang Dahai chuckled, "Master, what you said is true... Aren't you also from the north? It seems that seasickness really depends on the individual, and has nothing to do with where you are from."

Zhang Jingwei was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "Well, you have a point." He remembered watching "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" in his previous life. During the Battle of Chibi, Cao Cao's million-strong northern army was dizzy on the Yangtze River. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart that even though the hero suffered a defeat, he could still find an excuse like "the northern army is not used to water battles", which is not entirely an excuse.

……

After an almost agonizing day and night, thanks to the boatmen's unremitting rowing, the ship finally slowly approached the ferry of Jinzhou City.

As soon as the boat came to a stop and the steps were lowered, everyone except Liang Dahai, including Zhang Jingwei, practically tumbled and crawled onto solid ground. Their feet gave way, and several of them collapsed onto the bluestone slabs of the dock, breathing in the no longer swaying air, feeling as if the world had finally stopped spinning.

The Jinzhou ferry crossing was far more prosperous than the former Linshui County. The shoreline was dotted with tall warehouses, canal boats adorned with colorful banners, and numerous vendors hawking local specialties. Yuan Liang, a Jinzhou native after all, was more accustomed to the local climate. Fighting back dizziness, he stumbled over to a small orange stand and addressed a gray-haired elderly woman, "Grandma, please... pack up all your most tart, invigorating Spring Flower oranges for me!"

These oranges from April and May are the first to bear fruit after the early spring flowering. They're not yet fully ripe, and their sourness is so intense it can make your teeth drop. But it's this intense sourness that works wonders for those prone to seasickness and motion sickness, its intense stimulation quickly suppressing nausea. Where there's demand, there's a market, and these sour oranges have found a market at this ferry.

Zhang Jingwei rested for a moment, feeling his churning stomach settle a little. He looked at Yuan Liang, who was frowning and gnawing on a sour orange, and asked with concern, "Tang Jing, are you feeling better?"

Yuan Liang's features wrinkled together from the sour taste, but he nodded repeatedly: "I've recovered a lot, sir. I still have to rely on this sour thing to fight poison with poison, it really works!"

Zhang Jingwei stood up, dusted himself off, and cast his gaze towards the densely packed houses in Jinzhou City. He asked sternly, "Now that you're feeling better, let's get down to business. Do you know where General Gao's residence is in the city?"

Yuan Liang stuffed the remaining orange slices into his mouth, swallowed them with great effort, and pointed in a direction inside the city: "I know. When you asked General Gao to persuade me to return to Gaoyang, I went to his house."

Zhang Jingwei nodded, his eyes becoming firm and eager again. "In that case, there's no time to lose. You lead the way. We'll go visit General Gao right away!"