The Second World in Ancient Times

As Si Qing's ship sailed on the sea, every rise and fall of the waves was like the pulse of fate, beating in her heart. She knew that navigation knowledge was one of the keys to the success of this overseas trade trip, so she did not miss any opportunity to ask the old sailors for advice.

The old sailors sat at the bow, mending their fishing nets and reminiscing about their past sailing experiences. Si Qing took a pen and paper and carefully wrote down her thoughts. An old sailor with a wrinkled face said, "Girl, the weather at sea is like a baby's face, changing at a moment's notice. You have to learn to read the clouds and predict the weather. If that cotton-like white cloud suddenly becomes thicker and dark clouds gather around it, it could mean a storm is coming."

Si Qing looked up at the sky, trying to remember the old sailor's description of the clouds, and asked, "What should we do if we encounter a storm?"

The old sailor put down his work and pointed at the sail. "First, we need to lower the sail or adjust the angle to reduce the wind resistance. We must not let the wind overturn the boat. Also, we need to secure the cargo. We must not let it fly around in the cabin. That would be troublesome."

Another veteran sailor added: "When sailing at sea, you can't rely solely on the compass to determine direction. Sometimes the magnetic field is disturbed, and then you have to rely on the stars. You know the North Star, right? Find it, and you will know where north is. There are also some constellations that can help us determine our direction in certain seasons and times."

Si Qing observed the sky at different times each day, learning to identify the constellations and the positions of the stars. At night, despite the chill of the sea breeze, she stood on the deck, consulting a star chart, searching for the stars that would guide her. Her eyes gleamed in the darkness with a thirst for knowledge, like the brightest star in the night sky.

Si Qing put a lot of effort into learning the sailing routes. She spread the nautical chart on the table, and the veteran sailors pointed at the lines and markings with their rough fingers. "This route may seem calm, but it's actually full of reefs. We have to follow the edge of this sea area and avoid those dangerous areas. And here, where the ocean currents converge, the water is turbulent. If we're not careful, the ship could be swept off course."

Si Qing listened carefully, taking detailed notes on the nautical chart. She knew this knowledge, acquired through countless adventures by veteran sailors, was invaluable. She imprinted it deeply in her mind, as if it were the key to success.

While learning about navigation, Si Qing also did not forget the importance of foreign language learning. In this vast ocean, in the foreign land they were about to arrive at, language would be the bridge of communication.

Every day, under the blazing sun, Si Qing would go to a corner on the deck where she kept a collection of foreign language books and her own notes. She would hold the books and read aloud the foreign words and sentences, sweat dripping from her forehead onto the pages, but she didn't care at all.

Her pronunciation wasn't standard at first; the unfamiliar syllables sounded stiff and strange in her mouth. But she didn't give up, repeating them over and over again. A crew member passed by and said with a smile, "Miss, you're working so hard, take a break."

Si Qing shook his head. "No, I must master these languages ​​as soon as possible. We can't let the language barrier affect trade."

She asked a scholar on board who knew a little about foreign languages ​​for advice on pronunciation techniques. The scholar told her, "Some pronunciations require you to feel the position of your mouth and throat. For example, for this sound, you place your tongue here, and the air flows through here."

Si Qing followed the instructor's instructions and practiced repeatedly. She looked in the mirror, observing her mouth shape and adjusting her pronunciation. Sometimes, she would practice a single pronunciation hundreds of times until she was satisfied.

In addition to pronunciation, she also worked hard to learn foreign language grammar and vocabulary. She wrote down the words on small cards and carried them with her, reciting them whenever she had time. During meals and breaks, she could be seen silently reciting them with the cards in her hand.

Grammar was even more challenging. The complex rules and sentence structures gave her a headache. But like a brave warrior, she continued to challenge these challenges. She read foreign language articles, analyzed sentence structure, and understood the application of grammar. Every time she successfully understood a complex sentence, a gratified smile appeared on her face.

Over time, Si Qing's foreign language skills improved significantly. She could now communicate with the crew in simple foreign languages ​​and simulate trading scenarios in foreign countries. This gave her confidence in future overseas trade.

In order to better deal with the negotiation process in overseas trade, Si Qing often gathers with merchants on board to discuss transaction details.

The merchants, with their extensive business experience, shared with Si Qing the various considerations for dealing. An older merchant explained, "When negotiating with foreign merchants, we must first understand their market demands. Different countries have different preferences for goods. For example, some prefer brightly colored silk, while others prefer more plain and elegant styles. We must prepare goods based on their preferences to enhance our competitiveness."

Si Qing nodded in agreement. She recalled her analysis of market demand when preparing the goods, and became more aware of the importance of understanding foreign markets.

Another businessman added, "Price negotiation is a science. We can't reveal our cards right from the start; we need to test the other party's bottom line first. Also, during the negotiation, we need to pay attention to the other party's expressions and reactions, and glean information from their subtle gestures."

Si Qing listened carefully and raised his own question: "What should we do if the price offered by the other party is far lower than our cost?"

The businessman smiled and replied, "This is when we need to use our negotiation skills. We can show them the quality advantages of our goods, or propose some additional conditions, such as long-term cooperation or exclusive agency. At the same time, we also need to understand the other party's costs and profit margins, so that we can take the initiative in the negotiation."

Si Qing memorized these negotiation techniques and even conducted mock negotiations with businesspeople. In these simulations, she played different roles, experiencing the psychology and strategies of both sides. Sometimes, her lack of experience put her at a disadvantage, but she never gave up.

After the simulated negotiations, she would analyze her shortcomings with the businesspeople. They offered her unreserved advice: "Ms. Siqing, during negotiations, you're sometimes too eager to express your own opinions and overlook the other party's perspective. You need to learn to listen and find breakthroughs from their perspective."

Si Qing humbly accepted the advice and continued to improve her negotiation skills. She knew that in real overseas trade negotiations, she could not afford to make the slightest mistake, as every detail could determine the success or failure of the deal.

However, the road to pursuing dreams is never smooth. Si Qing encountered many setbacks in her studies, which were like reefs in the sea, threatening to strand her dream ship at any time.

Despite her diligent efforts to learn navigational knowledge from veteran sailors, she encountered numerous challenges. During one encounter, Si Qing, while directing the crew, discovered a significant gap between theory and practice. Some of her instructions didn't quite work as expected, causing the ship to shake violently in the storm and causing some of the cargo to become loose.

Si Qing was terrified. She tried to recall the methods the veteran sailors had taught her, but her nerves made her flustered. Fortunately, the experienced sailors intervened in time and helped stabilize the boat. This experience made Si Qing realize that theoretical knowledge alone was not enough; she needed more practical experience.

In her foreign language studies, she encountered a bottleneck in language comprehension. When she began to study more advanced business languages, she was confused by the complex professional vocabulary and industry terminology. She found it difficult to accurately understand the meaning of some foreign-language business documents.

She consulted a scholar, who told her, "These professional terms need to be understood in a specific business context. You can find some relevant business cases to study, which will make it easier to grasp."

Si Qing followed the scholars' advice, but progress was slow. Sometimes, she would misunderstand the meaning of an entire sentence because of a single word, which made her very frustrated.

While training in transactional negotiation skills, she also encountered setbacks. In one simulated negotiation, she faced an opponent played by an experienced businessman, and was completely led around by him. The various conditions and questions raised by the other party overwhelmed her, and the negotiation ultimately failed.

Si Qing felt a little lost and began to doubt whether she was really capable of completing this overseas trade mission. But she looked at the crew and merchants around her, who all had full trust and expectations of her, and she knew she couldn't give up.

Despite the setbacks, Si Qing always has a desire for success in her eyes. This desire is like a lighthouse in the darkness, illuminating her way forward.

After experiencing setbacks in sailing, Si Qing worked even harder to learn from veteran sailors. She actively participated in the ship's daily sailing operations, starting with the basics of pulling ropes and steering. Whenever she encountered wind and waves, she no longer panicked, but calmly observed the veteran sailors' responses and actively participated.

She also established a maritime knowledge practice group on board, where she and the young crew members learned and practiced together. They simulated various maritime emergencies and conducted response drills. In this process, Siqing's sailing skills gradually improved, and she became increasingly proficient in ship control.

When she hit a snag in her foreign language studies, Si Qing changed her approach. Instead of relying solely on books and flashcards, she actively engaged with the foreign language experts on the crew. They chatted and told stories in the language, allowing her to improve her listening and speaking skills in a relaxed atmosphere.

At the same time, Si Qing collected a vast amount of foreign-language business materials, including commercial contracts and trade reports from various countries. She meticulously analyzed these documents, consulting dictionaries or scholars whenever she encountered unfamiliar terms. In this way, she gradually mastered complex professional vocabulary and industry terminology, achieving a substantial improvement in her foreign language proficiency.

After failing at negotiation skills training, Si Qing engaged in deep reflection. She re-examined her negotiation process and strategy, analyzing her performance at every stage. She also researched more negotiation cases, learning from successful ones and summarizing the lessons from failed ones.

She also took the initiative to seek advice from businessmen who had defeated her in negotiations, saying sincerely: "I know I still have many shortcomings. Please tell me where I did not do well in negotiations. I will definitely work hard to improve."

Moved by Si Qing's perseverance, the businessmen shared their experiences with her. Si Qing used these suggestions to conduct another simulated negotiation. This time, she was more calm and confident, able to flexibly apply negotiation skills to various situations.

Si Qing's efforts and persistence were seen by the crew members, and their admiration for Si Qing grew day by day.

A young sailor, watching Si Qing diligently practicing her foreign language skills under the scorching sun, said to his companions, "Miss Si Qing is truly hardworking. She has sacrificed so much for our trade voyage. We must cooperate with her and not let her efforts go to waste."

Another crew member nodded in agreement: "Yes, every time we encounter difficulties, she never gives up and always encourages us. With her around, I believe we will succeed."

As Si Qing participated in navigation operations and practical exercises, veteran sailors praised her highly. One veteran sailor said with a smile, "This girl is incredibly tenacious. She knew nothing at first, but now she can effectively direct us through even minor issues. She's sure to achieve great things in the future."

The merchants were also amazed at Si Qing's progress. During a discussion of trade details, Si Qing offered some insightful ideas, prompting one merchant to compliment her, saying, "Ms. Si Qing, your learning achievements during this period are truly remarkable. Your ideas and strategies are very mature. It seems our trade venture has a bright future."