On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The morning light of Quanzhou Port penetrates the mist and shines on the sparkling sea.

On the huge "Zhennan Port" construction site, the roar of steam cranes and the sound of horns intertwined, announcing the beginning of a new day.

At the port terminal, the speedboat "Haiyan" docked as lightly as a silver shuttle and unloaded its full load of South Asian spices and rare woods.

The air was filled with the rich fragrance of cloves and cardamom, mixed with the salty smell of sea water and the pungent smell of new paint.

At the dock, merchants gathered, porters shuttled back and forth, and officials from the Maritime Customs held books in their hands, carefully checking the goods and the "trade permits".

The gears of the new policy began to turn slowly amidst the noise and order.

The sign of "Wantong Commercial Bank" is still hanging high, but the owner has changed.

Shen Wanhai's crimes of colluding with pirates and smuggling official salt were discovered by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. His property was confiscated, and he was sentenced to immediate execution and his head was hung in Quanzhou Port for three days for public display.

The trading company was temporarily taken over by the Maritime Customs and renamed "Tonghai Trading Company". It is currently recruiting new managers and clerks.

In front of the trading company, a prominent notice was posted: "In compliance with the order of the Nanyang Protectorate, all merchants who operate in good faith and pay taxes according to the law are welcome to bid for contracts with the Tonghai Trading Company. The Shibo Silver Bank will provide low-interest loans, and naval escort will be given priority."

A crowd gathered in front of the notice, and several well-dressed merchants were talking in low voices.

"The Shen family has fallen, and Tonghai is a piece of fat meat."

"Fat meat? You have to be able to eat it. The Embroidered Uniform Guards are watching us, and the rules are very strict."

"The rules are strict, but the approach is righteous! Tariffs are reduced by 30%, and there's naval escort. I heard the newly built Flying Fish-class clippers are designed specifically for sailing in the South China Sea. They're fast and stable! This deal is a no-brainer!"

"Yeah, I heard the Petrel destroyed the Black Shark Gang's lair at Ghost Tooth Reef a while ago! They even killed the one-eyed sharks! This sea route is so peaceful!"

In the crowd, a young businessman's eyes flickered.

His family's business plummeted due to Shen Wanhai's involvement.

At this moment, he looked at the sign of "Tonghai Trading Company" and then at the four big words "Integrity Management" on the notice, struggling in his heart.

Finally, he took a deep breath, squeezed into the crowd, and asked the officials of the Maritime Customs Administration for the details of the bidding.

The reconstruction of order is accompanied by the collapse of old forces and the emergence of new opportunities.

In the core workshop of Quanzhou Shipyard, steam filled the air and the sound of metal colliding could be heard constantly.

Chu Xiling was wearing indigo work clothes, her cold face was stained with oil, and she was leaning over a huge steam turbine.

Several Fenleiwei engineers surrounded her, their expressions focused.

"The temperature of the No. 3 pressure bearing of the main drive shaft is abnormal." An engineer stared at the dashboard and spoke nervously.

Chu Xiling picked up the specially made "stethoscope", placed it on the hot bearing housing, and listened attentively.

The harsh sound of metal friction can be faintly heard.

"Insufficient lubrication. Fine-tune the alloy formula," she said, putting down her stethoscope. "Use Formula 7 grease and re-inject it to increase the pressure by half a percentage."

The engineer immediately executed.

After the grease was injected, the temperature of the bearings on the instrument panel slowly dropped and the friction sound weakened.

"Record the data and monitor continuously," Chu Xiling ordered.

She walked over to a large model of a rotating base for a triple-mounted turret. It was simulating high-speed rotation, emitting a low hum.

"The sealing ring is leaking," another engineer reported.

Chu Xiling squatted down and carefully observed the tiny oil stains seeping out of the gaps in the sealing ring.

"The vulcanized rubber formula doesn't have enough pressure resistance," she said, her fingertips running across the cold metal. "Add graphite particles to improve wear resistance and high-temperature stability, and recast the sample."

"Yes!" the engineer quickly recorded.

In a corner of the workshop, several apprentices from the Academy of Natural Sciences were carefully operating a new type of "spectroscope" to analyze the spectra of several exotic minerals shipped from Southeast Asia.

Chu Xiling glanced over occasionally, and a glimmer of light flashed in her cold eyes.

The Empire's warships are becoming stronger, faster and more deadly bit by bit through these subtle frictions, leaks and spectral analyses.

Nanyang, Dingxiang Island.

The port is busier than ever.

In addition to the merchant ships flying the Daqian Panlong flag, several Western merchant ships with strange shapes, tall masts and white sails were also anchored in the deep waters.

The hull is painted with a striking cross emblem and griffin pattern.

In the palace of the local king Baturu, a unique banquet was taking place.

Baturu was wearing a brocade robe and sitting in the main seat, looking a little reserved.

On the left is Zhou Tong, the head of the Daqian Development Department, with a warm smile on his face.

On the right is a blond, blue-eyed, high-nosed, deep-set Western merchant wearing a gorgeous tight-fitting coat. He calls himself "Baron Ferdinand" and comes from the distant "Kingdom of Castile."

The interpreter nervously relayed the words of both parties.

"Your Majesty," Ferdinand said stiffly, "I am Ferdinand, a merchant from the Kingdom of Castile. We salute you. We bring you exquisite glassware, sharp steel swords, and cocoa and tobacco from the New World. We hope to trade with your island."

Baturu looked at the crystal clear glass wine glasses, the gleaming cross swords, and the cocoa beans and tobacco emitting a strange aroma on the table, his eyes filled with curiosity and greed. He subconsciously looked at Zhou Tong.

Zhou Tong smiled faintly, picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup, and took a sip. "Baron Ferdinand has come from afar, and his sincerity is commendable. However, Dingxiang Island is a vassal state of Daqian, and trade matters must comply with Daqian laws and the regulations of the Nanyang Protectorate. There are set regulations for tariffs, types of goods, and trading venues. If the Baron is interested, he can go to the Nanyang Protectorate Office in Quanzhou Port to apply for a foreign trade permit, and everything will be handled according to the regulations."

After hearing what the interpreter said, Ferdinand frowned slightly and said, "Quanzhou is too far away. We hope to trade directly on Dingxiang Island."

"Baron, you don't know that," Zhou Tong said, his smile unchanged, his tone undeniably firm. "Trade with the Nanyang Islands all centers around Quanzhou. This is a national policy established by Her Majesty the Great Qian Empress. First, it facilitates management, second, it ensures safety, and third, it ensures fair trade, with no one cheating. If your goods comply with regulations, they will surely fetch a good price in Quanzhou."

Ferdinand was about to say something, but Zhou Tong had already turned to Baturu: "Your Majesty, is that what you said?"

Baturu nodded quickly: "Yes, everything will be done according to the rules of the Celestial Empire."

Ferdinand looked at Zhou Tong's calm smile and Baturu's timid look, then glanced at the clipper "Haiyan" anchored in the harbor with its guns pointed at it. Finally, he shrugged and forced a smile: "Okay, we will go to Quanzhou."

Zhou Tong raised his glass and said: "May the friendship between Daqian and Castile last forever and trade be mutually beneficial."

The banquet continued, the atmosphere delicate. The arrival of Western merchants, like a pebble dropped into a tranquil lake, foreshadowed a broader yet more complex transformation of Southeast Asia's trade landscape.

Jinling, behind the Purple Palace, the Imperial Study.

Murong Yan was not wearing complicated court robes, but a simple and elegant moon-white casual dress, with a gauze jacket of the same color on the outside. Her black hair was loosely tied up, and she only wore a white jade phoenix hairpin in her hair.

She stood in front of a huge sheepskin sea map, her fingertips passed over Quanzhou, passed by Dingxiang Island, and finally stopped at the vast sea area marked "Western Countries".

The eunuch silently presented a secret report: Quanzhou's commercial market has recovered, and the bidding for new trading companies is imminent; the progress of the engine commissioning of the "Polang" ship at the shipyard; the visit of Western merchant ships to Dingxiang Island and the details of Zhou Tong's handling.

Murong Yan's phoenix eyes were calm as she read them one by one.

When she saw the words "Castile", "Glassware", "Steel Sword", "Cocoa", "Tobacco", etc., her fingertips paused slightly.

"The Westerners have finally arrived." She whispered to herself, her voice expressing no emotion.

She walked slowly to the desk and dipped her scarlet brush into ink.

"deliver an imperial order."

"First, secretly order Wang Yun, the Protector General of Nanyang, that Western merchant ships arriving in Quanzhou be treated with courtesy, but their cargo must be strictly inspected, with particular attention paid to firearms and maps. Any prohibited items will be detained. Transactions must be conducted in designated foreign quarters by the Maritime Customs, and private contact with the local kings and islanders is strictly prohibited. The Embroidered Uniform Guards will closely monitor the situation."

"Secondly, order the Institute of Gewu to select skilled craftsmen to contact Western merchants and try to observe their glass and steel craftsmanship. If they have drawings or samples, purchase them at great expense. The Fire and Thunder Department will also collaborate to analyze the shape and structure of their firearms."

"Third, notify the Ministry of Rites to establish a Siyi Hall in Quanzhou's Fanfang District, and recruit Confucian scholars or naturalized foreign merchants who are proficient in Western languages ​​to serve as interpreters. They will teach them etiquette and spread Chinese culture. Any children of Western merchants who wish to study abroad may enter the hall to learn Chinese and the classics."

"Fourth," Murong Yan paused, her gaze penetrating, "Secretly order the coastal navy to strengthen patrols in the distant seas. Draw more detailed charts of the Western Ocean. Whenever encountering large Western fleets, do not provoke them, nor show weakness. Maintain vigilance and report immediately to the capital."

The decree was announced.

Murong Yan put down the red brush and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the city of Jinling is bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, with a magnificent scene.

Her phoenix eyes looked towards the west. That unknown deep blue sea contained endless wealth and knowledge, but also hidden unknown threats and challenges.