On the risks and benefits of falling in love with a prince

The army is heading north to fight back to Luoyang.Zhao Tang went south, to that barbaric and desolate place.The customs of the barbarians are varied, some cannibals, some keep insects, and some men and women are married to each other and raise children together after giving birth.Zhao Tang was eye-opening, and thought that the Central Plains people were conservative and stubborn, and Liu Rui, the leader of the Central Plains people, was even more conservative and stubborn, so he was not worth nostalgic for.

Later, he arrived at Erythrina Bay.Erythrina Bay is a seaport, and people often drive large ships across the vast sea to reach foreign countries at the end of the world for business.Zhao Tang thought it was very interesting, and when he saw someone recruiting sailors, he signed up.

He didn't know how hard it was until he got on the boat.As soon as the boat leaves the shore, there is a boundless sea. The boat is like a grain of grain on the sea, and it is shaking endlessly, and it is shedding its shell.Three days ago, Zhao Tang vomited so badly that he couldn't even stand up.The owner of the ship hired a trash with money, and was so angry that he wanted to throw Zhao Tang into the sea.Fortunately, on the fourth day, Zhao Tang stopped vomiting and started working.

Not enough fresh water, not enough food, not enough beds, not enough time to rest—the most terrible thing is that there are no vegetables and leaves, and you can only eat salted fish, which makes your legs weak, and when you wake up in the morning, you will accidentally spit out your teeth .Experienced old sailors caught sea fish and ate raw fish liver to cure limp legs.Zhao Tang followed suit and survived.

The ship is drifting on the sea, and the dangers are endless.When a storm rises, a strong wind rises from the sky and rolls up the sea water, like a big funnel connecting the sky and the earth. Only the most experienced sailors are at the helm to pass the edge of the storm.But when the weather is calm, the sea is like a whole piece of sapphire, the waves are solidified, and the white birds are flying around on it, which is too beautiful to behold.

"Xiaoyaoyou" said that there is a fish in the dark north, and its name is Kun. One day, there is a water column in the sea, and everyone shouts "Kun" one after another, and they all kneel down.Zhao Tang also knelt down.I saw the Kun getting closer and closer, and then a hill-like blue surface emerged from the sea, and the cry was low and far away, slowly going away.

If there are stars at night, Zhao Tang would lie on the deck and look at the stars with his pillow on his wrist.The night is a velvety dark blue, and the stars are some motionless points of light, big and small, flickering on and off, like many eyes gently watching the world.After Zhao Tang looked at it for a long time, he felt that the sky was spinning, as if he was attached to the sky boat, overlooking the stars on the seabed.The stars are so beautiful and bright that he couldn't help but fall into the sea of ​​stars.

Three months later, the ship arrived at Shenpo, where the weather was hot, the people were dark, and the language was like birdsong.The owner of the ship sold silk, tea, and porcelain in exchange for ivory, gems, and spices.Another three months later, the ship returned to Zaitong Bay, and a ship of goods was exchanged for a ship of gold.

A ship of gold!Zhao Tang's soul was hooked away.

As soon as they returned to land, the sailors met to drink and whore, and the money earned from working hard for a few months was spent on wine bowls, gambling tables and women's bellies in a few days.Zhao Tang also wanted to go, so he forcibly held back, rested for a few days, and boarded the boat again.

For three full years, he drifted on the sea; when he couldn't float, he stayed on the shore, eating the worst meal, staying in the cheapest restaurant, and saving every copper coin.Three years later, he used his savings to buy a small sampan.

Small sampans cannot sail long distances, at most they can go to nearby islands.Zhao Tang used his brains, pondered for a long time, and figured out a business opportunity.He bought fresh water, grain, and fresh fruits and vegetables, and took advantage of the season when ocean-going ships were returning, he rowed his small sampan to the sea and sold them to sailors.

All the sailors who have worked hard for half a year and returned safely are not short of money.They are willing to pay ten times the price if they can eat fresh fruits and vegetables earlier.

The speed of making money from selling fruits and vegetables is much faster than going to sea as a sailor.In just one year, Zhao Tang saved enough money to hire craftsmen to build an ocean-going sailing ship.He recruited sailors, bought goods, and sailed under the plum wind in May.

This trip to sea was not smooth.First encountered a storm, the ship lost its direction and drifted to a deserted island.They felled trees for pulp, watched the stars to tell the direction, and abruptly rowed the boat back to its course.Then the food ran out, and the sailors wanted to eat people. Zhao Tang tied the rope around his waist, took a harpoon in his hand, jumped into the sea, caught a huge fish, and temporarily escaped the crisis.After arriving in a foreign country, the silk was exchanged for precious spices.The sailors were jealous and rebelled halfway.On the endless sea, Zhao Tang stayed up for three days and three nights, holding a dagger in his hand, hiding in the cargo hold below the deck, waiting for an opportunity to fight back.In the end, he killed six people and put down the rebellion.

During this trip to the sea, Zhao Tang had three wounds with deep visible bones, and gained insight.After returning to Erythronia Bay, he did not sell the spices at a low price like other shipowners. Instead, he took a boat upstream to a prosperous place, hired a group of small beggars, and sold "Sea Spices" from drugstores to big households.

The Yellow Turban Army has been wiped out, and the counties in the Central Plains are recuperating, and there are many prosperous places.Zhao Tang walked around, sold out all the spices, and made friends with many officials and wealthy businessmen.When he returned to Erythronia Bay, it was May again, and the falling plum wind was about to blow to the southeast.Without resting for a moment, he bought goods, recruited sailors, and went to sea again.

For several years in a row, he went out to sea like this, went to the Central Plains to sell goods, bought boats with money, and took more boats to sea... Citong Bay is a small place, and most of the sea merchants are relatives and friends. Neither agree.

In the sixth year, Zhao Tang went out to sea with a spear, a trebuchet, and a ram.Sure enough, on the way back, he encountered other merchant ships besieging him.After a bloody battle, three of Zhao Tang's ships sank, and ten of the merchants' ships sank.

There were planks and dead bodies floating on the sea, Zhao Tang was covered in blood, standing leaning on the mast, laughing loudly.He thought that in his previous life, he might have been a general.He is also the reincarnation of Jiang Xing, no worse than Yun Qi.But he didn't have an aristocratic father, so he couldn't be a general, he could only be a prostitute, a businessman and other lowly jobs.

After this battle, Zhao Tang took out half of his family assets to provide for the deceased, regardless of enemy or friend.

The maritime merchants who opposed him died down.Zhao Tang has truly become the Sea King of Erythrina Bay.

He went on to sea, and the fleet got bigger and bigger, and went farther and farther.No matter how rich he is, he will suffer from hunger, thirst, and limp legs when he reaches the sea.Only when the ship is at the port and the supplies are sufficient, can a few days of life be lived.One day, the ship stopped in Shendu, and the sailors went ashore to play. Zhao Tang only called two bridesmaids, a table of wine and food, and spent the night on the ship.He got drunk as much as he could, and vented his desire as much as he could.Early the next morning, Hua Niang brought clean water to wash his face.He suddenly saw his own reflection in the water basin.

It was a middle-aged man with disheveled hair and black skin.Two cross scars on his face, like earthworms.He smiled, and crow's feet appeared at the corners of his eyes.

Is this yourself?I'm already... so old?

Zhao Tang was upset and drove the Hua girls off the boat.At night, he lay alone on the deck.The stars are so bright, blinking, and looking at him, he looked at the stars, suddenly felt a heart-stopping loneliness.At this moment, he really wants to talk to someone, anyone can do it, but all around him is the sea breeze passing by, the waves beating against the side of the boat, and the foreigners on the pier are talking and laughing in Mandarin.

He stretched out his arms towards the starry sky, trying to hug someone.No one gave him a hug, so he hugged himself.

He fell asleep alone.

In the tenth year since Zhao Tang came to Citong Bay, he already had a fleet of twenty ships.He has a right-hand man, and he no longer has to go to sea himself, but concentrates on building the house.

His home must be magnificent and resplendent.So he spent a lot of gold and built a five-entry house.In the courtyard, there are rockery and flowing water, and peacocks and deer are raised, which is extremely luxurious.On the day he moved into the mansion, he hosted a banquet for all the merchants in Zaitong Bay.At the banquet, there was good food and wine, dancers and singing, and everyone smiled at him and said auspicious words.Zhao Tang was so drunk that he almost floated on the blue clouds.

After the guests were gone, he was escorted back to the bedroom.The bedroom is very gorgeous, with branch lamps, a beast stove, and an ivory screen... It's like a nobleman's house.He was lying in the smoky tent, looking at everything he had earned from the wind and waves, ten years of exhaustion, as if it had all come at this moment.

He fell asleep quickly and had a dream.Back in the dream many years ago, Liu Rui was holding the rein, standing on the hillside with Yunqi, while he was hiding in the woods.This time, instead of being cowardly, he came out generously and said to Liu Rui: "Ruirui, you can be with others, I'm not sad. I can live well without you!"

On this day, Zhao Tang was looking at the goods at the wharf. The goods were cheap silk, and they could be sold at a sky-high price when they were delivered.On the pier, coolies like ants carried the sacks, one of them was short and thin, almost a child.He was carrying a huge sack, staggered, and fell down.The sack rolled off his shoulders and fell into the water.

The person in charge immediately stepped forward to reprimand him.The little coolie got up, coughed, and begged bitterly.As he begged, a face appeared.Zhao Tang just glanced at it and felt his mind go blank.

It was a fair melon-seeded face, with plain features, except for a pair of red phoenix eyes, which were dark and bright, like morning stars.

That was almost the young Liu Rui.