boyutpedia Chapter 494 Naming the Ship
Chapter 494 Naming the Ship
Then, the King of Qin's gaze fell on the several waves-breaking ships. The foremost ship, with its pointed bottom, had sailed through towering waves as if on flat ground the day before. The moment its bow cleaved through the waves, water splashed several meters high, creating an astonishing spectacle.
The King of Qin pointed at it and said loudly, "This ship dares to break through a thousand waves and brave the vast sea; it must have the ambition to conquer the ocean. I hereby name it 'Ling Cang'!"
Looking at the ship's sails fluttering in the wind, Ying Wuyou said, "'Lingcang' has both the spirit of riding the wind and breaking the waves and the ambition of exploring the ocean, which is just right for this ship's ability to sail far away."
The King of Qin then walked toward another, slightly smaller, wave-breaking ship. This ship had an ingeniously designed stern rudder, making it agile in its turns. Yesterday, it had managed to easily avoid the whirlpools in the nearshore waters. He smiled and said, "This ship is as nimble as a swimming fish, and it cuts through the wind and waves without hesitation. Let's call it 'Windbreaker'—simple and direct, which suits its nature."
Feng Jie stepped forward, cupped his hands in praise, and said, "The two words 'Breaking the Wind' are truly brilliant! They not only point out its ability to withstand the wind, but also demonstrate the relentless pioneering spirit of our Great Qin. Absolutely wonderful!"
The last remaining ship had its cabin divided into dozens of small compartments, and the walls were coated with moisture-proof tung oil, clearly built for transporting books and medicinal herbs. Ying Wuyou explained softly, "This ship is to deliver books to the academies of various prefectures and transport medicinal herbs to the medical schools; it concerns education and the people's livelihood."
The King of Qin pondered for a moment and said, "Classic texts transmit the literary tradition, and medicinal herbs benefit all people; both are matters that benefit the world. Let's call it 'Tongjihao,' meaning 'to circulate and benefit the world.'"
Upon hearing this, Chunyu Yue's eyes flashed with emotion. He had always valued education, and upon hearing the name of the ship, he knew that the King of Qin not only had conquest in mind, but also the education of the people. He couldn't help but bow and say, "Your Majesty is wise! The name 'Tongji' is open to interpretation, but it is indeed an excellent name that takes into account both civil administration and the people's livelihood."
The Director of the Imperial Workshops had already ordered the preparation of red lacquered wooden plaques, and the craftsmen were now quickly carving the ship's name on them. Before long, the five wooden plaques were hung on the bow of the ship—the plaque for "Qingu" was heavy and steady, the plaque for "Chengwei" was sharp and angular, the characters for "Lingcang" and "Pofeng" had a touch of swagger, and the plaque for "Tongji" exuded a gentle and peaceful atmosphere.
A sea breeze suddenly rose, causing the wooden plaques on the bows of the ships to rattle crisply. The King of Qin, gazing at the row of new ships, suddenly burst into laughter: "Excellent! With 'Qin Gu' transporting grain, 'Cheng Wei' carrying troops, 'Ling Cang' and 'Po Feng' expanding territory, and 'Tong Ji' benefiting the world, the ships of my Great Qin will henceforth sail across rivers, lakes, and seas, letting the world see what the spirit of Great Qin truly is!"
Looking at his father's spirited appearance and then at the excited expressions of the ministers on the dock, Ying Wuyou felt a sudden realization. These ship names were not just for the ships themselves; they were clearly a declaration by the Great Qin to the world: from this day forward, the Grand Canal would be guaranteed, the military might would spread far and wide, the oceans could be explored, and the people's livelihood would be nourished—these rivers, lakes, and seas would eventually become the smooth roads of the Great Qin.
Startled by the laughter, seagulls in the distance took flight, circling above the fleet. Sunlight shone on the brand-new wooden nameplates, the red paint gleaming in the sea breeze, as if gilding these ships about to embark on their voyage with a layer of glory belonging to the Great Qin Dynasty.
The red lacquered wooden plaque swayed gently in the sea breeze, its crisp sound seeming to be the prelude to the Qin Dynasty's expansionist journey. The King of Qin turned around, his gaze sweeping over the craftsmen standing solemnly by the dock. Their faces were still covered with sawdust and tung oil, but their eyes shone with a sense of pride.
"Master Craftsman Mo Li," the King of Qin announced, "have ten copies of the blueprints for these ships made. One copy will be stored in the royal archives, and the rest will be distributed to the shipbuilding workshops in each prefecture. Any craftsman who can build a ship of the same standard according to the blueprints will be promoted one rank, and the workshop owner will be rewarded with one hundred taels of gold."
Mo Li kowtowed sharply, his voice trembling with excitement: "Your subject obeys the decree! Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" The craftsmen behind him knelt down in unison, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" The sound of their shouts almost drowned out the sound of the waves crashing on the shore.
As Ying Wuyou watched those calloused hands gripping their tools tightly, he suddenly recalled how they had worked tirelessly half a year ago, experimenting repeatedly with the putty ratio until their eyes were bloodshot. A warm feeling welled up in his eyes.
The docks of Langya Port were still bustling, the sea breeze carrying the scent of ship planks and tung oil, clinging to everyone's clothes. Kui Zhuang stepped forward, his wide robe sleeves fluttering slightly in the wind, his bow perfectly measured, showing both respect and the composure of an old minister: "Your Majesty, now that the new ship has been named, why not arrange its maiden voyage immediately?"
His gaze slowly swept over the fleet of ships standing like giant beasts in the harbor, finally settling on the "Qingu" and "Tongji". His voice deepened slightly with earnestness: "'Qingu' can carry the provisions that accompanied us today and conduct a trial voyage from Langya Port to Linzi. Firstly, we can test the ship's effectiveness in practice and see if the watertight compartments are as reliable and safe as they were during the trial voyage the other day. Secondly, we can let the people of the counties along the way see with their own eyes what makes our Great Qin's new weapon so capable of surpassing the old ways."
The King of Qin's fingertips caressed the Hetian jade pendant at his waist, its texture warm and smooth. He gazed at the two ships, already fully prepared for departure, his dark robes fluttering slightly in the wind, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Granted."
Before he finished speaking, he added, "Let the 'Qin Gu' ship and the 'Tong Ji' ship travel together. The former will carry grain, and the latter will carry some newly published classics from the county school. Linzi is the capital of Qi. Let the people of Qi see that our Qin ships can not only transport grain to support the people's livelihood, but also carry classics to pass on our cultural heritage."
The ministers instantly grasped the profound meaning behind these words. In the past, the State of Qi, with its coastal advantage, had been the most skilled in navigation among the six states, and Linzi Port was a hub for merchants from all over the world. Now, the Great Qin was about to traverse this sea with new ships, which was not only a demonstration of its national strength but also a silent declaration: the ships and systems of the old era could no longer keep up with the pace of the Great Qin.
"Your Majesty is wise!" Kui Zhuang bowed and replied, a smile playing on his lips as he watched the empire's gears steadily move forward.
At this moment, Feng Jie, the Imperial Censor who had been standing solemnly to the side, suddenly stepped forward. His usually composed face was filled with barely suppressed excitement, and his voice trembled slightly with emotion: "Your Majesty, the people of Qi should see this, and the people of Chu should see this too!"
He paused, took a deep breath, and his tone became even more resolute: "Your Majesty, I request that once the ships 'Qin Gu' and 'Tong Ji' return from Linzi, we send the 'Cheng Wei' down the Huai River, through the Si River, into the Chu territory, so that those Chu people can see that the ships of our Great Qin are not only as stable as Mount Tai at sea, but also unimpeded in inland waterways, able to maneuver freely and conquer freely!"
Feng Jie's ancestors had run a shipyard in the Chu region, and he knew the area's waterways and customs intimately. He was well aware that Chu was a land of dense waterways, with numerous rivers and canals, and that the people relied heavily on boats, considering them their very foundation for survival. If the "Chengwei" could carry Qin soldiers in armor and cut through the waterways of Chu, its deterrent effect would be far more impactful than any lengthy government decree.
Upon hearing this, the King of Qin suddenly burst into loud laughter, which echoed across the sea and startled a flock of seagulls perched on the masts: "Excellent! Doctor Feng's words have struck a chord with me! So be it—Qi will showcase our literary heritage, and Chu will display our military might. Let the whole world see that the ships of my Great Qin are capable of both literature and martial prowess, navigating both the sea and the river, and are invincible!"