Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5428 First Arrival in a Foreign Land

Chapter 5428 First Arrival in a Foreign Land

In late August, under the organization of the "Dongda Tang Trading Company", dozens of merchant ships, fully loaded with people from Hebei, arrived at "Huajing Port" under the escort of the naval fleet. For a time, the port was filled with sails and masts, and ships of all sizes filled the water like schools of fish during the flood season.

The people housed in the upper cabins tried to come out, and seeing that the soldiers maintaining order did not stop them, they all stepped onto the deck and crowded to one side of the ship's side, curiously gazing at this piece of land that could very well become their "home"...

These people were all emaciated and haggard, but they were all dressed in new clothes and were clean and hygienic. This was because before boarding the ship, the merchant strictly checked their bodies to see if they had any serious illnesses or infectious diseases. Then they were given new clothes and bathed in wooden tubs with various herbs added to prevent the spread of disease on the ship.

The meals were plentiful during the voyage, with fish, meat, and white rice. However, being far from home and feeling melancholic, coupled with the ship's rocking and swaying at sea causing seasickness for many, left them in poor spirits and looking naturally haggard.

As the Chao Phraya River flows mightily into the harbor, the people marvel at the brand-new docks, the neat rows of warships and merchant ships, the fluttering flags on the shore, and the patrols of cavalry and infantry.

Is this the new Chiang Kai-shek regime that will soon take root and survive for generations?

There was both anticipation and trepidation.

A little girl, perched on her father's shoulders, curiously looked around at everything before her. Then she asked her father, "Can we get enough to eat here, like on the boat?"

The disaster victims and civilians who boarded the ship from Hebei were able to enjoy two free meals a day on the ship. Although the meals were mostly simple ones like corn porridge and sweet potatoes, there were occasionally plenty of meat and fish. This greatly encouraged the hungry people, who believed that the Chiang Kai-shek regime they were about to reach would be the same.

But her father remained silent at that moment.

Since Emperor Yang of Sui launched his eastern expedition against Goguryeo, Hebei has been a major area for the collection of supplies. The people not only had to hand over all their grain but also had to perform corvée labor. Compared to not having food, performing corvée labor was a bitter task with a high chance of survival.

Later, at the end of the Sui Dynasty, the country was in great chaos, and Hebei was in even greater chaos.

Dou Jiande, Gao Shida, Zhang Jincheng, Hao Xiaode, Yang Gongqing, Liu Heita... These "heroes and heroines," most of whom came from aristocratic families, rose up in Hebei, levying grain, taxes, and conscripting soldiers. They coerced the people of Hebei into vying for supremacy and dominating the world, but ended up in utter defeat, leaving nine out of ten houses in Hebei empty and impoverished.

After the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the population of Hebei recovered to some extent, but the central government's suppression of the powerful families in Hebei never stopped.

The suppression suffered by powerful families manifested in their diminished influence in the imperial court, while the suppression also reached the common people, resulting in exorbitant taxes, heavy corvée labor, and soaring rents. In peaceful years, there was little left and people could not even get enough to eat. If they encountered floods or droughts, they would sell their children and starve to death everywhere, a truly tragic sight.

It's already a stroke of luck that we survived; how could we dare to hope for a full meal every day?

Although many officials and clerks had touted the warm climate, abundant water, and fertile fields of the overseas vassal states before they arrived, they were attracted by this sight and thus made up their minds to travel across the ocean to come here.

But once they got there, who would dare to believe it?

Seeing that her father didn't answer, the little girl stretched out her two small hands and hugged his head tightly. Her thin body trembled slightly as she whispered, "Father, will you sell me?"

Tears streamed down the face of young Chen Erniu.

Back in his hometown, he discussed it with his wife, and she eventually sold herself to a powerful family as a slave in exchange for some food to feed their two children. However, the food ran out soon, and the family was starving. They ate tree bark and grass roots to fill their stomachs. Their son, Du, died because his belly was so swollen that he could not defecate for days. In this place, tens of thousands of miles away from their homeland, only the father and daughter were left to depend on each other for survival.

Chen Erniu sobbed, hugged his daughter's feet which were draped over his chest, and said in a muffled voice, "No! We'll live together, and we'll die together!"

Countless people have sold their children for a single bite of food. He survived even the most famine-stricken times, so why would he give up now?

Not far away, a naval soldier in a tight-fitting uniform with a sword at his waist glanced at the father and daughter, a slight smile appearing on his stern face, and said, "Don't worry, no one will starve in Chiang Kai-shek's country."

The local people gathered around and started asking questions all at once.

"I've heard this place is sparsely populated and plagued by miasma!"

"The overseas regions are all barbarian lands, and I've even heard that some barbarians eat people?"

"I heard the climate here is hot and humid, and snakes, insects, and rodents are everywhere!"

"Barbarians don't farm! Are we supposed to eat grass roots? Tree bark? We've had enough of that back home!"

……

Throughout the journey, these soldiers strictly adhered to military discipline, remaining silent and always appearing cold and aloof unless special circumstances arose. While there were scholars and officials accompanying the group responsible for communication, for the people of Hebei, who had long suffered oppression from powerful clans, the credibility of these scholars and officials was clearly less than that of the Tang soldiers.

So, I had a lot of questions on my mind and was eager to know the answers.

Having likely arrived at their destination safely and with their escort mission nearing completion, the soldiers appeared noticeably relaxed and were able to speak.

He patiently explained, "The overseas vassal states are all pretty much the same; it's normal for them to be sparsely populated. Only our Great Tang has such a large population. But there's no need to worry. Although the conditions are a bit tough, it's just about clearing land and farming. What are the people of our Great Tang afraid of?"

Upon hearing that they were to clear land for farming, the people's tense mood relaxed.

"This is something we're good at!"

"Haven't our ancestors all been toiling in the soil for a living?"

"As long as the land is good and there are no disasters, a bumper harvest is guaranteed!"

The soldier nodded with a smile and continued, "The idea of ​​eating grass roots and gnawing on tree bark is absolutely impossible. Do you all know who Queen Jiang is? She's the daughter of Minister Fang and the sister of Grand Commandant! When the Queen married King Jiang, the dowry from the Fang family covered Chengtianmen Street, stretching for more than ten miles from end to end! Upon arriving here, they heard that the people in Hebei were suffering, so they begged Grand Commandant to use merchant ships to bring everyone here, giving each person a piece of land to cultivate so they could be self-sufficient! They also used the dowry to buy a large amount of rice from the Kingdom of Linyi and distributed it to everyone free of charge, according to the number of people. There will be no problem eating until the autumn harvest!"

All the soldiers who accompanied her received an order and a set of rhetoric when they set off, which was that Fang Xiaomei's prestige among these immigrants would continue to rise because she might be able to promote the noble character and love for the people of Empress Jiang.

The soldier waved for the people to be quiet and continued, "Moreover, after landing, the government will properly settle everyone in more than ten settlements. In all the settlements, the Grand Commandant has already led the naval soldiers to cut down trees, make adobe bricks, and build houses to ensure that everyone and every family has a place to live! So what if there are snakes, insects, rats, and ants? So what if there is miasma everywhere? We Tang people are hardworking, simple, and dare to fight against nature!"

"Well said!"

"We are not afraid of hardship, not even of death, we are only afraid of not having enough to eat!"

"As long as the government stops exploiting us, even wasteland can be transformed into fertile fields!"

"It's nothing more than clearing land and building irrigation ditches; it's an easy job!"

Some people also asked, "But why is it the Grand Commandant who is in charge of building these houses here?"

The soldier quickly replied, "Because the Queen is pregnant, the Prime Minister and his wife were reluctant to part with their daughter who had traveled thousands of miles across the ocean. So they sent the Grand Commandant with physicians and medicines to comfort her. The Queen knows that everyone has come from afar and has gone through many hardships, and that the Jiang Kingdom is short of officials, so she asked the Grand Commandant to take charge of this matter."

The people were deeply moved. Even the most ignorant person knew what kind of person Grand Commandant Fang Jun was. He was a powerful minister with unparalleled achievements and immense power!

So many national affairs urgently need to be dealt with, yet now they've come to Chiang Kai-shek's country to build houses so that everyone has a place to stay after disembarking. How fortunate is that?

Ships docked one after another, and after an initial period of chaos, the dock officials gradually became familiar with the procedures and began to work in an orderly manner.

The people disembarked from the boats and were confined to a certain area. Then, medical officers conducted strict examinations on each of them. Those who were weak, sick, or suspected of having the epidemic were all taken to another place for separate isolation.

The rest of the men and women were separated and went through the same process as when they boarded the ship: soaking in a medicinal tub, changing into new clothes, and then having a hearty meal at another place on the dock. They walked upstream for a while and then boarded the ship again at a small dock, heading towards the resettlement point upstream.

Finally, it was the boat's turn. Chen Erniu held his daughter tightly in his arms and carefully stepped onto the land with the crowded people. Only then did his heart finally relax.

No matter how good anyone's words may be, Chen Erniu, who had come from hellish darkness, knew all too well the baseness of human nature. Whether it was losing his daughter in the chaos or being bumped while crossing the plank, either could have led to an irreparable tragedy...

When they arrived at the place to soak the medicinal herbs, Chen Erniu was in a dilemma because the man and woman had to be separated. However, his daughter was timid and clung to his hand, crying loudly. The little girl, who had experienced all kinds of misery, was like a frightened bird at this moment. She dared not be separated from her father for even a moment, and no matter who tried to persuade her, she would not let go.

Chen Erniu nervously pleaded with the physician beside him, "How about we don't soak her? My daughter's scared; she's afraid I'll leave her behind..."

The medical officer shook his head: "You have been sailing on the ship for many days. Although there are people who maintain hygiene during this time, in order to prevent you from contracting a disease and bringing it to Chiang Kai-shek's country, you must soak in a medicinal tub to kill the virus."

"I……"

Looking at his daughter who was wailing in his arms, Chen Erniu was at a loss and didn't know what to do.

At this moment, a woman dressed in simple clothes and with a slender figure appeared beside them. A faint fragrance wafted through the air as she moved, as sweet as orchids and musk.

She came to Chen Erniu's side, a gentle and kind smile spreading across her beautiful face. She stretched out a pair of slender, fair hands and said softly, "Don't cry, little girl. Shall I take you to the other side for a bath?"

At that moment, all the men present felt as if the light had suddenly become brighter, and the pungent smell of medicine from the barrels didn't seem so unpleasant anymore, carried on the gentle sea breeze.