There was a fire on the ship not far away, but it was quickly extinguished; then Zhou Huai'an got a corresponding return, and the fire was only part of the deck, and some accumulated sails and debris were burned.
But when he walked into the parking lot by the sea and took a closer look, he couldn't help but let out a big admiration. Although he has seen many ancient ship models and corresponding restored pictures in modern times, when he approached and saw the real objects with his own eyes, he still felt a little astonished.
Because this sea-going ship is much larger than those he has seen before, and in appearance, there is no lack of sculpted beams and painted ridges, shanks, and multi-layer paint and color exterior coating, which seems to have its own natural atmosphere and atmosphere. Pleasing beauty.
However, several of them were thrown on the ground and stepped on a lot of footprints and mud, but it is difficult to hide the exquisitely textured golden dragon flag with a mysterious background, which further proves its special identity; this is obviously a ship that escaped from Guangzhou because of The wind and waves were damaged, and the large tribute boats drifting and stranded near the local port. So it looks like it's already stuck in the mudflat, and it's bottoming out.
This unique sea ship looks round-headed and square-tailed with a flat belly. The bow and tail are about twenty feet long, seven or eight feet wide, and two to three feet high. There are one large, two small and three sail masts at the front and back, but there are two of them. The large mast, together with the folding rigid sail, has been slanted and broken on the deck; it seems that the overall basic load is at least between two thousand and three thousand materials {Tang system: one material on the ship is heavier than the same stone, About 350 tons to 400 tons in modern times},
At the end of the trestle bridge that extends directly to the side of the ship along the mudflats along the coast, you can also see some wooden scaffolding, earth stacking platforms, footrests, etc., which are supported by the ship’s hull, as well as a large amount of piled up large and small wood materials and used for Temporary shelter or something. Among them was a large piece of wood that had been planed clean and white, and just leaned on the side of the boat and fell slantingly in the mud.
Obviously, it is conceivable that under the strong request from the people on this stranded tribute ship, the officers and soldiers stationed there had to concentrate their manpower and material resources. They rushed to build a temporary wharf here, and wanted to carry out a limited amount of work on this tribute ship. For example, try to replace the large wood needed for the mast, so that it can float again at high tide, and there is enough wind to drive into the open sea.
If it weren't for Zhou Huai'an to suddenly lead the team to kill, maybe two or three days later when the tide is suitable, they will pull the anchor and set off.
But there were more new discoveries near the ship, except for a group of artisans and civilians who knelt down on the ground in panic and begged for mercy, waiting for the victor to deal with it; also found a lot of people who were thrown on the coast and were inverted. The tide washed away the corpse; although the rebels on the corpse were soaked and swollen, and all their belongings were found, it turned out that they belonged to the officers and soldiers from the remaining personal clothing.
It looked like it was the result of an infighting and sing-and-kill. Among them, several eunuch corpses who were suspected of being pampered were even found, which seemed interesting. It seems that the Huainan army that was attacked by him not long ago is obviously not the same with the fugitives on the ship, but with different thoughts and motives.
However, the apprentice team, which was the first to board the ship and controlled the situation, did not actually encounter any real obstacles; because before they rushed over, the people who set fire on the ship saw that the situation was not good early, and the boat had been released from the side. , And there is only a back left behind. At least the current rebels do not have the ability and motivation to continue chasing them.
After confessing the corresponding alert and blockade manpower, Zhou Huaian had just boarded the ship’s side along the seven-turns and eight-turns, and he heard successive shouts from the dull back of the cabin, and finally went from an open cabin. A head stuck out.
"Tube...pipe...pipe head..."
It was Mi Bao'er, the apprentice captain who entered the cabin first, as if shocked by something, a little excited and stammer screamed.
"There are so many things in it..."
"Hurry up and see..."
Although it has leaned aground, but because of the strong and sturdy material of the hull, there is no obvious leakage or water seepage. Only some decks and railings are soaked in wind and waves, and there is only dry salt and frost in the crevices; After entering the inner cabin along the wooden steps, the inside was not as dark and humid as Zhou Huaian had imagined, but exuded a unique smell of high-quality wood soaked in seawater and dried out.
After thinking about it, he scratched the wall board with his short knife, but he was so tough that he didn't leave any traces. Then, he shaved off a trace of sawdust on the wall with great force, and suddenly revealed the rich and delicate texture inside, and this thread of sawdust also made him smell a faint fragrance, but it was not the kind of insect-proof camphor wood. of.
He suddenly remembered that he had smelled a similar smell at the upper level of the antique market fair in his hometown. Actually it is nanmu, this ship is actually made of nanmu; although in his discussions about the history of Chinese shipbuilding, he accidentally learned that some people used nanmu to build ships and other furniture in the Tang Dynasty, because the phoebe wood is very hard and extremely hard. Corrosion resistant, even if it is immersed in sea water, it can be used for many years.
At that time, I only felt that the people of Tang Dynasty were really aggressive, but I didn't expect to witness it with my own eyes. The materials used for this ship alone can be compared with the golden nanmu hall in the Forbidden City of later generations. It is indeed the prosperous Tang Dynasty in history, even if it has reached the late stage of decline and collapse, it still has such a phenomenon. Ye Ze and retention.
However, if it is used as a tribute boat for long-distance sea routes, it is only natural to use the best materials. According to the "Naituluyu" booklet that the later generations on board seemed to be rather crude, the destination of their voyage should be at Penglai Port in Dengzhou, which is a thousand miles away from the sea.
Although there is nothing special from the outside, once inside, it is easy to be decorated with beautifully decorated curtains, painted wall paintings, and the structure and furnishings of carved beams and paintings. . There are not only immortals and graceful Bodhisattvas who ride the wind and drive the clouds and hold the sun month by month; there are also the cranes that offer rebirth, the dragons that prosper the clouds and the rain; there are also some men and women with obvious foreign styles.
However, most of these layouts have been hacked by various knives and axes, which have been damaged severly. The more they go in, the more obvious they are, and some air-dried blood stains splashed on the ground and walls can even be seen. . It can be imagined what happened during this period, and it can also explain how the abandoned corpses on the beach came.
After searching several rooms of different styles and purposes, Zhou Huaian finally set up a room in the ship that was particularly beautifully framed and covered with silk hangings, but it was covered with dry and black blood stains. One place was hidden in the wall. Going up to the locker behind "Shanhe Jingxiu", I found a stack of account books wrapped in silver silk and the corresponding note sheets.
Then, based on these accounts and notes, he personally carried the special fire-proof lantern up and down the ship, and checked it carefully.
The entire ship is divided into four and a half layers, and most of the ballasts in the largest bilge are from Chenla, Champa and other state states, or from Jiaozhou, Leizhou, Huzhou and other places in Annan. , Such as rouge rice, bijingmi, etc.; bags of stacked bags are stacked up to the old height; then heavier materials and materials such as hematoxylin and sandalwood wrapped in fine linen;
Next is the second floor, which is packed in a special wax-sealed thin wooden barrel, with various pickled dried fruits and concocted dried and fresh food; there is also a half warehouse containing a variety of valuables including fur, silk and silk, in bundles. The horses are packed in a large box of camphor wood.
From the third layer, the moisture-proof teak board and tung oil sand are used to separate several smaller compartments, various small containers wrapped in good rattan paper, which contain some large and small lumps, or granules or powders. , Ointment-like things are precious fragrance medicines and other things from outside the territory. Zhou Huai'an only had the suspected musk and dragon feast incense among the personnel.
The value and fineness of the goods on the fourth floor are up to a new level or even better; in the largest compartment, there are hundreds of pots of rare flowers and plants, blooming in the dark warehouse. In another compartment filled with neat straws, there are many boxes containing cups, plates, bowls, cups, pots, and bottle-shaped porcelain;
The style is also extremely ingenious, there is a double-headed crested pot, a three-color flat dragon plate, a broken blue patterned animal head bottle, and a peacock swallowing a bottle in a series. . In contrast, the ordinary daily-use porcelain found in Hong Kong can only be described by the difference between pearl jade and clay.
The uppermost half of the deck building is also the most valuable and most precious thing in the ship; in addition to the upper daily living cabins, the one near the stern tower is not too big, but is stored with iron-clad doors. Between. The first thing that catches the eye is the rows of containers and cabinets.
The outermost ones are all kinds of gold ingots that were cast into round cakes, horseshoe shapes, and non-shaped shapes, which were called "Golden" at the time; there were also large silver collars that were smelted called boat-shaped and flat long pieces, commonly known as "pig waist silver". Zi, drawer after drawer, filled with seven or eight boxes of layers in the cage. In other heavy ebony boxes, there are exquisite treasures wrapped in silk and velvet cushions and inlaid with pearls and jade; there are wine vessels, eating utensils and tea sets, as well as hook-and-sweeping boxes and smoked cages.
The gold and silver products of this era, because of the differences and deficiencies in the smelting process, often contain impurities of different degrees, and show various textures and variegated colors in appearance; and then have various names according to the difference of origin. The so-called "pine pattern gold", "snowflake silver", "water vortex silver" and the like.
Then there are a whole box of pearls and large polished clamshells and tortoise shells, a whole snow-white coral like tree branches, and even a pair of translucent turbid smoky colored lotus petals lamp, a large piece of jade inlaid on the whole surface Screen fans; in some smaller boxes, there are colorful topaz and agate rough stones.
Finally, in another adjacent cabin with a strong flavor, there were even more than a dozen silver-wire cages filled with fighting cocks and big geese with bulging heads, using fine white rice mixed with fish and shrimp as feed; obviously; In order to please a young emperor who is far away in the capital, he specially buys things to play and enjoy.
The other one was filled with various documents and books, which seemed to be brought out in a hurry from Guangzhou; since these were brought out deliberately and did not want to fall into the hands of the rebels, it is undoubtedly another kind of thing. Valuable wealth in the sense.
"This is a big deal..."
After a lot of scrutiny, Zhou Huaian could be called well-informed in later generations, and he couldn't help being overwhelmed by the sudden and flood of happiness in his heart; this is the treasure of the prosperous Tang, just put it in the next generations. This is enough to make ordinary people get rich overnight, and become a rich class who only needs to eat and wait for death in the second half of their lives.
Even in this era, it also represents the huge wealth value recognized by the top level of society, enough to make oneself free from the peasant army, and no worries about rearing a bunch of women of all kinds, since then extravagant desires. Desolate to death.
Just a tribute boat from Guangzhou has reached this level; after the treasures and tributes from all over the world gathered in Chang'an City, it should be such a situation and grand occasion; it really deserves to be the world. The top of the pyramid of the exploiting class and the independent husband who is dedicated to one's extravagance for billions of people.
Then he felt a little distressed and sad again. What kind of methods and methods are needed to take these as his own? Is it to kill all those who have no opinions and may know? After thinking about what might happen in reality, Zhou Huaian's remnant sanity and the socialist three-view education he had received since childhood, finally slowly re-emerged in the maddening enthusiasm.
It took me a while to adjust my mood and self-identification, and it was so easy to calm the mood of the many gains and losses; after all, no matter how many things are on this ship, can I still swallow it alone and live on my own? How much can a person take away. Even if it can be taken away, how can it be kept from being coveted and taken by others
Returning to reality, he found that there were not many choices he could make; after all, although these things were of great value, in the hands of the rebels, there was no realization at all except for the rice that was directly used. There are channels and ways; in other words, there is no external environment and conditions that can be transformed into ready-made resources in a timely manner.
Even those gold cakes and silver collars are not formal currencies that can be directly used for circulation, but are collected in the form of some kind of tribute to the public and then used as valuable objects for court rewards and private play. The main currency in circulation in this world is still copper coins of all kinds, as well as silk and silk as a large amount of currency and equivalent circulation.
Therefore, in these days, if you really take ingots of gold and silver directly and carelessly, to buy things or pay the price, the greatest possibility is that you will be arrested by the newspaper officer and be brought into a lawsuit for stealing official property; In fact, holding a piece of silk is more reliable and more recognized than directly taking gold and silver.
"Get that fat hole here, he should come in handy."
Zhou Huaian couldn't help but commanded Xiao Qi who was on the deck.
"Identify and evaluate the value..." (End of this chapter)