Chapter 1229 - The Road to Finding Family

Having learned nothing from Smida, Li Huamei drifted aimlessly toward the dock. Since she couldn't gather any information for the time being, she might as well return to the ship and inspect it thoroughly—see what modifications could be made. She'd long been curious about the Australians' ship modification technology: many old broken-down vessels, once they fell into Australian hands, would emerge looking beautiful when put back into service, with greatly improved handling and speed.

But these "magic modifications" were reserved for their own ships. Outsiders, no matter how much they offered, couldn't obtain such upgrades. Now that she'd joined up, she was technically "one of them"—whatever the Southeast Asia Company actually did, requesting ship modifications shouldn't be a problem—especially since she was willing to pay out of pocket.

For someone like her who made her living on the sea, a ship wasn't merely transport—it was where her life depended. In critical moments, a ship's condition often decided everything. So she was never stingy about money when it came to maintenance and outfitting.

In her mind she calculated: first, install a ship's wheel. This device that could change course with a light turn was far more convenient than a tiller. Then the sail system—the Australians seemed to use a hybrid rigging different from both Europeans and Chinese, achieving much higher wind efficiency than ordinary ships.

Most crucially, she needed more Australian cannons—she'd long had her eye on those short, thick carronades. The forty-eight-pound shells they fired could deliver devastating blows to enemy ships. Though not as good as the Australians' best cannons, equipping Hangzhou with these would make her invincible at sea—against anyone but the Australians themselves.

Additionally, she wanted to outfit her sailors with a batch of Nanyang-style rifles. The firing rate and accuracy of these weapons were enviable—especially in boarding actions, her men with such rifles would hold overwhelming advantages over enemies armed with matchlocks or even superior flintlocks. She didn't dare hope for the rifles used by the Fubo Army.

But upon inquiring at the shipyard, she was told they simply had no time to take her business—even as a Southeast Asia Company ship. If her modifications were urgently needed, the company would have to submit a report on her behalf to get Hangzhou added to the shipyard's production schedule.

Li Huamei had always believed there was nothing money couldn't accomplish—as long as you brought silver coins. Defeated for the first time by the planned economy, she felt quite unaccustomed.

Having no choice, she ran back to the Southeast Asia Company's office for help.

"You're here just in time," the female clerk said happily. "We were looking for you too. No need to modify Hangzhou for now. Here's your orders: in three days, you'll command Hangzhou to transport cargo to Kaohsiung."

"What?!" Li Huamei was still thinking about ship modifications when suddenly work was dumped on her. "Kaohsiung?"

"Yes, Kaohsiung." The clerk produced a document pouch. "Here's the voyage assignment book and charts. Take good care of them—they must be returned after the mission is complete."

Li Huamei knew Kaohsiung—she'd visited Tayuan multiple times before and knew Kaohsiung was on the coast not far from the Dutch port, in a place originally called Takao.

"Understood. I'll set out first thing tomorrow—" Since the Australians had work for her, she'd better show some enthusiasm.

"No, no," the female clerk quickly stopped her. "Ship departures have voyage assignments. You must sail according to the time specified in your assignment book—no unauthorized departures. That would be a serious violation. When doing work for the Chiefs, you must follow the rules. No acting on your own."

Li Huamei was lectured by the female clerk before finally slipping out. The feeling was absolutely terrible. She'd once been so free, and now it was as if she'd crashed into a net. Every step was hemmed in by countless restrictions—everywhere they asked for credentials, everywhere they wanted forms filled out. Rules, rules everywhere—even less freedom than under the young miss.

Li Huamei couldn't help sighing: Eat someone's food, put up with their rules. The Australians' seafood porridge wasn't that easy to swallow—too many rules. If not for searching for her sister's whereabouts, she really wouldn't have wanted to come here undercover.

Recalling how, years ago in a Macau tavern, the Navy "young turks" had tried to recruit her as captain, practically laying out all their assets—compared to that, the Australians had truly turned the world upside down in these few years. They were already beginning to show the manner of South China Sea overlords—she probably meant nothing to them anymore.

If she'd accepted their conditions and become their captain back then, perhaps she'd be a famous figure here by now. Thinking of this, she couldn't help feeling wistful.

Since she now had a specific mission and ship modifications weren't possible at the moment, she might as well use these three days to look for her sister. After all, she now had an identity card and could go anywhere in Australian territory without obstruction. While she was at it, she'd find herself somewhere to live—she didn't want to stay at her family's trading house anymore.

She'd been to Dongmen Market a few times before, but always with someone hosting and accompanying her. Going alone and at leisure was a first.

However, she felt somewhat uncomfortable in this "naturalized citizen uniform." Although for convenience in sea battles she'd always worn shorter skirts, walking around the street in trousers like a traveling entertainer still felt a bit "humiliating"—whether in Ming China or among Macau's Portuguese, no respectable woman dressed like this.

So from time to time she would unconsciously tug at the uniform's hem, as if trying futilely to make it serve some skirt-like function.

The road to Dongmen Market had been widened. The slow oxcarts once commonly seen were now fewer. The road was mostly filled with various horse-drawn vehicles—two-wheeled, four-wheeled, passenger, freight. Everywhere you could hear the jingling bells from horses' necks. Though the horses' quality wasn't great, their sheer numbers amazed Li Huamei. In all of South China, horses were rarely seen.

The Bopu transit station had public horse-carriages to Dongmen Market—ox-carts had all been discontinued due to their slow speed. But she'd long wanted to try the "steam-powered cars" that belched black smoke and could pull carriages on their own. Come to think of it, the Australians' vehicles and ships all belched black smoke, moved on their own without oxen or horses, and possessed immense power.

Li Huamei boarded the "Lingao City Rail" from Bopu to Dongmen Market. She knew Dongmen Market was the most bustling and lively place in Lingao. If her sister was working for the Australians, she'd surely appear there.

The city rail tickets were very cheap, so the carriages were packed with farmers and peddlers carrying vegetables, chickens, ducks, and various goods. Li Huamei bought a second-class ticket—though still an open car, because tickets cost half again as much as third class, the car was much emptier and positioned farther from the smoke-belching locomotive. Those in second class wore naturalized citizen uniforms like hers—workers and employees, with the occasional four-pocketed "official." They were the higher-income group in Lingao.

The small train ran briskly along the wrought-iron tracks. Li Huamei sat in the back seat—not only could she enjoy the scenery, but she could stay farther from the intermittent black smoke.

Looking around, all was lush green, dotted with many red and white brick houses. The route from Bopu to Dongmen Market had previously been mostly barren wilderness. Now many new residential areas and farms had been built along the road.

The flat terrain on both banks of the Wenlan River made for convenient irrigation and was particularly suitable for rice cultivation. Since ancient times, it had been Lingao's main agricultural region. But constrained by lack of water infrastructure and scarce labor, most land had remained undeveloped. In recent years, under the Agricultural Committee's continuous development, much land had been converted to standardized farmland. Multiple intensive state-owned farms had been established, worked by immigrants from the mainland settled in standard villages—no longer ordinary freeholders or tenant farmers, but agricultural workers under the Agricultural Committee.

Many entrepreneurially-spirited people skilled at farming—whether landlords or refugees—had received Tiandehe support to operate private farms of varying sizes. All these farms had been modified to some degree according to Agricultural Committee standardized farmland specifications—channels, roads, sluice gates, granaries, stables, groves... all neat and uniform, embodying a uniquely modern aesthetic.

The little train puffed black smoke and white steam as it raced through this beautiful countryside. A sea breeze blew past, dissipating the coal smoke's smell. The fresh wind brushed her cheeks, leaving her spirits refreshed. This picturesque scenery was the work of Australian genius—just as they'd built fast ships capable of sailing the four seas on what had been Bopu's barren beach. Utterly incredible.

What kind of magic had they mastered that could transform the mundane into the marvelous, turning stone to gold wherever they went? Li Huamei had once been merely curious about the Australians; now she was filled with reverence. So much so that her undercover mission was becoming less disagreeable.

She got off at Dongmen Market station. Dongmen Market had expanded into a sizable town—in scale and population, it now far exceeded the original county seat at Lin Town. And it continued spreading south along both banks of the Wenlan River. It looked like it wouldn't be long before the entire county seat was absorbed.

Li Huamei stood on the bustling, crowded streets of Dongmen Market, feeling utterly lost. Where was she supposed to find her sister amid these crowds? She couldn't even think of what to ask or whom—everyone here seemed to be hurrying somewhere. Where on earth could her sister be?

(End of Chapter)