The imperial Sea Ban had been in place for six or seven years now. Quanzhou, this ancient city once thriving from maritime trade, had declined completely due to the prohibition. The two tightly shut doors of the Maritime Trade Office stood with peeling paint and rusted locks, while the old ships docked at the harbor rotted away under the relentless wind and rain.
From the initial eager anticipation to the current abandonment of hope, no one spoke of the Sea Ban being lifted anymore. The city's population had dwindled sharply over the years. Apart from the old Quanzhou natives who remained, most had left in search of livelihood, and the once-bustling streets were now deserted, a far cry from the prosperous days of maritime trade.
Spring passed, autumn came—only the coral trees bloomed and shed their flowers, year after year, in an endless cycle.
Along with the city’s decline, the once-flourishing Zhen family had also faded into obscurity.
In the past, when people spoke of the Zhen family, they called them the wealthiest in Quanzhou. Their daughter had even married the Imperial Son-in-Law, and the Old Madam had been granted an Imperial Mandate—such glory and honor that everyone envied. To this day, the people of Quanzhou still remembered the lively scene when auspicious omens were discovered at the Zhen family’s shipyard and paraded through the streets with gongs and drums. The spectacle had stirred the entire city, and even now, the old Quanzhou natives recalled it vividly.
Ironically, that moment seemed to mark the peak of the Zhen family’s prosperity—after that, it all came to an abrupt halt.
For a time, rumors spread throughout Quanzhou that the Zhen family’s son-in-law had fallen out of favor with the emperor and been exiled beyond the frontier. From then on, the Zhen household grew desolate, with no more official sedan chairs coming and going at their gates. Though in the past two years, whispers had begun circulating again—that the Pei family’s son-in-law had been reinstated by the court, though his position was far less illustrious than his former post in the capital. Now, he guarded a border town against the Northern Barbarians, and the Zhen family’s daughter had followed him there. After a few sighs of pity, the matter was forgotten, and gradually, no one spoke of it anymore.
As for the Zhen family, over the years, they had weathered both honor and disgrace. They had experienced the fawning visits of high-ranking officials eager to curry favor, and they had also endured the cold shoulders of those who avoided them in the streets. Through these ups and downs, they had managed to hold fast to their principles. They dismissed the many servants and workers from their household and shipyard who were no longer needed, shut their main gate, and withdrew into seclusion. For years, the gate remained closed, and family members came and went only through the side entrance.
Now, with the Old Madam frail with age, the household was managed by Madam Meng, a widow by nature gentle and meek, yet she ran the household with remarkable competence. The family’s rural estates were overseen by Zhang Da, while domestic affairs were handled with the help of her daughter-in-law. Her son, though lacking great ability and occasionally foolish, was filial to the core. In recent years, he had been blessed with both a son and a daughter. Even more commendable was the fact that the widows and orphans from the shipyard still received the Zhen family’s care. Whenever this was mentioned, the old Quanzhou natives would raise their thumbs in praise of the Zhen family’s kindness.
That afternoon, a fast horse galloped along the yellow dirt road of the official highway from the direction of Fujian Circuit, heading straight for Quanzhou’s city gates.
The rider was a messenger from the Fujian Circuit yamen. As soon as he entered the city gates, he raced toward the prefectural office, shouting at the top of his voice:
"By imperial decree, the Sea Ban is lifted! By imperial decree, the Sea Ban is lifted!"Like a stagnant pond suddenly stirred into ripples, passersby halted in their tracks. The drowsy cloth shop owner behind the counter rushed out, women sitting by the door sewing shoe soles while sunbathing stood up, children rolling iron hoops dropped their toys, and even two cart drivers on the verge of a fistfight over a minor collision paused their quarrel.
All eyes were fixed on the dust-kicking figure of the messenger galloping ahead, their faces wide-eyed with disbelief.
Gradually, more and more people emerged from their homes, spreading the news among themselves, their expressions a mix of ecstasy and incredulity. Some began chasing after the messenger. The news spread like wildfire, and soon the entire city was in an uproar. People abandoned their tasks and flocked to the prefectural yamen, gathering at its gates, craning their necks and buzzing with speculation as they awaited confirmation.
By evening, an official notice stamped with a bright red seal was posted at the Wind and Rain Pavilion in front of the yamen. Bailiffs beat gongs as they patrolled the streets, loudly proclaiming the announcement. The long-sealed gates of the Maritime Trade Office creaked open on worm-eaten hinges that very night. Before darkness fell, word had spread throughout the city: the imperial court would soon reopen the Maritime Trade Office and resume overseas trade at southeastern ports including Quanzhou.
The streets filled with jubilant crowds beating gongs and drums. Suddenly, a firework shot into the southeastern sky with a whistle, bursting into a brilliant display—some household had prematurely set off their New Year's stash. Soon more fireworks followed, illuminating the long-deserted harbor beyond the city walls.
That night, all of Quanzhou boiled over with celebration. Even the city gates were exceptionally left open, as many citizens couldn't wait to inspect their long-idled ships by lantern light. The authorities accommodated this public sentiment by keeping the gates unbarred.
The Zhen household blazed with lights as Madam Meng personally brought the glad tidings to Old Madam's quarters.
Though nearly deaf and blind, the old matriarch's mind remained sharp. Upon hearing the news, she slowly made her way to the window with her cane, gazing at the distant fireworks as she murmured, "Is the world changing? Good... very good..."
Zhen Yaoting summoned Zhang Da to fetch two servants and bring out firecrackers and fireworks. Leading his five-year-old twins—the boy nicknamed Ping Ge and the girl named Xi Jie'er (meaning "Joyful Sister," in honor of their aunt and uncle's happiness beyond the frontier)—he threw open the long-sealed main gate. As the fireworks exploded, the children covered their ears and hid behind their father, squealing with equal parts fear and delight. Only after the last firecracker had spent itself did he lead his jubilant offspring back inside.
As night deepened, the crowds in streets and alleys gradually dispersed, yet countless household lights remained burning. Fathers consulted with sons, elder brothers called younger brothers, and old business partners reunited—all making plans under lamplight for the port's reopening. The Zhen household was no exception. Zhang Da summoned all available veteran employees still in the city that very night. Gathered around a square table with Zhen Yaoting, a dozen men pored over plans by oil lamp, their faces alight with excitement.Yuzhu and the cook prepared some late-night snacks and brought them outside. She had the cook deliver them inside while she returned to her room. Suddenly, she heard shouts from outside: "Madam! Young Master! Young Mistress! The young lord and lady have returned!"
Madam Meng barely had time to put on her shoes properly before leading her son and daughter-in-law out in a rush. Zhang Da followed with a lantern. When they reached the inner gate, they saw a pair of figures approaching from the opposite side, both dressed in casual travel attire. The man, nearing thirty, wore a woven hat and a dark outer coat. Beneath the brim, his face was lean, his brows gentle, and his eyes profound. Beside him was a woman in her early twenties, draped in a silver rat sable hooded Zhaojun coat—none other than Pei You'an and Jiafu, whom they hadn't seen in years.
"Mother!" Jiafu called out, rushing forward.
"A'fu!"
Madam Meng felt as if she were dreaming, unable to believe her eyes. Her long-separated daughter had suddenly returned, standing right before her.
She embraced her daughter tightly, tears streaming down her face—seven parts joy, three parts sorrow. As mother and daughter held each other, Yuzhu also teared up and stepped forward to greet Pei You'an. Zhen Yaoting, standing nearby, quietly offered a few words of comfort. Only then did Madam Meng snap back to reality. Seeing Pei You'an approach, she knew he intended to pay his respects. Hastily wiping her tears, she released Jiafu and stepped forward, exclaiming joyfully, "You're back! That's all that matters! And today, we also received news from the authorities that the court has lifted the Sea Ban. Your return tonight makes it doubly auspicious! Come inside, all of you!"
Pei You'an and Jiafu entered, exchanged greetings, and then went to see the Old Madam. That night, Jiafu stayed with Madam Meng, just as she had the night before her wedding. Mother and daughter shared a bed, talking endlessly, laughing and crying until the early hours, when Madam Meng finally sent her daughter back to her room.
Pei You'an was still seated by the lamp, holding a book, though his gaze was fixed and the pages remained unturned for a long while. Hearing footsteps outside, he set the book down, rose to open the door, and welcomed Jiafu inside.
The couple lay side by side. After a moment, Jiafu closed her eyes and slowly tightened her arms around his waist, whispering, "Elder Cousin, I'm a little afraid..."
Early the next morning, they would set off for Golden Dragon Island. That once extraordinary young man, driven by an unextinguished spark in his heart, had become a blue kite with broken wings, stripped of freedom and confined to the narrow cage of Golden Dragon Island.
Day after day, year after year. What would that young man look like now? Would the vibrant spirit she had once found unforgettable still linger in his eyes?
At this moment, Jiafu's mind flashed to the memory of Ci'er babbling his first word—"Mother"—in his tender voice. A vague fear, as if she were about to lose something, suddenly welled up in her heart.
She knew her husband beside her must understand the source of her fear.
Gazing into her eyes for a long while, he slowly drew her into his arms and kissed her slightly reddened eyelids.
"Sleep," he murmured, his voice unusually tender.
...
At dawn the next day, under the faint morning light, Pei You'an brought Jiafu to the Naval Base Port, where Dong Chengmao and Li Yuangui were already waiting. The couple boarded a large ship, and as the sailors raised the sails and rowed, they set off toward the open sea.On the day the great ship approached Golden Dragon Island, dusk was near, and the sea shimmered with golden scales under the setting sun. Jiafu stood at the bow, peering through a spyglass at the dark landmass ahead, which gradually became distinct. In her line of sight, the outline of another large vessel slowly emerged. As they drew closer, she could finally make it out clearly—a brand-new Fujian Trading Ship stood on a flat stretch of beach by the shore. Painted entirely in black, it had a pointed bow and a broad stern, both ends curving high into the air. The hull stretched about ninety feet in length, with a small sail at both ends and a main mast in the center. From afar, the towering mast seemed to pierce the clouds, and atop it stood a solitary figure.
The golden glow of the sunset cast a radiant outline on the vast white sail beneath the figure, as if framing a gilded painting. The indistinct figure, still unclear to the eye, moved like a fleeting scene within that canvas, utterly unaware of his own presence. One arm wrapped around the mast, the other reaching out, he appeared absorbed in adjusting the rigging at the top.
Jiafu’s heartbeat quickened slightly as she turned to Pei You'an beside her. His gaze was fixed unblinkingly on the blurred, busy figure atop the sail.
As their ship drew nearer, entering the alert perimeter, signal flags were slowly raised at the bow, fluttering in the wind. The watchtower guards, rotated seasonally, observed through their spyglasses and relayed clearance signals to the hidden artillery posts behind the rocky islets.
Unhindered, the ship docked at the shore. Through her spyglass, Jiafu could now clearly see the figure atop the sail—a young man with sun-darkened skin and a lithe, agile frame.
On the deck below, an old sailor sat cross-legged, leisurely smoking a water pipe. Spotting the approaching imperial vessel, he rose and walked beneath the sail, knocking twice on the mast with a dull thud.
The figure atop the sail finally noticed the unusual presence from the sea behind him.
He paused his task, slowly turning his head. Squinting against the piercing golden sunlight, he gazed at the approaching ship on the water.
His body stiffened. Suddenly, he released the dozen or so untied ropes coiled around his arm. Without their tension, the sail plummeted down the mast like a kite losing the wind, and the figure swiftly slid down after it. Before he could steady himself on the deck, he dashed to the ornately carved dragon-headed prow, flipped over the high-raised edge, and landed on the sand like a nimble leopard. Rolling once, he sprang up and sprinted barefoot toward the shore.
Pei You'an hurried down the gangway onto the beach, striding toward the young man rushing toward him.
This was Xiao Yu.
Years of imprisonment had transformed him from a boy of fifteen or sixteen into the young man he was now.
Vast Golden Dragon Island had become his prison after the great naval battle years ago. Apart from the rotating guards, only a mute old sailor kept him company.
When first confined here, he had been asked if he had any requests. After a long silence, the boy finally said he wished to build a Fujian Trading Ship capable of ocean voyages.His request was granted. Over these years, all the materials needed for shipbuilding had been transported across the seas to this place as per his requirements. Along with those materials came the mute old shipwright he called Uncle An.
Uncle An was an experienced sailor and a master shipbuilder who had constructed countless warships for the imperial dockyards. Under the guidance of this mute Uncle An, the young man had spent these years building his own seafaring vessel. He personally smoothed every piece of timber, shaping them as needed.
Beams, bulkheads, deck planks, rudder posts, oars...
The long days of confinement flowed like water through his fingers.
The Fujian Trading Ship gradually took shape, becoming what it was today. The boy of those days had grown into the young man now standing here, matured through years of daily toil.
Xiao Yu rushed toward Pei You'an, stopping abruptly just a few steps away, staring motionlessly at him.
Pei You'an strode forward to meet him.
"Yu'er!"
He reached out and firmly grasped Xiao Yu's arms.
"Shifu!"
After a brief pause, Xiao Yu threw himself onto Pei You'an's shoulder, tears instantly welling in his eyes.
Pei You'an embraced tightly this former student who now stood as tall as himself.
"Ah—"
Xiao Yu suddenly threw back his head and let out a long, loud cry, as if venting all the emotions pent up in his heart. The sound carried far on the sea breeze.
Pei You'an's eyes also gradually glistened with unshed tears. He patted Xiao Yu's back gently: "Yu'er, your Shifu came too late, making you endure so much suffering and hardship..."
Xiao Yu abruptly stopped his cry, wiped the tears from his face with one hand, and grinned at Pei You'an, revealing a set of white, even teeth.
"Shifu! This wasn't suffering or hardship! Everything back then was my own choice! I'm just happy! I never thought... I'd get to see you and Shimu again in this lifetime..."
His gaze shifted to Jiafu, who had disembarked and now stood nearby watching them with a smile. After studying her for a moment, he smiled and nodded at her, then took Pei You'an's hand and led him briskly toward the Fujian Trading Ship.
"Shifu, look! This is the Fujian Trading Ship I built with my own hands over these years, piece by piece! You know everything under heaven, Shifu, but no matter how much you know, I bet you don't understand which timbers go where in a ship! For beams and bulkheads, you can use chinquapin or camphor wood—but camphor mustn't be felled in spring or summer, or it'll powder and rot with time. Deck planks can be any wood, but rudder posts need elm or betel palm. Oars can be cedar, cypress, or catalpa. As for the keel and mainmast..."
Xiao Yu quickly guided Pei You'an up onto the ship's deck.
"They must be built with precious teak! It won't fear sun or rain, resists fire, and repels insects. Shifu, the keel and mainmast of my Fujian Trading Ship are extraordinarily sturdy. I just completed them days ago! When this ship finally sails, it'll fear no storm—even after decades at sea, it will never rot!"
Xiao Yu ran his hand along the thick mast, then turned to Pei You'an with shining eyes and a proud expression.
"Young Master—"
Dong Chengmao, who had accompanied them, hurried onto the deck and was about to kneel before Xiao Yu when the young man swiftly caught and raised him up.Xiao Yu sized up Dong Chengmao and laughed heartily, "General Dong, you've come too? How goes the battle against the Japanese Pirates? You must know, my only regret these years is not being able to fight alongside you all against them again!"
Dong Chengmao's eyes glistened with unshed tears, "Thanks to your blessings, young master, the pirate scourge has been eradicated. The court has also reopened the Sea Ban, bringing joy to all coastal residents."
Xiao Yu laughed loudly, "Excellent!" Then his gaze shifted to Li Yuangui, who had been standing silently to the side, and a faint look of puzzlement crossed his face.
Li Yuangui spoke, "Young master, Your Majesty has decreed that he once promised the realm that should the Young Emperor ever be found, he would be welcomed back to the capital. His Majesty has commanded this old servant to accompany these two officials to fulfill that promise. We request your immediate return to the capital, where Your Majesty will personally greet you at the outskirts, select an auspicious day for ancestral temple rites, announce it to the world, and restore you to the throne to uphold the heavenly way."
"Young master!"
Dong Chengmao knelt, his face filled with emotion.
Xiao Yu froze, his expression gradually turning solemn. Suddenly, he looked at Pei You'an and said, "Uncle An, I'd like to speak with you."
...
At dawn the next day, as the sun rose over the sea, the brand-new Fujian Trading Ship set sail with the tide. Xiao Yu and Old Uncle An raised the sails, catching the wind as the vessel gradually disappeared into the distance.
Standing tall at the bow, Xiao Yu waved his arm vigorously toward Pei You'an and Jiafu, who were watching him depart, and called out loudly, "Uncle An, Auntie! One day, after I've traveled the four seas and all under heaven, I will return to see you again!"
Li Yuangui knelt down and performed a deep, respectful bow in the direction of Xiao Yu's departure before rising again.
Jiafu watched Xiao Yu's shrinking figure, recalling the words he had spoken to Pei You'an.
He had said, "Uncle An, all these years, though I couldn't leave this place, my heart was never imprisoned. Never has my heart been so at peace."
"Uncle An, I am a selfish man. When I returned to the capital back then, I sought only my own peace of mind. Now my heart cannot bear the weight of the world's people."
"Uncle An, though seven or eight out of ten things in life may not go as we wish, the remaining two or three good things are enough to make one's heart yearn. I beg you to grant me this—from now on, breaking waves with the wind, sailing the vast seas—so that my life may not have been lived in vain!"
She thought of Ci'er, far away in the capital, and the unease in her heart grew stronger.
Where was Ci'er now, and what was he doing?
...
While the southern regions gradually welcomed spring, the capital thousands of miles away remained locked in winter's grip, with snowflakes swirling in the air.
A month prior, the emperor had suspended court sessions for nearly a month, citing illness. Not a single minister had been able to see him, leaving them deeply concerned. When he finally reappeared a month later, their worries eased.
Yet since then, the emperor's health had declined rapidly. He could barely walk without a cane and no longer held daily court sessions. When matters required attention, he summoned officials to the Imperial Study for discussions.
On this day, after concluding state affairs and dismissing his ministers, Xiao Lie called out to Ci'er, who had been sitting quietly behind a screen.
Ci'er sat at his desk, reading and writing. The emperor reviewed memorials. Cui Yinshui carefully added a few pieces of silver charcoal to the brazier, filling the warm room with peaceful silence.
"Grandfather Emperor, what does this mean: 'The ancients who excelled at governing the world considered the great and not the trivial, cultivated virtue rather than punishment, sought security while mindful of danger, pursued benefits while considering harms—only thus could they long enjoy fortune and prosperity'?"Ci'er held a book he had taken from the Imperial Study and approached the emperor, asking a question.
Xiao Lie glanced at it and explained with a smile.
Ci'er nodded, seeming to understand but not entirely. After a moment of thought, he asked again, "Grandfather Emperor, I often hear the ministers talk about 'the realm.' What exactly is this 'realm'?"
Xiao Lie paused, set down his brush, and ordered someone to fetch plain traveling clothes. After being dressed, he personally draped a cloak over Ci'er and placed a fluffy rabbit-fur hat on his head.
"Grandfather Emperor, are Father and Mother returning? Are we going out of the palace to meet them?" Ci'er's face lit up with joy.
Xiao Lie patted his head. "Grandfather Emperor is taking you out of the palace to show you what the realm truly is."
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