Chapter 1070 Sharing Half Upon Meeting

For Lu the carpenter, there were more surprises than unexpected ones.

He knew his father and elder brother had suffered a lot, but he didn't expect the opening to be so exciting. Lu the carpenter's heart raced and he had difficulty breathing. He held his elder brother's hand and remained silent for a long time.

"Because we couldn't deliver on our promises, we had no choice but to keep going."

Old Man Lu picked up the conversation, saying that they only had about twenty people left. If they continued to fight amongst themselves, they wouldn't be able to row the boat and would only be able to drift.

Therefore, the survivors need to trust each other, and they must first get together to eat.

The unexpected turn of events cast a long shadow over the survivors, who spent over a month in despair.

"Brother, there are more than twenty of you, why did only a dozen or so come back?"

Moreover, Lu the carpenter noticed that among the people disembarking, there were blond-haired, blue-eyed people whose appearance clearly indicated they came from the open sea.

“He was from overseas. His name was very long, and I can’t remember it. He gave himself a name from Daqi called Mutou (Wood).

Wood was very interested in the group and even offered them help; otherwise, they wouldn't be alive today.

There are many countries in the outer sea, some of which are at war and investigating spies. They were unidentified and did not have any kind of travel permit from the Great Qi, so they were almost captured and burned to death.

In the crucial moment, it was the wood that saved them.

"Wood is a missionary, much like the monks of Daqi."

Brother Lu scratched his head, feeling that the analogy was rather strange.

When Mu Tou learned that they were returning, he insisted on coming to Daqi with them. They had taken many detours and their journey back and forth was quite tortuous.

Fortunately, the ship returned along the same route, and the same thing happened again.

As for the remaining brothers, most of them died from malaria, and there was no cure.

It's a long story, so Brother Lu could only keep it brief. He tried to downplay the bad experiences they had gone through, but even so, Lin Yuesha could deeply feel their hardships.

"When we left, the fishing village wasn't like this."

Years later, the fishing village has undergone a dramatic transformation, with a shipyard now built.

"Father, elder brother, our big ship is about to be launched, and in the future we will be able to send merchant fleets to the open sea."

On the first voyage, Lu the carpenter would personally accompany the ship to prevent any unforeseen circumstances that might arise and to ensure a solution.

Brother Lu remained silent. For him, the trip to the open sea was a nightmare. He opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed his words.

"Captain, Old Man Lu, Brother Lu, you should first treat the crew to a meal. It's not too late to rest in the fishing village for a few days before going home."

Lin Yuesha stood up, leaving the others alone.

Seeing this, the old captain offered to inform the crew, leaving his family of three to catch up.

"Second brother, don't go to the outer sea. It's not as simple as you think."

Firstly, the language barrier makes it extremely difficult to transport goods. Secondly, the people overseas look very different from them, and they are quite xenophobic, treating them like monsters.

"If it weren't for Mu Tou's help, we wouldn't have made it back."

However, tea, silk and other goods from Daqi were very popular, while nobles from overseas seas coveted gemstones and other items, and they also used various oil paints to create paintings.

Old Man Lu added that this trip would broaden his horizons and allow him to bring back things from overseas to exchange for money.

Over the past few years, they have risked their lives, but now they have brought back a lot of gems and diamonds, which will definitely be sought after and sold for a large sum of money, enough for their family's future needs.

I wouldn't dare say I'll definitely become extremely wealthy, but if I don't live extravagantly, I'll have enough to live on for the rest of my life.

Once the gems are converted into money, Old Man Lu will build a large courtyard house in the countryside and buy dozens of acres of farmland.

“Your eldest brother is still single. I’ll find him a wife, and then I’ll find one for you. Once our Lu family has an heir, I can close my eyes in peace.”

Old Man Lu sighed deeply. After this trip, he realized that a simple and peaceful life is the true way to live. He should never think about seeking wealth and status through danger, as most people cannot withstand that kind of thrill.

"Father, elder brother, you're back!"

As the father and his two sons were talking, the door to the private room creaked open, and Zhang Daya appeared in the doorway, holding her one-year-old son, Ping An.

Old Man Lu and Brother Lu were almost speechless with astonishment. Had the woman in front of them come to the wrong house?

"Second brother, you're married?"

Old Man Lu was incredulous. There was no one at home, no one to take care of his son, and his second son was a quiet and reserved person. He thought he was still a bachelor.

“Come on, Ping An, call Grandpa and Uncle.”

Zhang Daya held her son and patiently taught him.

"Master..."

Xiao Ping'an suddenly spoke up, but couldn't say "Uncle" because he wasn't quite sure how.

"well!"

I never expected to come back with a grandson.

Old Man Lu was overcome with emotion, wiping away tears incessantly.

On the way back, as they got closer to Daqi, Old Man Lu grew increasingly afraid. He feared that something unexpected might happen, that someone might kill them and take all the gems for themselves.

After all, at this point, they were no longer of much use.

Fortunately, in the end, everyone lived up to each other's expectations. After surviving the ordeal, they trusted and helped each other, and worked together to return to Yingcheng.

However, Old Man Lu no longer had the courage to go to the open sea again.

"Dad, I'll take you and my older brother to visit the shipyard later."

Having been away from Daqi for so many years, Father and Elder Brother were unaware that Daqi had already undergone a complete transformation, and what they had just seen was the Empress.

"What?"

Old Man Lu leaned back and almost fell over, but Brother Lu was quick-witted and caught him in time.

The beautiful and noble young lady just now, is she the Empress of Great Qi? He must have misheard.

They are just ordinary people, they don't even know who the emperor is, and they spend their whole lives looking up to him but never seeing the great man who is high above them.

"Second brother, don't talk nonsense."

Brother Lu looked carefully and, finding no one else had heard, felt relieved.

If someone overhears your nonsense, it's a capital offense punishable by beheading.

Moreover, they went to sea without government approval, and so many people died; everyone involved is implicated.

He had intended to sneak away from the fishing village, but he was stopped as soon as he got off the boat. Old Man Lu was a little scared at this moment.

“Uncle, what my husband said is true. That person just now should be called the future Empress.”

Zhang Daya handed Xiao Ping'an to Lu the carpenter, and then talked about the current situation.

Things are different now. General Qi has returned in triumph and will ascend to the highest position upon his return to the capital.

"As for the things on the ship, hand over half to the government and you can keep the other half."

Zhang Daya thought it was fair, since the imperial court had explicitly prohibited going to the outer seas without permission, and to some extent, they had indeed violated the laws of the Great Qi.

"If it could be like that, it would be perfect."

Old Man Lu nodded repeatedly, thinking that he would be satisfied with keeping at most one-fifth.