After leaving Annam, the fleet continued sailing south.

The azure sea stretches to the horizon, occasionally punctuated by flying fish leaping out of the water, leaving a silver streak in the sunlight.

On the deck of the flagship "Zhenhai", Yunsi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing intently into the distance.

Yun was enthusiastically fiddling with a newly acquired musket, humming a little tune.

"Myth brother, I heard that spices from Java are more valuable than gold. We're going to make a fortune this time!" Yun said with a grin.

Yun Si smiled slightly, his tone steady: "Tenth Brother, we must be cautious in trade and not be greedy. However, if the rumors are true, this trip has certainly been worthwhile."

No wonder Ninth Brother is so obsessed with business; anyone would be confused in that situation.

A few days later, the fleet arrived at the coast of Java.

Looking into the distance, the port was filled with all kinds of merchant ships, and the docks were bustling with people.

Javanese merchants had long heard of the Qing Dynasty's renowned fleet and came to greet them.

They wore brightly colored silk robes and gold ornaments, making them look exceptionally rich and magnificent.

After the fleet docked, Yun Si ordered three cannon salutes to be fired as a gesture of goodwill.

The Javanese official, accompanied by a translator, stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Welcome, distinguished guests of the Qing Dynasty, from afar!"

Yinzhi nodded slightly and replied in fluent Mandarin: "Thank you for your hospitality. His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty has specially sent us here, wishing to exchange goods with your country and seek common prosperity."

The translator relayed his words to the Javanese official, who smiled even more broadly and immediately invited Yinzhi and his entourage into the city for a detailed discussion.

---

Trade between merchants took place near the port.

Merchants from the Qing Dynasty displayed their goods one by one: blue and white porcelain from Jingdezhen, Suzhou embroidery screens, tea from Fujian, rouge and face powder from Yunxiang Pavilion... The dazzling array attracted Javanese merchants to stop and admire.

A Javanese merchant picked up a blue and white porcelain bowl, stroking its surface with obvious delight, his eyes filled with amazement.

He asked through the translator, "How much incense can I trade for this porcelain?"

The Qing Dynasty merchant smiled slightly and crossed two fingers: "Ten catties of top-quality cloves."

It's just a very ordinary porcelain bowl...

The Javanese merchant's eyes widened, and after a moment's hesitation, he gritted his teeth and nodded: "Deal!"

He turned around and ordered someone to bring over a bag of cloves. He carefully took the porcelain bowl, as if it were a priceless treasure.

On the other side, several Javanese ladies surrounded Ninth Master's cosmetics stall, chattering amongst themselves.

They had never seen such exquisite cosmetics, especially the rouge set inlaid with pearls, which captivated their eyes. One of the ladies eagerly asked, "How do I exchange this?"

After the translator relayed the words, the Qing Dynasty merchant gave a thumbs up and laughed, "A box of rouge, in exchange for ten South Sea pearls."

It means: I want pearls this big, not the small ones.

The ladies exchanged smiles and, without hesitation, pulled out their pearls, afraid that someone else would snatch them first.

In a short time, dozens of boxes of rouge were sold out, while the pearls in the merchant's hands had piled up into a small mountain.

Yunxi watched in disbelief and whispered to Yunsi, "Eighth Brother, this deal is too profitable! Ninth Brother's rouge only costs a few taels of silver a box in the capital, but here it can be exchanged for ten large pearls!"

Yun Si smiled without saying a word, his gaze sweeping over the bustling trading scene in the market.

Although the merchants did not speak the same language, they cooperated perfectly through gestures and translation.

The Qing Dynasty merchants kept quiet, tacitly agreeing to exchange their goods for more valuable Southeast Asian treasures.

---

After leaving Java, the fleet continued its voyage and arrived in Malacca (present-day Malacca).

Malacca was an important trading hub in Southeast Asia, attracting merchants from all over the world and offering a wide variety of goods.

The merchants here are more shrewd than those in Java, but they still flock to the goods brought by the Qing Dynasty.

At the markets in Malacca, Qing Dynasty silk and tea became hot commodities.

A Malacca merchant stroked the smooth silk and exclaimed, "The quality of this silk is better than any I have ever seen!"

After the translator relayed the words, the Qing Dynasty merchant laughed and said, "This is top-quality Suzhou brocade; one bolt can be exchanged for twenty catties of pepper."

The Malacca merchant thought for a moment and readily agreed.

He turned and ordered someone to fetch pepper, while whispering to his companion, "This silk will fetch at least three times its price when it reaches Arabia!"

When Yun Si heard the translator's retelling, a smile flashed in his eyes.

He whispered to Yunxi, "Tenth Brother, do you see? Our goods are treasures in their eyes, and their spices are equally valuable to us. This round trip brings in more than ten times the profit."

Yun laughed heartily: "Brother Ba, the goods I brought back this time will be worth at least dozens of times more!"

---

Then they arrived at Brunei (present-day Brunei).

Brunei is rich in gold and gemstones, and its wealthy merchants have a particular fondness for porcelain from the Qing Dynasty.

A Bruneian chieftain took a fancy to a set of blue and white porcelain tea set and asked with great interest, "How much gold does this tea set cost?"

Upon hearing this, the Qing Dynasty merchant pretended to ponder for a moment, then said, "Ten taels of gold."

Without saying a word, the chief ordered his men to bring the gold, and the deal was made on the spot.

He also specially invited Qing Dynasty merchants to his residence, hoping to establish long-term cooperation.

Other buyers also came to make transactions after seeing the news, and the scene became very lively.

As night fell, the fleet's accounting office was brightly lit.

The merchants tallied up the day's transactions one by one, the abacus clattering loudly.

Yun Si picked up the ledger and examined it carefully, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Porcelain, silk, tea, rouge and face powder... the spices, pearls, gold and gems we exchanged for are worth dozens of times more than the cost."

Yun excitedly slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Eighth Brother, Fourth Brother will be overjoyed when we get back!"

Lan Dingyuan and his guards, who were patrolling outside, were also overjoyed. He had earned so much silver for the court on his first assignment, and their entire fleet would receive a share of the profits. Just thinking about it filled them with energy.

Yunsi closed the ledger, his gaze deep: "Tenth brother, the benefits of trade are only one aspect."

More importantly, we showed the Southeast Asian nations the wealth and power of the Qing Dynasty. This was His Majesty's true intention.

---

In the stillness of the night, Yun Si went to the deck alone and gazed at the starry sky.

The sea breeze brushed against his robes, bringing a touch of coolness. Recalling his journey, from Taicang Port to Annam, Java, Malacca, Brunei... he not only brought back treasures, but also the awe and respect of the Southeast Asian nations for the Qing Dynasty.

"Eighth Brother, what are you thinking about?" Yun's voice came from behind.

Yinzhi smiled slightly: "Tenth brother, I've been thinking that the South Seas are far more vast than we imagine. If the Qing Dynasty can maintain such sea routes, how can we worry about the country not being strong and the people not being prosperous?"

Yun nodded emphatically: "That's right! When we get back, we'll have a good talk with Fourth Brother and ask him to send more merchant ships in the future!"

Yun Si patted his shoulder, his gaze firm: "Let's go, go and rest."

The next stop is Ceylon, getting further and further away from the Qing Dynasty.

With mixed feelings of excitement and sadness, everyone drifted off to sleep, leaving only the helmsmen meticulously watching the calm sea.