After leaving Ceylon, the fleet continued sailing westward.

A few days later, a sailor on the lookout tower shouted, "Land ahead!"

Upon hearing the sound, everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a long coastline in the distance, with houses scattered in an orderly fashion and many merchant ships docked in the harbor, presenting a prosperous scene.

“That’s Calicut (present-day Calicut, India)!” Lan Dingyuan said, pointing to the nautical chart. “This place was an important hub for Western trade, attracting merchants from all over the world and carrying a wide variety of goods.”

Yun Si nodded slightly and ordered the fleet to slowly sail into the port.

Officials in Guli had already learned of the arrival of the Qing fleet and led an honor guard to welcome it at the dock.

They were dressed in magnificent silk robes and adorned with gold ornaments, making them appear exceptionally solemn.

Yunsi ordered three cannon salutes to be fired as a gesture of goodwill.

Upon hearing the cannon fire, the officials from Guli were startled, but quickly regained their composure and stepped forward to greet them, saying, "Welcome, distinguished guests from afar!"

Yinzhi responded 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."

After the translator relayed his words, the officials in Guli smiled even more broadly and invited Yun Si and his entourage into the city for a detailed discussion.

---

The customs and traditions of Guli are completely different from those of other Southeast Asian countries.

The streets were bustling with people; the men mostly wore headscarves, while the women wore brightly colored saris and were adorned with gold jewelry.

The market was filled with all sorts of goods: spices, gems, ivory, pearls... a dazzling array that was hard to look away from.

Yunxi looked around excitedly and said to Yunsi, "Eighth Brother, there are more things here than in Southeast Asia! Look at those gems, they're of such high quality!"

Yun Si smiled slightly, but his gaze was drawn to a peculiar stall on the street corner.

There were several thick books there, their covers embroidered with intricate patterns in gold thread.

He stepped forward, casually flipped open a book, and found that the characters inside were shaped like tadpoles, completely incomprehensible.

The stall owner was an elderly man with a white beard. Seeing that Yun Si was interested in the books, he said in broken Mandarin, "Sir, these are books from the Kingdom of Tianfang, which record astronomy, arithmetic, and medicine."

Yinzhi's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "How can these books be exchanged?"

The old man held up three fingers: "Three bolts of fine silk."

Without hesitation, Yunsi ordered someone to bring silk and put the several books into his pocket.

He had a vague feeling that these books might contain the secrets of the Westerners' power.

---

That evening, the King of Calicut hosted a banquet for the Qing delegation.

At the banquet, a businessman who claimed to be from "Lumos" showed Yun Si an exquisite "self-ringing clock".

The clock requires no human intervention; it rings automatically on the hour with a clear and pleasant sound.

Yun's eyes widened: "This thing is much better than our water clock! How can it make a sound on its own?"

The merchant explained proudly, "This was made by European craftsmen and has an ingenious mechanism inside."

Yun Si carefully observed the structure of the clock and was deeply impressed.

He realized that Westerners' skills had far surpassed those of the Qing Dynasty, and if he did not catch up, he would fall behind sooner or later.

He immediately proposed exchanging the porcelain for the clock, and the merchant readily agreed.

After the banquet, Yinzhi paced alone in the courtyard, his mind in turmoil. He picked up a pen and wrote down what he had seen and heard so that he could report everything to the emperor upon returning to the capital.

---

After leaving Calicut, the fleet continued westward and finally arrived at Rums in West Asia (now the Strait of Hormuz in Iran).

This place was a crossroads of trade between East and West, bustling with merchant ships and exceptionally prosperous.

When Lumes' officials learned of the arrival of the Qing fleet, they personally went to the port to welcome it.

They wore white robes and headscarves, and their manners were elegant.

Yinzhi noticed that several huge Western merchant ships were moored in the port. Their hulls were black and their masts were tall, which was completely different from the ships of the Qing Dynasty.

"Are those Westerners' ships?" Yun asked in a low voice.

Yun Si nodded, his gaze solemn.

Thinking of the "Iron Island" he encountered at sea, he became even more convinced of the power of Western countries.

At the market in Lumes, Western merchants brought many novel items: glassware, clocks, telescopes, and even sophisticated firearms.

Yun Si examined each item one by one, and each one amazed him.

Seeing his interest in firearms, a Western merchant took out a flintlock pistol and demonstrated its use.

He loaded ammunition, pulled the trigger, and the gunshot rang out like firecrackers, shattering the distant target.

Yun exclaimed, "These muskets are far superior to ours!"

Yun Si asked in a deep voice, "How can this be exchanged?"

The merchant smiled and said, "Ten bolts of silk, or porcelain of equal value."

Without hesitation, Yun Si ordered his men to bring the goods and replace several flintlock muskets and blueprints.

He knew that if these weapons could be replicated, it would greatly enhance the military strength of the Qing Dynasty.

---

During his stay in Lumes, Yun Si also met a scholar from Europe.

The man had blond hair and blue eyes, and was holding a thick book. He claimed to be proficient in astronomy, arithmetic, and navigation.

Yunsi invited the scholars to the ship for a detailed discussion.

The scholar displayed a world map marked with places like Europe and America that were unheard of in the Qing Dynasty.

Upon closer inspection, Yinzhi discovered that the Qing Dynasty was merely a small part of the eastern region on the map, while the Western countries occupied a vast area.

“Your Excellency,” the scholar said in broken official language, “European ships have sailed to all parts of the world, and their knowledge and technology are advancing by leaps and bounds. If the Qing Dynasty remains stagnant, it will fall behind the times.”

Yun Si felt a chill run down his spine and nodded solemnly: "Thank you for your guidance, sir."

He ordered people to bring him precious tea and porcelain, and exchanged maps and several scientific books with the scholars.

As the scholar departed, he said, "May the Qing Dynasty and Europe one day be able to maintain friendly relations and seek common development."

---

Before leaving Lumos, Yunsi summoned his generals for a meeting.

Pointing to the newly acquired world map, he said, "This journey to the west has shown us the power of the Western countries. Their ships are strong and their cannons are powerful, and their technology is superb. If the Qing Dynasty does not strive to catch up, it may be subject to their control."

Lan Dingyuan solemnly replied, "Eighth Master is absolutely right. After returning to the capital, we must report everything to the Emperor and make plans as soon as possible."

Yun slammed his hand on the table and said, "What's there to be afraid of! We'll go back and copy their firearms, build even bigger ships, and catch up with them sooner or later!"

Yunsi smiled slightly, his gaze firm: "It's good that you have such ambition, Tenth Brother. However, this matter needs to be considered carefully."

Yun Si stood on the deck, watching the port of Lumes gradually recede into the distance.

Yun walked over and patted him on the shoulder: "Eighth Brother, it's been almost three years since we came out. I wonder how Fourth Brother is doing now?"

Yinzhi gazed at the eastern horizon and said softly, "Yes, it's been three years... We know nothing about what the Qing Dynasty looks like now."

The fleet has changed course and begun its journey home.

This journey to the west not only brought back treasures to the Qing Dynasty, but also a vast world and the possibilities of the future.

Under the starlight, the fleet, like a giant dragon, meandered across the sea, heading towards home.