Chapter 206 Shipyard
Huang Tongwei personally served Chen Shiyi a bowl of soup.
"My father is a craftsman. He learned the craft of shipbuilding from a master when he was young, and then he started to make ships on his own. Now he owns the largest shipyard in Yujing County."
The four of them were shocked.
"Shipbuilding? It's not just the government that has the qualifications to build ships. Can civilians build ships now?"
Huang Tong said seriously.
"In the inland of Daye, large merchant ships are indeed built by government shipyards and registered. The only ships that can be built by the private sector are some light boats. However, Yuanzhou is close to the sea, so it is completely different. There are countless routes here, and the government shipyards cannot build so many ships. Therefore, private ships are allowed to be built, but there is a requirement, that is, in the event of a naval battle, civilian ships must be requisitioned unconditionally."
Chen Shiyi suddenly understood.
"Can private shipyards build ships as big as official ships? Or are there any specification restrictions?"
Huang Tong shook her head slightly.
"No, in fact, the government shipyard has no regulations on private shipyards because private shipyards simply do not have enough money to support the construction of such a large ship. Besides, if there is such a large ship, the government will try its best to let the large ship join the coastal defense border and use it for sea trade. The largest is only a two-dimensional pole ship. The four-dimensional pole ship is a warship, and warships can only come out of the government shipyard."
Chen Shiyi said with a smile.
“I don’t understand these things. I’m just a little curious.”
Huang Tong sighed slightly.
"Going out to sea is, in many cases, risking your life. To survive on this land, you can only rely on the sea for food. Look, my parents died while going out to sea, and their bodies were never found."
Chen Shiyi looked very solemn.
Huang Tongwei didn't seem to be very sad about her parents' departure. She is truly a brave and courageous woman.
"Do you think I have no conscience because I look so calm and composed?"
Chen Shiyi shook his head.
“No.”
Huang Tong laughed at herself.
"My parents taught me to be prepared for the possibility that they would drown in the sea. So over the years, I was already prepared. When I lost something, I was sad for a while before I felt better. Besides, my uncles and aunts were eyeing me covetously. If I was too sad, they would look down on me and think that I, a woman, could not manage my parents' business. They would come and snatch the things my parents left for me."
"So, I think Yuan Shu was my salvation. He helped me to fight off my uncles who bullied me and protected me."
Chen Shiyi looked up at Yuan Shu and was very pleased.
"You two have a good relationship, and that's what matters most."
Huang Tong took a deep breath.
"When I married him, many people laughed at me for marrying a fool. Ha, these people, their minds are clouded by desire and prejudice, so they think that pure and innocent people are fools. My husband is not a fool. He can do anything. He just thinks differently from others. He is many times better than those hypocritical people."
Chen Shiyi felt that he was very lucky to have come here and found Yuan Shu. He also discovered that Yuan Shu was already married, and his wife protected him, favored him, and loved him. This was really a great blessing.
It looks like she will be able to set off back tomorrow.
"I came here specifically to look for the Yuan Tree. Now that the Yuan Tree has been found, I will go back tomorrow."
Huang Tong asked in confusion.
"Stay here for a few more days, you just met?"
Chen Shiyi shook his head.
"I have been looking for Yuan Shu for the past few years because I was afraid that he would have a hard life outside. Now that he is with you, it is much better than being with me, so I have now fulfilled the wish of this trip."
Huang Tongwei was a very clear-headed person. Since Chen Shiyi had already made up his mind to leave, she stopped trying to persuade him.
On the other hand, Yuan Shu seemed unhappy.
"What's wrong?"
"Are you going to abandon me again?"
Chen Shiyi's heart suddenly choked.
"Yuan Shu, do you remember what happened before?"
Yuan Shu spoke to himself.
"They all said that you didn't want me anymore, that selling me meant abandoning me, and told me not to think about the past. But, Sister was the best to me, there was no way she would abandon me."
Chen Shiyi felt upset after hearing this.
"Yuan Shu, I'm sorry that I didn't find you in time and caused you so much injustice. But now you have finally gotten what you deserved. God will take good care of you."
Yuan Shu didn't know what the Heaven in Chen Shiyi's words meant. He only remembered deep in his heart that no matter what difficulties he encountered, he just had to call her Sister and she would always help him solve them. However, after so many years of thinking about her, she finally showed up, but now she was leaving again.
"Sister, don't leave. Stay and accompany Yuan Shu."
Huang Tong sighed slightly.
"Husband, my sister has her own things to do and her own home to return to. Can we prepare some delicious food for her on the way, or other fresh and interesting things to see her off?"
The next morning, Huang Tongwei suggested taking Chen Shiyi to see her shipyard.
At the entrance of Anhe Shipyard, the words on the plaque were vigorous and powerful. The workers inside were doing their work in an orderly manner. When they saw Huang Tongwei coming with a few strangers, they just glanced at them and lowered their heads to work seriously.
When Chen Shiyi looked at the ship under construction, he was simply amazed.
It was simply a huge monster. Chen Shiyi and his companions standing in front of it felt like stones in front of a mountain, extremely small.
Huang Tongwei told her that the ship under construction was 28 zhang long and 10 zhang wide, with four masts and six sails, and was about four meters deep in the water. It was the largest ship built by the public so far.
“Was it someone else’s decision?”
Huang Tongwei's expression, which was full of joy just now, now looks a little depressed.
"Yes, when my parents were still alive, it was my second uncle who negotiated the sale. However, the owner of the boat died when the boat was half-built, and he never paid me the money. Now I can only pay for it myself and finish it. Who knows who will buy it in the future and I can get my money back."
Chen Shiyi knew very well how much money would have to be put into completing the entire ship.
"Have you found someone to take over now?"
Huang Tong shook her head slightly.
"I wanted to ask the government if they could take it over, but they just wanted to take it for themselves. Later, my parents went out to sea again to finish building the boat, but they ended up losing everything."
Chen Shiyi didn't understand.
"Didn't the previous buyer have any follow-up contacts?"
"He was a young man with a wife and two children. After he passed away, his wife remarried with the children, and no one asked about the contract anymore."
Chen Shiyi disagreed strongly.
"Since you will have to pay for it yourself later, you must make sure the contract is clear. Otherwise, if you have built it and someone else comes to demand to fulfill the contract, it will be very difficult to handle."
Huang Tong nodded slightly.
"You're right. We've already considered this, so we took care of it. Otherwise, my parents wouldn't have taken such a big risk for no reason."