Chapter 464 Tan Chun Goes to Sea
The sea breeze is blowing and the banners are waving.
At the Tianjin Port docks, a massive fleet is making its final preparations for departure.
This is a newly established ocean-going fleet by the imperial court, and the leader is none other than Fan Huaiqing, the former capable assistant of Yuan Hongqu.
"Is Third Sister really going to go to sea with the ship?" Daiyu asked, holding Tanchun's hand, her eyes full of worry.
Tan Chun, dressed in a smart nautical outfit, looked dashing and said, "Second sister, don't worry. I'm accompanying you as a special instructor from the Women's Academy, responsible for taking care of the thirty students traveling with us. Lord Fan is very experienced, so everything will be fine."
Yuan Hongqu also came to see them off. She handed Tan Chun a thick nautical logbook: "This is what I wrote down when I was on the ship. It may be useful to you. Remember, the sea is not like the land. Be careful in everything you do."
Tan Chun solemnly accepted it: "Rest assured, Mr. Yuan, Tan Chun will certainly live up to your expectations."
On the day the fleet set sail, the capital city was deserted as everyone flocked to the city.
People flocked to watch the fleet carrying women on their voyage.
What's even more amazing is that the fleet not only includes sailors, but also female students from the Women's Academy—they will accompany the ship to record the sights and sounds of overseas places and learn about navigation.
Tan Chun stood on the deck of the flagship "Jin Guo Hao" and looked at the receding coastline, her heart filled with boundless pride.
She recalled that when she was in the Jia family, her biggest troubles were nothing more than the trivial matters between the sisters. She never thought that one day she could set sail and go far away.
Sailing is not always smooth sailing.
Many students were unaccustomed to going to sea for the first time, with many experiencing vomiting and seasickness.
Despite her own discomfort, Tan Chun took meticulous care of each student.
"Look! Dolphins!" A student suddenly exclaimed, pointing to the sea.
Groups of dolphins were playing around the boat, shimmering silver in the sunlight.
The students flocked to the ship's side to watch, their days of listlessness vanishing instantly.
Tan Chun smiled and said to Fan Huaiqing's adopted son, Fan Yuanhang, "It seems that bringing them out was the right thing to do. Only by seeing such a sight with their own eyes can they know how vast the world is."
Fan Yuanhang is a young man in his early twenties who has been sailing with his adoptive father since childhood and has a wide range of knowledge.
He pointed to the nautical chart and said to Tan Chun, "We will arrive in Siam in three more days. The markets there are very interesting."
Sure enough, when the fleet arrived in Siam, the students were captivated by the exotic atmosphere.
Tan Chun led them to visit local markets, record local customs and traditions, and collect plant specimens.
What surprised them most was that they discovered many crops in Siam that did not exist in China: there was a kind of red chili pepper that grew on branches, so spicy that it made people not want to eat it; and there was a kind of tuber that grew underground called "potato", which could be used as a staple food.
"If these could be brought back to the Central Plains and planted, they would surely benefit the people." Tan Chun carefully recorded the growth habits of these crops.
Fan Huaiqing's adopted son, Fan Xiang, assisted from the side, and the two worked together seamlessly.
After spending several months together, he grew to admire this intelligent and decisive woman from the capital even more.
The fleet continued its voyage, arriving in Java, Ceylon, India, and other places.
Wherever she went, Tan Chun would lead her students to go deep into the countryside, learn local skills, and collect crop seeds.
In Ceylon, they learned new methods of tea making; in India, they collected cotton seeds; and even in faraway Arabia, they brought back a beverage called "coffee".
However, the sea is not always peaceful.
That day, the fleet encountered a storm, and towering waves nearly capsized the ships. The students were terrified, but Tan Chun remained calm and composed, assisting Fan Xiang in directing the operation with composure.
"Don't panic, everyone! Hold on tight to the ropes!" Tan Chun's voice was still clear in the strong wind. "Remember Mr. Yuan's words, the more dangerous the situation, the calmer you must be!"
The storm lasted all night.
As dawn broke, the sea finally calmed down. A headcount of the damage revealed no injuries, only that some of the collected specimens had been damaged by seawater.
Fan Xiang looked at Tan Chun, who was exhausted but still comforting the students, and his heart was moved: "Miss Tan Chun, we are so grateful to you this time."
Tan Chun wiped the seawater from her face and laughed, "Likewise. If it weren't for Young Master Fan's rich experience, we probably wouldn't have escaped this calamity."
After going through this ordeal together, their feelings for each other quietly deepened.
The fleet returned two years later.
Tianjin Port was once again packed with people.
As the fleet slowly entered the harbor, deafening cheers erupted from the shore.
Daiyu and Yuan Hongqu were waiting at the dock early in the morning. They both breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Tanchun return safely.
To their even greater surprise, the fleet brought back hundreds of kinds of overseas crops, as well as a wealth of valuable nautical data.
"These are all treasures!" Yuan Hongqu stroked the seeds, her voice trembling with excitement. "If we could promote their cultivation, I don't know how many lives we could save!"
When the emperor learned of this, he was overjoyed and specially held a banquet in the palace to welcome the fleet.
At the banquet, Tan Chun gave a detailed report on the achievements of the voyage, which the Emperor praised repeatedly.
Even more surprisingly, Fan Xiang proposed to Tan Chun on the spot: "Your Majesty, I share the same ideals as Miss Tan Chun and wish to marry her and serve the country's maritime cause together!"
The Emperor laughed heartily: "Excellent! What a perfect pair of lovebirds! I grant permission!"
Tan Chun blushed, but did not refuse.
Over the past two years of living and working together, she had already developed feelings for this brave and upright navigator.
After marriage, Tan Chun continued to be in charge of the academy's overseas study programs.
Every year, women go out to sea on the ship, and they not only broaden their horizons but also bring back more knowledge from overseas.
What pleased Daiyu the most was that those overseas crops were successfully cultivated in China.
Potatoes, peppers, corn and other crops have been gradually promoted, greatly enriching people's dining tables.
On this day, Tan Chun and Fan Yuanhang came to say goodbye again. This time they were going to a more distant place—it was said that there was a new continent on the other side of the sea.
"How long will you be gone this time?" Daiyu asked, reluctant to leave.
Tan Chun smiled and said, "It will take at least two years, and at most three years. But don't worry, sister, we are experienced now, nothing will happen."
She pointed to a group of female students on the dock, all dressed up and ready to go: "Look, there are even more students traveling this time than last time. They all want to see the world on the other side of the sea with their own eyes."
Yuan Hongqu handed Tan Chun a newly compiled nautical manual: "This is based on your experience from the last voyage. You might find it useful."
The fleet set sail again, and Tan Chun stood on the deck, waving goodbye to her relatives and friends on the shore. The sea breeze blew through her long hair and brought out her radiant smile.
Fan Xiang held her hand: "Do you regret marrying me, a man who spends his days adrift at sea?"
Tan Chun shook her head: "Being able to see all the scenery of this world with you is my greatest fortune."
As the sun set, the fleet gradually disappeared into the horizon.
Daiyu gazed into the distance and whispered, "Granny, do you think Third Sister is doing well now?"
Yuan Hongqu smiled: "She has found a world that truly belongs to her, and that is more important than anything else."
Yes, Tan Chun finally broke free from the constraints of the deep mansion and found her own value in the vast ocean.
Her story inspires many more women to bravely pursue their dreams.
Where the sea and sky meet, perhaps new wonders await their discovery.
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