Thousands of rice waves, the beginning of civilization
The thunderbolt from Serpent Canyon struck like a boulder among the island tribes, sending ripples that lingered for a long time. Unprecedented peace reigned around the camp. Tribes that had previously held a wait-and-see attitude, or even harbored a touch of hostility, now either sent envoys to establish friendly relations, offering local specialties as a sign of submission, or else remained at arm's length, daring not to cross the line again.
With the sudden decrease in external pressure, the construction of the camp entered the fast lane.
The biggest breakthrough came in agriculture. During a trade with an upstream tribe, Qiongying noticed a grain being offered as an exchange. The grains were long and slender, remarkably similar to the rice she knew. After careful inquiry (through gestures and drawings), she learned that the crop grew in the wetlands of a nearby mountain stream. While its yield was low, its taste was acceptable. She immediately traded a few iron knives for some seeds and inquired in detail about how to grow them.
Later, she personally led the team, guided by an indigenous guide, to find the patch of wild rice. Confirming it was indeed rice, she was overwhelmed with joy! With rice, she knew it would provide a more stable and productive source of staple food.
She organized a team, meticulously collected seeds, and selected a well-watered, flat area near the camp to begin experimenting with rice cultivation. She shared all her knowledge of rice cultivation—seed selection, seedling cultivation, transplanting, irrigation, and fertilization (using collected wood ash and composted manure). Initially, the people, accustomed to dryland crops in the north, were skeptical, but out of trust in "Mr. Qiongying," they meticulously followed through.
Spring brings flowers, autumn brings fruits. When the emerald green rice seedlings in the experimental fields gradually reached ears, transforming into a golden wave of rice, the entire camp erupted in excitement! At harvest time, the heavy weight of the rice ears bent their backs. While the per-acre yield was far less than that of the Jiangnan water villages, it was a huge leap compared to the previous corn harvest!
"Rice! It's rice!" Many soldiers from the south held the hulled, glistening rice grains, tears welling in their eyes. This familiar food evoked their endless nostalgia for their homeland and strengthened their resolve to stay here.
The successful introduction of rice completely solved the food security problem in the camp and greatly freed up labor, allowing more manpower to be devoted to other construction projects.
Handicrafts flourished. Under Zhu Wu's supervision, a simple brick kiln was built, producing blue bricks and tiles, gradually replacing wood and thatch for the construction of more permanent and fireproof houses. Yan Qing, utilizing the small amount of raw iron ore (previously considered a rare stone) acquired through trade with the indigenous people, organized a small-scale smelting experiment. Although the output was extremely low, it ultimately achieved initial self-sufficiency in iron tools, eliminating the need for complete reliance on inventory.
As Qiongying's belly grew bigger and bigger, Zhang Qing treated her like a treasure, wishing to do everything himself and not let her worry about anything. But Qiongying couldn't sit still, so she devoted more energy to "civil governance".
Next to the meeting hall, she oversaw the construction of a "library," housing the few books brought from the ship and those saved by later generations who had bravely ventured forth, as well as some of the medical, agricultural, and industrial knowledge she had memorized. She mandated that all children in the camp, regardless of gender, spend two hours daily in the "school" adjacent to the library, learning literacy, arithmetic, and the camp's history and regulations. Teachers rotated among those with some literary proficiency, such as Zhu Wu and Yan Qing, and Qiongying herself often attended classes despite her pregnant belly.
"We are here not only to survive, but also to live in a civilized manner and pass on the torch," she said to the children sitting below, their eyes full of confusion and curiosity. "Only by knowing how to read can we understand reason; only by knowing how to count can we develop our business; only by knowing history can we remember our roots."
She also promoted the compilation of a calendar. Taking the landing date as the beginning of the era and combining the movement of the sun and moon with the changes of the seasons, she developed a simple and practical "Starfire Calendar," which gave life in the camp a clearer time coordinate.
This series of measures subtly transformed the camp's atmosphere. People were no longer simply fugitives struggling for survival; they began to develop a longer-term vision, a more organized approach to life, and a strong sense of identity and heritage within their own culture. The embryonic form of a new civilization, rooted in pioneering, mutual assistance, and the pursuit of knowledge, quietly sprouted on this isolated island.
During this time, Zhang Qing and Qiongying's bond grew stronger. At night, Zhang Qing would often place his ear against Qiongying's swollen belly, sensing the movements of the tiny life within. A foolish smile graced his face, devoid of his usual commanding authority. Qiongying would stroke his hair, her heart filled with peace and contentment. This child was the fruit of their love and the hope for the future of this new land.
Occasionally, sporadic news would arrive from home, carried by the few ships that had managed to arrive despite a near-death experience. The imperial court remained incorrigible, the Jin army's southward advance was becoming increasingly imminent, and the Central Plains threatened further devastation... Whenever these reports were heard, a complex mix of emotions spread throughout the camp: relief, compassion, and endless longing for loved ones back home.
"We can't save everyone," Zhang Qing said in a low voice, holding Qiongying's hand and looking northwest. "But at least we have preserved a piece of pure land and left a seed for those who are willing to follow us."
Qiongying snuggled up to him, feeling the kicks of the baby in her belly, and whispered, "Yes, a seed. As long as you water it carefully, it will one day grow into a towering tree."
In the late autumn of the first year of the Xinghuo calendar, surrounded by the golden waves of rice paddies stretching across the mountains, and with the entire camp eagerly waiting, Qiongying successfully gave birth to a healthy baby boy. His cry was so loud that it echoed throughout the camp.
Zhang Qing cried with joy and named him Zhang Qiming.
Qi means to open, and Ming means light. It implies the beginning of a bright world.
The cries of the newborns, intertwined with the thriving scene of the camp, seemed to be announcing that a new era was rising slowly on the shores of the ocean.
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