Chapter 524 - 46: One Day in 1665 (Part 2)_2
Especially pork; as a northerner, not being able to eat fresh stewed pork or blood sausage during holidays always leaves a feeling of emptiness in my mouth, as if something is missing.
As he grew older, Chen Zhou found himself increasingly fond of reminiscing about the past.
If he were living in modern times, his homesickness might not be as intense.
But he was in a distant time and space, separated from his hometown not just by time but also by distance, with no way to return until the challenge was completed.
Due to this unique situation, some of his emotions became quite unusual.
Sometimes, Chen Zhou really wanted to drink himself into oblivion, drowning in alcohol-induced dreams.
However, now he was not living alone; from small pets like chinchillas to the island’s inhabitants, everything weighed on his shoulders.
Perhaps one day, when the burden seems too heavy, Chen Zhou might become a foolish ruler, hiding in his castle deep on the island, indulging in night-long revelry.
But for now, he was still a "wise ruler" concerned with the island’s future. Even if he worked day and night, writing materials and drawing blueprints, he was determined to contribute to the development of this small community.
...
The meal that slightly satisfied Lai Fu quickly came to an end.
As two chefs cleared the dishes and took them to the kitchen for washing, Chen Zhou had already led Lai Fu out of the cafeteria, heading toward the sea.
The sun was bright, and the sky was clear and blue.
A flat stone-paved path stretched straight and tidy from the factory’s gate.
The "elite" individual residences on the island were located on the west side of the path, similar in appearance but slightly different in decoration due to the personalities of the residents.
Islanders who liked farming would even utilize a small plot of land in front of their homes to create a small nursery and plant peppers.
In the tropical climate, the peppers seemed to change from annual plants to perennials, showing no signs of wilting after a year of growth.
In front of the home of the first islander who planted peppers, a few plants had grown over a person’s height.
Red peppers hung from the branches of the pepper plants, resembling small trees, creating a pleasing sight from a distance.
Coming from the north and unfamiliar with plants, Chen Zhou would be amazed every time he saw the tall pepper trees.
What he didn’t know was that peppers actually originated from Central and South America.
In tropical and subtropical regions, as long as there is enough rainfall, peppers are not just annual short-lived plants but can grow for three to five years, even ten to twenty years, reaching heights of four to five meters.
The cold northern environment was unsuitable for pepper growth, which led to Chen Zhou’s misunderstanding.
...
Past the "senior islander" living area, on a clearing in the woods, were the various production facilities that the islanders built based on their interests.
There were small charcoal kilns, small pottery kilns, drying rooms for raisins, woodworking studios, and even carving and painting rooms...
Sometime ago, when Chen Zhou had spare time, he made a few playable instruments imitating the Chang Xiao he received as a reward.
This sparked a new trend on the island.
The islanders began imitating the Chang Xiao, pretending to play it gracefully at their doorsteps, emulating their leader.
Unfortunately, Chen Zhou himself was an amateur in music; getting sound from the Chang Xiao was the best he could achieve, and playing tunes fluently was as hard as climbing to the heavens for him.
Since the leader himself had this level of skill, the tunes played by the islanders were even more "raucous and unlistenable."
Since then, every morning when the sounds of the Chang Xiao echoed from the nearby residential area, Chen Zhou would regret having made the instruments, waking up with a pained expression.
Before long, the island’s laws added a new regulation and punishment for disturbing others.
After realizing their playing disturbed others’ rest, the "Xiao sounds" in the residential area finally died down.
...
But after the trend passed, some people continued their interest in music.
To avoid punishment, whenever they had free time, these music enthusiasts would head to the woods, play the Chang Xiao, press the holes on the instrument, instinctively discovering beautiful melodies that touched the soul.
Interest is the best teacher.
As people who had only recently emerged from primitive society, the islanders inherently retained their sensitivity to the natural world.
Anyone who persisted in playing could surpass Chen Zhou in skill, leaving their respected leader far behind.
The melodious bird songs, the sound of wind through the forest, the never-ending crashing waves...
The sounds of nature allowed them to see their own hearts and emotions, composing one piece after another.
...
Beyond the islanders’ area of interest, walking further with Lai Fu, crossing the broad dirt path through the forest, the coastal woods were within reach.
When building the wood and stone walls, for convenience and efficiency, Chen Zhou always prioritized cutting down the trees near the beach.
Over time, the already sparse coastal forest was quickly reduced to bare ground.
In the past one or two years, with the development of roads and transportation tools on the island, workers could now transport timber from further away.
Chen Zhou had the islanders plant saplings in the coastal woods again.
The areas too close to the sea were not suitable for tree growth, and the survival rate of planted saplings was low.
Fortunately, Saturday, who was responsible for island affairs, kept tree planting in mind; whenever he saw a sapling die, he instructed the islanders to replant.
Now, most of the remaining saplings had taken root, growing robustly in the sunlight.
...
Despite a slight recovery in the coastal woods, the slender young trees were still unable to provide shade from the sun.
Facing the dry season’s sun, Chen Zhou quickened his pace, crossing the treeless woods directly toward the harbor pier.
...
Several large salt-drying fields had recently been added along the seaside.
When the sunlight poured down, the crystallized salt particles reflected the light, resembling a large mirror from afar.
Next to the Rock Beach fields, some islanders wearing straw hats were diligently working.
Occasionally, one or two robust, deflighted large birds would be seen strutting proudly along the riverbank, patrolling their territory.
The area was painted with a strong green hue, and even in such sweltering weather, a glance would make one feel truly refreshed.
...
The Rock Beach, once covered in stones, completely changed after more than seven months of cleanup.
The environment suitable for small fish, shrimp, crabs, and clams had been totally destroyed.
The sturdy harbor road blocked the waves, leaving only the Rock River’s freshwater pouring into the sea.
Most of the silt had been dug out from the river channel, piled alongside, and emitted an overwhelming stench under the sun.
Though they looked unremarkable and smelled disgusting, they were a unique fertilizer.
Once dried, the islanders would mix the silt proportionally into the fields.
The fertility of the land would be replenished by this fertilizer, promoting the growth and yield of crops.
...
Along the harbor road stood a row of similar wooden houses.
These were simple dry docks for ship repairs.
The island currently had a canoe, three small sailboats, and one medium-sized sailboat.
Some were used for fishing, while others ventured to the archipelago to boost the island’s population; they were all gathered in the simple dry docks for maintenance.
...
Not far from the row of dry docks stood a giant steel-reinforced concrete building frame, towering at 13 meters.
Most of the island’s workers gathered around the frame, either tying steel bars or transporting materials.
Their working model remained as experienced guiding new.
Skilled veteran workers continued their tasks while chatting, occasionally explaining the details to new islanders, handling everything with ease.
This under-construction giant building was the island’s new shipyard.
With this shipyard, Chen Zhou intended to build the world’s first steam-powered ship.
This ship would possess a unique iron frame, equipped with the most advanced 17th-century naval cannons, manned by well-armed, fearless sailors.
It would represent Chen Zhou’s will, announcing the island’s existence to the world and bringing endless wealth to Chen Zhou.
Even though the shipyard was not yet completed, Chen Zhou had already set the iron ship’s first target—the Archipelago.
He was eager to know if the Spaniards had moved the treasures buried on the island over the past three years.
If those robbers were not fast enough, he didn’t mind a "rob the robber" scenario, seizing the Spaniards’ spoils to fill his own pockets.