Chapter 1017 Crossing Dongting Lake
After a brief unloading and loading in Yueyang, the escort team continued their journey.
The boat slowly sailed from the east of Dongting Lake to the south, and then slowly to the west.
"If you cross the lake to the south, you can go to Linghai via Changsha. The lake is 200 miles wide. If you cross the lake to the west, you can go to Yunnan and Guizhou via Changde. The lake is 250 miles wide. If you cross the lake to the northwest, you can enter Lizhou and take the route between Jingzhou and Changde. The lake is also 200 miles wide."
The Guangyu Map drawn by Luo Hongxian during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty recorded that Dongting Lake was 800 miles in size.
However, as people continued to reclaim farmland around the lake, the river embankment collapsed, causing floods, and a large amount of mud and sand poured out of the breach and rushed southward, directly pouring into Dongting Lake, and forcibly carving out a "Nan County" from Dongting Lake.
A large round lake was abruptly divided into East Dongting Lake, South Dongting Lake and West Dongting Lake, turning it into a long and narrow shape, and the beautiful scenery of "mist steaming over Yunmeng Lake and waves shaking Yueyang City" can no longer be seen.
Ming Dongting Lake
The current Dongting Lake-Nan County area was washed out. It was previously the lake.
Of course, the Dongting Lake in front of him was the Dongting Lake that Sun Shan had never seen in his previous life. It was a vast and boundless round lake.
The dart team's boats shuttled back and forth in the lake, and it seemed as if they would never reach the end.
The men in Sunjia Village had never seen such a big lake before, so they stopped clamoring to go fishing and just sat on the boat, not daring to move.
I was afraid that I would accidentally fall in, sink to the bottom of the lake, and become a water ghost of Dongting Lake.
Sun Heitan, who was always brave, was also a little scared and asked nervously, "Master, when will we reach the shore?"
Cao Gen also stammered, "Master, have you always been on the lake in a boat? Don't you go to the shore at night?"
Before Sun Shan could say anything, Sun Dali said, "You have never seen the world. It's just a boat ride. Is there any need to be so scared? Don't worry, we will reach the shore one day."
It's the same as saying nothing. Everyone knows that we will reach the shore one day. Now you are asking when?
It's good to always give people something to look forward to.
Sun Dingnan smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. Just take a boat in the lake and you will reach the shore. Don't worry, even if you fall into the lake, there will be people to save you."
One of the Sun family men stammered, "Master, I, I am not good at water trapping. I, I only played it when I was a child, but I forgot it when I grew up. I was afraid of falling in. I forgot, I forgot how to trap water."
Gui Ge'er was amused and said with a smile: "I knew how to trap water before, so I will definitely fall down, I guarantee it!"
In order to survive, human instincts will definitely be stimulated. Gui Ge'er believes that if they fall into the lake, they will be able to swim.
Sun Shan signaled them to stop arguing and said soothingly, "Let's be patient, it will be over soon. Don't worry, we will come to the shore at night and will not drift in the lake."
It takes three days to get from Yueyang Port to Changde Port with a favorable wind, but about five days with a headwind or calm wind.
There is an island in the middle of Dongting Lake where you can moor at night for shelter from the wind and for crew members and tourists to rest.
The man couldn't help but feel happy when he heard that he could land and rest.
Sunjia Village is located in a remote area with few rivers and no so-called lake. It was the first time for the men to travel far away and they had never seen such a big lake.
I felt so light-headed sitting on the boat without walking, and I worried about falling into the water from time to time.
The boat had been sailing for a whole day, still in the lake, and the men were becoming more hesitant.
I wasn’t scared walking along the river before, but now I feel dizzy when walking in the lake. Maybe I’m scared of the feeling of not being able to see the end.
The Sun family guard sat on the boat with a decadent look on his face, with no intention of appreciating the beautiful scenery of the lake.
Master Zhang and Big Head Dog in the cabin were feeling extremely dizzy, especially Big Head Dog. He vomited after eating, and ate again after vomiting. Then he vomited even more, even vomiting jaundice water. He lay on the board feeling worse than death.
When night fell, they finally found an island to dock. Everyone got off the boat with weak steps and squatted on one side in pain.
In this comparison, Sun Shan is in much better condition than the guards. Perhaps it is different for people who have traveled far away.
Gui Ge'er looked at the men from Sunjia Village with displeasure and said viciously, "You... I told you to come here to be guards. Well, how can you be guards like this? Look at the master, he is weaker than you, but more energetic than you."
The guards said nothing, they didn't expect it to be so uncomfortable, it was just that feeling of emptiness, making their heads swell and it was very painful.
I would rather walk along the ancient Guangdong-Hunan Trail, climb mountains, and walk through the jungle.
Sun Dali also said: "Gui Ge'er said it well, you are really useless. You boasted about how great you were before, haha, but this is all you can do for a day on the boat. When you get to Yuanlu, you have to practice water confinement every day."
Sun Shan waved his hand, shook his head and said, "After dinner, have a good rest. We have to set off tomorrow. You will get used to it after sitting for a while. Take your time."
Children in the mountains are indeed not used to living in the water. Although Sunjia Village nominally belongs to Guangnan, which has rivers and seas, they actually live deep in the mountains and are not very familiar with water.
Sun Dali is right about one thing. Guards should not only receive literacy education, but also exercise their bodies.
At night, the left escort came over and asked with concern: "Master Sun, how are the two people who were seasick?"
He has been dizzy for so long and is still dizzy. Leader Zuo is afraid that something might happen to him.
Sun Shan said quickly: "Thank you for your concern, Chief Zuo, they are fine. They will be fine once they reach the shore."
The left escort leader left some seasickness pills and said with a smile: "We escorts often encounter seasickness among our employers. These pills are quite effective. Many employers feel much better after taking them."
Sun Shan quickly expressed his gratitude: "Thank you very much, I will let them have a try."
Zuo Biaotou chatted with Sun Shan for a few words and then said goodbye. Before leaving, he reminded him to go to bed early and set out at dawn tomorrow to reach Changde Wharf as soon as possible.
Sun Shan asked Gui Ge'er to deliver the medicine to Master Zhang and Big-Headed Dog.
Butler Wang will make some medicinal soup for everyone to relieve fatigue.
Butler Wang said, "Master, drink the medicine while it's hot."
At this moment, Butler Wang felt a little regretful for going out with Sun Shan to "explore the world".
Butler Wang has never walked such a long way.
I'm almost dying from walking like this. Oh, it's all my fault for wanting to make progress.
After drinking the medicine, Sun Shan fell asleep. As for studying, he had long forgotten about it. He was so tired that he really didn't want to study.
Besides, the scientific examination was over, although he still brought a lot of books with him.
After waking up, they set out at daybreak. The guards of Sunjia Village were in high spirits. It seemed that the medicine prepared by Butler Wang was effective.
Sitting on the boat, Sun Shan felt the cool morning breeze and admired the scenery of the lake. The mist was hazy and it was a unique experience.
The Sun family guards were wearing thick clothes, hugging each other with their arms around each other, and huddled together to bask in the sun. Seeing Sun Shan's infatuated look, they really couldn't understand the master's elegance.
Master Zhang and Big Head Dog took the seasickness pills given by Zuo Biaotou and actually felt much better.
I hurriedly asked Zuo Biaotou where to buy it and if there was any left?
Sun Shan asked Gui Ge'er to give a small gift in exchange for the pills, which made Master Zhang and Big Head Dog so happy that they didn't want to lie down anymore.
The dart team's ship continued to head west and arrived at Changde Wharf three days later.
Everyone hurried down to the dock and felt that the air was so sweet.