In the late fifteenth century, sothing called the ship of fools appeared in Germany. Each city gave all their lunatics to passing sailors, who gathered them onto ships and wandered from town to town.
There were many philosophers and poets among these lunatics, and the sailors would sotis take them into the wilderness between towns and banish them there. As a result, a group of lunatics would gather and stare into space in the wilderness.
But things werent so romantic afterwards. Leprosy began to spread in large numbers, and those afflicted with it were also sent to the ships of fools. But in those cases, they were left on isolated islands to fend for themselves. These kinds of ships were famously called leper ships.
Coincidentally, a plague was running rampant around the end of the Ming Dynasty, and soone had a similar idea. People sent their critically ill relatives to ships that set off from Dongying. There were a total of sixty-seven ships that sailed along the eastern coast, heading for the South Sea.
At that ti, everyone knew that once the ships were in open water, the South Sea sailors might throw the afflicted into the sea to drown, but they still sent them anyways. The plague had ravaged northern China for so long that everyone just hoped that this disaster would co to an end.
Based on the historical records, the prevalent plague at that ti was probably the bubonic plague. County records and docunts ntioned that the rats behavior was very strange, and they were seen crossing the river one right after another.
But there were also various plagues called big head plague and green line plague, and it was even said that there were dozens of other plagues breaking out at once. At that ti, a few people were standing around talking when they suddenly shook their heads and died. Everyone else scattered, leaving thousands of corpses on display as they rotted in the streets. The sll was unbearable.
These kinds of ships that set off from Dongying were called plague ships, and each one held more than a hundred patients. The patients were all cramd into the cargo hold, and forced to endure the rotting corpses of those who died alongside them until they could be thrown into the sea a few days later. But historical records stated that many plague ships didnt abandon the sick and actually sailed to the South Sea and landed ashore. So of them even recovered from their illness and settled in the South Sea.
It made sense that the people here were looking for a plague ship. If a ship from that ti went to the South China Sea, ran aground, and sank here, then the entire ship would be buried under hundreds of years worth of coral reefs.
There were many hidden reefs here, so it was easy to see how it would take them ten years if they were searching one reef after another. And based on the scene Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haixia had witnessed just now, those people might have found it.
The officer seed to be dead, and Zhang Haiyan could hear footsteps coming from outside. He used the officers clothes to wipe the blood from his hands and said to Zhang Haixia, Keep reading. Try to find sothing interesting for . With that said, he pulled three golden needles from his belt and jabbed them into his throat.
He coughed a few tis after the golden needles pierced his throat, and then his voice changed. He tried to say sothing in a low voice, but had to adjust the position of the golden needles before he sounded like the officer.
Zhang Haixia continued, Look at this. An ancient book is quoted here. A doctor in Dongying recorded a plague that ca from the south. It was called wudou disease, and it spread very quickly. After they discovered the first case, it only took a month before everyone in the village died. Could it be that the plague ship the people here are looking for had patients with wudou disease on it?
Zhang Haiyan touched his neck and then took the information, while Zhang Haixia went to hide in the corner. Zhang Haiyan put on the officers clothes, went to stand behind a table so that his pants would hide the corpse, and then turned his back to the door.
At that mont, the sentry above who had heard the gunshot ca in and asked, Why was there a gunshot, Lieutenant?
Soone ca in just now, but they already ran away. Zhang Haiyan turned his back to the sentry, seemingly focused on flipping through the papers in front of him. His voice was almost the sa as the officers. Gather a team to search the whole ship. We have to speed up. What's the situation right now?
The sentry imdiately gave the other soldiers a look and continued to report, Were about to reach the bottom. Were being more careful now for fear that the things inside will co out.
Zhang Haiyans was racing as he thought to himself, what things might co out? He turned his head slightly and looked at Zhang Haixias face in the dark. Zhang Haixia also seed very interested in this new piece of information.
Zhang Haiyan continued to question the sentry, Let give you a test. If youre worried that those things will co out, what should you do to prepare?
You said that we should make those laborers do the work. As long as we put the concoction on our bodies, well be fine. Isnt that enough? Youve tested it on those people who have died these past few years and sealed them with salt. We thought that was enough.
Zhang Haiyan didn't understand, but his mind was still racing. He knew it wasnt good to stall anymore, so he waved his hand. Tell them that no matter what thod they use, they have to reach the bottom tonight. Zhang Qishans people are already here.
The sentry was relieved and imdiately left. As Zhang Haiyan flipped through the papers for real this ti, he found it odd that they didnt ntion what was in the plague ship. If sothing would co out, and the ship had lain there on the seabed for hundreds of years, then what kind of monsters could possibly survive inside?
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