From cute to empress

Chapter 286 Tradition and Modernity

"How can you be so flustered!" Zhen Youcai said in a low voice, frowning, and turned to ask me, "Mengmeng, it seems we should go and take a look."

I nodded and followed the sailor, walking quickly toward the commotion. The crowd was packed, and I could faintly hear arguing and crying. After finally squeezing through the crowd, the scene before us stunned both Zhen Youcai and me.

Several young men from the tribe were scuffling with our sailors, with shards of porcelain and silk cloth scattered on the ground. A young native woman sat on the ground, wailing loudly, with a wounded man, presumably her husband, lying beside her, clutching his arm wound in agony.

"What's going on?" Zhen Youcai stepped forward and asked sternly.

A sailor immediately ran over to report: "General, they... they want to steal our goods!"

"Nonsense!" A sturdy young native retorted in his half-fluent Mandarin, his face flushed. "It's you! You used some unfamiliar things to trick the women and children of our tribe away. Now they won't listen to me!"

Only then did I notice that, on the outskirts of the crowd, several native children were jumping and dancing with the glass beads and candies we had brought, completely ignoring their parents' anxious cries, while several young native women surrounded a sailor, curiously fiddling with his peep show.

"General, Queen, this..." The boatswain looked embarrassed. "We just, just want to do business with them and exchange these little things for some gold and spices..."

Zhen Youcai's expression suddenly darkened. "I understand. This is no longer a simple trade dispute. As our novel gadgets and advanced technology gradually penetrate this tribe, they inevitably impact their traditional way of life and trigger internal conflicts and contradictions."

"Talent, we need to find the chief," I whispered.

Zhen Youcai nodded, turned around and instructed the boatswain: "Take everyone back first, comfort them, and don't cause any more conflicts."

We made our way through the tumultuous crowd, led by several tribal warriors, to the chief's thatched hut. I took a deep breath, exchanged glances with Zhen Youcai, and stepped inside.

"Respected Chief," I spoke first, presenting the gift I had prepared, "I am deeply sorry for what happened today..."

I briefly told the chief what had happened and the purpose of our visit, and expressed our desire for peaceful coexistence and friendly trade.

After listening to me, the chief was silent for a long time before he slowly said, "Guests from afar, I know you come with good intentions, but..." He paused and looked at me deeply, "What you bring is like a double-edged sword. It can bring us convenience and wealth, but it can also destroy our traditions and beliefs..."

He stood up and walked to the door, gazing at the vast ocean in the distance. He spoke in a heavy voice, "I'm old, and many things no longer make sense to me. But I hope you can find a solution and prevent my people from being lost in the abyss of desire and greed..."

His words, like a huge rock, weighed heavily on Zhen Youcai and me. At this moment, a hearty laugh came from outside the door: "I do have a few solutions to this problem. Would you like to hear them?"

We looked in the direction of the sound and saw Mr. Zheng He standing at the door with a smile on his face, followed by several sailors carrying boxes.

"Lord Zheng?" I was a little surprised. I didn't expect him to appear suddenly.

"Haha, I have nothing better to do, so I'm just walking around and taking in the sights." Zheng He said, motioning for the sailor behind him to open the box. "It just so happens that I have some little gadgets here that might be of use to you."

Curious, I approached and saw the box filled with a variety of books, scrolls, musical instruments, and chessboards. Zheng He pointed at these items and said to the chief, "Old Chief, I understand your concerns. New things do bring shocks, but cultural exchange can build bridges of understanding and integration."

He paused, then continued, "Instead of rejection and resistance, we should open our hearts and learn from each other. We can teach them to read and write, learn our culture and technology, and they can also teach us their language, dance, and customs. Only by understanding each other can we eliminate barriers and make progress together."

After listening to Zheng He's words, the chief pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded and said, "You make sense. We have lived on this land for generations and know very little about the outside world. Perhaps it's time for the younger generation to go out and see the world."

Zheng He's proposal was unanimously agreed upon by Zhen Youcai and I. After discussing with the chief, we decided to hold a grand cultural festival on the beach, allowing the crew and the local tribes to showcase their respective cultures and skills.

For the next few days, the entire beach was immersed in a joyful and peaceful atmosphere. The sailors set up tents and displayed silk, porcelain, tea and other goods they brought from their hometowns. They also performed lion dances and acrobatics, which drew rounds of applause.

The residents of the tribe also took out their most precious shell ornaments, wood carvings and straw handicrafts, danced passionate folk dances, and invited us to taste the food they cooked using traditional methods.

Zhen Youcai and I also changed into the local tribal costumes and joined them in singing and dancing. I saw the young indigenous man who had been scuffling with the sailors was now holding one's hand and teaching him their language. And the indigenous woman who had been crying over her injured husband finally smiled for the first time in a long time. She joined several other sailors' wives in learning how to use the weaving tools we had brought.

Looking at this joyful scene before me, I was filled with hope. The power of cultural exchange, like a warm spring breeze, melted away barriers and suspicions, bringing two previously unfamiliar groups together.

However, just when I thought everything was going in the right direction, something unexpected happened. During a cultural exchange, a sailor stumbled upon an ancient book treasured by the chief, which contained a mysterious prophecy about the Gold Coast...

The setting sun gilded the sea, and the air was filled with the aroma of grilled fish and coconut. As the cultural festival drew to a close, the tribesmen and the crew mingled, singing and laughing together. The previous tensions seemed like a dream.

"Mengmeng, look!" Zhen Youcai handed me a shell necklace. It was strung with white shells of uniform size, gleaming softly in the setting sun. "This was given to me by the son of the tribal chief. He said it was a symbol of friendship."

I took the necklace, carefully stroked the smooth shell, and said with a smile, "It seems that this cultural festival is really meaningful. It not only promotes trade, but also enhances mutual understanding."

"Yes," Zhen Youcai sighed, "Master Zheng is right. Cultural exchange is the best way to eliminate barriers."

Although things seemed peaceful on the surface, I still felt a nagging sense of unease. Cultural differences were like reefs beneath the surface, and the slightest misstep could lead to a run aground.

For example, the crew members were accustomed to sharing leftover food with the children of the tribe, but this was considered disrespectful to their ancestors; and the passionate and unrestrained dances of the tribesmen seemed too open in the eyes of some conservative crew members.

I understand that true integration takes time and requires mutual tolerance and understanding.

On this day, we were invited to visit the chief's residence, a huge wooden house with a roof covered with palm leaves and walls carved with various patterns, full of exotic style.

After enjoying a sumptuous dinner, the chief brought out a wooden box from the depths of the room and opened it carefully. Inside was an ancient book wrapped in animal skin.

"This is a sacred object passed down from generation to generation in our tribe," the chief said solemnly, pointing to the book. "It contains the wisdom and prophecies of our ancestors."

Zheng He asked curiously, "I wonder if we can take a look at it?"

The chief hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded.

Zheng He carefully took the book and gently opened it. The pages were made of an unknown plant fiber, tinged with a faint yellow, and were painted with various patterns and symbols in bright colors.

"These characters..." Zheng He frowned slightly, "They don't seem to be any characters we know."

At this moment, a sailor pointed to one of the pages and exclaimed, "Sir, look!"

We looked in the direction his finger was pointing, and saw a picture on the page of the book. It depicted a coastline swallowed by huge waves, panicked people fleeing in all directions, and the sky was covered with dark clouds, lightning and thunder.

Below this image, written in a language we've never seen before, was a line of text. Although I couldn't understand the words, a strong sense of unease suddenly welled up in my heart.

"This text means..." The chief pointed at the line of words and said in a low and slow voice, "The Gold Coast will face an unprecedented catastrophe..."