The preparations for the expedition eastward were driven by the King of Qin's will, showcasing the empire's machinery and its terrifyingly efficient mobilization capabilities. Edicts, delivered at eight hundred li per day, reached coastal commanderies such as Jiaodong, Langya, and Donghai, and even extended south to Kuaiji commandery, all receiving conscription orders.
Meng Yi, as an Imperial Bodyguard Officer, departed Xiányáng several days in advance with a contingent of palace guards, officials from the Shaofu Kaogong Shi (responsible for manufacturing equipment), and some of Xu Fu's core disciples. They rode at high speed towards the departure point – Langya Port.
Langya (located near present-day Qingdao, Shandong), from the Spring and Autumn period, had been an important port for the state of Qi. It connected northward to Yan and Zhao, and southward to Wu and Yue. The harbor was extensive, with deep waters and shelter from the wind, making it an ideal location for setting sail.
When Meng Yi and his entourage arrived, travel-worn and weary, they were deeply shocked by the vast and magnificent scene before them. The immense Langya Port was filled with a forest of masts and sails, ships moored hull-to-hull, stretching almost as far as the eye could see! According to Qin Law: Yao Law and Qin Law: Cang Law, the scope of this conscription was incredibly broad: in addition to a massive fleet of Lou Chuan (Tower Ships) (the main force being modified warships like the "Da Yi" and "Zhong Yi"), there were even more Fu Chuan (Transport Boats) and Ling Zhou (Small Boats) for transporting personnel and supplies, as well as faster vessels like "Chi Ma" and "Xian Deng" for reconnaissance and guard duties.
According to a Shaofu official accompanying them, who spoke in confidence, over three hundred vessels of various sizes had been assembled. Among these, there were nearly fifty Lou Chuan, towering several stories high like castles on the water!
The port and its shores were a cacophony of noise, resembling a colossal hybrid of a military camp and a marketplace. Thousands of artisans (carpenters, painters, sailmakers, blacksmiths) were conducting final inspections and reinforcements on the ships, their hammering mingling with shouts and chants.
Even more striking were the thousands of young boys and girls (according to Xu Fu, they were needed to sacrifice to the Sea God or to serve Immortals with their virginity). Dressed in uniform coarse cloth, they were being registered in formations under the harsh commands of officials, their faces mostly reflecting bewilderment, fear, and ignorance of the future.
Additionally, there were experienced sailors and shipwrights conscripted from various regions (most were not volunteers, but were Zhe Shu – exiled or deported – or forcibly recruited), and a large number of elite Armored Soldiers responsible for protection (besides officers like Meng Yi, more were drawn from the seasoned troops garrisoned in Langya and Jiaodong commanderies).
Piles of supplies nearly blocked the port's thoroughfares: mounds of millet, wheat flour, salted meat, and dried fish; tens of thousands of waterskins, pottery jars, and wooden barrels filled with fresh water; countless medicinal herbs, fabrics, ropes, spare shipbuilding materials, weapons, and armor; and a dazzling array of silk, exquisite lacquerware, bronze ritual vessels, and jade objects, intended for "trade with Immortals" or as "tributes," their value truly immeasurable.
According to a Shaofu clerk responsible for inventory, who lamented after getting drunk, the expenditure in terms of money and grain for this eastward expedition was almost equivalent to the cost of a large-scale war, even utilizing some of the strategic reserves intended for defending the northern frontier against the Xiongnu.
Meng Yi was stunned by the grand spectacle and the immense investment. For an illusory Legend of Longevity, the King of Qin was committing such vast human and material resources!
This intensified the sense of unease in his heart. Xu Fu's influence, or rather, his grasp of the King's psychology, far exceeded his imagination.
He was assigned to a large Lou Chuan named "Tanhai," serving as a deputy squad leader, responsible for leading ten Armored Soldiers to help maintain order on the ship and respond to potential combat situations. His superior was a dark-complexioned, weathered old naval Colonel named "Old Black."
After boarding, Meng Yi gained a firsthand understanding of the limitations and fragility of maritime technology in this era. Although the Lou Chuan was large and its keel sturdy, it still appeared small and vulnerable before the vast, capricious ocean.
The cabin space was cramped, and the air was foul. Although the stored fresh water and food were in large quantities, facing a long and uncertain voyage, it still made people feel uneasy.
Xu Fu and his team of Fangshi occupied the largest and most comfortable main Lou Chuan, the "Xun Xian Hao." They spent their days burning incense, praying, and performing various esoteric rituals, appearing mysterious and busy.
Meng Yi occasionally saw Xu Fu standing at the bow, gazing towards the east. The sea breeze fluttered his Taoist robes, and his face was expressionless. He wondered what thoughts were hidden behind those deep eyes.
The night before they set sail, Meng Yi stood on the deck of the "Tanhai," looking at the continuous lights of the port stretching for ten li and the starry sky above. His heart was filled with a fear of the unknown, and a strange sense of excitement at being swept up in such a grand historical event. His hometown, Xiányáng Palace, and his conversation with the King under the moon... all seemed distant and unreal.
Tomorrow, this enormous fleet, carrying the King's dream of immortality and the destinies of countless people, would sail towards the vast East Sea. What awaited them would it be the legendary Xian Shan Qiong Ge (Immortal Mountains and Jade Pavilions), or the abyss of despair of becoming fish food?
(Suspense: Will such a massive fleet set sail smoothly? How will Xu Fu navigate?)