After more than half a year of hard work, the ship was finally completed. Many officials wanted to catch a glimpse of the vessel, but Zhao Yan turned them all away. He reasoned that with the sea trials scheduled for the coming days, there was no need to rush; it was best to preserve a sense of mystery about such an impressive achievement.
"Sir, I’ve just turned away another group of people," Chen Dongping said, panting. He had been running back and forth in the winter chill and was drenched in sweat, yet he didn't even have time to wipe his brow before reporting to Zhao Yan. It was unclear how the news had leaked, but lately, more and more officials—many of whom outranked Chen—had been clamoring to see the ship up close. Caught between these high-ranking figures and his duty, Chen felt like an ant facing an elephant, and he was terrified every time he had to shut them out.
"You've done well," Zhao Yan replied. "Don't pay any attention to what they say; we just need to focus on doing our own job." Zhao Yan was under immense pressure himself. Many officials had opposed the shipbuilding project from the start, dismissing it as a flight of fancy. If not for the unwavering support of Emperor Deming, he never could have seen it through—to say nothing of the prospect of maritime trade.
Chapter 644