399: Chapter 400 This Governor is Doing It, Stationed in Australia

More than twenty gargantuan warships silently glided out of the harbor.

The waves cleaved by the bows were as white as snow, rolling outward to both sides.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty tang, brushed against the hair and clothes of Lu Chen and the four women.

They stood on the topmost deck of the flagship, enjoying an expansive view.

The fleet sailed southward along the long coastline on the eastern side of the Luzon islands.

On their left was the boundless, vast, and empty Pacific Ocean, where the sea and sky merged into one, a pure, deep blue.

On their right were lush, rolling island mountains shrouded in mist.

Occasionally, a massive seabird, startled by these uninvited guests, would let out a sharp cry, circle a few times, and then fly far away to avoid them.

Yang Huangyi leaned against the ship's railing and pointed at a pod of dolphins leaping out of the water in the distance: "Husband, look quickly, whales, whales!"

The dolphins seemed to sense that this fleet was extraordinary, leaping and playing not far ahead, tracing graceful arcs in the air.

Lu Chen shook his head. "These aren't whales, they're dolphins!"

Thus, they meandered along the way.

One day, the outline of an even more vast landmass appeared ahead.

The island was enormous, densely vegetated, and filled with an aura of primitive wilderness.

"This is Papua Song," Lu Chen said softly. "The largest island in the Pacific."

Yin Susu nodded. "It looks so beautiful and lush; it really should be territory of our Ming."

Lu Chen strolled to the ship's railing, his gaze sweeping over a winding stretch of the island's northern coastline.

Several natural bays were like emeralds inlaid on green velvet.

He extended his right index finger and pointed at the largest bay from afar.

"Here, we'll establish a supply base."

As soon as he finished speaking, a low roar suddenly erupted from the distant bay!

It was as if a Dragon was turning over beneath the earth; the mountains on both sides of the entire bay began to shake violently.

Earth and rocks crumbled, but not in a chaotic manner.

One could see those massive rocks and mounds of earth, as if controlled by an invisible giant hand, flying up, rotating, cutting, and piecing themselves together on their own!

At the entrance of the bay, two straight, thick breakwaters rose from the seabed at a speed visible to the naked eye, breaking the surface of the water and extending all the way into the deep-water zone, firmly locking the bay in place.

Inside the bay, the originally rugged coastal mudflats were quickly leveled and compacted.

A layer of black rock shimmering with a metallic luster spread out like a carpet, forming a wide and level foundation for the pier.

In less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, a port had miraculously appeared on the primitive coastline.

Colorful large birds perched in nearby trees were frightened into flight, circling in the air while letting out confused and terrified cries.

"There, and there—add two more auxiliary ports, acting as mutual supports."

Two more roars followed, accompanied by the shaking of mountains and earth.

Two slightly smaller, but equally solid and practical military ports rose from the ground once again.

The three brand-new military ports, arranged in a triangular formation, guarded this key sea area in the north of Papua Song.

Fang Yanqing looked at Lu Chen, her beautiful eyes shimmering with wonder as she said softly: "Your Majesty's ability to move mountains and fill seas is truly... a work of supernatural craftsmanship."

Lu Chen smiled. "It's nothing much, it's mainly for the convenience of our people when they come to be stationed here."

The fleet did not stop at the newly built ports; they only circled around them, left the mark of a Ming Army port, and continued southward.

After rounding the southern tip of Papua Song Island, the fleet sailed into a relatively narrow, yet still expansive strait.

Across the strait, the outline of an even more vast and ancient continent appeared at the edge of the sea and sky.

An aura of wildness, vastness, and the scent of scorching sunlight rushed toward them.

"We have arrived at Australia," Lu Chen said, his tone indifferent.

The fleet slowly sailed toward the northern part of the continent, entering a huge and hidden natural bay.

And what surprised the four women even more was that in the depths of this primitive coastline, which seemed never to have been trodden by human feet, a magnificent military port stood prominently!

Piers, jetties, barracks, warehouses, artillery batteries... all facilities were complete, and they were so brand new that it felt as if they had been finished only yesterday.

The most incredible thing was that the entire port area, from the massive stone breakwaters to the roofs of the barracks, and even the heavy stone slabs paved on the pier, was spotless!

It was as clean as new, reflecting dazzling light under the scorching sun of the southern continent.

The sea breeze blew past, carrying the rich scent of eucalyptus and grass; it was refreshing and invigorating, yet it did not stir up a single speck of dust.

"This..." Yin Susu looked around, amazed. "Husband, when did you come here? Did you hire people to clean it?"

Lu Chen disembarked, took a deep breath, and a look of enjoyment appeared on his face. "Well, the air quality here is good; the PM2.5 is zero all year round, so dust doesn't settle."

The four women: "...???"

Although they didn't quite understand, they felt that something was not quite right.

Lu Chen swept his gaze over this military port, which was so perfect that it felt somewhat unreal, then looked up at the cloudless, blindingly blue sky and nodded with satisfaction.

"Yes, this is a good location, absolutely a prime spot for Feng Shui."

"From now on, this continent shall be called 'Australia'."

Prince Yinye, who had accompanied them, was stunned for a moment. He didn't quite understand the meaning of the name, but he listened respectfully.

Lu Chen continued, "I see that this place is vast and sparsely populated, quite suitable for grazing, so I will reserve it for the Crown Prince and the princes and princesses. When they grow up, this will be their hunting ground."

"Ah? Such a huge place, to be used as a hunting ground—isn't that too wasteful?" Prince Yinye was completely bewildered.

Lu Chen ignored his shock and continued, "Before your nephew can handle things on his own, you will have to endure for a few years and watch over the place for him here, serving as the Governor of Australia."

Governor?!

Prince Yinye only felt a buzzing in his head; happiness and pressure, like two great mountains, crashed down on him at the same time.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, such as "What virtue or ability do I have to deserve this," or "The task is too arduous."

Lu Chen, however, waved his hand, interrupting him. "That's enough, it is decided."

He reached out and pointed to the vast, boundless, red-soil-exposed inland behind him, and then drew a huge circle in the air with his finger, seemingly encompassing the entire Nanyang within it.

"Appointing you as Governor here is not just for you to watch over this land; this is a strategic support point!"

"You, along with Chen Youding and Zhang Dingbian, will turn this southern sky into the backyard of our Ming."

Prince Yinye felt cold sweat almost breaking out as he listened.

This was no longer just an arduous task; this was simply...

Just when Prince Yinye felt he was about to suffocate, Lu Chen raised his hand and waved it gently toward the empty pier.

Hum—

The space twisted slightly.

The next moment, countless supplies appeared out of thin air, piling up like a mountain!

Grain, cloth, salt...

A corner of the pier was instantly filled.

Although Prince Yinye was Yin Susu's brother, his awe for this brother-in-law Emperor had long since reached its peak.

He took a deep breath and knelt down again. "Your Majesty... Your subject, Prince Yinye, accepts the decree!"

"Even if my body is smashed to pieces, I will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust!"

Lu Chen nodded, stepped forward, and patted Prince Yinye on the shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of ease and playfulness:

"Brother-in-law, relax. Look, in the future, I will be based in Beijing, which is the North; this Australia will be our Ming's Nanjing, which is the South, and I will have the Crown Prince based there."

"One in the south and one in the north, like a crouching Dragon and a coiled tiger, guarding the vast territory of our Ming. Tell me..."

He looked at Prince Yinye, his eyes sparkling:

"Isn't it wonderful?"

Prince Yinye raised his head, meeting Lu Chen's gaze, which seemed capable of piercing through everything, and then looked at the vast continent behind him, full of unknowns and challenges, as well as the super military port before him, which exuded an eerie cleanliness and a powerful aura.

He swallowed, feeling his throat go dry, and finally nodded vigorously, squeezing out a smile that was uglier than crying:

"...Won... wonderful!"

Lu Chen laughed heartily and said no more.

Yin Susu, Fang Yanqing, Ji Xiaofu, and Yang Huangyi looked sympathetically at Prince Yinye, who was still kneeling on the ground with a complex expression, then at the mountain of supplies, and finally followed quickly in Lu Chen's footsteps.

The sea breeze blew against Prince Yinye's robes, bringing the unique fragrance of the eucalyptus forests from the red earth in the distance.

He gazed out, then looked back at the massive, brand-new, empty yet oppressive military port behind him, as well as the mountain of supplies.

After a long while, he exhaled a long breath. From being the commander of the Ming Navy, he had suddenly become the Governor of Australia. Am I being exiled to the frontier?