The captain of Wufeng, Wang Zhi, was a big figure among pirates. A small group of salt men like Zhu Qi would definitely not be able to see Wang Zhi himself.
The one who contacted Zhu Qi was just a small pirate gang under Wang Zhi.
Zhu Qi no longer concealed anything, and simply told everything about what happened after he became a Japanese pirate.
It turned out that after Zhu Qi killed the young eunuch Luocao and became a bandit, an envoy from the Japanese pirate group found Zhu Qi and tried to recruit them.
Zhu Qi was unwilling to surrender to this Japanese pirate gang, but the Japanese pirate's envoy was not annoyed at all. Instead, he pointed out a way for him to settle down on Meiyue Island temporarily, and then decided whether to surrender after thinking clearly.
The leader of this group of Japanese pirates is named Zhang Haihu, who is a well-known Japanese pirate gang around Ningwei in Fuzhou. The messenger sent to contact Zhu Qi is called "Haihou'er". He has a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks. He is the second leader and think tank of Zhang Haihu's gang.
Hai Hou'er also made a plan with Zhu Qi to connect. If Zhu Qi wants to join Zhang Haihu, then they should go to the ghost market near Changningwei to find a stall. Someone will naturally take them away to Zhang Haihu's gang.
There is no fresh water on Meiyue Island, and it is not suitable for farming. Zhang Haihu's plan is to wait for Zhu Qi and his group to take refuge with him.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Qi was also considered a talent. When he escaped from the salt field, he took away the brine and some salt-making tools, and settled down on Meiyue Island by making and selling salt.
Later, Zhu Qi was ambushed by Su Ze and captured Changning Guard.
Su Ze wrote down all this. According to Zhu Qi, Zhang Haihu and his group of Japanese pirates were relatively mild. They were mainly engaged in smuggling business, not the kind of plunderers who robbed and robbed at sea and landed on land.
Su Ze continued: "Do you still have the salt-making tools on Meiyue Island?"
Zhu Qi said quickly: "Still, still."
"In a few days, I will send someone to follow you to Meiyue Island to move things to Changning Guard."
Zhu Qi knew that Su Ze knew how to make refined salt and immediately understood what Su Ze meant. He quickly said:
"Sir, some of our brothers are good at making salt. Do you want us to help?"
The salt fields of the Ming Dynasty all used the salt boiling method, but boiling was only one aspect. When boiling the salt, brine must be continuously poured to allow the saturated sodium chloride to precipitate. The brine is the core raw material of the salt boiling method.
In the early Ming Dynasty, brine was strictly monitored. Brine was only given when diced salt was boiled, and unused brine had to be taken back.
The salt farm controlled the brine and thus controlled the official status of the salt.
For thousands of years, salt has never been a scarce thing. Government monopoly is the reason for scarcity.
From the salt and iron official business in the Han Dynasty, to the salt institute in the Tang Dynasty, to the salt field system in the Ming Dynasty, they were all designed to strengthen the monopoly of salt.
Su Ze didn't trust Zhu Qi and the others for the time being, and just said: "My method of making salt is different from yours, so you should open up wasteland first."
Zhu Qi didn't dare to say anything, so he had to go back to open up wasteland again.
After returning from the barren field on the mountainside, Su Ze went to the ancestral hall again and saw Xiong Wu who was imprisoned in the punishment hall.
Xiong Wu looked lazy. His life was indeed very tough, and his broken arm had grown back.
Xiong Wu squinted at Su Ze and said with a smile:
"Why does my young husband think of Xiong again?"
Su Ze was very wary of Xiong Wu, so he just asked: "Do you know Zhang Haihu?"
"Zhang Haihu? Isn't that a famous Japanese pirate nearby? My young husband is going to surrender to the Japanese?"
Xiong Wu said with a smile but not a smile: "Zhang Haihu has always been good at recruiting talents. If my little husband is gone, he will definitely be able to take a top position!"
Su Ze interrupted his joking and said:
"Do you know the origin of this sea tiger?"
Xiong Wu continued to lie down and said: "I told my young husband before that I, Xiong Wu, know all the famous people in the county, and I can speak to anyone who lives in the ninth class."
"It's just that I'm locked up in the Punishment Hall every day, and my bones are going to be crispy. Is that okay?"
Su Ze knew that Xiong Wu was going to negotiate terms, so he said, "If you have any requirements, just tell me."
Xiong Wu smiled and said: "I have no other requirements, I just want to listen to my young husband's lectures as before and bask in the sun."
Su Ze thought about it and realized that he already had seven points of strength. Xiong Wu also had a broken arm, so he would definitely be able to subdue him.
Anyway, he was asked to attend the lecture, so Su Ze said, "Okay."
Xiong Wu continued: "This sea tiger was originally a slave of the Zhang family in Fuzhou Prefecture. Because of his cleverness, he was assigned to steer the Zhang family's ship. I don't know why he committed a crime, so he went to sea to become a Japanese pirate. "
A slave is a son born to a domestic slave.
The Ming Dynasty did not allow ordinary people to keep slaves. They were generally regarded as adopted sons and registered in the household registration book.
The contractual relationship is also very complicated. There is a limited number of years of selling oneself, and when the number of years is over, one can regain his freedom.
There is another way that there is no agreed period of time, that is, you will be a slave in the house for generations.
House slaves such as "Zhou Rui's family" in the Red Mansion are slaves in a large family who have been slaves for generations. Because they are born into the family, they are more valued by the master's family and will be assigned to important positions.
Su Ze understood what Xiong Wu meant at once. This sea tiger was originally a slave of the Zhang family in Fuzhou Prefecture, and was trained as a captain. Suddenly he went to sea to become a Japanese pirate. I am afraid it was arranged by the Zhang family.
To put it bluntly, this sea tiger is the black glove used by the Zhang family for sea trade and smuggling, which is a very common thing in the Fujian and Guangdong areas.
There were factions among the Japanese pirates who advocated trade with the Ming Dynasty, and naturally there were factions within the Ming Dynasty who were willing to do business with the Japanese pirates.
Nowadays, maritime trade is very profitable, and many big families along the coast are involved in maritime trade overtly or covertly. "Japanese pirates" like Zhang Haihu are the product of this situation.
Now Su Ze was more confident about contacting Zhang Haihu. To put it bluntly, Zhang Haihu was a group of business people. As long as there were benefits, there would be no worries about cooperation.
Xiong Wu continued:
"If you ask me, this Changning Guard is guarding the golden bowl and begging for food. What a good position this Changning Guard has. As long as the ship is sure to dock, it will be a lot of money. Does the young husband think so too?"
Su Ze did not answer him, and Xiong Wu continued: "But if you want to do business with this Japanese pirate, there are many ways to do it. Do you want me to take you with me?"
Su Ze glanced at Xiong Wu and said, "What skills does this Japanese pirate have?"
Xiong Wu said with a smile: "Of course there are many skills. Doing business on the sea is a knowledge. Just who to do business with and what to sell is a huge knowledge."
Su Ze smiled and said: "The only people doing business in Nanyang today are the real Japanese and the Buddhists."
"Folangji sells cannons and muskets to the real Japanese in exchange for silver, and then sells spices and gems to me, the Ming Dynasty, in exchange for silk, porcelain and other items to be shipped back to Folangji. Are you showing off your knowledge in front of me?"
