Once the timer expired, he began to gradually heat the glass tube at the end with a gas fire. [No pop-up novel website] Let it gradually merge into strips and then break naturally. This process requires great care, and no gaps should appear in the glass tube, otherwise all the work will be wasted. Xiao Bailang's sunglasses were almost touching the fire, and beads of sweat were dripping from his labor protection hat.
"Okay!" With Xiao Bailang's roar, a complete and shiny thermos bladder was finally born. It was carefully put into the rattan thermos shell and fixed.
"Put boiling water in!"
Mo Xiao'an felt very sorry when he saw that all the workers' backs were soaked with sweat, and the thick homespun protective clothing was soaked with sweat. The heat dissipated by the furnace and annealing kiln in the workshop makes the temperature in the workshop nearly 5o degrees. The only cooling measures are the ventilation window above the factory building and the two large wooden barrels at the door - filled with oral saline and hay tea prepared by the pharmaceutical factory.
"It's too hard." Mo Xiao'an sighed.
"Factories are all like this." Xiao Bailang drank a large cup of tea and swallowed a salt tablet. "The pharmaceutical factory also brought a lot of heat-relieving medicine. The furnace workers rotate every fifteen minutes. Nothing will happen. .”
An hour later, Mo Xiao'an poured water from the thermos bottle - the water was still scalding hot, and when measured with an industrial thermometer, the temperature barely dropped.
The insulation effect was satisfactory after testing. Mo Xiaoan was in high spirits, and her caregiver brought many barrels of kvass from the food factory to distribute to the workers as a reward. The indigenous workers didn't really understand the use of something that took so much trouble to make, but seeing Mo Xiao'an so happy and knowing that something good had been made, they all started laughing.
“Let’s make some more wide-mouth thermos bottles.”
"Just ask the machinery factory to open a few sets of molds." Xiao Bailang agreed.
"Shopkeeper Lin, please—"
The little pirates standing on the side of the ship made a respectful gesture of invitation. Lin Baiguang calmed down and put his hand on his arm. He walked calmly from the deck to the trestle.
The trestle is very rough and shaky when you step on it. The sea water flows rapidly and hits under your feet, spraying droplets. The bay of Nanri Island is densely packed with boats of all sizes with lowered sails. It was dusk now, and smoke was rising from many boats.
Lin Baiguang finally saw the real Ming pirate camp for the first time in his life. Under the summer sunset, there is an endless stream of ships in the bay, with masts like forests and sails like clouds.
Countless boats, large and small, line up from the shore to the end of the bay. Lin Baiguang was almost dumbfounded. Never in modern time and space had he been able to see so many ships at once, so how could he not be surprised by the sight in front of him now.
This is not a modern industrial society, an era where everything has to be done by hand. How much manpower and material resources would it take to build such a large number of ships!
Such a fleet, setting sail, will not be able to establish a brand new country wherever it goes! The Chinese have expanded on land to the limit that a farming nation can survive, but they have stopped at sea. They have always lingered near the sea and have not taken this crucial step.
Lin Baiguang sighed with greed in his eyes. It is a pity that such a huge wealth will soon disappear from the sea: it will either turn into a blazing torch on the sea, or it will be annexed by Zheng Zhilong. Thinking of this, an eager mood enveloped him.
Most of the ships were small coastal fishing boats or cargo ships of more than 40 to 50 tons, with simple structures. They looked no different from the ordinary fishermen's boats he saw in Lingao. Occasionally there are large ships of hundreds of tons mixed in, and even Western-style sailing ships. Lin Baiguang noticed that almost every ship had artillery pieces of different sizes and styles, which were set up and tied on the deck in various ways. The pirates sat casually beside the artillery pieces to eat and smoke. There were even women and children on board.
This kind of large settlement-like pirate group seems really rare.
Suddenly, a woman's scream came from the ship. When she followed the sound, she couldn't help being surprised: she saw a woman tied naked to the side of the ship, and a lean pirate was beating her hard with a whip soaked in sea water. Bare back, buttocks and thighs. With each thrust, the woman let out a scream that could tear her eardrums, and twisted her body desperately on the wood.
The men and women on the boat, old and young, turned a blind eye and were minding their own business, smoking.
Because of the distance, Lin Baiguang could only vaguely hear the man's scolding: "...Who do you think you are? You pretend to be serious and don't even look at the place! See if I don't beat you to pieces and give me some money..."
This extremely interesting scene made Lin Baiguang shudder - he reminded himself that he was facing such a group of people, who were hardly bound by any laws and morals, and had no mercy in their hearts.
Shi Shishi led him to the shore. Unlike what he imagined, the pirates on Nanri Island did not build any facilities such as villages or fortresses at all. There were some ships on the shore that were being repaired on the beach, and the pirates built some straw huts as temporary residences. Obviously, the pirates did not think that anyone could wash up on the shore and directly threaten them-the fleet was their fortress.
Because Lin Baiguang had already changed into Akito's attire beforehand, he didn't attract many people's attention. Along the way, I saw a few open spaces on the shore surrounded by fences of residual wood and stones. Pirates with swords, guns and whips were guarding all sides. Many people were squatting or lying inside, including men, women, old and young. Everything is available, there are rich people wearing silks and satins, and there are poor people in rags. It's just that after squatting in this place with neither wind nor rain for ten days or several months, many people have turned pale and dirty. There were several people, probably dead, hanging on the wooden posts outside the fence, with flies flying all over them.
There was probably a cemetery outside the fence, but it wasn't buried deep enough and emitted a disgusting stench.
"This is the box office." Shi Shishi said, "The tickets captured from everywhere are kept here."
"Why did you catch such a poor man?" Lin Baiguang asked, pretending to be surprised.
"When we go ashore to plunder, we won't have time to separate the poor from the rich. We'll wait until one pot is served." Shi Shishi said.
"If you can't pay the ransom, what's the point of arresting him?"
"It's the same as you Australians, used for work." Shi Shishi smiled and said, "We are not as ingenious as you and can make so many exquisite things, but there are many kinds of chores in the gang, some of which are free. It’s easier to use my subordinates.”
Those who were captured and could not pay the ransom were all used as slaves. They did everything from gathering firewood, lighting fires, repairing ships, carrying water, etc. They slept for a day and ate every meal - pirates did not They care about the life and death of these prisoners. If they can survive a few months without dying, they may be released with kindness. If there is a shortage of people in the gang, they will be dragged into being pirates.
The slightly more attractive women are used to satisfy physiological needs. When everyone gets tired of it, they are sent to the mainland to be sold, and sometimes to Nanyang. Although Chinese businessmen doing business in Nanyang can take advantage of indigenous women, But women from China are more favored by them - they can be sold at a good price.
Lin Baiguang followed him through the box office and was surprised when he saw from a distance that there was a complete stockade on the hill by the sea, with Zhu Cai Lao's name flying on it. This village is so neatly built! When he got closer, he saw that many parts of the village wall had collapsed, and some of the houses in the village had also collapsed. Looking at the watchtowers and flagpole pedestals on the wall, he knew that it turned out to be a water tower built by the Ming army. The village was abandoned for a long time and then occupied by pirates.
Around the village, many sheds and tents were built densely, which were probably the residences of old Zhu Cai's cronies and bosses. There were also more pirates carrying knives and bamboo poles and spears. Lin Baiguang knew that this place was probably close to Zhu Cailao's tent.
The group of people headed all the way towards the abandoned stronghold of the Ming army. Along the way, they kept encountering small groups of patrolling pirates, who were more capable than the refugee-like pirates they met at the beach, indicating that they were getting closer to Zhu Cailao's Chinese army.
However, even with Lin Baiguang's unprofessional eyes, Zhu Cai Lao's Lu Shang camp is not necessarily smart. At first glance, it seems that it was installed haphazardly without any rules. The sentries and patrols are very haphazard, and the defenses in many places are very lax. Just living on the surface.
Such a team looks like an average pirate force. They can also log into 6 many times, go deep into the interior and rob states and counties, and most of them are invincible. Either his strongest troops are not on Nanri Island, or his opponents are too rough. Lin Baiguang believes that the latter is more likely.
There are always two extremes in the evaluation of the Ming army's combat effectiveness among the Cross-Travel Group. One is that they feel vulnerable. With hundreds of men and guns, they can attack all over Guangdong and even take Nanjing. One is that no matter how ruthless the enemy is, they are still regular troops, and no matter how strong we are, we are still amateurs. Without full-body armor, A47s, and Maxim machine guns, it will be difficult to win.
Now it seems that at least the Ming army in Guangdong and Fujian has nothing to fear. Men of Zhu Cai's level can also control the two provinces, leaving the Ming army helpless. With the equipment, training and discipline level of the Lingao County Security Corps, Look, it is not possible to defeat ten enemies with one, but there is no suspense in defeating three or four times the number of enemies.
After walking for a while, although there was still a long distance between them, under the clear sky Lin Baiguang could still clearly see that the big flag on the stockade was embroidered with the Chinese character "Zhu" for Douda. There is also a flag next to it, embroidered with "Commander of the Three Services".
The pirates also hung up the flag of the Ming Dynasty. Lin Baiguang was speechless. It seems that even rebels like bandits and pirates have the weakness of worshiping the system.
Arriving outside the gate of Dezhai, Shi Shishi stopped. He said a few words to the little pirate standing guard. He turned around and said:
"Shopkeeper Lin! Please sit here for a while. Let me go in first and report back." Shi Shishi said, "If the boss is in the village, he will see you soon."
"Okay, you go ahead." Lin Baiguang nodded. Shi Shishi and the people around him gave a few instructions and went in minding their own business. The little pirates here brought tables and chairs, asked him to sit down, and brought him a bowl of tea.
Lin Baiguang saw that the tea bowl was missing, and there was a circle of stains around the edge. The tea was yellow and had an unknown taste. He suppressed his disgust, took a big sip, and smacked his mouth, pretending to be satisfied.
The tea is bitter and astringent, with a salty smell like sea water. Lin Baiguang said: "Finally a cup of tea!"
The pirate who brought the tea smiled and said, "I don't know if the tea is good or not. The water is salty and bitter. I really can't drink it without adding some tea leaves."
Although there is fresh water on Nanri Island, it cannot withstand the gathering of more than 10,000 people. Daily drinking water is a problem, and most people have to dig wells everywhere to get water. On such a small island, the groundwater is somewhat penetrated by the sea water, and it can only barely survive.
Although the pirates guarding the gate didn't know who he was, Lin Baiguang was sent by Shi Shishi, so he obviously had a high status. He was dressed neither rich nor humble, and he exuded a vigorous aura. Everyone guessed that he was probably from some comrade. The greeting was a little more polite: the big shopkeeper has been having a hard time recently, so I'm probably here to talk about a joint venture.
Lin Baiguang also deliberately induced them to talk. He had been an office director and was a very good talker and good at interpersonal relationships. He had a knack for being eloquent, and he quickly struck up a conversation with the gatekeepers and became acquainted with them.
Soon, Lin Baiguang learned something from the mouths of these few pirates: the fleet gathered here was basically Zhu Cai Lao's entire property, and it was said that the big shopkeeper was going to take them to "do big business" ". They don't know what the big deal is. Does Lin Baiguang know that it obviously refers to the attack on Min'an.
Lin Baiguang did not inquire about sensitive matters such as the ship or the number of people. He felt that this was not something that needed to be concerned about. What he wanted to know was the morale and supply situation of the pirates. It is crucial to pull away the troops when the troops are in disarray. From the few words he chatted with the pirates, he felt that the morale of the pirates was not high - gathering this large group of people together would cause great trouble in eating, drinking and sleeping every day. In order to supply grain and vegetables, we had to send fleets out to collect food every day. Even so, there were ships that stopped from time to time. Some small groups have gone away because they have difficulty eating and getting water. They come and go again.
"That is to say, the Chinese army here has no worries about eating and drinking every day, and sometimes they can eat some meat. The other small groups have no choice but to catch fish every day." A pirate also said He said proudly.
I don't know how long it took for Lin Baiguang to talk about the mountains shrouded in clouds and fog. Just when Lin Baiguang had drank his fourth bowl of tea and was almost unable to hold on any longer, the loud sound of conch shells suddenly came from the Chinese military camp.
"The big shopkeeper has raised his account!" said the little boss. "I'm afraid the big shopkeeper will want to see you right away."
As the sound of conch shells resounded through the camp, many small groups of pirates suddenly appeared, with their swords unsheathed, and they rushed towards the walls and roads to line up.
This is a sign of welcome. Lin Baiguang secretly said.
On the one hand, this is respect for him as the messenger, on the other hand, it is a show of authority. Maybe it’s a combination of both, it just depends on how you deal with it.
Looking at the lively and chaotic scene in front of him, Lin Baiguang was filled with emotion. He defied all opinions and ventured here alone just to sneak into the pirate group. Mr. Zhu Cai, a tycoon across the sea, could only dream of this. He would never have thought that the purpose of his arrival was to poach him——
Just as he was thinking about it, several neatly dressed pirates ran all the way from the road inside the gate, came to the side and shouted loudly: "Which one of you is here with us?"
From his shouting, Lin Baiguang guessed that Mr. Zhu Cai was not willing to leak the news of his arrival. It's not clear why he did this. We can only play it by ear.
Lin Baiguang cupped his hands and said, "That's right!"
The leader exchanged greetings, and then said: "Comrade, our boss, please go to the old camp to rest first! Please!"
It turns out that pirates are also called "Laoying". Is this a common term used in the Ming Dynasty army?
Lin Baiguang nodded, bowed his hands to the pirates standing guard at the door and said, "Brothers, thank you for taking care of me! See you later!"
Everyone hurriedly bowed their hands respectfully in return. Everyone thinks that this comrade is handsome and polite, but I don't know what kind of hero he is?
When we walked along the road to the gate of Laoying, two lines of people had been lined up outside the gate to welcome Lin Baiguang's arrival.
This group of people were neatly dressed, with shiny weapons, and looked very tough. They were obviously Zhu Cai's elite confidants. Compared to the refugee-like pirates I saw along the road, it was like heaven and earth.
The weapons in the hands of the pirates lined up on both sides of the road gleamed in the sun, and they felt overwhelming at first glance. They all held Ming army standard spears and fought with swords across Japan. On the indifferent face were pairs of fierce eyes, shooting out frightening glances.
Under the gaze of the wolf-like pirates on both sides, Lin Baiguang walked on the road to the Chinese army. The sense of silent pressure was indeed terrifying - Lin Baiguang had seen this kind of scene in TV movies in the past. , I just felt that it was pretentious, and I could feel the terrifying feeling by putting myself in his shoes. At one point, his face turned a little pale, and he felt like he could hardly breathe.
At this moment, Shi Shishi, who had gone in to report earlier, ran out and shouted loudly: "We have a distinguished guest!!"
Lin Baiguang calmed down - the matter has come to this, there is no point in being afraid. I couldn't help but close my eyes and pray to God in my heart:
"Senior time travelers who have struggled in various time and space, convey your bastard energy to me through time and space!" After secretly praying several times, when he opened his eyes again, he felt that his whole body was full of strength, and there was a faint feeling behind him. About there is a halo, with two words written on it: "Protagonist".
"Please lead the way!"
After following Shi Shishi for a while, a gate appeared on the road in front of him. Another pirate next to the door shouted:
"Someone take off the sword!"
"I didn't." Lin Baiguang said calmly, "Does this brother want to search?"
"No, no need!" Shi Shishi hurried over to negotiate with the people. He accompanied him all the way and knew that shopkeeper Lin was unarmed and completely bare-handed! ~!
