Due to the sudden heavy fog on the sea surface, Deng Fei had no time to carefully check the details of the shelling of Songqian City and quickly withdrew the drone.
Faced with the unexpected weather conditions, Zhao Xin could only stop shelling.
As soon as the sun came up early the next morning, the drone on the Thor took off again and circled around Matsumae Castle. Seeing white lanterns and white flags hung up inside and outside Matsumae Castle, Zhao Xin was sure that he had done something big this time, and immediately ordered the Thor to turn to Ishinomaki Port.
Early on the third day, Denzo Katsuyama and Jiroemon Murata, who had been waiting for many days, boarded the Thor.
"Master Zhao, have you brought all the food?" The two bosses seemed to have been forced hard by the Sendai clan.
Zhao Xin turned around and pointed to the cargo hold below the deck and said: "I brought them all, a total of 50,000 shi of polished rice and 9,000 tons." He specifically allowed the Thor to be delayed for one night, so that it could be done at night when everyone on the ship was sleeping. , put nine thousand tons of rice into the cargo hold.
Seeing the cargo hold full of food, Denzo Katsuyama and Jiroemon Murata couldn't help but be overjoyed.
Taking advantage of the time of hoisting the goods, Zhao Xin invited the two people to the conference room and explained to them that because the ship was full of grain this time, the white sugar and silk ordered before would need to be shipped next time.
Katsuyama Denzo quickly said that it didn't matter, the 50,000 koku of food that the Sendai clan wanted was more important. Then he lowered his voice and said to Zhao Xin: "Sir, you don't know. Hundreds of townspeople in this domain have starved to death at home. If this batch of food is no longer available, the domain master will reduce the salaries of everyone below. Half three years.”
"Ah? Isn't the Sendai clan very rich? Can't even buy some food?" Zhao Xin was very surprised.
Jiroemon Murata sighed and said: "I bought several thousand kiwi from Owari and Omi, but it was really a drop in the bucket. Now all the Kanto feudal lords are rushing to grab the food on the market, and the price has risen ridiculously."
"No, my winery has also stopped working. Now the food produced by this domain must be supplied to Edo first. Otherwise, if Edo is short of food, big trouble will happen."
"Then who will pay for the rice this time?" Zhao Xin asked with a smile.
"It's ready. The financial manager of this domain has brought the payment to the Ishinomaki Office. Payment will be made after the goods are inspected." Katsuyama Denzo explained quickly. But he knew that the big leader of Tang Yi in front of him was the master who would overturn the table if he disagreed with him, so he must not offend him.
Zhao Xin tapped his fingers on the table, thought for a moment and said, "I have a separate business here. I wonder if the two bosses are interested?"
When the two businessmen opposite heard that it was a one-man business, they quickly said, "Your Excellency, you might as well tell me."
Although the sugar and silk have not yet arrived, the two of them made a lot of money from the carved glasses that Zhao Xin gave them last time. Now that the God of Wealth is looking after them again, the two of them will naturally strive to move forward and never give in.
"Xia, Yi, Di." Zhao Xin looked at the two of them and said word by word.
After he finished speaking, Denzo Katsuyama and Jiroemon Murata looked at each other strangely and said nothing.
"What? You're not interested?"
Denzo Katsuyama quickly explained: "Sir, don't be angry. The goods in Ezo are nothing more than furs and seafood. Apart from furs, they are quite profitable. This... there is no shortage of seafood here."
Zhao Xin chuckled: "Do you think I am going to do this?"
"That is?"
"It's coal. Coal from western Ezo."
Don’t think that the islanders of the Edo period didn’t use coal. At this time, the largest coal mine in the island nation was the Chikuho Coal Mine of Fukuoka Domain on Kyushu Island. With the rapid population expansion in the two major cities of Edo and Osaka, briquettes have become an important fuel in households. The salt-producing areas of the Seto Inland Sea also use coal as fuel to cook sea salt.
Murata Jiroemon said: "But I heard that business in Ezo is monopolized by Matsumae Clan, and only merchants from Omi can get involved. Moreover, Ezo people have always been fierce, this..."
"You don't have to worry about the Ezo people. I have established a good cooperative relationship with them. As for Matsumae Clan, haha..."
When the two businessmen saw Zhao Xin's expression, they also guessed something. But when they learned from Zhao Xin what happened in Shachuan and Matsumae Castle, they couldn't help but mourn for the head of the Matsumae clan. It's not good to offend anyone, but Tang Yi must be offended.
Zhao Xin proposed that the three parties jointly set up a business company. The two businessmen were responsible for recruiting miners in the Sendai Domain territory to mine coal mines in North Senshu (Yubari) and Beiqujiang (Ishikari). All mined coal would be purchased by Zhao Xin. Sold to island countries.
As for the safety from the mine to Shachuan, Zhao Xinfang will send people to be responsible for it. The two businessmen can also hire ships to transport the coal all the way to Beihai. Regarding the price of coal, Zhao Xin gave the two very satisfactory conditions.
The only condition that Zhao Xin asked the two businessmen to pay attention to and abide by is that you can use Ainu or refugees, but you must pay them enough and keep them fed. If something goes wrong because of this, don't blame yourself for turning against others.
The three of them discussed the matter for a whole day. Finally, Denzo Katsuyama was responsible for drafting, and a tripartite cooperation agreement was put on paper.
The agreement stipulates that the shareholding ratios of Zhao Xin, Denzo Katsuyama and Jiroemon Murata are 30%, 35% and 35%. The relationship between the various Ainu tribes in the Ezo land and the safety of the transportation routes of the mined coal on the Ezo land are left to Zhao Xin; other matters such as recruiting miners and transporting them to the Ezo land, establishing mining camps, etc. are left to the two Businessmen are responsible. The income earned by the firm is settled annually.
As for the name of the company, the two businessmen suggested that Zhao Xinlai should start it, so he decided to call it "Beihai Company".
After the three people discussed, Zhao Xin mentioned going to Nagasaki Port.
Murata Jiroemon explained: "This is a bit difficult. Sir, you don't know. Foreign ships need a letter sign when they dock in Nagasaki. Without this, it would be difficult."
"What about your merchant ships?"
"Although our ship does not require a letter plate, once we get off the ship, the Nagasaki followers discover that there are foreigners on the ship. Not to mention that the goods on the ship will be impounded, and everyone will be sent to jail."
Katsuyama Denzo asked: "Sir, do you want to go to Nagasaki to find Qing merchants?"
Zhao Xin nodded slowly: "I have this idea."
"This is very troublesome. It is said that merchants from the Qing Dynasty all live in the houses of the Tang Dynasty. The surroundings are heavily guarded and they are not allowed to go out at all. Even if you get on our ship and arrive at Nagasaki, you will not be able to get in."
Zhao Xin smiled nonchalantly, and then said: "Boss, are you interested in taking this Thor to go to Nagasaki together? Don't worry, the Thor is not your Benzai ship. We can get it in a few days. return."
"Sir, what do you want?"
"Since the shogunate won't open the door, then I'll just break the door!"
As soon as he said these words, the two businessmen in front of him were completely frightened. Looking at the panicked two people in front of him, Zhao Xin suggested that they go back and think about it carefully. He finished unloading the goods, took the money and set off.
Denzo Katsuyama and Jiroemon Murata returned home each night, thinking carefully about boarding the ship to Nagasaki until late at night. Businessmen, as long as their profits are great, they are not afraid of going to the gallows. The two business owners thought that now even the Sendai clan had to beg the Tang Yi leader to sell grain; and then they thought that since they cooperated with him to open a business, they were in the same boat. So now it is necessary to understand whether the force of these Tang Yi people is reliable.
Thinking of the previous cannon shooting scenes in Matsushima Town and Ishinomaki Port...
The next morning, two business owners and one person boarded the Thor.
Zhao Xin smiled as soon as he saw this person. He was an old acquaintance, Shibata Kakuzo, the head of the Sendai Domain stationed at the Ishinomaki Administrative Office.
After an explanation from the two businessmen, Zhao Xin learned that after some consideration last night, the two decided to go to Nagasaki with Zhao Xin to broaden their horizons. However, this matter was too big, and the two of them were afraid that their small shoulders could not bear it, so they reported it to Sendai domain officials early in the morning who were waiting to pay the rice payment at Ishinomaki Port.
As soon as this official of the Sendai Domain heard that Tang Yi was going to Nagasaki Port to teach the shogunate a lesson, he couldn't help but be very interested. Everyone in the Sendai clan was happy to see the Tokugawa family suffer. Speaking of those days... forget it, the feud with the Tokugawa family lasted so long that it would take days and nights to talk about it.
Since the time given by Zhao Xin was very tight, Shibata Kakuzo, who had dealt with Zhao Xin several times before, was dispatched. This person is just a petty official. If something happens, he can be thrown out as a scapegoat at any time.
Shibata Kakuzo, who has always wanted to be an invisible man, knew that he might be a victim this time. After bowing respectfully to Zhao Xin, he said: "I am sent here this time because I want to follow you to see the North Sea." The town's illustrious martial arts. Please allow me, sir. I'm sorry for causing you trouble."
Zhao Xin smiled in his heart, and the Sendai clan also took the bait.
"It's not troublesome. I just have an extra mouth to eat." After saying that, he asked Pingtai to lead the three of them to the cabin where they would stay.
Shibata Kakuzo was depressed, and he was not taken seriously at all.
At noon, Sendai domain officials who had inspected the quality of the rice brought a team of guards and sent the small judgment of 50,000 taels to the Thor.
After both parties finished checking, they bowed and said goodbye.
After Zhao Xin waited for the opponent's ship to go away, he immediately ordered the ship to sail south, aiming for Nagasaki.
(End of chapter)
