After the Zheng family and his son met, Zhao Xin made an excuse to leave, leaving the father and son to chat alone with his subordinates in the conference room on the second floor. Unexpectedly, when I walked to the main deck, I found Shrimp Ball Boy waiting there.
Zhao Xin walked under the awning, waved to Shrimp Ball Boy, and asked his "follower" A Miao to bring two glasses of juice.
"Shrimp ball boy, how old are you this year?"
"Sir, I'm sixteen this year." Shrimp Ball Boy sat down next to the chair with fear.
"Who else is at home?"
"Grandpa, grandma, dad, mom, two younger brothers, and three younger sisters."
Good guy! There are quite a lot of people.
"Is your father working with Gang Leader Zheng?"
Shrimp Ball Boy nodded, took the cup handed over by A Miao, took a cautious sip, his eyes suddenly lit up, and then he drank most of the cup with a tilt of his neck.
"Haha, drink more if you like." Zhao Xin asked A Miao to pour another glass and bring some snacks. He continued to ask the shrimp ball boy: "Are you usually full?"
"Sir, what you said is that if you can have enough to eat, who would be willing to do... this business?" Shrimp Ball Boy wiped the corners of his mouth with his sleeves nonchalantly, and said with a smile: "That's how the Dan family is, bitches One life."
Zhao Xin's heart moved and he said with a smile: "What does your father do?"
"In the first few years, I followed Brother Chang overseas. Later, I injured my leg, so I helped repair the boat." Seeing that Zhao Xin spoke kindly, Shrimp Ball Boy also relaxed a little. He turned his head and looked at the Thor, and said to Zhao Xin: "Sir, is this ship made of iron from the inside to the outside?"
"Yes. I have two boats like this, and the other one is several times bigger than this one."
"What?!" Shrimp Ball Boy jumped up from his chair when he heard this, and said loudly: "It's several times bigger than this boat?! That's not as big as Tanzi Mountain!"
Zhao Xin turned to look at the mountain peaks in the distance, shook his head and said, "It's longer than Tanzi Mountain."
"Mom! Master, are you a god?"
"Hahaha!" Zhao Xin said with a smile: "Shrimp ball boy, come with me to the north. In a few years, you may be able to drive such a big boat."
"Me? Master, you think I can do it too!" Shrimp Ball Boy was a little excited and giggled twice, but then his face dropped again. "But I can't leave. My family is pointing out that I and Brother No. 1 are working together to earn money to support the family."
"Bring them all with you. I have plenty of land and food over there. No one will be hungry."
Shrimp Ball Boy lowered his head and sat back on the chair, and whispered: "I, I have to listen to Brother Chang and Brother Yi. But... you are a good man, sir."
Zhao Xin lit a cigarette for himself and pushed the cream cake brought by A Miao to the shrimp ball boy: "Eat something. Whether you can come with me or not, just say this to you, I will treat you to a snack .”
In the conference room on the Thor, Zheng Yizheng argued with his father.
"Abba, listen to me. These people are not mortals. The officers, soldiers and Westerners don't dare to let out a fart in front of them, and they don't even dare to board the ship for inspection. Xiaoqi and I both saw it with our own eyes!"
"No! You are the eldest son of the Zheng family, and you have to inherit this family business. It's more than six thousand miles away! Isn't that far to the end of the world! After walking so far, your mother is not anxious to die! The Xu family's What about marriage?" Zheng Lianchang slapped the conference table, firmly disagreeing with Zheng Yi's idea.
"Yes, Wen Xian, just listen to Brother Chang." One of Zheng Lianchang's men, a strong man in his forties, advised him.
"Brother Hai, why don't you understand?! We, the Dan family, can't live our whole lives as pirates and never make it to shore, right? There are so many brothers in the Red Gang, how many of them can read like my mother-in-law every day? But even my mother-in-law can do that. Those who are eager to learn are destined to be pirates!"
When Zheng Lianchang heard this, he was furious: "Fart! Why did I send you to study in the first place? Guo Po is eager to learn, but if you hadn't robbed his whole family, why would he have a good life with you?" Pirates?"
Zheng Yi couldn't help but blush on his face after hearing this. It is said that the name of Guo Po's family is Guo Xuexian, who is sixteen years old. Last year, when his family went fishing, Zheng Yi robbed the boat and the people and forced them to become pirates. Guo Po and his family had no choice but to obey. However, because he has loved reading since childhood, he is considered the most knowledgeable among the entire Red Gang.
At this time, another person behind Zheng Lianchang said: "Brother Chang, do you want to ask more about the details of Captain Zhao? He is so generous, spending more than five thousand taels of silver in one move, just to recruit a few brothers from the Dan family?"
Five thousand and fifty taels of silver, this is a lot of money. It is absolutely impossible to say that Zheng Lianchang is not tempted. There were dozens of people, and the total number including family members was only two to three hundred. People are worthless these days, but the question is how much trouble there will be if the money is taken. This is what he is really worried about.
Several people discussed it for an hour, but there was still no good solution. The key to this matter is that they know nothing about Zhao Xin. Just like Zheng Yi said, driving such a strange big ship, attacking Westerners is like cutting melons and vegetables. The government does not dare to mess with them, but they are polite to people like themselves. Why?
Without clarifying this issue, Zheng Lianchang would not dare to agree to Zhao Xin's conditions. If someone named Zhao, like the Portuguese, transports the Dan family to Nanyang and sells them as livestock, then the reputation of the Red Flag Gang will be ruined!
"Captain Zhao, I, Zheng Yi, beg you to tell the truth. Who are you? Why don't people from the Haiphong Tongzhi Yamen even dare to board the ship?"
More than an hour later, Zheng Lianchang and others met Zhao Xin again. Zheng Yi ignored his father's obstruction and asked directly. Seeing his son being so stubborn, Zheng Lianchang's face turned red with anger and he thought to himself, "You silly boy, why should I ask you to tell me the truth?" !
"Gang Leader Zheng, I know that during the Nanming Dynasty, your Zheng family was dominated by the King of Tang, right?" Zhao Xin felt that he could only make a "big move". Just one sentence to trick people into following you north, why? Just a few thousand taels of silver?
"It's true." Zheng Lianchang nodded solemnly.
"Then have you heard of King Zhao?"
Zheng Lianchang raised his head and thought about it, but he seemed to have no memory. In those days, there was a king here and a king there. In troubled times, each had his own master. Who could remember so many things.
"Well. Have you heard about the defeat of the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty outside the Pass the year before last and the year before last?"
Of course Zheng Lianchang had heard of it, and he had just heard about it not long ago. There is no airtight wall in this world. Although the Qing court tried its best to conceal it, the news of the defeat of Fukang'an and Agui spread to Guangzhou last year.
It is said that when Fukang'an was the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, with that uncle's temper, he would definitely make enemies. At that time, the holy family of Fukang'an was strong and no one dared to disobey. But now that he was defeated and thinking about his mistakes at home, the officials in Guangdong could not do anything to add insult to injury, but the rumors still spread.
Zheng Lianchang has a hobby and often goes to fireworks places. At this time, the most famous boat outside Guangzhou was the Yangbang prostitute boat from Jinghai Gate to Youlan Gate, which was euphemistically called the flower boat; naturally he would not let it go. Zheng Lianchang had a sweetheart there and visited once a few days ago. In this kind of place, officials and businessmen are mixed, and anyone with money is the boss; so he also heard some news from the court and official circles.
"You mean?" Zheng Lianchang looked at Zhao Xin with surprise on his face.
"That's right. So you know why the government is afraid of me?" As soon as Zhao Xin said this, the expressions of Zheng Lianchang and his son, including several of their subordinates, changed drastically.
The guy from Shrimp Ball Boy was a straight man, Zhao Xin spoke politely to him, and he ate and drank deliciously, so he got a lot of things out of him while talking. According to Xiaqiaozi, Zheng Lianchang's father, Zheng Jian, the founder of the Zheng family in Xiangshan, was deeply influenced by Zheng Chenggong. At that time, Zheng Jian left a family motto: descendants must not help foreign enemies, must support the rebellion against the Qing Dynasty and restore the Ming Dynasty, and must not harm innocent people. The implication is that the Zheng family are the "robbers" of this sea.
Zhao Xin was dismissive of this, and such rhetoric was always meant for outsiders. In fact, if the Zheng family really supported the anti-Qing Dynasty and restoration of the Ming Dynasty, why didn't they take any action during the Taiwan Tiandihui uprising in history?
In Zhao Xin's view, the Guangdong pirates are not fighting for the poor and social justice at all. They are just a group of predators with dreams of getting rich and class transformation. For example, Zheng Lianchang's Red Gang collects tolls in Lei Yue Mun, which is a typical bandit style.
What Zhao Xin didn't know was that during the Jiaqing period, when pirates were most rampant at the Pearl River Estuary in history, when the government's maritime ban policy was so effective that pirates could not gain a foothold, these people would plunder villages along the inland rivers, murder and arson, and even dig graves. Take out the coffin and blackmail the victim.
In the 14th year of Jiaqing, Zheng Yi's successor Zhang Baozai led the Red Flag Gang and the Black Flag Gang led by Guo Po, and they separately attacked and killed along the inland waterways several times. "Scholar" Guo Podai led the Black Flag Gang in separate operations that lasted for more than a month, killing about 10,000 civilians, local warriors and soldiers. After these people looted the village and set it on fire, they also hung the heads of more than 80 murdered villagers on the big banyan tree at the head of the village...
I wonder what kind of thieves would do this? !
At this time, Zheng Lianchang was heard saying: "Captain Zhao, we have to think about this matter again. Please allow me a few days."
Zhao Xin knows that to deal with these people, both carrot and stick are indispensable. What Zheng Lianchang needs right now is a stick! He turned his head and whispered a few words to a soldier behind him. The soldier nodded in understanding, turned around and went out.
"Gang Leader Zheng, I have already stated the conditions. Send the person I want, and the money will be yours. If you don't agree, you will stop hanging out in Lei Yue Mun in the future."
"Bang!" Zheng Lianchang was angered by Zhao Xin's domineering attitude. With an angry look on his face, he stood up and said to Zhao Xin: "Zhao, do you still talk about the rules of the world?! Don't think that I'm going to stop you because you arrested more than 20 of our brothers. I'm afraid of you! The Hongqi Gang has hundreds of ships and thousands of brothers, they are not just for free!"
"Haha, I'm so scared!" Zhao Xin scratched his head twice, lit a cigarette and said: "With those shabby wooden boats of yours, it's okay to just bully the people. The Marquis and Deputy General of the Qing Dynasty I have killed more than a dozen of the generals and generals, and the bodies of tens of thousands of Qing troops we have beaten are scattered all over the field. I even captured Fukang'an! I respect your father as a subordinate of the surnamed master, so I am polite to you. "
"What, you don't believe what I say?" Seeing Zheng Lianchang and others looking at each other angrily, Zhao Xin put out the cigarette he had taken two puffs on, walked to the window, and looked at the dozens of red flags parked not far away. Help Haizhou, took out the walkie-talkie and pressed the switch.
"Fire!"
...
At the same time, thousands of miles away in the Quanzhou Guild Hall in Zhapu, Zhejiang, Shen Jingdan, wearing a green cloth gown, was sitting in the flower hall talking to a thin wealthy businessman. Below the two of them was a middle-aged man wearing a bunt.
"Lao Wu, this is Mr. Shen." The wealthy businessman introduced Shen Jingdan to the middle-aged man. "Mr. Shen is a good friend I met in Nagasaki. He is going to Quanzhou this time on urgent business. Are you going to sail early the day after tomorrow?"
"Yes." The middle-aged man known as "Lao Wu" was a captain, and the wealthy businessman purchased the lucky boat. After hearing this, he quickly saluted Shen Jingdan, and Shen Jingdan also bowed his hand politely.
The bow of the boat said: "I wonder how many people are there in Mr. Shen and his entourage?"
Shen Jingdan said: "Twenty-seven people."
"So many?" The bowman was startled.
The wealthy businessman explained: "Mr. Shen is in a hurry to go to Guangzhou to pick up a batch of goods this time, so the trip is a bit hasty. You don't have to worry, Old Five."
"I see, then I'll let my men free up more places to live."
Shen Jingdan cupped his hands and said, "Thank you. Although Mr. Mei and I are friends, this time it's really bothering me, so I've prepared some tea money here to show my appreciation." After saying that, he handed over an envelope.
When I opened the bow of the boat, I saw a two hundred tael silver note issued by a local bank in Zhapu. The note was redeemed immediately. They immediately smiled brightly and even said that they were a family and there was no need to be so polite. Having said all that needed to be said, the bow of the boat immediately saluted and said goodbye. Before leaving, he said to Shen Jingdan: "Master Shen, the day after tomorrow morning, we will set sail on the Yin Zheng sea and set sail at the beginning of the year. Don't be too late."
The "open ocean needle" mentioned in the bow of the ship refers to the sacrificial ceremony that must be held before sailing. The blessings in the sacrificial ceremony must be reported to various gods, ranging from Xuanyuan Huangdi to the little immortals guarding the compass. All ten people must be mentioned, and they must also explain where the ship comes from, the departure time of the gods, who is the crew, who are the passengers, etc., in order to hope that good winds and water will arrive in an instant, and the journey will be safe.
The reason why Shen Jingdan and his party docked in Zhapu, Zhejiang Province was because Lu Shoushan's men were not familiar with the navigation route. These days, the needle maps are the treasures of the bows of ships in various places. Everyone is in charge of the north and south routes, and no one will spread them easily. The Caobang boatmen under Lu Shoushan were familiar with the northern Jiangsu route and the route to Jeju Island, but they had no idea about the route south of the Yangtze River. If they dared to drive the boat all the way to Zhapu, they would already be running the risk of hitting the rocks and sinking the ship.
As a businessman who had been engaged in maritime trade for a long time, Shen Jingdan knew this very well, so after arriving in Zhapu, he decided to change ships. It is said that if we go ashore by land, the post roads in Fujian Province alone will be more than a thousand miles long. Moreover, there are many mountainous roads in Fujian, and it is not possible to travel quickly by horseback. What they can do now is to change the ship to Quanzhou, and then take the ship from Quanzhou to Guangzhou. If everything goes well, including waiting on the way, we will arrive in Guangzhou in another ten days.
After Shen Jingdan finished talking, he returned to the inn from the Quanzhou Guild Hall and informed Lu Shoushan and others.
In the inn, Shen Xuan, who had just taken off the disguise of a man, was accompanied by Chen Jishan's sister Chen Erya, with a worried look on her face. After Chen Erya took off her clothes, her face was sallow. The whole trip on the boat made her miserable. While the two were talking, Shen Jingdan knocked on the door and came in, saying to Shen Xuan: "The boat has been found and will set off early the next morning. You can relax. He has weathered strong winds and waves calmly before, and nothing will happen to him this time. "
Shen Xuan said: "Dad, I'm always in a state of anxiety and can't rest for a moment. Something must have happened to him."
Shen Jingdan coughed, and Shen Xuan understood and said to Chen Erya: "Sister, go and rest yourself. Since we are leaving the day after, you should rest for two days and recuperate."
Chen Erya was still feeling seasick, so she said, "Then I'll go back to the house and smoke a cigarette. If you need anything, just call me."
In this era, most of the qualified young women smoked, mainly to relieve their boredom. Originally, Shen Xuan also smoked, but Zhao Xin didn't like it, so she stopped smoking.
After Chen Erya went out, Shen Jingdan closed the door and asked Shen Xuan in a low voice: "Has there been any change in that jade in the past few days?"
Shen Xuan didn't speak, just shook her head.
Shen Jingdan stroked his forehead and said slowly: "I am very tired after traveling thousands of miles all the way. You should rest early. I hope he will be a good person."
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