When Zheng Zhilong and the Dutch were on alert, a common brig in the South China Sea was slowly entering Wai Tau Bay, and the ship was in excellent condition, the tung oil on the deck was shiny, and the boom and canvas of the two sails were also intact. It has a neat and tidy appearance.

The sailors on the ship, dressed in uniform indigo cloth clothing, which is the sailor's uniform of Dabo Shipping, and at the stern, a company flag of Dabo Shipping is flying: three wavy water lines, decorated with a morning star.

The draft of the ship was heavy, and it was obviously full of cargo, and in this unquiet coastal area, such a cargo ship would attract the prying eyes of many people, but the black holes of several cannons on the deck were enough to dispel many people's delusions, and there were large anti-jump nets hanging on both sides.

By this time, however, the ship's cannons were covered with cannons - indicating that its purpose was peaceful. After the ship entered the harbor, it anchored in the depth of the bay, and several Zheng family's dinghy approached very closely. A small leader boarded the deck of the Wenchang Shipping Ship.

After a brief conversation with the people on deck, he hurried down the rope ladder on the side of the ship. The dinghy hurriedly turned its bow, and Anping City rowed away.

Half an hour later, Lin Baiguang had already sat on the filial piety hall of Zheng Zhilong's private house.

The handsome servant has already brought tea, Lin Baiguang doesn't need to drink it, just smelling the aroma knows that this is a good () big red robe - when he was in the county office, there was a leader who was very fond of tea, and he once went to Wuyi Mountain to buy it.

Of course, there is a certain risk in going to see Zheng Zhilong. However, Lin Baiguang and others all believed that the possibility of encountering personal danger was very small: the two sides did not enter a state of hostility, and secondly, with the current strength of the Senate. Any shili has to weigh the consequences for starting hostilities.

Zheng Zhilong, who is confronting Liu Xiang, will never be stupid.

Zheng Zhilong was willing to take out the big red robe to entertain guests, and he was a little more sure of his trip.

It was not Zheng Zhilong who came out to meet the guest, but his brother Zheng Hongkui.

This is how representatives of the two great maritime powers of the South China Sea, or the entire East Asian sea, met. It is unknown whether the wheel of history has rolled forward and again, but both of them have a strong curiosity about each other.

Lin Baiguang found that the other party was a young man - the young one was simply not good, Zheng Hongkui was a few years younger than Zheng Zhilong, and the Senate itself was a group of young people. But in the Ming Dynasty, almost all people with a little status are middle-aged

Zheng Hongkui had a large number of envoys from the Australians, who had long admired his name: although the Zheng brothers had been struggling to support themselves in the stormy seas almost every day since they were recruited, they had almost no intention of caring about anything else. But all kinds of Australian goods, known for their kit kat and lewd skills, also flowed into their hands in a steady stream, leaving a deep impression on them.

The opponent has leapt from an obscure small clique entrenched in a corner to a maritime hegemon that controls the Pearl River estuary and occupies most of the ocean in Guangdong. His big opponent, Liu Xiang, left the Pearl River estuary and went north, although he had the consideration of competing for trade with Japan. Fear of the growing strength of the Australians is obviously also a reason.

The man in front of him. He wears a square scarf on his head, and wears straight trim and mille-feuille shoes under his feet. At first glance, he looks like a local businessman, but he has dark skin and a lean body.

Since the other party is now taking the initiative to visit his "landlord". The Zheng family was also treated politely, which was the tone set by the eldest brother - Zheng Zhilong didn't want to provoke an opponent for no reason.

Zheng Hongkui waited for him to put down the tea bowl, and asked, "Mr. is here with a big ride, I don't know what to learn?" ”

There is no need to be polite in the dialogue between the strong, and there is no need for repeated temptations to knock on the side. Lin Baiguang smiled slightly: "There is a big business, I don't know if General Zheng is interested?" ”

Zheng Hongkui immediately became interested. The other party wants to do business with himself! The Zheng family is a merchant at sea, as long as it is a transaction at sea. The sought-after and sought-after sales of Australian goods. They are also quite envious.

Now the Australians have taken the initiative to ask for cooperation, which is obviously a recognition of their shili in Fujian.

Since there are such intentions, there will be no hostility on the part of the Australians at the moment.

Zheng Hongkui's idea is of course not so simple, in history, in reality, with all kinds of overtures to paralyze the opponent, and then with a surprise attack to kill the opponent is countless, the Australian landed in Taiwan, is already in Xiangzhuang sword dance, at this juncture to show favor to their own side, as long as they do not feel good enough to burst people will be suspicious.

So he replied very slowly: "I don't know what the deal is?" ”

Lin Baiguang beckoned, and a servant came in from outside the door, carrying a few small pockets.

Zheng Hongkui opened one with curiosity: it was snow-white powder, glowing slightly.

He was stunned for a moment, and immediately understood: "This is salt!" ”

Take a little bit and taste it, the taste is pure, the aftertaste is slightly sweet, there is no bitter and astringent strange taste, and it is really haode salt! It is also comparable to the Sichuan well salt, which is more expensive than the one used in the mansion now.

"Yes, it's salt." Lin Baiguang nodded.

Zheng Hongkui opened all the pouches one by one, and there was salt in them, but the thickness and color were different, probably different grades.

Australians turned out to be selling illicit salt!

Zheng Hongkui also felt normal when he thought about it - there were many salt farms in Haibei, Hainan, where they were now shili, and it would not be a problem to get some salt, and Guangdong was not a province that lacked salt, so the sales of illegal salt must not be good.

Fujian is a salt-deficient place. The supply of salt in Fujian Province depends on imports from other places, especially from Guangdong and Zhejiang. Fujian is a mountainous province that does not produce salt, and the road is not easy to pass, so Fujian is a province with high official salt prices in the country, and the illegal salt trade is very rampant.

So far, the Zheng family has not put salt selling on their agenda. The Australians actually came directly to them to ask them about buying and selling illicit salt! The huge profits in this cannot be rejected by Zheng Hongkui.

The Executive Committee's decision to sell the salt to Zheng Zhilong was motivated by a number of considerations: first, to relax the other side's guard to avoid miscarriage due to the tense situation, and second, to use the empty tonnage of the ships heading north to make a profit. Salt was now a wealthy commodity in the hands of the Senate, and because it was produced in large quantities, the cost was extremely low. As long as it can be sold, even a stone of salt can be sold for a tael of silver - originally those cabins were empty.

"Make a price he can't refuse." Skade said this when communicating with Lin Baiguang about this matter. The profits of salt can make people break the law and even risk beheading in this time and space. And the Zheng family, as a tyrant in the coastal area, has no risk in engaging in this kind of trade. Skade believes that it will be difficult for them to resist such temptations.

If we summarize all the actions of Zheng Zhilong from his attachment to Li Dan to his captivity by the Manchus, it can be seen that he is a typical businessman, who has always considered problems with the mind of a businessman and considered everything with interests.

As long as the Senate can give him sufficient benefits, it is not a problem to obtain his temporary cooperation or acquiescence.

This kind of business is a "win-win" situation, which is not only beneficial to oneself, but also has the effect of reducing Zheng Zhilong's wariness -- if the benefits are too great, Zheng Zhilong will inevitably have to be suspicious of their motives.

Zheng Hongkui hesitated, under normal circumstances, he should have a respectful attitude towards Australians. But the other party's current offer made it difficult for him to refuse. For a moment he didn't know how to respond.

"In this matter, the third master naturally wants to discuss with General Zheng." Lin Baiguang smiled and said, "I'll come back another day." As he spoke, he got up and was about to quit.

This time, the initiative was further grasped in his hands, Zheng Hongkui couldn't help but feel a little at a loss, the idea of coping with a few words and saying some words could only be abandoned, and he immediately took care of Lin Baiguang and his party into the post house and entertained them well. At the same time, he also sent people to deliver fresh melons, fruits and vegetables to the sailors on the Wenchang.

Subsequently, he immediately brought the sample sent by Lin Baiguang to see his brother.

Zheng Zhilong hugged his arms, listened to Zheng Hongkui's narration, and said half-loudly: "Interesting." ”

The Australian's move was quite confusing to him. If it was just for the purpose of selling illicit salt, why did it suddenly land in Taiwan? If it is said that it is to sell illicit salt as a transit station, this is also too exaggerated -- Fujian's salt consumption has not yet reached the point where it needs to be transferred to the point of salt, and even if there is a transit station, Taiwan is not a suitable location.

The Australians fell into this hand in Taiwan, which made him both confused and feel thorns in his back. I always feel that there must be some conspiracy hidden in it.

However, no matter how doubtful his heart was, he was faced with a choice: either refuse to cooperate and turn a blind eye to the existence of Australians; Either he immediately takes armed action to expel the Australians; After that, he chose to cooperate and make a lot of money in the private salt trade.

If he chooses one and three, then he will have to sit back and watch the existence of the Australians in Taiwan, and if he wants to expel the Australians, he must use force -- since the Australians have gone to great lengths to send a fleet to Taiwan and build forts, they will never withdraw easily. It is by no means possible to be driven away by a few words of threat from one's own side.

Choosing to use force, the Zheng family has no certainty of victory, needless to say that Liu Xiang is watching from the sidelines.

What kind of choice to make between one and three, it is not difficult for those who know his thinking pattern to guess: since Australians can't get rid of it, why not make money in business?

Taking a step back, Taiwan is not his territory at the moment -- it is the Dutch. The Dutch will only be more worried about the existence of Australians than he is. Even if you want to do it, it's better to let the Dutch do it. If the Australians really have plans for Taiwan, then sooner or later they will have to clash with the Dutch as they expand their shili in Taiwan.

At that point, it would have been much more advantageous for him to enter the battlefield as an ally of the Dutch or Australians.

"It's a deal." Zheng Zhilong made the final decision. To be continued