"Why don't men sail across the sea, a boat of gold comes with a boat of silver."

I don't know when this phrase began to become popular in the coastal provinces, and it has increasingly become the consensus of the whole society. Every year, tens of thousands of young people throw themselves into the sea, but even so, sailors are still the best job to find. I don't know how many people leave home and embark on a merchant ship to become a sailor.

Thanks to the now increasingly prosperous overseas trade of the Ming dynasty, the daimyo owned tens of thousands of merchant ships, which naturally required a large number of sailors. Every year, there will always be many people who quit and many people who enter.

Of course, there are many people who start out as just ordinary sailors, but soon they will become captains of merchant ships.

From sailor to captain, it's a process, and it can be long or fast, as fast as you learn to measure latitude with a sextant, learn to calculate longitude with a star catalog, and then learn some basic nautical knowledge. Then prepare a few hundred taels of silver, buy a schooner about 12 zhang in a certain port, and invite a few sailors, and a captain will be freshly baked.

Of course, it doesn't matter if you don't have the money to buy a boat. You can go to the bank to apply for a loan, with the loan to buy a merchant ship, the current Ming Dynasty, navigation can be said to be the lowest threshold of the industry, although this industry is full of many risks, and there are many requirements for the captain. However, there are still many people involved in this industry every year.

A shipload of gold comes a shipload of silver!

This may be an exaggeration, but it also clearly shows what kind of profiteering industry this industry is. Driven by profits, it is natural that many people will rush to join it.

As a new captain, in addition to establishing the prestige of the captain in front of the new sailors, it is more important to find the goods, this is very easy, there are exchanges in every port, there are many retail merchants, unlike other merchants who transport a shipload of goods, these retail merchants' goods are scattered, they often bring people and goods on the ship, on the ship, they are additional sailors, to the destination incarnate merchants, in a foreign land. Some of them will go from now on, while others will buy their bones in a foreign land, but the thirst for wealth has driven them to go overseas one after another. It is also they who sell the goods produced by Daming to all over the world, and now Daming is developed in industry and commerce, and the reason why it is more and more developed is also thanks to these small traders.

As a freshly baked captain, like many new captains, Wang Jie has to find goods for his ship, and there can't be too many retail merchants on the ship, too many will become a burden, and it may also lead to not enough sailors on the ship on the return trip, and the cargo on the ship is not satisfied, in short, this matter is not easy to master.

However, for the captain who has successfully gone to sea once, Wang Jie still arranged everything, when he set off from Guangzhou, there were sixteen people on the ship, seven retail merchants with goods, and then like sprinkling beans, from Hexian all the way down, through Malacca, through Nanping, and finally to Linhai - this is the largest port in Wu Zhou, although the Ming Dynasty does not recognize the pseudo-Zhou, but it does not prevent the merchants of the Ming Kingdom from coming here to do business.

Even because of the large population here, more and more Ming merchants are coming here. Many of them even chose to settle here, after all, it was not much different from Zhuxia. If you have to talk about the difference, at most, the Ming Dynasty does not recognize this country.

But even so, it still does not prevent the officials here from revering the Ming people. The dark-skinned customs officer spoke stiff Chinese. The attitude is humble and docile.

"My lord is from the Celestial Empire?"

"Yes, it's a customs declaration."

After receiving an affirmative answer, it was confirmed that the two sides were indeed ships of the Celestial Empire, not Zhuxia ships, and the attitude of the Turen officials was even more humble.

In fact, even if it was Zhuxia's ship, the native officials did not dare to disturb it - after all, they were Han Chinese. If a native offends a Han, he will be fined three points if he is not guilty. It is not too obvious in Zhuxia, after all, the appearance of the Zhuxia natives is not much different from that of the Han people, but in Wu Zhou, the very different physiognomy strengthens the privileges of the Han people. Here, skin color and physiognomy are the prerogative of the Ming people.

"Oh, Captain Wang, if you don't look at people, there is no difference between Linhai and Daming,"

On the way to the Chamber of Commerce, Zhang Sanman looked around curiously, he was the first time to come to Wu Zhou. Like many retail merchants, it is here to do business.

"When you arrive at the Chamber of Commerce in a while, someone in the Chamber of Commerce will tell you the rules here, you have to remember it, this is not Daming, don't follow the rules of Daming in everything."

"I know, I know, the book says that overseas, we Celestial Empire people must have the dignity of Celestial Empire people......"

Another nerd who was coaxed by the book, muttering in his heart, Wang Jie just smiled, when he arrived at the Chamber of Commerce, someone would teach him the rules here.

Along the way, Wang Jie could feel the respect of the natives, and those natives with fairer complexions even boldly threw flattering glances at him.

Jiao Zuo's appearance would even make people worry, if he was left alone, it was very likely that he would be dragged home by these bold native women.

"Captain, see if that woman is looking at us."

"Hmm."

"That woman's eyes are so big that they make people panic."

Then he said with some reluctance.

"But looking at that look really makes people itch in their hearts."

"If you had passed, she would have been happy to spend the night with you, but be careful, they all have a purpose."

"The purpose? Could it be that they want to rob money? ”

"No, they're trying to rob sex."

"Robbery?"

"Yes, rob the sex, and then marry you, so that she and her family will become civilized people, whatever you do in Wuzhou Kaihua people, it is more convenient than ordinary natives, even if you can pay half less tax, for them, there is nothing more beneficial than marrying a Han person."

"How can this be?"

With his eyes wide open, Zhang Sanman's eyes were full of surprise. He had never imagined that such a thing could happen. As long as you marry a Han Chinese, you can pay half less tax.

This kind of thing is inevitably too rare.

Wang Jie didn't find it strange in this regard, when he first came here, he was also surprised by these things.

In Wu Zhou, it is said that it is "a family of Han soil", but in fact, it is divided into three classes, this kind of people, naturally Han people, Han people, Han people, as officials, soldiers, in addition to the Han people who withdrew with the Wu family, there are many Han people from Zhuxia and the Celestial Empire over the years, but we don't have to be soldiers, this status is no different from those people. As for the second-class people, they are the civilized people, and the civilized people, in addition to the native slaves of the Han people, are those who can speak Chinese and change Chinese customs, they can be small officials, native soldiers, and can also have their own land, as for the third-class people, that is, they speak the native language, from the local customs, they are all tenant farmers, not only have to farm, but also have to pay taxes, poll tax, land tax, anyway, in a word, just like paying taxes, the Han people do not pay taxes, the civilized people do not pay poll tax, and the natives, of course, all have to pay......"

In the Chamber of Commerce Hall. Facing Zhang Sanman, who had just come from China, the staff of the Chamber of Commerce told him one by one that this place was different from Daming.

The biggest difference here is the privileges that the Han people have. It is those privileges that seem strange to outsiders that form the basis of their rule here.

"The reason why they do this is actually to follow the methods used by the Manchu Qing Dynasty when they entered the customs, but now they have borrowed some Mughal methods, but these methods are definitely good for us, after all, we are Han people, aren't we?"

A simple word. With a characteristic pride. Now the privileges they enjoy here are all because of their bloodline, just because they are from the Ming Dynasty, because they are all Han Chinese, they can enjoy all this.

Of course, this is also because the Ming are strong enough to allow them to enjoy these privileges here.

"unimaginable, unimaginable ......"

Until he left the Chamber of Commerce, Zhang Sanman was still muttering to himself, his eyes were full of unapologetic looks, and even he was still thinking about how to start a business, as soon as he went out, a local native followed.

"Sir, you are a merchant who has just arrived, and you are a native of the local area in Lower Juls."

Jules' attitude was extremely respectful.

"What's the matter?"

Looking at the natives in front of him, Zhang Sanman asked.

"That's right, I am also a businessman, but because of the laws of the Zhou State, the natives must have Han people as partners in business, you know, sometimes, there will be many inconveniences in a small business, so I want to be able to underwrite your goods, of course, during the underwriting period, I want you to be my partner, of course, this is only a nominal ......"

Jules said a lot, and Zhang Sanman was dumbfounded for a while, is there such a good thing in the world?

However, out of caution, he still didn't agree immediately, just told Jules that he needed to think about it, of course, Jules didn't force it, just told Zhang Sanman his address, and swore that he was waiting for his good news.

When Zhang Sanman returned to the ship at a loss and wanted to discuss with the captain, on the dock of Linhai City, several people with braids attracted people's attention as soon as they came ashore.

"Look, Mouse Tail!"

"It's Jiannu!"

"Look, it's Jiannu."

"But no, I haven't seen Jiannu for many years!"

"Damn, if it weren't for this place, those turtle grandchildren would have to be slaughtered......"

The shouts of the sailors came faintly from a distance, and Tong Guowei didn't feel strange about this.

"Lord Tong, it seems that this Han people, after all, still can't forget us."

Before Tong Guowei could speak, someone interjected.

"Hmph, what's the matter, I really thought I was Han, in the past, they were also the dogs of our banner people!"

"It's our dogs, but their lives are more comfortable than ours."

It's not more comfortable than the Great Qing Kingdom, at least for the Wu family of the Zhou Kingdom, they don't have to worry about the Ming army coming over, in contrast, the Great Qing Kingdom doesn't have this ease.

"After all, they are still Han after all!"

Tong Guowei nodded and said softly.

"Let's come over this time, but we have to be careful, maybe those people will hand us over, and it may not be necessary to curry favor with Mingguo."

Tong Guowei's words made the faces of the people around him change, and they all said nervously.

"This, what can I do? Then we're here this time, aren't we here to die? ”

"But no, this, if the surnamed Wu sells us and sends us to the Ming people, I'm afraid this life will really not be saved."

"Hmph, look at you all scared, don't forget why we are here, for the sake of our banner people's way of life, you are all good, just thinking about your own life, but don't want to think about it, if the Ming people come over, when the time comes, it will all be a dead end!"

As soon as Tong Guowei said this, the faces of the few people sitting in the carriage changed slightly, and their expressions became embarrassed, and they remembered the goal of this trip.

Seeing that everyone stopped talking, Tong Guowei said again.

"Okay, don't worry, it's not like we haven't been here in the past, in the eyes of the Ming people, maybe I can't wait to get rid of our flag people soon, but I don't necessarily want to see them, their days, that is, they look better than us, even if they want to take our heads to please the Ming people, there has to be a place to send them, right?"

When Tong Guowei said this, the people around him breathed a sigh of relief.

"Isn't this the truth, the Ming people hate us, but they are also annoyed by the surname Wu, Wu Sangui is dead, but the Wu family's debts have not been paid, and their lives are not necessarily better than ours!"

"That's it, it's just that the lips and teeth are cold, they must understand this truth, with us, the Ming people look down on them, but if we are gone, when the time comes, maybe the Emperor of the Ming Kingdom will think of them!"

It's always good to have someone in front of you to pull hatred. For so many years, the reason why Daming looked down on Wu Zhou was probably because of the existence of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, so that few people in Daming cared about Wu Zhou, who was extremely deferential to Daming.

This truth is known to these newcomers, and of course Wu Zhou is also clear, but they also know that the hatred between the Ming Dynasty and the Manchu Qing is impossible to resolve, so as in the past, when Tong Guowei and his party arrived in Suide, of course King Wu could not see these banner people, not only could not see them, but even sent envoys to angrily denounce these "barbarians", the reason why this is so is, of course, to show outsiders, to tell the outside world that Wu Zhou and the Manchus are also incompatible, and there must be no collusion with the Manchus. This is for the sake of the Ming Dynasty, after all, there are also many Ming people in Wu Zhou who do business here, in case they bring back the news of Wu Zhou's collusion with the Manchu Qing Dynasty, when the time comes, Wu Zhou Ke will have a mouth and will not be able to tell.

However, after a stern reprimand, someone quietly entered the guest house where Tong Guowei and his party lived......