Emperor Ming Fengyunlu

The second volume is rampant in Qilu

Chapter 2: Sailing across the sea and setting off on the return journey

Section 13 Maritime merchants are also thieves

Blanco Melo was full of anger and said, "It's all because I'm blind and found these bastards!" ”

Liu Yunwei, Qian Mingli and others were very puzzled when they heard this, and they all waited for Blanco Melo to continue.

Blanco Melo gasped, blushed and said: "At the beginning, I received a business to transport goods to Liaodong in Haojingao, but due to the lack of guards around me, I was worried that others would intercept the goods halfway, so I recruited a group of guards in Haojingao. But who knew that I was blind at that time, and I actually recruited such a group of discredited guys! ”

Liu Yunwei and the others were still very puzzled after hearing this, and Yuan Mingxuan was about to stay and participate in the sea business, so he wanted to find out what was going on, so he asked: "I heard the cloth shopkeeper say that he was worried that someone would intercept the goods halfway?" Could it be that in this sea business, you often encounter pirates? ”

Blanco Melo nodded and said, "Of course! Otherwise, I wouldn't have recruited helpers, and I wouldn't have met such a bunch of discredited guys. ”

After listening to Blanco Melo's words, Liu Yunwei and Yuan Mingxuan glanced at each other, their faces were a little unkind, and Lu Ying and the others were also very surprised.

Zhao Kaishan asked: "Where are so many pirates coming from in this vast sea?" I've heard of the King of the Mountain, but I haven't heard of the King of the Sea? ”

Blanco Melo explains: "Actually, the so-called pirates are not sea kings, but pirates. ”

Zhao Kaishan let out an "oh", while Liu Yunwei said: "Then how many pirates can there be on this sea?" I listen to the meaning of the cloth shopkeeper, it should be every time you go to sea to do business, you must be fully guarded, is it that pirates are already all over the sea? If that's the case, the risk of this sea business is too great! ”

Blanco Melo did not answer Liu Yunwei's question when he heard this, but smiled very awkwardly, as if he was not very willing to discuss this topic, for fear that Liu Yunwei would ask something if he continued to talk.

Liu Yunwei, Yuan Mingxuan and others were very strange when they saw this, and they didn't know what Blanco Melo had to avoid. In particular, Liu Yunwei was suspicious in his heart, so he continued to interrogate Blanco Melo.

At this time, Qian Mingli, who had never spoken, coughed lightly and said: "Little General, although the cloth shopkeeper did not elaborate on the attack on the cloth shopkeeper this time, but an old maritime merchant like us can understand it at a glance, and things like this are very common in the process of running to the sea; Moreover, I am very clear about the things about pirates that the little general asked about just now. I look at it like this, seeing that it is already afternoon, the soldiers have not yet eaten lunch, the little general will arrange the aftermath first, let's have lunch first, and then I will tell the little general and you in detail about the matter of running to the sea, I believe that there will be no doubts in your hearts after listening. ”

When Liu Yunwei heard it, he felt that Qian Mingli's words were also reasonable, so he nodded and said: "Okay, Lu Ying, you guys hurry up and clean up the battlefield, and inform Poyu, Zhao Bo and Wu Xing to also lead their troops in, so that the soldiers of the whole battalion can have a good rest and eat a hot meal; Master Yuan and I accompanied the clerk and the cloth shopkeeper to find a room to rest. ”

Lu Ying nodded, and beckoned Zhao Kaishan, Wang Gandang and the others to arrange things separately.

Liu Yunwei walked to the pier with Yuan Mingxuan, Qian Mingli and Blanco Merlo, found a house and went in to rest; After a while, a soldier brought lunch to Liu Yunwei and the others. And the four hundred guards directly under Liu Yunwei were resting around this house.

Liu Yunwei divided the lunch with a few people and said, "This lunch is a bit rushed, let's eat some together with the cloth shopkeeper." ”

The two of them took their lunch politely, and they both ate it in large gulps, obviously already hungry; Liu Yunwei and Yuan Mingxuan didn't say much, and quietly ate lunch.

After a while, everyone was full of wine and food, and Liu Yunwei said: "Okay, now the staff and the cloth shopkeeper can answer questions for me and Lord Yuan." Why did those Franc Robot people attack the cloth shopkeeper? How risky is this sea-running business? How many pirates were there on the trade route? ”

Qian Mingli and Blanco Melo glanced at each other, and seeing that he was still smiling awkwardly, he didn't mean to speak, so he couldn't help but shake his head and said, "Then it's up to me to answer the little general." ”

Liu Yunwei said: "Please speak, Lord Yuan and I will listen to you." ”

Qian Mingli paused, sorted out his thoughts a little, and said: "Let me first answer the last question asked by the little general: the trade routes on this sea are not as good as those on the land, and there is a trade route between the two big cities, and as long as you can do business, you can open up countless trade routes; The sea is different, the trade route is a total of a few fixed, nothing more than the sea route between Liaodong, Jiangnan, Korea, Japan, and Franco, you can count it on one hand, but the number of pirates on these trade routes is countless. ”

Liu Yunwei and Yuan Mingxuan both exclaimed: "How is this possible! In this case, who would dare to run to the sea to do business? ”

"Of course there will be people doing business." Qian Mingli smiled bitterly and said, "Because maritime merchants are also thieves." ”

Liu Yunwei and Yuan Mingxuan were even more shocked when they heard this, and they didn't know what to say for a while.

Qian Mingli ignored the two and continued: "This maritime merchant and pirate originally meant the same thing, at least most of the maritime merchants and pirates are one. When we have a business, we are maritime merchants, and when we have no business, we rob other maritime merchants; Even after some people became strong, they simply stopped running to the sea, and directly engaged in businessless business and became real pirates. This also answers the second question raised by the little general, that is, how risky is this business that runs to the sea? That's a lot of risk! ”

"Then why are so many people running to the sea?" Liu Yunwei asked again.

"Because of interests." Qian Mingli said: "Because running to the sea can get huge returns, it can be said to be a profitable business." For businessmen, as long as there is something to be made to be made, someone will do it; And if a thing can be rewarded tenfold, or even hundredfold, or thousandfold, then the businessman will take risks, or even kill people and sell more goods. ”

At this time, Liu Yunwei and Yuan Mingxuan both understood, the reason why Blanco Melo was attacked by those hired Francos was completely because Blanco Merlot's guards were weak, but he had a lot of money, so those people improvised and wanted to kill people and get more goods.

Thinking of this, Liu Yunwei raised his head and looked at Qian Mingli, and asked in an unkind tone: "I wonder if there have been times when Qian Mingli couldn't get business?" ”

Qian Mingli didn't hide it, nodded directly, and said, "That's right, I have also been a pirate." But one thing I can assure the little general is that I have never dealt with the merchant ships of the country, and even in the most difficult times, I only pick the merchant ships of Japan, Korea, or Franco, and try not to hurt people's lives. ”

Blanco Melo on the side also said: "What Qian Yuanwai said is indeed the truth, otherwise I would not have cooperated with Qian Yuanwai for such a long time." By the way, please rest assured that Mr. Liu Qian, I have never done anything to the merchant ships of the Ming Dynasty. ”

Hearing this, Liu Yunwei's face looked a little better, and he said: "I really can't imagine that there are so many doorways in this sea-running business. ”

After speaking, Liu Yunwei suddenly thought of something, and said to Yuan Mingxuan: "Lord Yuan, since running to the sea is so dangerous, I think it is better to forget the business this time, let's find other ways to find firearms craftsmen." ”

Yuan Mingxuan waved his hand and said firmly: "Little General, this business must not be terminated. Although it is very dangerous to run into the sea, don't I still have Cheng Shiyong's sentry to protect me? Besides, I've never been afraid of Jiannu, what can I do with these pirates who have been improvised by maritime merchants? ”

Liu Yunwei saw that Yuan Mingxuan had made up his mind, so he no longer persuaded him, and said to Qian Mingli and Blanco Melo: "Outside, cloth shopkeeper, now that I also know the general situation of running to the sea, let's open the skylight and say something: I don't want any accidents between Lord Yuan and the soldiers I left behind, and of course I don't want any accidents between the two of you, so it's best to be sure when you go to sea in the future." ”

Qian Mingli and Blanco Melo nodded yes again and again, repeatedly promising that there would be no accidents for Yuan Mingxuan and the soldiers.

Liu Yunwei knew that the matter of finding a firearms craftsman would depend a lot on Qian Mingli and Blanco Merlo, so he would not be too entangled in this issue, so he said: "Now this port has been controlled by my Hanwei battalion, but there are still aftermath matters to be dealt with, I estimate that there is no way to set off today, so I want to ask the staff and the cloth shopkeeper to suffer some grievances, stay here for one night today, and send me to the sea tomorrow." I don't know what the two of you think? ”

Qian Mingli smiled and said, "Okay! I can't ask for it, tonight I can talk with the little general and Lord Yuan by candlelight. ”

Seeing that Qian Mingli agreed, although Blanco Melo was very reluctant, he couldn't say anything, and said with a smile on his face: "No problem, no problem, let's talk together in the evening, talk together." ”

At this time, Lu Ying knocked on the door and entered the house, and said to Liu Yunwei: "Big brother, the outside is basically cleaned, the brothers have killed eighty-five people, killed fifty-two people of the Franco, two ships of the cloth shopkeeper were damaged, and all the ships prepared for us by the money clerk were intact. ”

Liu Yunwei was furious when he heard this, and said: "The soldiers in my battalion have never suffered such a big loss when they were against Jiannu, and today they were injured by the red-haired ghost so many soldiers, how can this be reasonable!" ”