Li Dan is a sea merchant, just like most maritime merchants in this era, he also has another identity - pirate!

In the textbooks of later generations, there are Magellan, Columbus, and Vasco da Gama, who stood at the peak of the times, overcoming obstacles, opening up new worlds, and discovering new wealth. They are knights of the sea, but they are also pirate leaders who plunder and kill, and they are engaged in the dirtiest and cruelest profiteering business.

Far east, the people of the Celestial Empire also had no shortage of knights at sea, they had thousands of soldiers, and they had dozens or hundreds of sea ships under their command, which was not bad at all compared to their European counterparts.

Li Dan is a leader among maritime merchants, he was originally a broken son of Fujian, and was forced to go to the Philippines to do business, and later moved to Kyushu, Japan, and became the leader of the overseas Chinese.

The Ming Dynasty had three important maritime trade routes, one to Japan in the east, one to the south through the Philippines, and the other to the Middle East and Europe through the Strait of Malacca.

Of these three routes, two are in the hands of Li Dan, and the last one leads to Malacca, and Western merchants must also get the nod of the "Chinese captain" in order to transport the goods safely!

Li Dan's majesty is still superior to that of Wang Zhi, the "owner of the five peaks" during the Jiajing period.

It's just such a legendary maritime overlord, and the officials of the Ming Dynasty don't even know him as well as the Westerners, and I have to say that this is a kind of sadness.

……

Li Dan sat on the chair, watching the generals salivating over the pearls, a contemptuous smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, clearly saying: A group of dirt buns, the old man and the gold and silver mountains!

Li Dan only dared to think about it like this, the person he really cared about hadn't said it yet!

Zhang Ke took the cup in his hand, tilted his neck and poured it, with aroma in the bitterness, stronger than tea, more refreshing, it was the coffee sent by Li Dan.

Du Qing, who was standing behind Zhang Ke, also had a strong interest in coffee, and seeing that Zhang Ke was drunk with a drunken face, as if he was like a jade dew elixir, Du Qing also picked up the cup and poured it violently.

There is no imagined sweetness and deliciousness, only a strong bitterness, and the taste that comes out.

Du Qing gritted his teeth, stared at him, finally swallowed, and said with a bitter face: "My lord, how is this thing similar to gentian laxative liver soup, don't be poisonous!" ”

"Shameful thing, aren't you afraid of the old shipowner's jokes?" Zhang Ke scolded.

Li Dan hurriedly waved his hand and said with a smile: "It's okay, to be honest, the set of things that Westerners eat, drink and have fun with is 108,000 years behind us!" The old man ate beef with them again, and there was blood with a knife! ”

"Isn't that Ru Mao drinking blood!"

It's no wonder that the Yi people are all hairy and strange-looking, and they are still a bunch of beasts. Everyone present couldn't help but sympathize with Li Dan, it seemed that it was not easy to do anything.

"Old ship owner, although Xiyi is barbaric, they don't have so much hypocritical baggage!" Zhang Ke smiled: "Let's ask, if it is a maritime businessman, is it better to live in Daming or Xiyi?" ”

"This ......"

A sentence poked at the sore spot, and Li Dan hesitated.

"Master Hou, Li Dan has been a Ming man all his life, but if you want to talk about our court, it seems that it seems to be a little unkind. The old man has been adrift at sea for half his life, and he has long wanted to return to his roots. However, the official and old man of the imperial court said that we were outcasts of the Celestial Empire, and they were stunned and refused to land. I don't know when, the old man's cheap bones will be buried between the sea and the sky! ”

Young and old home, homesickness is an innate thing, accustomed to the rough sea, defeated countless vicious enemies, even if Mount Tai collapses in front, will not change color Li Dan, at this time tears can't stop flowing down, and everyone present is also sad.

Qiao Fu couldn't help but say: "Brother Ke, Mr. Li hasn't done anything hurtful, you just have to think of a way to persuade the court to allow the old man to go home, which can be regarded as fulfilling his wish." ”

As soon as these words came out, Li Dan hurriedly stood up and bowed down.

"Master Hou, if you can help Xiao Lao'er go home, I am willing to offer 200,000 taels of silver, 20,000 stones of grain, and 10 buckets of jewelry as military supplies!"

It's really fucking rich, listening to Li Dan say this, Yu Weiliang and the others have the urge to be pirates, this thing is easier than greedy ink!

Everyone's eyes fell on Zhang Ke, waiting for him to make a decision.

"Old shipowner, do you just want to go home, I'm afraid this wish is a little too low, right?"

Li Dan smiled bitterly: "I am over fifty years old, and I am tired of drifting on the sea, and it is a great blessing to be able to return to the roots." Besides, even if our number is recruited, the court will not let us go, think about the owner of Wufeng back then, who was lured by the court to surrender, and died tragically at the hands of Wang Bengu. ”

With the urine nature of the officials of the Ming Dynasty, they are ashamed to be in the company of pirates, even if they surrender, it is an expedient measure, and they will definitely be liquidated in the future.

This seems to be the fate of pirates, but Zhang Ke knows that in distant Europe, an inconspicuous island nation pardoned the pirate leader, issued a privateer license, and even allowed them to join the navy and grant them knighthoods.

Relying on the pirates' strong naval warfare skills, they buried the Spanish Armada in one fell swoop and laid the foundation of the empire on which the sun never sets!

Pirates have become the heroes and symbols of the times, they have the keenest sense of business, the most skillful naval skills, the most courageous pioneering heart, and even the accumulation of huge wealth.

They are a piece of jade, a divine sword, with which they can open up territory and create an unprecedented civilization!

The rulers of the Ming Dynasty, who lived in the dream of the Celestial Empire, despised and feared the strongest people of the era, excluded them from the empire, stubbornly guarded their own acres and thirds of land, and refused to re-examine the new world.

One day, their children and grandchildren will taste the bitter fruit, but that day is not far off. The loss of the sea, the loss of wealth, is like the loss of blood in the human body, and the vast empire will soon be trampled under the feet of a group of barbarians, sliding into the abyss from which it will never recover......

Zhang Ke sat in his position, sometimes frowning, sometimes glaring, sometimes gritting his teeth, and sometimes sighing with regret. The big guys were all startled, and said in their hearts, don't be crazy!

Just when Du Qing was about to call Wu Youxing, Zhang Ke finally sighed and returned to normal.

"Old shipmaster, Ben wants to recruit you, are you willing?"

"Master Hou wants to recruit me?" Li Dan was puzzled.

Zhang Ke said with a smile: "To make it clear, the imperial court will not reuse Mr. at all, and even your life will be in danger." Obey the lord, listen to my orders alone, within five years, I guarantee that the old shipowner will be knighted, glorious and rich, and even famous in history, what do you think? ”

Li Dan has been at sea for many years, and he has never dealt with anyone, so he obviously will not be moved by Zhang Ke in a few words.

"Master Hou, the little old man is not talented, and he also has tens of thousands of brothers and hundreds of ships under his command. Although you are a marquis, you may not be able to eat such a large piece of meat! ”

is a pirate leader who is accustomed to seeing life and death, and he is not afraid of a group of arrogant soldiers.

"Hahaha, old shipowner, you only see what you are looking for, why don't you look at it for a few more years."

"May I ask if Master Hou is talking about the old man's eyes?"

"That's right!" Zhang Ke sneered: "You are just a businessman, relying on your courage and courage to fight, you have the current power." This official is the marquis of the Ming Dynasty, with tens of thousands of strong soldiers in his hands, guarding one side, if I make up my mind to develop the sailor, it won't take a few years, I'm afraid that there will be no old shipowner on the sea! ”

When Zhang Ke spoke, he was full of strong confidence, he did have this capital.

"It is precisely now that Ben Jue has a request for you, so the two sides can cooperate, if the old owner gives up this opportunity, I will not force it."

Li Dan didn't expect Zhang Ke to be so straightforward, and forced him into a corner with a few words, no wonder he was able to kill the slave chief, he was really not a simple character.

"Master Hou, I'm afraid things at sea may not be as simple as you said, sailors and ships need time to prepare, I'm afraid that there may not be any results in a few years."

"Hahaha!" Zhang Ke smiled nonchalantly: "Old ship owner, can you start from scratch, you don't want to serve, naturally there are others!" ”

Zhang Ke said and took out a letter from his arms and threw it on the table.

"See, this is Yan Siqi's letter to Benjue, you won't be a stranger to this person, right?"

It's not just a stranger, it's just an old friend, an old enemy!

Yan Siqi is also a maritime businessman, more than ten years younger than Li Dan, more daring and energetic, in terms of strength, and Li Dan, if Yan Siqi surrenders to Zhang Ke, Li Dan's good life will be gone.

I didn't expect Zhang Ke to have such a killer move, this is forcing the old man to comply!

For the first time, the weather-beaten old shipowner was afraid, and a delicate layer of sweat appeared on his forehead.

The entire handsome hall was extremely peaceful, only Zhang Ke kept pacing on the ground, walked to Li Dan's side, and stopped.

"Old ship owner, it's not that we don't have friendships, I originally offered a plan to the imperial court to use the difference between gold and silver to make money, if it weren't for your help in Japan, I'm afraid it wouldn't be so smooth."

Li Dan grinned bitterly, and said with frustration: "It's all to blame for the little old man's greed for money, if it weren't for the wanton arbitrage, the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan would not be jealous of the old man, so that the old man could not settle down in Japan." ”

"Old ship owner, what you said is not what the overlord of the sea should say, shame and discouragement! What is the little Wa Island, he doesn't let you arbitrage, you will beat this turtle grandson, the Wa Kingdom is like a closed country, you will smash his country! ”

"How can Xiao Lao'er's little soldiers be enough to deal with a country!" Li Dan's eyes suddenly lit up, and he exclaimed: "Could it be that the Hou Ye can help the little old man!" ”

"That's right!" Zhang Ke said with a smile: "I have soldiers under me, you have ships in my hands, you help me seize Jinzhou, and I will help you knock on the door of Japan." The interests of the sea are shared, and the war exploits of recovering the homeland also have a share of the old shipowners. It's not an empty word to be knighted! ”

I see!

Li Dan finally figured out Zhang Ke's plan, and at the same time, a strong fear rose in his heart.

This kid is not like an official of the Ming Dynasty, he dares to collude with pirates, and dares to use pirates to fight Jiannu, the most incredible thing is the idea of fighting the Japanese country, he is bold, what else does he dare not do!

"Master Hou, what you said is naturally good, but Xiao Lao'er still has a question, if I help you and the court doesn't recognize it, what should I do?"

"That's easier!" Zhang Ke laughed and said: "I'll give you soldiers, give you money, help you build a place in Japan or North Korea, claim the king, and be an overseas emperor, can the old shipowner still be satisfied?" ”

As soon as these words came out, Li Dan's face kept changing, surprised, frightened, joyful, worried, excited, and confused......

In the end, Li Dan suddenly weakened his knees and knelt on the ground.

"Master Hou, the little old man has served, I am willing to obey Master Hou's dispatch."

……

Li Dan's submission to Zhang Ke is not just a little old man, this veteran has more than 5,000 elite soldiers rolling on the sea alone, and the rest of the sailors Ding Zhuang, adding up to more than 20,000 people. There were more than 150 large ships, and the rest of the ships combined were no less than 500.

In addition, Li Dan also revealed that he has bases in the Ryukyus, the Philippines, and Taiwan, especially in Taiwan, where he recruited displaced people, reclaimed wasteland, and cultivated 200,000 acres of land! It was like establishing an overseas kingdom.

With Li Dan's help, Zhang Ke's strength skyrocketed, and from then on, he no longer had to worry about a naval blockade.

"Old ship owner, I am going to take advantage of the chaos in Jiannu to capture Jinzhou, what do you think?"

"Okay!" Li Dan said with a smile: "Little Lao'er has secretly sent ships here, Jinzhou is a treasure land, especially the harbor is not frozen all year round, and the port mouth is small and the belly is big, just to moor ships." ”

"Since the old shipowner has said yes, Benjue has made up his mind to fight Jinzhou, but the matter of transporting troops will trouble the old shipowner!"

Li Dan hurriedly bowed down and said with a smile: "Please rest assured, the little old man will definitely do it, but the little old man has another request, please be sure to agree to it." ”R1152