"Here, a toast!"

On Neilingding Island, Li Zhaoji slaughtered the cattle, sheep and livestock caught from Wailingding Island, and together with the wine, he rewarded the whole trading company and the whole trading company.

Chen Ping and Yang Yandi drank each other, and both of them were very excited.

Chen Ping's principle is not to rebel, Li Zhaoji's killing of pirates and saving the people this time is a good thing to contribute to the imperial court, as for the kidnapping of Lin Rong and killing Lin Cha's own soldiers, it can only be regarded as his Chen Ping's personal enmity, so he has no doubt about Li Zhaoji.

Yang Yandi has great ambitions, but suffers from his own lack of ability and knowledge, and has been making small troubles, this time he followed Li Zhaoji to do this good thing for the way of heaven, and he was also happy in his heart, and he also felt that if he followed the right master, he would definitely achieve a great career in the future.

"Eat and drink, but don't drink too much, and go to Shilou for business at night." Seeing that the two of them were drinking happily, Liu Mingde immediately came to persuade them.

The two of them smiled and said, "Lao Liu, Brother Liu, do you know the next stage of our shopkeeper's plan." ”

"Yes, I discussed with the second brother Yang all the way, and I couldn't think of what our big shopkeeper was going to do next." Chen Ping is also gearing up, thinking about scratching his ears and cheeks, but he has no experience.

"At the meeting tonight, the big treasurer will tell you. You two don't have to drink too much, there is one thing I can tell you, the big shopkeeper ordered someone to prepare a small boat, and he may go to Guangzhou in two days. Liu Mingde said.

"To Guangzhou?" The two of them were puzzled.

Liu Mingde smiled and said: "Our big shopkeeper has great ambitions, how can you and I guess what he does and thinks." ”

When the two of them thought about it, Yang Yandi promised to drink a few fewer cups, sent Liu Mingde away, and came back to find that Chen Ping was calculating something with his fingers.

"Brother Chen, what's wrong?"

"Second Brother Yang, are you determined to follow the big shopkeeper?" Chen Ping asked.

Yang Yandi nodded heavily: "That's natural, the big shopkeeper has a mind and ability, and I Yang Er has met the wisest person in my life, I want to follow him and do a great career." The big shopkeeper also said that if he voted for him, at least he could return to his hometown with the glory of his ancestors.

I thought it was a joke before, but in the face of the four pirates, the big shopkeeper turned his hand and destroyed hundreds of them, making contributions to the imperial court, and it is impossible to say that he will really have a great future in the future. Brother Chen, what do you think? ”

Chen Ping sighed: "I am different from you, I was originally an official soldier, and after this great disaster, I can't go back to the court." Just now I heard Brother Liu say that the big shopkeeper is going to Guangzhou, you say, can I beg him to bring the family of our twelve brothers? ”

"You're going to be troubled by this?" Yang Yandi laughed.

Chen Ping was puzzled: "Isn't this a big deal?" When we bring our families, we are wholeheartedly serving the treasurer. ”

Yang Yandi said: "Brother Chen, I don't doubt you, I mean to say, you will go to Shilou for a meeting later, if the big shopkeeper really goes to Guangzhou, he will definitely tell you about his family, you don't believe it, how about we make a bet?" ”

"Did the big shopkeeper tell you about it?"

"That's not true, but the big shopkeeper is thoughtful, since you want you, how can you not think about your family?"

Chen Ping was apprehensive when he heard this, and at night, the two of them made an appointment to go to the stone building, and after entering, Chen Ping found that he had a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone in his place, and Li Zhaoji said: "Chen Ping, I will go to Guangzhou tomorrow, and I will work there for at least ten days.

Whether it's sending some money to settle down or bringing it in, you have to write down their address.

The convoy still needs to be trained again, and you have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders and can't leave. You arrange for two clever brothers to go to Guangzhou with me. ”

Hearing this, Yang Yandi squeezed his eyebrows at Chen Ping, which meant to say: I expected it right.

Chen Ping said: "I also discussed with the brothers in the afternoon, and the opinions cannot be unified. I want to bring my family here, and I will be with the big shopkeeper in this life. And the rest of the brothers still wanted to ask the big shopkeeper what he meant. ”

"I've also thought about it, so sit down and let's talk slowly." After beckoning everyone to sit down, Li Zhaoji opened a map.

There are many lines drawn with a brush and some text on this skin, and the map is drawn by Li Zhaoji himself, but it is only simply marked.

Li Zhaoji said: "In the battle of Wailingding Island, we won a complete victory, and we can be regarded as famous, but the balance of strength with the four surnamed pirates has not changed. Neilingding Island is located in the key area, in recent days, there are constantly seafarers coming, it seems that recovery is a matter of time, once our whereabouts are exposed, it is difficult to survive in the Pearl River estuary.

Now it seems that we must find a safe place, open up the foundation, accumulate strength, whether it is a decisive battle with the four surnames in the future, or a peace war with Yangyi, or any changes in the imperial court, we have a way out. ”

"The big shopkeeper is saying what he said, in fact, I have long wanted to say that we can't hide for long if we hide on this island." Yang Yandi said.

Li Zhaoji nodded, pointed his finger at the mouth of the Tamsui River, and said, "I plan to build our foundation here." ”

Everyone was silent, except for Chen Liuzi, it was the first time that everyone heard Li Zhaoji talk about the follow-up plan.

Yang Yandi said: "I remember that it seems to be the territory of Greater Luzon. ”

The so-called Greater Luzon is the name of the Ming Dynasty for the Spaniards in the Philippines.

Lee drew a circle in Keelung and Taipei, which are now called chicken coops and freshwater respectively. "In the early years, the Spaniards had a foothold in these two places, but now they have abandoned Tamsui and are shrinking into chicken coops. ”

"Chen Ping, what do you think?"

Chen Ping had been thinking about it, obviously thinking carefully, and he said, "I think it's a good place to go." I have heard that most of the people in Dongfandi are uncivilized natives, who do not know how to farm or smelt.

But the mountains produce goods such as sandsand, deerskin, deer breast, and beeswax, and we can buy salt, sugar, and iron from Macao or Guangzhou in exchange for these sought-after goods. ”

Yang Yandi asked: "Brother Chen, since there is a lot of money in this way, why is no one doing it?" ”

"Hehe, there are many reasons for this. The sea channel between Dongfandi and Fujian, the sea conditions are complicated, and it is called the black water ditch, which is quite fast from south to north. Among them, the Kuroshio current is turbulent and there are many shipwrecks. I also heard the Hakka people sing, saying 'six, three dead and one return', ten people go, six people die, three people stay, and only one person comes back.

Moreover, more than ten years ago, it was occupied by Yangyi, who were fierce and tyrannical and difficult to survive. Where do ordinary businessmen have the ability to compete with Yangyi and barbarians. Chen Ping said what he had seen, making everyone's faces look ugly.

Liu Mingde coughed dryly and said, "Big shopkeeper, since it's so dangerous, how can we go?" ”

Li Zhaoji smiled: "The Black Water Ditch is indeed difficult to cross, but it is difficult to cross, and it is easy to cross." The reason why it is called Heishui Ditch is because there are currents underwater, and the speed can reach three knots, and ordinary sailboats, that is, at this speed, are difficult to control in the face of such currents, so accidents often occur.

We have the Vostok, which is far faster than the ocean current, and it is much safer to cross the Heishui Ditch. What's more, we can also cross the north and south of the strait without crossing the Heishui Ditch, and move forward in the island chain, although it takes more time, but it is better to be safe. ”

Everyone nodded slightly, and Li Zhaoji said again: "Colonizing freshwater, this is a long-term plan, it will be a few months later, and I will go with my brothers when the time comes." The mention here is just to let everyone be prepared, especially Lao Liu, you have to let Ali buy more goods that the locals like in Macao, so as to prepare for the transaction. ”

"Yes." Liu Mingde said immediately.

Li Zhaoji continued: "I will go to Guangzhou tomorrow to settle the matter of William's fleet, and I will also negotiate with the imperial court. ”

Everyone responded in unison, and Li Zhaoji said: "As for the family members of Chen Ping's twelve people, I think so, you wait to write to your family, and after I arrive in Guangzhou, I will deal with it according to the situation."

Now that we have saved the captives of Wailingding Island, these people have gone back and proclaimed the righteous name of our trading company, and at that time, I asked people to bring the names of the Chen Ping brothers. As long as this matter is big, Lin Cha will inevitably find ways to clear up the relationship, and he will not dare to leak his involvement in human trafficking.

It just so happened that it was rumored that Chen Ping, the chief banner under his command, participated in the rescue, and he wanted to come here to get off the donkey. And I have Lin Rong in my hand who can prove that he participated in the crime, and he will not dare to harm the brothers and their families.

Moreover, the grass industry of the trading company was founded, and there was no place to take root, and those family members were originally military households, although they were poor, but they had some dependence, not to mention just writing letters, even if the brothers interviewed and persuaded them directly, they may not persuade the family members to relocate. ”

Chen Ping nodded: "The big shopkeeper is thoughtful for us and other brothers, and we are willing to listen to the big shopkeeper's arrangement." ”

"You send two brothers to Canton with me, and send some money to each family to live on, and let them know that you are safe. These two men must be clever and tight-mouthed. Although Lin Cha wants to harm you, but in the end it is not the time to tear your face apart, Chen Ping, can you agree? Li Zhaoji asked.

Chen Ping got up and knelt on the ground: "It's all up to the orders of the big shopkeeper." ”

Guangzhou City.

When Li Zhaoji was arranging affairs and preparing to set off, several horses carrying distinguished guests entered Guangzhou from the east gate.

It is the weather of early summer, the city of Guangzhou is very lively, the streets on both sides of the stone road, densely packed with antique shops, gilt plaques with various signboards.

"Sichuan and Guizhou famous medicine", "Suzhou and Hangzhou silk", "two mouths of leather goods" and "two kinds of things" are dazzling.

A handsome young man rode a horse, looked at the shops on both sides, felt the hustle and bustle on the street, listened to the southern and northern tones spoken by the merchants, and couldn't help but praise: "It's so lively here, I don't know how Nanjing compares." ”

"Fusong, Nanjing is even more lively than this, Guangdong is just a big city in the south, and Nanjing is prosperous. After the New Year, you went to Nanjing Guozijian to study, and you will know. A middle-aged man said to the young man.