Chief Bing Shun's face turned a little pale, and he said in a trembling voice: "If the Ryukyus are so powerful, I'm afraid the route of Longwang Island will have to enter the mother's detour." ”

Chongwen shook his head and said: "From Miyako Island to Tokunoshima, thousands of miles by sea, there is no fresh water supply, there is no shelter from the Aokou, that is the Ghost Gate Pass, I don't know how many merchant ships will be buried at the bottom of the sea." The East China Sea merchant group must not bypass the Ryukyu Kingdom, and even if we encounter a cursed kraken, we must open up this route, not to mention that it may not be the truth. ”

He turned his head to face Zhang Lian and said, "Flying Dragon King, after you enter and occupy Miyako and Yaeyama Islands, don't venture into Ryukyu. After I have sorted out the affairs clearly, I will lead the rest of the Liuju Bureau to the east and the east to go south, and then find a way to open up the three mountains. ”

Zhang Lian said: "Don't worry about going to sea, I know the severity." ”

Only then did Chongwen turn to the chief soldier and say, "What happened?"

The chief soldier said: "There were also Ryukyu ambushes on the shore, and we didn't dare to go ashore, so we worked the boat until it was dark, and then we quietly sailed north and escaped from the country in disgrace." Look around, there are only more than 20 boats left, and more than 10 boats that escaped by luck on the sea road, and when they returned to Longwang Island, there were less than 800 people left.

Half of those who came back were the Fangjin Navy, because they had been following the Rolling Sea Dragon King Banner, and the losses were small. The rest of the pirates were not angry, and quarreled with Huashan Zijiu on the dock of Xigang, day and night. Huang Qian, who provoked him, became angry and ordered a few cannons to be fired in the city, which was considered to be down-to-earth.

The Birch Mountain family divided half of the Oshima silk, fur, and icing sugar they had brought to the other pirates, and then dispersed one after another. I don't know where to go to sea, so I can only stay on Longwang Island, but fortunately, today's Longwang Island is built well, the houses are quite comfortable, and the shipyard gun factory in Donggang has also been built.

Huang Qian told me that the second went to sea and drove the Anointing Blood Bird boat back to Longwang Island, and when it came to your affairs on Fujiang Island, Ah Guan had to go back to Zhenhaiwei immediately to move troops, otherwise it would be dangerous to go to sea. But it was really dangerous to take Yanchun across more than 2,000 miles of the sea, so he sent his son-in-law to Longwang Island and settled down.

I discussed it with Huang Qian, and I felt that it was not that serious, a misunderstanding is always a misunderstanding, and it will be clear sooner or later. Chai Zhangjia is calm and kind, Ah Hai is upright and fierce, they are not ungrateful people, with them, there will be no danger in going to sea no matter what.

In this way, when Ah Hai returned to Longwang Island in February, we learned that Da Wai had persuaded so many people to set up the East China Sea Business Group, and it would not be so easy for the Yongji Puppet Emperor to deal with us again.

In fact, the battle of Kouri Island in the Ryukyus made me a little discouraged, I am not afraid of the ferocity of the barbarians, what I am afraid of is the strange wind and waves, how can manpower resist. I've heard that Odekai is doing such a big thing in Hirado, maybe you have a way, so follow Ahai. ”

Chongwen thought hard for a long time, but he still couldn't figure out what to do, so he had to say: "My teacher Chengcheng Bo Wang Gong once told me that all things are mutually reinforced, and there is absolutely nothing that cannot be restrained, but I can't think of it for a while. Put this in advance, and first explore the bottom of the three mountains of the Ryukyus. You have a good rest in the flower world, and then discuss it when I have an idea. ”

Chief Bingshun said: "It has to be like this." There is one thing I have to say more, I passed by Fangjin, Huashan Shijiu heard about the East China Sea Business Group, and I want to join the group but I am afraid that we will not accept it, what does the group think. ”

Chongwen and Zhang Lian glanced at each other, but Zhang Lian said: "My son has been sent to Da Zhuhai, can we still accept it, we must always give Da Zhuhai a little face." There is also the Nine Ghosts Longliang, all of whom have worked hard for the new route, and the merchant group can't help but be close to people.

is still the same sentence, respect the regimental association, abide by the rules of the regiment, that is a good brother, I don't care if he is a servant or an islander. It doesn't hurt to lose the battle, as long as the merchant group thinks it is profitable, the cabinet shop will give him a loan, the boatmaster will support his fleet, and there are also old sailors in the group, who can always win back. ”

Chongwen said with a smile: "What the shopkeeper said couldn't be clearer, but since Yizheng has returned to Fangjin, no matter how stupid Huashan Zijiu is, he should understand what the business group is." If my expectations are correct, he will follow Yoshimasa to the Hirado main hall in a few days to worship the mountain, but I may not see Huashan for a long time, Lao Zhang, you can meet him. ”

Zhang Lian asked in surprise, "Where are you going?"

Chongwen looked at the clear sky outside the hall, and said leisurely: "Yamaguchi Castle." ”

Zhang Lian said in surprise: "You have already torn your face with the Ouchi family, it is too dangerous to send it to the door like this." ”

Chongwen said firmly: "We people at sea are doing a living by killing heads, and it will not be dangerous one day." If you want to play a good game of chess, you have to go to Yamaguchi City, I have made up my mind, Lao Zhang, you don't have to persuade you anymore. ”

The hall was silent for a while, Longwang Island was brave enough to go to sea, and it was not the first time to go to Longtan alone, and only such a person could do the great cause of the country.

After a long time, Zhang Lian finally asked, "That... How many bronze guns did that senior bring this time?"

Speaking of cannons, the chief soldier finally showed a smile on his face, and he said excitedly: "If you want to say that the old white Pi Benito is really a capable person, now we already have a thousand catties of cannons at the head of the Dragon King City, and the son and mother also have 2 and a half catties of bullets, which can be called impregnable."

This time, I brought back 20,000 catties of copper, and that guy cast more than 10 guns and 2 long-barreled heavy guns in 2 months. This time I want to fight with the servants, so I brought 16 guns of 1 catty, 8 guns of 2 and a half catties, and 2 cannons of 1,000 catties. Our fleet has a very fierce firepower, sweeping across the sea of the country.

In addition, Dragon King Island has iron, and old Benito has already made two batches of bird guns. One is a single soldier bird gun, medicine 4 5 cents, 6 yuan, range 80 steps; the other is a double gun, on the island is called turtledove horn gun, medicine 8 money, 1 tael 2 money, range 200 steps, is really a field weapon. Nowadays, 5 hydraulic boring machines have been built next to the bright stream on the island, and the boring machine is made of gun barrels, saving people and effort, and there is no scrapping. This time, I brought 80 bird guns and 35 turtledove horn guns, so I could change all the muskets in our hands. ”

Zhang Lian shouted: "Don't worry, I bought all the big guns!"

Chongwen smiled: "You really have a lot of appetite, the big guns are given to you, I let the shogunate lose the armor, and you are going to do business with the Amami natives?"

Zhang Lian said dissatisfiedly: "What if you tie the country, the route can't be opened, where does your cargo come from?"

Chongwen frowned and said: "Even if the copper material is enough, the monthly output is only more than 10 big guns, or there are too few people, and there are only a few people on Dragon King Island, it will not be possible after all." ”

Zhang Lian smiled and said: "It's okay, I'll exchange someone for you, it's always okay." ”

Chongwen waved his hand and said: "I don't do human business on Longwang Island, and we don't want slaves, I'd rather have copper and iron." ”

Zhang Lian said: "I have prepared copper and iron ingots, all of which are the best copper and Fujian iron, and they can be loaded and shipped to Longwang Island at any time, depending on how much you are willing to sell." ”

Chongwen thought for a moment and said: "Your expedition to the Ryukyus is mainly based on naval warfare, and you need heavy artillery; 2 thousand-pound heavy cannons will be given to you, and if there are still ones on Longwang Island, I will give you 2 more. There are also 3 bowls on Longwang Island, which are also sold to the Liuju Bureau, 2 catties and a half pounds of big guns will give you 2 doors, and I will leave 6 doors.

But now, the thousand-pound cannon and the 2-and-a-half-pound gun-mother guns are not ordinary artillery, and you have to add me 10,000 catties of iron for each one. A total of 90,000 catties of copper and 150,000 catties of iron. What do you think?"

Zhang Lian sighed and said, "Knowing that you are a person who is unwilling to suffer, I will admit all this copper and iron, and I will set off on Longwang Island tomorrow." It's just that I have more than 60 sea ships the size of the Ryuk Bureau, 4,000 heroes, and only 9 big guns, and if we want to fight a country with a population of one million, this firepower is weak after all. ”

Chongwen shouted: "Hey, it's not 9 doors, there are 5 bowls on Fujiang Island, this firepower is not weak." I only have a few small cannons, and the shogunate army is not worse than the Ryukyu soldiers?"

Chongwen's plan was not to overthrow the shogunate and divide up the land, he didn't want a poor country.

For a long time, the shadow from the Great Kang Empire has always pressed on his heart, no one can confront Nanjing, and no one will be able to escape her crushing. These days on the streets of Hirado have taught him that if land can bring people together and form an empire, then so can money.

What he wants is a powerful East China Sea merchant group, a East China Sea merchant group that is enough to confront the Dakang Naval Division, like a maritime empire, and the power that condenses this maritime empire is not land, but money. He could not accept that the impoverished kingdom would only weaken the profits of the merchant group and cause it to split.

But it is also unacceptable that a powerful state will not be controlled by the merchant group. In his mind, the future country will be a rich trading base, providing a steady stream of profits for the East China Sea merchant group, but it must not become a military power, let alone a maritime power.

The means to prevent the country from becoming a strong country is to prevent her from appearing strongman.

However, the traditional system of the country has made it inevitable that there will be strongmen who occupy vast land and population. Therefore, the magnates of the country are the natural enemies of the East China Sea merchant group, and the best way is to eliminate them in one fell swoop and redistribute the political power of the 66 Ling system... If they can't be destroyed, they can only be divided.

Therefore, a trip to Yamaguchi Castle is a must, and the Ouchi family cannot be eliminated, it can only be divided.

Nagato Province and Zhou Visiting Country are the foundation of the Ouchi family, and they are the most loyal to the Ouchi clan. Yamaguchi Castle is also the political and economic center of these two countries, and its actual controller is Ouchi Yoshihiro's eldest son, Ouchi Mochiyo, and the official official position is the criminal department shosuke, from the fifth position. That is to say, he actually controls most of the strength of the Ouchi family, how can Chongwen not see him.

At the beginning of March, the two elders of the East China Sea Merchant Group were about to go on a long trip. Zhang Lian, the chief treasurer of the Ryukyu Bureau, first went to Shuangyu in the outer sea of Ningbo, and then sailed to Dongfanda Dog Port, joined the main force of the fleet, and marched towards the Ryukyu Kingdom. The big shopkeeper of the bureau went to sea, and he was going to Yamaguchi Castle to meet Ouchi Motoyo.

Zhang Lian left in high spirits, and first received the flag in the Boat Master Hall, which meant that he had the full power to mobilize the boat division, recruit sailors, and open up the route of Longwang Island. In particular, with 14 bronze guns and 400,000 taels of silver, more than 10 families of Ryuju and Qidong in Hirado gathered more than 30 sea ships and more than 1,000 armed sailors, which was called majestic.

The crowd on the dock was crowded, not only because of the huge profit of the Dragon Island route, but also because it was the pirates who took the initiative to attack a large country with a population of one million. In the history of pirates, they have always been the target of hunting, hiding in those desolate and treacherous corners of the sea, and playing hide and seek with officers and soldiers. Now, they are united and no longer afraid of the strong on the mainland.

The reckless sailors can't say why, they just want to vent the anger that has been stagnant in their chests for 4,000 years. You can imagine how terrible the jubilation and roaring on the docks were, noble and comfortable people, we are coming! Your good days are coming to an end!

Chongwen left quietly, and the day after sending Zhang Lian away, he quietly left Hirado Port.