The next morning, Zheng Zhilong personally came to ask Fang Zian to go to the Quanzhou Pier. Everyone rode out of the east gate of Quanzhou and headed southeast. There was an endless stream of cars and horses on the road, and the cars and horses loaded with goods were crowded and extremely busy.

Fang Zian knew that this season was the tail end of the southeast monsoon. Ships that went to sea for trade returned intensively during this season. Taking advantage of the southeast monsoon, they could save a lot of energy. In more than a month, the north wind will gradually pick up, and a new batch of ships will be transported to the sea.

The ship is about to take advantage of the wind and go to sea.

Quanzhou Port is also called Citong Port. During the Five Dynasties, local officials ordered the city to be planted with Erythrina flowers. When the flowers bloomed, the whole city was as bright as smoke. Therefore, Quanzhou was named Citong City, and its port also got this nickname. Its location

It is located on the shore of Meizhou Bay at the mouth of the Jinjiang River in the southeast of Quanzhou City. The bay stretches and twists to form an inner bay. The water is deep and sheltered from the wind. It is an excellent deep-water harbor that is sheltered from the wind and is uniquely blessed by nature.

Everyone arrived at 6 o'clock. After everyone dismounted, they stood on the high platform at the entrance of the pier and could overlook the entire pier. However, they saw that the huge and open semicircular pier spread for ten or twenty miles. There were many ships on the sea under the pier, and there were many sails.

.The white sails reflect the sunlight, and the white flowers are so bright that it is even dazzling to the eye. Those ships are all big ships, and it can be seen that they are all returning sea ships. Countless small boats are swimming on the sea between the big ships, like

They are a group of fish and turtles wandering in the sea.

On the pier, there are countless people as busy as ants. At this time of the year, large ships are returning in large numbers. The pier is extremely crowded, and people have to wait in line to load and unload goods. The warehouses and yards above the pier are full of goods, and the cars in the city are

The shops were also loading trucks in the warehouse yard and transporting them to the city. There were thousands of people on and off the entire dock, busy like ants. Although it looked chaotic, it was chaotic and orderly.

Of course, the busy ones are the coolies, who are shirtless and sweating profusely and panting like cattle in the harsh sunshine, carrying goods. Their curved spines are like bows and arrows ready to be fired into the sky. But some others are very comfortable.

The steward and the shipowner were sitting in the shade of the trees, drinking tea and fanning their fans. From time to time they would get up and curse, urging the coolies to speed up.

"Sure enough, it is the largest port in the Song Dynasty. It is so busy that it is really amazing. The shipping dock on the Qiantang River in the capital is not small, but it is far inferior to this one." Fang Zian praised loudly.

This is not a lie. Fang Zian was indeed affected by the busy scene in front of him. In the Song Dynasty, sea trade had indeed reached this level.

"Haha, Mr. Fang, this is the busiest time. Sea ships are returning one after another in the past few days, and trade ships from foreign countries are also arriving at the same time. In the next month, this place will be so busy. The goods need to be

After unloading it, the merchants from the foreign countries have to transport our goods from the Song Dynasty to the ship, and the ups and downs are naturally very busy." Zheng Zhilong said proudly.

Fang Zian nodded in approval: "How much cargo must be handled in one day? I'm afraid it will be a lot of money in a year."

Zheng Zhilong chuckled and said: "Master Fang, I know what you are thinking. It's a pity that the goods in Quanzhou Port are not included in the imperial court's collection. It's better that Master Fang doesn't need to know."

Fang Zian smiled and said: "Master Zheng, it seems that you still haven't figured it out. Paying taxes is the obligation of every merchant and common people in the Song Dynasty. There is no way to avoid it. The court has laws and clear regulations. Master Zheng should be better than

I understand."

Zheng Zhilong laughed loudly and said: "There is kindness outside the law. Mr. Fang does not need to scare me with the law. Mr. Fang, do you believe it or not?

As soon as I stop this wharf, the people in Quanzhou will rebel and eat you up. Do you know how many people use this wharf for shipping? Look at those coolies. You see, they are really working hard.

They are covered in oil and sweat under the sun, and they are so tired that they can’t even straighten their backs. But do you know that if they carry goods for a day, their wives, children, and parents will have food to eat at home. If you ask them, they will definitely tell you that they would rather be here every day.

They endure hardship and do not want to rest at home. Otherwise, their parents, wives and children will starve to death."

Fang Zian smiled and said: "What Mr. Zheng means is that you are their great benefactor, right? Without you they would all starve to death."

Zheng Zhilong said: "I dare not say that I am kind. They and I are interdependent. They move goods for me, and I give them money to eat. It is fair and voluntary."

Fang Zian smiled and said: "This is the first time I have heard someone talk about exploitation in such a strange way. This may be the logic of the exploiters. Mr. Zheng, as you said, your Zheng family can thrive only because of the imperial court.

Your blessing is due to God's mighty grace. You attribute all this to your personal ability, but that is biased. There were pirates overseas in Quanzhou back then. When the pirates robbed you, wasn't it the imperial court that sent troops to fight the pirates for you?

Under the protection of the imperial court, you can do business with peace of mind. Only when the imperial court allows you to go to foreign countries for sea trade can you go to sea. Now the imperial court wants money, but you say you have no right to collect it. How can this be justified? "

Zheng Zhilong stroked his beard and smiled and said: "Sir Fang is still saying the same thing. I already heard it yesterday, so I don't think there is any need to argue anymore. Today I am leading you to visit the pier, so I think we should not argue about it.

Okay, so as not to lose your interest. Sir Fang, are you interested in boarding the ship with me and taking a walk on the sea? You can see more clearly on the sea."

Fang Zian nodded and said, "Okay, let's go out to sea and have a look."

Zheng Zhilong smiled and loudly ordered the ship to be prepared. After a while, a small area of ​​​​the pier was vacated, and a large ship slowly docked. Zheng Zhilong, Fang Zian and his party got off the pier and boarded the big ship along the springboard. The big ship was a large ship in the sea.

The ship has been slightly modified, and some changes have been made on it. Some crenellations and hulls have been installed on the bow and hull, like specially installed combat fortifications. There are dozens of tall shipwrights on the ship, who look like they have been specially installed.

The selected ones are average.

"Sir, these people don't look like boatmen, so be careful of fraud. Once the ship goes out to sea, what will happen if they are harmful to you? Let's get off the ship." Zhao Gang saw the clues and whispered in Fang Zian's ear.

Fang Zian chuckled and said in a low voice: "Don't you think I can't tell? These boatmen are all private soldiers he trained. He invited me on board to show off his strength to me. Yesterday I was scaring him, today he is scaring me

Don't worry, he doesn't dare to attack us yet, and I haven't officially fallen out with him yet. Besides, even if we fall out, will we be afraid?"

When Zhao Gang saw Fang Zian say this, he felt a little relieved. Jiang Zheng was murmuring in his heart. Hearing Fang Zian and Zhao Gang's muttering, he wanted to come over and listen but didn't dare, so he kept his hands on the side and didn't know what to do.

"Master Fang, the ship is about to sail. Come into the cabin and take a seat. It's sunny, and you're not afraid that your two ladies will be tanned." Zheng Zhilong saw that Fang Zian and others stayed on the deck and refused to enter the cabin.

, shouted with a teasing tone.

Fang Zian looked back at Qin Xiqing and Shen Ling'er. Shen Ling'er was standing next to Qin Xiqing holding a cloth umbrella to protect the sun. Qin Xiqing's face was red, obviously because of the heat. It was very hot in the carriage along the way, and the sun was shining brightly.

It was so spicy that Qin Xiqing seemed to be suffering from heatstroke.

"Xiqing, let's go into the boat hall. Hey, now I regret asking you to follow me to Quanzhou. I'll make you suffer," Fang Zian said.

Qin Xiqing smiled and said: "I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me. Ling'er will take care of me."

Entering the cabin, the big ship slowly set sail and left the dock, and soon moved away from the dock towards the sea outside the bay. Sitting in the cabin, the sea breeze blew in from the long window, and it was warm and smelly. It smelled bad, but it made me feel much better. Especially when I saw the open sea, the blue waves, the clear blue sky, and the seagulls flying on the sea, the scenery was very magnificent.

There are many islands off the coast of Quanzhou Port, dotted with large and small ones, and they are not far away from each other. After the big ship sailed past several small islands, suddenly, Zhao Gang found that there were five or six more big ships sailing out from the passing small island, and they were all closely connected. Followed.

"There are boats following us. What boats are they?" Zhao Gang became nervous and asked loudly.

Zheng Zhilong laughed heartily, stood up and walked to the cabin window, reached out and took a rhinoceros horn from the hand of the person next to him, puffed out his cheeks and blew it. The horn whined, the sound was not loud, but it was penetrating. It was very strong. Despite the noise of the sea wind and waves, it still spread far away. Soon after, several large ships following behind also sounded the sound of horns. For a time, six or seven large ship horns echoed each other, just like war horns on the battlefield. Shocking and mind-blowing.

The faces of Zhao Gang and others changed drastically, and several guards held their hands on the hilts of their knives to protect Fang Zian and others. Jiang Zheng turned pale with fright, and stammered: "What is this... what is this... doing?"

Zheng Zhilong laughed loudly and said: "Didn't Mr. Fang just say that our Zheng family's fleet needs the protection of the imperial court? Master Fang, let me show you the ability of my Zheng family's navy. Let's see who else dares to touch my Zheng family's ships. Team."

Fang Zian sneered, stretched out his hand to push away Zhao Gang who was standing in front of him, walked to the long window and looked out at the sea. However, he saw the sound of horns continued, and the speed of several large ships behind him accelerated, rushing out from the left and right sides of the ship, each one There were a large number of private soldiers wearing Zheng family uniforms on the ship, running back and forth shouting with weapons in hand.

"Master Fang, go to the bow and take a look." Zheng Zhilong reached out and took Fang Zian's arm, pulling Fang Zian out of the cabin to the bow without any further explanation.

On the sea, those large ships had already surpassed the ship and arrived in front. Someone threw something blood-red into the sea water. Soon after, the sea surface began to churn, and countless knife-tip dorsal fins began to wander rapidly on the sea surface.

"Kill!" The private soldiers of the Zheng family on several large ships roared loudly, and then countless arrows were shot into the sea. The arrows were so dense that it looked like a heavy rain. The sea suddenly became more noisy, and a large number of arrows shot into the sea. Blood gushed out, and the sea shark that was shot jumped on the sea surface. In a moment, the sea water in front turned into blood red.

Kill! The Zheng family's private soldiers roared again. Countless javelins were thrown into the sea. That was the method of the soldiers on another ship. They used long javelins. The stabbed shark on the sea dragged countless javelins. It's rolling. The smell of blood is coming to your nostrils, extremely strong.

Kill! The roar started again, and the two large ships crossed and changed positions, dragging a huge shiny net in the middle, but it was not a net, but countless sharp blade tips. The net was drawn across the water, and flesh and blood rolled in the sea.

The red sea water turned purple and black. The smell became even more fishy and unpleasant.
Chapter completed!