Chapter 378 The Runaway North Korean Merchant Ship!
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Once the business is done, the rest of the business will be much easier!
The tea, porcelain, silk and other trading items that Huaxia Shenzhou Ocean Trading Company draws from Jinan, Jining and Jiangnan will take more than ten days to arrive at Antonwei Wharf!
During these days, Liu Ruyi held banquets every day, drinking and chatting with Louis Peter and Michelle Sr.!
Through conversations with the two of them, on the one hand, Liu Ruyi can get some of the latest information from Europe. On the other hand, Liu Ruyi is also secretly observing, hoping to select some elite artillery from old Michel's fleet.
Hand, serve as the future instructor of the Caishi Army Artillery Battalion!
In fact, it was at this level that Liu Ruyi felt that there was a shortage of talents in the Caishi Army!
At present, although there are some artillerymen in Liu Ruyi's army, their number is very small. Basically, they have surrendered or been poached by Liu Ruyi!
These people have certain skills, but they are still far from what Liu Ruyi had in mind for constructing an artillery battalion!
Now, Liu Ruyi has spent a lot of money, and it is urgent to build an artillery battalion with real combat power and re-select new artillerymen!
However, as the saying goes, 'There is a priority in learning the Tao, and there is a specialization in the art'!
This time, Liu Ruyi did not want to choose from existing soldiers as before, but planned to completely re-create a group of full-time artillerymen!
This group of people will only select young people between the ages of sixteen and eighteen!
This age is the time when learning and memory are at their best!
Although adult soldiers are hard-working and highly obedient, compared with these teenagers, their creativity and imagination are obviously insufficient!
You know, artillery is a branch that requires imagination!
A little bit of innovation will bring endless rewards!
The most important thing is that the Ming Dynasty's artillery operation technology is still in the stage of visual inspection and measurement. An excellent artilleryman requires a lot of practical experience. Obviously, Liu Ruyi does not have so much time!
As for the artillery technology of the Europeans, with the opening of the Age of Discovery, their scale and accuracy have already been marked to a certain extent, and they have already taken the prototype of later generations of artillery!
From this point of view, Liu Ruyi will naturally choose the side that saves more effort!
‘Learn from foreigners and learn skills to strengthen yourself’!
Liu Ruyi himself came from a later generation, so he certainly didn’t have the sour taste of poverty that characterizes the scholar-bureaucrats of the Ming Dynasty today!
"General, I can satisfy your requirements for artillerymen! However, General, please show your respect for the trade of tea and silk!" Liu Ruyi entertained her carefully for seven or eight days in a row, and old Michelle couldn't help but feel happy.
excellent!
He was a butler by background and was a good person himself. Over the past few days, he had gradually understood Liu Ruyi's character. Since he could no longer make enough money from arms, he set his sights on silk and tea, which were more profitable.
above!
Since Marco Polo returned to Venice, drinking tea and wearing Chinese silk clothes have become the new fashion for European aristocrats. This is just like the various big European brands in later generations that dumped all kinds of 'luxury goods' on the wealthy people in China.
This is simply more profitable than arms!
How could Liu Ruyi not understand Old Michel's little plan? But at this level, Liu Ruyi wanted to get involved in the 'golden waterway' trade, but she was powerless, so she simply sold Old Michel a favor!
"Mr. Michel, there is absolutely no problem with what you said! I will try my best to meet your various needs! However, you also know that our country has been plagued by natural disasters this year, and there are many refugee armies in the country, so these
The price of supplies is on! Maybe it’s a little higher than usual!” Liu Ruyi looked into old Michelle’s eyes and said with a smile!
If this old guy wants to make money, he has to make more blood!
The corner of Old Michel's mouth twitched slightly. He had lived in Macau for several years and understood some of the current situation in the Ming Dynasty. Although he knew that Liu Ruyi was asking for money, but it had already reached this point, he had no way to refuse! After all, Louis~Peter
This true body is right in front of you!
The first mission of his trip is to rescue Louis Pete. The second is to make money!
"Haha! I certainly understand General Liu's difficulties!" Old Michel smiled, but his smile was uglier than crying. "It's just that, General, I also know something about Chinese products. You can ask first
You can’t fool us with some inferior goods!”
"Don't worry about this, Mr. Michel! The most important thing for me, Liu, is reputation, so naturally I won't ruin my own brand! Come, for the sake of our friendship and our business, let's have a drink!" Liu
Ruyi smiled, picked up the wine glass, signaled to old Michelle, and drank it all in one gulp!
Although old Michel felt bitter in his heart, he had no choice but to force himself to drink the wine in the glass!
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Three days later, Liu Ruyi and Louis Pitt carefully selected twenty elite gunners from British and Portuguese sailors to serve as the officers of the Caishi Army's new artillery battalion!
The materials transferred from various places are basically in place, the money and goods have been cleared, and the transactions between the two parties are basically in place!
On the pier, Louis Pete slowly climbed up the tall ladder. However, standing on the deck and breathing the free sea air again, he felt a little uncomfortable!
He waved vigorously to Liu Ruyi under the boat, "Dear Liu, I will miss you! Haha! Don't forget, the next time I come, you must prepare the best woman in China for me!"
Liu Ruyi couldn't help but smile. Louis~Peter had mentioned this request to Liu Ruyi many times, but Liu Ruyi never bought it. Unexpectedly, this guy still remembered it!
"Dear Peter, don't forget to bring your beautiful sister with you next time we meet. I think she will definitely fall in love with me!" Liu Ruyi responded with a smile.
Louis~Peter also has a biological sister who is only sixteen years old and studying at a girls' school in London. Liu Ruyi has also been thinking about her for a long time!
Louis~Peter couldn't help laughing, "Liu, I don't think you have a chance! However, everything depends on God's will! Goodbye, Daming! Goodbye, my two years of solid youth!"
Louis Pete waved his hands vigorously, and the huge battleship on the side slowly put away its anchor, raised its sails, and slowly sailed towards the center of the sea!
Seeing these dozen behemoths gradually arranging into order and sailing towards the middle of the sea, Liu Ruyi couldn't help but sigh in her heart!
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Once upon a time, there was such a magnificent fleet on the land of China! But unfortunately, that man failed!
In the Poyang Lake water battle, Zhu Yuanzhang used densely packed small sails to defeat Chen Youliang's giant iron-clad battleship, which also brought the end of this generation of heroes!
In fact, in Chinese history, Chen Youliang was not the first leader of the refugee army who was born as a fisherman, but he was the first, and the last, to spend huge sums of money and manpower to build and research new warships!
At that time, the giant iron-frame warship he built was the best in the world. According to historical records, Chen Youliang's treasure ship was dozens of feet high. It was modeled after the ancient giant beast "Taotie". The sides of the ship were covered with iron armor, making it extremely strong!
But it is a pity that he did not realize the power of firearms at that time!
Pretending to be arrogant because of his weaponry, Zhu Yuanzhang re-enacted the scene of "Burning Red Cliff". In the end, he died of exhaustion!
And then, although the Sanbao eunuch went to the West seven times, he was nothing more than a mirror, leaving nothing behind!
"General, look, look over there, there's another ship coming over there!"
Just as Liu Ruyi was thinking, he suddenly heard the soldiers beside him pointing at the sea not far away and shouting. Liu Ruyi couldn't help but was startled and quickly looked towards the sea to the side!
I saw, after Louis Pete's fleet passed by, on the sea that had just calmed down, there was a small 'broken ship', heading towards the dock here quickly!
Liu Ruyi's expression couldn't help but change. I thought, I've only been out for half an hour. Could something have happened?
However, it doesn’t look like it!
This 'broken ship' is a typical oriental style, not the three-layered sail design of the British and Portuguese!
"Huo Lang, go and stop them! Don't let him get close to the dock!" Liu Ruyi had no time to think at this time and hurriedly ordered Huo Lang beside him!
"Yes!" Huo Lang hurried forward, and hundreds of soldiers quickly put the dock on alert!
Although there are red cannons, due to the lack of gunners, the defense facilities at Antonwei Pier are still very weak. At this juncture, Liu Ruyi does not want to cause more trouble!
Soon, the broken ship was stopped and parked on the side of the pier. Then, a bunch of gray-headed Easterners were pulled out of the cabin by military men!
"Brother, they seem to be Koreans!" After a while, Huo Lang led a few disheveled people covered in black and gray and knelt down in front of Liu Ruyi!
"North Koreans?" Liu Ruyi was startled and quickly looked at the people kneeling on the ground!
One of them, a fat man with the longest grade and a fat body, hurriedly said in somewhat jerky Chinese: "General, help! We are being chased by Japanese water pirates! General, you must save us! We are vassals of the Ming Dynasty.
ah!"
"North Korea? Japanese? Wait! Since you are Koreans, how could you come to this area of water? Tell me clearly! Otherwise, you will be punished as spies!" Liu Ruyi said with a cold face!
Although he is located in Shandong, very close to North Korea, Liu Ruyi has never interacted with North Koreans!
The most important thing is that the Manchu Qing Dynasty has conquered North Korea, but at this time, North Koreans appeared in the sea area of Antonwei. This thing is not normal!
Liu Ruyi couldn't help but feel wary!
You know, even at this time, the Japanese invasion along the coast has never been completely eliminated!
These little devils have extremely bad methods. They often take advantage of the kindness of the Ming people along the coast to easily board the land, burn, kill and loot with no scruples. It is simply outrageous!
And many Han and Koreans are also their accomplices!
When the fat man saw Liu Ruyi's face, he suddenly became anxious and kowtowed quickly and explained: "General, we are really Koreans! We are the princess's bodyguards! This, this is the princess's token, you, look!"
After the fat man finished speaking, he hurriedly took out a jade plaque from his arms and carefully handed it to Liu Ruyi's hand!