Chapter 117: Against The Sea
After chatting with the crowd at the port for a long time, Master Hu finally found time to talk with Zhou Xiucai and Bai Langzai.
“Owner Bai, was the journey smooth?”
Bai Langzai nodded slightly: “This trip sold for over seven thousand taels in total…”
Master Hu quickly stopped him, looked around, and said in a low voice: “We’ll talk back at the manor. Please, you two.”
Zhou Xiucai and Bai Langzai got into the Hu Manor’s sedan chair.
A little over half a shichen later, the sedan arrived at the Hu Manor gate hall. The two got out and followed Master Hu through several connected corridors and courtyards to the main hall, where the three sat down as guest and host.
Master Hu loudly called to the steward: “Brew tea, brew good tea!”
“Yes!” The steward acknowledged and called for tea to be prepared.
Master Hu looked at Bai Langzai eagerly: “Owner Bai, now you can tell us. How was the haul from this ship?”
Bai Langzai said expressionlessly: “A ship of Chaozhou Silk, sold in Macau for over seven thousand taels.”
“And then?” Master Hu pressed.
“That’s it.” Bai Langzai said, then took a sheet of paper from his bosom and handed it to Master Hu. “This is the cargo list, with detailed prices on it.”
Master Hu took the cargo list, glanced at it once, and set it down. He had sold Chaozhou Silk for most of his life and knew the market prices; the amount of seven thousand taels was fine.
“No storms or sea bandits on the way?” Master Hu asked.
“None.” Bai Langzai shook his head.
Zhou Xiucai continued: “Once winter sets in, the northwest winds on the sea surface are steady, so we generally don’t encounter big waves. As for sea bandits, the surrounding seas have been calm lately, and we were sailing against the wind on the return, so it was naturally hard to run into them.”
“Oh.” Master Hu sounded a bit disappointed.
At this time, servants from the manor brought the brewed tea and placed it in front of the three respectively.
Master Hu picked up the tea cup and smiled: “Luojie Tea, please.”
Zhou Xiucai and Bai Langzai also picked up their tea cups: “Please.”
Zhou Xiucai lifted the tea lid, and white mist rose billowing, a fresh fragrance hitting the face and refreshing the heart.
He had drunk plenty of Longjing Tea on the island, but he hadn’t expected this Luojie Tea’s aroma to be even richer than Longjing Tea.
Zhou Xiucai took a sip; it was slightly bitter on the tongue, sweet after going down the throat, and left a full mouth of fresh fragrance afterward. It was indeed good tea.
Zhou Xiucai praised the tea a few times, and Master Hu modestly demurred with a complacent expression.
Then the topic turned back to running ships.
The reason Master Hu had built a three-masted Fuchuan Ship but didn’t dare run it himself was his fear of storms, sea bandits, and government seizures.
A Fuchuan Ship, including the ship, cargo, and crew, was worth twenty to thirty thousand taels in total; any loss would be too heavy.
So before partnering with Owner Zhou and Owner Bai, he had asked for a deposit of ten thousand taels of silver, precisely fearing that the two would perish at sea and his cargo would go to waste.
But now they had partnered three times, each time returning safely, which gave Master Hu some ideas; it turned out running ships wasn’t as difficult as he had thought.
Zhou and Bai earned him five hundred taels in ship fees per voyage. Wasn’t this silver a bit too easily earned?
Master Hu probed impassively: “I’ve heard fishermen along the coast say a Five-Clawed Flood Dragon has appeared at sea. Do you two know of it?”
Zhou Xiucai brushed it off: “I know a little. It’s probably just folk rumors.”
“That’s not right.” Master Hu mysteriously lowered his voice: “Do you know Li Kuiqi?”
Bai Langzai’s gaze sharpened, staring at Master Hu.
Zhou Xiucai nodded slowly: “I know.”
“This man hasn’t shown up at sea for a long time, and even the brothels in the three coastal counties of Chaozhou aren’t as bustling as before. I heard he was swallowed by the Five-Clawed Flood Dragon.” Master Hu looked serious.
Bai Langzai looked away and took a sip of tea.
Zhou Xiucai breathed a sigh of relief and smiled: “That’s possible.”
Master Hu leaned back in his chair: “So lately there are no sea bandits at sea, perhaps thanks to the Five-Clawed Flood Dragon eliminating evil.”
Zhou Xiucai was at a loss for words: “That makes sense.”
Master Hu changed the subject: “I saw your ships have plenty of guards. Since the seas are calm, bringing so many guards is useless. Why not bring fewer?”
Bai Langzai wanted to interject but was stopped by Zhou Xiucai’s glance.
Master Hu continued: “With fewer guards, the ship fees could be lower too. What do you two say?”
Zhou Xiucai readily agreed: “Fine, then reduce it by one hundred taels per voyage.”
“Refreshing!” Master Hu laughed heartily, though it pained him inside; he had indeed overpaid for the previous three voyages.
Bai Langzai eyed Zhou Xiucai questioningly; Zhou Xiucai mouthed: “Stay calm.”
After laughing for a while, Master Hu said: “My warehouse is out of Chaozhou Silk now, but luckily some autumn cocoons are left, enough to weave another ship before spring.
With the silver from selling to the Macau people, I can buy more spring cocoons next year, hire a few more weaving households, and book more voyages then.”
Zhou Xiucai accompanied Master Hu in envisioning a business blueprint.
Finally done chatting, Zhou Xiucai smiled: “Owner Hu, I have a presumptuous request.”
Master Hu set down his tea cup: “Oh? Speak freely.”
Zhou Xiucai: “Owner Hu, you know we who run ships need lots of tung oil to maintain the ships, but we’re not locals and don’t know the market here. We’d like Owner Hu to help procure it.”
Master Hu waved grandly: “Easy, leave it to me.”
Zhou Xiucai then took a list from his bosom and placed it on Master Hu’s desk.
“These are the things we need procured. Please review, Owner Hu.”
Master Hu was quite puzzled inside. Isn’t it just tung oil? Why list it out?
He casually picked up the list and opened it to see it written:
“Rice, twenty thousand shi. Wheat, twenty thousand shi. Cloth, thirty thousand chi.
Tung oil, three thousand jin. Rope, five thousand jin.
Blue bricks, two million pieces. Tiles, two million pieces. Lime, three hundred thousand jin. River sand, five hundred thousand jin, mortar ten thousand jin.
…”
There was a whole bunch more miscellaneous items afterward, like various medicines, ironware, tools, draft oxen, mules and horses, etc.
The list sprawled on for over a thousand characters, covering every detail imaginable.
In the time of ten breaths, Master Hu didn’t blink.
His eyes darted back and forth between those outrageous numbers.
Twenty thousand shi? “Ten thousand”?
Two million pieces? “Million”?
Master Hu’s first reaction wasn’t shock; he thought Zhou Xiucai must have written wrong.
He looked up to see Zhou Xiucai calmly drinking tea.
Bai Langzai’s gaze shot over coldly; at some point, a dagger had been slapped on the table.
Master Hu’s heart surged with towering waves!
“You, you, this…”
Zhou Xiucai said calmly: “What’s wrong?”
Master Hu was suddenly enlightened and understood their identities.
What northern Fujian sea merchant, what fallen family, what clan recommendation, what household registration and travel permit—all fake!
These two were sea bandits!
No, more than that. Daring to openly procure these things meant not just sea bandits—this was rebellion, sea rebels!
“I want to…”
Master Hu’s face had drained of all color; he couldn’t even get out a full sentence.
He wanted to say “report to the officials,” but the words stuck in his throat and he swallowed them back.
In an instant, Master Hu figured out many things.
Why Owner Bai sailed so brazenly, why choose to dock at Chenghai County, why transport his goods at such low prices, why agree to his ten thousand taels of silver deposit.
The Hu Manor was now firmly tied down.
If he called these two sea rebels, could he himself come out clean?
Self-blame, regret, unwillingness, fear, resentment.
Expressions flashed vividly across Master Hu’s face.
For a full half incense stick’s time, Master Hu sat silently in the host seat, as if struck by lightning.
Zhou Xiucai didn’t interrupt, calmly sipping tea.
Master Hu was silent so long that even the Hu Manor steward noticed something amiss. He looked worriedly at Master Hu for a while, then couldn’t help reminding softly: “Master?”
Hearing the call, Master Hu snapped back. His hands trembled as he folded the list, put it in his bosom, and said with a quavering laugh: “Easy.”
Master Hu wiped his sweat, raised his cup, and gulped down the tea, saying shakily: “Please, Owners, come to the study to talk.”
“Fine.” Zhou Xiucai set down his tea cup.
They passed through corridors and waterside pavilions to the Hu Manor study.
Master Hu dismissed the servants and had his trusted steward guard the door tightly. He himself closed the study door.
“Thud!”
Master Hu knelt heavily and pleaded: “Sirs, I’ve knelt to you! I was blind; please spare me, sirs!”
Zhou Xiucai hurried forward to help him up: “Owner Hu, what is this? Please rise quickly.”
Master Hu refused to get up and even moved to kowtow.
Bai Langzai slapped the table and said coldly: “Get up!”
Master Hu sprang to his feet.
Bai Langzai: “Stand and answer!”
Master Hu looked pleadingly at Zhou Xiucai, took the list from his bosom, and begged: “My family has three generations of single heirs, thin population, barely sustaining by weaving silk. In Chenghai County we’re no big household, and in all of Chaozhou Prefecture, we’re nothing. Please spare me, sirs.”
Zhou Xiucai didn’t take it but sat at the desk leisurely: “We already know about the Hu Manor situation. We carefully selected you. Seventh Brother, show him the benefits.”
Bai Langzai followed the cue, took a cloth bag from his bosom, and opened it; it was filled with high-grade South Pearls the size of longan pits.
Master Hu glanced once and his eyes were glued.
“These are just the deposit; no need to return the previous ten thousand taels of silver.” Zhou Xiucai said. “For all items on the list, we’ll pay, and twenty percent above market price. The Hu Manor will profit handsomely; rest assured.”
“It’s not about the silver… The things on the list, my small household can’t procure at all.” Master Hu said bitterly. “Not to mention others, just three thousand jin of tung oil—that’s strictly controlled. Private hoarding without clear purpose is tantamount to treason.”
Zhou Xiucai said: “We’ve thought of the excuse for you. Everyone in Chenghai County knows you do sea trade. You’ve made silver, so building a grand new manor is natural.”
“Ah?”
“This manor built outside the city, large enough plot, high walls around. That gives you reason to buy loads of blue bricks, tiles, lime, tung oil, river sand.”
“Ah?” Master Hu was dumbfounded.
“Anyway, the manor is in the suburbs, construction hidden by high walls, others can’t see. You stockpile materials bit by bit each month, transport to Ma’er Ao at month’s end.”
Master Hu’s mouth hung open; now he understood Owner Bai’s brazen sailing had a second purpose.
“What about the rice and wheat…”
“You’ve suddenly gotten rich, so naturally do good, give back to the locals—set up communal granaries and charity granaries.”
“This?” Master Hu was speechless.
The so-called “communal granaries” and “charity granaries” were folk-run public granaries aimed at stabilizing grain prices and relieving disaster victims.
This system started in the Jiajing era, promoted nationwide in Jiajing year eight on proposal from Left Vice Minister of War Wang Tingxiang.
Since the Zhengde era, the Great Ming had policies honoring righteous civilians, encouraging commoners to engage in public welfare like famine prevention and self-rescue.
The Hu Manor wasn’t a big household; before, they hadn’t even run a congee stall. Now rich from maritime transport, acting magnanimous by starting charity granaries fit the mindset of a newly wealthy small household.
Master Hu gaped, thought half a day, couldn’t refute, and said dryly: “This is still too risky; sooner or later the government will notice.”
Zhou Xiucai chuckled lightly: “Government? Owner Hu, you dared hire private ships knowing what they were; you’d still fear the government?”
“Running private ships and rebel… what you’re doing are two different things.”
“Rest assured, the Helmsman has that covered too. Before the new county magistrate arrives in Chenghai County, first bribe the yamen clerks. Once the new magistrate takes office, work on him, then use the magistrate to reach the prefect.”
Master Hu smiled bitterly: “Easier said than done.”
Zhou Xiucai sighed lightly and took another paper from his bosom: “The Helmsman wrote down the methods to corrupt the county magistrate.”
Master Hu took it in surprise, scanned it, and was astounded. He folded the paper, cupped hands: “May I ask who the Helmsman Lord is?”
Zhou Xiucai didn’t answer but asked back: “So, you agree?”
Master Hu’s heart was full of bitterness; he had no choice but to nod.
Zhou Xiucai stood, paced to the study door, and said: “From today, you’re on board. Any thorny troubles later, we’ll handle. The Helmsman said your hands must stay clean.”
Master Hu repeatedly agreed.
“From now on, no more usury or coercing weavers. Our line has plenty of silver; the key is reputation.”
Master Hu cupped hands: “Understood. My hands will stay clean.”
Zhou Xiucai smiled faintly: “Good man.”
With that, he pushed the door and left, Bai Langzai following.
Long after the two left, Master Hu stood stunned in place. He took out the two lists from his bosom, looked at them, then at the bag of high-grade South Pearls on the desk, his face complex.
As if his soul had been drawn out, he slowly walked to the desk and slumped in the chair.
After a little over half a shichen, he slowly exhaled: “This is… truly sinful…”
…
Winter month seventeenth.
Astronomical high tide.
After one and a half months, the Santa Ana had completed all repairs.
Today was the day to relaunch to sea.
On the beach, Lin Qian was already waiting with the brothers.
Moon high in the sky.
Tidewater surged onto the beach nonstop; the dry dock’s wooden water-blocking gates had been removed, waves pouring through the gap under the galleon’s hull.
On the distant sea surface, four Haicang Ships and ten Cangshan Ships were arrayed in V formation, their sterns tied with thick ropes, the other ends fixed to the galleon.
In the temporary dock, all logs around the galleon had been cleared.
On the shore, the craftsmen involved in the repairs were all at the ready.
Everyone’s eyes were on wave after wave on the sea.
Under the round moon’s glow, a wave crashed far up the beach, then receded, leaving a dark wet mark on the sand.
Moments later, another wave swept in, matching the previous mark.
Chen Jiao said lowly: “The tide peak is coming.”
Four or five successive surges, and the tide line hadn’t moved.
Mute Huang waved at his apprentices.
The apprentices understood, cupped hands to mouths, and shouted at full volume, dragging out: “High tide has arrived! Hoist sail—”
As his voice fell, surrounding craftsmen joined the shout.
The call to hoist sail filled heaven and earth.
A huge red flag was lifted by strong craftsmen, who stood at the beach head waving it nonstop.
On the distant sea, the fourteen ships heard the shouts, saw the flag waving, and simultaneously hoisted half sails.
At this time, the northwest wind was strong.
Dozens of Chinese lug sails caught the beam wind and slowly advanced.
Ropes gradually tautened, then huge force transmitted; each ship was dragged to a halt by the galleon.
The galleon rocked from the pull.
Bai Qing stood at the bow of a Haicang Ship, saw the ships’ situations, and shouted loudly: “Hoist full sails!”
Crew behind picked up pre-prepared blue flags and waved them.
Each ship hoisted full sails.
The northwest wind blew fierce, making the blue flags snap loudly.
At the stern where Bai Qing was, the planks and masts creaked ominously.
“Splash!”
On the beach, another wave surge hit.
“It’s moving, the galleon is moving!” A craftsman shouted joyfully.
In the dry dock, the galleon slowly inched forward, extremely slow but unstoppable.
Everyone watched from the side, holding breath.
On the beach, only whistling wind and waves sounded.
After half an incense stick, the galleon’s bow had exited the dock.
Agitated looks appeared on everyone’s faces, but none dared speak, fearing to disturb the tugging ships.
Compared to beaching, un-beaching was harder, so for safety, the galleon had been towed bow-to-shore into the dock.
The downside was that un-beaching required ships at sea to tow.
Compared to shore-pulling ropes, sea-towing saved labor but was an extreme technical feat.
Each rope had a section of oiled leather special rigging to cushion impact loads.
Between ropes were ringed iron bars to prevent the dozen-plus tow ships from colliding due to combined forces.
Another incense stick later, half the galleon’s hull protruded from the dock.
The red flag on shore waved again.
Bai Qing saw it and ordered: “Each ship, half sail!”
As sail area reduced, the creaking of the ships’ timbers lessened greatly.
On the beach, the galleon’s center of gravity slowly shifted onto the slipway.
Though the dry dock and slipway slopes differed little, it still smashed the slipway apart to the sides, sand flying.
Tension on several ropes slackened, but the leather rigging cushioned it; the dozen-plus sea ships were barely affected.
The slipway was thickly greased beforehand; under its own weight, the galleon slid toward the sea.
At the same time, ropes tautened again.
Under interplay of tension, buoyancy, gravity, friction.
Most of the galleon reentered the water, then its bow left the slipway into the sea.
The wooden slipway extended into the sea, preventing the galleon from grounding and capsizing, and sea buoyancy prevented keel damage.
Fully at sea, weight greatly lightened; the dozen-plus tow ships pulled faster.
After a long while, the Santa Ana had normal draft, hull righted, steadily floating on the sea surface.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Mute Huang and the craftsmen took islanders in small boats to inspect damage from the towing.
Of course, bottom plank wear was unavoidable, as long as the keel was fine.
On the shore, Lin Qian breathed a sigh of relief and asked Zhou Xiucai behind him: “How’s Master Hu doing?”
Zhou Xiucai replied: “Accepted his fate. These past days he’s bought bricks and tiles, building walls in the countryside. Should be able to transport a ship of supplies to the island at Ma’er Ao by month’s end.”
Bai Langzai added: “I sent a few brothers to watch the Hu Manor; no unusual moves.”
Zheng Zhilong listened quietly from the side.
Each time Zhou and Bai reported on Hu Manor matters to Lin Qian, Lin Qian intentionally included Zheng Zhilong.
At first, Zheng Zhilong thought being shore contact was good, but Lin Qian not letting him contact the Quanzhou Zheng family was guarding against him, which hurt a bit.
Hearing more, he understood Lin Qian’s methods with Master Hu and the procurement items.
Zheng Zhilong realized this wasn’t guarding him at all—it was not pitting his own people!
The Quanzhou Zheng family would have been easier to use, yet Lin Qian chose distant over kin.
Rather spend this effort and risk propping up a Hu family than involve Quanzhou Zhengs.
Elder Brother Lin truly treated him as a brother!
Zheng Zhilong not only stopped resenting Elder Brother Lin but blamed himself for petty suspicions of a gentleman.
Lin Qian clapped hands, shook off sea sand, and said to Chen Jiao: “End of month, once supplies arrive, build the dry dock first.”
Beach repairs were too risky, just a stopgap.
Now Santa Ana repairs done, no short-term dry dock need, but his fifty-plus Chinese warships still needed it; couldn’t delay.
Chen Jiao acknowledged, then said: “The new mortar Stonemason Chu prepared per Helmsman is ready; tested on a wall, will be fully dry by month’s end.”
“Mm.” Lin Qian asked: “Remember to splash water on the wall, keep it moist.”
“Got it; I check daily.”
Sea wind blew, raising sand; everyone’s clothes snapped in the gusts.
Wind and sand too fierce, Lin Qian led people off the beach to a wind-sheltered campfire for warming.
Crew by the fire were sharp-eyed, promptly pouring hot water into bowls for everyone.
Lin Qian took hot water, blew off steam, slurped a sip, and asked: “How’s literacy progress?”
Zheng Zhilong promptly replied: “Since moving classes to evenings, more come daily. In this month and a half, most islanders recognize some characters.”
Literacy takes time; no rushing.
Even after New China founded, literacy classes lasted one or two months; let alone this era.
By dates, only a month and a half to New Year; just set island’s first civil servant exam post-New Year.
Ample time, no effect on holiday mood.
Lin Qian told Zheng Zhilong the clerk exam plan, adding: “Don’t fill all clerk spots this exam; let other islanders see benefits of reading and writing.”
“Got it.” Zheng Zhilong said earnestly.
Had to say, Zheng Zhilong was capable: ran Justice Department smoothly, assisted most Civil Affairs Department matters.
And Zheng Zhilong worked diligently, obsessed almost as much as Lin Qian.
Lin Qian looked at Bai Langzai hugging the demon-slaying katana and asked: “How’s this blade? Handy?”
Bai Langzai: “Good blade, pity no chance to blood it.”
Since last Lin Mansion raid, sea bandits quiet two months; everyone itching for action.
Lin Qian laughed; basing at sea, blood opportunities aplenty.
Like now: steady northwest monsoon, many fleets heading south seas to sell, especially Manila big ships.
Nan’ao Island’s advantage: whether to Macau or Manila, pass nearby seas.
Want fish? Plentiful catches anytime.
But now Lin Qian’s issue wasn’t short silver, but hard to spend what he had; focus on Nan’ao Island construction and grooming Hu Manor agent.
When southeast monsoon starts, south seas fleets return laden with silver—that’s prime netting time.
Lin Qian decided to fatten these fish first.
