Chapter 38: The Beauty Trap
“Good, Brother Yiguan, let’s not stand on the deck. Please come to the stern cabin for a detailed chat.” Lin Qian’s expression remained unchanged. He thought to himself, unexpectedly, after talking about Zheng Zhilong every day, he met the man himself by coincidence.
“Please.” Zheng Zhilong was extremely courteous and went to the stern cabin restaurant together with Lin Qian.
After both sides were seated.
Zheng Zhilong spoke first: “Mr. Jose’s letter said the cargo value on the ship is four hundred thousand taels. I originally didn’t quite believe it. After seeing this galleon, I realize my own ignorance. Truly ashamed. The Spaniards actually entrusted such a treasure ship to Senior Lin to command. This junior is utterly impressed.”
Jose’s letter had already explained this ship’s background.
Zheng Zhilong called “captured” as “entrusted,” just to make it sound better on the surface, as polite talk. Moreover, his posture was extremely humble, also to avoid offending Lin Qian with his words.
Him coming aboard as an envoy showed he was not just some random person that “Mr. Councillor” found to brush it off.
Since Zheng Zhilong liked saying polite words, Lin Qian patiently chatted idly with him, waving his hand: “What senior and junior? Our ages aren’t much different. Calling like that would make us distant. Since I call you Brother Yiguan, if you don’t mind, just call me elder brother.”
Zheng Zhilong was overjoyed and stood up, cupping his hands and bowing deeply: “Elder Brother Lin.”
Lin Qian stood up and made a gesture to help him, extremely enthusiastically: “Brother Yiguan is too polite. Please sit quickly… You there, go brew a pot of tea. Also bring my treasured cigars for Brother Yiguan to try.”
“Elder Brother Lin, how can this do…” Zheng Zhilong was somewhat flattered and surprised.
He pretended to be very sophisticated on the surface. After all, he was just a sixteen-year-old youth. Perhaps he had experienced much hardship, but definitely little luxurious enjoyment or fawning flattery of wealth.
Lin Qian had seen plenty of such people who liked pretending to be mature, and had many ways to deal with them.
In a moment, tea was served and cigars brought.
Lin Qian had someone bring scissors and a candlestick, demonstrating the smoking method to Zheng Zhilong: “…Like this, cut off the cigar’s end. Absolutely don’t cut too much, just expose a small opening… Then like this, light it on the flame…”
After Lin Qian finished speaking and took a puff, not knowing if it was an illusion from not drinking coffee for too long or what, he always felt there was a coffee flavor in this smoke, extremely mellow and invigorating.
Zheng Zhilong imitated Lin Qian, inhaling straight to the lungs in one go, immediately choking and coughing repeatedly, head dizzy and bloated.
Lin Qian laughed: “Brother Yiguan, you can’t inhale this smoke into the lungs. Just let it stay in the mouth and exhale. My fault for not explaining clearly. Try again…”
Cigars have no filter. Inhaling straight to the lungs causes excessive nicotine intake, leading to “smoke drunk.” Lin Qian deliberately didn’t explain clearly, just to let Zheng Zhilong get buzzed first so later matters would be easier to discuss.
Zheng Zhilong tried again as instructed. After a few times, he indeed experienced the wonder and praised endlessly.
“This cigar is a plaything among Western nobles, often paired with wine and brandy. When enjoying, need a quiet room…”
Lin Qian began introducing cigars volubly. In fact, everything he said was fabricated.
Cigar culture hasn’t formed yet. American tobacco leaves are mostly smoked in pipes.
Pipe smokers are everywhere in Europe, without all this fuss.
But Zheng Zhilong couldn’t possibly know so much about European nobles. With Lin Qian speaking convincingly, plus nicotine stimulation, he felt even more euphoric, as if floating in the clouds.
This routine was exactly the method Lin Qian used in his previous life to deal with clients. The more effort in hospitality, the easier to negotiate terms.
After all, nothing escapes the two words “human feelings.” Official business is one face; mentioning favors immediately another.
While Zheng Zhilong was puffing smoke, Lin Qian had already instructed people to arrange the evening feast and conveniently find two girls.
Lin Qian’s batch of goods had unclear origins. The goods also feared damp sea water. The galleon couldn’t stay long in the outer seas or be held onto forever. All conditions were unfavorable to Lin Qian, with no bargaining chips.
As long as “Mr. Councillor” stayed calm and dragged on without delivery, the price would drop repeatedly. If ruthless, could press to one hundred thousand taels. Sending Zheng Zhilong aboard was most likely with intent to bargain down.
So Zheng Zhilong said polite words for half a day, senior this and senior that, then brothers, just not getting to the point.
At this point, if Lin Qian proactively proposed inspecting goods or asking price, it would show weakness, and price talks would be at a disadvantage. So Lin Qian couldn’t be anxious. Let Zheng Zhilong drag; drag a day or two first and see who cracked.
The later meeting went as Lin Qian expected. Zheng Zhilong never mentioned inspecting goods. Lin Qian also chatted idly about everything under the sun.
Lei Sanxiang listened impatiently, several times unable to hold back from asking, but each time stopped by Lin Qian’s glare. Lin Qian gave him a task and drove him out of the cabin.
Dragged until evening. Lin Qian called Zheng Zhilong to drink and eat.
Zheng Zhilong, entertained and flattered all afternoon, finally lost patience and proactively spoke, beating around the bush: “Elder Brother Lin has been to Nanyang. Could you talk about Nanyang’s local customs and traditions?”
“Naturally.” Lin Qian agreed readily, then began chatting idly about everywhere, starting from Manila’s terrain, then island distributions, population structures, conflicts among different peoples, and so on.
The topic just didn’t lead to the goods on this ship.
Lin Qian, with two lifetimes, was quite worldly. His words cited widely, full of witty phrases.
Though Zheng Zhilong was mature, he was only sixteen after all. The farthest place in his young life was Macau. Mentioning Nanyang was just to lead Lin Qian to proactively discuss business.
Unexpectedly, after a few sentences, he was captivated by Nanyang’s local customs in Lin Qian’s words, inevitably showing yearning on his face.
At dinner, Zheng Zhilong was repeatedly urged to drink by Lin Qian.
But Zheng Zhilong’s tolerance was much better than Lin Qian expected. Couldn’t get him drunk.
After the banquet, Lin Qian called Zheng Zhilong back to the cabin to rest.
Zheng Zhilong hurriedly declined: “Mr. Councillor is still waiting for my report…”
Lin Qian dragged him toward the guest cabin while persuading: “It’s late at night. Inconvenient to sail at sea. Better stay the night and return early tomorrow.”
Zheng Zhilong declined every way. Lin Qian wouldn’t let him go, dragging and pulling him into the cabin, then tightly closing the cabin door.
Zheng Zhilong panicked and banged on the cabin door nonstop: “Elder Brother Lin, open up quick. I really can’t stay on the ship. I appreciate the kindness, but let me go back…”
At this time, a soft voice sounded from inside the cabin: “Young brother, please pass me my shoe.”
Zheng Zhilong froze as if petrified, slowly turning his head. By the cabin’s dim yellow light, he saw two sisters sitting on the bed, looking at him shyly.
One curled her legs on the bed’s edge. Under the horse-face skirt hem, pink tender small toes faintly visible.
Just from this detail, Zheng Zhilong recognized at a glance: a pair of top-quality small feet.
“Aiyo, young brother staring at that place of mine. So shameless!” That barefooted sister seemed scalded by Zheng Zhilong’s gaze, face flushed red, withdrawing her toes into the skirt.
Zheng Zhilong’s breathing grew heavy. His chest’s heart drummed nonstop.
The other sister laughed: “Silly boy, still not picking up the shoe for my little sister. Any later and she’ll die of shame.”
Zheng Zhilong looked down around and indeed saw an embroidered shoe lying on the ground.
Zheng Zhilong picked it up and involuntarily put it under his nose.
“Ah~” Seeing this, that barefooted sister cooperatively let out a soft cry. Her face red as if dripping water, murmuring in a bone-melting seductive voice: “Don’t smell~”
……
