Chapter 39: This Is How A Real Man Should Be
The next day, Zheng Zhilong walked out of the cabin door with a face full of exhaustion…
When he reached the deck, he realized it was almost noon. He usually got up at Maoshi First Quarter every day, a habit since childhood that never changed. Why had he slept until this hour today?
Zheng Zhilong felt anxious inside. According to the councillor’s instructions, he should have returned to report back before last night.
He had racked his brains to gain the councillor’s trust, but now because of wine and women he had ruined things, burying his bright future.
Zheng Zhilong inevitably felt regret in his heart and even began to hate Lin Qian.
At this time Lin Qian shouted to him from the stern cabin: “Brother Yiguan awake? Come up quickly, let’s smoke another cigar.”
Hearing this, Zheng Zhilong went up the stairs, stood before Lin Qian with a bitter face, and said: “Elder Brother Lin has really harmed me badly…”
Lin Qian laughed indifferently: “Is Brother Yiguan worried about not reporting back on time and being blamed by the councillor? Relax, last night I already had Jose write a letter saying there are many goods on the ship, Brother Yiguan stayed up all night inventorying them and will return one day late, so Mr. Councillor can rest assured.”
“Really?” Zheng Zhilong immediately turned from worry to joy.
“How could it be fake?” Lin Qian warmly patted his shoulder. “Stay and eat here with big brother without worry. If you like it, tonight I’ll have Jose write another letter; brother can stay a few more nights!”
“No no no!” Zheng Zhilong waved his hands repeatedly. “How dare I trouble you like this.”
“Hahahaha…” Lin Qian laughed heartily, leading Zheng Zhilong back into the captain’s cabin.
After lighting a cigar, Zheng Zhilong comfortably exhaled smoke rings and said sincerely: “To be honest, little brother came this time actually entrusted by the councillor to press the price a bit… But big brother treats little brother so sincerely, little brother can’t ruin the code of brotherhood, so I’ll go report back to the councillor now…”
Lin Qian held up one finger: “Brother Yiguan, the letter I sent to the councillor asked for four hundred thousand taels but since I’m big brother, how could I make it hard for you? Reduce by one hundred thousand, just three hundred thousand taels, how about that?”
Zheng Zhilong widened his eyes: “Big brother serious? That’s one hundred thousand taels of silver, this…”
Lin Qian waved a hand to cut him off: “No need to persuade more; for brotherhood, what’s one hundred thousand taels?”
As the saying goes “ask sky-high prices, haggle on the ground”; the asking price in Jose’s letter was almost twice the normal cargo value.
If they really settled on four hundred thousand taels with Zheng Zhilong, the councillor behind him was no fool and definitely wouldn’t accept the account.
After all this batch of goods was only worth around two hundred thousand taels; selling at three hundred thousand already had a premium of one hundred thousand taels.
Zheng Zhilong’s worldview was shaken. Looking at Lin Qian’s dashing figure, his heart couldn’t calm for a long time.
Capable and righteous—where in the world to find such a big brother.
He had run ships in his uncle’s ship gang and served as interpreter in Macau. Because he was still young, few people he met gave him a proper glance.
Since childhood he had always racked his brains to please others; when had anyone ever treated him so sincerely?
Zheng Zhilong immediately had the idea of becoming sworn brothers with Lin Qian, but then thought his own status was merely an interpreter while Lin Qian had noble bearing, spent lavishly, and was carefree and unrestrained—why would he swear brotherhood with someone of his status? Thus the words reached his lips but he swallowed them back.
While puffing clouds and exhaling mist, someone knocked at the captain’s cabin door and entered, handing a thick stack of documents to Lin Qian.
Lin Qian took them, glanced over a few times, sent the person out, then placed the stack of documents before Zheng Zhilong.
“This is the cargo list from the ship, more detailed than the one I gave the councillor. I had someone copy it; brother take it back to hand in.”
“This… big brother is really meticulous…” Zheng Zhilong didn’t know what to say.
“After this smoke, I’ll have someone lead brother to inspect the cabin on site again.”
Zheng Zhilong patted his chest: “Big brother so open-hearted and thorough—how could little brother not trust big brother? We’ll just go by what’s on the list!”
Lin Qian smiled: “Brotherhood is brotherhood, business is business. You see it with your own eyes to know for sure.”
After more refusals, Zheng Zhilong—who had been coaxed dizzy by Lin Qian—had to accept his suggestion.
However, though this kid Zheng Zhilong refused verbally fiercely, when actually going down to check the goods he inspected extremely seriously without slacking.
Lin Qian knew history and understood Zheng Zhilong was inherently this two-faced cunning hero type, so wasn’t surprised.
Since he dared let Zheng Zhilong count, it meant the goods’ types and quantities had no discrepancies.
By the time Zheng Zhilong finished counting the goods it was already evening; Lin Qian kept him for another feast.
This time Zheng Zhilong insisted on going back to report no matter what; anyway Lin Qian’s goal was achieved, so he didn’t force him.
Amid harmonious farewells, Zheng Zhilong boarded the sloop he arrived on and sailed back to Macau harbor.
After sailing some distance Zheng Zhilong turned to gaze back, seeing Lin Qian standing at the ship’s rail, his figure silhouetted by the sunset, shining with the galleon amid the sparkling waves.
Gazing at the scene, Zheng Zhilong couldn’t help feeling “this is how a great man should be.”
……
Meanwhile on the galleon deck, Lin Qian watched the departing Zheng Zhilong, thinking it a pity inside.
This man might become a future rival; letting the tiger return to the mountain like this, he didn’t know if right or wrong.
But killing him without cause would not only offend the Portuguese but make this batch of goods even harder to sell.
In any case, this round of feigned scheming with Zheng Zhilong seemed like concession on his part but actually exceeded the expected selling price by one hundred thousand taels—a fine gain.
As for later matters, deal with them later; he Lin Qian wasn’t yet worried about a young pup.
“Helmsman, what to do with those two women?” a crew member asked then.
“Send them back to the flower boat.” Lin Qian added after: “Whoever wants to tend to business, go to the flower boat tonight yourselves.”
“Got it, thanks Helmsman!” The crew cheered uproariously.
Soon the two “sisters” emerged, surrounded by the ship workers like stars cupping the moon.
Bai Langzai stepped forward and gave each twenty taels of silver: “Reward from the helmsman.”
The two women curtsied to Bai Langzai and Lin Qian in thanks.
Jose said to them in Chinese: “Bring the flower boat closer; you’ll be busy these few days.”
One woman said happily: “Wonderful, this slave thanks all the gentlemen in advance.”
The crew’s gazes followed the two women down to the boat, inwardly wishing nightfall would come sooner.
Jose sidled up to Lin Qian mysteriously and asked: “Captain, how did you know that kid likes small feet?”
These two women were specially found on Lin Qian’s orders yesterday when entertaining Zheng Zhilong.
Lin Qian wanted small-footed women naturally because historically Zheng Zhilong married a Japanese wife.
But Jose asking such a question showed deep knowledge of Chinese culture, so he teased: “You even know what small feet means?”
Jose smugly: “I understand women very well.”
Such a boast made Lin Qian chuckle lightly.
……
Evening.
Lin Qian sat at the navigation table writing the sea log; atop the table lay a sheet of paper with celestial data recorded by Bai Langzai recently.
Inside the cabin was very quiet; occasionally from the distant flower boat came women’s alluring cries.
Lin Qian finished a page, set down the pen, rose, and stretched.
Hearing the lascivious sounds next door, Lin Qian suddenly thought of something, strode out of the captain’s cabin, and called Bai Langzai in.
Bai Langzai was stargazing at the stern; hearing the call he pushed in the door holding the sextant: “Helmsman, you wanted me?”
“Go to the cargo hold and check how much trauma medicine is left,” Lin Qian instructed.
“Ran out a few days ago.”
Lin Qian took an ingot of silver and placed it on the table: “Go buy some from the flower boat; one or two bottles enough.”
Bai Langzai eyed Lin Qian, saw he didn’t look injured, suppressed his doubts, and just asked: “The flower boat… will have trauma medicine?”
Lin Qian smiled: “Give more silver and they will; go on.”
Bai Langzai said no more, grabbed the silver and headed out, walked to the ship’s rail where a small boat sent by the flower boat waited to pick people up; Bai Langzai descended the rope ladder to the small boat.
After boarding the flower boat, a thick powder scent mixed with alcohol assailed his nose.
The madam was greeting guests at the bow; seeing Bai Langzai board she hurriedly sent girls to attend him.
Bai Langzai stated his business and the madam’s face immediately soured.
Bai Langzai pulled out the silver: “One or two bottles enough.”
The madam beamed with joy, took the silver, instructed her girls a few words; moments later a girl brought two porcelain bottles.
“This is top-grade wound medicine from Qingmei Workshop.” The madam stuffed the bottles into Bai Langzai’s hands, all smiles: “Since young master knows we have it you must be a man of standing—won’t you pick a girl?”
Bai Langzai flushed embarrassed, waved hastily in farewell, and fled back aboard.
Moments later he returned to the galleon and handed the bottles to Lin Qian.
Entering the captain’s cabin, Lin Qian was intently reading the Spaniards’ parchment book; without raising his eyes he said “good work” and told Bai Langzai to put the medicine on the table.
Bai Langzai was full of doubts but held back from asking, just took the sextant and left the captain’s cabin.
