Chapter 5: Two Corpses
Sent away the Guard Captain.
Lin Qian handled the docking procedures with that Spanish port official.
Lin Qian’s Spanish was fluent, with standard pronunciation, and communication was very efficient.
Everyone from the Han Merchant Association was bowing and waiting to one side, while the interpreter kept wiping sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
The procedures were completed quickly, and the Spanish official happily shook hands with Lin Qian and said goodbye: “Sorry for the misunderstanding. Hope you have a good time in Manila, sir.”
After saying that, he went to the next berth.
The interpreter braced himself and stepped forward, cupping his hands: “It was my fault just now, brother. Don’t take it to heart.”
Lin Qian glanced at him: “Pirates, right? I’ve noted this ‘favor.'”
Before the interpreter could reply, the Spanish official shouted: “Hurry over here, you lisping yellow-skinned pig.”
The interpreter shuddered all over and led the people from the Han Merchant Association to follow closely behind.
“Pah, dog slave!” Lei Sanxiang spat at their backs, then asked, “Lin Laodi, what do we do now?”
Lin Qian slowly turned around, his gaze fixed on Old Four and Old Five.
Chen Hong saw all the brothers looking at him together, eyes widened, forcing a smile uglier than crying: “I was just impulsive and said nonsense… Lin brother, you too. If you had this ability, why didn’t you say so earlier, making all the brothers worry with you…”
No one spoke on the gangway, the atmosphere deadly tense.
Chen Hong steeled himself and knelt down: “This time it’s brother’s fault. Hit or punish me as you like!”
Seeing Old Four standing there like a wooden stake, Chen Hong slapped the back of his knee hard, angrily said: “Apologize to Sixth Brother yet!”
Old Four pretended to be tough on the surface, but his legs were very weak. He fell to the ground at once, then struggled awkwardly to get up, glaring at Lin Qian.
Chen Hong then ignored him, just kneeling with head down on the ground.
Lin Qian was expressionless, coldly watching the two.
Chen Hong felt his heart beating harder and harder. Cold sweat flowed into his eyes but he didn’t dare wipe it. Every minute and second was torment. Finally he couldn’t endure, gritted his teeth and stood up: “Lin, what do you exactly want? Give a straightforward word!”
Lin Qian slowly said: “Those who betray brothers, heaven and earth will punish together.”
“What!” Chen Hong turned pale with shock. This sentence was exactly the oath when the seven swore brotherhood.
Old Four, who had been very tough, finally couldn’t hold on, swaying and falling to sit on the ground.
The two looked pleadingly at everyone.
Chen Jiao, Lei Sanxiang, Lin Qian, and Bai Langzai all looked at them with eyes as if looking at dead men.
……
That evening, beach outside Manila suburbs.
One big pit, two corpses, three people filling soil.
Lin Qian stood by the pit, watching the two corpses gradually buried by sea sand.
“You deliberately let the situation become critical, just to see who isn’t on the same side as you, huh? Good move.” Elder Brother Chen Jiao stood beside him. After saying that, he took the wine pot and gulped two mouthfuls, then handed it to Lin Qian: “Franks’ wine. Have a sip?”
The wine smell was pungent, slightly sweet. It was probably rum or similar. Lin Qian shook his head: “In this line of work, better to keep a clear head.”
Chen Jiao grinned, showing an extremely ugly smile: “You’re probably the only one in this line who wants to keep a clear head.”
He paused and said: “I checked Balien Market. No lack of sales channels here. Prices much higher than Macau, just like you said before.”
The few swore brotherhood just for ship robbery. In the end it was for money. Compared to silver, Old Four and Old Five’s deaths were minor.
Chen Jiao gulped a few mouthfuls of wine, then turned his head, staring at Lin Qian with his one eye.
“Sixth Brother, you’re so familiar with Franks, can speak their foreign language. Being an interpreter would have a good future. Why come do sea bandit? Or do you just love living on the edge of the blade?”
Lin Qian smiled without answering. He knew Chen Jiao was suspicious of him. Now with two of the seven brothers dead, hearts were unsettled. Important was not explaining identity, but soothing hearts.
If talking about soothing hearts, nothing works better than silver.
Right now, must sell off the goods as soon as possible.
“Tomorrow, I’ll find a buyer. The day after, divide money on the ship.” After Lin Qian said that, he turned back to the dock himself.
Lei Sanxiang, Zhou Xiucai, and Bai Langzai who were filling soil were all excited upon hearing this.
Chen Jiao stared at Lin Qian’s back for a long time, expression complex.
……
Although Manila is under Spaniards’ rule, over seventy percent in the city are Great Ming people, gathered around Balien Market doing business.
Dealing with these Balien Market merchants is no different from doing business in Great Ming.
Lin Qian, accompanied by Bai Langzai, continuously negotiated with several merchants in Balien Market.
Finally selected Lu Cheng Ji business firm. Lu Dongzhu’s quote was not the highest, but he could take all their goods at once. No need to sell in batches, saving much trouble.
Lu Dongzhu’s purchase price: silk brocade 6 pesos per bolt. Ordinary porcelain bowls 2 pesos per 10 pieces. Large porcelain 8 pesos each.
Lin Qian had long tallied the whole ship’s goods: 8500 bolts silk brocade, over 40,000 pieces porcelain big and small. Simple calculation: this ship’s goods could sell for 60,000 Spanish silver pesos.
Ten silver pesos approximately equal seven taels of silver in Great Ming.
60,000 Spanish silver pesos convert to 43,400 taels of silver.
Deducting Han Merchant Association’s one-twentieth protection fee, Spanish one-tenth tax, and berthing fees, loading/unloading fees etc., still about 36,000+ taels of silver left.
Far higher than Lin Qian’s promised figure.
Even if crew members each get 100 taels of silver, still over 30,000 taels left.
Ship robbery is a business with one part cost ten thousand profit. These 30,000 taels net profit.
Although Lin Qian didn’t know silk and porcelain purchase prices in Great Ming, after inquiring, he got a rough idea.
If legitimate Great Ming merchants transporting this ship goods from Yuegang Port to Manila, gross profit margin at least around 50%.
By profit margin calculated as profit over cost, around 100%, lowest not less than 80%.
Lin Qian in previous life did business, very sensitive to numbers. Just mental calculation got above result.
Precisely this super high profit margin makes Great Ming people risk beheading to actively participate in smuggling.
Per Manila Governor’s Mansion regulations, when signing goods contract, must have one Spanish tax collector and one Catholic priest present.
After Lin Qian and Lu Dongzhu agreed on price, Lu Dongzhu called shop assistant to invite Spaniards over.
While waiting, Lu Dongzhu brewed tea, probed Lin Qian’s background indirectly. Lin Qian handled with a few watertight words.
Moments later, shop assistant led tax collector and priest to arrive.
Lu Dongzhu stood up and went out, extremely respectfully welcoming the Spaniards, also signaled Lin Qian to follow.
Lin Qian puzzled in heart. Logically Lu Dongzhu could buy whole ship goods, showed strong finances. In local Manila also some influence. Why in front of Spaniards also appearance both respectful and fearful.
But guest follows host. Lin Qian still went out to meet the two Spaniards.
Spaniards used to this flattering attitude, demeanor very arrogant.
Instead seeing Lin Qian come out straight-backed, somewhat strange, looked a few more times.
Lu Dongzhu stepped aside, inviting two Spaniards inside.
Just at this time, commotion on distant street.
Lin Qian looked toward commotion. Saw three knights galloping from distance. Pedestrians on road dodging. Balien Market crowded, soon crowd fell into chaos.
These three didn’t slow horse speed at all, straight towards Lin Qian’s direction.
When closer, Lin Qian then saw clearly. The two on sides both Spanish Guards, wearing orange uniforms, stiletto at waist, same as guards at port.
Middle person features deep and soft, wearing white short shirt, lower body black horse trousers and boots. Although men’s attire, instead highlighted graceful curves. Hair flying while galloping, quite a flamenco-style wild beauty.
“Quick, lower head!” Lu Dongzhu saw Lin Qian looking up, in urgency reached to press Lin Qian’s head, but blocked by Bai Langzai.
With this delay, that woman already reined horse to stop in front of Lu Cheng Ji business firm.
“Yellow monkey, what are you looking at?”
