Chapter 61: Drying The Goods
Late at night.
Santa Ana, Captain’s Cabin, candles brightly lit.
The matters at hand for Lin Qian had piled up like a mountain, completely disqualifying him from sleep.
Nan’ao Island’s land is narrow, with only over seventy thousand permanent residents in later generations.
In these times, it can support even fewer people.
Advance planning is necessary to maximize land utilization.
In Lin Qian’s conception, Nan’ao Island is positioned primarily for military purposes, with artillery batteries set up on various hilltops and docks built at the ports.
Roads adopt a grid layout structure, similar to the urban structures of Chang’an City and Barcelona.
Pearl Commoners who volunteer to go to the island are welcome, and those who insist on staying on the ship are not forced.
Thus, the blueprint before him is precisely the urban layout of Nan’ao Island.
The city designed by Lin Qian can accommodate about ten thousand people, and it would be easy to expand if the population increases.
Another blueprint on the table is a sloop designed by Lin Qian.
It hangs lug sails, with a streamlined hull, a product of East-West fusion.
Chinese lug sails are simple to operate; one person can sail it, and maintenance costs are low.
Replacing the lug sails with Bermuda sails turns it into a modern racing sailboat, which can also be used for message relay and emergency transport.
Adding trawls allows it to fish.
Enlarging the cabin makes it a Tanka Boat.
According to Lin Qian’s plan, a shipyard will also be built on Nan’ao Island, and this kind of sloop can be the shipyard’s first batch of orders.
However, building the city, constructing the shipyard, building new ships.
Requires large numbers of carpenters, tilers, mast makers, ropemakers, blacksmiths…
Where do the artisans come from?
Before he went to the Hongmen Banquet, he had already ordered Chen Jiao and Lei Sanxiang to collect the residences of these coastal artisans.
Sailing along this route allows checking them one by one.
Thus, along the way, new faces came aboard almost every day.
And the tactics to coerce compliance were all much the same.
Su Kang was surprised to discover that the story that happened to him was playing out on the ship every day.
……
Several days later.
Santa Ana arrived at Nan’ao Island.
Through the telescope, Nan’ao Island has high mountains at each end east and west, with a broad plain in between, like a gourd lying slantwise on the sea.
According to intelligence gathered by Chen Jiao, only a few hundred fishermen live on Nan’ao Island.
This island is located at the Fujian-Guangdong border, a strategic throat.
The Imperial Court has stationed a Vice General on the island, with over a thousand soldiers under him, more than twenty warships of various sizes, and multiple artillery batteries.
Santa Ana circled around and sailed to White Sand Bay north of the island, where the Vice General’s garrison is on the shore.
Lin Qian picked up the telescope to survey and saw a camp indeed on the shore, backed by mountains and facing the water.
However, there were not many soldiers visible, and in the port were docked over ten Cangshan Ships, over twenty Bird Ships, countless fast boats, all small boats, with no large warships.
On paper, Nan’ao Island’s warships are only slightly stronger than those at Naozhou Pearl Farm.
Even embezzling pay should not reach this extent.
Lin Qian grew suspicious, fearing there were still ships hidden out of sight.
Hearing Lin Qian’s doubts, Chen Jiao explained: “Helmsman, no need to worry. The large ships are not in the port; they must have gone to transport goods.”
“Really?” Lin Qian was quite surprised, thinking to himself that Ming generals lacked combat skills but had endless ways to gather wealth.
Previously at Naozhou Pearl Farm, he had seen several Ming warships equipped with fishing nets and gear, thinking it outrageous enough to use warships as fishing boats.
Now, he encountered another case of ships leaving the garrison to go to sea for commercial transport.
Chen Jiao nodded: “Absolutely true.”
Zheng Zhilong added: “In the Great Ming Southeast Navy, except for Shen Yourong and Yu Ziqao whose troops are somewhat disciplined, other generals routinely embezzle pay, drink soldiers’ blood, and assign private tasks.”
The Great Ming has never attached importance to coastal defense.
Especially after Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou pacified the Japanese Pirates during the Jiajing era, the southeast seas have seen few battles.
Coastal defense thus decayed further upon decay, leading to the current situation.
In that case, the soldiers on the island might not even outnumber Lin Qian’s own men, so seizing the island could be done with minimal effort.
As Lin Qian pondered the plan to attack the island in his mind.
From White Sand Bay, a fast boat departed the port and sailed toward Santa Ana.
Lin Qian raised the telescope and saw only four soldiers on the boat, with a man in blue silk clothes standing at the bow.
Soon, the fast boat came alongside Santa Ana.
The crew lowered the rope ladder, letting the man climb aboard.
After boarding, the man looked around, then walked to Lin Qian, respectfully cupping his hands: “I am Garrison Commander Huang Hetai of Nan’ao. May I ask under which ship owner you serve?”
Ship owner is the Great Ming term for the leader of sea bandits.
For example, the Great Ming maritime merchant Li Dan entrenched in Japan is respectfully called Li Ship Owner by the populace.
But hearing such a jianghu title respectfully from a Great Ming military officer felt somewhat incongruous.
Lin Qian decided to probe first with words: “I am under Li Ship Owner. We encountered wind and waves at sea recently and wish to rest at your esteemed island.”
Huang Hetai showed a troubled expression, pulled Lin Qian aside, and whispered: “Li Ship Owner pays tribute water every year in exchange for the General not pursuing smuggling ships; everyone minds their own business as previously agreed. If the leader suddenly wants to land now, I cannot explain to the General.”
Tribute water means road toll or passage fee.
A dignified from-second-rank Vice General actually transacting with sea bandits, accepting bribes, and tacitly allowing smuggling!
Though outrageous, compared to using warships for commercial transport, it seemed nothing special.
Lin Qian feigned anger to test the bottom line: “Li Ship Owner pays over ten thousand taels of silver in tribute water each year, and we cannot even rest a moment? I see you intend to bully us!”
Huang Hetai jumped in fright, then immediately smiled obsequiously: “The leader jests; it’s not as much as ten thousand taels… How about the leader’s ship docks ashore, and the brothers on the other ships rest at sea?”
These words revealed two layers of meaning.
First, Li Dan does not take this Vice General seriously; the annual road toll is less than ten thousand taels of silver.
Second, the Vice General sounds imposing but is actually a paper tiger; his subordinates dare not even speak harshly when threatened by sea bandits.
Lin Qian continued his arrogant posture, probing: “Where is your General? I want to see him.”
Huang Hetai replied even more cautiously: “The General went to the Chaozhou regional command post a month ago and is not on the island now…”
In Lin Qian’s mind, the General had another charge added: dereliction of duty.
“Very well.” Lin Qian patted Huang Hetai’s shoulder. “Then Garrison Commander is the one in charge on the island. What I say to the Garrison Commander counts. My men won’t go ashore, but the goods on the ship got wet from the wind and waves; I hope to borrow your esteemed land to dry them.”
As Lin Qian spoke, he gave Zheng Zhilong a look.
Zheng Zhilong understood, went down to the cargo hold, selected a large pearl, and brought it up to Lin Qian.
Lin Qian placed it directly in Huang Hetai’s hand, smiling: “A small token of respect, unworthy as it is. After landing, there will be greater gifts.”
Huang Hetai glanced at the pearl in his hand.
It was the size of a dragon’s eye, with lustrous pearl light, radiant and overflowing with color, truly exceptionally rare.
Why should Vice Generals, colonels, and guerrilla commanders enjoy themselves ashore all year while he, a mere Garrison Commander, suffers on the island.
No pickings even.
He, a proper Fifth Rank Garrison Commander, still had to grovel before sea bandits and swallow his anger.
He had enough of such days; this time, he would stand firm!
A greedy gleam flashed in Huang Hetai’s eyes, and with a flick of his sleeve, the pearl vanished.
“Since the leader is one of Li Ship Owner’s men, and Li Ship Owner is a friend of the General, landing to dry goods should be no issue. Please!”
Having obtained Huang Hetai’s permission.
Lin Qian arranged for the Pearl Commoners to land on the plain between the east and west mountains of Nan’ao Island.
Huang Hetai was somewhat puzzled and asked: “Why not land nearby at White Sand Bay?”
Lin Qian casually made up: “There are too many goods on the ship; placing them in the commander’s camp might block the way. I see the central island terrain is flat with few people, perfect for drying.”
Nan’ao Island has few residents, and the navy is severely understrength.
Most of the population clusters around Deep Bay Port near White Sand Bay, with the rest scattered at various sea ports and coves.
The island center is flat but overgrown with weeds and trees, rarely visited.
Using it to dry goods is naturally most suitable.
But since it’s not under his watchful eyes, Huang Hetai felt faintly uneasy, yet could not pinpoint why.
Before he could think further, Lin Qian was already pulling him toward the Captain’s Cabin.
“Garrison Commander Huang, we hit it off at first sight. I happen to have fine cigars in my quarters; why not smoke and chat?”
Dragged and invited by Lin Qian, Huang Hetai had no choice but to follow.
Moments later, smoke rose in the Captain’s Cabin, and Huang Hetai promptly cast that bit of suspicion to the clouds.
