Dragon Sea Empire

The Portuguese employees of China United Company stopped discussing immediately.They all looked at Yin Feng.

Yin Feng's expression was very bad.He has not slept all night.

From the ruins of the research department fire.Someone found a warped iron jug.The name of Andorra is engraved on it.Andorra is already under fire.In addition to leaving a few pieces of charred bones.Almost no bones remained.

Andorra was found in time to put into the warehouse.And the guard soldier who took the initiative to catch up was called Lin Yue.He is Lin Xiao's brother.He came to join Lin Xiao from Yazhou, Hainan Island half a year ago.Lin Yue compared to Lin Xiao.He is a dutiful farmer. .He is also a child of a military household.However, he has not participated in any military training since his ancestors.Most of the time, they do farm work in the thousand households they belong to.If it weren't for the typhoon disaster at home last year.Can't get by.Lin Yue would never leave his hometown thousands of miles to join Lin Xiao.

After all, Lin Yue is a descendant of generations of military households.After being sent to the guard by Lin Xiao to serve as a soldier.Training is hard.Work seriously; because of Lin Xiao's relationship.He is considered a more reliable person.Therefore, he was assigned to guard the Weapons Research Department.

Lin Yue could escape with his life tonight.Only suffered a concussion and some flesh wounds.Thanks to the iron door of the warehouse, which blocked the shock wave of the explosion.After he wakes up.Yin Feng questioned him.Lin Yue said with certainty: It was indeed Andor, a French robot from Macau who stole into the warehouse.Cause explosion and fire.Yin Feng praised him for his conscientiousness, initiative and bravery.Then he ordered to wait until Lin Yue recovered from his injury.Transfer to your own personal guard.

In the morning.Yin Feng gathered all the Portuguese in the synagogue.He enters the Great Hall.Scan around.Seeing these people or panic.Or aggrieved.Some anxiety.Some are irritable.Yin Feng did not speak.Sitting on a chair at the side of the auditorium.Sneered at the group of Portuguese.

A young bodyguard ran into the lobby.Stand at attention in front of Yin Feng and report: "Report. Mr. Baradas has arrived."

"Okay. Let him in."

Missionaries of Baradas wear Chinese-style Confucian robes.Walk slowly into the lobby.Many of the Portuguese present were frequent visitors to his church.He is among the foreign employees of China United Corporation.Still a very authoritative figure.certainly.Except for the Dutch.when they lead a religious life.Has its own Protestant priest.There is a small-scale prayer room in the Dutch business house in Taiwan Harbor.

"Father Barradas. You already know what happened. You have read the evidence."

Baladas nodded respectfully at Yin Feng.He drew the sign of the cross on his chest and said, "Captain. I think there must be a misunderstanding?"

"Let's discuss this issue later." Yin Feng interrupted him rudely.He turned his head and said to a group of Portuguese employees in the lobby: "Now. It has been confirmed; the Portuguese gunpowder craftsman Andor is a spy. A spy working for the Spaniards. He tried to steal the firearms we made. The result was an explosion and a fire."

Say Andorra is working for the Spaniards.In fact, it is a step up for Portuguese employees.It is also a helpless move by Yin Feng not wanting to tear himself apart with the Portuguese authorities in Macau.

"Father Baradas has gone to see all the relevant evidence. We have found letters written by him from his residence in Andorra. The facts have been fully ascertained. If you have any questions, gentlemen, you can ask the priest. I am here What I want to say is: Gentlemen here. Who is involved in the Andorra operation. If you can take the initiative to stand up and confess. I promise not to retaliate against him. I will politely send him on board and leave Taiwan. Go wherever he wants to go place."

Yin Feng smiled coldly.Suddenly there was a murderous look on his face: "If you don't admit it now, then after you leave the door of this lobby, if anyone is found by us to have engaged in behaviors that endanger the company's interests, then he will be exiled to the most remote village in Dawu Mountain farm to do coolie."

The faces of all the Portuguese turned pale: Dawu Mountain.Just happened that the indigenous headhunters in the mountains attacked the farm.Cut off the heads of more than a dozen Han people.

With the gradual increase of the influence of Chinese companies in the Pingtung Plain and Hengchun Peninsula.A large number of licensed Han hunters, fur traders and aboriginal people in the Dawu Mountain area also began to have contact.Especially after it is said that there is gold in the eastern mountains.The Tuntian Farm of the Zhonghua Company also appeared at the foot of Dawu Mountain.Land transportation to the eastern coast of Taiwan via Dawu Mountain.Soon it was opened up by furriers and hunters supported by Chinese companies.And become increasingly important.from the beginning of this year.Zhuang Ding and the guards of the Chinese company have gone to Dawu Mountain many times to launch troops to crusade against the aborigines.Attempts to control the area.All had little effect.The precipitous terrain of the mountains has become a natural barrier that hinders the advancement of Han fur traders and Chinese companies.The difficult-to-tame nature of the mountain natives made this area a dangerous area for Chinese companies.

Yin Feng does not want to have a purge among the Portuguese employees; after all, most of the Portuguese employees have been working in Taiwan for more than a year.Basically they are trustworthy.The main problem: he has no other evidence of spies: Andor's death.The most important clue has been destroyed.

No one was killed in the explosion.It is a blessing in misfortune.But the explosion still caused the destruction of a large amount of saltpeter and sulfur.There are also some samples of hand-thrown explosive bombs in the research stage, which are all gone.These hand-thrown bombs are an upgraded version of the early Chinese grenades.Black powder in clay pots.Mixed with iron flakes.Yin Feng copied the hand-throwing bombs that appeared in ancient history in his own manuscript.Whether it is the "shocking thunder" of the Jin Dynasty.It was also hand-thrown ammunition in Italy in the [-]th century.All the brains were passed on as a textbook to the students of the weapons department of the technical school.Invented the Chinese style "organ gun". .The four-person research team of the Rainstorm Gun: Lin Qing, Zhang Xiaohai, Wang Gong, Li Hetian, four young senior craftsmen volunteered to participate in the hand-throwing bomb research project.This big bang.Almost destroyed all the samples they tried.

Yin Feng said to the old mercenary Andre Ricardo very seriously: "You are someone I trust. I hope you can stand up at this time. Assist Father Baradas. Maintain the situation in the Portuguese residential area Stablize."

Andre nodded: "Don't worry. I know what to do."

……

within a few days.The news from all sides made Yin Feng feel very bad.

Negotiations with the Fujian government had been going on in secret; Zeng Qi represented Yin Feng in his place.and the personal representative of Governor Xu Xueju of Fujian.Xu Houcai, the governor's housekeeper, has already talked about it many times.Xu Xueju is very willing to appease Yin Feng.Because his term as governor is coming to an end.Friends of the court center have hinted to him that he wants to get a better evaluation in the court evaluation.Still have to work hard.Otherwise, promotion is hopeless.so.If you can successfully recruit the powerful forces that suddenly emerged on the southeast coast.This feat will surely open his way to promotion.

But the conditions he put forward.Zeng Qi thinks it is too unattractive: Taiwan has counties.Yin Feng is the official history; the army of the Chinese company is disbanded.All ships are not allowed to call at Taiwan port.The headquarters of Chinese companies must be in Quanzhou or Fuzhou.

After all, Zeng Qi is a scholar who became an official.Still has the traditional idea of ​​loyalty to the emperor.He really wants his son-in-law Yin Feng to obtain a legal status.but.Years of experience in officialdom and the influence of his ancestors as businessmen for generations.He is not a pedantic stereotyped scribe.Seeing that the world is going from bad to worse.The signs of troubled times have appeared.So Zeng Qi wanted to find a force to rely on for his family: he really hoped that Yin Feng would join the imperial court even if he wanted to.It can also maintain the current economic and military strength.Therefore.Recruitment negotiations have been fruitless.

Yin Feng wasn't too worried about the imperial court's recruitment; it started from the day he was assassinated.The China United Company can already show off its power along the coast of Fujian.A large number of warships were equipped with cannon.Well armed.Military discipline is strict.This has already shocked the officers and soldiers along the coast of Fujian.Especially after Yin Feng was assassinated.The company sent the second batch of ships to pick him up and go back to Taiwan.Hundreds of ships broke into Quanzhou Bay.The officers and soldiers along the coast shook their heads as soon as they mentioned the Chinese company's warships.

Another thing he worries about.It is this year that the number of Portuguese merchant ships coming to Taiwan port has decreased significantly.Insider reports from Macau and Guangzhou; Macau's Sino-Japanese trade fleet opened up a route off the east coast of Taiwan Island this year.Sailing from Macau to Ryukyu.Then go to Japan.Avoid the island of Taiwan.There is no need to transship goods in Taiwan port anymore.They went straight to Japan.It's not just about grabbing business with Japanese and Chinese companies.It also means that the Portuguese will compete with Chinese companies for all overseas markets for Chinese goods.

presence in Macau.Now it has become a commercial competitor of the Chinese company.Yin Feng began to worry about Li Lihua who went to Macau to negotiate.The counteroffensive against Luzon will begin next year.but.The political status of Taiwan, the Chinese company's base, remains shaky.as the company's base.Facing too many unknown threats.

A day with strong winds blowing from the southeast.Dark clouds rolled in the sky and pressed towards the continent to the west.Under the cover of a coconut tree, Taiwan Harbor is moored with hundreds of fishing boats and merchant ships coming to shelter from the wind.This is a common typhoon day in Taiwan in summer.A merchant ship with a Chinese flag on a blue background returned to the port with a full load of cargo.This is a company merchant ship returning from Pattani.But there was a military intelligence officer from Macau on board.He scrambled and ran off the boat.Come directly to the company headquarters.Found Yin Feng's office.

A personal guard of Yin Feng stood guard at the door.After checking the ID of the military intelligence officer.Said to him: "The owner of the ship is not here. He has gone to inspect the fort construction site in Dagou Port."

Dagou Port is where the later generations of Kaohsiung City are located.In the south of the "Taiwan Port" named by Yin Feng today.

The staff of the Military Intelligence Department stomped their feet and sighed: "God, this is a big deal for me. I have to report the terrible thing to the ship owner. Brother. How can I find the ship owner as soon as possible."

"You go back to the port. Take the boat to the south. The seaside there is Jiannan Fort. Captain Yin is there."

afternoon.Yin Feng was preparing to board the ship and return to Taiwan Port.I met this military intelligence officer near the temporary pier.Yin Feng still knew this person.He is a down-and-out scholar in Zhangzhou City.The imperial examination is not the first.Living in Manila as an accountant and translator for wealthy Anhai merchants.His name is Yu Anfu.original.Yu Anfu is the secretary of the company's security department.Later, I made friends with Lin Xiao somehow.Because the company lacks talents who can speak foreign languages.He was sent to Macau and became a hidden stake.

Under Yu Anfu's suggestion.Yin Feng pulled him away from the crowd to a secluded place. "Long time no see. An Fu. What's going on. Aren't you lurking in Macau? Did Chen Zhongji and Kutley contact you?"

Yu Anfu shook his head: "I came to Macau last year. I have been working as a Chinese interpreter at the family of a Franc machine businessman. Ji Zai and the others are still in Macau. Find a chance to save Mr. Bei. This time it is according to the company's arrangement. I am in charge of secretly protecting Miss Li is safe."

Yin Feng was taken aback: "What. Could it be that something happened to Ms. Li."

"Yes. She was detained by the Macau municipal authorities. It is said that a group of monks arrested her. By the way, it is a government office called Inquisicao in Portuguese."

"The Inquisition."

Yin Feng's heart skipped a beat.Something soft seemed to be punctured.The feeling of heartache spread throughout the body.

……

According to the rules in previous years.The crew of foreign ships are not allowed to enter the city of Guangzhou.Therefore, the annual Ming Dynasty version of the "Canton Fair" is traded on the riverside outside the city.This year, the Guangzhou Maritime Department specifically allowed the crew of foreign merchant ships to go ashore during the day.But they are not allowed to enter the city of Guangzhou.

In previous years, the bustling area around the wharf by the Pearl River.It's been a little quieter this year.Low and simple thatched huts are scattered all over the river.mixed with patches of bushes.It looked very chaotic.

Many of the temporary shacks along the river are hotels and restaurants.But it's the same as the people who come and go.The diners in the store are also sparse.Large expanses of wooden or bamboo temporary warehouses are scattered throughout the pier.Half of them are not full of goods.The crew of foreign ships are not allowed to spend the night ashore.So they have to hire Chinese to guard their temporary warehouses on the shore.And these days.Because there are few foreign cargo ships.A lot of idle men gathered by the river.Squatting by the river to bask in the sun idlely.Drink and chat.

According to the rules of the rivers and lakes.There are guilds for stevedores and coolies in the dock inns.There are also people who play the line to participate in maintaining order.All goods are loaded and unloaded locally.You have to find them to work.Otherwise, don't even think about going ashore with a catty of cargo.Previous years were good days for these poor brothers to make money.And this year they're going crazy.No money in hand.Even drinking in pubs and gambling for money is not acceptable.How do you survive this day.

"Damn it. Why are there fewer and fewer ghost boats every year?" Someone complained.

"It's all done by that eggless lunatic Li. Raise the tax on every boat so high. Who will come." A man next to him said angrily.Crazy Li is Li Feng, the eunuch of the Guangdong tax envoy.Because of homophony.Everyone called him "Crazy Li".

"It's hard to keep people alive these days. There are taxes on needles and threads in the city. There are fewer and fewer merchants traveling between the north and the south. Our brothers who eat at the pier are starving to death."

"This is the world. There is no way to live." Everyone sighed together.

A young coolie suddenly asked a question: "Brothers, the ghost ship didn't come to us. So where did it go to the pier?"

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay.Someone said cautiously: "Probably went to Flang Jiyi's place in Haojingao. It seems that they have fan ghosts everywhere."

Everyone started discussing; "Why don't we go over there to ask for a living. It's better than waiting here to drink cold water."

The man who scolded Li lunatic earlier sneered.Standing up and pointing to the sea, he said: "What do you know? I have a brother from my family who works in the government office of Xiangshan County. He came to Guangzhou on business a few days ago. He told me: the Folangji people in Haojingao are preparing for war. The ones over there The Han people are all running out.”

A group of coolies were taken aback.I can't make a sound.