Chapter 1063 Let's Get Along Well, Now
Towering and radiant Li Daoxuan, with a soft *snap*, pried open yet another crab claw...
Realizing further conversation with this particular individual would be fruitless, Zheng Zhilong turned his attention to Jiang Cheng and Shi Lang. “Gentlemen,” he began, “what you are doing on Zhoushan Island, I dare not inquire about, nor presume to understand. However... may I be so bold as to ask, what precisely is the Emperor’s ultimate goal with these arrangements?”
Jiang Cheng stole a glance at Li Daoxuan, who seemed to tacitly approve of him speaking his mind. Clearing his throat, he announced, “There are four primary objectives, handed down from above.”
Zheng Zhilong’s eyes widened. “Oh? I’m eager to hear the specifics.”
Jiang Cheng listed them: “To establish a secure maritime base, to control the entire southeastern coast, to expand influence into the nations of the Nanyang, and finally, to embark on a grand voyage across ten thousand li, visiting various Western countries.”
Zheng Zhilong’s eyes blazed with excitement at these words.
The Emperor possesses truly monumental ambitions!
My own aspirations, Zheng Zhilong’s aspirations, only encompassed the first three steps. I never imagined the Emperor would be so far-sighted, anticipating an entire additional stage beyond my own vision.
“For each of these four objectives,” Jiang Cheng continued, “General Zheng’s assistance will be absolutely vital, every step of the way.”
His gaze flickered towards the peculiar, rapidly moving vessels from Gao Family Village—ships that possessed neither sails nor oars. *If these colossal, enigmatic ships lend their aid,* he mused, *the first three objectives will be achievable without undue difficulty. But the final stage... that is truly not a feat to be accomplished in a mere year or even two.*
“*Crack!*” Li Daoxuan meticulously peeled open yet another large shrimp shell.
Zheng Zhilong simply stared, speechless.
*This fellow... does he truly only know how to eat?*
He was in the midst of a silent, fervent rant when, to his utter surprise, Li Daoxuan suddenly spoke. “General Zheng,” Li Daoxuan declared, “I hold your son, Zheng Sen, in extremely high regard. He possesses a brilliant spark of insight, practically bursting from the top of his head! Even at his tender age, he exhibits the potential to excel in both scholarly and martial pursuits. If he were to find a truly distinguished master and receive proper instruction, wouldn't he ascend like a soaring dragon? The momentous task of punishing evil, eradicating corruption, and upholding global peace could very well be entrusted to him in time.”
*“Oh? He’s stopped eating. He’s speaking,”* Zheng Zhilong thought, utterly taken aback. The greatest surprise, however, was that the moment this man opened his mouth, he lavished praise upon Zheng Sen, following it with a lengthy, rather baffling pronouncement.
A slight flush of embarrassment touched Zheng Zhilong’s cheeks. “Mr. Li, you heap too much praise upon him. My humble son is certainly not as exceptional as you describe.”
“No, no, no,” Li Daoxuan insisted, a broad grin spreading across his face as he turned to Zheng Sen. “He is exceptionally talented.”
Zheng Sen flinched, startled by the sudden attention.
Li Daoxuan chuckled mischievously at him. “Do you like my grand ships?”
The question hit its mark. Zheng Sen immediately bobbed his head with fervent enthusiasm. “Yes! I love them! Absolutely adore them!”
Li Daoxuan continued, “We’re also constructing some truly extraordinary vessels. Would you be interested in witnessing them?”
Zheng Sen’s face lit up with delight. “Interested? Extremely interested!”
Li Daoxuan pressed on, “Beyond shipbuilding, I’ve established a comprehensive naval industrial school and a dedicated naval academy on Zhoushan Island. Does that pique your interest?”
Zheng Sen emitted a small gasp of surprise. Though only twelve, he possessed the sharp wit characteristic of a prominent official’s son. After hearing just the preamble, he immediately sensed that the man before him was attempting to entice him to join their ranks.
He swiftly turned his head, his gaze seeking out his father, Zheng Zhilong.
Zheng Zhilong, too, felt a surge of astonishment. *Why does this court official seem so eager to elevate my son? Wait a moment... this could be an unparalleled opportunity. If my son earns the favor of those in power, he might one day become a trusted confidant of the Emperor himself!*
*That would surely lift our entire Zheng clan to unprecedented heights!*
Zheng Zhilong offered Zheng Sen a subtle, almost imperceptible nod.
Only then did Zheng Sen turn back to Li Daoxuan, declaring with renewed eagerness, “Yes, I am exceptionally interested!”
Li Daoxuan smiled. “Then you would be interested in visiting Zhoushan Island, wouldn’t you?”
Zheng Zhilong promptly urged Zheng Sen, “Sen’er, Mr. Li’s invitation to the island is a tremendous blessing. Go on, quickly offer your profound gratitude for his immense generosity!”
Zheng Sen immediately performed a deep, deferential bow.
Li Daoxuan chuckled to himself. *Excellent. A rare character card is now within my grasp.*
He turned to Shi Lang. “Little Lang,” he instructed, “you and Zheng Sen are similar in age. It falls to you to show him around Zhoushan Island.”
Shi Lang promptly replied, “Understood.”
Li Daoxuan’s tone abruptly shifted, becoming solemn. “Now listen, both of you must ensure you get along *very* well. No arguing, no fighting. You are to be the best of friends.”
The two boys exchanged bewildered glances.
Though they didn't quite grasp why the Heavenly Lord would utter such peculiar instructions, Shi Lang, having undergone extensive ideological training, was now a disciplined soldier. Soldiers prioritized orders above all else. He instantly snapped to attention, saluted Li Daoxuan, and declared, “Mission assured, Heavenly Lord!”
“*Snap!*” Li Daoxuan cracked off another crab leg, resuming his feast. His earlier conversation had, after all, interrupted his meal.
At that moment, Zheng Zhihu also picked up a crab leg. “Brother,” he said to Zheng Zhilong, “you absolutely must try this soy sauce Mr. Li brought for us.”
“Oh? And what’s so special about this soy sauce?” Zheng Zhilong inquired.
Zheng Zhihu chuckled. “It’s a special soy sauce, formulated specifically for seafood. Dipping your crab in this will make it taste significantly better.”
Zheng Zhilong let out an intrigued “Oh?” and, following his brother’s suggestion, tried a dip. Indeed, the seafood soy sauce proved exceptionally delightful. “This,” he declared, “could certainly be a profitable commodity! It would undoubtedly sell like wildfire in all the coastal cities.”
Zheng Zhihu nodded, still smiling. “Exactly what Mr. Li said! He’s already arranged for large quantities of this soy sauce to be delivered to the Nanhui Mouth market. With Liu Xiang’s pirates finally eliminated, maritime trade will surely be much smoother. Let’s head to Nanhui Mouth, procure several shiploads of this soy sauce, and then distribute it all along the coast.”
“Agreed,” Zheng Zhilong affirmed. “That’s precisely what we’ll do.”
Li Daoxuan, listening from the sidelines, felt a quiet amusement blossom in his chest. *Back in Shaanxi, introducing these peculiar innovations often required me to personally instruct the common folk on their use.*
*But here, along the southeast coast, it’s an entirely different story.*
*The southeastern region boasts an open spirit, progressive thinking, and the nascent stirrings of capitalism. Moreover, Zheng Zhilong’s pirate syndicate was always a complex blend—roughly a third imperial soldiers, a third pirates, and a third astute merchants. The moment they glimpse any of my novel creations, their minds instinctively generate a torrent of shrewd business strategies and innovative proposals.*
*Working alongside them is remarkably... comfortable.*
“I possess an abundance of exceptional goods,” Li Daoxuan announced. “General Zheng, in the future, I encourage you to frequent the Nanhui Mouth market to restock. We shall transport all manner of wondrous, even outlandish, items to the nations of the Nanyang, and thereby... draw all the silver from the hands of the Nanyang people and the Westerners straight into our coffers.”
Zheng Zhilong chuckled, a glint in his eye. “That aligns perfectly with my intentions! Oh, and let’s not forget Japan. I am intimately familiar with the trade routes to Japan. There is an immense amount of silver there, and I possess a keen understanding of precisely what goods to export to Japan to ensure a return of that precious metal.”
Li Daoxuan flashed a thumbs-up. “Excellent!”
Thus, the adults huddled together, devising strategies to funnel wealth from other nations into their own coffers.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the two young boys began to introduce themselves.
“My name is Shi Lang,” the elder boy offered. “I am fifteen years old.”
“And I am Zheng Sen,” the younger replied. “I am twelve.”
After completing their introductions, Shi Lang grinned. “See that colossal ship over there? That’s the Wanli Sunshine. And I,” he puffed out his chest slightly, “am its captain.”
Zheng Sen’s eyes widened with undisguised envy. “That’s incredible! You’re only three years older than me, and you’re already captain of such an enormous ship. I wish I could be like you!”
Shi Lang chuckled. “Oh, just wait! When you arrive in Zhoushan, you’ll discover things far more captivating than this.”
Comments