"One pull of the gold one, hehe, two pulls of the silver one, hey, three pulls of jewelry are shining."

At the outer port of Shanghai County, accompanied by the heroic, powerful and loud sailing chants, and under the efforts of more than a dozen sailors, the huge sail slowly rose along the mast until it was completely stretched out, full of tension.

Like wings hanging from the sky.

This is a three-masted fortune ship. Although it is not as huge as a treasure ship, it is still full of the "industrial beauty" of this era. The whole body of the ship reflects the sonorous style of the people who set sail on the sea and made waves in the Han Dynasty.

Moreover, compared to the treasure ship, which is a wonder, the fortune ship is more popular with businessmen. The ship shape is more appropriate, the operation is more flexible and flexible, the speed is faster, the loading capacity is not small, and more importantly, the price is more affordable.

You can buy one for 8,000-10,000 yuan. Of course, this is the "ex-factory price". In fact, it is even higher. Of course, shipyards need to make a lot of money, but some things cannot be bought with money.

Compared with civilian ships, naval warships have certainly developed and changed faster. They have already passed the era of being greedy for big things and seeking perfection. Especially after the first generation of gunboats were officially put into service, they tended to be more solid, fast and flexible.

In fact, by the fourth year of Emperor Yongxi's reign, treasure ships, which were once a wonder in the East Asian waters, were no longer popular. They were too expensive to build, use and maintain.

Of course, only ordinary people can't afford it or use it. There are still a lot of applications in the government and military systems. Of course, the two can allocate enough manpower and financial resources to operate and maintain ships. Secondly, there are many bulk transshipment needs.

In ancient times, treasure ships were even more valuable, such as those that are still in operation today, transporting military supplies to garrisons in Southeast Asia.

"Oh ho, ho ho! Ah home, ah hi!" In the enthusiastic anchor weighing, the heavy anchor was pulled up from the water, and the ship untied the cable. Under the operation of the sailors on the ship, it broke the waves.

Let's go, slowly leaving the port and heading towards the mouth of the Yangtze River, leaving behind a stream of water and turbulent mud waves.

The berths at the Shanghai port are always tight. It didn't take long before another service ship came in under the guidance of the pilot ship. The ship docked and the anchor was dropped and the moorings were tied.

Then, the tax collectors arrived, boarded the ship for inspection, registered and collected taxes, and the ship's boss skillfully called the foreman responsible for loading and unloading at the dock to give some instructions.

Everything went smoothly. This was a cargo ship from Goryeo. The owner of the ship was the Cui family of the Goryeo family. With such a background and being an friendly country, they would not be treated lightly at the port. Han Dynasty and Goryeo are countries of uncles and nephews, and their relationship is close after all.

Yes, the merchants of Koryo often receive certain preferential treatment in the country, not for any other reason, just because they can bring real gold and silver, as well as large amounts of copper and iron ore.

Under the arrangement of the foreman, dozens of coolies began to get busy, unloading goods from the ship like worker ants. Among this gang-like crowd, there was a middle-aged man who looked a bit special. Not to mention standing out from the crowd, he could always be said to be...

Pick people out from the crowd at a glance.

He worked very hard. Others were carrying one package, but he could carry two packages at a time. His pace was steady and he was not out of breath. It was such a cold winter, and he was only wearing a single suit. His bare arms had nothing but strong muscles.

, just a few hideous scars

With a weathered face and a pair of resolute yet crazy eyes, while working hard on the dock, he also carefully observed the ships coming and going in the port, just like looking at each of the peerless beauties.

Normally, a person with this kind of temperament will not be reduced to working as a coolie at the dock. However, there is a story behind the tiger falling on the plain and the dragon playing in the shallows.

This man's name is Shen Bailong, a native of Changguo (Zhoushan Island). He has been a fisherman for a long time. He has been physically strong and powerful since he was a child. At the age of twenty, he went to Shanghai to make a living on the beach. By being brave enough to fight, he also made a name for himself on the dock. , known as "Shen Bailong".

However, after all, one comes from the bottom, and if you want to get ahead, you have to fight your way out. You won't achieve much by just working hard, and Shen Bailong is obviously not an ordinary person. In addition to working hard at the dock, he also works hard every year. You need to make a special trip with the ship for foreign trade.

So a year ago, Shen Bailong, who had accumulated a certain amount of assets through some special means (such as theft, robbery, etc.), saved a cargo ship, purchased a shipload of cloth, medicinal materials, ironware, and porcelain, and took dozens of brothers with him. He embarked on a journey to the sea and began to engage in maritime transportation.

At that time, his destination was Jinlanzhou, the royal city of Linyi, which was undergoing great development and required a large number of various resources from the mother country. Under normal circumstances, as long as he could reach Jinlan Port, he would bring back gold and silver coins or local blue wood. , nanxiang, ivory and other commodities, it is not a problem to increase their value several times.

However, Shen Bolong was not a person loved by God. Even though he was fully prepared, he was robbed not long after going to sea and before crossing the Liuqiu Strait. A group of pirates came out of nowhere and took the goods with them. boat and snatched all Shen Bolong away.

Fortunately, the pirates did not "kill them all" and gave Shen Bailong and his men a few sampans to swim back to the mainland. If they survived, it was God's will. If they could not survive, there were too many human lives buried in the ocean.

Shen Bailong was lucky again. He floated along the current and drifted all the way to Liuqiu Island, where he was rescued by fishermen. However, some of the brothers who went to sea with him died or disappeared. Only three of them were rescued with him.

That experience was of course unforgettable for Shen Bailong and is still unforgettable. He is not a good person and even thinks he is a ruthless person. Otherwise, how would he be able to gain a foothold in Shanghai? But similarly, there are obviously people better than him in this world. Cruel person.

Of course, Shen Bolong was not defeated. On the contrary, he aroused his anger and ambition. Relying on his old profession, he fished on Ryukyu Island for several months, briefly reported the life-saving grace, saved enough travel expenses, and then took the remaining three people with him. The two never-failing brothers return to Shanghai.

However, the situation here has changed so quickly that it is beyond human imagination. For half a year, no one has been seen or heard, and the legend of "Brother Bai Long" has almost disappeared from the world. The dock where he once dug for food has also been occupied by another group of people. Not to mention the relationship between them, even if those people are just powerful people and lackeys of wealthy businessmen, how can they really treat them as human beings?

For Shen Bailong, everything seems to have returned to its original starting point, and he has to start over. However, unlike ten years ago, he is no longer young and has no more years to waste.

Faced with a dilemma, he naturally wanted to seek a breakthrough. Shen Bailong once wanted to return to another old business, find some foreign businessmen to join him, and quickly accumulate capital.

However, after some investigation, he gave up. People still have to take the right path!

Of course, the fundamental reason is that over the years, the businessmen who have gone out have learned a lesson, are very vigilant, and they are not good people;

On the other hand, the government's crackdown on these matters is becoming more and more severe. Major guilds and gangs, whether to maintain market stability, are forced by the authority of the government, or even simply to operate the territory, are robbing thieves.

The defense is also strong. Of course, the struggles within the industry and between guilds are another matter.

All in all, this bowl of rice is not as delicious as it used to be. In the robbery that took place in the autumn, although the Hubei businessman lost all his money and even lost his life, the gang of Jiangbei thieves who committed the crime did not end well either.

They were all drowned in the river, and the body of the leading bandit leader is still hanging on the beach, serving as a road sign for passing ships.

Therefore, Zhang Bolong finally decided to be a good citizen first, settle down for the time being, and start the job he least wanted to do, that of coolie.

In the past few months, while earning hard-earned money, he was reflecting on his past ten years. He deeply realized that the scenery he once had was just a small area on a pier, and along the pine trees

There are many similar docks and cargo yards in Erjiang River and Suxiu Prefecture. In the final analysis, they are still small figures.

If it weren't for an unwilling and upward spirit that supported him, several brothers who followed him through life and death, and the elders from the fishing village on Changguo Island who were waiting for him, he might have also fallen into a state of despair and heavy physical exertion.

sink.

On this pier, with every piece of cargo moved and every bag carried, Shen Bailong's heart became more depressed.

After a busy day from morning to night, perhaps the only thing worth being happy about is getting paid.

In Shanghai's large and small docks, the level and time of wage settlement are not fixed. There are monthly settlements, semi-monthly settlements, ten-day settlements, and five-day settlements, but there is no daily settlement. Obviously, the former is more convenient for control and exploitation.

"Coincidentally", the wharf where Shen Bailong worked was the same wharf where he first started working. He was not very active in getting paid and did not go there in person. Instead, he asked his brother Shen Haiqiong, a little brother from the same village, to help collect the money on his behalf.

From birth to death.

As for Shen Bailong himself, after finishing his work, he put on a cotton robe and sat on the trestle in a daze. The sound of waves continued, and the winter sea breeze was even more intense and biting, but Shen Bolong didn't notice it at all.

"Brother!" Brother Shen Haiqiong's voice came out, with a hint of grievance and anger. The other brothers beside him also had the same expressions of indignation.

If Shen Bolong's greatest trait is, it is probably his innate influence. He returned to Shanghai with only four people, but within a few months, he had gathered around a dozen brothers, supporting each other, hugging each other, and staying together.

Survive on this beach.

"What happened?" Shen Bailong asked.

Shen Haiqiong took out a few strings from his pocket, estimated that they were less than four strings, and said: "Zhou Laizi deducted wages from his wages again, and this time it was even more excessive. Each brother was deducted 30 Wen. They said they belonged to Gong Guan. I mean, from now on you will have to pay for eating and sleeping on the pier."

Listening to his description, Shen Bolong frowned and the gloom on his forehead obviously deepened. He looked up at the brothers surrounding him. They were all filled with indignation at this time. They were all good men who earned some hard money and were usually shy and endured humiliation. That’s all, your hard-earned income will be deducted by some villains!

Everyone's eyes were focused on him, and Shen Bolong knew that he had to do something, otherwise people would be scattered, and how could he lead the team? If he wanted to start over, he couldn't do it without the help of his brothers.

"Haiqiong, my brothers' hard-earned money cannot be short. I will give my share to everyone and make up for the deductions. If there is any shortage, it will come from you and I will replenish it for you later!" After thinking about it, Shen Bailong Chong Shen Haiqiong ordered.

Hearing this, Shen Haiqiong looked unhappy, but in the face of his elder brother's serious eyes, he still did as he was told and divided the money on the spot.

After finishing this matter, everyone looked at Shen Bolong with different eyes. They were moved, enthusiastic, and also a little guilty. Such a eldest brother who cares about money and loves righteousness is definitely with the right person.

Sensing the change in everyone's eyes, Shen Bailong became more convinced of his decision and waved his hand: "Brothers, you have worked hard, go and have a rest!"

Soon, there were only four people left on the dock, except Shen Bailong, Shen Haiqiong, and the brothers who came back with them.

"Where is Zhou Laizi?" Shen Bolong tightened his cotton robe and asked.

"Over there at Warehouse No. 1!" Shen Haiqiong said immediately, "What are your plans, brother?"

Shen Bailong didn't answer, and walked directly towards Warehouse No. 1. Shen Haiqiong and the others saw him and followed him without any hesitation.

Zhou Laizi is just like his nickname. Although it is wrong to judge a person by his appearance, he gives people a sinister and cunning feeling. Of course, at least at this low level, he is a person with good abilities. He is literate, can calculate accounts, can take inventory, and can manage the wharf. The master arranged the cargo in an orderly manner, so he was entrusted with important tasks by Gong Guanren, the actual master of Pier 3.

Therefore, on Pier 3, Zhou Laizi can be said to be domineering. Even the foreman, even the eldest brother of Jianghu, dare not stab him in front of him. After all, his backer is Gong Guan. And Gong Guan is President Xiuzhou. Capture Gong Yi's younger brother, the kind of person you can kiss.

However, just in front of the warehouse, the once arrogant Zhou Laizi was severely stepped on by Shen Bailong. Several thugs were lying around, all of them wailing.

Facing the awe-inspiring Shen Bailong with fierce eyes, Zhou Laizi begged for mercy sincerely: "Brother Bailong, you are so arrogant. If you have anything to say, there must be a misunderstanding! There must be a misunderstanding!"

Seeing Zhou Laizi's unbearable performance, Shen Bolong's eyes flashed with disdain, but he said in a cold tone: "Is there any misunderstanding? I think Mr. Zhou knows it well. You should know the purpose of my visit!"

"Isn't it just a matter of wages? This matter can be easily solved! Big Easy!" Zhou Laizi said quickly.

Hearing what Zhou Laizi said, Shen Bailong raised his feet, his eyes did not change much, but he took out a dagger from his waist and made a trick in his hand, which shocked Zhou Laizi.

Without any hesitation, Zhou Laizi got up, took out a bag of copper coins from the iron box on one side, and handed it to Shen Bailong. Seeing this, Shen Bailong took it, opened the bag, took a look, took out three small bunches and put them in his arms, leaving the remaining coins. He threw it directly to Zhou Laizi and said coldly: "I only take what I deserve!"

Then he greeted Shen Haiqiong and the others to leave. Looking at his back, Zhou Laizi's face quickly darkened. One of his downed men quickly got up, supported him, and called out with concern: "Mr. Zhou, are you okay?"

Zhou Laizi likes people to call him "Sir" very much, but at this time, he secretly cursed: "Trash!"

"Go and fetch Wang Ling's fellow!"

Soon, a yellow-faced man arrived and was "surprised" when he saw Zhou Laizi who was recovering from his injuries. Of course he knew the situation. He immediately stepped forward to show his courtesy and cursed: "How dare Shen Bailong offend Zhou Laizi?" gentlemen! "

"It's not about you!" Zhou Laizi immediately slapped Wang Ling.

Wang Ling did not dare to resist, and even after fighting well, he said: "This thief Shen Bailong actually doesn't even look down on Mr. Zhou. He is so disobedient to discipline and forms a clique among the fishermen. Sooner or later, It’s the scourge of the docks.”

"Now, it's not just the discord between you two!" Zhou Laizi said coldly.

When Wang Ling heard this, a flash of joy flashed in his eyes. He was the one who took over Shen Bailong's position. He had been unhappy ever since Shen Bailong came back alive. Now, seeing that Shen Bailong had offended Zhou Laizi so unwisely, he was overjoyed.

"Why don't you report this matter to Official Gong and ask him to deal with it?" Wang Ling suggested.

"I can't even control Shen Bailong, how do you want the officials to look at me?" Zhou Laizi glanced at Wang Ling coldly, thought about it, and ordered in a deep voice: "Find someone from outside and deal with him!"

"Yes!" Wang Ling couldn't help being slightly shocked, but he quickly lowered his head and replied. He only wanted to drive Shen Bailong away. He never thought that Zhou Laizi would directly want to kill someone. This scholar really had a heart.

On the other side, at the night market not far from Pier 3, four people gathered together. Shen Bailong was treating guests, eating meat and drinking wine, but the atmosphere was a bit depressing.

Shen Haiqiong was still a little uneasy and said to Shen Bailong: "Brother, you are angry, but for offending Zhou Laizi like this for a mere few hundred coins, it would be uncomfortable for him to take revenge."

"I know!" Shen Bailong nodded, picked up the rice wine in the bowl, and drank half of the bowl in one gulp.
To be continued...