Simmons immediately said: "There are no doubt traitors who are accumulating their strength to overthrow the rule of the Japanese shogunate."

Li Mingxun also speculated this way. At least now, the family behind Yingchuan Fujisaemon is the Satsuma clan, and Akiyen is another representative of another Daemon. With the current situation of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu ending the Warring States Period in Japan, the southwestern vassal states were the most affected, and they were treated with changes and reductions without exception. Obviously, these powerful men in the Warring States Period did not surrender so easily, and they always wanted to turn the curtain down. This goal was not successful until more than two hundred years later.

"Simmons, I'm just working with these ambitious people to make a good relationship. For the weak Tenglong Trading Company, a safe and stable environment is more conducive to the exhibition of our trading company. Two cannons are not enough to change anything, but it's hard to say if there are twenty." Li Mingxun said lightly.

"No, it's only twenty gates." Simmons obviously didn't believe it. In the countries of Thailand, in every naval battle, the cannons used exceeded a thousand, and what can only be changed by twenty gates?

Simmons obviously did not understand the situation in East Asia. Not to mention Japan, even in Northeast Asia, the two giants of the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty, twenty red cannons were enough to change the battlefield pattern.

Seeing that Simmons was still a little unyielding, Lee Mingxun ignored him. He took out a roll of nautical chart and spread it on the table: "Simmons, it's time to talk about our destination!"

"Yes, sir, our expedition, the place that makes you dream of and willing to embark on the expedition!" said Simmons, and in his heart he added - the place that makes more money.

In fact, even Simmons, who was Lee Myung-hoon's deputy, only knew that Lee Myung-hoon's expedition was in the north, while sailors and soldiers only knew that they were in the cold area thousands of miles away.

Simmons rubbed his eyes that were red due to excitement and looked up at the chart. It was obviously expanded based on the original chart, and marked the destination with a red fork. When he saw the exact location of the fork, Simmons' eyes widened.

It was a lake located in the primitive jungle north of North Korea, located at least 100 miles inside. If the actual distance was calculated, it might be three times that. Simmons had only a limited understanding of that place, and he didn't even know the name of the lake, but he knew that it was the territory of the Tatars (the early Qing Dynasty, the name of Westerners), and it was a primitive forest, which must be full of dirty and cruel savages.

Simmons looked up and asked, "Your Excellency, what's in this lake, gold or silver ore?"

In Simmons' eyes, there are only two things that can be produced in this cold area that are worth taking risks.

Lee Mingxun asked: "Simmons, I ask you, why are you Thais willing to travel thousands of miles to East Asia?"

Simmons replied seriously: "Of course it is to make money. You know, although there are large tracts of land in the Americas, only gold and silver mines are charming, but Asia is different. Although there is no gold everywhere that Marco Polo said, there are many commodities needed here in Europe. Didn't you Ming people open the Silk Road to Europe a thousand years ago?"

"What is the most profitable thing in Asia?" Li Mingxun continued to ask.

There is no need to think about this question at all. Simmons said: "Europeans like Japanese gold and silver, Southeast Asian spices, and Taiwan sugar. As for your Ming Dynasty, there are more things. Silk and porcelain will never meet the market."

Simmons kept talking, and any Westerner who had been in this sea for a long time knew the way to make money, from the governor to the sailor. The difference was whether he could make money. However, Lee Mingxun suddenly interrupted him and asked, "Simmons, you are right, but with so many profitable commodities, why can't you make money?"

Simmons was stunned. After thinking about it carefully, he sighed: "Simmons was born in poverty and humbleness. If you want to interfere in the trade in the East, you must have enough strength. The sea is the complete law of the jungle. The strong prey on the weak. The strong dominate everything, and the weak do not have a penny."

"Yes, what I need for maritime trade is strength, but I do not have the strength to confront the great powers of Taixi and Zheng Zhilong. If I want to rise, I can only open up new territories and new commodities." Li Mingxun said.

"You are right, but I still don't understand what is in this lake?" Simmons said.

Li Mingxun smiled and said, "Are these two enough for fur that only noble ladies can wear and the most expensive ginseng among medicinal materials?"

"But that is the territory of the Tatars. I heard that even your Ming Emperor, His Majesty, had no choice but to do anything to the Tatars." Simmons said.

"That's something that the Tatars can't take care of." Li Mingxun said. Seeing Simmons interested, he used his hand to circle Northeast Asia, saying: "The ginseng and fur needed by the Ming Dynasty and Japan are all produced in this area, and are also the best-quality production areas. However, because of the war between the Tatars and the Ming Dynasty, the trading channels of these two commodities have been cut off, and only a few smuggling can be obtained. North Korea has been conquered by the Tatars. If we obtain the origin of these two commodities...."

"Then you can monopolize the trade between fur and ginseng!" Simmons' eyes shone brightly.

However, Simmons' eyes quickly became serious, and he said: "Our trading company executives say that you never do things just for gold coins, but there are other important meanings here."

Li Mingxun smiled and said, "Of course, for example, a Tatar head is worth 100 taels in the Ming Dynasty, and it can also make friends with many high-ranking officials and generals of the Ming Dynasty. Is this enough?"

"Okay, I didn't expect this to be a treasure land. You convinced me, Commander, let's discuss the conquest plan now." Simmons became serious and began to study the map.

Li Mingxun said: "Simmons, this lake is called Xingkai Lake. There are the most beautiful and beautiful furs there, and it is also a place where tribes gather. There are two ways to get there. One is to go up to Suifen River, go up to a hundred miles, go up to the jungle of a hundred miles, enter the Lefu River, and go down to the 200 miles. The second is here, Miaojie, from here, go up to the Heilongjiang River, go up to the Ussuri River, and then go up to the Song Acha River and directly enter Xingkai Lake. The whole journey is two thousand miles or three thousand miles, but all are waterways, and at least half of them can be entered by the Tiger Shark."

"The first type, of course, is the first type!" Simmons made a choice without waiting for Lee Mingxun to finish speaking.

"Your Excellency, this is our first time entering this mysterious area. This cold area is full of no-man's land. Although the Heilongjiang you mentioned is wide, there are too many tributaries. You and I cannot tell which is the Ussuri River. It is impossible to tell which is the Songachar River when you enter the Ussuri River. The waterway is indeed convenient, but if the rivers within 6 are not explored, it will easily get stuck. I will never drive the Tiger Shark into an unknown water. Secondly, I will wait for us to explore all the way and come to Xingkai Lake, at least October. In this kind of place, it should be frozen." Simmons analyzed carefully.

Seeing Li Mingxun frowning, Simmons enlightened: "Your Excellency, I know that there are many tribes near this waterway that can trade high-value goods, but you, you must know that we cannot conquer this area at once. Considering the interactions, trade, reconnaissance and possible wars, the earlier we arrive at the destination, the better, and we don't have enough time."

"You are right, Simmons, I'm too anxious." Li Mingxun said immediately.

After loading the goods and replenishing freshwater and food, the Tiger Shark and the Yukino exited, left the Japanese waters, headed northward, crossed the Tsukuma Strait and entered the Sea of ​​Japan, turned back to the northwest, and entered the coast of North Korea. At this time, when the southeast monsoon was prevalent, the Japanese archipelago was protected, so I was not worried about being affected by the typhoon. Apart from robbing two Japanese ships smuggled between North Korea and Japan in the Tsukuma Strait, I was fine.

The goods on the Japanese ship were swept away, leaving only food and water for the Japanese to release them. When doing such bad things, Li Mingxun ordered people to raise the Spanish flag.

After driving on the east coast of North Korea for half a month, Li Mingxun would send small boats to enter when he encountered fishing villages and towns by the sea. First, he would supplement some fresh food, and second, he would inquire about his location. Until he reached the Tumen River, Li Mingxun confirmed that he was not far from the destination of Vladivostok, the destination of this trip.

After confirming the destination, the two ships began to lift up and drove along the coastline toward the northeast defense line. Along the way, they saw winding on the coast. A mountain range like a dragon extended in the direction of the coastline. The woods in front of them also turned into green coniferous forests. Although it was summer and the sea breeze was still stuffy, one peak after another in the distance, and the snow on the top reminded everyone to come to the north.

"Your Excellency Commander, according to the Korean, I am very sure that this is what you call Vladivostok, the nearest bay to Xingkai Lake." Simmons said seriously, observing the islands, reefs and estuaries in the bay.

Li Mingxun also looked around with a telescope. He participated in a joint maritime exercise between China and Russia in his previous life and visited Peter the Great Bay and Vladivostok Port. Although there were no lighthouses, ports and cities in future generations, the mountains and rivers would not change. Li Mingxun nodded slightly: "Okay, Simmons, you and Song Laoqi each took a team of people off the boat and found a suitable place."

Simmons grinned: "It's safe, with fresh water, wood and plenty of food, and a port that can shelter from the wind, it's better to have everything you need to build a castle!"

Two days later, the Tiger Shark and Yongjin were anchored in the bay of Vladivostok. This bay, which was explored by Simmons himself, had a depth of 25 meters. The bay went deep into the mainland and a peninsula wrapped it inside. It was a perfect place. If a breakwater was built, no storm would succeed.

All the sailors, soldiers and livestock were off the boat and rested, and they explored everything around them. The surrounding beaches were full of seals. Even hunting them was enough to make the sailors make up for the loss of their bodies. The expedition team rested here, using bird eggs, fresh fish and berries to make up for the long-term navigation.

Li Mingxun spent five days to explore and plan the port and castle of Vladivostok, handed over everything here to Song Laoqi, and then led the expedition team to go upstream along the Suifen River.

The expedition team had 150 people, each of the guards and Spanish musketeers. The rest were temporarily recruited sailor volunteers. Because Li Mingxun offered a very high price for the expedition, many sailors could not fully accept it. The reason was very simple. The construction of Vladivostok also required people, and some sailors could not take risks.

The sailors on the tiger shark are divided into four groups: front, middle and rear decks and cross-masts. The sailors who can serve on the towering and dangerous cross-masts are the backbone of all sailors. The sailors on the front deck are refused to join the expedition because of their age, navigation and rich navigation experience. Li Mingxun only selected fifty people from the sailors on the middle deck and back decks.

The expedition team walked on foot, and their salutes, supplies and equipment other than weapons were carried by two small boats and sixty horses and mules, and commanded by Gao Feng, heading north along Suifenhe, while Li Mingxun and Simmons took three small boats and twenty elite boats as guides, taking the lead.

The scouts kept leaving buoys in Suifenhe as marks, guiding the back team forward, five days later, Li Mingxun ordered to go ashore, and Simmons looked at the collapsed earth wall covered with grass in the distance and said, "Your Excellency Commander, it is obvious that someone has lived here once, and this seems to be a deserted castle."

Li Mingxun said: "This place should be Jurgen. There is also an abandoned castle to the west called Furdan. The two castles make it called Shuangchengzi. In the Tang Dynasty, a thousand years ago, it was called Beiwo."

"How did you know? Have you ever been here?" Simmons felt that Lee Mingxun was mysterious.

Li Mingxun shook his head slightly, pointed to a mossy stone slab on the ground, and used his hands to pull off the weeds on it. The mottled surface was written with the words Shuangcheng Ziwei. Below, you can still vaguely see the vigorous font of the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty.

"This is my hometown of China." Li Mingxun said with a little sadness.

"It seems that it is Ming, it should be the land of Ming. I didn't expect that Ming State would even include this far north land in the territory. It is really a great country." Simmons said sincerely.

Li Mingxun shook his head helplessly, and his heart was mixed. More than two hundred years ago, the Ming Dynasty's king's army was exposed, thorns were cut off, and they came to this barbaric land to recruit various tribes. At that time, the Ming Dynasty was booming, with the courage of the Supreme Kingdom of the Celestial Kingdom and the mind of the legacy of the Han and Tang Dynasties. Unexpectedly, a hundred years later, the empire fell to this point, and the land left by the ancestors was occupied by the barbarians.

"Hey, God has allowed me to travel to this era, and it must have made me change all this." Li Mingxun sat next to the stone tablet, sighing sadly. Just when he was fascinated, he was suddenly knocked to the ground by Simmons beside him. Li Mingxun suddenly felt pain all over his body, especially the flesh that was clamped by the armor leaves, but his mouth was covered by Simmons.

Seeing Simmons's face frightened, Li Mingxun knew that this was not a joke. When he turned his head, he saw that all the soldiers in the advance team were lying in the grass without saying a word. He raised his head carefully and saw three people walking out of the bushes from afar. The three of them had scattered heads, short bows, and gray clothes. Judging from the slightly stiff material, they should be made of fish skin. It must be a branch of the East China Sea Jurchens. Later, they were called the Hezhe tribe of Jurchens, and now they are still called Qili Charming.
Chapter completed!