116
Along the coast, long wooden docks extend out, surrounded by densely packed fishing boats.
Early in the morning, all the people living on the boat got up. Some were making fire and cooking, some were cleaning fishing nets, and some were arguing and shouting. They were all mixed together, making it look like a bustling city.
However, this is not a market, but a typical "tank people" village.
Tanka people have been fishermen for generations. They were born and raised on boats. A small boat represents a family. They get up early and go to bed late every day to fish on the sea. They also travel dozens or hundreds of miles on the sea following the fish tides. On windy and seay summer days, they gather at the docks on the shore to avoid the wind and rain and repair their boats and nets.
At this time, boats loaded with groceries would shuttle through the fishing village, selling all kinds of things. Those boatmen who had caught enough seafood during the good times would stick their heads out of the cabins to buy some necessary or unnecessary items.
But today, the ship that came seemed a little different.
A woman was washing her clothes in the sea when she suddenly looked up and saw a large two-masted ship coming from the distance.
This was not common in the Tanka Village. She quickly kicked the black shed and shouted, "Boss, check to see if that is a fishing boat!"
A sleepy-eyed man poked his head out, took a quick look, and said, "It doesn't look like it."
It is a little bit different. Not only is it bigger than the fishing boat, but it also has several red flags on it, fluttering in the sea breeze, looking quite majestic.
This sudden appearance of the boat really attracted a lot of attention, and discussions were heard on every fishing boat, but the boat did not stop. It sailed all the way to the shore before dropping anchor.
Several people got off the boat and went directly to the shipyard.
The Tanka people live all over the world and have neither ancestral tombs nor ancestral property. They may not even recognize all their relatives after a generation, and there are no ordinary clan elders or village heads. However, there must be temples and shipyards near all the villages where the Tanka people are stationed.
Temples are places where people can burn incense and worship gods, praying for a smooth journey, while shipyards are essential places for building new ships and repairing old ones.
All the Tanka families are very respectful to these two places. The temple priests and shipbuilders can often command the area.
Hearing that there were visitors, the shipyard's master craftsman was quite surprised: "Are they really from the Red Flag Gang?"
Nowadays, everyone living by the sea knows the name of the Red Flag Gang. Although they are boat people, they deal with many fishmongers and are well-informed. Naturally, they have also heard of the new boat gang that has become famous on the sea recently.
"There's no mistake. There's a red flag on that boat. They must be from the Red Flag Gang." The apprentice beside him quickly replied.
Why would the Red Flag Gang come here? The old master thought for a moment, then stood up and said, "I'll go take a look."
Although they didn't know the other party's intentions, he was a wealthy man on the sea after all. How could they, the boat people who made their living by the sea, have the right to be so arrogant? However, the old master thought that the other party was most likely here to collect fish.
He had long heard that the Red Flag Gang was selling on credit in many fishing villages, and they were definitely looking to trade in seafood. But how much fish could a typical fishing village catch? A single Tanka village had at least a few hundred fishing boats. Barring disaster, the annual catch was a significant amount. With countless fishmongers and fish stalls manning the village, it wouldn't be easy for the Red Flag Gang to swallow them all in one go.
Besides, he was just a boatman. He could order the boat people around, but he had no control over who they sold the fish to.
After figuring it out, the old master calmed down considerably. After arriving at the main hall, he bowed to the visitor and said, "Huang San greets the distinguished guest. May I ask what brings you here?"
The man was also an elderly man. When he saw the old master, he immediately smiled and said, "Hello, Master Huang. My name is Zhong Ping, and I am the leader of the Red Flag Gang. I came here to order some new boats."
Master Huang was stunned. "Boss Zhong, it's not that I'm trying to shirk responsibility, but this is just a small boat yard. I'm afraid we can't build a big boat."
He had some good skills inherited from his ancestors, but he was best at making sampans and dinghies, which were the most commonly used small fishing boats that could accommodate a family.
Two-masted clipper ships have been built, but the boats that this group of people were riding on had never been touched before.
Zhong Ping smiled and said, "Don't worry, Master Huang. We only want to order a few speedboats. The price is negotiable. If Master Huang is willing to take it, you can also send people to take a look when the Red Flag Gang builds the blessing ship or treasure ship in the future."
Master Huang's eyes widened. He could understand ordering a fast ship, after all, their shipyards were capable of building them. But how could they possibly learn to build a large ship? Those were the Fu Ships and the Treasure Ships! Large ships that even served as the mainstays of the military, and only the imperial shipyards could oversee their construction. These lowly boatmen had never even touched one. Even if someone in the civilian world could build one, they'd probably keep the blueprints hidden. Why would they even ask them?
Seeing his stunned expression, Zhong Ping hurriedly explained, "Master Huang, please don't misunderstand me. Although the Red Flag Gang has some shipbuilders, they have only mastered ship types like the Kaibo ship and the Wuchuan ship. Whether it's a Fu ship or a treasure ship, they still need to be figured out while they are being built. More manpower will make things faster."
It turns out they don’t know how to do it either! Master Huang finally came to his senses, but after licking it, he felt something was wrong again.
No matter how short-staffed they are, they shouldn't be looking for people from other shipyards, right? Wouldn't it be enough to just hire more apprentices?
Puzzled, he asked directly, "Since your gang can already build boats like Kaibo and Wulong, why are you still looking for our small boat? Even though I'm old, I can only build a speedboat, and I really can't do anything else."
Zhong Ping laughed heartily. "Since you've come to me, I won't be shy. The Red Flag Gang is just getting started and is in need of ships. We've gathered all the shipbuilders together to come up with more ideas. As for others learning the shipbuilding techniques, we don't care. As long as we sell the ships we build to the Red Flag Gang, that's all. Not to mention treasure ships and Fu ships, you can learn how to build other ships, too."
This is really a fantastic idea, but after thinking about it carefully, Master Huang had to admit that this might actually work.
Although they are all shipbuilding, their skills may not be the same, and there are many who possess unrevealed secrets. If we gather everyone together, can't we study together?
If you really learn this, let alone the Fu ship and the treasure ship, just learning to operate a Kaibo ship will make you a fortune.
How can we miss such a good opportunity that will benefit our future generations?
However, after thinking this through, Master Huang's face became troubled again. He hesitated for a while before saying, "Boss Zhong, since you're here, let's not mince words. What exactly do you, the Red Flag Gang, want? If it's about collecting fish, then I'm just a boat repairman, so what I say doesn't count."
Zhong Ping immediately shook his head. "Master Huang, you're joking. We're also doing serious business. How could we resort to such crooked means? But I do have a favor to ask. The Red Flag Gang now has many ships at sea, and they also provide support to some large and small merchants. If we encounter a ship flying the Red Flag Gang's flag or holding a Red Flag token, could the brothers from your village please show some mercy and avoid hurting our friendship?"
This request made Master Huang stunned for a moment, then he laughed: "If it's this matter, it's really not that difficult."
The boat people were born and raised on the sea. They are all experts in boat operation and are very brave. Therefore, many of them take advantage of the fishing moratorium to go out and rob.
These people were not pirates at all. Even a famous general like General Qiu was helpless against these boat people who could escape by boat at any time.
However, as the person in charge of a shipyard, it is not difficult to prevent the villagers from robbing someone's ship.
After all, no matter how reckless a person is, he still has to take a boat to go out to sea. If he says that he will not repair the boat for the people who robbed the Red Flag Gang, he will definitely make these people obey.
Besides, the Red Flag Gang is so famous, and they have so many people under their command, how could they be easily offended? As long as the situation is made clear, fewer people will dare to take risks.
Zhong Ping clapped his hands and said, "Master Huang is so straightforward! Of course, my Red Flag Gang is not unreasonable. If anyone in your area can't find work, they can come to the Red Flag Gang to do some short-term labor. Although the wages may not be high, they will always have enough food to eat. Men and women, regardless of age, can all try their luck in the Dongning camp."
Now Master Huang was really impressed. Even if the boat people didn't rob the Red Flag Gang's boats, they could still rob other people's boats. However, the most vicious ones had long been thieves. Most of those who took risks during the fishing moratorium were people who couldn't make a living.
You have to know that the boat people are of low status and have no other skills except fishing. Many of them owe money to merchants and often work hard for a year but cannot save much money.
What wouldn't they do to stay alive? If the Red Flag Gang could really hire people, that would be a huge help. Even short-term labor wouldn't be a problem; as long as they didn't go hungry, that would be enough.
Thinking back to what I'd heard before, if the Red Flag Gang also started lending money on credit here, they could probably steal a lot of business. With such generosity, why worry about not expanding?
Upon thinking of this, Master Huang immediately straightened his expression: "Boss Zhong, how many boats do you want, and when will you pick them up? You have to make these clear so I can make arrangements early..."
An hour later, when Zhong Ping had eaten and drunk his fill and boarded the ship, he felt at ease.
The gang leader said that as long as he could take care of the nearby boat villages, he would be appointed as the manager of the fish stall.
This fish stall is located in Panyu, so its significance is self-evident. His previous hard work for the gang has finally paid off.
In the future, he would be in charge of the fish stall, and his son would lead the boat gang. Why would the Zhong family worry about not prospering? By then, he would probably be second only to the big bosses! Thinking of this, Zhong Ping became even more excited and urged the helmsman to head to the next boat village.
In the sea area near Panyu alone, there are dozens of boat people's villages, large and small. These nearly 10,000 fishermen all heard about something in just a few days.
The Red Flag Gang’s ships cannot be robbed, and there is no benefit in doing so.
The untouchables who were fearless these days and even ignored by the emperor were unexpectedly obedient this time.
After all, the one who warned them was the master of the shipyard and the priest of the temple. Whether for the sake of the ship or for safety, it was always a good idea to stay away from the Red Flag Gang.
Not to mention that the Red Flag Gang is a group of people who are righteous and willing to give them work!
As the news gradually spread, small boats set sail and headed towards Dongning County, where the Red Flag Gang was located.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
