Chapter 1: Blessings do not come in pairs, and misfortunes seldom come alone

Zhang Zhanfu waved his hand and smiled, saying: "Let's forget about that. Miracles are not meant to be discovered by ordinary people like me. As long as I can earn some money and provide a comfortable life for my wife and children, that is enough. Going out on an adventure involves too many uncertainties; let those without concerns take on that task."

After listening to Zhang Zhanfu's words, Zhang Lei felt somewhat speechless. Everyone seems to share this mindset, which might not bode well. However, since heaven has granted him another chance, he must ensure that this world has some differences.

The results are out, and it is evident that the speed of the "Nanning" is not significantly faster than the wind speed

"Hey, kid, how did you end up out here on the sea?" The captain named Zhang Zhanfu seemed to be in a good mood today. As he walked onto the deck to inspect, he noticed Zhang Lei and approached him.

Relying on oneself is better than relying on the divine; you should be grateful to me, Zhang Lei, for my resilience, Kaile

Zhang Zhanfu sat beside Zhang Lei and said: "It's not that simple. In business, we go wherever we can make money. Not long ago, we went to the Red Sea to trade some tea and silk. I must tell you, the journey was truly perilous; I almost lost my life. Later, I thought about it and realized it wasn't worth it. To make money, one must also have the means to spend it. Since then, I haven't ventured out again. I stick to nearby routes; while the profits aren't as high as those from long-distance trips, I find it much safer and more comfortable."

Thank God, you look great today. Upon seeing Zhang Lei enter, a bearded missionary made the sign of the cross on his chest and spoke in halting Chinese.

Opposite us are pirates, and there is no doubt that these pirates are here to plunder merchant ships. Therefore, there is nothing more to discuss; Zhang Zhanfu directly ordered to open fire

In the fourth year of Chongzhen, on the twenty-second day of the second month, thousands of rebel troops from Fujian launched a surprise attack on Ruijin County from Changlaikeng. The instructor Wang Kuichun was in charge of local affairs and instructed the militia to defend. The rebel troops retreated to the ancient city of Fujian. On the night of July 17, an earthquake struck the prefectures of Changsha, Changde, Baoqing, Yuezhou, and Hengzhou in Hunan and Guangxi. Natural disasters and man-made calamities rendered the Ming Dynasty's situation precarious, truly a time of great upheaval. Zhang Lei spoke in a voice only he could hear.

Prepare for battle

The cabin is divided into four sections in total. The bottom part of the hull is used for storing cargo, the upper section is the captain's quarters, adjacent to it is the area where the sailors eat and live, and finally, there is a small, cramped space designated for unrelated individuals such as missionaries.

Turn the wheel fully to the left and proceed at full speed

"Fire." The moment has come, he commanded the sailors to shoot at the pirate ship together

Zhang Lei was taken aback, and soon memories that did not originally belong to him surged in his mind. "I am Zhang Lei from Xujiaying, Chaohu. I went out to sea and then encountered a great storm..." Zhang Lei sorted through the memories in his mind, but still felt that many aspects were somewhat off. Therefore, he tried to describe the situation in a vague manner. After finishing his words, he looked up at Zhang Zhanfu and saw that he seemed to have no doubts, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.

On the ship, two missionaries were engaged in daily discussions about everything related to the Ming Empire. Through this constant exposure, Zhang Lei had already sorted out the ins and outs of the situation. The "Nanning" is a large sailing ship imbued with Eastern charm, showcasing habits cultivated by traditional cultural influences. Zhang Lei even saw a gilded character "福" (Fortune) affixed to a door, reminiscent of a picture book. Not long ago, the "Nanning," loaded with goods and carrying several missionaries, set sail from Nanning, passing through the Qiongzhou Strait towards the Gulf of Guangzhou. At this moment, their journey was nearing its conclusion.

As the saying goes, "Fallen flowers have intentions, while flowing water is indifferent." Now it seems that this ship has intentions, but the other ships are indifferent. Zhang Zhanfu's original intention was to turn and evade the pirate ship, but unexpectedly, this pirate ship seems to be targeting the "Nanning". Zhang Zhanfu could only brace himself and proceed. He commanded loudly, "Ignite the engines"

Zhang Lei felt somewhat disappointed, but he had to admit that from the perspective of an ordinary person, the facts were indeed as Zhang Zhanfu had stated. He changed the subject and said: "I see there are a few foreign missionaries on the ship; how did they come to be on your vessel?"

"Captain." Someone called out from over there, and Zhang Zhanfu walked away. As dusk approached, a slight chill from the sea breeze brushed against his face. Zhang Lei stood up and walked towards the cabin.

"Then haven't you thought about going to other places to have a look? Perhaps there will be unexpected gains?" said Zhang Lei

"How did the ships from Spain and Portugal appear here?" Zhang Lei heard the commotion above and felt somewhat puzzled

Zhang Lei was chatting with the missionaries on the deck when the lookout spotted several small black dots gradually appearing at the horizon where the water met the sky, quickly approaching this way. He reported this news to the captain, and with the sound of "thud, thud, thud" from footsteps on the wooden planks, the captain hurried over, grabbed the binoculars, and squinted one eye to look in that direction

The speed of the pirate ship ahead was extremely fast. It was only when the captain got closer that he could clearly see its true appearance. At the bow stood a statue of a mermaid, and behind the statue was a dark cannon mouth. Several large cannons were also mounted on the broadside, and dozens of fully armed sailors stood on the deck, indicating a formidable combat capability

The captain, as if performing a magic trick, pulled out a feather from an unknown bird species from his pocket and tossed it into the sky. The feather flew a few meters away from the captain, only to be caught in the swirling currents of the diagonal sail, spiraling upward. It twirled amidst the air currents generated by the other sails, eventually settling down quietly on the deck like snowflakes.

Zhang Zhanfu stood with his hands on his hips and said, "You are indeed lucky to have encountered us. Once we dock at Guangzhou Bay, you can go home."

Zhang Zhanfu shouted loudly

Oh, you mean them? When they boarded the ship, they said they were here to pray for the safety of all the crew members, and then they asked me to take them to Guangzhou. Moreover, the price they offered was quite generous, so I made an exception and took them on board. I didn't ask specifically what they were doing; after all, this is the Ming Dynasty, and a few barbarians can't come up with anything too clever. Hey, to be honest, these guys have been quite well-behaved, spending all day in the cabin reading those random books—they brought a whole box of books with them when they boarded.

Zhang Lei saw that there were guns and cannons on the ship, and he couldn't help but feel puzzled; this is not scientific, how could a merchant ship possibly have these things

The ship in front seems to be a pirate ship, and behind it... there is a Portuguese ship and a Spanish ship. Damn it, how could such bad luck happen? First mate, check the wind direction. After watching for a while, the captain put down the telescope and shouted loudly to those idling on the deck: "You, you, and all of you, get into the cabin right now. No one is allowed to come out without my orders"

"Then if you discover something extraordinary, you could be remembered for eternity," Zhang Lei said somewhat reluctantly

In the seventeenth century, China experienced continuous peasant uprisings, and maritime technology had significantly declined compared to the era of Zheng He, although it remained unmatched by other countries. However, the domestic turmoil had already caused the government to lose interest in overseas matters.

Zhang Zhanfu said: "You must be joking. What everlasting fame? It's all a trick. Even if it exists, it is not something that ordinary people like us can enjoy. You mention navigation, and I only remember Zheng He. You see, he was also sent out by the emperor; he had powerful connections."

The fuse of the matchlock gun emitted a "hissing" sound after being ignited, with sparks flickering and swaying in the night sky, now bright, now dim, adding a touch of tension to the atmosphere

"Do you often run such routes?" Zhang Lei asked. In his impression, the seas of the seventeenth century were quite lively.

In a profound silence, the captain stood with his hands clasped behind his back, automatically swaying his body with the rise and fall of the ship. He closely observed the patterns of the feathers swirling, as they directly reflected the true thrust of the various sails, a set of variables that are exceedingly difficult to define mathematically

So that's how it is, then...

After a series of commands, the gunner untied the ropes and extended the dark cannon muzzle from the side. The night at sea darkened quickly; from Zhang Lei's perspective, he could see nothing outside, only the curved knives and matchlock guns in the sailors' hands, along with the expression on their faces that resembled a tense standoff, which made Zhang Lei realize that something significant was happening. He and Benjamin Robert quietly moved to the side of the mast.

In the seventeenth century, the world had already been discovered, and the maritime power of Great Britain still played a minor role on the global stage. It was not until nine years later, in the thirteenth year of the Chongzhen era, that Charles I reconvened the Long Parliament, marking the beginning of the British bourgeois revolution

This is a merchant ship weighing around 200 tons, with large crates piled in the cargo hold, filled with the stench of sewage and decaying meat. It is unclear how those missionaries ended up on such a vessel. As for himself, it is said that he was pulled from the water by the thin, dark-skinned captain.

At this time, the Netherlands, with a population of less than 2 million, possessed 80% of the merchant shipping tonnage in Europe, which was four to five times that of the United Kingdom and seven times that of France. The Amsterdam Bank, established in 1609, widely collected idle funds from society. The development of joint-stock companies and the financial industry directly linked the interests of the general populace with overseas trade, drawing all social classes in the Netherlands into the tide of maritime trade. The vast merchant fleet sailed across the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea, and was referred to as the "maritime carters".

Zhang Lei sighed. From ancient times to the present, all the people of the Huaxia nation have been taught to protect themselves wisely and to adhere to the principle that one should not act for oneself at the expense of others. Whether this is seen as cowardice or selfishness, the fact remains that, in any aspect, the people of Huaxia have not had a particularly prominent presence, being overly cautious and thus finding it difficult to achieve significant accomplishments

Zhang Lei sat dazedly on the ship's railing, facing the unique, fishy humidity that was different from that on land, and fell into deep contemplation