"Sir?! The younger one has already inspected the hull and planks of the ship, and repaired the cracks in the bottom tank. As long as the storm is not severe, there will be no problem. The wind is now southeast, and the sails can be fully adjusted, and we can travel two to three hundred miles a day.
…”
The cold Siberian wind blows from the northwest, blowing into the collar of his clothes. It is cold and dry. On the boat, the boatman Jin Shanshu respectfully lowered his head, bent his waist, tightly wrapped in leather clothes, and greeted the two people in front of him.
The Lord salutes. He is not tall, and his age cannot be seen from his dark face. Only his big, thick and flexible hands, covered with calluses, hint at his status as a senior craftsman.
"Watanabe, what did he say?"
"Oh! Mr. Murakami, the goldsmith said that the ship is fine and can go to sea!"
Watanabe Masumi, the monk soldier, smiled and simply translated two sentences, but obviously a lot of content was missing. The ship's commander, Murakami Yimichi, frowned dissatisfied and snorted, but he couldn't understand the language and there was really nothing he could do. He pondered for a moment,
After taking a look at the monk soldier Watanabe, he took out two pieces of fine deer skin and handed them to the shipwright Jin Shanshu.
"Buddha bless you! Jin Shipbuilder, you have been of great help to us on this journey north! These two deer skins are a gift from me on behalf of the family head!..."
"Well?"
Seeing Murakami's actions, shipwright Jin Shanshu was startled and looked at Monk Soldier Watanabe.
"Golden Boat Builder, this is what Murakami-kun rewards you for!"
Watanabe Masumi smiled and said simply. He knew what Murakami meant. He just wanted to win over the gold shipbuilder because of his ship repair skills. However, the identity of the gold shipbuilder was actually from the temple.
A servant has no personal freedom. If the Oyezaki family wants to recruit the other party, they must get Morino Kiyoshi to nod and agree. Therefore, he does not need to interfere.
"Ayigu???! Thank you for the reward, sir. I kowtow to you!..."
Soon, the shipwright Jin Shanshu knelt down on the deck and knocked his head hard twice. Seeing this, Murakami's face was slightly embarrassed. He wanted to get involved with this extremely skilled gold shipbuilder.
relationship, but I didn’t expect it to happen like this.
However, for Kim Sun-soo, such kowtows are nothing unusual. He was born in Gyeongsangnam-do, and has been a craftsman in a government-run shipyard for generations. His father and ancestors were both good at craftsmanship, and his family was once well-off.
He can eat precious rice once a month. However, in the strict-hierarchical Kingdom of Korea, as an ordinary civilian, his social status is only slightly better than that of a humble person. Every time he is in a shipyard or a town, no matter where he is,
When you meet the "Liangban" high in the sky or the "Middle Man" high on the ground, you have to kowtow anytime and anywhere.
This life lasted for ten years, until the terrible Japanese pirates... Oh no, the Japanese samurai landed, easily broke through the town, kidnapped him as a shipwright, and then went to Japan... From the Western Kingdom to Kyoto,
From Kyoto to Beidi again, in a flash, it has been seven or eight years since he left his hometown...
Thinking of this, shipwright Jin Shanshu knelt on the deck, inexplicably confused. He had long been accustomed to God's arrangements, and his face was still full of a flattering smile, but he just sighed quietly in his heart. Then, he stood up respectfully and took two glances.
The adults glanced at each other, then held the two pieces of leather in their arms and walked away backwards.
"Murakami-kun, the medicinal materials we received this year are very good, but the skin quality is a bit poor, and the quantity is not large enough..."
The fleet hung up its sails, left the Evenki camp, and sailed toward the vast eastern sea. Watanabe Masumi looked at the dark sea, stood side by side with Murakami Kitichi, avoiding eye contact, and nodded lightly.
"I heard from sailors that if you want to find truly excellent fox and mink furs... you have to go to the ice fields further north..."
"Well. Really good leather is found in the Far North...and the main placer gold..."
Murakami Kidomi nodded slightly, with a lot of thoughts in his heart, but his face was just calm. He stared at the endless sea, felt the smooth sailing of the ship, and couldn't help but sigh.
"This big boat is so nice! It moves without any sway!...Many years ago, I rowed a small morning boat to the north. It was like rowing on the edge of the Santu River. I was ready to die at any moment.
…Sometimes one or two big waves hit, and the boat rolls around, and I almost reach the Kusatsu Deep... But at that time, I always have a sense of courage in my heart, I can make decisions, and I am not afraid of anything!..."
Hearing this, Watanabe Masumi's eyes flashed and he listened quietly. He had already anticipated what was coming next, so he needed to be more patient.
"Thinking about it now, compared to that time, I am really a bit old! This year I went to sea, and I had such a good big ship. I floated in the north for more than half a year, but I didn't dare to cross Huatai Island and go to the real North Sea...
Witness the Buddha! In the hands of these tribes, there is not even a drop of placer gold... How can I explain it to the head of Enyu’s family?"
As he said this, a trace of self-mockery appeared on Murakami Jitsu's face. Watanabe Masumi raised his eyebrows and asked with a smile.
"Murakami-kun, is the real North Sea in the far north really so scary? It makes you fear like a tiger..."
"Um?!"
Hearing this, Murakami's eyes sharpened and he was about to say something. But after a few breaths, he pursed his lips again and replied calmly.
"Watanabe, you have never been to the real North Sea. You don't know the storms, ice, snow, fog and tides there. You don't know how unpredictable and terrifying it is, just like a white hell..."
"However, you don't need to provoke me! When we go back and hand over the goods for this trade, we will prepare a guarantee for the family owner... When we go to sea next year, I will make a trip to the Far North! And this trip will take place in a frantic environment.
Sailing in the wind and waves, landing on the white coast, looking for tribes in the north, and even going deep into the desolate snowfields to trade in their erratic camps... This time, it is impossible to come back before the winter sea is closed, and you must risk life and death.
It’s been two years since I left!”
Speaking of this, Murakami Kidomi narrowed his eyes, looked at the tall and burly monk soldier Masumi Watanabe, and laughed coldly.
"How's it going? Watanabe Shi, are you afraid? Do you still dare to accompany me when we go to sea next year?"
"Haha! Afraid? What is fear?!... Murakami-kun, when I went into battle with my sword regardless of life and death, and charged among hundreds of people, I'm afraid you are still a child who has never seen blood!"
Watanabe Masumi laughed loudly and pointed at his scarred face. Then, he pulled open his clothes, revealing a large scar across his chest.
"This sword! It was struck by a horse-riding warrior from the Ouchi family while charging into the battle! If it weren't for the blessing of the Buddha, I would have died on the spot! ... But even then, I was never afraid! And now, my life,
It has been sold to Buddha, it is not mine!...Haha! Murakami-kun, no matter where you go, I will accompany you!"
"hiss!"
Seeing the scar on Monk Soldier Watanabe's chest, Murakami Kidomi took a deep breath, his face visibly moved. He was silent for a moment, nodded slowly, and changed his honorific for the first time.
"Okay! Watanabe-kun! If you can come back from the gate of hell, you will be as heroic as the Onimusha! Then, next spring, we will go north from the Huatai Peninsula, all the way north, and then eastward around the entire Arctic Sea.
, and then come back from the Thousand Islands in the Northeast!...This decision has been made. May the Buddha bless you!"
"Ha! That's settled then! Let's go and see the scenery in the Far North. Is it like hell?"
Monk Bing Watanabe grinned widely, the scars on his face trembled, as ferocious as King Fudo, but also with the kindness of Buddha nature.
"Amitabha! Namo Amitabha! Haha!"
The north wind is strong, the laughter floats far away, the sails are raised high, and the big ship goes to the distance. On the gray sea, cold water waves rise. It is waiting for the freezing of winter, looking forward to the melting of spring, and will also witness
Take the boat back and forth, no matter where it comes from.
This chapter has been completed!