When he stood in front of He Lingchuan, he was still thinking about the previous card game in his mind.
"What were you doing just now?"
Min Tianxi placed his hands neatly on his trouser legs: "I'm eating, drinking and playing with my brothers."
They also ate meat and drank wine while playing cards.
Of course He Lingchuan could tell that he was drunk, so he smiled: "It doesn't matter if you play around with money to pass the time. Remember that there is no victorious general on the gambling table. Those who lead troops in war must know how to be self-restrained and independent, and keep their minds clear."
It turned out that his boss was very aware of his words and deeds. Min Tianxi was stunned and quickly said "yes".
Here, gambling is also called playing money.
"How is the recruitment situation for the escort?" He Lingchuan owns such a large industry as the Yangshan Islands. Of course, he must cultivate his own military force and make early plans for the future.
"Three hundred and seventy men were recruited from Blade Port and Bailie, and 180 relatives and friends from their hometown were recruited by the brothers. In addition, more than 1,700 people who came to the island to work as farmers signed up for the army. However,
There are people of all ages, and there is also a sixty-year-old man who insists on signing up, saying that he has served as a soldier and has experience." He scratched his head, "Including the original 610 or so of us, the total number is exactly 2,800.
One hundred and sixty."
"Qiu Da said that the test will be held tomorrow, and only those who pass will be retained." Qiu Da is Qiu Hu, that's what the guards call him now.
So? He Lingchuan is not surprised at all. The workers recruited by the Yangshan Islands are attracted by the wages of farming and harvesting palm trees, and they are also attracted by the higher wages of the guards - the latter is more than double the former.
Now that we have all gone to the island and have to work in the sun and the wind, we can also sign up for the escort team. If we pass, we can get a high salary. Most farm workers have this mentality, so old men want to give it a try.
This is also He Lingchuan's purpose of recruiting a large number of laborers to the island: the source of recruiting troops is of course also the prime-age labor force, and the larger the number, the better.
There are standards for selecting soldiers to join the army, which test physical strength, endurance, speed and courage. He Lingchuan has been the commander of the Yuheng Army for more than half a year and has great experience in selecting and training soldiers.
If He Lingchuan's standards were strictly followed, the first batch of elites would usually be selected from the best. It would be good if only 400 of the more than 1,700 registered laborers could be left. However, the Yangshan Islands are now extremely short of armed forces, so the standards are
Have to relax.
Most of the time, people have to bow to reality.
This work was later handled by Qiu Hu, and He Lingchuan also imparted some insights. He had more important things to do at the moment.
“Have you been to the ghost market on Platinum Island?”
It's interesting that an island is named after Platinum.
"I've been there five or six times. I've bought and sold things." Min Tianxi gradually understood He Lingchuan's temper. This boss likes his subordinates to make concise and efficient reports without any hidden meanings. He can answer whatever he asks.
, "It is a lawless place and a good place to sell stolen goods. It gathers buyers from all over the world and all kinds of good things of unknown origin. We like to take stolen goods there that are difficult to get rid of on the surface."
"
"Whose territory is there?"
"On the surface, Platinum Island is a three-nothing zone, but in fact the Taihang Sect is the most powerful."
Taihang Sect? “How far is it from us?”
"If the wind is favorable, it will take about two and a half to three days by boat."
"Let's prepare the ship." He Lingchuan looked at the letter on the table, "Let's go to Platinum Island."
"Hey? Okay!" Min Tianxi turned around and made preparations before the flight.
…
The sparkling sea, the dense jungle, the silent rocks, the flying gulls and herons, and of course the never-ending sound of the tide.
After staying for a long time, you will understand that the scenery on the islands is almost the same.
There are several islands in the ocean east of the Yangshan Islands. There are hundreds of islands in total, and Platinum Island is just one of them.
Making a living locally is different.
This place does not belong to any force, or in other words, there are dozens of forces on these islands, thus forming a unique ecology, which is more free than a free port. The island area is limited and the waterway is relatively narrow, so large-scale transshipment business cannot be done, but a gambling house can be opened
, it is the most suitable to open a black market and do all kinds of strange businesses.
It is a completely lawless place where outsiders cannot get involved.
Because of the smooth sailing, He Lingchuan's ship arrived at its destination in two days, faster than originally planned.
The waterway conditions in these islands are more complicated than those in the Yangshan Islands. Sliding between the islands by punting is like walking in the dark alleys of the city. Without the guidance of locals, you will definitely get lost.
Min Tianxi is half a local. He led He Lingchuan and Dong Rui to the Platinum Island Pier and found that it looked like an ordinary harbor:
The fishing boats were unloading on the pier, seagulls were fighting with the boatmen to eat, and the waiters in the tavern were swatting flies at the windows.
But walking further in, the stone-paved streets were very clean, and the buildings on both sides were neatly repaired. Dong Rui was a little surprised: "Doesn't it look pretty good here?"
He originally thought that since Platinum Island was in a no-nonsense zone, the interface should be chaotic, dirty and vibrant, but now he saw that it was more open and bright than an ordinary small town, and there were no men with fierce eyes staring at him.
stop.
Even in the countryside of Bega, which place is not dusty?
There are many pubs and inns here, and it seems that there are all kinds of businesses, but He Lingchuan quickly noticed that there was a pawn shop on this street and a "material store" at the end of that alley. These two types of storefronts were everywhere on Platinum Island.
Everyone knows what a pawn shop does. What about a supplies store?
Min Tianxi immediately explained: "These material stores are all for receiving goods. If we have any good goods, we can show them to others and they will give an estimate. If we think it is suitable, the transaction will be completed."
Dong Rui immediately asked: "Then if we can't agree on the price, what if the store owner wants to kill someone else?"
"If you can walk out of the shop alive, you can file a complaint with the Taihang Sect and they will seek justice." Min Tianxi said with a smile, "Ahem, just kidding. It is usually safe to buy and sell here, otherwise if there is one or two accidents, no one else will.
Dare to come."
No matter how chaotic the place is, as long as there are people, it will gradually become orderly.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "It seems that Taihang Sect has managed this place well, but it is a little too quiet." Platinum Island is not small, but it is quiet everywhere and there are no pedestrians.
As the three of them walked on the street, they could even hear the birds singing softly in the trees.
"Since it's called a 'ghost market', of course it's only open for business at night." Min Tianxi pointed eastward, "Where we landed, there was a Cape Tower on the cliff to the east. You can see it from here.
As soon as it lights up, the ghost market opens; if it lights up twice, there will be a sale that night."
However, He Lingchuan came to Platinum Island not to take advantage of the bustling ghost market, but to find someone.
Min Tianxi led the two of them through the streets and alleys, heading deep into Platinum Island.
There are fewer and fewer people, and the buildings are getting taller and taller, with the style of a high-rise courtyard. Min Tianxi is relatively unfamiliar with this place, and he even asked for directions twice before leading He Lingchuan to find the destination of this journey:
Laobai Materials Store.
Compared with the courtyard next to it, its front door is a bit small. I just asked passers-by, and everyone pointed here. One of them even said: I won’t admit it wrong, there is no second Laobai Materials Store on this island.
But it looked too ordinary. Min Tianxi looked up several times before saying, "It should be here."
When He Lingchuan walked in, the wind chime at the door jingled, and the waiter at the counter raised his head:
"Hello guest! What do you need?"
It looks like a second-hand store, and most of the items are dingy, neither grand nor classy.
But there was something on the shelf, and He Lingchuan's eyes froze as soon as he glanced at it:
Small half candle, pale platinum.
Isn’t this something from the Heavenly Palace?
Usually, they are either displayed in the Star Picking Tower, or appear in the hands of the lantern keepers or the Heavenly Palace attendants. He Lingchuan did not expect to see it in a thrift store.
Is it a fake?
He pointed to half of the candle and said, "Can you show it to me?"
"Of course." The waiter took off the candle and placed it on the counter. "Please come and watch it here."
He Lingchuan stood in front of the counter and played with the half of the candle by the light on the wall. Although it was a little dusty, the feel and the faint fluctuations coming from the candle proved that it was not a fake.
"Do you also sell this? How much does it cost?"
The clerk smiled and said: "Since you know what this is, you should also know that its price is not low." After that, he held out three fingers and said, "This is the number."
The things in Tiangong are very expensive, even a rotten candle end sells for such a high price.
Dong Rui couldn't help but interject: "Isn't there any risk in buying this thing?"
The clerk has his own idiom: "Risks are all relative. Don't make a big deal about it after you buy it, and trouble won't come to your door."
Do you want to return or exchange something without any reason after buying something from a black store?
He Lingchuan smiled, returned the candle to him, then took out a letter from his arms and put it on the cabinet: "Someone asked me to meet here."
As soon as the waiter saw the mud seal on the letter, he immediately said: "Please come with me."
He Lingchuan left Min Tianxi in the store, and he and Dong Rui followed him in.
After walking through the long corridor and turning a few more turns, He Lingchuan estimated that he had entered the courtyard on the side.
The charm of the gardens here looks familiar to everyone.
Three people came towards me, chatting as they walked.
One of them raised his head and saw He Lingchuan. He was startled at first, and then he was delighted: "Brother He, you are finally here!" Then he said to the two people beside him, "You two, I am here to welcome the distinguished guests, so I won't send you out."
The two of them clasped their fists: "Brother Matsubara will go and do his own business. We will take our leave!"
Passing by He Lingchuan, they nodded as a courtesy, and He Lingchuan smiled back.
After their figures disappeared, the man who was left looked at He Lingchuan up and down and said twice:
"All must and all tails, have ability."
He Lingchuan also stared at the signet ring on his left hand: "Mr. Fang has a different face, but it is full of red. It seems that he has also had a good year."
The two of them held hands and laughed loudly, feeling very unhappy.
He Lingchuan came all the way to Platinum Island to meet, of course, Fang Canran.
The two main culprits who caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace and Lingxu City finally met after a year!