The "Swan" merchant ship sailed down the river and sailed into the sea on a sunny morning two days later.
Like a dragon entering the sea, Sean's mood became better as his horizons broadened. He spent 20 silver louis to buy a pair of fishing rods from a sailor, and resumed his few hobbies, letting him
The sailor made a fortune.
Every morning at sunrise, he would appear on the deck on time, and then practice pull-ups, push-ups and frog jumps while others watched in surprise.
After taking a shower and having breakfast, he would appear on the deck again, fishing, smoking and dazing until the next meal.
Sometimes fishing would be fruitful. He would pay the sailors to get him some barbecue materials, hold a barbecue banquet on the deck, and invite Butler Miller and Tax Collector Bess to taste it together.
They both know their tastes, and as if they have made an appointment, one of them will always bring a bottle of wine or other food.
With adequate rest, consistent exercise, and protein-rich food, Sean found that he had gained a lot of weight after a week. He was no longer in the poor physical condition he was in in the small town of Als, and became more toned and energetic.
Tax collector Baker is still so talkative, and after learning Sean's identity, his language skills have enriched a lot.
Butler Miller doesn't talk much when a third party is present, but he always smiles, can speak concisely and appropriately at the right moment, and even occasionally cracks a joke to keep the guests and guests from being left in the cold.
This is a very good housekeeper who knows his identity, knows how to measure, and is also good at observing faces.
Miller was also secretly observing Sean, and he found that Sean was no different from before when he learned that he might become a member of the nobility:
Maintaining regular exercise every day, and being able to lie lazily on the deck all day; being able to talk to myself about running a family, which always makes me very inspired; being able to talk to Baker about the imperial tax system, and ridiculing the existence of the tax farming system
What a ridiculous thing. Before seeking so-called political equality, we must first achieve tax equality; he can even squat on the deck and mingle with the sailors, exchanging expensive cigars for the other party's inferior tobacco, and then let the other party get him a free beer.
, as if he had taken a huge advantage.
This is a very knowledgeable, approachable, and eccentric man - he doesn't mind the differences in status and wealth.
Five days after the merchant ship went south, it passed the outer sea where Longjiang River enters the sea, and then began to sail along the coastline. Firstly, it was because there were many reefs here, and secondly, it was also a place where pirates haunted.
The captain and sailors became nervous, and even the passengers were affected by their emotions.
"Are pirates rampant?" Baker looked nervous, "Didn't it mean that Admiral Yunus's fleet has wiped out the pirates' nest?"
"Yes, that's right, and the statement is accurate." The captain said in a mocking tone, "The nest is indeed gone, so all the little mice are scattered."
The captain is also the owner of the ship, his name is David Alfonso, a scruffy guy with lots of body hair.
"What do you mean?" Baker was confused. Sean said:
"What the captain means is that the navy failed to catch all the pirates, which caused the pirates to scatter. Without the restraint of powerful people, they each grabbed their own things and appeared everywhere without any rules, which made it even harder to destroy them."
"Captain, are they going to target our ship?" Baker asked.
Captain Alfonso hesitated: "We are so close to the coastline. Generally we will not encounter pirates. But it doesn't matter if we are close. If we are unlucky, the navy cannot fly. All we can do is be careful and careful."
"Oh my God, the empire's coastal defense is so fragile. No wonder the overseas trade volume is getting smaller and smaller. It turns out to be the reason for rampant piracy. Why don't those damn newspapers mention this?" Baker complained, "Why did I even think of taking a sea ship?
?God, I would rather ride in a carriage and suffer the bumps than be so worried and scared."
"Mr. Baker, please don't worry too much. We are on full alert just in case." Captain Alfonso comforted him.
Sean suddenly asked Butler Miller:
"Butler Miller, can you tell me how much cash the Countess brought with her on her trip back to Genoa?"
"This..." Miller hesitated.
"Miller, tell him." The countess suddenly appeared on the deck. She was obviously very uneasy.
"Not much, only five hundred gold louis." Miller replied. This amount is indeed not much for a rich man. Sean had more than three hundred gold with him.
"So, madam, may I know how much money you have cashed out in the Holy City?" Sean stared directly at the countess's eyes exposed outside the gauze, which were a pair of beautiful eyes as blue as sapphires.
It's just that Sean's momentum is a bit aggressive.
"Mr. Connelly, isn't that what you should ask?" Miller stopped.
The Countess glared at Sean stubbornly and said: "What Connery means is that my every move in the Holy City has long fallen into the eyes of interested people, or that they are in the same group as the pirates? We are here
As soon as the Holy City boarded the ship, the pirates targeted it?"
This is a very smart woman, Sean secretly admired her. The countess continued:
"If this is the case, then a fortune of 500,000 yuan is enough to attract the attention of pirates."
The businessmen gathered around the deck secretly sighed. Wealth is indeed the root of all evil, and everyone likes it no matter what.
Captain Alfonso said at this time: "Dear Countess, if you have no objection, I have decided to dock. This is not far from Port Mao."
The countess pondered for a moment and said to the passengers: "For safety, I think we should go to the shore and take the overland route. As for your losses, my housekeeper will compensate you."
Her tone was relatively strong, and she didn't consider whether others would object. Everyone responded with silence, which was regarded as acquiescence, as if this was what nobles should do.
Captain Alfonso also breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this. What he was worried about was the opposition of other passengers, which would make it difficult for him to be caught in the middle.
The merchant ship immediately changed direction, and a large merchant ship appeared in front. The lookout who climbed on the mast shouted:
"Captain, that is the sailing ship 'Pearl'."
Captain Alfonso looked bad and said: "The Pearl departed two days before us. Its destination should be Daxia and should not appear here."
Sean said: "That ship may have been controlled by pirates. I suggest you bypass it, and do it quickly!"
"Mr. Connery, you are right!" Captain Alfonso nodded. He looked up at the wind direction and suddenly shouted, "Quick, seize the crosswind."
All the sailors started to move. At this time, the southwest wind was blowing. By adjusting the steering ship, the course was at right angles to the cross wind. At this time, the wind was blowing from the side, and the stress area of the sail was the largest, and the thrust it got was greater.
, the fastest speed.
The "Swan" cut through the waves briskly and easily bypassed the "Pearl" sailing ship in front. At this time, the lookout on the mast shouted:
"Captain, the 'Pearl' has raised a pirate ship, and it's coming after us!"
"Don't worry about it, hold the rudder and hold it steady!" Captain Alfonso yelled!
The Swan kept driving at high speed, and because it had the upper hand, the Pearl was left far behind.
However, everyone was not happy for long. They discovered that another sailboat appeared on the left. This shark-shaped sailboat had been ambush for a long time. Due to the headwind, it adopted a zigzag tactic and outflanked them.
It was a long-planned trump card, and its sudden appearance made everyone on the Swan feel bad.
Captain Alfonso worked hard to deal with the shark-shaped sailboat and prevent it from getting closer. His sailors also worked very hard, turning the rudder or operating the sails very skillfully.
Sean was carrying his rifle. He took out a cigar and gave another one to the captain:
"Captain, I can see that you are an experienced captain. Are you from the navy?"
Captain Alfonso took the cigar and said with a smile: "During the battle with the Xia Navy in 1810, I was a captain on a battleship."
"Why did you stop doing it?" Sean asked.
"Because I slept with the captain's wife, haha!" the captain laughed boldly.
"I have a plan, I wonder if you dare?" Sean said at this time.
"Let me tell you, Mr. Connery, I know you were once a soldier, and obviously you are better off than me." Captain Alfonso said, "Well, this cigar is good, high-end."
Connery and the captain discussed for a while at the helm, and Sean shouted to everyone on the deck:
"The countess just said that if you can unite as one and escape from the clutches of the robbers, she will reward everyone with fifty gold louis. This is a lot of money. Are you willing to accept this reward?"
"Yes!" the sailors cheered.
For these sailors who have been making a living on the water all year round, life is not only boring and boring, but also poor. Fifty gold louis is enough to make them work hard.
"If you are willing, then follow your captain's orders, and we will win in the end!"
"Wan Sheng!"
In the room, the countess was comforting her son, and her trembling comforting voice showed her nervousness and uneasiness at this time.
After hearing what Butler Miller relayed, the Countess' expression calmed down slightly.
"Mr. Connelly made this privately and did not discuss it with me, ma'am," Miller said with some worry.
The countess said:
"If it is true as Mr. Connolly says, we will win and the reward will be doubled, each of us will receive one hundred gold louis."