Di Ming

Chapter 69 Young Master
Zhu Yin smiled when Cao Xin mentioned silver.

With a wave of his hand, several armored soldiers opened the chests, which were filled with gold and silver jewels, sparkling brilliantly.

Besides gold and silver ingots, it also contains Japanese Sekishu Chōgak, Koshu gold coins, and large and small gold coins.

Besides gold and silver, there were also some corals, gemstones, and pearls.

"Brother Cao, take a look and see how much there is." Zhu Yin didn't have much of a concept of gold and silver.

Cao Xin squatted down, his eyes shining as he looked at the gold. "There are at least five or six hundred taels of gold. As for the silver, there are at least ten thousand taels."

"These jewels are worth at least tens of thousands of taels. In my opinion, that's at least twenty or thirty thousand taels of silver, which is quite a lot."

For the Japanese pirates who occupied Shuangyu Island, it seemed like a small number.

However, Matsuura Tadanobu had to ship a batch of valuables back to Japan every now and then. Having 20,000 to 30,000 left here was already quite good.

"With this silver, Daishan can build more large ships and more large cannons."

Zhu Yin nodded, then suddenly remembered shipbuilding and cannon manufacturing.

These gold and silver pieces certainly didn't belong to him, or even his godfather.

It belongs to the entire Daishan Island and is publicly owned.

Neither he nor Cao Xin could embezzle a single share of the money.

This money was for military expenses, used to build ships and cannons.

But could I help Daishan build the Gallen sailing warship ahead of schedule and imitate the Hongyi cannon?
Limited by the current industrial base, it is impossible to produce warships and cannons more advanced than the Galleon and the Red Barbarian Cannon at present.

However, with his help, Daishan is absolutely capable of creating these two things.

Just then, a squad leader came over and reported: "Young General, Commander Cao, the trafficker has been found and is being held in a warehouse not far away."

Zhu Yin stopped thinking about anything else and went straight to the warehouse.

The warehouse held three or four hundred people, all girls and children. Because it was so crowded, and it was only mid-July, the weather was hot and humid, so Zhu Yin couldn't help but cover his nose as soon as he entered the warehouse.

It stinks.

It was obvious that hundreds of people, regardless of gender, ate, drank, and relieved themselves all in this warehouse. The smells of feces, urine, sweat, and foot odor mingled together, making the air incredibly foul.

Inside the warehouse, there were several long feeding troughs.

That's right, there was only a feeding trough, but no utensils for humans.

Zhu Yin's face immediately turned extremely gloomy.

The Japanese pirates were truly inhuman.

This is not only physical torture, but also mental humiliation.

So many people are locked up together, raised like pigs and sheep, trampling the dignity of the Chinese people underfoot.

Cao Xin and Cen Xiubing, who were following behind, also looked very unpleasant.

Cen Xiubing was extremely frightened.

If it weren't for Zhihu, the incarnation of the God of War, saving him, what would have become of him?
I dare not even think about it.

You Japanese pirates, you just wait! Go back and tell my father I will avenge this humiliation!
"The Japanese pirates have been wiped out, you are free."

Zhu Yin spoke in a clear, childlike voice, his small face full of a sternness that belied his age.

The hundreds of people who were imprisoned saw Zhu Yin and others, but the previously ferocious Japanese pirates did not appear. How could they not know that they had been rescued?

"Can we get out now?"

"Little General... Waaah..."

"Thank you, young general, for saving my life!"

Everyone was both surprised and delighted, almost unable to believe it. But when they saw the small figure standing at the door, backlit by the sun, they knew it was real.

Zhu Yin said, "Brother Cao, I think we should untie their ropes and take them back to Daishan first. There are fields and land in Daishan where we can settle them."

Cao Cheng nodded and said, "Brother Hu is right, that's the only way. Even if we let them go back, they won't be able to return for the time being."

Then, all those who had been sold to the Japanese pirates were rescued from the warehouse and boarded the merchant ships left behind by the pirates.

Zhu Yin left behind one hundred armored soldiers and a warship to guard Shuangyu Island.

From then on, Shuangyu Island belonged to the Daishan Army!
……

When Zhu Yin and the others returned to Daishan Island, it was already morning.

The Japanese pirates were wiped out, the people were rescued, and the silver was obtained. Everything that needed to be done was accomplished.

And all of this happened in a single day.

Zhu Yin returned with people and gold and silver, and also brought back six Japanese girls.

They also brought back a beautiful young girl dressed in a colorful Zhuang ethnic dress.

In Cao Xin's words: He wants to use it.

Holding Ning Qingchen in her arms, Ning Caiwei saw a beautiful fourteen or fifteen-year-old woman with Zhu Yin, and they looked quite intimate. She immediately put on the professional fake smile she wore at diplomatic meetings.

"Little Tiger, who is this?" Ning Caiwei was actually only ten years old, but she was already poised and elegant.

Ning Qingchen also tilted her little head up in her arms, looking at Zhu Yin with a half-smile, and staring at Cen Xiubing with a seemingly innocent yet scrutinizing gaze.

Whose duck is this?
She's quite pretty, a sunny and beautiful girl.

Could this cheap brother-in-law, this treacherous spy, be someone who's fickle and tired of the old?
Cen Xiubing was taken aback; she felt that the baby's eyes looked a little strange.

Zhu Yin quickly introduced, "Sister, this is my fiancée, Ning Caiwei."

“Caiwei, this is Cen Xiubing, the young lady of the Cen family in Guangxi. I saved her, so we call each other brother and sister.”

Ning Caiwei's professional fake smile suddenly became much more sincere, and she gave a slight curtsy like a woman from the Ming Dynasty, saying, "Greetings, elder sister."

She knew very well that Zhu Yin was the kind of person who loved to leverage power and influence. The fact that he addressed this young woman as his savior and sister was enough to prove that Cen Xiubing was a worthwhile investment!
Investing in relationships is also an investment.

As long as it's not a romantic relationship, his investment is sound. "Brother, your wife is so beautiful, she's like a figure from a painting. I'm even a little ashamed of myself."

Cen Xiubing smiled without any hesitation.

“Sister Caiwei, you are not only beautiful, but also very lucky to have a future husband like my brother. You are truly blessed.”

Ning Caiwei chuckled and said in a business-like manner, "Sister's ideal husband must also be a hero."

Cen Xiubing actually nodded, "He is indeed good. He is a member of the Shui Xi'an clan and his name is An Bangyan."

An Bangyan? Zhu Yin frowned upon hearing this.

An Bangyan of the Xi'an clan of Shuixi was the same chieftain who raised an army of 100,000 more than 30 years later, launched the She'an Rebellion, wreaked havoc in the southwest for eight years, and called himself the King of Luodian.
Intermarriage among the chieftains of the southwest was common. But Zhu Yin never expected that Cen Xiubing would marry An Bangyan.

“An Bangyan?” Zhu Yin said, “I think I’ve heard of this person in a dream. It seems like an ominous sign.”

"An ominous sign?" Cen Xiubing's expression hardened. "Really?"

Zhu Yin revealed a profound and inscrutable expression, then shook his head, "I've forgotten too, but it's an unlucky name."

"How much longer until my sister marries this man?"

Cen Xiubing didn't hide anything: "I'm going to marry into Shuixi in March of the year after next."

“It’s less than two years.” Zhu Yin pretended to think for a moment, then said, “If you trust my intuition, please try to cancel this marriage.”

Cen Xiubing's expression was a little strange.

"To tell you the truth, my brother, even the shaman, the master, felt that this marriage was not very auspicious. After all, the An family are Yi people, while my Cen family are Zhuang people, and our customs are different. They do not respect the ancestral god Buluotuo."

"My father was already inclined to refuse this marriage after listening to the words of the great shaman."

"But my elder brother and An Bangyan are good friends, and he strongly encouraged it. I saw that An Bangyan was a handsome and dignified man, like a hero, so I agreed."

"My father listened to my elder brother the most and doted on me. Since my siblings and I all agreed, he reluctantly agreed as well."

"Now that I think about it, it seems there really was something wrong, it was actually my elder brother who made it happen."

Zhu Yin seized the opportunity to say, "This person may be cursed by an unlucky star and could bring great disaster upon himself. It would be best if the marriage could be canceled."

Cen Xiubing nodded, "Okay, I'll listen to you, little brother. You saved my life, you won't hurt me. After we get back, I'll try my best to break off the engagement."

"As the saying goes, it's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage. Brother, you must be saying this for my own good. Thank you, brother."

"I won't tell anyone about my brother's good intentions; I'll just keep it to myself."

She is also a very perceptive person.

Upon hearing this, Ning Caiwei immediately guessed that An Bangyan was definitely not a good person. Otherwise, Zhu Yin wouldn't have ruined his plans.

As soon as Zhu Yin returned, he encountered Ding Huogen leading a group of people kneeling and begging Qi Jiguang to come out of seclusion.

Qi Jiguang immediately refused, stating that he could only stay in Daishan until the end of the year. After returning to the mainland, he would no longer concern himself with overseas affairs.

When everyone saw that Qi Jiguang was unwilling to take command, they were greatly disappointed.

...

That night, Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang discussed the matter for a long time.

Qi Jiguang decided to let Zhu Yin, in the name of the young master, remotely control Daishan on his behalf.

On the morning of the third day, Qi Jiguang presided over a military meeting attended by officers of rank of squad leader and above.

He once again refused everyone's requests, unwilling to step down and take charge of the overall situation.

However, he was willing to let Zhihu, in the name of the young master, remotely control important overseas affairs on his behalf.

They agreed that at least once a year, Zhihu would personally come to Zhoushan on his behalf to plan important matters. At other times, they would exchange messengers between land and sea.

Ding Huogen will continue to manage daily affairs. Important decisions will be reported to the young master.

He himself will no longer interfere, after all, he has been "enjoying a life of luxury and privilege".

Seeing that Qi Jiguang had yielded and was willing to let his adopted son take charge of important matters, everyone had no choice but to agree.

Zhihu has rendered meritorious service to Daishan Island and even saved Ding Huogen's life. Although young, he is exceptionally intelligent and qualified to succeed his benefactor as the master of Daishan.

Then, Qi Jiguang personally helped Zhu Yin to receive the grand homage of the crowd, burned incense, set up an altar, and swore an oath of blood, thus establishing Zhu Yin's position as the young master.

Finally, Qi Jiguang renamed Daishan Army as Jinghai Army, appointed Zhu Yin as the military governor of Jinghai Army, and Ding Huogen as the acting military governor.

The reason for using the long-abandoned title of Jiedushi was, of course, to mitigate the crime of usurpation.

If one were to directly use official titles such as General-in-Chief or Assistant General of the Imperial Court, the crime of usurpation would be severe.

The title of Jiedushi (military governor) was not an official title of the imperial court. Although it was a usurpation of authority, it was still somewhat justifiable.

Several days later, Zhu Yin, along with Ning Caiwei and others, once again boarded a boat and headed north, heading straight for Nanjing.

As for Qi Jiguang, he stayed in Daishan for the time being, agreeing to go to Nanjing at the end of the year.

We met at Qingliang Temple in Nanjing on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Qi Jiguang originally intended to go to Ningbo Prefecture first.

However, a woman from Ningbo who had been abducted and rescued told Qi Jiguang that Shen Yiguan was in Nanjing, not Ningbo.

Since Shen Yiguan was in Nanjing, Qi Jiguang did not object to Zhu Yinxian going to Nanjing first.

Anyway, he'll be going to Nanjing to see Shen Yiguan at the end of the year.

Little did Qi Jiguang know that Zhu Yin was in such a hurry to go to Nanjing because of Hai Rui.
...

On the morning of July 28, Zhu Yin and his companions finally saw a magnificent and imposing city.

Nanjing!

PS: There are two Sizhou in the southwest. The Cen clan chieftain was located in Si'en Prefecture, Guangxi. Therefore, the Cen clan of Sizhou is correct and does not conflict with the Tian clan of Sizhou.

(End of this chapter)