Outnumbered? I'll conquer America with an unlimited number of suicide soldiers.

Chapter 82 Arrival in Hong Kong

"Got it!"

Jingde squatted beside the pile of lead-gray mud, his eyes lighting up as he looked at the tiny silver coin, no bigger than a grain of rice, in his hand.

"Quickly, quickly, bring the scales over here."

Zhang Long brought over the balance scale, and the old miner carefully poured the silver coin onto the scale's pan. After measuring it, he obtained a number.

0.15 grams.

"That lump of mud weighed twenty grams —"

Jingde walked to the open space next to him, took out paper and pen from his saddlebag, and began to calculate.

"Twenty kilograms yields 0.15 grams of silver, which is 7.5 per thousand of silver content."

"If we convert that to tons, that's 7,500 grams of silver per ton, or 240 ounces? And 300 US dollars?"

Zhang Long, who was standing to the side, was shocked by the result and said, "This is dozens of times higher than the silver content of those rich mines."

Jingde carefully put away the silver grain and said, "It's also possible that we were just lucky, and the sample we used in the experiment just happened to have a high silver content."

"Get some more samples, and remember not just from one place. Collect samples from all directions, and I'll do a few more experiments."

Upon hearing this, the crowd scattered and began mining.

The old miner squatted down again, took another 20-gram sample from another pile of mud, and began the operation again.

Light the alcohol lamp, blow to control the flame, melt, add flux, melt again, and weigh.

The second silver ball appeared at the bottom of the test tube.

0.19 grams.

Zhang Long happened to be carrying a piece of blue ore over and asked, "Is the content higher now?"

"Well, that just means the mud we're standing on has a high silver content."

The old miner took the ore, ground and crushed it, and then selected twenty grams to begin his work.

The result came quickly: 3.7 milligrams, a weight that could be blown away in one breath.

But the two didn't show any discouragement; instead, they became even more excited.

"The content in the ore," Jingde said, "that's the true grade of the ore vein."

In the fourth experiment, 9.6 milligrams of silver were extracted.

In the fifth experiment, 7.5 milligrams of silver were extracted.

The sixth time —

When the last silver ball was placed into the glass bottle, Jingde finally stopped. He stood up, stretched his stiff neck, and looked at Zhang Long.

"Was everything recorded?"

"I've written them all down." Zhang Long held up the notebook filled with numbers. "The lowest is 3.2 milligrams, and the highest is 11.8 milligrams."

To put it in perspective, each ton of ore contains more than six ounces of silver, and even the lowest quality ore is worth ten dollars per ton—undoubtedly a rich mine!

Jingde breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the strangely colored mountain beam in front of him.

"I have not failed my lord's trust."

He laughed and said, "Zhang Long, get ready to deliver the good news. Tell the lord we've found it. The Comstock mine is right here."

Chinatown.

Zeng Tai was at the theater at that moment watching a Cantonese opera, "Yue Fei's Triumphant Return".

"My hair stands on end in anger as I lean against the railing, the rain has just stopped—"

When the performance reached its most exciting part, thunderous cheers erupted from all directions.

Zeng Tai lay half-reclined in a private booth on the second floor, holding a cup of tea and listening with his eyes half-closed. He didn't know much about opera, but he enjoyed the lively atmosphere.

Sitting next to him were Jian Yuan and Su Song, one cracking sunflower seeds and the other nodding gently to the beat with his eyes closed.

Halfway through the opera, the voice of Jingde suddenly echoed in his mind.

"My lord, the ore vein has been found!"

Zeng Tai was stunned for a second, then burst into uncontrollable elation.

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in a row, which startled Jian Yuan and Su Song who were standing next to him.

Jian Yuan asked, "My lord, what's wrong?"

"A mineral vein has been found in Jingdezhen!"

Upon hearing this, Su Song's eyes lit up.

"My lord, could you please have Jingde bring back some samples? I'd like to conduct a more detailed analysis myself."

Zeng Tai nodded and led the two quickly downstairs out of the theater.

"Let's go to the lab."

Inside the laboratory, Zeng Taigang had just stepped into the courtyard when he used subspace teleportation.

Jingde felt a blur before his eyes, and the scenery around him changed instantly.

What was once a desolate valley and leaden mud has now transformed into a scene of Chinatown. He looked down at himself, then at the sample bag in his hand, and remained in a daze for a long time.

Su Song had already gone to greet them.

Did you bring the sample?

Jingde quickly handed over the sample bags: "I brought them. They were taken from different locations such as the foot of the mountain and the hillside, a total of six samples."

Su Song took the bag and turned to walk into the laboratory.

Zeng Tai followed behind him, asking as they walked, "How long will it take?"

"An hour is enough." Su Song said without turning his head, "Please wait a moment, my lord."

One hour later.

Su Song came out of the laboratory and said, "My lord, Jingde's previous tests were correct. But the actual situation is better than we imagined."

"As you said before, the ore is of high grade and also contains some gold, copper and lead."

Zeng Tai nodded and looked at Jing De beside him.

"Jingde, from today onwards, you are the person in charge of that mine. I only have two requirements for you."

First: Get to production as soon as possible. Tell me what equipment you need, how many people you need. Mining machines, smelting furnaces, transport wagons, guard guns—just ask, and I'll provide it.

He paused, his tone turning cold: "Second, block the news."

No white person is allowed to approach that mountain for miles around. Guard all roads leading into the mountain; kill any who see them!

Jingde nodded heavily.

"Yes, my lord!"

Meanwhile, on Hong Kong Island.

Since the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842, this place has become one of the most important British colonies in the Far East.

Over a decade of development has transformed this once desolate island into a bustling port city.

Victoria Harbour on the north side of the island is home to more than ten warships year-round, and the island is garrisoned by more than a thousand soldiers, making it a veritable military stronghold.

At the same time, thanks to its excellent geographical location, Hong Kong Island was gradually replacing Guangzhou as the new hub for trade between the Qing Dynasty and other countries.

Every year, hundreds of merchant ships dock here, and goods from all over the world are unloaded, transshipped, and distributed here.

After a month-long voyage, the Wind Chaser and Wave Chaser successfully arrived in Hong Kong.

"We're finally about to reach the shore."

Yung Wing stood on the deck, gazing at the distant islands that were faintly visible.

On the sea near the island, merchant ships flying the flags of various countries shuttle back and forth, and gun barrels stand like a forest.

"After a month-long flight from Honolulu to here, I'm practically rotting!"

Hongwu, who was on the other side of the deck, walked over and glanced at it, saying, "Mr. Rong, you might have to wait another day or two for your food to spoil."

"Hard to port!"

"Huh? Aren't we just sailing straight into the port?"

Yung Wing paused for a moment, then realized what he meant. "I almost forgot, our ship is carrying arms, and British customs will inspect the goods upon arrival in port."

Hongwu nodded and said, "That's right. Just to be on the safe side, we need to go to another place first."

The two ships began to turn and head towards another area of ​​the sea.

Tai O, western Lantau Island.

This is a secluded bay, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the sea on the other.

From the sea, all you can see are lush green hillsides; it's almost impossible to tell that there's a harbor here.

Only upon closer inspection can one see scattered wooden huts and shacks on the shore, and a few dilapidated fishing boats resting on the beach. In the distance, a few larger boats can be vaguely seen anchored in the depths of the bay.

On the surface, it was just a poor and dilapidated little fishing village.

But in reality, this is one of the most famous pirate dens in the Pearl River Estuary.

Several pirate groups were entrenched here, with dozens of pirate ships patrolling these waters day and night, controlling the sea route from Hong Kong to Macau.

In the past, merchant ships that wanted to pass safely either had to pay protection money or hire escorts.

Otherwise, both the people and the ship would become the spoils of these pirates.

At that moment, a ship was slowly sailing into the bay, breaking the tranquility.

It was a three-masted sailing ship painted red, with the beast-headed creature on the ship glaring angrily.

Not far away, several pirate ships, having spotted the unfamiliar vessel approaching, began to surround and approach.

The boats were of various sizes, some carrying single guns, some carrying double guns, and several speedboats with oars. The boats were filled with men, armed with knives and guns, who were eyeing the uninvited guests menacingly.

On the deck, Hongwu observed the situation on the shore through binoculars, completely ignoring the pirate ships. Rong Hong stood beside him, looking somewhat nervous.

On the other side, Zhao Sanjin remained calm and even looked somewhat expectant.

"Is this the place?" Hongwu asked.

"This is it."

Zhao Sanjin nodded: "Tai O is one of the important strongholds of the Hongmen along the Guangdong coast. I started my journey from Hong Kong to San Francisco from here."

"Are the people you know still around?"

"He should still be around, after all, he was the leader of one of the pirate groups."

Zhao Sanjin smiled and said, "But dying isn't a big deal. Hongmen disciples can get a new understanding of each other just by looking at the inscription."

He pointed to the boats in the harbor and said, "Those boats with red banners on their bows are from the Red Turban Gang. Their leader is Chen Wang, a native of Xinhui, Guangdong, and a member of the Hongmen."

"Since the major Hong Kong pirate Xu Yabao was captured and committed suicide six years ago, and Shiwuzai surrendered to the Qing government, the pirate forces here have split into several factions."

"Besides the Red Scarf Gang, there were also the Black Flag Gang, the Fish Head Gang, and others; it was a real mixed bag."

Rong Hong, standing to the side, clicked his tongue: "That doesn't sound very safe."

Zhao Sanjin laughed and said, "Mr. Rong, whether it's safe or not depends on the person."

"For the Qing government, the Japanese invaders, and ordinary merchants, this place is certainly a den of dragons and tigers. But for us, it's like fish entering the sea and birds soaring to the sky."

While they were chatting, the Chengfeng slowly approached the dock.

As for the Breaking Waves, at Hongwu's instruction, it began to cruise in the waters far from Tai O. This way, in case anything unpleasant happened on the island, there would be a ship to provide long-range support.

It's called a dock, but it's really just a simple pier made of a few broken wooden planks.

A dozen or so ragged men stood on the pier, their swords, spears and other cold weapons already drawn, watching the uninvited guest warily.

Zhao Sanjin jumped off the boat, walked up to those people, and cupped his hands in greeting.

"The earth shakes the high hills, revealing a landscape of timeless beauty."

The man opposite understood and replied, "The gate faces the sea, and the Sanhe River flows for ten thousand years."

He sized up Zhao Sanjin and his two companions, grinning, "You three look unfamiliar. Where are you from?"

Zhao Sanjin cupped his hands and said, "I came from San Francisco to catch up with Chief Chen of the Red Turban Gang."

"San Francisco? A place frequented by Westerners? That's way too far away."

The man's expression shifted slightly, but he did not move aside and continued, "First bow to Heaven as father, second bow to Earth as mother."

Zhao Sanjin replied with a gesture: "Three bows to the sun as elder brother, four bows to the moon as elder sister-in-law."

The man also gestured: "Gold Mountain, Silver Mountain, which mountain is famous? Golden Hall, Silver Hall, which hall is famous? Thirty-six golden chairs, what principles do they represent? Seventy-two true dragon tablets, which row are you sitting in, brother?"

Zhao Sanjin replied again: "My home is on the Hong boat, we are all one family from the root. Gold mountains and silver mountains, Muyang City, the golden hall and silver hall all belong to the Ming Dynasty."

"Thirty-six golden chairs, each with a solid foundation. This refers to thirty-six oaths: forty-eight in the upper section, forty-eight in the middle section, and forty-eight in the lower section, totaling twenty-four, plus twelve more, making a total of thirty-six—"

The two exchanged questions and answers, their speech becoming increasingly rapid, and the expressions of the men around them gradually turned serious.

Meanwhile, Hongwu was growing impatient, his lips barely moving as he asked, "How long are they going to keep this up?"

Rong Hong, with a stern face, said in a low voice, "It should be almost over, right?"

Finally, the man asked, "You carry the bronze seal and iron stamp with you. May I ask your name?"

Zhao Sanjin took out a bronze plaque from his pocket and handed it over.

The man took it, examined it carefully, and then returned it to Zhao Sanjin. The wariness on his face finally subsided a bit. He cupped his hands and said, "So it's you, senior. I am Chen Wu, a patrolman from the Red Turban Gang."

The gang leader is on that boat over there. Please come with me, but you'll need to be searched and all weapons removed.

The four walked along the dock for several hundred meters and came to a boat. This boat was several times larger than the surrounding fishing boats, with a dark red hull and more than a dozen men holding knives and guns standing on the deck.

Chen Wu jumped onto the boat and crawled into the cabin. A moment later, he poked his head out and said, "The gang leader invites you."

Zhao Sanjin and his two companions boarded the ship and went into the cabin.

The cabin was simply furnished, with a low table, a few cushions, and a portrait of Guan Yu hanging on the wall. Sandalwood incense burned in the incense burner, its smoke curling upwards.

A middle-aged man in his forties sat cross-legged behind a low table. He had a square face, thick eyebrows, and sharp eyes.

Zhao Sanjin cupped his hands in greeting: "Chief Chen, it's been a long time."

Chen Wang sized up Zhao Sanjin and slowly asked, "Brother Sanjin, what brings you back from San Francisco?"

"On official business."

Zhao Sanjin smiled slightly and said, "Chief Chen, let me introduce you. This is Master Hongwu, also a member of the Hongmen, who runs a casino in San Francisco. This is Mr. Rong Hongrong, from Xiangshan, who studied in the United States and is now our strategist."

Upon hearing the name Rong Hong, Chen Wang's eyes flickered, and he asked, "A native of Xiangshan? Rong Hong? Is he a member of Rong Liang's family?"

Rong Hong shook his head and said, "The gang leader is mistaken. My family is the Rong clan of Nanping, and we are relatives of wealthy families like Rong Liang, who are hundreds of years apart."

Chen Wang raised an eyebrow, said nothing, and then looked at Zhao Sanjin: "Speak, what do you want from all this way?"

""

Zhao Sanjin didn't answer directly. Instead, he took out a cloth bag from his pocket and placed it on the low table. The bag was open, revealing gleaming gold bars inside.

Chen Wang glanced at it, his expression unchanged: "What are you doing?"

Zhao Sanjin said, "It's just a small token of my appreciation. I only ask Chief Chen for a favor."

Chen Wang didn't touch the gold bars, but simply asked, "What's the matter?"

Zhao Sanjin said, "Two favors. First, I need help finding someone on Hong Kong Island. Second, we want to transport a batch of goods to Nanjing; I wonder if Chief Chen has any connections?"