The winter rain was bleak. Even though Venis City was adjacent to the ocean and the temperature difference between the four seasons was not particularly obvious, when the entire city was shrouded in continuous drizzle for a few days, the pedestrians who were holding umbrellas and wearing leather raincoats on the spacious and flat stone road still appeared a little timid as their footsteps were hurried.
In a relatively remote corner of the city's most prosperous commercial street, Golden Fish Avenue, in a two-story low-rise building that was so narrow that it could only accommodate two wooden tables, a stove, and four soft chairs, a young man who looked silly stared at the water splashing on the stone through the old wooden window. Summoning up his courage, he whispered, "Sir, the rain is getting heavier. It's getting heavier …"
"So what if the rain is getting heavier? Just say what you want to say, Romon. I've told you before that I don't like the way you're stuttering." Sitting on the soft chair in front of the stove, Zhang Lisheng leaned his back against the backrest and placed his feet on the wooden table according to the new bad habit of a small businessman. Stretching his body, he said.
"There won't be anyone applying for the job anymore if the rain is getting heavier. Can I go home early, boss? It's my mom's birthday today!" The young man turned to look at the young man timidly and asked with a longing tone.
"Oh, I see. Of course, since it's your mom's birthday today, of course you can go home early. Oh, help me wish your mom a happy birthday, Romon, "Zhang Lisheng replied casually. As he was speaking, he took out a gold coin from his trouser pocket and flicked it out with his thumb." This is your advance of half a month's salary. Buy her a gift yourself. "
The gold coin flashed with a faint brilliance and glided in an arc before falling into the young man's hand. Touching the smooth surface of the coin, he opened his mouth and became so excited that his face was flushed red. Incoherently, he said, "Sir, thank you so much! Sir! Really! Thank you so much …"
"It's alright. You've worked very hard these few days and the sailors you recruited also meet my requirements. This is what you deserve." Zhang Lisheng waved his hand. "Hurry up and go. You still have to buy a gift, don't you?"
"Yes! Thank you so much, sir! Thank you so much …" Romon nodded gratefully and picked up his umbrella. He kept muttering his thanks and opened the door to walk out of the low-rise building.
When the wooden door was opened, raindrops fell into the house and wet the fancy cloth with the words' Lee Trading Company 'written on it. Looking at his cloth signboard, Zhang Lisheng waited until the door was closed again before shaking his body on the soft chair and muttered, "This Romon is obedient, easy to win over, and has no brain at all. He's really the best candidate to stay in Venis City to guard the trading company after I leave.
All the single unattached sailors have been recruited, but the navigators and captains who came to be recruited are too young. They can only barely understand the nautical chart. I'm afraid they're not even as useful as the Wizard Li fishermen to explore the route. This is really strange! Why isn't there even one old fella? "
After thinking for a while, the hungry young man rubbed his stomach and stood up. He took out a black silk umbrella from behind the door and walked out to the restaurant in the drizzle.
On the way, listening to the sound of raindrops falling to the ground, he was still pondering over the question just now in his head, wondering if he should change his way of thinking. As he was walking, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure from the corner of his eyes. His heart jolted, so he immediately greeted loudly with enthusiasm, "Hanoo! Heh, Hanoo! I didn't expect to meet you here!
We haven't seen each other since we returned to Venis City. Where have you been these days?
A-Are you alright … "However, when he saw the face of the once glib-tongued and arrogant navigator who seemed to have aged for more than ten years, he could no longer continue his words.
"I've been staying in the city police station these days, being investigated for the sailor riot at sea. I'm not having a good time." Hanoo, who was holding a shabby gray umbrella in the rain with a face as gloomy as the weather, walked up to the young man while trembling. His reaction was slower than before.
"Sailor riot?" Zhang Lisheng was stunned for a moment. "Hasn't that matter been suppressed according to the law of the sea? Isn't it enough that 70 to 80 people have died?
Speaking of which, I've also gone to the police station these days and even went to the Marine Bureau and the Insurance Association a few times. However, it's all because of the Hellfire hijacking incident. The people I met were all very polite and didn't even mention the sailor riot at all. "
"You're now a distinguished guest of the Venis City's aristocratic merchant family, the Bailile Family and the Tantorn Family, a taxpayer of the city, and a business owner who owns three ships. You're completely different from me, a navigator who's suspected of being the source of the riot and whose reputation has fallen to the ground. Of course, the questions you're asked are different as well."
"You're suspected now?" Upon hearing Hanoo's words that were filled with grief and indignation, Zhang Lisheng was secretly delighted but showed a sympathetic expression on his face. "But you didn't do anything in the steering room when the riot broke out!"
"But I'm not like Captain Anduki, a sailor who would rather be seriously injured to stop the riot," Hanoo said in a trembling voice. "In fact, everyone knows that I'm not guilty at all.
B-But they just want me to say it myself that I'm a coward, a 'weakling' who would abandon his employer in the face of danger and an untrustworthy person. They just want me to destroy my reputation with my own hands.
B-But what has the Bailile Family given me before? It's worth it for me to defend their honor even in my desperation. Yes, it's them who sent me to the Navigation Academy and turned me, the child of a painter and a cook, into a respected navigator.
But because of this, I've worked for them for 25 years, a whole 25 years! All these years, I can only work for them and 70% of my salary has been deducted to repay their loans. Isn't this enough? Isn't this enough … "
"Hey, don't be agitated, Hanoo! Don't be agitated!" When Zhang Lisheng saw that Hanoo was gradually losing control of his emotions, he hurriedly said, "I know you're very wronged, but the rainy street is not a good place to talk. Have you eaten yet? Why don't I treat you to a warm restaurant for lunch?
Give me a glass of good fruit wine and a plate of fried steak that's golden brown on both sides. Let's talk while we eat? "
Hanoo became silent in the rain for a while before his emotions gradually calmed down. Panting heavily, he nodded and followed the young man through three to four streets before finally arriving at a lively and noisy tavern near the city gate.
The moment they entered the door, Zhang Lisheng felt warm and comfortable in front of the bar that was filled with the mixed smell of tobacco, food, and liquor. Heaving a sigh of relief, he waved at the fierce-looking butcher-like boss and said, "Chardon, give me three plates of pan-fried steak, two plates of sea chowder, and a pot of your best sour plum wine." Then, he walked to a table at the corner of the wall and sat down.
"Looks like you're also a stingy miser. You're already a business owner, but you still come to this kind of tavern to eat?" Hanoo, who had been silent all the way, sat beside the young man. Looking at the noisy environment around him, he suddenly sneered and said.
"Hanoo, I didn't expect you to say this," Zhang Lisheng said with his mouth agape. "Isn't this kind of restaurant the favorite place for you seafarers? It's because I've been recruiting sailors, navigators, and captains these few days that I always come to this place to eat."
"You don't know anything, but you have the good luck of owning three merchant ships when you're still wandering around at such a young age.
I, on the other hand, know everything about sailing and have worked hard for more than 20 years conscientiously, but fate has made me a discredited, untrustworthy 'trash.' "Hanoo became silent for a while before chuckling coldly." Listen, young man, if your ship is a small merchant ship or you're just recruiting sailors, then you've made the right choice to come to this place.
However, you have two medium-sized merchant ships and a large merchant ship. This is already quite attractive, so if you really want to recruit qualified navigators and captains, you'll need to go somewhere else. "
"Where?" Zhang Lisheng suppressed the joy in his heart and asked eagerly.
"Looks like the Bailile and Tantorn Family are not as grateful to you as they seem on the surface. Who knows, they might even be planning to buy back the ships that you've given away at a low price after you've gone bankrupt." Hanoo did not answer the young man's question directly. Instead, he maliciously slandered his employer and asked, "You want to recruit navigators and captains? Then do you know what kind of people navigators are?"
"I don't know. Hanoo, I don't necessarily have to raise livestock if I want to eat steak." Zhang Lisheng curled his lips and shook his head.
At this time, the coquettish and voluptuous waitress served the steak, sea fish, and fruit wine. The aroma of the delicacies filled the air. Hanoo sniffled and suddenly said in a slightly choked voice, "Can you send me two steaks to take home later?"
"Of course." The young man nodded.
Upon hearing this, Hanoo clenched his teeth inexplicably and poured himself a large glass of fruit wine. After downing it in one gulp, he suddenly said, "Listen, young man, this is the Venis of the Kattaman City State. If a small sea merchant like you who has just gained a foothold recruit captains and navigators with the attitude of 'I don't necessarily need to raise livestock to eat steak', you'll have to do it yourself.
Unless you're the illegitimate child of the God of Fortune, you'll only be able to find inferior goods or liars. The result will be bankruptcy or your ship will be destroyed. Do you understand? "
"Understood, Hanoo. In that case, can you tell me who the captain and navigator are?"
"For the sake of this big jug of sour plum wine, of course." Hanoo poured himself another full glass of fruit wine and downed it in one gulp. Drunkenly, he said, "The Kattaman City State is founded on maritime trade so the social status of outstanding navigators is very high.
In particular, those lucky ones who have discovered new routes, explored new islands, or published books that caught the attention of the Senate would often be conferred the title of nobility or even become a city governor. For this reason, it's not a shameful thing even for the sons of the aristocrats to become captains and navigators.
What matches the high social status of the navigators is the harsh conditions for cultivating captains and navigators. Other than being born with a good brain, a long learning process and strong financial support are also essential. For this reason, the navigators here can be roughly divided into two types. One is those who are born in wealthy families and are trained by their parents at a high price.
The other is the children of poor families who have shown excellent talent when they were children and have signed contracts with various trading companies to borrow money to enter the Navigation Academy … "
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