The tropical environment was cool. There were almost no seasons. The temperature and sunlight were very long all year round, which was naturally very suitable for growing crops, especially tropical fruits and vegetables. Moreover, because it was not restricted by seasons, it could be planted in batches every half a month or a month. In this way, it could achieve a good day to eat vegetables and fruits at any time throughout the year. For example, watermelons were a tropical fruit. They could be planted all year round. As long as it was well taken care of, it could bear fruit at any time of the year. So, in order to eat watermelons all year round, the best way was naturally to plant them in batches. The pirates here were very smart. They planted one batch a month, which was twelve batches a year. It could basically guarantee that they could eat watermelons all year round.
Of course, it was difficult to eat watermelons all year round due to the limitation of the mu. For most ordinary pirates, it was enough to taste it occasionally. Only the pirate leaders could eat watermelons all year round.
The ripe watermelons had an area of two square meters. There were probably dozens of them! The watermelons on the other two square meters were also very big. It was estimated that they would be ripe in another month. The watermelons in the distance had just begun to bear fruit. In the further places, they bloomed at midnight. There were also watermelon seedlings and small watermelon seedlings that had just sprouted. In short, the watermelons were planted in batches. It was very good.
Chen Long picked up a few of the largest watermelons. After cutting them with a knife, he found that they were ripe melons. They were red and very cute.
"Good, very good. These melons are planted well. How about the taste?"
Ang Lee nodded with satisfaction and picked up a piece of watermelon to taste.
"Good, the taste is good, but there are too many watermelon seeds. It would be better if there were seedless watermelons."
Ang Lee said with satisfaction, but he still had a little regret.
Of course, Ang Lee was also very clear in his heart that there was no seedless watermelon in this era. After all, seedless watermelons required a certain amount of technology to be produced. Obviously, there was no such technology in this era, so seedless watermelons could not be produced. Ang Lee wanted to eat seedless watermelons, but he was afraid that there was no such possibility. The biggest advantage of seedless watermelons was that they could be eaten very happily. There was no need to spit out watermelon seeds little by little, which was very annoying.
"Assistant Minister Li, there are seedless watermelons? How is that possible? "
Chen Long said.
Ang Lee smiled and said, "I'm just saying. The most annoying part of this watermelon is the seeds. If you eat it too fast, you can directly swallow the seeds into your stomach."
The watermelon was very sweet and thirst-quenching. The only annoying part was the melon seeds. If the watermelon seeds were like an apple, the seeds would grow in the core, or like a pumpkin, the seeds would grow in the middle, or even a honeydew melon. However, the watermelon seeds grew in the entire space, which was very annoying. The watermelon seeds were too unrighteous. They actually grew all over the pulp. The area without the melon seeds was very small, and the area with the melon seeds occupied most of the pulp. If the area with the melon seeds was thrown away, there wouldn't be much left of the watermelon.
Black Tiger and the other captive pirates could only watch as Ang Lee and the others tasted the delicious food they grew. They were not qualified to ask for it. They were all prisoners. It was already very good that they were still alive. How could they still want to eat watermelons?
After eating three pieces of watermelon in a row, Ang Lee wiped his mouth with water and had a satisfied look on his face. This time, entering Black Tiger Island, not only did they successfully capture all the pirates, but they also obtained so many unexpected surprises. This made Ang Lee very excited. These fruits and grains were all treasures. With these fresh stocks, he didn't have to worry about the soldiers' food and drinks. The pressure on the logistics side was greatly reduced, and they could deploy for as long as they wanted. In the future, they could even deploy for a long time.
The pirates grew many kinds of crops. Most of them were tropical crops, but there were also some fruits and vegetables from the temperate zone. However, because the climate in the tropics was too hot, the growth of these vegetables wasn't very good. This had nothing to do with the quality of the soil. No matter how good the soil was, if the temperature wasn't suitable, then it was useless. The temperature was very important as it determined the growth of the plants to a large extent.
Ang Lee and the others stayed for a long time in the pirate's plantation area. Although it was night, with the illumination of the torches and moonlight, they could still see the general situation of the surroundings clearly. Some of the crops that weren't obvious in appearance could only be seen when they were close, but some of the plants that were obvious could be identified from far away. For example, crops like corn were so tall that it was difficult to not recognize them.
After inspecting the pirate's plantation area, the next step was to take a look at the pirate's breeding area. This breeding area was next to the plantation area, so the area was naturally much smaller. Moreover, the breeding area was set up in a place with more stones. The soil here was very poor and unsuitable for planting crops. Using it to build a breeding ground was a very good idea. This way, they wouldn't have to occupy the high-quality farmland.
In order to make their lives better, the pirates raised many kinds of livestock. They didn't lack pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, and geese. These were the most common livestock and were relatively easy to raise.
Among them, pigs, cows, and sheep were the three types. The number of pigs was the most, with more than 50 of them. The number of sheep was a little less, about 30 to 40. The number of cows was the least, with only a dozen or so. It was estimated that they weren't used for meat, but for farming. After all, the pirates managed 300 mu of farmland, so they naturally needed cows to plow the land.
The number of chickens, ducks, and geese naturally far exceeded the number of pigs, cows, and sheep. The number of geese was the least, with only 20 of them. There were more than 100 chickens and ducks. With such a large number of livestock, it was obvious that the 300 pirates wouldn't be able to consume them all. The surplus could be sold to the nearby fishermen and exchanged for the daily necessities they needed from the fishermen.
The pirates were able to raise so many livestock because of their plantation area and the island's environment. Most of the areas on Black Tiger Island had relatively good blueprints. In addition to the 300 mu of farmland that had been opened up, there was a lot of high-quality land that was full of trees and weeds. These weeds were the favorite food of the cattle and sheep.
The weeds on the island could easily feed 30 to 40 sheep and a dozen or so cows without any cost. As for raising pigs, chickens, and ducks, with so many pirates, there would be a lot of leftovers every day. The hundreds of mu of land produced a lot of useless by-products that could be used to breed animals. There was also an unfinished staple food that could be fed to the pigs. The chickens, ducks, and geese could even eat grass. The pressure of raising livestock wasn't great.
The pirates put breeding and planting together, which was also beneficial for the recycling of resources. The excess leftovers from the planting were used for breeding. Breeding so many livestock would inevitably produce a lot of feces. These feces were also very efficient fertilizers that could promote the growth of the planted crops.
"Hehe, they actually fed so much. Not bad!"
Li An said with a smile as he looked at the animals being fed.
The pigs provided meat, the cattle were used for farming, and the chickens, ducks, and geese provided eggs. Of course, they could also eat meat. In addition, the cattle and sheep could also produce milk. However, even if the cattle and sheep raised by the pirates produced milk, the output was very low. It was already very good that it could satisfy the needs of the Black Tiger and a few other high-level pirates. Ordinary pirates didn't have this opportunity.
Chickens and ducks laid eggs almost every day, and the output was very high. On the other hand, the frequency of geese laying eggs was much lower. A hen could lay more than three hundred eggs a year, while a goose could lay about a hundred eggs a year. The difference was three times. However, goose eggs were bigger and more nutritious. A small number of 20 geese were obviously prepared for Black Tiger and the other higher-ups, while a large number of chickens and ducks were prepared for the ordinary pirates. This allowed the pirates to eat eggs frequently and replenish their nutrition so that they would have strength. When they had the strength to fight, it would not be easy for them to be at a disadvantage. The success rate of robberies would be higher, and their casualties would be lower.
Piracy was a high-risk profession. Although robbing could make one get rich quickly and have a lot of wealth, the risk of robbery was also very high. If one kicked an iron plate, not only would the robbery fail, but many pirates might also be killed or injured, causing the pirates to suffer heavy losses. For example, when Black Wolf brought people to rob White Dragon Island, he lost nearly half of his brothers. It could be seen that robbery was also a dangerous job. To reduce this risk, one had to increase one's own strength. This strength included the strength of the weapons and the strength of the pirates themselves, which was the physical strength of the pirates. If one wanted to have better weapons, one needed to forge them. If one wanted to increase one's physical strength, one needed to practice more and eat more nutritious food. The more varied the food one ate, the more beneficial it was for the enhancement of physical strength.
The poor learned literature and the rich learned martial arts. It did not mean that the poor learned literature and the rich learned martial arts. It meant that learning culture did not require too much nutritional supplements. Eating vegetables every day could make one very smart. However, learning martial arts was different. If one could not keep up with the food and drink, the effect of learning martial arts would be greatly reduced. Learning martial arts required sufficient nutrition and eating more delicious food.
Piracy was a profession of robbery, which was very dangerous. One needed to fight with the guards of the caravan. The demand for martial arts was very high. Therefore, one had to keep up with the usual training and eating. Whether it was various kinds of vegetables, fruits, or various kinds of meat, they had to be supplemented as much as possible. The more comprehensive the nutrition, the better the effect.
It was also because pirates ate and drank more than ordinary people that the overall strength of pirates was more than half of fishermen and farmers. Of course, there was also the factor of training. Training also played a big role, and abundant food played a supplementary role.
"Kill a few pigs, slaughter a few sheep, and cook these chickens, ducks, and goose eggs. Tonight, I will hold a big banquet to celebrate this victory. Hahaha!"
Ang Lee said excitedly.
Although Black Tiger and the others were not far away, Ang Lee did not consider the feelings of Black Tiger and the others. These pirates were only captured prisoners. There was no need to consider their feelings at all. It did not matter even if their faces were dark.
"Assistant Minister Li, what should we do with these captured pirates? Do we prepare for them as well?"
Chen Long said with a smile.
Since the pirates had already surrendered, he had to treat them well. He did not want to be too strict with the captured pirates, in case these guys did not obey his orders and caused trouble.
Ang Lee said with a smile, "Naturally, we have to prepare some for them. However, the quantity has to be reduced by half. No wine, only water. Let them eat and drink by themselves in the room where they are locked up. They are not allowed to go out casually."
This was already Ang Lee's bottom line. It was fine as long as the pirates could eat and drink. There was no need to let them eat too well. Otherwise, there would be no meaning in punishing them. These were captured pirates, not the masters of any family.
There were only a dozen or so professional chefs accompanying them. They would definitely be too busy. Chen Long transferred 30 officers and soldiers to work with the chefs. This way, the time needed to prepare the big banquet would be slightly faster. This was because it took time to prepare food and drink. By the time everything was ready, the sky was almost bright. This was considered breakfast, a very impressive big banquet in the morning.
Early in the morning was the time to enjoy the sunrise. Ang Lee and a few officers and soldiers sat in a tall pavilion on Black Tiger Island. They looked at the rising red sun in the distance while tasting the food produced by Black Tiger Island. The food could not be considered delicious, but it was expensive because it was fresh enough. It was a natural and unpolluted delicacy. It could be considered a very healthy delicacy.
Since it was a big banquet, there were naturally a lot of good dishes that had been prepared for a long time. There were more than a dozen plates of meat and vegetables. There were a lot of survivors on Black Tiger Island. There was no pressure to hold a big banquet for a month.
"Assistant Minister Li, this is the water wine that they brewed themselves. It was brewed with the best Pyu rice. It has been brewed for more than a decade. The wine is very rich and mellow."
Chen Long said as he walked over with a jar of good wine in his hand.
"These pirates really know how to enjoy themselves. This island has everything! They don't have to worry about food and drink. There's also self-brewed wine. They don't even lack women. There are more than a dozen of them, and they are all young and beautiful. Forget it, I'll send these kidnapped women away later! Send them back to where they swindled them. They can't be considered pirates and shouldn't be punished. "
Ang Lee said.
"Assistant Minister Li, some of the women gave birth to the pirates' children. Are these children considered pirates?"
Chen Long asked.
"Those above 15 years old are considered pirates. Send the children below 15 years old away! Send them away with these women. "
Ang Lee said.
When it came to punishing pirates, Li An was never soft-hearted. But when it came to punishing women who were deceived or robbed by pirates, Li An was unwilling to be ruthless. These were pitiful people. It was already very unfortunate for them to be captured by pirates. If they were treated as pirates, they would be even more unfortunate. As for the children, if they weren't adults, they could be sent away. As for the children above 15 years old, they must be treated as pirates. Their biological father was a pirate, so they naturally received a lot of influence. If they were young, they could change, but if they were old, how could they change? There were even some who participated in robberies.
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