Chapter 8 Chapter 8 The Red-Haired "Pirate"

Qingchang fourteen years.Anarina-cho near Yamato Bridge in Edo.There is no doubt that the so-called Anzhen Town is the name of the place when the house land here was awarded to the Englishman William Adams.Ye Yangzi, the former captain of the Boai, lived in the street next to him, named Yaesu Town. At this time, Press Needle was opening a letter sent by Ye Yangzi's servants.Nisaka's life and clothing are no different from ordinary Japanese except for the color of hair and eyes.It can even be said that he is more like a Japanese than ordinary Japanese: the simple black gauze hood, the tied hem of the kimono, and the correct sitting posture all made the Edo ship owners whose hair was reddened by the sea breeze admire.

According to the needle, he deliberately dressed in the ancient style of a samurai, one is to reassure Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the other is to reassure his wife. Jiakang saw that there was a strong feeling of homesickness hidden in Yazhen's heart, so every time he met, he would ask him: "What, homesick?" It is destined that one day I will be able to return to my hometown." His wife and children made him even more reluctant.His wife was originally the daughter of Ma Jin Kanjieyou, and Ieyasu decided to betroth him with him. They have two children, the eldest son Joseph, and the youngest daughter Susanna—the same name as his child in his hometown.Currently, his wife and children are in the territory of Miura Peninsula.His residence in the Miura peninsula's Yimi Thirteen Peaks is cleaner and more spacious than the mansion in Oni-cho, unlike the mansion in Oni-cho, which is full of people and restless.

As the daughter of a samurai, Anzhen's wife married the first red-haired man who came to Japan.People around them often "cared" about them, talking about topics such as "I don't know what their children will be like", and guessing whether he can grow old with his wife.According to the needle, he still has a wife and children in his hometown, and he will return to China soon... Such rumors are rampant. "He's going to build a boat and sail back." "Those two children whose eye color is different from ours, don't they have no father?" In order to prevent rumors from spreading to the ears of his wife and children, according to the needle, he was especially careful. He deliberately dressed according to the local style and copied the living habits of the local people, not only to reassure them, but also to avoid touching his own pain.

According to Ieyasu's order, Ananzhen is currently building a second ship in Ito, Izu.This ship is of Western style, weighs 120 tons, has three masts, and will soon make a trial voyage to the Asakusa River.However, Ye Yangzi's letter stated that he had obtained permission to return home on this boat.Pressing the needle, I felt that the homesickness that had long faded in my heart rolled up again. Ye Yangzi was able to ask to go back to the country, it seems that it is too early to be discouraged. If sailing is safe enough at the moment, they need not be eaten away by homesickness in a completely foreign country.In the spring of the fifth year of Qingchang, they landed on the Bungo coast in extreme weakness, which shows the difficulty of navigation at that time.In addition to storms at sea, there are robbers and diseases.In addition, the recent war between the old and new forces in Europa has also spread to the sea, showing a tendency to expand.If not, I am afraid that according to the needle, I would have left my wife and children long ago and returned by boat.

It is very easy to make friends with ship owners or captains who come to Japan.With a little more promise, they'd let him aboard, but it wasn't safe after that.There are disputes between the old and the new religions in all the harbors along the way. As long as you hear that he is an Englishman, the enemy will surround him and kill him, which is very dangerous.If you want to avoid the risk, you have to wait for the English or Dutch fleet with powerful force to come to Japan, but that is really a bit whimsical. According to the hope buried in the heart of the needle, one ship has been built, and the second ship is also being built intensively.

Of course, this boat is not owned by the needle, its owner is Tokugawa Ieyasu.Ieyasu actually wanted to go to Luzon or Mexico by boat.Ye Yangzi must have noticed something, so he proposed to Ieyasu to leave Japan first.Ye Yangzi was the captain of the Boai, which was guided by the needle, and it has been nine years since he came to Japan.According to Ye Yangzi's calculation, no matter where Ieyasu's new ship sails, he can take another boat to return home.The Netherlands had a stronghold in Java.If the ship can sail there, Ye Yangzi's plan may be realized; if the ship reaches Mo, even if he leaves Japan, he will be farther away from his homeland.

After reading Ye Yangzi's letter by the needle, he took up his pen and prepared to reply.But when he sat at the table and wrote the words of the motherland with a brush, he felt a heart-wrenching sadness in his heart. Mr. plan, servant can understand.But our navy will come to Japan sooner or later, since it is now, why not wait a little longer and wait for a good opportunity?Although the servant believes that there are no people from our country in Java, he keeps sending books to inform him of the current situation, and there must be some response... Just after pressing the needle to write the reply letter, the attendant Thirty Lang reported that there was a visitor.

The one who came was Okubo Changan. In fact, Press Needle has been writing letters to whom I don't know who to send to for years.The English, who worked closely with the Dutch, would one day expand their shipping routes to the East.Even if the visitor is not an Englishman, but a Dutchman.After all, the Dutch fleet had rounded Africa, passed Tianzhu, and reached the village of Bantam in Java.According to the letter, it is recorded in detail how they were persecuted by the missionaries of the old religion from the day they rushed to the seaside of Bungo, Japan, how they got help from Ie Yasuo, and how they were favorably treated by the shogunate and many kind people in Japan and so on.Of course, these letters are still piled up on the case, because neither the Dutch ship nor the English ship has come to Japan yet, only the Portuguese and Banner ships have come.Just pressing the needle is not desperate, he will wait for the arrival of the Chinese with more patience than the Japanese.

Anzhen once revealed his thoughts to Okubo Chang'an by chance in Junfu Castle.He feels that Chang'an has a strong interest in overseas.In addition, Chang'an has a wide network of contacts among Catholic daimyos in Kyushu, and he may be helpful in returning to China according to the needle. "I told you not to let anyone know that I'm in Edo." Muttered, he tidied up his desk and bed, and waited for visitors. "Oh, I thought that Mr. Miura's residence must be full of rare treasures, but I didn't expect it to be so simple!" Chang An talked loudly with his attendants and walked in.When he saw the acupuncture needle sitting upright, he couldn't help sighing in a low voice, and then smiled heartily, "If it wasn't for that, Mr. Miura might not be able to live in Japan for such a long time! Mister, do you want to completely become a Japanese? "

"Okubo-sama, long time no see, you look very good!" "Haha! Thank you for your blunt greeting. Do you want to become Japanese because you are lonely? How do you greet people in your hometown, saying 'Hello'? Haha, I'm afraid you will dream about your wife from time to time. " "This...how does Okubo-sama know all this?" "Haha! I also know more, including the reason why Ban Guo and English are at odds." "Oh? Why is that?" "There was a dispute because of love affairs. The emperor of Ban Guo admired Queen Elizabeth of your country and proposed to her. But the stubborn young queen said that she must marry a native of the country and rejected him. How, Chang'an, I even know this."

As soon as Chang'an arrived, the house immediately became lively. "Master Okubo must have heard this from Don Rodrigue." Press the needle and laughed. Chang An didn't hide it, "You know. Let's change the subject!" Don Rodriguez is a native of Banguo, the former governor of Luzon.Last year, when his term of office expired, he encountered a storm on his way back from Luzon to Mexico, a vassal country of Banguo.On July 25, his ship was swept by a storm to the shore of Iwawada, Kamiso Isumi County, and hit a rock. Now, he is stranded in Japan and is protected.Thirty-six people drowned when they hit the rocks, and more than 350 crew members and Rodrigo were rescued and sent to Uraga, where they are now building ships for their return home.How could Chang'an, who lives in Izu Jinshan, miss this opportunity?He must have wanted to go straight to their shipyard and learn something new secretly. Chang An said: "Sir, I came today to tell you two important news." "Good or bad?" "It depends on your mood." "Then please tell me quickly." Then, he pressed the needle and put the tea brought by the attendant in front of Chang An. "Haha, don't worry. First, the Dutch ship is coming to Japan." "Netherlands ship?" "Yes. It is said that the Netherlands still regards Portugal as a thorn in its side, and this time it is to hunt down the merchant ships coming from Tianchuan in the south to Japan. Therefore, if Japan allows Portuguese ships to enter the port, it must pursue them in the port and later. The coming Dutch ships fought." "Well, where did your lord get this news?" "There is a captain of a Chinese ship who went to meet a Kyushu daimyo." Chang'an seemed to know only this, he shook his head, and then moved on to the next topic: "There is another piece of news about the ship you built and its fate. Mr. , did you get a name for the ship you built?" "The St. Bonaventure. Some daimyo say it's a better name than a Japanese one." "Haha, I understand." "What does your lord understand?" "According to the needle, thanks to you, Japan has so many craftsmen who can build foreign ships." "Don't dare to be." "There was a Japanese craftsman who went to Don Rodrigo's shipyard and said he couldn't make a boat that way." "Oh?" "He said that the ship is big, but the details are rough and careless. If something like that floats on the sea, it probably won't even reach Edo." Changan lowered his voice and focused on the needle. Don Rodrigue was going to Mexico.The ship was towed to Uraga after hitting rocks at Iwazuta, and it was not damaged beyond repair.Although a new ship is being built now, all the surviving ships are used.The craftsmen Rodrigue brought from Luzon were not skilled enough. Even if they could deal with accidents such as flooding halfway, they still couldn't make a ship strong enough to cross the ocean safely.This is what Okubo Changan means. "The Imperial Palace takes special care of Rodrigue, sir, do you know that?" "The Imperial Palace treats everyone equally, and protects those who have no malicious intentions, and takes care of him just like we do." Chang An listened to the serious answer by pressing the needle, and waved his hands with a smile, "Sir, you are really polite, and all you say are polite and friendly words. Yes, the Imperial Palace treats everyone equally, but there are other purposes behind it." "..." "You don't have to be so surprised, I'm sincere. The ships we use to trade with Luzon and Mexico are much less than the ships from Tianchuan. The Great Imperial Palace actually wants to shorten the distance with the emperor of Ban Guo, so this time Rodrigo was shipwrecked, it was a great time." "..." "Understood? The other party is naturally grateful for helping more than 350 people return home. But if the Lord of the Imperial Palace knows that the boat he built with the funds is not good, how will he feel? Should he discard it or use the one you built? Well, what's the name of that ship, the St. Bonaventure? Use it to send them away..." "Master Okubo, do you think that the Imperial Palace will send Don Rodrigo back to Mexico?" "Can't you?" "Then, if they don't hate me..." "No, no, absolutely not!" Chang An waved his hands vigorously, "Sir is indeed an Englishman, and he came on a boat from the Netherlands. But this time the situation is completely different. You are the envoy of the Japanese general who conquered barbarians. Send them back to China, and they are safe and sound." Dare to hate you? Don’t even dare to persecute. This move can actually allow you to reach a reconciliation with Ban Guo. At that time, no matter which boat you are on, you can swim freely in all parts of the world.” "Well," he thought carefully with the needle, straightened his body, and went straight, "If I obey the order of the Imperial Palace, I will send them to Mo Country... Okubo-sama, what are your orders?" "Haha, Mister is really sharp-eyed. That's true. If you go to the country of Mo, I will indeed be in trouble." Okubo Chang'an leaned forward. "Oh, the matter has not been decided yet? But, what is it?" "I want you to help me hire three or two people who are familiar with the mine veins over there. This is also my duty." "Oh." "Also, I would like to ask you to help investigate the method of sharing the silver mountain in Mexico and other places." "That is……" "It's a way of distributing mine income since ancient times. The lord gets a share, and those who go to prospect and dig in person, that is, the mountain master gets a share." "Oh? There is such a decree?" "Yes. Even if it is a big mining, it is not known whether the mine will be produced. Therefore, the decree was enacted by the lord to avoid risks." "Okubo-sama, do you want me to do something by asking me to investigate such laws over there?" "Haha! So straightforward. In today's world, there is no one who can raise this question on this topic except acupuncture. Then let me make it clear to you! If the share of Japanese mountain masters is less than that of foreign countries, it is Please increase your possessions. This seems rather greedy, but it is not. I want to take Japanese gold miners to mine in mines all over the world." "Well, that's it." "In today's world, Portugal and Ban are still powerful, but you must not underestimate your country and the Netherlands. We should also treat people equally like the Imperial Palace. But we have to go to the seas around the world to find gold and silver. After all, gold and silver are the most valuable in transactions. According to the needle, what do you think?" "Hmm." He straightened his body with the needle, muttered something in his mouth, but didn't answer immediately.What Chang'an said is exactly right, the Europa people ventured into the sea, in fact, it was for gold and silver.For this, I don't know how many people died in other places... Seeing that the needle was touched, Chang An said something even more amazing: "I will tell you a secret, I can smell the gold and silver buried in the ground. No matter where I go, as long as there is gold and silver, I can smell it immediately." Come out. Haha, Chang’an, the chief from the Golden Island, is a magician who can turn stones into gold! Isn’t this interesting?” Miura pressed the needle and watched Chang'an quietly.He has dealt with all kinds of people in the world, and he knows exactly what wins people's hearts.Apart from appetite and lust, the most insane thing is gold.Surprisingly, many Japanese are very indifferent to gold.The fundamental reason why Anzhen still stays in Japan is that Ieyasu still readily gave him 50,000 taels of gold at the critical moment of the Sekigahara War.After that, I observed Ieyasu silently by acupuncture, and found that Ieyasu was by no means extravagant, he was frugal and even a bit stingy.However, when big things happen, he is not stingy with money.For the construction of the St. Bonaventure this time, Ieyasu had almost unlimited money.He did the same with Don Rodrigue, no gold was spared.This may be the temperament of the Japanese. People in the world risk their lives in search of the legendary treasure, but I have never met a person who wants to mine mines everywhere in the world like Chang'an.If you want to dig out the gold and silver hidden in the ground, you need to explore for a long time, and everyone is afraid that your efforts will be in vain... "Why, you don't believe me? Okubo Chang'an has found 18 underground gold sites since he was appointed by the Imperial Palace, and gold is still being dug up every day. It's just that, but it's nothing. Japan must go overseas. Go, mine gold mountains all over the world, and expand trade in various ports, this is the real intention of the Great Imperial Palace." "Okubo-sama," he said after a long time, swallowing his saliva while pressing the needle, "You want to go down and investigate... not only that?" "Haha, yes. But if you are not interested, it is useless for me to tell you about the future, so I must first find out whether you are interested." "What does your lord want me to do?" "There is no other. I wonder if you can give us some suggestions as you candidly offer advice to the Great Imperial Palace. That's all." After finishing speaking, Chang'an paused for a while, calmly observing and pressing the needles. According to the needle, Chang'an's whimsy is not just rhetoric.What he said at the beginning, "the Netherland ship is coming", was like a needle being stabbed in the heart.With Chang'an's current status and influence, he can completely drive away the Dutch ship, or let it dock quietly.He has enough power to reconnect the fate of the needle with Europa. "Okubo-sama, of course I believe in you, because you are a rare loyal minister of Okubo-sama." "Then, will you help me?" "This..." According to the immediate offer of exchange conditions, he seemed a little embarrassed, and said, "I also have something to trouble your lord." "I understand. Since they are like-minded, Chang'an will spare no effort. Tell me!" "Your Excellency just said that the Dutch ship will chase the Portuguese ship to Japan soon?" "This is a Chinese dialect from Tianchuan. Not to mention in Hirado and Nagasaki, I often hear overseas news in Bungo, Hakata, and Sakai Port." "If the Dutch ship arrives in Japan, can you please arrange it, don't blow it away immediately, but protect it?" "Haha!" Chang'an laughed loudly, "Why don't you ask the Lord of the Imperial Palace to give orders to the world's famous names for such a thing? But according to the needle, they don't do that!" Pressing the needle, his face flushed red, and he nodded.Indeed, as Chang'an said, the San... Bonaventure has been built.Ieyasu kept secretly staring at the needle to see if he was going to escape back to Europa.Anxiety waited anxiously for the arrival of the Europa ship, but he didn't want Ieyasu to see his mind.It is not in good manners to make Jiakang feel worried. "Sir, don't worry. If it is a Portuguese ship that is being chased, the chasing ship will certainly not go elsewhere, for fear that it will arrive at Hirado first. I will contact them first, sir, pretending to be waiting for the Portuguese ship, and then Fang hooked up with the Dutch ship..." "This, this pair of Great Imperial Palace..." "No no, the Great Imperial Palace also wants to make friends with both the old and the new Christian countries. The Dutch ship 'just happened' to come when you went to Hirado. Well, the Great Imperial Palace will only be relieved and will not be angry. However, if you just leave It's another matter to board a Dutch ship and leave Japan." Although Miura Yasuke felt that Okubo Chang'an would ask for a huge reward, he had to do as he said.Chang'an's few words ignited his homesickness, which was a great temptation for him. "Then, when the Dutch ship arrives in Kyushu, please Okubo-sama secretly tell all daimyos not to drive it away mercilessly." Chang An patted his chest and promised: "Since we are comrades, it's a trivial matter." "Let's ask the next question: How can I help Okubo-sama?" Okubo Changan narrowed his eyes with a smile, "Acupuncture is really fast. The agreement you often talk about is hereby established!" "Please make it clear, my lord." "Actually, there is no one else." Chang An said lightly, and took out a small scroll from his arms, "Come, please sign here, and then make a blood seal according to our rules." "bloodstain?" "This is called a joint signature. We Japanese use this to sign important agreements that cannot be betrayed." "Oh." Press the needle and solemnly open the scroll.At the beginning, it is written in very powerful words: "We hereby swear to the gods of heaven and earth: Matsudaira Kamisuke Tadaki is the Lord, and we agree to realize the millennium plan set by Okubo Chang'an. We will never abandon this ambition." At the back are the handprints of Matsudaira Tadaki, followed by Okubo Tadao, Arima Osashi, Harunobu, Musashi Konosu Castle Lord Ina Tadama, Shinshu Fukashi Castle Lord Ishikawa Yasunaga, Shinshu Chikuma Domain Lord Ishikawa Kazuki, Iyo Uwajima Castle Tomita Nobutaka, Hinata The names of Nobeoka Castle Lord Takahashi Motozhong and others. "How? There are people with great ambitions in Japan, and there are plenty of them!" Chang'an Langlang said, "The Japanese daimyo will press the blood mark and work together to sail overseas. In this way, the sea route from Beihai to England that Mr. Wang often said will surely be realized. Come, press the bloodmark here." "Well." Press the needle to agree, "So, after I sign, what else do I need to do?" "Let's sign it first. In this way, this joint letter will have credibility. That is to say, from the perspective of Miura, who has been to various places in the world, Okubo Chang'an's ambition is not impossible to achieve." "Since that's the case, I'm relieved." Pressing the needle, he picked up the pen and wrote down his name carefully. From signing with the needle to pressing the blood mark, Chang An kept his lips tightly shut during the whole process, not even daring to breathe.When he pressed the needle and put the joint paper back in front of him, Chang An was overjoyed and put it away with a smile. "Good! Good! Some narrow-minded people said that I was delusional, but now I have to admit it!" "My lord, you are truly convincing." "Haha, it's just a long-term perspective. Well, sir, now that you have signed your name, you should stop sticking to the differences between the old and new religions and join their quarrel." "clear." "Without this kind of mind, it is impossible to ride the wind and waves in the sea. In Chang'an's eyes, there is no distinction between Elizabeth and Philip. They are friends who need to communicate with each other and treat each other equally. I hope you can also give us this kind of thinking. All sorts of suggestions." "Master Okubo, Matsudaira Kami Sosuke-sama is the lord of the joint certificate just now, right?" "Japan wants to go overseas and have its own ports in various parts of the world. The general alone is absolutely not enough. Let the general concentrate on internal affairs." "Oh." "With regard to the transaction, and foreign negotiations related to the transaction, I want to assist Mr. Matsudaira and be dispatched by his prime minister. I want to find a suitable seat for him." "Okay! It has to be done like this. Then I'm completely relieved." "Then, if the imperial court ordered you to trade fairly, would you refuse?" "Miura's Acupuncture is not an untrustworthy person." "Haha. Good! By the way, this is a piece of gold I found from Izu Mountain. I can give it to you as a gift." It was a golden rooster shining brightly. "This, such a precious thing..." "You don't have to worry about little playthings." Chang An quickly stood up, "When I sniffed like this, this chicken popped out of the ground." "But this……" "Haha, Mr. Miura, Marco Polo said that gold is everywhere in Japan, don't you believe it? Don't be coy. Farewell!" After speaking, Changan got up and walked towards the door, leaving the needle in place in a daze. Looking at the golden rooster in a daze, he hurriedly stood up and sent Changan off.Chang'an had already put on sandals, and walked towards the sedan chair he had come in. As soon as the sedan chair got out of the gate of Miura Mansion, Chang An immediately ordered to go to "Asakusa Herbal Medicine Institute", and then added breathlessly: "Beggar Medicine Institute, Untouchables Medicine Institute, the one opened by Sodero!" In addition to the bearers, there are two attendants, one with a gun and one with shoes.For Chang'an, this was a rare occasion.It is also because of this that he did not set a travel route in advance. Hearing that he was going to Asakusa Shiyakuin, the bearer in front frowned.Sodero referred to the Asakusa Hospital as the Hokkaido Hospital, and ordinary people didn't like it there.The reason for this is very clear to Okubo Changan.When other pharmacies first opened, they were often neglected because people didn't know much about them.However, the Asakusa Yabology Institute has been crowded with people since its opening.The people who come in and out are not ordinary people, but dirty people.They are the untouchables under Danzaemon.It was later proved that they received 20 Wen a day and gathered at the entrance of the hospital pretending to be patients.Everything really seemed to be done by Sodero, but he mistakenly regarded the untouchables as the poor. Sodero helped the poor in the name of God and worked hard to spread fraternity, which was also for the shogunate to see.Of course, the untouchables were dispersed by the servants of the execution office the next day.Some of them refused to admit that they had received the money, and insisted that they cured their illnesses.After careful inspection, it was nothing more than applying cloudy water in which sulfur powder was dissolved on red, swollen or festered skin.As a result, monks from the nearby Sensoji Temple also wrapped some sulfur powder in small paper bags to sell here, calling it "the blessing of Guanyin Bodhisattva". Sodero misunderstood the meaning of "untouchable".The shogunate never wanted to see untouchables gather.The people will be surprised when they see them, and they will not join them.However, the hospital is not empty now.The untouchables have never forgotten to take money for medical treatment. Once someone is sick, they will go there immediately, and the really poor will sneak into the gate of the dispensing hospital in secret. Although the shogunate did not praise him as Sodero expected, the existence of Shiyaoyuan is not meaningless.Sodero recently changed tack and began working with missionaries to treat the seriously ill.Whenever they got some clues, they would go to some big names, banner owners and even wealthy merchants to ask for medical treatment.Even if they are blasted away, they will leave very respectfully.With these stories, the number of patients gradually increased.Sitting in the sedan chair, Chang An couldn't help but smile slightly after thinking about this.