Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 385 A Giant Kun Appears at Sea! Ningbo Prefecture Wants to Sell Fish?

In fact, Zhang Jianxiu was also somewhat unconvinced.

However, there's nothing we can do about it; we can only blame Zhang Juzheng for favoring one family over another when they were born.

Why was it that Zhang Yunxiu was born with such a gifted mind, while I myself couldn't even think straight?
Looking at his own strong muscles and thinking about his younger brother's thin body, Zhang Jianxiu felt somewhat relieved.

He explained to Qi Jiguang.

"Uncle, have you ever heard of whales?"

"A giant Kun?" Qi Jiguang said thoughtfully. "I have heard of it. Giant Kun, also known as a whale, can often be seen stranded in the Jiangnan area. The larger ones can reach more than ten zhang in length. Many people use its oil to light lamps, as it is an excellent material for making everlasting lamps."

In ancient times, whales were a rare species. Ordinary ships could hardly catch them, and the only way to obtain valuable materials such as oil and meat was to rely on the whales running aground on their own.

Ambergris is precious because whales are difficult to catch.

Zhang Jianxiu said with a somewhat strange expression, "This whale is the king of the water. According to Shi Yuan's idea, if the navy could encounter it and fight it, wouldn't that be more powerful than catching a school of fish?"

"whaling?"

Qi Jiguang's lips twitched involuntarily.

It's amazing that Zhang Yunxiu came up with this idea. No one has ever heard of whaling before. Using whaling to train troops sounds like a complete fantasy.

Even if we could find a whale, it can move freely in the water. For a mere dozen or so dilapidated boats to try and catch a whale is nothing short of a pipe dream!
Zhang Jianxiu said helplessly, "I also think this is unreliable."

"I'll give it a try if I have the chance in the future."

Qi Jiguang waved his hand and said.

"If all else fails, we can still go out to sea to catch these big yellow croakers. Although there will be less fighting, it's still much better than training blindly in the harbor."

This fishing training method certainly has its flaws, but it is already far better than before. Most importantly, it can still yield a sufficient amount of large yellow croaker.

With the sea vast and boundless, there is indeed no need to fear depleting the resources for fishing.

Qi Jiguang then said, "I have heard that there are still pirates on several small islands overseas. Once the brothers have mastered their skills and formations, we will go to the outer sea to take a look."

"So good."

Zhang Jianxiu smiled and pointed to the mountain of large yellow croakers below.

"Uncle, let's head back immediately. I've heard that this yellow croaker is exceptionally delicious."

Qi Jiguang couldn't help but salivate and said with emotion.

"It has been a long time since I have tasted this yellow croaker soup. This is not pickled, but top-notch fresh!"

Just as he was lost in thought, he saw the soldiers below casually placing large yellow croakers on the deck, and he became furious.

"These idiots who waste things."

Qi Jiguang couldn't help but curse.

"Send the fish to the live water tank! The weather is fine today, let them do whatever they want, these fish will all die before they reach the harbor."

Qi Jiguang knew how to fish. When he caught fish at sea, he would either put them in a live water tank to keep them alive, or he would gut them and immediately pickle them with sea salt, instead of drying them on the deck.

If they're left piled up on the deck, they'll probably start to smell by tonight.

Qi Jiguang was furious and said to his deputy general beside him.

“Hu Zi’an, you’re from Ningbo, so you must know how to handle this big yellow croaker. Go down and teach these idiots how to waste things.”

Hu Shouren smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Don't worry, Commander Qi, with me here, everything will be arranged properly."

Although Hu Shouren came from a military family, he had been to the sea and fished with his family since childhood, growing up in the rough and tumble of the waves.

He had a thorough understanding of how to handle large yellow croaker, and few people in the camp could compare to him.

Upon receiving Qi Jiguang's instructions, he immediately went down to make arrangements.

First, select the fattest and freshest batch of large yellow croakers and carefully transfer them to the live water tank to keep them alive; the rest are all gutted and laid out on the deck to dry.

Even the fish entrails scraped off weren't wasted; they were all packed into wooden buckets and intended to be taken back to the camp as livestock feed.

The soldiers on deck were so busy they barely had time to breathe, but they didn't complain at all.

Most of these people came from poor backgrounds. In their hometowns, they used to fight tooth and nail with their fellow villagers over a single bite to eat.

Just like in places like Yiwu and Yongkang, neighboring villages, even those that are related by blood, will fight each other over land and water, and there are many families with generations of grudges.

But once we got to the sea, everything changed.

There's no need for fratricide anymore; as long as you're willing to put in the effort and follow instructions, you can reap real rewards.

Such a life was something they never dared to dream of before.

The journey at sea was not far; the fleet arrived at the distant garrison just as darkness fell.

The Ocean Guard was located in a small port north of Ningbo Port. Since the imperial court had just relaxed the sea ban, even the number of ships coming and going in Ningbo Port was limited.

This place was originally used by gentry and merchants in Jiangnan for smuggling. After Qi Jiguang led his troops to wipe them out, it was converted into a garrison for the imperial court.

Even after a day and two nights at sea, with constant travel, the soldiers showed no signs of fatigue.

As soon as they reached the shore, everyone quickly began processing the large yellow croakers they had caught.

The ship was loaded with large yellow croakers, and it took an hour just to unload them.

By the time the fleet was settled, it was completely dark.

Hu Shouren jogged to catch up with Qi Jiguang and bowed to report.

"Commander Qi, all the fish catch has been arranged properly. About 10,000 catties of large yellow croaker are the fattest and freshest. They will be kept in the port fish farm for later consumption."

Another 50,000 to 60,000 catties of yellow croaker were processed on the return trip, which involved drying them into dried fish. From now on, the brothers' rice porridge will have some meat in it.

However, the remaining 30,000 to 40,000 catties of yellow croaker are really difficult to deal with.

The brothers couldn't finish eating it all at once.

Human strength has its limits. These 50,000 to 60,000 catties of yellow croaker have almost filled the city walls and ship planks of Yuanyangwei. If we continue to slaughter them, there will be nowhere left to dry them.

"What's so difficult about this?"

Qi Jiguang grinned and said.

"It's getting late, let's get the pot ready, light the stove, cook, and have some fish soup!"

Hu Shouren smiled broadly and cupped his hands in greeting.

"As ordered!"

At a single command, countless stoves of all sizes were set up on the beaches surrounding the distant ocean garrison.

The soldiers were already starving.

On the stove, it is either roasted, boiled into soup, or cooked together with rice porridge.

This yellow croaker is fresh and plump; it tastes good almost no matter how you cook it.

Qi Jiguang ate a steamed bun with one hand, stuffing some minced meat inside, while drinking milky white fish soup with the other. He didn't care about his image and sat on the beach with his legs spread apart, just like an ordinary soldier.

After another sip of fish soup, Qi Jiguang let out a hearty laugh.

"Young Shi Yuan once advised me to retire peacefully in the Western Hills, but I am the kind of person who can't stay idle. Now it seems that even the greatest wealth and glory is not worth it when I'm out here at sea!"

Nothing is more delightful than eating the fish you caught and making fish soup after a fishing trip.

For Qi Jiguang in particular, seeing the happy smiles on the faces of his soldiers filled him with indescribable joy.

About a dozen garrison soldiers sat together, sharing a pot and stove. They put the cleaned yellow croaker into the rice porridge, and then carefully poured in some sea salt.

Not many seasonings or spices are needed, and the aroma from the pot immediately fills the air.

The tender white fish meat tumbled in the rice porridge, making one's mouth water.

Before long, the rice porridge was ready, and everyone held a bowl as big as their face in their arms, with more fish and meat than rice in it.

One of the younger children couldn't wait to put the fish into his mouth, but he was burned and cried out, while tears kept flowing from the corners of his eyes.

"Wow! This fish is so delicious! I've never eaten anything so good in my life."

The squad leader in the team was dark-skinned and thin, and his face was full of wrinkles when he smiled.

"You little rascal, you're always in such a hurry! Eat slowly, or you'll get your share!"

The soldier wiped away his tears and said, "In the past, we could only taste fish and meat soup during the New Year. Now we can eat it every meal. I'm afraid this good life won't last long."

The sergeant said with a stern face, "Work hard, and you'll definitely have a good life in the future. Look at those old soldiers in Qi Jiguang's army, how much silver they've earned at sea, they're all going to be rich men!"

These poor people from Yiwu and Yongkang, even if they live in Yiwu, still find it difficult to eat fresh seafood.

People are overjoyed to be able to eat dried fish and other dried goods during festivals and holidays.

Now, they can catch tons of fresh fish in the sea with their own hands. How could they not be overjoyed after being so poor?

This feeling is like a group of extremely thirsty people suddenly finding a spring of clear, sweet water flowing continuously.

The sea is full of treasures! We must venture out of this sea!

Zhang Jianxiu, munching on a crisp grilled fish, couldn't help but smile as he walked up to Qi Jiguang and said something.

"I was just talking with the soldiers, and they are all in high spirits. They are shouting that they will go out to sea tomorrow and catch hundreds of thousands of catties of large yellow croakers. That's all grain!"

Qi Jiguang grinned and scolded, "These kids just love to cause trouble. The army hasn't finished resting, how can we go to sea? We need to rest for at least a few days, repair the ships, and purchase supplies."

Although he said that, Qi Jiguang was secretly overjoyed.

This is the spirit of the army! When the spirit of the army is aligned, they are invincible!
The sea is full of treasures, and fishing is only a small part of it. Suppressing pirates and investigating illegal merchant ships are also ways to make money.

Moreover, the imperial court had made it clear that only a portion of the profits gained overseas should be paid, with 70-80% going to the soldiers and officers.

With such an incentive mechanism, coupled with the profits from all over the sea, the Ming Dynasty's navy was bound to prosper.

Qi Jiguang ate his fill and wanted some Shaoxing wine, but he decided against it because he was in the garrison and couldn't start such a bad habit.

"Commander Qi! Commander Qi! Something terrible has happened!" Hu Shouren rushed over.

Qi Jiguang shuddered and frowned as he spoke.

"What happened?"

Hu Shouren said helplessly, panting.

"We can't finish all the large yellow croakers we have left. Even if each of our more than 3,000 soldiers ate their fill, it would only amount to a little over 10,000 jin. We still have 20,000 to 30,000 jin of large yellow croakers left. If we leave them until tomorrow, they will all go to waste."

Seafood can spoil and smell bad overnight if not stored properly.

Especially now that the weather is warming up, Yuanyangwei can no longer find so many well-preserved cellars and ice storage facilities.

Qi Jiguang was stunned for a moment, kicked the other man, and said with a laugh and a curse.

"I thought it was an enemy attack, why are you making such a fuss?"

Hu Shouren scratched his head and said, "It would be a big deal if these tens of thousands of catties of fish and meat were wasted, and the soldiers wouldn't stand by and watch."

Qi Jiguang waved his hand: "That's simple. You can send someone to the yamen to inform them that we have plenty of large yellow croakers here, and let Yin Yangshi and Hai Ruxian come up with a plan."

"It's hard to get grain, but now that we have more, surely we can manage it?"

These past few days, Yin Zhengmao and Hai Rui have been in Ningbo Prefecture to handle matters concerning the ocean-going navy.

When the official in charge of the pond relayed the news to the Yingtian Prefecture government office, Yin Zhengmao had already gone to sleep.

He hurriedly got up. The message from the front-line garrison must be an urgent military report, so he couldn't be careless.

But when Yin Zhengmao opened his sleepy eyes, half-clothed in his official robes, and saw the message, he was so angry that he almost tore the document to shreds.

"Nonsense! What a nonsense!"

Yin Zhengmao glared and puffed out his beard.

"He woke me up in the middle of the night just to sell fish? How could Qi Yuanjing come up with such a thing!"

This is unheard of! He, the governor of Yingtian, actually had to get up in the middle of the night to help the garrison sell fish?

If he hadn't been somewhat familiar with Qi Jiguang, he would have definitely turned against him.

"Sir, how should we respond?" The official in charge of the pond seemed somewhat helpless.

Yin Zhengmao waved his hand and said, "Let Qi Yuanjing sell it himself. He can sell it however he wants. I don't care."

The governor of Yingtian was also furious when he was woken up in the middle of the night to work overtime!
But from outside came Hai Rui's leisurely voice.

“If the Governor is not going, then I will certainly go.”

The door was slowly pushed open, and Hai Rui, though looking tired, was dressed in his official robes neatly.

He cupped his hands in greeting and said.

"Since the beginning of spring, the biggest hidden danger for the imperial court has been the shortage of food. Although there is a surplus of food in the Jiangnan region, it is not enough. Now, the ocean-going navy has caught tens of thousands of catties of yellow croaker, which is a move to relieve the imperial court's predicament and bring benefits to the people."

Governor Yin, as the officials who govern the people of Jiangnan, how can we not set an example in this time of crisis?

If we are weary in the dead of night, how can the clerks and runners below be expected to work diligently?

Yin Zhengmao was furious. He was most afraid of people like Hai Rui who took things too seriously, but what Hai Rui said actually made sense.

Yin Zhengmao thought for a moment, then waved his hand helplessly and said...

"Then let's set off. Send someone to the city to inform them and sell the yellow croaker tonight."

That night, a strange scene appeared in Ningbo City. Although it was the middle of the night, a time when people should be asleep and under curfew, the market was bustling with activity.

Since he intended to sell them, Qi Jiguang simply took out the processed dried fish as well, totaling about 70,000 to 80,000 catties of fresh fish and processed dried fish.

In markets throughout Ningbo Prefecture, these fish were put on the market overnight.

Even the night watchmen at the yamen stopped shouting "Beware of fire!" and instead shouted "Fresh fish is one coin per pound, dried fish is two coins per pound, available in markets all over the east and west of the city."

The people who heard this news were quite puzzled. Why would they sell fish so late at night?
(End of this chapter)