Late Ming Dynasty: The Counterattack Begins with Sea Pirates

"Sir...we are carpenters, and we are good at building small boats, but we have never built anything larger before."

"Yes, sir...you're making things difficult for us...building a large ship, just the timber alone will take three or four years, not to mention that none of us have any experience. Three or four years is an understatement."

This is certainly not an excuse for carpenters to be lazy.

A carpenter is a carpenter, and a shipbuilder is a shipbuilder. Although five ship repairmen were brought back from the island before, those five were only half-baked. They spent an unknown amount of time repairing a cargo ship, and when asked about shipbuilding, they didn't know much about the ins and outs.

If your major doesn't match your job, you'll be someone who has the ability but can't use it.

Chi Honghai chuckled, without directly refuting the objective reasons they mentioned.

However, while we must acknowledge the objective reasons, we must also mobilize our subjective initiative.

He led ten carpenters onto the deck of the "Caravelle" he had bought from the Franks.

Everyone was very familiar with this ship; coincidentally, they had all arrived here on this ship.

However, some people came tied up, while others came by crowding together.

However, my familiarity with the ship is limited to remembering that I have been on it; I know virtually nothing about it.

So, Chi Honghai led them on a careful walk around the deck, instructing them to observe the layout of everything on the deck as they went.

After walking around the decks a few times, the group repeatedly observed the bridge, cabins, and other areas.

Finally, Chi Honghai led them back to the deck.

"Gentlemen, you've already looked this ship over inside and out several times. You should have a good grasp of its layout and facilities by now, right?"

"Sir, after following you on your tour for a while, we have a general understanding of what's on the ship, but what do you mean?"

Old Master Chi leaned against the mast and tapped it with his fist.

"You're all carpenters. If you can't build this big ship, surely you can build a small one?"

"This..." Everyone looked at Master Chi, waiting for him to reveal the answer.

"Make a smaller one based on everything inside and outside this ship."

"Master, this..." The craftsmen were speechless and couldn't say anything for a moment.

"What's wrong? You can't build big ships, so you can't even make small ones?"

"No, sir, that's not what we meant. Making a small boat is like making a toy. It's possible, but it's not the same as shipbuilding."

These questions are not unreasonable.

Even if you scale down this "Caravelle" to the same size and make it lifelike inside and out, it's still different from actually building a ship.

It's important to know that shipbuilding is a complex process, involving material preparation, procedures, structure, and even the choice of paint to apply to the ship.

To make a toy boat, you only need to consider the shape and similar layout.

These are completely two different things.

However, the difficulties that the carpenters could foresee had already been considered by Chi Honghai when he led them toward the sailboat.

Not only did they come up with the idea, they also found a solution.

Master Chi smiled slightly.

"Alright, alright, I know what you're worried about. I, your master, have my own solutions."

The crowd was puzzled. In their view, even if Master Chi was incredibly capable, he couldn't possibly be an expert in shipbuilding, could he?

Smuggling, robbery, farming and water collection, training... and now there's also carpentry and shipbuilding.

Is there anything else that this gentleman doesn't understand?

In fact, Chi Honghai didn't quite understand either, but the method he proposed was very feasible and could summarize a lot of practical experience.

"Scald down this sailboat to a certain scale, but don't make it like a child's toy."

"What materials are needed for the boat, where to start, how to build the structure, even the resin brushed on the deck, the hemp rope used on the boat, the four-pronged anchor, the sails and other supplies... In short, apart from omitting the process of naturally drying the wood and the fact that the size is different, all the craftsmanship and production order of this small boat are in accordance with the construction of a real boat."

Master Chi coughed and continued.

"As for the lack of shipbuilding experience, and the fact that we don't know how to build a ship's frame, or what the order of operations should be, we use this small boat to simulate these processes."

"Officer, I'll provide you with the necessary materials. I only have one thing to say: build the ship for me, and don't be careless."

The carpenters were stunned into silence after hearing Master Chi's long string of words.

No one expected that, without shipbuilding experience, experience could be created in this way.

I never imagined that Master Chi would be so obsessed with shipbuilding.

For the carpenters who had been on the island for some time, they could understand; after all, what the master wanted to do, he was determined to do well.

For the newly arrived carpenters, the pirate captain was far too different from their preconceived notions of pirates.

Pirates are not just about fighting and killing; they also have ships, provisions, and weapons.

"Master...Master is truly brilliant. None of us expected that there was such a way to build ships."

"Master, I heard from Ai Si that you are the reincarnation of Hai Bo. At first, I didn't believe it, but after hearing your insights today, I realize I was too narrow-minded."

Despite the praise from everyone, Chi Honghai didn't receive many compliments.

A slight smile played on his lips: "Alright, go back and think about it now. When you get back, tell Ai Si that it was me who said I'd give you thirty men to command. Remember, even though this boat is a small boat, don't actually make it the size of a palm. Try to make it a little bigger."

"Understood, sir. May we come aboard again later to take a closer look?"

"Of course, there are people on duty on all three large ships every day. When you come during the day, just say that I approved it, and they will show you around and explain. I will give the order later."

"Oh, by the way, those new carpenters, you don't need to do anything else today except work with them on this matter. Wait for Ai Si to give you priority in getting rooms, rest for one night, and get to work tomorrow."

The new carpenters were deeply moved by this.

I thought I had escaped from the tiger's mouth and ended up in the wolf's mouth, but I didn't expect to be given a house right away. It seems that the important things in life, such as food, drink and shelter, have been solved all at once, and I don't have to worry about them anymore.

What more can I say? This person is closer than my own parents.

Forget about pirates, all I know is that this person is good to me and feeds me; he's the real God.

It won't be long before the newcomers here also think the same way about the changes in these carpenters' attitudes.

Because here, as long as you listen to the master and work hard, you really won't go hungry.

Before leaving, Chi Honghai added one more sentence.

"The five of you are primarily in charge of this task. The other five will mainly handle the regular carpentry work. If necessary, they can assist you. Understand?"

"Understood, sir."

I walked down the deck as the sea breeze blew.

If Chi Honghai's path to piracy began with the killing of the three constables on Hong Kong Island...

His journey across the seas began at that moment.