Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 776

Chapter 776: A disaster brought about by oneself…. (11)

Even while the Portuguese were showing strange expressions, the sailors and captains of Brow’s fleet were busy moving about.

“Two months! “We have to make it usable within two months!”

“At least make it to the point where you understand what you’re being asked to do!”

Brough’s fleet trained slaves right in front of the port of Ceuta.

We trained hard to raise and lower the sail and turn the crossbar left and right according to the wind direction.

And in this process, slaves who could not adapt properly were sold back to the slave market and new slaves were obtained.

The sailors treated the slaves harshly, but the slaves desperately followed the sailors’ instructions.

This was because, through the poor interpretation of an English interpreter, they had been told that if the voyage was successful, they would gain freedom.

And because they saw that if they fell behind even a little, they would immediately be sold on the slave market, the slaves had no choice but to cling on desperately.

As much as the English worked hard to obtain as many usable slaves as possible, the slave traders in Ceuta also had a headache.

“Is it a return again?”

“Why is it so picky…”

One of the conditions the English put forward was quite picky.

-You should be able to understand Latin to some extent.

At this time, the official language of the Mediterranean region was Latin, so captains and senior sailors – those seeking executive positions such as captains and navigators – spoke Latin fluently.

Therefore, slaves were required to be able to understand simple commands given in one or two Latin words.

However, more than 60% of the slaves entering Ceuta’s slave market were slaves who had just been captured from Africa.

The slaves that met the standards required by the English were those from the Suez Railway construction, but the problem was that the English were not the only ones looking for them.

The language used between the imperialists and the allies at the Suez construction site was Latin – although it was at the level of a list of words – so the slaves from the Suez site understood Latin.

In addition, thanks to the thorough management of the imperial people, the slaves from the Suez field were strong and quick to work with. As an aside, the word of empire

spread

throughout the Mediterranean through the slaves from the Suez construction site and the allies who managed the construction site .

This was because there was an imperial language spoken by employees and slaves who managed slaves.

“hurry! hurry!”

When those words were said, the slaves from the construction site began to act faster.

* * *

The imperial people managing the field improved the efficiency of their slaves using methods they had used well since their home base.

This was also a way to flavor MSG.

Slaves were organized into groups and leaders were selected from them. And the group that did a good job was paid more food than other groups and even provided holidays.

Lastly, in the case of the leader who commanded the group, additional food was paid in addition to the additional food, and even some money was paid.

Ultimately, if the team leader recorded good grades without any accidents for more than 6 months, he or she became a free worker and was hired as a full-time employee on site.

The slaves’ eyes widened as they saw slaves like them being treated as free people before their eyes.

“hurry! hurry!”

When they heard those words, the slaves gathered strength they didn’t have and increased their speed.

“Praise makes even whales dance, but incentives make them fly.”

This was what Hyang muttered when first introducing the ‘reward system’.

* * *

Thanks to these advantages, the slaves from the Suez site were very popular.

Those who saved the most slaves from Suez were the Ottomans, followed by the Italians.

Here the English entered the competition.

Thanks to this, Ceuta’s slave market was booming every day.

* * *

About two months after Brow’s fleet stayed in Ceuta, Brow reported to the clan leader.

“I think we can leave now.”

“Can we leave right now?”

“Just fill up with food and water and you can set off.”

“Then let’s leave as quickly as possible!”

As soon as the decision was made from above, the captain and crew got busy.

Ceuta merchants introduced the most popular products these days to the captain and crew who went around the Ceuta market and purchased all kinds of food, beer and wine.

The same was true for the merchant that Captain Thomas met.

“You said you were going far away, right? Then this is the best!”

“What is it?”

“It’s called ‘Geonryang’ made in the ‘Land of Flowers.’”

“dry measure?”

When Captain Thomas showed interest, the merchant took a large paper bag from one side and opened the mouth.

“This one.”

“Is it grain powder?”

“It’s a mixture of grains, beef jerky, dried vegetables, etc. mixed into powder. If you just pour hot water into it….”

The merchant poured dry powder into a small cup and poured hot water into it, then held out the cup along with a small spoon.

“Drink, Bossu.”

“Hmm… Hrup!”

Captain Thomas, who ate the dry food in the cup, nodded slightly.

“It’s okay. “It’s not a bad flavor.”

“Normally, we carry dried bread with us on long-distance voyages, but is that bread? “It’s a rock.”

Captain Thomas nodded at the merchant’s point.

In the past, when I went to the Land of Flowers on a Portuguese ship, the most difficult thing was eating the bread in question.

It was okay because there were ports of call along the way, but if we couldn’t stop at a port of call due to an epidemic or a storm, we had to survive by eating that damn bread.

‘Honestly, I ate it so I wouldn’t die…’

Captain Thomas, recalling painful memories, asked the merchant.

“How much should I eat at one meal?”

“With salted meat, it’s about…”

The other captains were similar to Thomas.

“Should I eat porridge instead of bread?”

The clan leader looked tearful, but the sailors’ expressions brightened.

“You mean I don’t have to eat that damn bread?”

Dry goods were not the only imperial goods purchased by the fleet. A modified Sojugori desalination machine made and distributed by the local government was also carried on board the ship.

“This is a bit expensive…”

When the captains expressed their disapproval at the hefty price, the merchants raised their voices, pointing to the ‘flower emblem’ stamped on the manufacturing machine and dry bulk bags.

“See? It’s a product from ‘The Land of Flowers’! “Desalination machines and dry goods are both cheap from the Ming Dynasty, but the things you buy because they are cheap and end up ruined are the Ming Dynasty products!”

“That’s not true…”

Hearing the merchants’ words, the captains opened their wallets.

* * *

When preparations for departure were completely completed, Captain Brow spoke to the clan leader and held a dinner party.

Captain Brough, who had rented the largest bar in the port, climbed up to the table and raised his glass high.

“For the success of your voyage!”

“for!”

“Let’s drink!”

The captains and sailors who responded to Captain Brough’s call soon began emptying their glasses.

While there was a lot of noise from all directions, Captain Brow and the clan leader chatted in a friendly atmosphere.

“I’m glad we were able to get the timing right.”

“That’s right.”

“I’m a little worried about the slaves we brought in last, but will they be okay?”

“I have no choice but to train as I go, but I think it will be okay.”

When the bar was so noisy, those on security duty looked enviously.

“Tsk. “If only I hadn’t been drawn by the damn lot…” “

But they said they’d bring me food and alcohol in a little while, so I’ll have to endure it until then.”

Two days later, Brough’s fleet, fully prepared, departed Ceuta.

“God bless you!”

“God bless you!”

While port workers and bar women flocked to the dock to enthusiastically bid farewell, several sturdy men moved around secretly.

“Tell them we’re leaving.”

“yes.”

* * *

Brough’s fleet departed from Ceuta and headed toward the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea at high speed.

“It’s fortunate that the wind helped us. “I’m grateful.”

Thanking the wind for blowing at the right time, Captain Brough gave orders to his crew.

“Look everywhere! From now on, this is where pirates will set up!”

“yes!”

“Raise the signal!”

As the signal flag went up on the mast of the flagship ‘Golden Blow’, signals went up on other ships as well.

The sailors of the Brow fleet carefully looked in all directions. The sailors, who were very nervous and looking in all directions, all cursed Portugal.

“Damn Portuguese…”

* * *

The entrance to the Mediterranean Sea was famous for being teeming with pirates.

The original plan was to accompany the Portuguese fleet departing from Ceuta to Lisbon. But for some reason the Portuguese refused to go along.

“Departure has been postponed due to unexplained circumstances.”

“How long has it been delayed?”

“At least a month?”

“this!”

After hearing the Portuguese’s answer, Brow explained the situation to the clan representative.

“Maybe the Portuguese are interfering.”

“Portugal? why?”

“If we succeed in our exploration, who will lose the most?”

“Ah…”

In the end, the Brow fleet had no choice but to decide to set sail on its own. This was because there were financial problems in continuing to stay in Ceuta.

* * *

Just as the Brow fleet reached the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea, the watchman in the watchtower shouted.

“Forward on the port side! “Many unidentified ships!”

At the call of observation, Captain Brough ran to the forecastle and took out a monocle.

“It’s not Portuguese, it’s not Spanish… It’s most likely pirates.”

Captain Brough, who saw the ships approaching, gave a loud command.

“Prepare for battle! “Raise the signal!”

Clink ding ding!

“Ready for battle! “Ready for battle!”

The sailors were busy moving around while bells were ringing to signal an emergency on the ships in the fleet that saw the signal.

The shutter covering the gun port was opened, and the muzzle of the fully loaded cannon was pushed out.

When the cannons on the main deck were finishing preparing for battle. Longbowmen and musketeers wearing leather armor were stationed on the upper deck.

“Ready!”

After receiving the manager’s report, Captain Brow spoke to the clan representative next to him.

“It’s dangerous. “It would be better to go into the cabin.”

At Captain Brow’s recommendation, the clan leader pulled out the longsword he was wearing.

“Even if you look like this, you are a knight.”

“In that case…”

Captain Brow, who smiled slightly at the representative’s fighting spirit, raised his monocle and looked at the fleet in question.

Captain Brow, who checked the ships coming straight ahead without turning their bows, shouted.

“It’s a pirate! “It’s war!”

* * *

The battle at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea was fierce.

The fleet’s flagship ship, ‘Golden Blow’, and ‘Golden Mary’, commanded by Captain Thomas, were quite large even in the Karak class.

Thanks to this, the two Karak class ships were equipped with 10 main guns, 5 on each side, and numerous light guns on the forecastle and stern. The three caravels did not have main guns, but each ship was equipped with about 10 light guns.

Thanks to this, it was a fairly powerful fleet in terms of firepower.

The pirates who attacked them were a group of about 20 small, fast dhows.

They replaced inferiority in firepower with mobility and quantity.

And their target was not the powerful Karak, but the Caravel.