Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 112 Your Majesty, This Slave Trader Is Promoting Child Mutilation
Zhu Changluo chuckled and did not give a clear response to Władysław Amato's business offer. Instead, he continued to ask, "Does your slave ship carry dark-skinned Kunlun slaves?"

"Your Excellency is well-informed. It's true that there were European merchants engaged in the slave trade. However, there were only a few slaves in Macau. The large-scale slave trade only took place along the routes between the US and Africa," Władysław Amato volunteered. "Asia already has a vast supply of manpower. There's no need to transport slaves from Africa. It's unnecessary and uneconomical."

"Are you a miner?" Zhu Changluo turned to the Portuguese mine owner Ryan Hobbs.

"Your Excellency, yes. I opened several mines in Ceylon." Ryan Hobbs replied respectfully.

"Besides copper, do you mine other minerals?" Zhu Changluo continued to ask.

"Sir, I have a gem mine, but the quality is above average, and the output is average." Ryan Hobbs shook his head and sighed, "As for gold and silver mines, I'd like to open them, but I don't know where they are. How can I open them if I haven't discovered them yet?"

"What about the iron ore?" Zhu Changluo was more concerned about coal and iron than gold and silver.

"There are iron ore owners in Macau, but I'm not one of them. Iron smelting technology in the Nanyang region is very poor. There are no large-scale iron smelters there, only workshop-style blacksmith shops. The current supply of iron ore far exceeds demand, and profits in the iron ore industry are extremely slim. Opening new mines would only drag everyone down with it."

"Aren't there any Europeans here smelting iron?" Zhu Changluo pinched his Jingming acupoint. He felt a little tired. Some time after a meal, the food in the stomach entered the intestines and began to be broken down, causing a rapid increase in blood sugar levels, ultimately adding to the already exhausted body's sleepiness.

"You're joking, sir. In Asia, China's iron products have an overwhelming competitive advantage. The bulk iron trade is completely monopolized by China. European blacksmiths rushing to Asia to steal China's business is like an ant trying to shake a tree." Ryan Hobbs threw up his hands helplessly. "We've tried shipping iron ore to Luzon, Macau, and even Guangzhou, but China's maritime merchants almost never import anything other than gold, silver, and copper."

"Do you also use slaves?" Zhu Changluo continued to ask.

"Of course, slaves are cheap and easy to manage. Livestock are only used for tasks like hauling ore and draining water," Ryan Hobbs nodded. "But mines are not like plantations. They're quite dangerous down there, and slaves die almost every day for various reasons. Therefore, we miners actually work more closely with Mr. Władysław Amato. Without slave traders like Władysław Amato, who dared to deal with the barbaric natives, we really don't know where we'd find so much cheap labor."

At this time, the gentle-looking slave trader Władysław Amato interrupted, "Mr. Ryan Hobbs requires us to provide at least twenty strong slaves every month. Once, when we encountered a mining disaster, Mr. Ryan Hobbs even asked for a hundred people at once."

"So many?" Zhu Youxiao, who had been sitting quietly next to him, suddenly spoke up and asked in surprise.

"Your Excellency," Ryan Hobbs said, surprised by the unexpected question, but his stunned state lasted only a moment. "In terms of scale, the mine disaster wasn't particularly serious. I personally directed the operation on site, and it took only three days to clear the mine tunnel."

"I prepared seven days' worth of food and clean water in the mine tunnel for a week beforehand," Xu Guangqi said, his translation work impeccable. "We thought the damage wouldn't be too great, but when we reopened the tunnel, we saw only dead bodies everywhere, not a single living person. Subsequent investigation revealed that the collapse not only blocked the tunnel but also the ventilation vents in the mine room where the slaves were housed. The slaves suffocated to death." "Suffocated to death. How pitiful!" Zhu Youxiao's tone was filled with pity.

"Yeah, that's pathetic," Ryan Hobbs agreed. But his pity wasn't for the lost "consumables," but for his own wallet. The mining accident cost him nearly a quarter's net income. "I learned my lesson afterwards and mandated that every mine chamber have at least two independent ventilation holes."

"It's never too late to mend. You still have some conscience." Zhu Youxiao was young and inexperienced, and he thought Lane Hobbs was a "righteous businessman."

Zhu Changluo glanced at Zhu Youxiao without leaving any trace, but he said nothing. Some things can only be understood more deeply by seeing them for oneself.

Conscience? Where does this guy have a conscience? It's common sense in the mining industry to have two or more independent ventilation holes in a mine. Xu Guangqi tried to persuade him several times, but he didn't remonstrate with him on the spot. He omitted the following words of praise and said, "It's good that you learned your lesson."

Just as Ryan Hobbs was about to continue his discussion on the mining industry, he saw Władysław Amato giving him a pleading look. Ryan Hobbs reacted and boasted to "Master Zhu":

"Mr. Władysław Amato possesses extensive connections and exceptional business skills. No matter how demanding the requirements, he can always complete the tasks assigned by his employer within the agreed timeframe. For example, I asked Mr. Władysław Amato to complete this order for 100 slaves within a month, but he managed to deliver all 100 strong slaves in just 22 days."

"On average, how much does a slave cost?" Zhu Changluo asked, letting out a breath of tired air.

"Your Excellency. Generally speaking, the market price of a strong adult male slave is fifteen to eighteen taels of silver. Children are cheaper, and can be taken away for about ten to twelve taels of silver. Female slaves are one to two taels of silver cheaper than male slaves of the same age. However, these are the quotes for basic labor slaves. If your Excellency has special needs, it may be a little more expensive." Władysław Amato felt that this sales pitch had aroused the interest of 'Master Zhu', and they only needed to add a little fuel to the fire to start discussing business.

"Let me give you a simple example. If you want a clean, young, beautiful, well-educated and talented female slave, it will cost at least 40 taels of silver. If you like it..." Xu Guangqi stopped translating.

"Why stop?" Zhu Changluo asked.

"Your Excellency, I'm afraid I'm offending Your Majesty." Xu Guangqi glanced at the eldest prince, then moved closer to Zhu Changluo and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Your Majesty, this slave trader is selling pedophiles."

(End of this chapter)