Late Ming Dynasty: The Counterattack Begins with Sea Pirates

Chi Honghai led his men on a long tour around Xin'an County, renting out all the fishing villages in the vicinity.

However, in terms of quantity, it is still not enough. A village may have as many as thirty or forty fishing boats, or as few as twenty, and not all of them can meet Chi Honghai's requirements.

Some were so broken they couldn't be broken any further, and some were so small they couldn't be smaller any further. Naturally, they didn't meet Chi Honghai's standards, and therefore didn't have the good opportunity to exchange them for twenty taels at once.

After visiting all the villages, only the county seat of Xin'an County remains.

There are naturally more fishermen near the county town, since the fish they catch are all about freshness. With the convenience of this location, the fish caught can be sold and made money in the market of Xin'an County as quickly as possible.

Naturally, there were even more fishing boats.

Upon entering Xin'an County, we first arrived at the Xin'an County Wharf, where we began to transfer the silver to a different boat.

But just as Chi Honghai was happily exchanging silver for money, his subordinates ran up to him.

"Sir, something's not right."

"What?"

"Some brothers discovered that Wu Laosi was in contact with the officers and soldiers."

Chi Honghai didn't take this statement to heart. Wu Laosi was a businessman who dealt with the magistrate of Xin'an County, so it wasn't unusual for him to have a few soldiers around.

They might be discussing when the next batch of goods will be shipped, and I might even be able to snag a bargain then.

"It's alright."

"Sir! The brothers heard something about you!"

"What?!" Chi Honghai turned around and looked at him. "Say that again?"

"The brothers heard them mention your name, and they also heard them say that you were not an officer or soldier at all."

Chi Honghai realized something was wrong and immediately turned around and went to Wu Laosi's house.

At this moment, the officers and soldiers had just left, and Chi Honghai looked at Wu Laosi, who had just seen them off at the door.

"Old Wu, what are you saying?"

Wu Laosi was a little stunned. He turned his head and looked at Chi Honghai for two seconds. After confirming that it was him, he was so shocked that he wanted to close the door immediately.

Chi Honghai raised his head, and his subordinates immediately pulled him out.

"What are you doing! This is Xin'an County!"

"I know this is Xin'an County. Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. But I just heard that you told those soldiers that I'm not a government official. What's your proof?"

"Evidence? Your assault on government officials and law-abiding citizens in front of Hong Kong Island is evidence enough! What else is there to say!" He looked around. "This is Xin'an County. You can't defy the heavens here. Let me tell you the truth: once I finish writing down your charges, you can expect to be sentenced!"

"Sentenced? I doubt the county magistrate would dare." Chi Honghai said, taking out his knife and brandishing it.

Wu Laosi panicked: "Y-you, what do you think you're doing? Let me tell you, this is Xin'an County! If you're caught red-handed committing murder!"

"Really?" Chi Honghai looked around. "I don't see anyone around this alley. Who has such sharp eyes that they could see your miserable state? Even if they did, they'd probably praise me a bit, saying, 'Well done, right?'"

"What do you mean? You really dare!" Wu Laosi's tone softened instantly. "How can you say that? My daughter married you, you're my son-in-law, and I'm your father-in-law. How can a son-in-law lay a hand on his father-in-law! We're family!"

"Hey, we're not family anymore. Have you forgotten what you said back then?"

Looking at Wu Laosi's terrified face, he kept turning around but couldn't say a word for a long time.

"You told Wanruo that you didn't acknowledge her as your daughter, and that she didn't have you as her father. You two had severed your father-daughter relationship. How did my marriage to her make me your son-in-law, and you my father-in-law? How are we family now?"

"No, no, no, please let me explain, dear son-in-law."

Chi Honghai immediately drew his knife and slit Wu Laosi's throat.

It splattered blood all around.

"It's so annoying. I hate people who try to claim connections and make unfounded accusations the most."

"Sir, didn't you say you wouldn't make things difficult for him?"

"Death is a relief, not a hardship. I'm helping him relieve his worldly suffering; he should thank me, sir."

"But...this is Xin'an County...we've killed someone."

"If you don't tell us, how will anyone know we killed someone?" Chi Honghai pointed at the corpse. "Carry this person inside, change all their clothes, and go buy them some new ones."

"Yes, sir."

……

But in the end, someone was killed, and it was impossible to hide it. Even an ordinary person would find it difficult to conceal, let alone Wu Laosi, who often dealt with the county magistrate's men.

The magistrate of Xin'an County learned of this within two days.

Just as his subordinates asked how and how this matter should be investigated,

The county magistrate, as if he had lost his soul, tacitly accepted everything.

"Stop investigating. Just say that Wu Laosi was caught smuggling and committed suicide out of fear of punishment. Now all the money in Wu's household has been confiscated by the county government."

So, all the money Wu Laosi made in his life was ultimately handed over to the magistrate of Xin'an County.

"Aren't you going to investigate?" the subordinate pressed.

"Do you dare to investigate? Don't you know how much he's taken from you every day?" Wu Laosi shouted.

He understands this all too well.

Chi Honghai had just arrived in the city when Wu Laosi was tragically killed at home.

Who in Xin'an County would dare to do this? It's none other than Chi Honghai. The two families are like enemies on a narrow road. They've run into each other today, so Wu Laosi can only blame his bad luck.

It's impossible for the county magistrate not to want to investigate or label Chi Honghai a criminal.

But that's the problem. Chi Honghai knows everything about himself and Wu Laosi. If I really go and take him down, first of all, whether I can beat the people on Hong Kong Island is one thing, but what if he drags me into the mess during the trial?

Besides, he had previously gone to Hong Kong Island and was beaten up like that. When he went to Guangzhou Prefecture to complain, he was scolded by his superiors.

It's definitely not that Chen Qian didn't want to get involved! It's that Chen Qian was his protector!

How could I, a mere county magistrate, possibly offend such a powerful figure as the General of Guangzhou Prefecture?

This matter absolutely must not be investigated.

This is why Chi Honghai dared to stab Wu Laosi in broad daylight.

This message means that as long as you, Magistrate of Xin'an County, are here, I, Chi Honghai, will live off you.

Don't be upset. We were in the same boat back then. It was you who was greedy for your own gain, kicked me overboard, and took away everything that originally belonged to me.

You owe me a favor, and you should repay it no matter what.

Chi Honghai swaggered back to Hong Kong Island with the fishing boat he had bought.

This matter naturally did not escape the notice of the county magistrate, but what he did not understand was why he had to buy all of these fishing boats.

Could it be that you're thinking of getting into the seafood business?

However, for the county magistrate, it didn't matter who did the business. Anyway, the taxes you paid would still be embezzled by him, and if you didn't pay, then he would have a legitimate reason to do so.

On the contrary, if you were to do all the business yourself, I could raise the tax rate slightly and make money off my enemy—that would be quite satisfying.

Therefore, the county magistrate did not care about this matter.