The rise of the poor

Chapter 2309 Bribery

After receiving the money, Wang San worked incredibly fast. That very evening, he arranged for a captain to come to the cliffside villa. This captain was someone who had expressed his support for cooperating with Zhu Ping'an and was also one of the people Wang San had shortlisted for Luo Longwen to try and win over.

Since Luo Longwen couldn't leave, they had no choice but to lure him here.

Luo Longwen doesn't have much persuasive talent, and his eloquence is also lacking. All he knows is how to throw money around, throw money around, throw money around a lot.

These days, 99 percent of people can be bribed, and the remaining 1 percent will have to pay extra; there are very few exceptions.

The captain initially refused Luo Longwen firmly, but when Luo Longwen handed him a thick stack of silver notes, his refusal softened. He simply said that he was a follower of Guan Yu and that righteousness was paramount. When Luo Longwen added another stack of silver notes and wrote a letter promising that he could be promoted one rank based on his merits after being granted amnesty, the captain changed his mind.

The captain tucked the two stacks of silver notes into his pocket and said earnestly, “Let me tell you, I’m not doing this for the silver notes, nor for any promotion. I’m doing this for the future of our king and our brothers. I think you’re a good person, generous and not stingy. I imagine your master is also a generous man. Cooperating with your master will definitely be better for our king and our brothers.”

"General, you are truly a hero!" Luo Longwen bowed and clasped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for thinking so highly of me, General. My master and I will certainly not disappoint you. When we succeed, you will surely be grateful for your wise choice today."

"Heh heh, you'd better succeed. If you dare to fool us, I'll personally twist your head off!"

The captain grinned and patted Luo Longwen's shoulder hard, bending Luo Longwen's body a little more with each pat.

"General, rest assured, as long as you cooperate with us, you will only succeed and never fail. My master is the second or third most important person in the world. With my master backing us up, how can we possibly fail?"

Luo Longwen patted his chest and gave his assurance.

"Better so."

The captain nodded slightly.

"Then let's vote next time," Luo Longwen said eagerly, looking at the captain.

The captain smirked slightly. "Don't worry, for the sake of the king and the brothers, I will wholeheartedly support cooperating with your master."

"Thank you, General." Luo Longwen was moved to tears.

The following day, Wang San invited another ship captain, a Japanese man, a true Japanese, who had also supported cooperating with Zhu Ping'an in the last vote and was also someone worth trying to win over.

This Japanese captain had a huge appetite. Luo Longwen offered him two stacks of silver notes but failed to sway him, and even adding another stack of silver notes didn't work.

The Japanese captain shook his head. "Your money isn't what I want. These silver notes may seem like a lot, but we could plunder a town in your Ming Dynasty and get more than that."

"What does the general desire?" Luo Longwen asked, clasping his hands in greeting.

"I'm afraid you can't provide what I want." The Japanese captain narrowed his eyes slightly.

"There are probably not many things in this world that we can't give," Luo Longwen said confidently.

"I want a complete map of your Great Ming Dynasty." The Japanese captain looked at Luo Longwen. "Can you afford it?!"

"You want a complete map of the Ming Dynasty?! What do you want to do?!" Luo Longwen's expression changed. He wasn't stupid; he understood what a map meant.

"We've crossed oceans and endured countless hardships to reach the Ming Dynasty, but as newcomers, we're unfamiliar with the land and people. Doing business here can easily lead to disorientation. With a map, we can do business much better," the Japanese captain said softly, downplaying the seriousness of the situation.

"Is this a legitimate business?! Forget it, I don't care anymore. A complete map of the Ming Dynasty... The general is right, I really can't afford that. Perhaps the general comes from Japan and doesn't know what a map means in the Ming Dynasty. Only the Emperor, the Grand General, and the Grand Secretaries are qualified to see a complete map of the Ming Dynasty. Even I haven't been able to see a complete map of the Ming Dynasty. If ordinary officials or common people have a map in their homes and it is found, it is evidence of treason, and their entire family will be executed!"

Luo Longwen shook his head and sighed.

"You don't have a complete map of the Ming Dynasty, but you must have a map of Jiangnan, right?!" The Japanese captain settled for second best.

"I don't have a map of Jiangnan either. Only if I become the Governor-General of Jiangnan will it be possible."

Luo Longwen shook his head again.

"When will you be able to take up the position of Governor-General of Jiangnan?" the Japanese captain asked impatiently.

"I don't know when, but it's definitely not going to happen in this lifetime," Luo Longwen said, shaking his head self-deprecatingly.

"Hmph, since you can't produce it, then forget it. I don't have time to waste words with you." The Japanese captain snorted, stood up, turned around, and walked outside without saying another word.

"General, please wait." Luo Longwen saw the Japanese captain get up to leave and quickly reached out to stop him.

"What?! You can produce a map of the Ming Dynasty or a map of Jiangnan now?!" The Japanese captain stopped and turned to look at Luo Longwen.

"I can't produce it." Luo Longwen shook his head.

"Then stop talking nonsense!" The Japanese captain glared angrily. "If you continue to mock me, I'll take your life!"

"Even if I had the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard, I wouldn't dare to mess with the general. Although I can't produce a complete map of the Ming Dynasty or a map of Jiangnan, I can think of a way to get a map of Zhejiang. I'm confident I can get my hands on it."

Luo Longwen clasped his hands in a fist salute and spoke confidently to the Japanese captain.

I don't have the map of the Ming Dynasty, nor the map of Jiangnan. Even if I did, I couldn't give it to you without the Grand Secretary's permission. But I can find a way to get my hands on the map of Zhejiang. Zhejiang is Zhu Ping'an's territory. If these Japanese get the map of Zhejiang, how could they not attack Zhejiang? Hehe, that would be great.

The more ruthlessly and severely the Japanese pirates plunder Zhejiang, the greater the trouble Zhu Ping'an will be in!

Why not use someone else to do the dirty work?

"How long?!" The Japanese captain was intrigued. The map of Zhejiang was also available; Zhejiang was not a small place.

"One month, no, half a month will suffice. After half a month, I will have someone place a map of Zhejiang on an island. I will tell the general the exact location, and the general can retrieve it himself. I also ask that the general support cooperation with my master in the next vote."

Luo Longwen leaned closer and spoke to the Japanese ship captain.

The Japanese captain stared intently at Luo Longwen. "Fine, very well. Don't play me for a fool. Next time, we'll vote by raising our hands. I'll support cooperating with you, but if I don't get the map of Zhejiang in half a month, I have a hundred ways to take your head!" (End of Chapter)