Reborn As a Pirate

December 1779. m.kanxs.me

As Christmas approaches, the whole white world is filled with joyous atmosphere.

Maritime merchants are of course no exception.

Christmas is a holiday that cannot be delayed. All sailing schedules must be arranged in advance. Even if there is no time for the sailors to reunite with their families, they cannot float on the sea, drink the stinky water, and eat the dry food that is moldy and full of maggots. .

For an ocean-going chamber of commerce like Drake whose business involves two continents, the corresponding arrangements are even more complicated.

Whose family members are in Europe, it is best to return to Europe this time, and whose family members are in America, it is best to go to the United States this time.

It seems to be a simple consideration of domicile, but it actually involves the consideration of each crew member and the ship they belong to, shift sequence, shift, special service, corresponding position, expertise and experience, and the choice between ocean and offshore.

If there is a shortage of key positions, even if the ship is stopped, they cannot arbitrarily deprive the crew of the Christmas holiday, because the result of doing so is likely to be that the chamber of commerce loses important talents, but the desired sailing schedule still fails.

Thinking hard, racking your brains.

At this time, the Chamber of Commerce’s busyness was unconventional and non-daily. It was already enough to be overwhelmed, but Chuck never imagined that the first Christmas cycle of the Caribbean Branch would be so difficult and heart-wrenching.

Kingston, Headquarters of the Caribbean Chapter of the Drake Chamber of Commerce.

Leonard walked quickly to Chuck's office, and when he opened the door, he was blasted out by the thick fog in the room.

He didn't smoke at first, but after being locked up in Hamilton for one night, he became very attached to the sunshine and freshness of nature. He almost coughed out his lungs in this disaster, so he could only hold back, rushed into the dead place, and pushed open the window .

The warm winter trade wind in the Caribbean blows away the haze, and the old man feels alive, dares to breathe, and infiltrates his lungs with some vitality.

What's wrong? Budget? Annual report? Scheduling? A president, a general accountant, an offshore admiral, and half of the high-level members of the branch called me, an old non-smoker, to hold a cigar tasting meeting?

Olves and chief accountant Richard looked at each other helplessly, pointing to the empty ashtray in front of them, and then pointing to Chuck who had almost turned into a genie of the lamp. The meaning was self-evident.

Leonard frowned and looked at Chuck, watching him take a deep breath from the pipe, swallow the clouds, and exhale the fog, then knocked off the white ash in the pot, squeezed the clip, and filled himself with a new pot.

Old Leonard, I am ashamed of you.

He made a sensational opening statement, picked up the cigarette lighter, lit his pipe, and then just smoked, without further ado.

Leonard was tickled, raised his eyebrows and waited and waited, waited and waited...

That's enough, President! He strode over and snatched Chuck's pipe, Either, say, or else, at the celebrity auction in the afternoon, this damn ivory magic lamp is the auction item!

It's not some ivory magic lamp... the man who sold it told me,

When Michel Adrianson de Ruyter crossed the Thames, this pipe was in his mouth...

But fireworks are strictly prohibited on board!

Well……

Probably realizing that he had been duped, Chuck became more and more depressed.

He yanked a few strands of hair that were dry from insomnia, and stared at Olves with red eyes.

Admiral Olves, repeat the topic we just discussed to the vice president, I mean, everything.

Yes, sir!

Olves stood up with a snap, his chest straightened, his expression solemn.

On October 17, the Andrian, an outsourced carrier of our offshore fleet, was hijacked near Aklin Island in the Bahamas, 7 were injured, and 1 died. Ancient gold artifacts, about 2,700 pounds lost.

On October 29, the Snaku-type sailing ship Naga belonging to our offshore fleet was robbed in the Anegada Strait of the Virgin Islands. Three people were injured. No one was killed. The ship and cargo were robbed. The main cargo is European transoceanic Ceylon tea, including the ship, lost about 1,800 pounds.

On November 6, our ocean-going fleet was attacked in the Anegada Strait during its trip to Europe. One pirate ship was damaged, another was sunk, and the enemy retreated. 24 people on board were injured and 6 people were killed.

On December 4, a cargo of Oriental Silk was robbed by the outsourced carrier Kuaria of our offshore fleet in the Nassau area of ​​Andros Island. Not only did it lose over a thousand pounds, but it also suffered a retaliatory counterattack. There were 42 people on board. All the crew members were killed, and only one person was sent back with severed limbs, just yesterday...

As soon as Olves' report started, Leonard had already heard the reason why Chuck lost his composure.

This is the planned pre-war battle between Lorraine and Cotton Jack.

At that time, in order to let Chuck feel the real pressure, Leonard and Olves discussed that he was only responsible for contacting the cargo, and Olves would handle all the steps of dispatching the remaining ships, releasing news, and reminding the ocean-going fleet to take precautions. , Even the report after the accident had to bypass Leonard, and Chuck decided the scope of knowledge.

So this is the first time Leonard has heard of these things, and his expression cannot be faked at all.

Especially... a retaliatory counterattack?

Leonard clearly remembered that the ships that Olves chose to release the news signed outsourcing contracts that both parties A and B should bear the losses themselves, which is the so-called Party B contract in the industry. Senseless loss of human life.

Why is there any retaliatory counterattack?

He looked at Olves suspiciously, and Olves smiled wryly and spread his hands: The Kuriari did not resist, and the reason why she was retaliated was because of Admiral Cotterence...

Leonard suddenly realized that Cotterence must have made preparations and allowed the ocean-going fleet to set up traps, which led to the glorious victory of Shen Huo.

But great enlightenment belongs to great enlightenment, but the old man has no enlightenment on his face.

He remained puzzled and turned to Chuck: President, why did Admiral Cotterence's success take revenge on the Kuriari more than a month later?

Chuck looked miserable: Because these four attacks were all done by a dead sea ghost, Cotton Jack, one of the Pirate Kings of the Caribbean.

Pirates of the Caribbean... Cotton Jack?

That's right! That's the tyrant! Chuck gritted his teeth and twisted the table, For some reason, he has been following us. In the past two months, he has attacked us four times. If you count the cleaning and rest, he is almost non-stop!

Leonard tried his best to make his expression transition to anger smoothly, but found that he couldn't get angry, so he had to change his routine and calm down.

President, calm down. Two of the four raids were outsourced ships. How can he know the details of our dispatch?

Kuriari is also an outsourced ship, but the human stick was sent straight to Kingston, with [Chuck Parker's personal collection] tattooed on his face!

Leonard glared at Olves reproachfully, as if he was blaming him for not hiding the indecentness of the president, but in fact...

Lorraine clearly said that the source of the outsourced ship should be concealed, so as to prevent Cotton Jack from being suspicious and decoupled. Olves apparently forgot this.

Fortunately, the cotton Jack didn't come off the hook, so this omission in detail became an innocuous bug, and this stare was enough to expose it.

President, there are so many pirates in the Caribbean, it's normal to suffer losses during the shipping...

Of course I know it's normal! But...

but?

These four attacks, even excluding personnel compensation, the total loss is as high as 6,000 pounds. Now that Christmas is coming, the Chamber of Commerce's capital chain...

This is really a brand new problem. Neither Lorraine nor Leonard expected that Chuck's capital chain is so fragile that he can't even afford a loss of a few thousand pounds.

Leonard said in disbelief: President, I remember that the transatlantic line started to turn on the right track in October. We obviously collected a lot of funds. Why...

In order to pay off the debts in Northwest Europe as soon as possible, I asked Admiral Cotterence to bring back 10,000 pounds in November. Also, after the riots in Martinique, a large number of plantations urgently needed cash, so I bought two pounds at a low price. The sugar order of the year...

used up?

Chuck was embarrassed and ashamed: The chairman once said that he would not pay dividends in the Caribbean this year. I originally wanted to try my best to sort out the beginning and end of the business. Next year, I will work hard and catch up with Northwest Europe at the annual meeting...

But you don't even keep the basic reserves, you only rely on working capital... Leonard took a deep breath, Is it the third time this year?

When I was attacked for the second time, I asked my uncle to send the navy to clear the front line of the Bahamas Islands. Only the Royal Navy experienced the Battle of the Windward Islands...

He rejected you?

yes……

Fortunately, he rejected you!

Leonard laughed back angrily, and the guilt in his heart disappeared with Chuck's request.

The old stuff is angry.

Chuck Parker, look back at the privateer license hanging on your wall! Although it is just a copy, it inherits the privateer privileges of the Drake family!

We are the Privateer Chamber of Commerce! We are sharks, we are wolves at sea!

The captain's ancestors broke the monopoly of the French and Spaniards on this sea. The captain, relying on a small Golden Deer, snatched an entire ocean-going fleet for us!

What about you? What on earth are you thinking? A pack of sharks appeals to dolphins, a pack of wolves bows to dogs?

Do you know why your uncle rejected you? Because Sir Parker is very clear about the temperament of privateers. Once he helps you with the pirate issue, no matter whether you succeed or fail, you will be kicked out by the captain!

Chuck stared puzzledly: The only ocean-going ships we can use to eliminate pirates are those ships. Their schedules are very busy, so instead of...

Christmas is coming. Leonard blocked Chuck's mouth with a completely irrelevant topic, This year's General Chamber of Commerce annual meeting is estimated to be held at Lucy Manor, and the captain will definitely come back.

The chamber of commerce's capital problem, the captain had expected that you would encounter turnover problems if you live within your means. He left us a reserve fund of 10,000 pounds, and you can ask Richard accountant to follow me to set up accounts in a while.

But he said that this is the only time. He said that a really good businessman should learn the ability to deal with crises. If you run aground at low tide twice in a row, it can only prove that you are not suitable to take the helm for the Caribbean branch.

The rest... About choosing gold coins or dignity, choosing war or choosing to live, you can go to Lu Xi and ask him.

Please allow me to prepare for the auction in the afternoon, goodbye.

Reborn as a Pirate