Chapter 5

This is the smell of the sea

After half a year, Lorraine returned to Plymouth again.

It is one of the most famous ports in England, Europe and even the world. It belongs to the great Royal Navy.

The powerful Strait fleet is stationed here. Plymouth sea school, the glorious predecessor of the Royal Naval School of Great Britain and the alma mater of Lorraine, opens classes here.

Port Devon is the heart of Plymouth.

The world's top port Devon dock is set up by the red lighthouse, in which the best shipbuilders build moving and powerful sail warships for the Royal Navy day and night.

There are also long rows of anchor docks like floating islands on the sea. Those huge warships flying Mi Zi flag sail to the sea from here, and the energetic sailors sing loudly on the deck.

But perhaps because Devon is so famous, people often forget that there is a long string of Pearl like civil ports along the calm Plymouth Bay.

They are also part of Plymouth. Even for a long time, they are the first choice for the English to set sail and return home.

Port Soto is such a private port.

Like most private ports, it is chaotic and free, and all kinds of houses are built at will. Behind the bright and tidy wharf, there are countless dirty dark alleys, which are specially used to hide dirt and accept dirt.

In the meantime, you can see devout priests, flamboyant adventurers, hard-working farmers, coquettish prostitutes, swindlers, brokers, lawyers, craftsmen, and bankrupt craftsmen.

Of course, the most common here are sweaty dockers, drunken forced sailors and the real spiritual symbol of England, those greedy, fearless and cunning sea merchants.

After coming out of Tavistock, Lorraine exchanged all his money for a carriage ticket to port Soto. Carrying his broken skin bag, he went all the way to a pawn shop called [people have three emergencies].

Before putting Shaq's arrogance under his feet, he had to eat properly.

Across the high counter, which could almost reach the tip of the chin, the simple and honest black clerk was pricing Lorraine's most valuable things with an extremely professional attitude.

"A pocket watch with a needle..." black brother glanced at the clock in the store. "It's a mess. It can't be regarded as a clock."

Lorraine shrugged.

Miniaturization of clocks and watches is a new trend in recent years, and accurate needle walking is a myth. More often, pocket watches are still regarded as a kind of luxurious jewelry and a symbol of aristocratic status.

Seeing that Lorraine had no opinion, black brother closed the watch cover, took a single barrel jewelry mirror and knocked it into his eye socket.

"HMM... an emerald, about two carats, can give 80 points for cutting, but the color is a little poor. The dial is made of silver, with scratches, many scratches and dirt..."

He frowned, pulled out his jewel mirror and looked at Lorraine solemnly.

"Sir, can we be more careful next time we rob? Jewelry is delicate white women. For a gentleman, we shouldn't step on their faces with boots."

"If I'm going to rob," Lorraine bit very hard, "I'll respect your opinion."

Black brother has some regrets, because Lorraine is very cunning and unwilling to admit that the pocket watch is dirty, which makes him lack a legitimate reason to lower the price.

He wrapped his pocket watch in black velvet and packed up the identification tools on the table.

"Sir, a pocket watch with a broken needle is 30% new. Our shop is willing to price it at 8p."

"How much?"

"Eight pence," he said confidently, comparing six pence with his black palm, "I dare say this is the highest offer in the port area. Everyone knows the generosity of the owner."

"Only eight pence..." Lorraine frowned. "Give me back my pocket watch."

Black brother's face changed slightly and subconsciously pulled the black velvet at hand.

"Sir, I guarantee with the owner's reputation that you can't find a store with a higher price than ours even if you look in port Soto. Why waste your time?"

"Really?"

Although Lorraine grew up with a golden spoon in this life, he really had no chance to make a living, but in the last life

His little movements alerted Lorraine.

With a bang, Lorraine patted his sword on the counter, smiled and asked, "do you know it?"

Black brother couldn't help swallowing saliva: "this is the Royal..."

"The Royal Navy major commanded the sword."

Lorraine said word by word, drew his sword slowly, and showed its bright edge in front of the black brothers.

"It belongs to the same person as your pocket watch. Ten years ago, the man killed a French Baron with this sword, captured a class IV ship and stepped on your pocket watch. Therefore, he was promoted."

"The scratch on the pocket watch was left in the battle, and the pattern on the back of the pocket watch is the Baron's family emblem, which is recorded on page 162 of noble heraldry. You should go and have a look."

Lorraine paused, raised his eyelids and swept the black man's face. "Do you know why they fell into my hands?"

Black brother's black and white eye sockets are a little congested.

He suddenly reacted that the young man in front of him, although his black hair and brown pupils were not noble and his shabby clothes looked like a tramp, his words and deeds, sitting, lying and walking all reflected good breeding and a strong and rigid military temperament

A young man who has joined the army and has been well educated... Such a person can only have one identity

Lorraine smiled and pushed the sword into his heart.

"You know what? According to English law, if I stab the sword, I will probably be sentenced to six to eight shillings for accidental damage to national property."

"I believe the value of this pocket watch will be slightly higher than this price, and after the compensation, the remaining amount is still far more than eight pence."

Lorraine's sword tip deviated and provoked the famous brand in front of black brother's chest.

"Mr. Friday... I didn't expect that your host is still a fan of Mr. Defoe... Mr. Friday, do you think I should stab it?"

"Thirteen shillings and Sixpence!" said Friday, his face dark and fast. "The master has gone to Spain, and he has only so much authorization for me. One more penny, he will kill me when he comes back, and he doesn't need to pay compensation to anyone!"

"Although it's still a little less..." Lorraine sighed regretfully and took the sword back to the scabbard, "but it's a deal."

……

"Which ship needs sailors..."

The dock at Soto port is full of ships, all kinds of.

There are the most common Kirk type in offshore merchant ships, the small sloop type, and occasionally the snaku type with more masts. It can not see the current mainstream of the Navy alone. It is the Galen type three masted sailboat most suitable for ocean navigation.

This was not beyond Lorraine's expectation.

The port of Soto is a gathering place for small businessmen, mainly engaged in offshore trade.

For the flat Dover Strait, the old sailboats are cheaper, and there are no obvious disadvantages in cargo capacity and ship speed. It is the best choice for these offshore businessmen.

Lorraine had planned to start here, accumulating funds and observing the trading skills of contemporary maritime merchants, but things didn't go as smoothly as he thought.

People come and go in the port. Almost every ship needs dockers and sailors, but there is little demand for seafarers.

Even if there are a few companies occasionally, they don't want to give Lorraine an interview after seeing his age and dress.

In the concept of a businessman, an outstanding person like a sailor can only stand out from senior sailors. They are not only the technical work on board, but also the foreman of the sailors and the assistant of the captain.

Marine school students who have received systematic teaching are of course the exception.

The problem is that although Lorraine has been a top student in Shanghai school, he dropped out of school without a certificate. Now he has a red mouth and white teeth, he can't make strangers believe that this excellent resume is too much.

After being rejected four times in a row, some frustrated Lorraine dragged his legs to the central square, looked at the carefree pigeons, sighed and took out the newly bought black bread.

The taste of black bread is very rough, but the advantage is that it is cheap. Two pence can buy the size of a dictionary, enough to eat a large piece of bread for a week.

Moreover, it is very dry and easy to preserve. It is also one of the most suitable staple foods for navigation.

Lorraine broke off a small piece, ate some by herself, rubbed it up and sprinkled it out for the pigeons to eat.

The pigeons quickly gathered around his bench, huddled together and cooed, so noisy that people couldn't concentrate on self pity.

Lorraine murmured to himself, "what else do you say? I can't even get on the boat right now. How can I get it?"

He laughed at himself, put away his bread and stood up, ready to make further efforts. Suddenly, he saw a lot of people gathered in the fountain, just like a vast number of pigeons around him.

A voice sounded in the middle of the crowd.

"Asia... The Artemis chamber of Commerce recruits senior sailors who can sail, and welcomes people who are interested in business to take shares! I have a ship! I have a big ship!"