Chapter 163: To Establish a Fleet

"You guys are here," Lu Lin waved at the Qin Lang and Qin Ming.

"Magistrate Lu, you're always so kind!" Qin Ming cupped his hands and salute Lu Lin.

Lu Lin said with a lighthearted tone, "Mi and I happened to see them when we were taking a stroll on a street."

Qin Lang smiled and said to himself, 'His Lordship is always like this, he never wants to take any credit for any good deed he has done, everything is just a coincidence.'

"Plus I want to establish a fleet. I want them to publicize it for me. If there are a lot of people willing to join my fleet, it would be great."

"Magistrate Lu, what are you going to do with a fleet?" Qin Lang was confused.

"To have a fleet, of course, it's for business!"

Qin Ming touched his chin and said expectantly, "If you are really going to establish a fleet, don't you need a captain? Magistrate Lu, how about letting me be the captain?"

Qin Lang glared at Qin Ming, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Lu Lin waved his hand and said, "Lang, don't be too harsh on your brother."

Lu Lin looked at Qin Ming with a smile, "Very good, ambitious. He is a bad soldier who doesn't dream of becoming a general. You are absolutely right, I do need a captain for my fleet, but are you a good swimmer? Have you ever been on a boat?! Are you seasick?"

"Of course I won't get seasick," Qin Ming said without thinking.

Qin Lang glanced at his brother and stifled a laughter, "You haven't been on a boat yet. It's hard to say if you're seasick or not."

Qin Ming glanced at Qin Lang unhappily. He felt that his big brother should be talking him up.

Lu Lin looked at Qin Ming with interest and asked, "Why do you want to be the captain?"

"It sounds impressive, isn't it?" Qin Ming said with bright eyes.

Qin Lang glanced at Qin Ming and sighed in his heart that his little brother could be a bit naïve sometimes. Luckily, Magistrate Lu was not the kind of person who made a fuss over things.

Lu Lin nodded and said, "If you can drive a boat, you can swim, you don't get seasick, you don't mind managing the trifles of the fleet, I can hand over this matter to you!"

Qin Ming asked excitedly, "Really? That's great, Magistrate Lu, don't worry. I'll go learn to swim right away."

Qin Lang looked at Lu Lin and asked curiously, "Magistrate Lu, I heard that you've been looking for people to build something called dormitory, is that also for the purpose of setting up the fleet?"

Lu Lin nodded. "I heard that many fishers live on their boats. If they join my fleet, they can live in the dormitory I prepare for them."

Qin Lang smiled and said, "Magistrate Lu, I know you don't like to be called as a saint, but you are! Father, Ming and I used to live in caves in the mountain, I know how much people desire for reliable accommodation!"

Lu Lin lowered his head and said, "Don't flatter me, I'm not a saint, I just want to see a win-win situation."

......

"His Lordship wants to build a fleet?" Han Feng asked Qin Ming in surprise.

Knowing that Qin Ming was one of the most trusted subordinates of Lu Lin's, Han Feng was very respectful to Qin Ming. Han Xiao Zhou, a young boy, he was afraid of talking to Qin Ming at first. Buy Qin Ming was very approachable, and he always comforted and cheered Han Xiao Zhou up, so now Han Xiao Zhou enjoyed talking to Qin Ming.

Qin Ming nodded, "Yes, Magistrate Lu wants to organize a large fleet."

Han Feng was confused. "Why would His Lordship want to build a fleet?"

"Magistrate Lu plans to open a few restaurants here, so he needs fresh ingredients," Qin Ming said.

Han Feng was a little surprised. "Just because of that? You can always fresh materials in the fish market!"

Qin Ming thought to himself, 'His Lordship's mind is unfathomable. I really have no idea whether that's the only reason or not, or maybe he just wants to help out those fishmen?'

Qin Ming waved his hand and said, "His Lordship has his considerations. We don't have to know why."

Qin Ming took Han Feng to the seaside. Lu Lin enclosed a piece of land at the seaside and many people were busy building houses. Lu Lin had no problem looking for construction workers in Fish Cabin County.

"The houses are really well built!" said Han Feng.

Qin Ming smiled and said, "They do look good, don't they? These houses are called dormitory, they are for people who join the fleet. Fishermen who join the fleet can live on one of the dormitories, but they might have to share the room with someone else, each room will hold five to six people. They can apply for a private room if they have a family though."

Han Feng asked curiously, "What do you need to do to join the fleet?"

Qin Ming glanced at Han Feng and said, "After joining the fleet, you need to hand over twenty percent of the fish that you have fished. There will be an assessment every month. If you don't pay enough fish, you will be disqualified from staying in the dormitory."

Han Feng nodded and said, "Sounds fair!"

"We will record how much each fisherman has handed in, and the top ones can apply for their own dormitory as well," Qin Ming said.

Han Feng blinked and said, "That's such good news."

Qin Ming nodded and said, "Yes."

"Then, Brother Qin, can I join the fleet?"

Qin Ming nodded, "Yes, of course! However, I'm going to take the liberty to deduct Xiao Zhou's treatment fee first even though His Lordship didn't mention a thing, sounds fair?"

Han Feng hurriedly said, "Of course, of course. I was going to offer it anyways, I'm already deeply grateful for His Lordship's kindness, paying my debt what I should do."

"Perfect. Would you like to go back and ask your friends if they are willing to join the fleet?"

Han Feng nodded and said, "I will, but I'm afraid not many people are willing to come, we fishermen have our own circles."

Qin Ming nodded and said, "That's fine, it takes time to change people's mind."

Lu Lin was still new in the Fish Cabin county and people were not familiar with Lu Lin. They suddenly heard that Lu Lin wanted to build a fleet, so they probably wanted to wait and see in case they suffered losses.

If they were still in Sha County, all Magistrate Lu needed to do was to raise his hand and issue a rousing call, and then people would flock to them, elbowing their way through and pushing others aside to get the chance to work for Magistrate Lu.

......

With Han Feng's promotion, coupled with the temptation of housing on the shore, a few fishermen joined Lu Lin's fleet.

Most of the people who joined the fleet had young children at home. They were worried about the children with the arrival of rainy season.

Qin Ming walked into the county yamen with a bright smile on his face.

"You look happy! Is there some good news you want to share with me?" Seeing Qin Ming's smile, Lu Lin was intrigued.

"Your Lordship, I've learned swimming, and I found out that I'm not seasick."

Lu Lin blinked and said, "Really? You are very efficient!"

Qin Ming looked at Lu Lin curiously and said, "Your Lordship, then..."

Lu Lin held his chin and said, "If you have a way to make that group of fishermen listen to you, then of course you will be the captain."

Qin Ming nodded and said, "Well, I will work hard."

Lu Lin took out a flag.

"Your Lordship, what is this?"

Lu Lin put on a smug smile, "This is the carp flag, I asked someone to paint it for us, carp means good luck, have you heard of the saying 'Carp jumps over the dragon gate'? Anyone who joins our fleet can have a carp flag on their boat, which is easy for us to recognize."

Qin Ming nodded, "It makes sense! Your Lordship, you're so smart, I was thinking that how am I going to tell which boats belong to our fleet considering all boats look alike."

Lu Lin smiled smugly, "Way ahead of ya."

Qin Ming shook the flag and thought to himself, 'This flag is really beautiful! The fabric is thick yet soft, the carp looks vivid!"

......

Lu Lin built a row of two-story buildings by the lake. There were 12 rooms in each building. People who were willing to join his fleet and hand in certain amount of fish to him were qualified to love in the building.

Many fishers were tempted, but not a lot of them took actions.

"Lin, are you going to make a big ship?" Chen Xiao Mi walked into the house.

Lu Lin nodded, "Yeah, you heard about it? Come have a look at the sketch."

"A huge ship it is!" Chen Xiao Mi looked at the sketch and exclaimed.

Lu Lin nodded, "Yeah! In the future, if our fleet is big enough, we will need a pilot ship that leads the way!"

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "Awesome."

"How many fishers have joined?" asked Lu Lin.

"There are already eight families. The bunk beds you asked the craftsmen to build are now on the way to the dormitory."

Lu Lin called the building built by the sea a dormitory, but no one knew what the dormitory was. They called the two buildings the fisherman's temporary residence.

Lu Lin nodded and said, "That's very efficient, hopefully the fishermen like them."

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "I think they will, those beds are very practical!"

Lu Lin held his chin and thought, "Bunk beds is one of the greatest inventions to save space and rent!"

......

In the fisherman's dormitory.

"Father, I'll sleep on the upper bed," Han Xiao Zhou looked very interested in the upper bed.

Han Feng glanced at Han Xiao Zhou and said, "Are you sure? What if you keep rolling and fall down? I think we better let me take the upper bed."

Han Xiao blinked and said, "Father, I'll pay attention to it. You're too heavy, taking the upper bed isn't a good idea."

Han Feng glared at Han Xiao Zhou and scolded, "You little brat, who is heavy?"

Han Xiao Zhou climbed to the upper bed and lay down excitedly. "Don't worry, father, the upper bed isn't that high, I won't hurt myself."

Seeing how excited Han Xiao Zhou was, Han Feng decided to let it go.

"Father, will we stay in this building now?"

Han Feng touched Han Xiao Zhou's forehead and said, "I hope so."

Qin Ming said that His Lordship was serious about building a fleet, Han Feng was determined to work hard and earn a spot in the dormitory building.

Han Xiao Zhou said excitedly, "That's great."

The fishermen's children always yearned for a normal lifestyle, Han Xiao Zhou was so looking forward to a new chapter in life.

Han Feng sighed and said, "This is just a temporary place to stay. It's still difficult to have our own place. But I will definitely work hard and stand out in the fleet, Qin Ming said that there is a chance to own this dormitory if I perform well."