"Word has it that you and Hu Zongxian are running a fleet together?"
After eating for a while and drinking a few cups of wine, Hai Rui raised the question.
There was no such thing as a wall that did not leak. Once Zhao Zhenji had learned of it earlier, it meant that the entire upper circle already knew. Now even an official of Hai Rui's rank had heard about it, which meant the news had spread far and wide—and that trouble was coming...
Before Wang Yan could answer, Hai Rui continued, "When I first came to the capital and you went to Tongzhou to receive ships, were you receiving the things Hu Zongxian had sent to His Majesty?"
Wang Yan nodded with a smile. "What else have you heard?"
Hai Rui shook his head, and Wang Yongji took over. "Ziyan, I've heard a few things. Before the New Year, Generals Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang came to see you at the Shuntian Prefecture yamen. Some say the two generals have also joined the fleet you and Hu Zongxian run."
"They're all our own people. Since word has already spread this far, there's no harm in telling you."
Wang Yan said, "I wanted goods from overseas, Hu Zongxian wanted to save his life, and His Majesty wanted silver. I was the one who brought it all together. After the matter was settled, the factory guards raided several wealthy households in Zhejiang and seized their seagoing ships. Qi Jiguang selected some new recruits and trained them as sailors and naval troops, while weapons and equipment were transferred in from various sources. Then they began maritime trade with Nanyang.
"Yu Dayou joined after being transferred to serve as Guangdong's commander-in-chief. His Majesty ordered him to train naval forces, which meant supervising the