1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 3829

Almost without exception, Tao Hongfang opposed Shi Chengwu's previous proposals to increase the number of recruits in Nanjing, maintain a larger garrison, and establish the Yangtze River Fleet.

Tao Hongfang believed that these military expansion measures would consume a large amount of Nanjing's limited financial resources, and that annexing Ming territory through war was not a good strategy and would bring many negative consequences.

For example, the influx of tens of thousands of war refugees into Nanjing earlier had thrown the newly appointed Tao Hongfang and Shi Chengwu into a state of extreme chaos. If it weren't for the large amount of personnel and supplies provided from the rear to assist Nanjing in managing and resettling the refugees, they probably wouldn't have been able to get through this first hurdle smoothly.

Moreover, the war was extremely costly. Even though Shi Chengwu's small-scale operation to capture Liuhe and Jiangpu counties on the north bank of the Yangtze River was accomplished with almost no effort, the military expenses and supplies consumed by the troops had already strained the supply of money and food in Nanjing.

Conquering a prefecture or territory with Haihan's military might is certainly within their grasp, but the numerous problems that arise from this are issues that Tao Hongfang, the governor, must confront. These are precisely the aspects that Shi Chengwu hadn't previously paid much attention to. This is precisely where the disagreement between the two arose.

However, now that Shi Chengwu has proposed a plan to use non-military means, Tao Hongfang is certainly not one to stick to old ways. If Shi Chengwu's plan is indeed feasible and can truly drive the next round of territorial expansion, then he would naturally be happy to see it succeed.

Although it is unknown how the people in Hangzhou managed to get Yue Shizong to cooperate, judging from the list that was supposedly compiled and provided by Yue Shizong himself, this matter is definitely not fake.

Haihan employed numerous methods to bribe and subvert Ming officials, and indeed, many within the Ming court harbored thoughts of switching sides. However, the prerequisite was establishing contact and building initial mutual trust before discussing subsequent cooperation terms.

This requires a reliable person whom both sides can trust to act as a bridge. Yue Shizong, as a secretary in the Ministry of Rites, has connections in both countries. In particular, he has access to high-ranking officials in Haihan, which can effectively reduce communication barriers between the two sides. This makes him very suitable to play the role of a middleman.

As for how effective Yue Shizong's long-distance lobbying was in persuading several officials to join him in serving Haihan, that couldn't be achieved solely through his personal efforts. To a large extent, it also required the Haihan government to provide attractive conditions and apply appropriate pressure at the right time.

Tao Hongfang understood that this favorable situation was not accidental, but rather an opportunity for meritorious service tailored specifically for the two of them, or more precisely, for Shi Chengwu, by high-ranking figures.

As for why Shi Chengwu didn't keep all the benefits to himself, Tao Hongfang could certainly guess the reason. Putting aside the fact that the two were already military and political partners, as long as he was brought on board, not only would the opposition and resistance during the implementation process be reduced, but he could also leverage his father Tao Donglai's influence to garner more support from the executive committee.

However, Tao Hongfang was always cautious. Although he was tempted, he did not immediately agree to Shi Chengwu's request. Instead, he first proposed a condition to him: "Whether this matter is feasible or not, I think it remains to be seen. Let Yue Shizong take the lead. If he can really make some breakthroughs, it will not be too late for us to follow up."

Shi Chengwu said, "Hongfang, you probably don't understand the current situation. Yue Shizong is a pawn that can be used in more places than just Jiangxi. If we hold onto him and don't make a move, others won't just wait idly; they might just move him elsewhere!" Hearing this, Tao Hongfang simply asked directly, "Turning Yue Shizong into a defection was probably your father's idea, wasn't it? This pawn is actually in his hands now; it won't be so easily taken away by someone else, will it?"

Shi Chengwu said, "If we turn an official of Yue Shizong's rank to the side, the report will definitely be submitted to the Executive Committee for the senior officials to review. If we delay, someone else might try to take advantage of him. Can my father keep this pawn in his hands forever?"

Tao Hongfang thought it made sense. Yue Shizong's connections were certainly not limited to Jiangxi. If high-ranking officials in Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi, which are also adjacent to Jiangxi, heard this news, they would certainly not let Yue Shizong, this pawn, be left idle. If they really had to ask Shi Diwen for him, they would probably be too embarrassed to refuse.

Tao Hongfang asked, "So when do you plan to start?"

Shi Chengwu said, "As for Yue Shizong's side, the sooner the better, since correspondence takes a lot of time. As for military preparations, it will be difficult to see results in a short time, so there's no need to rush it in the next few days."

Shi Chengwu repeatedly mentioned military preparations, and Tao Hongfang understood that the other party was hinting that if he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to make contributions and receive rewards, he would have to offer some conditions in exchange, such as making concessions in certain areas that Shi Chengwu insisted on.

Tao Hongfang said, "Chengwu, you mentioned to me before that you wanted to expand the militia to serve as a reserve force. In wartime, it can be used to maintain supply lines and also serve as a security force. I've thought about it and I think it's a good idea. We can start working on it slowly."

Shi Chengwu finally smiled and said, "I knew you were a reasonable person. I'll get the recruitment process going and try to recruit enough soldiers this spring."

Tao Hongfang said, "But I think we need to wait until the conditions are more mature before you start building the Yangtze River Fleet. After all, we don't have a large shipyard with the necessary conditions, nor do we have enough funding for shipbuilding."

Shi Chengwu said, "There's no need to rush the Yangtze River Fleet. I went back to Hangzhou a few days ago and discussed this matter with my father. He will coordinate the relevant resources and first transfer a batch of old ships and soon-to-be-retired personnel from the East China Sea Fleet to help build the framework of the Yangtze River Fleet. Other resources can be added gradually."

"But one thing is certain: if we want to control Jiangxi, an armed fleet will still be indispensable. The Poyang Lake area and the Gan River basin will not be able to function without a naval presence."

This time, Tao Hongfang did not raise any objections, because he knew that Shi Chengwu was indeed right. If Shi Chengwu could solve the funding needed to establish the Yangtze River Fleet without relying on local government subsidies for military expenditures, he would certainly be happy to see it happen.

However, the time required to build a fleet is often measured in years. Even with Stevin's support and help, it is hard to say how much the time can be shortened. In short, it is not a goal that can be achieved in a short time.