1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 3853

Although Ning Qi was somewhat dissatisfied with the way the Ministry of National Defense was doing things, he shared the same position as the other members of the Executive Committee regarding the general direction of gradually eroding and replacing the Ming Dynasty, and he couldn't wait for this great undertaking to be completed as soon as possible.

Moreover, if this matter can be peacefully transitioned as the military has planned, avoiding the need for war between the two countries and the long recovery period after the war, it would indeed be a great thing for the country and its people.

Once the state apparatus is mobilized, the speed of implementation of related projects immediately increases several times over.

Various daily necessities were successively shipped from official granaries in various parts of the East China Sea region to Nanjing via the Yangtze River shipping route, in order to be released into the local market after the capture of Jiujiang and to stabilize possible price fluctuations.

Militia units from Zhenjiang, Yangzhou, and other areas were initially mobilized under the guise of long-distance training exercises, and subsequently assembled towards Nanjing. Their role was not to participate in subsequent military operations, but rather to replace the garrison troops in Nanjing and temporarily serve as a local security force during the operation.

Shi Diwen's original plan was to form a militia force in Nanjing to complete the task. However, due to the short timeframe, the newly recruited militia had only been trained for a month and was far from meeting the requirements for forming an army. Moreover, the number of militiamen was insufficient, so he ultimately had to rely on reinforcements from other regions.

Qin Jian, the official in charge of the Yanziji Wharf, was naturally extremely busy due to the recent surge in Yangtze River shipping volume. From the moment he opened his eyes in the morning until he closed them at night, he barely had a chance to sit down and rest. This hectic state reminded him of the time a few years ago when Nanjing had just changed hands, when the Yanziji Wharf was just as busy, sometimes even requiring working late into the night.

Qin Jian no longer had time to accompany Cheng Yunya to inspect real estate projects. He had to stay at the dock every day to ensure that all kinds of materials that had recently arrived could be loaded, unloaded and stored smoothly. Therefore, he had to hand over this task to Qu Deren.

Fortunately, Cheng Yunya's large-scale purchasing spree did not stop just because he changed his accomplices. He continued to buy land and real estate in Nanjing and the surrounding areas, as if he had endless money in his pocket.

Qu Deren managed to glean more information from Cheng Yunya, revealing that the real estate project he was responsible for purchasing was not solely owned by his backer, but rather the result of multiple commissions from various entities in Jiangxi. These included high-ranking officials from Jiujiang Prefecture, as well as well-informed and influential figures from other prefectures.

These people are all wealthy; what they lack is a channel to transfer and settle their assets in Nanjing. Therefore, Lufax, which has the most trade dealings with Haihan, became their spokesperson.

Of course, Cheng Yunya would also receive a considerable commission from the transactions as he ran errands in Nanjing. His backer's goal was to transfer assets as soon as possible, and he was not sensitive to prices and intermediary fees. This is why he did not care that Qin Jian and Qu Deren would make a profit through intermediaries. As long as things could be done as soon as possible, it was only natural for everyone to get what they needed.

Although this buying frenzy caused Nanjing's real estate prices to rise, the government was happy to see it happen. Besides being able to collect transaction taxes, Tao Hongfang and Shi Chengwu were well aware that this was a manifestation of a large influx of wealth into Nanjing.

The lavish spending of these powerful figures from the Ming Dynasty in Nanjing will inevitably stimulate the local economy to some extent. The government only needs to guide and control this spending appropriately, ensuring that the funds go where they are needed. Of course, the government will not easily allow foreign capital to participate in industries involving manufacturing and advanced technology. The areas where these funds from the Ming Dynasty can be invested, apart from buying houses and land, are mainly limited to agricultural production and traditional handicrafts.

Through Cheng Yunya's channels, Nanjing officials also conveyed this message to his financial backers, assuring them that their assets purchased in Nanjing would be recognized and protected by the government, and that they would not have to worry about being plundered during the chaos.

By mid-March, people from Jiangxi began secretly sending their families to Nanjing, seemingly foreshadowing an approaching moment of major upheaval. As long as one had established connections and made arrangements with the Haihan government, the process was usually smooth and without obstacles.

During this period, the Yanziji Wharf where Qin Jian was located also welcomed Cheng Yunya and the family of his backer boss—a fleet of six large ships.

Cheng Yunya had hired more than a dozen carriages in advance, and it took three trips to finally get all the people on the boat settled in various places inside and outside the city.

As for the large amount of cargo loaded on the ship, unloading would only begin after most of the passengers had left. After personally boarding the ship to inspect it, Qin Jian determined that it would take at least two days to unload all the cargo, so there was no need to keep an eye on it from there.

"Manager Cheng, this is quite a big move! Moving furniture is one thing, but why did you bring all the flowers, plants, and jars? Wouldn't it be more convenient to buy these things here in Nanjing?"

Upon hearing Qin Jian's question, Cheng Yunya couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He chuckled awkwardly and replied, "I did mention it before, but the old lady of my master's house said that these things are either family heirlooms or her most cherished possessions. Even if dynasties change, they can't be thrown away easily; they have to go with the person. My master is a famously filial son, so what can I do?"

"When the other families saw this, they followed suit and insisted on loading everything they could carry onto the boat. What else could they do? What could have been done in three boats ended up taking two."

Qin Jian said, "Loading and unloading goods is a minor matter, but such a high-profile relocation is likely to attract attention locally! If the news leaks out in advance, it may cause many inconveniences for the government!"

Cheng Yunya sighed and said, "Everyone knows this principle, but I don't think anyone in Jiangxi cares. After all, everyone knows that this day will come sooner or later. When the powerful and wealthy hear the news, they will definitely run away first. If ordinary people choose to leave their homes and flee, it is not necessarily much better than staying in the local area. Most of them can only leave it to fate."

Qin Jian remained silent. During the period when Yingtian Prefecture was captured by Haihan, he did indeed witness many locals fleeing in panic.

Nanjing at that time was exactly as Cheng Yunya had described: those who successfully escaped might not survive, and those who stayed in Nanjing might not necessarily perish. People like himself and Qu Deren had only risen to prominence after Hai Han took control of Nanjing, gaining wealth and honor they would never have dared to dream of before.