1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 3955

Chen Pingliao replied with a smile, "Those two families sent people over one by one. How can that be as effective as Uncle Shi personally going to the local area to investigate? Besides, this year you are sending another batch of talents with their own funds to provide support. If Commander Qian is going to remember the benefits, he will definitely remember your side more."

The one who went from Guangdong and Guangxi naturally refers to Li Yuande, who represented Furuifeng. The one who went to the Special Operations Division from Fujian last year was Xu Kaisheng, the nephew of the current Fujian governor, Xu Yuzhuo. Of course, Xu Kaisheng was not the only official from Fujian stationed at the Special Operations Division. Dong Shangyi went even earlier and had established connections with the Xu family in Fujian long ago.

Of course, these younger men sent from various places to serve Qian Tiandun were far less influential than the Indian Ocean trip that Shi Diwen personally made last year.

Last year, three high-ranking officials, Shi Diwen, Gao Huan, and Tian Yeyou, represented the Executive Committee on a months-long inspection tour of the Middle East, returning home at the end of the year. Many of the cooperation projects between the Special Operations Division and the East China Sea Region were likely agreed upon by Shi and Qian in person during that time, and only began to be implemented this year.

Chen Pingliao even suspected that the radical operational plan for the special operations division might have already been discussed with Shi Diwen at the time. Shi Diwen's understanding of the relevant situation might even be better than his own, which was why he was so concerned about the development plan for the special operations division.

Shi Diwen naturally wouldn't reveal his trump cards to this junior. The reason he summoned Chen Pingliao today was to find out how much support the Northern Region would provide to the Special Operations Division, so as to use it as a reference for his next move.

Now, regions that have established deep cooperative relationships with the special operations division have basically sent representatives to the area, partly to work for Qian Tiandun, and partly to protect their own interests.

With money and manpower, the Northern Region will certainly not lag behind. What Shi Diwen is really interested in is what kind of people Chen Yixin plans to send to the Special Forces Division for permanent deployment.

Chen Pingliao did not hide anything from this and frankly told the truth: "My father is planning to send me to Fubo Port, and also to take this opportunity to gain some experience overseas."

Shi Diwen nodded slightly and said, "It's a good thing for young people to go out and explore. When your father was your age, he was already a high-ranking official in charge of a region. Nowadays, there aren't many opportunities to make a difference in the north, so going overseas to make a name for yourself is a shortcut."

Shi Diwen remained calm on the surface, but in his heart he was thinking that Chen Yixin did not seem to intend to stay in one place forever. Sending Chen Pingliao to the Middle East was obviously a way of hoping that he could make a name for himself under Qian Tiandun.

Shi Diwen said in a deep voice, "I recently received a report that a fleet from the north has arrived in Zhoushan. They should be going to sail west with you, right?"

Chen Pingliao nodded in agreement, "That's right. In addition, there may be a few more warships arriving in Zhoushan soon, which will also set sail with my nephew."

Given Chen Pingliao's status and position, it's impossible for him to go alone to work for Qian Tiandun; he would inevitably bring a large amount of supplies and accompanying personnel. It's reasonable for Chen Yixin to dispatch an elite escort team for his safety. At the very least, it's necessary to ensure that Chen Pingliao has a readily available and easily controllable armed force once he arrives in the area.

Seeing that Chen Pingliao was sincere and did not hide anything, Shi Diwen then told him about his experiences during his trip to the Middle East last year.

The customs and cultures of the Indian Ocean coast and the Middle East are completely different from those of East Asia, where Haihan resides. Those who haven't been there firsthand can hardly imagine the local environment, and Chen Pingliao was no exception. The strange things Shi Diwen described were incredibly novel to him, far surpassing the dry descriptions in internal reference materials. This conversation lasted for an hour or two before Shi Diwen finally finished, picked up his teacup to moisten his throat, and asked Chen Pingliao, "So, what are your thoughts after hearing all this?"

Chen Pingliao replied with lingering enthusiasm, "The special operations division is so far from the mainland, and the available resources there are so limited. Building ports and colonies there is truly an impossible task!"

Shi Diwen nodded and commented, "Back then, when the special forces division advanced into Shandong and landed in Liaodong, although they were surrounded by powerful enemies and under tremendous pressure, they had a steady stream of reinforcements and a large number of civilians available for conscription. Their situation was far better than it is now. I really admire Qian Tiandun for being able to achieve such a great feat in the Middle East!"

Chen Pingliao sighed, "Given General Qian's merits, it is indeed reasonable for the Executive Committee to reward him with an overseas region!"

Shi Diwen, now a member of the Executive Committee, smiled and said, "Once the Special Forces Division takes over the Suez region, the establishment of the region will be a natural outcome. At that time, Qian Tiandun's jurisdiction will cover almost the entire Indian Ocean, much larger than the South China Sea, and he will have the autonomy to conscript soldiers, collect taxes, and appoint and dismiss officials. This can be considered a significant reward for his decades of fighting abroad."

Chen Pingliao nodded secretly. This treatment was basically no different from that of several major regions in the country, which was in line with Qian Tiandun's merits and status.

In fact, if Qian Tiandun hadn't had the idea of ​​going overseas to develop his business and had stayed in the north, he would have become a high-ranking official long ago, and most likely, like Shi Diwen and Chen Yixin, he would have become a member of the executive committee.

The treatment of the regional governor will have to wait a while longer, until the special forces division takes over Suez. It can be said that good things take time.

Shi Diwen said, "Qian Tiandun and I have fought side by side for decades. Although we are far apart now, we must continue to maintain this friendship. If he needs anything else, you can let me know when you get there. I will do my best to help in any way I can."

Chen Pingliao replied, "Uncle Shi, you are too kind. I will definitely pass on your message to Commander Qian."

Chen Pingliao naturally understood that Shi Diwen's words were not unfounded. The friendly attitude he expressed to Qian Tiandun was certainly not without expectation of return, but there was no need to say it to a junior like himself. It was enough for Qian Tiandun to know.

Chen Pingliao guessed that in the future, when the special operations division's jurisdiction becomes a new overseas region, Qian Tiandun's influence in Haihan will rise to another level. Even if he does not join the nine-person executive committee, he will have enough power to influence the selection of the executive committee during the reshuffle.

Chen Pingliao's father, Chen Yixin, is undoubtedly a figure strongly supported by Qian Tiandun. If Shi Diwen can cultivate a good relationship with Qian Tiandun and become his political ally, it would be equivalent to having the support of three major regions, making his seat on the Executive Committee virtually guaranteed. Qian Tiandun would also thus retain two allies on the Executive Committee, making it a win-win situation.

(End of this chapter)