Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 656 The New King of Hua

There are many theories about the reasons for the founding of the United States, but for Jia Lian, the most plausible reason is that the country no longer wanted to pay taxes to the British government.

After the United States gained independence, South America also became turbulent, with Haiti firing the first shot in 1810. Yes, that Haiti, the one where people ate dirt.

Jia Lian dared not be careless in diplomatic matters. After receiving the report, he quickly went to the Court of State Ceremonial to find out the situation.

I learned after asking that the US delegation traveled through Europe, bypassed Africa, and then went to Southeast Asia. Their ship arrived in Guangzhou two weeks ago, and they are currently in quarantine.

This quarantine period was created by Jia Lian. Europeans are traveling all over the world; what if they bring cholera or some other plague?

This set of hygiene and epidemic prevention strategies was also formulated by Jia Lian.

The College of Engineering now has specialized departments of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Surgery, which have been built up little by little over the years, and it hasn't been easy.

Upon receiving the news, the US mission's ship, after being specially cleaned, should have set sail again for Tianjin.

The sea journey from Guangzhou to Tianjin takes anywhere from half a month to twenty days.

In response, Jia Lian summoned a group of officials from the Court of State Ceremonial and spoke with them about the situation in the United States.

"These people are ungrateful, immoral, and untrustworthy. It would be better to drive them away and settle the matter." The Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial couldn't help but complain after hearing Jia Lian's words.

A group of officials clamored, accusing the United States of being a shameless barbarian nation.

Jia Lian gestured for calm and said, “Diplomacy is a matter of national dignity. Foreign countries come from afar, and we have no grudges against them. We should treat them with courtesy. We must not lose the dignity of a nation of etiquette. I am telling you all this to remind you to see clearly who these people are. Don’t let their sweet words fool you into believing they have treacherous ambitions. In short, be polite and respectful, neither arrogant nor servile, and do not harm the nation.”

After everyone agreed, Jia Lian left. Following this, the Court of State Ceremonial reached a consensus regarding the reception arrangements, granting the US delegation a minimum standard of treatment.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the United States believed that Britain was too busy to attend to Canada, which is why it dared to send troops to attack. However, it was counterattacked and the White House was burned down.

At that time, the United States had only been established for a few decades and was still very weak, which shows its ambitious nature.

After that, the United States stopped eyeing Canada and instead embarked on its westward expansion, gradually increasing its territory and growing stronger.

The turmoil in Europe brought a large influx of European people to the United States, which was one of the reasons for the country's rapid rise.

The westward expansion movement originated from the "Proposal for the Concession of Western Lands in Virginia" by the third president, Jefferson, in 178, and culminated in Lincoln's Homestead Act.

This lasted for almost a century, until the Native Americans were driven into reservations. If we're being precise, we can go back even further to the British colonial period.

It will take time to contain it at this stage, which is causing Jia Lian a lot of headaches at home. The key issue is population; a small population really won't do.

Assembling a large fleet to travel to the new Chinese colonies is not difficult, but what about the necessary colonial supplies? Even if the supplies could be transported, what about the cost?

It should be understood that without the support of the imperial court, it would be difficult for the Xue family business to grow to its current scale on its own.

The only option is to wait until the gold mines in Australia are depleted, then have fleets returning from the United States carry more gold and encourage a spontaneous gold rush among the people.

In summary, a multi-pronged approach was adopted. First, the immigration process was intensified; second, the transportation of supplies was increased; and third, efforts were made to establish friendly relations with the indigenous people and to arm them as much as possible.

Therefore, we should try our best to send retired soldiers there, and also appoint leaders of several colonies.

It's a pity I can't go there in person!
Just as Jia Lian was racking his brains about how to quickly expand the Xinhua colony, it was like a pillow being handed to someone who was about to fall asleep.

Three days later, Jia Lian went to work. As soon as he arrived at the research and development office, a palace attendant came to summon him to attend a meeting of the Imperial Cabinet.

Following the eunuch to the venue, Jia Lian arrived before the Emperor. Lin Ruhai and other cabinet ministers had already arrived. After greeting them one by one, Jia Lian noticed that he was not a cabinet minister and was the only one there. So he discreetly found a seat in a corner.

Before long, Li Yuan arrived, and everyone rose to greet him. After the ceremony, the Emperor took his seat and said, "The Prince of Luo has submitted a memorial; please give me your opinion."

Everyone present was given a copy, including Jia Lian. After reading it, he realized that Li Heng had an idea.

What were his thoughts? He was probably too comfortable (or depressed) staying in Luoyang, so he specially submitted a memorial requesting permission to serve as the king's vanguard and expand the territory, etc.

After everyone read it, their expressions turned solemn, and they remained silent.

This raises a question: Li Heng is a prince. If he were to go to the frontier to expand the territory, he would need to have troops under his command, right?

How many soldiers should we give them? Too many might lead to rebellion, too few might cause trouble.

The emperor could have handled it directly without going through the cabinet, but the fact that it's being discussed in a cabinet meeting indicates external pressure.

This pressure could come from the Empress Dowager, princes, members of the imperial clan, and so on. Most importantly, what is the emperor's true intention: is he using the cabinet to oppose him, or to use it to support him?
After all, the cabinet had previously advocated sending Li Heng to the Western Regions, but due to various concerns, Li Heng eventually went to Luoyang.

Seeing that the cabinet ministers remained silent, Li Yuan took the initiative to say, "When my father was alive, he encouraged the princes to expand the country's territory. Now that the Prince of Luo has such ambitions, I cannot stop him."

Jia Lian sat in the corner, quietly pondering Li Yuan's words. Times had changed. When the new emperor first ascended the throne, he was naturally filled with anxiety, fearing unforeseen complications. Therefore, he placed Li Heng in Luoyang to keep an eye on him and prevent further trouble. Now that Li Yuan had secured his position, Li Heng posed little threat, and the situation was entirely different.

The key question is whether this memorial was written by Li Yuan or Li Heng.

"What, do you gentlemen have no opinions?" Li Yuan's tone changed subtly as he spoke. You should know that these cabinet ministers usually talk endlessly in meetings.

Lin Ruhai looked at Li Qing first, but the man ducked away. Fang Song and Yue Qi behind him also ducked away, while Pan Jixun simply dozed off. Jia Lian said, "Forget it, there's already a rift between us, let's not escalate the conflict."

"Your Majesty, this is a matter of imperial authority, and everything should be decided solely by His Majesty." Lin Ruhai had no choice but to stand up and speak since no one else was speaking.

Seeing Lin Ru's words, Li Yuan did not answer immediately, but instead looked at Jia Lian with a smile and said, "Minister Jia, do you have any insightful opinions?"

The moment Jia Lian was called out, everyone perked up and looked over, some even gloating. Saying the wrong thing in this situation could have dire consequences.

Jia Lian had not intended to express his opinion, but being called upon suddenly gave him an idea. He felt it was an opportunity, so he calmly stood up, clasped his hands, and said, "Since Your Majesty has called upon me, it would be disrespectful not to speak. I will humbly say a few words, and if there are any errors or omissions, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Li Yuan smiled and said, "Please speak freely, my dear minister, I will not blame you."

Jia Lian then continued, "The Prince of Luo's memorial aligns with the late Emperor's will. If we do not approve it, it may invite criticism from the people. If we approve it, where would be the safest place to go?"

After a pause, everyone was appreciating the word "prudent" in Jia Lian's words and couldn't help but secretly praise him, for it was indeed so.

“Currently, on each of our borders, there is the King of Xining in the west, the King of Mobei in the north, and the King of Dongping in the east. As for the South Seas, it is inappropriate and unsafe to have a dedicated Minister of the South Seas under the direct jurisdiction of the court. After careful consideration, only the new Chinese colony across the ocean is the most suitable. I am writing this humble opinion, please do not laugh at it.” Jia Lian finished speaking and sat down.

Li Yuan was stunned, while the other cabinet ministers all showed signs of interest.

They knew about this new Chinese colony. They didn't know exactly how far away the other side of the ocean was, but they all had the concept that it would take a year to get there.

Even if we underestimate it, it's still over 10,000 kilometers, but in reality it's far more than that; the straight-line distance is already 10,000 kilometers.

The key point is that since the prince has corresponding benefits, if we really want to send him over, we must at least provide him with a small fleet, at least three thousand elite troops, and no less, otherwise it wouldn't make sense.

The problem is, given that it's so far away, who would be the right person to send?

Li Yuan was indeed tempted. Li Heng's identity was too special. If he was not handled properly, he would be in a very passive position. He couldn't afford to be seen as an emperor who couldn't tolerate his own brother, could he?

"Please explain in more detail, sir." Li Yuan subconsciously changed his form of address, but no one noticed, as they were all looking at Jia Lian, waiting for his answer.

"Your Majesty has done the calculations. First, the escort fleet must consist of no fewer than twelve third-tier battleships. Including other auxiliary vessels, at least thirty auxiliary vessels of various types are needed to ensure the fleet's combat effectiveness. Second, Prince Luo is a prince, and his guard must number no fewer than three thousand. Including accompanying personnel, transport ships, and logistical supply ships, a total of thirty merchant ships are required. The fleet can be drawn from the South Seas Fleet, and the merchant ships can be hired from the civilian population. After arriving at the Xinhua colony, Xinhua Prefecture can be established, and Li Heng can be made the King of Xinhua."

Jia Lian's words were simple, but in reality, they were quite complex. Upon successful arrival at the Xinhua colony, the fleet and auxiliary ships could choose to remain or leave, while the merchant ships, hired from the civilian population, would naturally depart.

Because they were taking the North American route, they could have joined up with the Xue family's private fleet, which would have been a massive fleet of over a hundred ships, not just the seventy-two.

How many people can be transported on this trip? I dare not say ten thousand, but there will definitely be seven or eight thousand.

Furthermore, with Li Heng as a vassal king in the new Chinese colony in North America, the imperial court certainly couldn't ignore him, so it couldn't be a one-time investment.

For Li Yuan, doing so was naturally very beneficial. What threat could the King of Xinhua, thousands of miles away, possibly pose? Out of sight, out of mind, right?

As for the subsequent investment, it was worthwhile. The most important thing is that one potential threat to the throne has been eliminated.

For an emperor, nothing else matters as long as it's related to consolidating his throne.

Li Yuan looked at Jia Lian with satisfaction, thinking to himself: "The master truly understands me."

In fact, Li Yuan had considered sending Li Heng to the Western Regions, but how to put it? Although the Western Regions were also far away, there was always the King of Xining and the King of Mobei. What if something happened in the Central Plains and the three forces were vying for the throne? The Xinhua Colony was different. It was far away and a remote, impoverished place. If someone was sent there, they would be surrounded by barbarians, and it would be harder than climbing to heaven to take them back.

"What you say makes sense, sir. Then I entrust this matter to you in full authority!" Li Yuan was satisfied and decided to leave the matter to his own discretion.

Jia Lian did not agree immediately, but continued, "The fleet will escort the ships to the Xinhua colony and stay there for two years. Then, a fleet will be sent from Southeast Asia to rotate. This matter must be made clear to the fleet officers and soldiers. Furthermore, the fleet officers and soldiers escorting the ships on this trip will be considered as going on an expedition, and the expenses must not be shortchanged."

Li Yuan instantly understood Jia Lian's meaning: rotating the fleet every two years would ensure that the fleet would not be subdued by Li Heng, which was also a precaution against Li Heng.

"Approved! You can handle this matter as you see fit, sir. The Imperial Treasury can provide five million taels of silver for the necessary expenses. How much can the Ministry of Revenue contribute?" Li Yuan was very straightforward, wishing Li Heng would be fired tomorrow. After generously allocating funds from the Imperial Treasury, he turned to Li Qing and asked, "The Ministry of Revenue will also have to contribute. Don't expect the Imperial Treasury to pay for everything."

Li Qing remained silent for a moment before saying, "The Ministry of Revenue can also contribute five million yuan."

Li Yuan was very generous this time, saying, "Let's each contribute ten million first. If it's not enough, you can ask for more details, sir."

At this point, Jia Lian had nothing more to say: "Your humble servant obeys."

After taking his leave, Jia Lian immediately summoned his advisors to make a plan. Three days later, the plan was finalized and submitted to the emperor. After the emperor's approval, a special account was set up. Once the funds from the Ministry of Revenue and the imperial treasury were transferred in, Jia Lian asked the emperor for an imperial edict, as mobilizing troops without an edict was a serious crime.

After receiving the imperial edict, Jia Lian sent a copy of the plan to Luoyang by train. After seeing the imperial approval, Li Heng submitted a memorial of thanks and prepared a thousand people to accompany him, as well as related supplies.

The departure point is chosen to be Tianjin Port, Songjiang Prefecture. The preparation period for this matter is relatively long, and it is scheduled to depart in March or April of next year.

The required supplies are numerous, including military equipment, tea, soybeans, alcohol, dry rations, and cotton cloth—each item is in high demand.

While Jia Lian was making preparations, the military was also required to allocate 3,000 soldiers without any ties to the prince's guard, as requested by Jia Lian. If the number was insufficient, orphans could be recruited from the civilian population for a period of training.

Those in the military who have no ties can become officers, and once selected, they are gathered together to learn strategies for leading troops.

In short, one must look glamorous and flawless.

Meanwhile, the Xue family trading company began stockpiling goods and preparing a fleet in Nagasaki Port, planning to send immigrants and goods there next year.

Li Yuan would summon Jia Lian every few days to inquire about the progress.

Through the conversation, Jia Lian implied to Li Yuan that even if Li Heng went to the Xinhua colony and became the King of Xinhua, it would probably just be a figurehead, not much different from when he was in Luoyang.

The Xinhua colony already had thousands of local colonists who had settled there beforehand. Over the course of five years, Li Heng was isolated before departure, and after setting sail, he had no contact with anyone other than his fellow shipmates. Upon arriving at the Xinhua colony, he naturally had little to accomplish. After all, he was a prince; in Luoyang he raised pigs, and in the Xinhua colony, he simply continued raising pigs.

In conclusion, even after arriving in the Xinhua colony, Li Heng could not compare with the King of Xining, the King of Mobei, or the King of Dongping.

They are not even as good as the royal family of Annam. Or rather, it was because of the royal family of Annam that the late emperor chose to establish the position of Prime Minister of the Southern Seas.

(End of this chapter)