Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 609 The Dawn of Peace (Part 1)

On September 5, 1644, the rising sun pierced through the thin mist that often hung over Shixing Bay, casting golden rays onto the busy waterways.

In the morning light, seagulls circled among the masts, emitting clear cries.

A flat-bottomed transport ship fully loaded with high-quality coal from the province (now Nanaimo) is slowly entering the dock of the port of Beacon (now Victoria Harbour).

The ship was drafted deep, and the black coal shimmered with a metallic luster in the sunlight.

Almost simultaneously, on the other side of the dock, ore ships from Iron Sand Island (Texas Island) were unloading reddish-brown iron ore. Huge steam buckets rose and fell, making a clanging sound that echoed in the bay in the early morning.

The air is filled with the unique smell of sea salt, coal dust, and industrial soot. This is Xinhua Bay—the beating heart of the Republic of China in Xinzhou—awakening at another morning.

Xinhua Bay has both a broad and a narrow geographical area.

In a narrower sense, it refers to the former Xinhua Bay (also known as Puget Sound) settlement area, which included the four counties of Haiyan (now Everett), Xuanhan (now Seattle), Fuan (now Tacoma), and Ninghai (now Olympia).

In a broader sense, it encompasses not only the aforementioned regions but also surrounding areas such as Qiming Island (present-day Vancouver Island) and Jinchuan (present-day Vancouver and surrounding areas).

Since its establishment, Xinhua has undergone tremendous changes in this bay area, which was once covered with primeval forests, after nearly 20 years of development and management.

This place is home to 75% of the nation's population (by the end of 1643, Xinhua's population had reached 550,000) and 90% of its industrial economy, forming an unprecedented concentration of people and making it the undisputed core headquarters of the New Continent Chinese Republic.

Along the winding coastline, more than ten industrial towns with populations exceeding three thousand are strung together like pearls.

The dock area of ​​Shixing Port was bustling with people. Copper ingots, grains and precious metals from Yongjia (Aberni Port), furs and timber from various parts of the north were loaded, unloaded and traded here.

On the dock, workers carrying goods shouted in unison, well-dressed merchants haggled loudly, and clerks recording documents scribbled furiously at makeshift wooden tables, creating a bustling scene.

Not far away, in the shipyards of Shixing and Shaowu, the sounds of sawing and hammering could be heard incessantly. Several thousand-ton ocean-going sailing ships and hundreds-ton steamships were already taking shape on the slipway. They would become the transportation links connecting this vast bay area and even the colonization points to the south and north in the future.

The industrial chain was closely linked here. Coal mines in Fenzhou and Hejiang were continuously transported to factories in Shixing and Guangfeng (now Sanich City) by frequent short-haul transport ships; iron mines on Tiesha Island (now Tekesida Island) and copper mines in Yongjia were smelted into materials in several smelters that spewed thick smoke day and night.

Some of these metals were supplied directly to local machine shops and shipyards, while others were transported by ships to workshops throughout the bay area, where they were processed into machine parts, hardware, guns, and even everyday items.

The bountiful harvests from the Jinchuan River (now Fraser River) delta fed the growing urban population; the sturdy logs felled from the forests were sent to sawmills to be transformed into building materials and shipbuilding supplies.

The abundant salmon resources in the bay area have become a source of inexpensive protein for the local people, supporting the reproduction of the labor force.

The bustling traffic is the best testament to the vibrancy of this place. On the sea, all kinds of ships shuttle back and forth, from huge ocean-going immigrant ships and powerful steam barges to nimble fishing boats and traditional three-masted sailing ships, tightly weaving together the various nodes of the bay area.

The air was filled with the sounds of ship horns, the friction of sails and cables, and the hustle and bustle of the dock.

Inland, horse-drawn carriages were constantly traveling on the roads connecting major towns. Although the well-maintained highways were not yet a network, they had already begun to undertake heavy transportation tasks between several core industrial cities.

The abundance of resources, the concentration of industries, and the prosperity of the population have combined to create the unparalleled prosperity and bustle of Xinhua Bay.

This place is not only the administrative center of the Republic, but also its most vital economic lifeline and industrial engine.

The highly concentrated industrial chain and massive industrial productivity mean that almost all the nation's strength is concentrated here. Every blast furnace combustion and every shipyard launch injects strong momentum into this young country, propelling it to "grow upwards and develop stronger" towards a wider space along the Pacific coast.

When Alonso Pablo Garza arrived at Shixing Port aboard the "MRT-2" express ferry, he was greeted by a bustling scene he had never imagined.

“Mr. Garza, we are about to arrive at Shixing Port.” A steady voice sounded beside him.

The speaker was Hudno, a well-mannered Hispanic officer in his twenties who had accompanied him since departing from Acapulco.

He wore a well-fitting navy blue army uniform with gleaming buttons, and a polite smile on his face that was neither obsequious nor arrogant.

Alonso turned around, trying to suppress the shock in his heart, and replied with a smile: "Mr. Hudner, this place... is more... prosperous than I imagined."

The air above the port was filled with a complex mix of smells—the salty tang of the sea, the sulfurous odor of burning coal, the acrid smell of metal rubbing together, a faint scent of wood, and… a vibrant, unique aroma that belonged to a place where industry and people congregate.

This smell was unlike anything he had smelled in any port in New Spain, where there was more rotting organic matter, untreated sewage, and the sour stench of crowded people.

Here, though equally busy, even more bustling, there is a strange blend of order and power.

“This is the largest port in Xinhua Bay and the political and economic center of Xinhua,” Hudno said calmly, but with a hint of pride. “No fewer than fifty ships travel through this bay every day. What Mr. Garza saw was just the most ordinary sight here.”

“A common sight…” Alonso repeated softly, his heart churning again.

He recalled the journey of more than a month, from the port of Acapulco, and all that he had seen and heard as he sailed north.

The Garsa family had been secretly smuggling with the new Chinese for over a decade, and this trade did not completely cease even during the war.

The family's internal assessment report repeatedly emphasized that this emerging nation possessed remarkable production capabilities, capable of manufacturing everything from exquisite hardware tools and durable woolen and cotton fabrics to powerful artillery and large warships.

They knew that the new Chinese had effectively controlled the vast coastline north of California and were a formidable adversary and "partner."

They also possessed a powerful army that repeatedly defeated the Spanish colonial forces on the battlefield, pushing the entire Spanish American colonial authorities into an extremely difficult and desperate situation.

However, what Xinhua witnessed firsthand in its home country was far more impactful than any imagined scenario.

After crossing the barren and desolate California peninsula, the first place the ships arrived at was San Diego—oh, after the new Chinese occupied it, they renamed it Nanping, meaning the peaceful land of the South.

This Spanish colonial stronghold at the northernmost tip of the Americas, which was effectively controlled by the new Chinese, has undergone a dramatic transformation in just over three years.

Next to the original simple mission station and adobe fortress, a new, angular brick and stone fortress has been erected.

Neat docks appeared along the coast, and further away, large tracts of newly reclaimed farmland were lush and green, dotted with uniformly planned village houses.

Hudno told him that more than two thousand new Chinese immigrants had settled there, and they not only farmed but also raised a large number of livestock—which were said to be cattle and sheep captured from Mexico—and the whole region was showing a thriving scene rarely seen in Spanish colonies.

The ships continued northward, and Tongyuan (Long Beach), Xiling (Monterey), Yuzhou (San Francisco), Honglin (Eureka), Zhaoye (Astrolia)... one after another, the bays and estuaries that were originally desolate or had only a few scattered indigenous tribes were turned into colonial outposts by the new Chinese.

The locations of these outposts were clearly chosen with great care, effectively dividing the long coastal routes into comfortable short voyages.

Each supply point has basic berths, freshwater replenishment facilities, and even small ship repair shops and warehouses to ensure that passing ships and personnel can get adequate rest.

Alonso was secretly amazed by this ability to manage coastal shipping routes in a long-term, systematic way. The construction and operation of this series of intermediate supply points must have consumed an immeasurable amount of financial and human resources, something the Spanish could never have accomplished.

And now, he has arrived at the end of this route, which is also the heart of this country—Shixing City.

Guided by the pilot, the "MRT-2" slowly approached a dedicated stone pier.

Once the springboard was in place, Alonso stepped onto solid ground.

The dock was bustling with activity. Dockworkers carrying sacks and wooden crates chanted in unison. Their steps were steady and quick, and although their faces were covered in sweat, they did not look malnourished.

Merchants, sailors, and port managers dressed in different styles of clothing were talking loudly, their speech rapid and interspersed with business jargon he couldn't understand.

There were also clerks with clipboards and pencils, quickly recording the comings and goings of goods.

"How many people live in this city now?" Alonso couldn't help but ask, his gaze sweeping over the layers of rooftops and the faintly visible cluster of chimneys in the distance.

“Close to fifty thousand,” Huden replied. “Oh, perhaps more. After all, we’ve been fighting abroad for three years, so the population of Shixing City should have increased.”

"Fifty thousand!" Alonso gasped.

It's worth noting that Mexico City, the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, has only just surpassed 100,000 people after more than a century of development.

Lima, in the Viceroyalty of Peru, has a population of just over 60,000.

The more important colonial cities like Quito, Cartagena, and Guatemala City had populations that hovered around 20,000 to 30,000.

To everyone's surprise, this city, located on the northwest coast of North America and considered a "wild" place by his family and even the Spanish government as a whole, has gathered a population of nearly 50,000 in less than 20 years.

This is simply a miracle!
However, what shocked him even more was yet to come.

The group of several people rode in two four-wheeled carriages onto a wide and smooth road behind the dock area, heading towards Shixing City.

When the carriage entered the city, Alonso almost thought he had entered another world.

The streets consist of smooth gravel roads and long stretches of stone slab roads (cement roads), with drainage ditches dug on both sides. The flowing water in the ditches carries away a small amount of sewage and rainwater.

The streets are lined with neat brick or wooden houses, mostly one or two stories high, with a few three to five stories. The facades are clean and the signs are clear.

What he found even more unbelievable was the city's outrageously cleanliness and tidiness.

Mexico City, known as the "Pearl of New Spain," boasts a magnificent cathedral and the Governor's Palace. However, its streets, even in the most bustling central areas, are often filled with carelessly dumped garbage, rampant sewage, and foul-smelling excrement and filth in the corners.

Beggars and homeless children are everywhere, and the air is always filled with an indescribable stench of decay.

However, here, on the streets of Shixing City, he could not see mountains of garbage, nor traces of excrement or urine, nor a single beggar reaching out to passing carriages and pedestrians.

Most of the city's residents are neatly dressed, walk briskly, and have a proud and confident demeanor.

Occasionally, when a horse-drawn carriage carrying goods passes by, it will automatically move to the right to avoid obstructing traffic.

Some people in blue uniforms and armbands (police officers) were patrolling the streets, occasionally shouting at pedestrians who littered.

“Oh my God, how… how can this place be so clean?” Alonso finally couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement. “I have traveled to many cities in the Old World and visited almost all the important Spanish towns in the New World, and I have never seen such a… clean city!”

Hudno felt a strange sense of pride at Alonso's amazement. He smiled slightly and said nonchalantly, "This is just a basic municipal management requirement for our Xinhua Town."

“Xinhua has a special ‘Regulations on Urban Appearance and Sanitation Management’ which stipulates that garbage must be placed in designated locations at designated times and collected and disposed of by municipal cleaners. Urinating or defecating in public and dumping garbage are strictly prohibited, and violators will be fined or even forced to do manual labor.”

He pointed to the people wearing armbands: "In addition to maintaining city order, those police officers are also responsible for supervising the implementation of the Sanitation Ordinance. Of course, when we first built the city, we planned and established a preliminary drainage system in advance. Domestic sewage and rainwater will be discharged into specific treatment ponds or the depths of the bay through pipes to avoid polluting city streets and drinking water sources."

Alonso was somewhat stunned.

Specialized sanitation regulations, hired cleaners, a planned drainage system, and police oversight...

This complete and meticulous management system reflects a governance philosophy and execution capability that he had never seen before.

This is not merely an accumulation of wealth, but rather a manifestation of... the power of order.

The carriage continued its journey, passing through a bustling market filled with a dazzling array of goods, from fresh fruits and vegetables and lively fish to locally produced fabrics, ironware, and ceramics. The citizens traded in an orderly fashion, and the abundance of goods was comparable to the most prosperous market he had ever seen in Mexico City.

"How did you manage to build such a large and orderly city in such a short time in such a... originally desolate place?" Alonso's voice was slightly dry, even to his own surprise.

Their assessment of the new Chinese seems to have overlooked many important things.

They only saw the goods and weapons exported by the new Chinese, but they did not understand the powerful organizational, construction, and governance capabilities behind them.

Hudno's gaze swept over the busy shops and pedestrians on both sides of the street. His tone remained calm, yet carried a hint of pride: "Mr. Garza, the establishment of Xinhua stemmed from the determination of a group of people who refused to succumb to fate to find and build a new home."

“We came here not to plunder gold and silver, nor to cause widespread destruction. This is our home, and building it, protecting it, and making it better is the common wish of everyone living here.”

"As for how it was done, it was simply a matter of prior planning, clear laws, and... the joint efforts of everyone."

He paused, then looked at Alonso: "Mr. Garza is here as an intermediary between our two sides' representatives in the peace talks. In the coming days, he will have more opportunities to learn more about our country."

"Perhaps you will find that, apart from trade and... occasional friction, Xinhua and Spain also have many areas where they can understand and tolerate each other."

Alonso nodded silently, his gaze remaining fixed on the view outside the window.

Neat streets, bustling and orderly crowds, rows of shops, and the distant faint sounds of car horns and factory roars... all these combine to create a vibrant and energetic scene.

The slight sense of superiority he once felt, based on his origins in the powerful Kingdom of Spain, was being slowly eroded by everything he was seeing.

At this point, he began to truly realize that he was about to face not just a "trading partner" or "military adversary" with strong production capabilities, but a rapidly rising regional power with a unique civilization core, vigorous vitality, and astonishing organizational efficiency.

This peace talk is likely to be far more complex and difficult than the bigwigs in Madrid and Mexico City anticipated.
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(End of this chapter)