Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 39: Long-term consideration is needed (Please vote for the monthly ticket, the recommended ticket to support, please give it a strong vote.)
"We still have to earn money. Without money, we can't do anything." Zheng Guohui sighed deeply and muttered to himself.

Don't count on Chongming Island. It's enough for it to be self-sufficient and store a batch of food. After all, it's just a transit point and there is no plan for long-term development.

Wait until a few years later
After Zheng Guohui led his army to Southeast Asia, he planned to transfer the entire Chongming Island to the land owned by the eldest wife, and use it as a private territory with no one in charge. He would continue to recruit refugees to cultivate the land and collect a steady supply of grain, rice and land taxes.

In the future, a large number of Chinese immigrants will also transit through Chongming Island and be transferred to Southeast Asia for development.

Thus

This has formed a stable population transportation channel, and the location is relatively secret.

It doesn’t matter if it’s exposed. As long as you have a little bit of eyesight, Songjiang Prefecture won’t have the energy to confront it head-on.

Isn’t the mess in the court nowadays just hiding it from the superiors but not from the subordinates?

Zheng Guohui has arranged transport ships, which will bring a large number of homeless teenagers here in the near future. They will receive concentrated teaching and military training on Chongming Island, instill the concept of loyalty education, and teach them to support themselves by doing some farm work.

There are quite a few teenagers rounded up in this area, and statistics from various places show that there are nearly 10,000 of them.

Most of them will be transported to the island in succession, while a small number will stay in Jinling, Tongzhou and other prefectures and counties to attend Tzu Chi schools to serve as a cover. It is basically the same model.

These young people who have been trained since childhood have high loyalty and will be good helpers in future colonial development.

This item alone costs 40,000 to 50,000 taels of silver each year, and the statistics do not include food expenses.

On Chongming Island
The grain collected in the name of taxes can basically meet the needs of Tzu Chi, and there is still some surplus.

Even if the number of poor children and teenagers we take in doubles or triples, we can still afford it, so there is no need to worry.

What's more, Zheng Guohui also owns a large number of fields in various prefectures and counties in the south of the Yangtze River, which are rented out and a considerable amount of grain is harvested every year.

The food carried by the first advance pioneer group to Southeast Asia was allocated from this, which strongly supported the upcoming expedition.

The food reserves on Chongming Island alone are not enough.

Zheng Guohui calculated in his mind the expenses for the second and third batches of people going to Southeast Asia. Together with the current batch, he estimated that it would cost between 60 and 70 taels of silver.

In addition, a large number of foreign guns and cannons needed to be purchased, which cost another 10 to 15 taels of silver.

Since ancient times
Military expeditions are extremely expensive. Even if one is frugal with money, the cost can easily be over one million taels of silver, which is an astonishing amount of money.

If he had not been the local tyrant who served as the Jinling City Guard, and had not used his position to sell illegal salt on a large scale, where would he have raised such a huge sum of money?

So, don’t be impatient...you have to take a long-term view.

a few days later

Eleven thousand-stone ships from Jinling, loaded with food, tents, weapons and ammunition, arrived safely at the inland port of Chongming Island, causing heated discussions among the residents gathered there.

At this point, transport ships heading south have gathered, all the prepared materials are also complete, all the personnel are ready to go, and the conditions for heading south are ripe.

September 8th, 2025

It is a sunny and auspicious day, suitable for starting construction, moving graves, boating, traveling, taking up a new post, and getting married or having funerals.

In Guangming Town

More than 11 settlers gathered here and held a simple but solemn oath-taking ceremony. They beheaded criminals on the spot and offered their blood as a sacrifice to the flag.

Three animals were offered on the altar, flags were fluttering, the troops going to the battle stood in neat and solemn order, and the atmosphere was particularly solemn.

Zheng Guohui led the crowd in burning incense to worship heaven and earth, personally presented the flag to the advance pioneer group, and led everyone in taking an oath.

As long as the man is alive, the flag is alive; if the flag is destroyed, the man will die.

Zheng Guohui then personally awarded the golden seals to the commander Zheng Shouxin (with the title of Qianzong, his younger uncle), the navigator Zheng Shouzhong (with the title of Qianzong, his eleventh uncle), and the Qianzong officer Qian Jiang, granting them the power to command the entire army at any time.

Then, a command was given: "The army marches out, smooth sailing, and great fortune!" Amidst the stirring drums and music, and under the eager gazes of over 3822 settlers, the first group of 500 settlers and elite soldiers embarked on the ships and quickly set sail.

The long fleet formed a long snake formation, connected end to end, and sailed westward along the mighty river, soon disappearing from everyone's sight.

Then, there was a warm and long shout.

Many residents looked at the empty river and jumped excitedly, waving their hands desperately and shouting loudly to bid farewell to the fleet heading south. Many people couldn't help but shed tears.

in their hearts
These settlers who moved south were running towards hope, towards a future with infinite possibilities, and towards the free life they had longed for.

Think about it

There is no imperial wanted or encircled place, and everyone can hold their head high and be a real Chinese. They are allowed to buy land and property, marry and have children, and expand their family.

After experiencing countless wars and hardships, who wouldn’t hope for such a bright future?
After seeing off the first special task force to Southeast Asia, Zheng Guohui didn't know why, but he felt a little empty in his heart.

Maybe it’s because I can’t go to Southeast Asia in person that I feel a little regretful?

He stared blankly at the empty river surface for a long time before turning around and preparing to return to Guangming Town.

After sending off the first special task force, the affairs on the island were presided over by my fifth uncle Zheng Shoucheng and had already been arranged. It was time to return to Nanjing.

"General, a fleet is coming, look..." Zheng Shun, the captain of the personal guards beside him, pointed his finger upstream of the river and shouted.

Zheng Guohui looked back in surprise, then narrowed his eyes dangerously.

The features of the large ship coming from afar were extremely obvious. The huge white sails fluttering high showed that it was a typical Western sailing ship, completely different from the hard sails of the Fujian ships.

How could a Western fleet arrive at this time?
"Someone, bring me my telescope."

"As you command, General."

The personal guard quickly handed over a copper monocular telescope, which was also an imported product from the West. Every officer above the rank of captain in the Dubiao Battalion was equipped with one.

Zheng Guohui raised the monocular telescope and looked carefully in the direction of the Western ship, but he couldn't see anything special.

There were four large Western sailing ships coming along at a very fast speed, but they did not fly any eye-catching flags of nationality, making it impossible to guess who they were.
Between thoughts and lightning
Zheng Guohui had already made up his mind, so he waved his hand and ordered, "Tell all the villagers who are watching the ceremony to disperse. Don't gather by the river and scare others. I have my own plan."

"As you command, General."

The personal guards immediately went to convey the order, and soon Zheng Shoucheng organized the evacuation, allowing most of the residents to return to Guangming Town and not stay at the riverside dock.

Zheng Shoucheng kept a watchful eye
He did not allow the villagers to return to their villages, but kept them in Guangming Town to prevent any accidents.

When needed

He opened the treasury and distributed swords and guns, and in a blink of an eye he had an army of more than 20,000 people. He was not afraid even if the officers and soldiers of Changzhou Prefecture attacked.

"General, the gentleman standing at the bow waving his hands looks like Mr. Zheng Guotai. I don't think I'm mistaken." The speaker was the newly promoted confidant He Ruolin, who said excitedly, pointing his finger not far away.

He was the deputy promoted by Zheng Guohui to assist in the management of the Du Biao Camp after Qian Jiang left, and he only held the title of a general officer.

The details will have to wait until we return to Jinling City and report to the Jiangnan Governor-General Fuzhu Hong'a that Captain Qian Jiang has resigned due to injury and the newly promoted He Ruolin has taken over the position of Captain.

After obtaining the consent of the Jiangnan Governor-General Fuzhu Hong'a, the awarding procedure was reported to the court, which took several months.

Now, He Ruolin has begun to take office.

Zheng Guohui put down the telescope in his hand and nodded slightly to indicate that he understood. He appeared extremely calm and his heart was at ease again.

This performance is obviously much calmer than He Ruolin's.

Maybe this is magnanimity.

(End of this chapter)