Chapter 10

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Then send him to Taiwan.

"Sure, I know the island is large, so developing it would certainly bring in a lot of profit. But I have one question."

"What is it?"

"What do you gain from developing it?"

"Well, wouldn't it be enough if you gave me the land? Enough to become a major landowner in Taiwan."

Jung Jiryong snorted at Johann's words.

"You'll be fighting the Hong people and the indigenous people there, and you just want the land?"

"Becoming a major landowner isn't an easy task, is it?"

Despite Johann's words, Jung Jiryong still showed a distrustful attitude.

"How can I trust you? You acted on your own when you set out from Fuzhou, didn't you?"

It was a valid point.

In fact, Johann had never intended to hand Taiwan over to Jung Jiryong.

Why would he hand over the land he had developed in Taiwan?

"What do you doubt? The entire South China Sea is under Nan'anhou's territory; how could I even think of betraying you?"

"You seem like the type who would do that."

"I don't know how you can see me as someone who lacks integrity."

Johann spoke as if he were frustrated that his words were not believed.

Jung Jiryong then laughed, looking unimpressed.

"I'll think about it. It's quite an interesting proposal."

In fact, it was a proposal that Jung Jiryong couldn't help but find interesting.

If Johann targeted Taiwan, he would naturally come into conflict with the Dutch.

About 20 years ago, it was Jung Jiryong who had redirected the Dutch from targeting Macau to targeting Taiwan instead.

At that time, this was his best choice.

He had mediated between the court and the Dutch, receiving money or official positions from both sides.

However, the Dutch did not abandon their ambition to establish a foothold on the Chinese mainland even after taking control of Taiwan.

Because of the Dutch's ambitions, Jung Jiryong's maritime forces were repeatedly challenged by the Dutch.

Jung Jiryong himself had nearly been killed by the Dutch, and even his brothers had lost their lives.

Was that why?

Jung Jiryong began to view the Dutch forces based in Taiwan as a thorn in his side.

If he had been a military man rather than a merchant, he would have long since occupied Taiwan and driven the Dutch out of China completely.

This was the reason why Jung Jiryong was seriously considering Johann's proposal.

"If you decide, please allow me to take the Fifth Battalion under my command to Taiwan. I can't go there alone, can I?"

Of course, seeing Johann's attitude, it also made him wonder if it was a pointless worry.

"…I've always felt this, but you're really shameless."

"It's not shamelessness, it's being practical. Isn't it better than just thinking about appearances and ending up at a loss?"

Jung Jiryong laughed bitterly and gestured to Johann.

It was a gesture telling him to leave.

***

As Johann left, Jung Jiryong laughed bitterly again.

"You seem easy to understand, but I can't figure out what you're thinking."

Johann openly revealed his ambitions.

He even openly demanded a higher position from Jung Jiryong.

This kind of honesty from Johann likely stemmed from his confidence in his abilities.

In this Southern Ming, Johann appeared to be a talent unmatched by anyone except his own children.

'Should I kill him?'

To Jung Jiryong, Johann was a very dangerous person.

If he were only strong militarily, he wouldn't be considered so dangerous.

Even if the real Xiang Yu came back to life, he would be powerless in front of guns.

But Johann was not just militarily strong.

From his ability to command soldiers to his bravery in facing an enemy ten times his size, and even his outstanding strategic mind that didn't match his appearance.

Just seeing how he perfectly controlled the Fifth Battalion, which was loyal only to the Jeong family, proved his extraordinary nature.

'But it would be a waste to kill him.'

He was a real conundrum.

Johann was multi-talented.

There were many ways to use him, not just militarily.

It felt too wasteful to eliminate him just because he was dangerous.

"Sending him to Taiwan might not be bad. It's quite annoying that he openly thinks of becoming the king of Taiwan, though."

If Johann had stayed in the Southern Ming, Jung Jiryong would have worried about when he might become the emperor's man.

If Johann became a pro-emperor faction member, it would be a significant loss.

But if Johann left the Southern Ming, things would be different.

The emperor's influence would be hard to reach Taiwan.

On the other hand, Jung Jiryong, who dominated the South China Sea, could easily exert influence over Taiwan.

'If Johann successfully takes control of Taiwan, it could serve as my insurance.'

He didn't particularly want a fief.

In fact, he could expand his fiefdom whenever he wanted.

In the Southern Ming, to boost the morale of generals, a policy was implemented where generals could directly govern the territories they expanded.

This meant that each general could have their own fief, which was very beneficial to Jung Jiryong, the highest authority in the Southern Ming.

If he wanted to, expanding his fief to the size of a city would be no problem.

But he didn't have a great desire for a fief.

Starting as a maritime force and building his power, the fiefs on the mainland were not very attractive to him.

However, Taiwan was an exception.

Its strategic location made it advantageous for a maritime base, and it was also necessary to consider the possibility of being driven out of the mainland by the Qing Dynasty.

After much deliberation, Jung Jiryong made this decision.

"If the problem is that he can't be trusted, making him part of the family is one solution."

He had an adopted daughter.

An adopted daughter who had not yet been betrothed.

***

"Rice for sale! Cheap rice!"

"Fresh fish just arrived."

"Selling all kinds of spices!"

The market in Fuzhou was bustling as always.

There was nothing you couldn't find here.

From rice and vegetables to various spices, clothing, and even firearms like matchlocks.

Johann was walking around the market in Fuzhou, checking the prices of various items.

"The price of a matchlock is about 2 taels. I can buy 500 of them."

He hadn't yet heard Jung Jiryong's response.

But since he planned to go to Taiwan eventually, he decided to prepare in advance.

Checking the market prices was part of that preparation.

"Ah, Lord, you're going to buy 500 matchlocks?"

"This is just the minimum. If it weren't for the cost of gunpowder, I would have bought over 1,000."

In response to Won Jong's question, Johann answered in a nonchalant tone.

'There's so much to buy. Rice, weapons, clothes, and even medicinal herbs. We need to prepare for various endemic diseases like malaria.'

With 7,000 taels of slush funds, and if Jung Jiryong provided 10,000 taels, he thought it would be enough.

But after conducting market research, he realized that 10,000 taels would be far from enough.

To take control of Taiwan, he needed at least a thousand troops.

The cost of arming these troops was substantial.

And that was just the beginning.

He also needed to pay salaries, build houses, and provide food.

Even the cost of gunpowder had to be considered, so 17,000 taels wasn't a large sum.

"Will you also take the other Songjiang prisoners to that place called Taiwan?"

"If they're in good health, yes. Every person is valuable."

"Shouldn't you also take women? Personally, I think so."

"How do you take women?"

"I don't know exactly... But, Lord, the Songjiang men are no different from bandits. Without women, they will definitely cause trouble."

Despite being one of those bandits himself, he sounded like a scholar.

'Women. It's definitely a significant issue.'

If it weren't for Won Jong, he might not have thought of it.

It was an event that wasn't well-handled in the game.

In any occupied territory, there were always more women than men.

"Since we're bringing them as slaves, we'll have to kill them if they cause trouble."

"…Ah!"

He decided to think more deeply about this issue later.

After all, the number of people he would bring to Taiwan, including the Songjiang prisoners and the Fifth Battalion, would be around 200.

Managing that number of people would be no problem for Johann.

***

After completing his market research and returning home, Jung Jiryong sent a servant to summon him to his residence.

"My daughter has taken an interest in you."

Jung Jiryong, who had said he would think about it, summoned Johann the next day and said this.

"Really?"

"If you don't want to meet her, you can refuse."

Suddenly suggesting he meet his daughter?

It was too unexpected.

But Johann immediately understood what Jung Jiryong was thinking.

It was something he was very familiar with.

In the world of Mount & Blade, such things happened often.

'Marriage.'

Jung Jiryong's intention was probably to make him his son-in-law.

If not, he wouldn't suggest meeting his daughter.

'In the game, political marriages were essential. You had to use your family well to build your power.'

But this wasn't a game world.

You couldn't just decide a marriage partner casually.

That's why Johann hesitated for a moment.

But his hesitation was brief.

'Becoming the son-in-law of Jung Jiryong, the highest official in the Southern Ming. Not bad at all.'

Zheng Chenggong probably became the king of Taiwan based on Jung Jiryong's legacy.

If Johann became Jung Jiryong's son-in-law, he could also receive a part of that legacy.

There was no reason for Johann to hesitate.

If he had to make a political marriage, Jung Jiryong would be the best choice.

"I wouldn't refuse. If Lord Nan'anhou is offering, your daughter must be beautiful. I'll meet her."

"She is beautiful enough to be considered the most beautiful in Jiangnan. However, she hasn't had her feet bound, so they might not be as pretty."

As a modern person, Johann naturally disliked bound feet.

In fact, he hated them.

So he was relieved to hear that she hadn't had her feet bound.

But he was a bit surprised because he knew most noble women in the Ming Dynasty had bound feet.

'Well, Jung Jiryong isn't really from a noble background, so that's probably why.'

In any case, it didn't matter to Johann.

***

The next day.

Johann dressed handsomely and visited Jung Jiryong's residence again.

This time, he wasn't there to see Jung Jiryong.

He was there to meet Jung Jiryong's daughter.

Jung Jiryong's daughter, Jung Eun-ji, was waiting for him in the picturesque garden of the large mansion.

"My name is Jung Eun-ji."

Johann's eyes lit up as he saw the woman greeting him.

'Oh. The beauty wasn't an exaggeration.'

Fathers naturally find their daughters beautiful.

And the standards of beauty in this era were different from those in his own time.

So Johann hadn't really expected much.

But Jung Eun-ji's beauty exceeded his expectations.

She was the kind of beauty that would have been called a beauty in the modern era.

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