Chapter 88 of 100

Chapter 88

14 min read3,448 words

It was already evening. The residents working on the construction site of Ping'an Fort stopped to rest; dinner time was approaching, and the kitchen chimney not far away was already sending up wisps of smoke. On the menu board in front of the canteen, written in charcoal, it read: today's menu includes braised beef with radish, vegetable and tofu soup, salted fish, and steamed potatoes.

After the resumption of trade with the Río de la Plata, the price of beef, which was once a luxury, plummeted. Currently, the off-shore price of cattle in Colonia has fallen to as low as 10 yuan per head, only one-fourth to one-fifth of the European price. At such a low price, the trade department began to purchase in large quantities, with a conservative estimate of over 500 heads per month. Part of the purchased cattle were used for grazing, while the rest were slaughtered for meat. Therefore, the residents could eat a considerable amount of beef at each meal, and their living standards were indeed much higher than before.

Xu Wenxuan squatted on a stool made from a tree stump, staring at the lake surface dyed blood-red by the sunset, lost in thought, not knowing what he was thinking about.

"A sliver of the setting sun lies on the water, half of the river green, half red. How pitiful the night of the ninth day of the ninth month, the dew like... uh... what was it again?" Shao Shude, looking at the beautiful lake scenery, was suddenly inspired to recite a poem, but got stuck at the last line, unable to remember it.

"Ha ha." Xu Wenxuan couldn't help but laugh. "The dew like pearls, the moon like a bow... Bai Letian's 'Evening Chant on the River' fits the scene quite well. Mr. Shao... have you read books?"

"Yes." Shao Shude nodded. "Unfortunately, I didn't read much, and I didn't read very well. Of course, most of the books we read are different from those Mr. Xu read."

"Oh? What did Mr. Shao read? Not poetry, prose, and the teachings of the sages?" Xu Wenxuan asked with interest.

"Well, I did read some poetry, prose, and the teachings of the sages, but not primarily. What I read the most was... um... mathematics and construction techniques, and occasionally some Western languages." Shao Shude chose his words carefully.

"Construction techniques? Like building walls, houses, and bridges? Is there really a science to it?" Xu Wenxuan asked. "Mr. Shao's studies are truly interesting..."

"Interesting?" Shao Shude was somewhat surprised. "In the eyes of scholars in the Ming Dynasty, these are all considered trivial skills. How can they compare to the profound teachings of the sages?"

"Ha ha ha." Xu Wenxuan couldn't help but laugh. "If it were ordinary scholars, such a view would not be surprising. Unfortunately, I have spent many years in the secular world and already know that the teachings of the sages cannot save the country or the people. Otherwise, how could our Ming Dynasty, with its millions of people, be unable to defeat the few thousand Jurchen barbarians?"

Shao Shude was amazed. It seemed that not all scholars in this era were bookworms; many of them were quite enlightened. "Mr. Xu is indeed an extraordinary person. May I ask how old you are? What do you do for a living?" Shao Shude asked again.

"Thirty years old, and I do nothing much. I usually copy letters for others to make a living."

"Mr. Xu is a scholar, yet your livelihood is so difficult. Why is that?"

"Affiliated with the eunuch faction, and of low moral character..." Xu Wenxuan said with a self-deprecating tone.

Shao Shude was taken aback. He thought Xu Wenxuan was a straightforward person, with a strong sense of profit and a liberated mind, and had some education, which gave him a certain prestige among the villagers. No wonder the immigration bureau recommended him to be heavily recruited and bought over. Yes, it seems necessary to invest more in him.

"What do you think of our country?"

"The new dynasty is like the rising sun. I have heard that your army recently defeated the strongest Western country, Spain, in a great battle, showing great military prowess. However... in my view, amidst all this strength, there is a hidden worry."

"I would like to hear more." Shao Shude said somewhat awkwardly, feeling that this kind of literary dialogue was like a scene from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which seemed rather silly.

"First, the population is not large. I boldly ask Mr. Shao, how many cities does our country have, and how many people live in them? The nearby strong enemy, Spain, how many people and cities do they have?" Xu Wenxuan asked, looking at Shao Shude.

"Including Ping'an Fort, we have one large city, three small forts, and a population of about 8,000." Shao Shude, who was not good at lying, looked at Xu Wenxuan and, after a moment of silence, told the truth. "Spain has a population of nearly ten million, and the Iberian Peninsula has four million people. They have countless territories and cities in both the old and new continents, and are not much weaker than the Ming Dynasty."

"Mr. Shao is truly a straightforward person." Xu Wenxuan smiled. "Such a powerful country will surely attract attention in the West and lead to attacks. Otherwise, our country will not be able to sleep peacefully. However, since the two countries have already become enemies, it will be difficult for them to coexist peacefully in the future. What do you think should be done?"

"The first priority is to recruit immigrants from the West and China, develop industry, and strengthen the foundation. The second is to form alliances and use diplomatic strategies. Huang Taizi once said that to defeat a large country with a small one, one must cut off its branches and weaken its trunk, and over time, the country will decline." Shao Shude answered fluently, as this was a common decision of the executive committee and the basic national policy of the Chinese East Coast Republic, which had been discussed many times and was well-known to him.

"Did Huang Taizi really say that? He is indeed a rare enlightened person among the barbarians." Xu Wenxuan sighed. "That was the first point. The second is that I observed our people today, and there are those with high noses and deep eyes, and those with red hair and skin, mixed together. In peacetime, it's fine, but in times of crisis, they may not be united."

"First, we can grant them land to win their hearts, and second, we can educate them to understand the greater good."

"This will take decades to achieve. Our country is small and weak, and we can afford to win many battles, but we cannot afford to lose even one. If we lose, the people will scatter, and the country will fall apart. I boldly ask another question, since you and your companions claim to be descendants of the Song Dynasty, why don't you recruit more Chinese immigrants? Now, the Ming Dynasty is in ruins, and the people are starving. If we could transport them all here by large ships, we would not have to worry about the population."

"Not that we don't want to, but we can't." Shao Shude smiled bitterly. "I won't hide it from you, Mr. Xu. This time, the Portuguese demanded 240,000 yuan from us to transport you here, and the national treasury has lost six-tenths of its gold and silver. Calculated per person, you and your companions cost 400 taels of silver each. If we did this more often, no one could afford it."

Xu Wenxuan remained silent, and after a moment, he sighed and shook his head.

Shao Shude saw that the time was right and said to Xu Wenxuan, "Since Mr. Xu has read books and understands human relations, you are a valuable talent. Our country is newly established and urgently needs people like you to join and contribute to its success. What do you think?"

Xu Wenxuan smiled at Shao Shude and said, "Mr. Shao is a straightforward gentleman, and I cannot deceive you. To be honest, due to certain matters, I have long lost my prospects in the Ming Dynasty. Now, the new dynasty of the East Coast Republic has been established, and although the country is small and the population is few, its future is limitless. Mr. Shao invites me to serve in the government, and I am eager to try, I am eager to try!"

"Great! I'm glad you agreed." Shao Shude breathed a sigh of relief but was also somewhat puzzled, feeling as if he was begging someone to take office. It seemed that he had been led by the other party in the conversation. Damn, these ancients cannot be underestimated.

"May I ask what position... uh, leader... will you assign me?" Xu Wenxuan smiled and asked slowly.

"Assistant to the administrative affairs of the Ping'an Fort development team, assisting Captain Qian Hao in solving all problems. This position mainly involves conveying orders, communication, and material statistics. You can find out more details from Captain Qian Hao."

"May I ask what rank this position is and what the salary is?"

Shao Shude almost choked. Who said ancients were reserved? This guy hadn't even taken office and was already talking about rank and salary. "Temporary worker, no rank, but if you perform well, you can be promoted to a formal official. Monthly salary is 2 yuan, travel allowance is 0.5 yuan per month, and danger area allowance is 1 yuan per month. You will receive 3.5 yuan per month, so be content. This salary is not low."

"Thank you, leader." Xu Wenxuan bowed and said.

Not far away, a few Irish chefs at the canteen door struck a large gong, signaling that dinner time had arrived. The residents stood up, took out their wooden bowls and chopsticks, and formed a long queue in front of the canteen, ready to get their food. Some security team members walked around with military knives, and if they saw anyone pushing or cutting in line, they would hit them with the sheathed knives and drag them to the end of the line, making them eat last.

The security team was a newly established organization. After all, the two army platoons of the exploration team could not protect their safety for a long time, and the safety of the coal mine was more important to them. Therefore, under Shao Shude's orders, Ping'an Fort recruited some strong and skilled people to form the security team, responsible for the safety of the entire fort.

The security team had 20 members, all new immigrants, including one chief and one deputy, and 18 members, each equipped with a military knife. The chief was a Taoist named Shou Canyue, known as Master Canyue, who was skilled in martial arts. The deputy was a Japanese immigrant named Ando Jūgo, who came from a lower samurai family and had a fierce spirit and proficient sword skills. He and several other destitute samurai from Japan became the elite force of the security team.

After dinner, all the residents continued to work. To build their new home as soon as possible, the enthusiasm of these immigrants was boundless.

---