plumnovel Chapter 56 One wave subsides, another rises
Chapter 56 One wave subsides, another rises
Chapter 57 One wave subsides, another rises
Chapter 056 Mao Wenlong was slightly taken aback; Chen Ying was right.
The Dongjiang Army is his own Dongjiang Army, and has nothing to do with Chen Yingke. How could he possibly help him?
To persuade Chen Ying, one must offer sufficient leverage, but the problem is, Mao Wenlong has none.
No, he has a bargaining chip: the Maoshan Iron Mine.
"Boying, 30% is already a lot; any more and I won't be able to explain it to my subordinates!"
"Ha ha!"
Chen Ying smiled faintly and said, "Eunuch Wei also needs to bribe various parties in the court, requiring a two-tenths share to be given to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the tax supervisor, and other relevant entities. He'll probably only get less than half a percent of that. Do you think Eunuch Wei will agree to that?"
"Bo Ying, if you can mediate a settlement, I will give you ten percent of the profits—"
Chen Ying shook his head and didn't say anything more. He didn't press Mao Wenlong, but instead asked, "Commander Mao, how many men and how many ships does the Dongjiang Navy have now?"
"This—there are over two hundred and forty ships of various sizes, and the navy is composed of four battalions and seven divisions: Left, Right, Front, and Cruiser, with over five thousand men!"
Chen Ying silently calculated in his mind: more than 240 ships and more than 5,000 soldiers, with an average of only 20 people per ship. These were not warships; they could only be considered fishing boats.
哪怕大明现在四百料炮舰，这种战船船长约8丈6尺9寸（约27米），船阔约1丈7尺（约5.2
(meters), 2 guns, estimated non-full load displacement of approximately 130+ to 210 tons).
The warship was equipped with eight cannons and usually had about 100 officers and soldiers and 52 catties of gunpowder. However, it seems that the Dongjiang Navy does not even have many of these small warships.
Chen Ying originally intended to leverage the influence of the Dongjiang Army and use Korea as a platform to conduct trade transit with Europe, but it now seems that this is no longer feasible. The Dongjiang Army's navy is too weak now, and rashly getting involved would only result in them being sent to their doom.
Europeans don't do business honestly. Without sufficient strength, they simply ignore you, and this plan has to be shelved.
Chen Ying fell silent, while Mao Wenlong grew increasingly anxious. He said urgently, "Bo Ying, if you can show me and the Dongjiang Army a clear path, what do you want? As long as I can do it—"
Chen Ying pointed bluntly to Dalu Island on the map and said, "This island isn't very big, but I want this island!"
Chen Ying initially wanted Xin Island, which was large enough, covering 67 square kilometers, equivalent to a small town.
The problem is that the island is too large to defend, and the ice cover lasts for four months. The land is barren, and more importantly, Yuan Fei's current strength is too weak to defend it.
Unless Yuan Fei's new army can be trained, Chen Ying will have to settle for a smaller island; Mao Wenlong won't give him an island that's too big.
"No problem!"
Mao Wenlong naturally knew about Dalu Island. The island covered an area of more than 10,000 mu. Currently, the island was garrisoned by an infantry division of the Dongjiang Army with more than 800 men, a naval division with more than 500 men, and 3,000 family members accompanying the army.
"Commander Mao, I plan to recruit shipbuilding craftsmen from within the Great Wall to build blast furnaces on Dalu Island to smelt steel, and at the same time build a dock to prepare for shipbuilding."
Chen Ying smiled and said, "The iron ore, timber, and labor needed for Dalu Island will be supplied by the Dongjiang Army. I will purchase them at 20% below market price. As for the Liaodong people who are working, they are a huge burden for Marshal Mao. Marshal Mao cannot watch them starve to death. These surplus people can be handed over to me. I will provide them with food, as long as they work honestly and receive two liters of grain per day. As for the smelting furnace that Marshal Mao built, it can continue to smelt iron and sell it as you wish. However, Marshal Mao must provide me with at least five million catties of iron ore and five million catties of coal every year. What does Marshal Mao think?"
Mao Wenlong's breathing quickened. Although five million catties of iron ore were not worth much, at an 80% discount, each catty was only four copper coins, equivalent to ten thousand taels of silver. Five million catties would be sixty or seventy thousand taels of silver, but that was not much. The real bulk of the money was the timber for shipbuilding.
One piece of timber is worth two taels of silver. If Chen Ying wants to build a large ship of 1,000 timber, like the large ships of 3,000 timber of the Jiangnan merchants, one ship would require 6,000 taels of silver worth of timber. Chen Ying cannot build only one ship. If he builds ten ships, it would cost 60,000 taels of silver.
If he only builds ten ships, there is no need for him to build his own shipyard, which means that Chen Ying would definitely need more, especially for the common people, who would need at least several thousand or tens of thousands of people.
If each person takes half a pound of grain, that adds up to several thousand pounds a day.
More importantly, Mao Wenlong didn't give anything in return. It was just an island. North Korea gave him Pi Island, which was equivalent to four Dalu Islands. What difference would it make if he gave him a small island?
"no problem!"
Mao Wenlong's iron ore was mined by Koreans. Jin Fushun had already received benefits from Mao Wenlong. He conscripted people to mine the ore, which could be exchanged for armor. A suit of armor cost more than one hundred taels of silver.
This means that Kim Bok-soon did not actually suffer any loss, and as for the North Korean people, Kim Bok-soon did not treat them as human beings.
Chen Ying discovered that Mao Wenlong was not a good partner. He was too narrow-minded and petty. He even dared to steal Wei Zhongxian's silver. He was also a ruthless person.
Working with Mao Wenlong would bring a lot of trouble; it would be better for Chen Ying to break away from him and go it alone.
Although Dalu Island is not large, only six or seven square kilometers in area, it is larger than Shahe and can easily accommodate tens of thousands of people.
As for whether Mao Wenlong will seize Chen Ying's Dalu Island if he sees it managed well in the future?
This is a matter of opinion. In Changping Shahe, right under the emperor's nose, Chen Ying behaved himself and dared not expand his army without permission. But on Dalu Island, Chen Ying had no such concerns at all.
Moreover, he now possesses the basically mature Chain Thunder Cannon, which can be considered a land warfare artifact, as well as a revolver. Don't underestimate this kind of pistol; although its power is much smaller than that of pistols in later generations, in the Ming Dynasty, the revolver was an overwhelmingly powerful artifact.
Chen Ying now possesses the technological reserves to completely replicate the ordnance bureau, gun and cannon bureau, and gunpowder bureau of Shahe Institute. By utilizing steel refining technology, he can crush Mao Wenlong in terms of cost.
Chen Ying's first step will be to establish an army, with the navy and army developing in all aspects. Once the first batch of warships is completed, he can recruit talents from all over the world. At that time, Mao's army in Dongjiang will become his Chen's army, and he may even replace Mao Wenlong.
These Liaodong people are related to the Dongjiang Army soldiers, so when the time comes, it won't be up to Mao Wenlong to decide who is in charge of the Dongjiang Army.
Why did Yuan Chonghuan dare to kill Mao Wenlong on Shuangdao Island? Wasn't it because Yuan Chonghuan controlled the money and supplies at the time? The soldiers of the Dongjiang Army were terrified of starvation, so they dared not do it.
People can't teach people, but experience can teach people; they'll learn it in one go.
Mao Wenlong remained silent for a long time, then suddenly asked, "What are you after?"
"Striving for a win-win situation."
Chen Ying said solemnly, "Commander Mao, I am not a saint, and I also want to make money. But more importantly, I see a path that can revitalize the Ming Dynasty: using the profits from the workshops to support the border troops, and using the prestige of the border troops to protect maritime trade, thus creating a virtuous cycle. If the Dongjiang Army is strong, the pressure on Liaoxi will be reduced, the imperial court will have more tax revenue, and the provisions for the nine border regions will be sufficient. This is a win-win-win situation for the country, the army, and the people."
Mao Wenlong took a deep breath: "Alright, as you say, Fu Yingxing will be returned within three days!"
Fu Yingxing suffered a lot during his time on Pi Island and needed a few days to recover; otherwise, Wei Zhongxian wouldn't look good either.
Chen Ying said solemnly, "Fu Yingxing must be returned safely; the Eunuch and the Imperial Guard cannot have died in vain. Commander Mao must submit a letter of apology and give Eunuch Wei a way out. This is the bottom line for cooperation."
"I will write the letter of apology myself."
Mao Wenlong was overjoyed. The iron ore had been saved, and he had not suffered any loss. More importantly, Chen Ying was willing to hire the people of Liaodong at a wage of two liters of grain per person per day.
Mao Wenlong's biggest pressure comes from the hundreds of thousands of Liaodong people under his command who have been rescued. They all need to eat, which is a huge worry for him, let alone the fact that he can still sell iron.
Mao Wenlong has gotten what he wanted.
"If this succeeds, why will the Dongjiang Army worry about food and pay? Why will the soldiers go hungry?"
Chen Ying said solemnly, "Therefore, Marshal Mao must take good care of himself. The Dongjiang Army cannot do without Marshal Mao, and the Ming Dynasty cannot do without the Dongjiang Army either."
"It's getting late, Boying should go and rest!"
Chen Yingdao said, "But my subordinates are still outside—"
"It's alright, I'll send someone to inform them!"
Mao Wenlong pointed to two personal guards and led Chen Ying to rest. They crossed the passageway and arrived at a separate courtyard.
The guards told Chen Ying that this was Mao Chenglu's courtyard, and that he needed it now.
Chen Ying vaguely understood that Mao Wenlong was now going to deal with Mao Chenglu. He wasn't worried, as long as Mao Wenlong wasn't out of his mind, he wouldn't resort to underhanded tactics against Chen Ying.
Of course, the two revolvers and four grenades that Chen Ying carried gave him great confidence.
"Greetings, Your Excellency!"
As soon as Chen Ying entered the courtyard, several pretty young women surrounded him.
"What are you doing?"
"By order of Marshal Mao, I serve you, sir!"
Four young girls reached out to undress Chen Ying, but he quickly pushed them away, saying, "You may leave. I do not need your service!"
The girl in the lead was slightly taken aback: "Does the master look down on us?"
"No—no!"
Chen hurriedly explained, "I didn't mean that. I'm just used to changing my own clothes. You may leave!"
He touched his body and took out a few gold leaves, each weighing about half an ounce.
However, the girls did not move. Instead, they knelt on the ground in unison, pleading, "Please, sir, don't send us away—if we are sent away—we will—"
These girls were actually pitiful; they were kept in Mao Wenlong's mansion as mere tools. Of course, Chen Ying didn't take advantage of them. It wasn't that he was afraid of upsetting Song Yanniang; mainly, he knew very well that Mao Wenlong wanted to corrupt him at the lowest possible cost.
"Lord Commander—"
Chen Daniu led a dozen or so soldiers in from outside. Looking at the scene inside, he hurriedly turned and left, saying, "This subordinate didn't see anything—"
Just then, a young woman in her early twenties flipped her wrist, and a token appeared in Chen Ying's eyes. It was a bronze waist tag with the word "hidden" engraved on it.
The other party turned out to be a secret agent of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and a note appeared in Chen Ying's palm at the same time.
"You stay, everyone else, step back!"
The other girls looked at Chen Ying with resentment and slowly retreated.
"Imperial Guard Su Mei greets Your Excellency. Half an hour ago, Mao Chenglu escaped from prison—"
Chen Ying was startled: "Is the Dongjiang Army about to descend into internal strife?"
P.S.: I'm very sorry, I have a cold and haven't been able to write much these past few days. I didn't have any drafts saved up before the book went on sale. I'll update one more chapter after my IV drip tonight. I estimate I can only update four chapters today.