Chapter 117

In the midsummer of AD 913, the lands of Zhongyuan were scorched by war into a landscape of scars; Li Cunxu's great army surged like a ferocious tiger descending a mountain, racing across the territories of the Later Liang, the shouts of sieges and the clanging of Weapon collisions echoing—so faintly that even across the thousand‑mile Huai River they could be heard in the south.

The barely surviving Later Liang Court, under the frantic command of Zhu Youzhen, cobbled together its last forces to stubbornly resist; cities collapsed in the flames, refugees fled like tides, and the entire Zhongyuan fell into a chaotic quagmire of war.

Yet amid this great turmoil, the south of the Yangtze presented a completely different scene. South of the Yangtze, rice waves rolled, growth was vigorous, and farmers toiled under the scorching sun, their faces bearing hope for a bountiful harvest.

In cities such as Yangzhou and Suzhou, shops lined the streets, cargo boats shuttled along the canals like shuttles, the cries of vendors and the shouts of boatmen intertwined, forming a bustling picture of prosperity. This is the Jiangnan under the control of the Wang Family, far from Zhongyuan's warfire; under the governance of Wang Po (Wang Xiu), it has long since transformed from a remote safe haven into a fertile, orderly earthly paradise.

Yangzhou Port, one of Jiangnan's most prosperous harbors, is now especially lively. Dockside laborers haul goods back and forth, Persian merchants and local traders haggle with gestures and broken Mandarin, and several newly arrived merchant ships are busy unloading spices and timber brought from the South Seas.

Amid this clamor, a brand‑new massive complex has quietly risen; its blue‑brick, black‑tile roofs gleam warmly under the blazing sun, and the vermilion gate bears no plaque of official authority—only, in an unobtrusive spot beside the door, hangs a small wooden sign inscribed in regular script with four bold characters—"Overseas Strategy Bureau."

On this day there is no drum‑and‑gong celebration, no officials or commoners watching; only core members of the Wang Family and a few top scholars from the academy have quietly gathered within the complex. They all understand that this seemingly low‑key institution will become the core engine of the Wang Family's legacy for the next hundred, even thousand years, and a pivotal step for Wang Po (Wang Xiu)'s "Overseas Strategy" plan moving from blueprint to reality.

When Wang Po (Wang Xiu) personally handed a bronze token engraved with a wave pattern to Wang Tian, the nearly sixty‑year‑old elder's eyes flickered with an unusual light.

Wang Tian has weathered storms all his life; in his youth he risked his life on a mission to Huang Chao's great camp, using extraordinary daring and wisdom to seek a survival path for the Wang Family; later he headed the Wang Family's intelligence network, and with eyes everywhere across the realm he supplied countless crucial pieces of information, helping the Wang Family secure its foothold in chaotic times.

Now, this elder who has witnessed the Wang Family's rise has taken the new mission bestowed by Wang Po, becoming the first director of the Overseas Strategy Bureau, devoting the remainder of his life to this entirely new undertaking.

"Uncle," Wang Po's voice carried a hint of solemnity, "this Overseas Strategy Bureau is the Wang Family's future hope. Navigation, shipbuilding, trade, exploration… all affairs related to overseas will be coordinated here. I believe, with Uncle's ability, it can become the great wheel that drives the Wang Family forward."

Wang Tian took the bronze token in both hands; the token felt heavy, as if bearing the dreams of several generations of the Wang Family. Wang Tian bowed slightly, his tone firm: "Head of Family, rest assured, I will not disgrace the mission; even if I exhaust my last breath, I will carve a new overseas realm for the Wang Family."

Entering the interior of the Overseas Strategy Bureau, one can feel its distinctiveness; there is no stern, rigid bureaucracy of an official office, but instead vitality and vigor everywhere, like a comprehensive modern university and research center.

The entire complex is divided into several zones. On the west side lies the "Workshop Zone," where a few towering factories house craftsmen bustling around newly designed ship models; the air is filled with sawdust and tung oil. In the center of a factory, a hull of a "Fortune Ship" several zhang long has taken shape, and several craftsmen, holding blueprints, discuss how to improve the hull structure to enhance the vessel's stability on the open sea.

The east side is the "Research‑Study Zone," where several spacious rooms hold long desks piled with books, drawings, and instruments. Outstanding academy students sit together; some study navigation texts bought from Arab merchants, some calculate the mathematical formulas needed for voyages, and others, under a teacher's guidance, use simple astrolabes to simulate star observations.

The central area is the "Council and Intelligence Zone," where Wang Tian conducts his daily work. Inside are several massive desks, neatly stacked with intelligence scrolls—records of the customs and geography of Southeast Asian countries, Persian‑drawn maps of Indian Ocean routes, and information on overseas resource distribution collected by Wang Family scouts.

In the days after the Overseas Strategy Bureau's establishment, Yangzhou Port's bustle gained new significance. No one knows that this seemingly ordinary complex will one day give birth to what kind of power.

Meanwhile, Zhongyuan still endures the blaze of war, and no one could have imagined that on the peaceful lands of Jiangnan, a grand plan that will reshape the world's order has quietly begun.

Inside, several departments are set up: the Navigation Department, responsible for charting maps, studying astronomy and geography, and improving navigation techniques. Wang Po (Wang Xiu) has "creatively" imparted all his knowledge of monsoons, currents, and latitude‑longitude to the researchers here.

The Ship Administration Department, responsible for designing and building new types of ocean‑going vessels. Under Wang Po (Wang Xiu)'s guidance, a group of the era's master craftsmen have devised a "Treasure Ship" that blends the sturdiness of the Fortune Ship with the flat‑bottom advantage of the Sand Ship, while also featuring multiple waterproof compartments and a hard‑sail structure.

Construction has begun in secret within the Wang Family's shipyard. These ships are not only massive but also have pre‑reserved gun positions for mounting cannons.

The Exploration Department is composed of the Wang Family academy's most outstanding scholars in physics and chemistry. Their task is to research mineral exploration and smelting techniques. Wang Po (Wang Xiu)'s goal is clear: he seeks not only gold and silver, but also the copper, Iron Control, and coal essential for future industry.

The Education Department is responsible for studying the languages, cultures, and customs of overseas nations and compiling textbooks. Their other task is to train missionaries. Of course, what they spread is not religion but the Wang Family's culture, thought, and technology.

The Military Department is responsible for forming and training a "naval marine corps" specifically for overseas combat. These soldiers must master naval warfare, amphibious assaults, jungle fighting, and the ability to establish and defend overseas bases.

Wang Po (Wang Xiu) has almost poured the accumulated wealth and talent of several generations of the Wang Family into building this Overseas Strategy Bureau.

And the Bureau's first strategic target, after repeated discussion and research, was finally locked onto—Japan.

Wang Tian, in his study, gives Wang Po (Wang Xiu) the final report.

"Head of Family, according to our latest intelligence, Japan is indeed the most ideal first target at present."

Before him lies a relatively accurate map of Japan drawn by Wang Family intelligence agents who risked their lives.

"First, Japan is the closest to us. Our fleet, following the monsoon, can reach its western coast's Kyushu Island in at most half a month. This provides great convenience for our subsequent supply and reinforcement."

"Second, Japan is rich in gold, silver, and copper. Especially silver; its reserves are unimaginably abundant. According to merchants who have been to Japan, in places such as Ishime and Ikuno, silver mines are almost open‑pit. If we can control these mines, they will provide us with a continuous stream of fiscal support."

Wang Po (Wang Xiu) nodded; he of course knew that Japan is a massive silver mine. In later history, the Tokugawa shogunate sustained over two hundred years of rule thanks to the Ishime Silver Mine.

"Third, and the most important point." Wang Tian's eyes glittered with sharp light, "Japan is presently in a perfect 'internal turmoil yet unmanifested' stage."

"Their emperor, in Heian‑kyō (Kyoto), has long been reduced to a mere figurehead by an external clan called the Fujiwara, who have stripped him of power."

"And the Fujiwara's central court's control over the regions is weakening. Local governors and manor lords are crazily annexing land, hiding populations, evading taxes, and also maintaining a private armed force called samurai."

Wang Tian paused here, then, in a tone of admiration, said: "Head of Family, what you previously said—that local warlords are numerous and internal strife endless—exactly matches our judgment for intervention; it is spot on! The current situation in Japan is even more perfect than you imagined!"

"These local warlords, vying for land and water, wage perpetual wars against each other. They deeply crave stronger weapons and more advanced technology to help them defeat their rivals."

"If we appear before them with our 'goodwill' and 'goods,' I believe they will gladly exchange their gold, silver, and land for our friendship."

Wang Po (Wang Xiu) listened to Wang Tian's report, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

He knows that Wang Tian has fully grasped his strategic intent.

This is no longer a simple matter of colonization and plunder.

It is a higher‑level "civilization export" and "order reconstruction."

In Wang Xiu's mind, the later history vividly appears. He knows the Japanese people have a nature that admires strength. They will not hesitate to learn and imitate any civilization stronger than their own.

During the Tang Dynasty, they sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty, bringing back everything of the Tang Dynasty.

In modern times, they were opened to the world by Western iron‑clad ships and powerful cannons, and immediately "left Asia for Europe," fully westernizing.