Chapter 192: Exploration Team

Regarding the final solution for Zheng Zhilong, the newly minted Mobile Corps Commander Cao proposed "Two Plans, Superior and Moderate."

The superior plan was very simple, just five words: "Follow the Wang Zhi precedent."

Who was Wang Zhi?

Wang Zhi, a native of Huizhou in South Zhili, styled Five Peaks Shipmaster, was the most famous pirate and merchant of the Jiajing era.

The famous "Tanegashima Teppō" came about when Wang Zhi passed by Tanegashima and the Portuguese on his ship taught it to the Daimyo of Tanegashima. Of course, the Daimyo didn't learn for free — at the time, he sent his daughter to sleep with them as payment.

After the mid-Jiajing period, the Ming Government began enforcing the maritime prohibition policy. The then Zhe-Zhi Governor Hu Zongxian advocated recruitment and amnesty for Wang Zhi, and initial talks between both sides went pleasantly. However, when Wang Zhi let down his guard and was sightseeing at West Lake, he was captured by the then Zhejiang Inspector Wang Bengu and subsequently executed.

With Wang Zhi's execution as the landmark event, what followed entered the historically infamous "Jiajing Wokou Chaos" period.

Mobile Corps Commander Cao now meant the same thing: use amnesty negotiations as bait, lure Lao Zheng to Fuzhou City, then one slash — done.

This method could be fast, good, and economical, environmentally friendly and pollution-free — those who use it know.

As for whether Lao Zheng would come? That was beyond doubt — just look at Mobile Corps Commander Cao himself.

Unless Lao Zheng wanted to drift at sea his whole life as a Mobile Corps Commander captain. As long as he still wanted amnesty, still wanted to do legitimate business, still wanted to get an official work permit from the authorities, he had to pass this hurdle.

Lao Zheng was not afraid to take this risk: Zheng's essence was that of a merchant; his way of thinking was different from a pure pirate's.

Historically, Lao Zheng had gone many times to negotiate in hostile camps, including with the Dutch over trade disputes, including with Quanzhou Prefect Cai Shanji, including with Xiong Wencan himself — Lao Zheng always brought only a small retinue to negotiate.

Of course, he couldn't bring a large force anyway. The so-called "XX personally led thousands of troops to come and surrender" is actually just like contract signings on later-generation TV — the big shot pretends to sign a few strokes of the contract before the flashbulbs; the real negotiation process was long over, this was just a ceremony.

If, before both sides had reached an agreement, the Zheng Clan brought a so-called large force to menace the waters off Quanzhou or Fuzhou Port, that would be called rebellion, not negotiation.

Therefore, the plan Mobile Corps Commander Cao proposed was the most secure: Lao Xiong only needed to show goodwill, then receive Zheng Zhilong, and once this scoundrel entered Fuzhou City...

Yet Lao Xiong rejected this superior plan.

The key word: bad reputation.

One slash to finish off Lao Zheng, and the Transmigrators would get their satisfaction, but the black pot would again be carried by Lao Xiong.

Although authorities across dynasties had little integrity, with incidents of luring and killing bandits emerging endlessly, Xiong Wencan clearly was not that kind of bureaucratic hothead: back when Wang Zhi was executed, that was done by that fool of a Regional Inspector Wang Bengu, and had nothing to do with Hu Zongxian, who wholeheartedly sought amnesty.

Lao Xiong had even deeper concerns.

One slash to kill Zheng Zhilong would be satisfying, but if the pirates then elected another leader, what then?

If the Transmigrators were not as formidable as they claimed and could not exterminate the new pirate gang, then Lao Xiong would be completely finished — no one would negotiate amnesty with Lao Xiong again, because he had lured and killed the former leader Zheng Zhilong, and his credibility value would be negative.

Although Mobile Corps Commander Cao repeatedly staked his head on it, guaranteeing that as soon as Zheng Zhilong kicked the bucket, those rabble of fair-weather brothers would immediately turn on each other and start hacking, and then the Official Army would only need to clean them up one by one afterward... Lao Xiong didn't believe it.

Lao Xiong was not a Transmigrator; he didn't know that historically, right after Zheng Zhilong submitted to pacification, his sworn brothers turned on him and drove him and several clan members back to Fuzhou. Nor would Lao Xiong know how, after Lao Zheng caught his breath, he spent the following years sending those fair-weather brothers to the west one by one.

From Xiong Wencan's perspective, the authorities directly stepping in to hack Zheng Zhilong — that was the inferior plan. He had to leave a way out for both himself and the authorities; this was the choice any normal person in power would certainly make. Nothing wrong with that.

Alright, since the superior plan was a no-go, Mobile Corps Commander Cao now brought out the moderate plan.

The first half of the moderate plan was the same as the superior plan: Lao Xiong had to cooperate initially and receive Zheng Zhilong. After the reception, Lao Xiong could even, in full public view, personally escort Zheng Zhilong onto his ship to return to his lair... After that, it was none of Lao Xiong's business; the follow-up work would be handled by the newly appointed Squad Commander Sha Heshang under Mobile Corps Commander Cao.

After hearing this plan, Xiong Wencan, as expected, quickly expressed agreement: this kind of thing that neither ruined his reputation nor burned bridges — the boss was still willing to give it a try. As for Zheng Zhilong going missing at sea afterward... the sea surface was windy and rough — what the hell did that have to do with the old man?

Two days later, Fujian Governor Xiong Wencan, for the first time, proactively summoned Zheng Zhilong's mouthpiece in Fuzhou: Fuzhou Prefecture Vice Prefect Lin Shudi.

When Lin Shudi emerged from the Grand Coordinator's Office, he was overjoyed and hurriedly rushed to the "Hengguangkang" silk shop.

And Zheng Sancai, a Zheng clan relative stationed at Hengguangkang, upon receiving the news, dared not delay in the slightest, and dispatched two waves of messengers, by water and by land, rushing to Xiamen to notify Lao Zheng to come to Fuzhou for talks with Xiong Wencan.

What Zheng Sancai did not know was: all his activities, including the boats the two waves of messengers took and the routes they traveled, were now exposed and had been recorded on file.

Thus, unbeknownst to the general public, this important event unfolding in Fuzhou City, one capable of influencing history, was quietly completed.

At the same time, a hidden net had also been spread, carrying dense killing intent, concealed behind the fog; waiting only for Zheng Zhilong, this outstanding 17th-century merchant/pirate/diplomat, to fall into the net one day, whereupon the killing move would be launched, sending him to utter destruction!

The story in Fuzhou City temporarily entered an intermission phase.

Let us turn back time to the end of May, the second day after the Rui'an departed on its mission to Fuzhou.

The sand ship "Yuan Dou" was one of the first batch of Chinese-style ships the Transmigrators acquired after arriving in Great Ming.

The 700-liao Yuan Dou, having served the Transmigrators to this day, had already undergone two major refits.

The first time was at Tangzhuang, when the Transmigrators were about to launch a surprise attack on Dayuan Island, and the Yuan Dou was fitted with various electronic instruments and an outboard motor.

The second time was recently. Reassigned to the Exploration Team, the Yuan Dou once again underwent modifications.

This refit was aimed at exploration, so the Yuan Dou had its cabin specially reinforced, its compartment spaces adjusted, and was equipped on deck with a simple derrick and a dinghy, and finally, a wood gas power system.

The refitted Yuan Dou, looking brand new, was now docked at Dayuan Dock, preparing to depart for Taipei to search for sulfur, iron ore, and gold.

And Pan Mingzhong and Lei Jian, the captain and vice captain, were at the bow directing the crewmen in final preparations.

Unlike Pan Mingzhong, the backpacker, Lei Jian was a bona fide geology school graduate. Unfortunately, his learning went unused: before crossing over, Lei Jian was driving for people in Africa. Specifically, he was a driver for film crews going to reserves to shoot lions.

After crossing over, he was initially idle too, until the Exploration Team was formed — only then did Lei Jian finally get his break.

After tidying up, the Yuan Dou quietly departed, without any warm and enthusiastic send-off scene — some time ago, considering the increasing number of ships coming to Dayuan, and how seeing off and welcoming every one was too time-consuming, Xia had given the order: from now on, personnel not from one's own department were forbidden to see off or welcome ships.

The lonely Exploration Team now had only two Transmigrators in total, and both were currently on the ship, so there was no possibility of departmental personnel coming to see them off...

After the Yuan Dou exited the Tayouan Channel, it did the opposite of normal and did not head directly north; instead, it turned left out the gate and began sailing south along the Taiwan coastline, heading straight for Taiwan's southernmost tip, Kending Cape.

Pan Mingzhong and Lei Jian planned it this way: Dayuan was very close to Kending at Taiwan's southernmost section, less than a day's voyage. So for this voyage, the Yuan Dou should round Kending Cape and head north along Taiwan Island's outer coast instead.

Such a sailing route would allow the Yuan Dou to survey the two regions of Taidong and Hualian along the way.

The Taidong coast, located on Taiwan's eastern shore, was a key target of this exploration.

The Xiuguluan River Mouth, at the border of Taidong and Hualian, was, in later generations, a coastal mining area rich in magnetite sand. Including the iron sand mine on the Taipei coast, the combined annual output of the two mines was around ten thousand tons.

This amount of output, before the later-generation Rabbit, was as good as nothing — in 2017, the Rabbit imported 1.1 billion tons of iron ore...

However, this was now the 17th century; the pitiful Kiln Area Base had just recently estimated its iron ore smelting capacity for the second half of the year at the advanced level of 500 tons... This was already quite good, thanks to some iron material ships arriving from Fuzhou.

Therefore, iron sand deposits enriched at coastal river mouths and easy to mine were a strategic resource for which the Crossing Faction, as it gradually extended its fist outward, needed to gather data first and foremost.

Additionally, Hualian's mineral resources were also very rich, not only having various serpentine, rose stone, marble, and Taiwan jade resources, but also some small amounts of metal ores.

The most important among these was serpentine.

Serpentine contains large amounts of magnesium and can be used to manufacture various refractory materials.

Furthermore, serpentine calcined together with guano stone can produce calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer. This fertilizer works very well on corn, tubers, legumes, and root and stem crops.

And the Agricultural Company's main crops currently being planted on a large scale in the Tainan area happen to be precisely the varieties listed above... therefore, serpentine is also very important.

Time passed quickly amid the discussion between Pan Mingzhong and Lei Jian. The Yuan Dou had set out at dawn, riding the north wind southward all the way, and by dusk, they could already see the brilliantly green coastline of Kending, the only place in Taiwan with tropical climate characteristics.

After the fierce sun sank below the sea surface, beneath the gradually brightening canopy of stars, the Yuan Dou switched on its radar and sonar, rounding the crystal-clear coral sea zone along the Kending coast without stopping for a moment, continuing to sail further south.

By 10 o'clock that night, the Yuan Dou had rounded Kending and began heading north against the wind along the outer islands of Taiwan.

At this point, their speed dropped. Pan Mingzhong, responsible for the night watch, had no choice but to stay in the stern cabin all night long, using the walkie-talkie and the loudspeaker hung on the mast to communicate with the First Mate who was directing the crew to trim the sails, while also promptly reporting the sea conditions ahead to avoid running aground.

Sailing against the wind was arduous. After the whole night passed, the Yuan Dou had actually only covered a straight-line distance of 30 kilometers. Looking far into the distance, the people on board spotted a landmark on the eastern coast of Kending: Bitou Reef.

Fortunately, the old master also seemed to find such sailing too lonely, so at 10 in the morning, an additional dot appeared on the Yuan Dou's radar screen, moving from north to south.