Chapter 1015: Off to the Expedition, Filial Sons! (Seeking Subscriptions)

What? Go to the New World?

When Zheng Xi heard Zheng Zhilong's words, he could have slapped himself. The old man and his brother-in-law were the richest and second-richest men in the Ming; if there was anyone in the dynasty who knew how to rake in money, it was those two. Could a project they had their eyes on possibly be wrong? What did a poor student like him know? Why had he opened his mouth? Instead of wasting time worrying about the richest and second-richest men's money, he'd be better off reviewing his French and mathematics and trying to do better on the next exam—he had to get at least forty or fifty points (out of a hundred), right? Keep that up for another two years and he could advance to the second year.

At that thought, Zheng Xi immediately put on a solemn face and said to Zheng Zhilong, "Father, your son is most willing to make the journey to the New World on your behalf, but his studies cannot be neglected. Your son worked hard to get into the Engineering Academy, and he must study diligently; only when his learning bears fruit can he repay your kindness in raising him. It is getting late, so your son will go burn the midnight oil over his books. Your son takes his leave."

With that he rose to slip away, but the moment Zheng Zhilong saw him about to go, he gave a cold snort. "Stop right there! You unfilial wretch, you have the nerve to talk about your studies? You got into the Engineering Academy? It was clearly your father who spent thirty thousand taels of silver to buy your way in. And after you got in you didn't study properly—year after year you're still in the first year. Have you no shame? If I wait for you to finish your studies and repay my kindness, your old father will have to live to a hundred!"

Zheng Xi said hastily, "Father will of course live to a hundred, and when that day comes your son will surely serve you with all filial devotion."

"Enough, enough. I'm not short of one son. I have eighteen sons, and apart from a few little ones who haven't even begun their schooling, which of them doesn't study better than you? I'm sending you to the New World right now! You can forget about the Engineering Academy—withdraw from school and stop making a fool of me!"

"Father, I—I want to study!" Zheng Xi had never dreamed he would ever say such a thing—and mean it from the bottom of his heart!

"Hmph," Zheng Zhilong snorted again. "You still want to study? No chance. Just get on the road obediently, and I won't treat you badly. Tomorrow I'll send someone to the Kou family on Chaoku Street to propose marriage!"

The Kou family of Chaoku Street was the family of Kou Baimen's parents. Because Kou Baimen had long served as Director of Music in the Bureau of Instruction, the Kou family was naturally the foremost house on the Qinhuai River.

But this foremost house could hardly be called respectable—it ran a brothel—so no matter how talented and beautiful the Kou family's daughters were, it was very hard for them to marry into noble or official households. And Zheng Xi had gone and fallen in love with one of the Kou family's daughters, Kou Yumen. This had infuriated Zheng Zhilong, who flew into a rage; had the Imperial Noble Consort Zheng not forbidden it (Zheng Chagu and Kou Baimen were close friends), Zheng Zhilong would long since have sent men to Chaoku Street to smash the place up.

For his daughter's sake, old Zheng had not fallen out with them openly, but neither would he agree to let Kou Yumen into the family. A fine match of mutual affection, blocked by his feudal-minded father.

Now, to encourage his son to go to America, he was willing to go all out.

"When the time comes, that Kou Yumen can go to the New World with you!" Zheng Zhilong said.

"W-well, all right then!" Zheng Xi gritted his teeth and stamped his foot. For love, he'd just have to go for it!

"Heh heh, good boy!" Zheng Zhilong nodded. "Your brother Damu has trained a thousand iron-man warriors in Quanzhou—trained them for years and never once sent them into battle. I've asked for them on your behalf; they'll escort you to America Bay.

"Also, Damu has built two new-style ten-thousand-dan bombardment ships at the Shijing shipyard—said to be exceptionally sturdy and able to withstand heavy wind and waves. I've asked for those for you too. You can board them for America with complete peace of mind—nothing will go wrong!"

"Your son thanks you, Father."

Zheng Xi said thanks with his mouth, but in his heart he couldn't help grumbling at the old man. Who could guarantee anything at sea? And this time they had to cross the Pacific—high winds and towering waves; just thinking about it made his stomach turn!

"Ah? You wish to go to the New World in your father's place? Good, good—a true filial son! We are a filial son Ourself, and what We value most is filial sons. But can your father manage, left alone in Japan to recover? Without you, his son, at his bedside tending him, when will his illness ever heal?"

The day after the great filial son Zheng Xi resolved to quit school and go to the New World in his father's place to survey investment opportunities, another filial son whose devotion moved Heaven itself arrived at the Hall of Imperial Supremacy in the old mountain palace—the Ming truly had no shortage of filial sons!

This filial son was named Wei Zhongcheng, son of Wei Zaode, who had accompanied his father on the visit to Japan. The Wei Zaode father and son had already been in Japan for a year, and just when they could look forward to going together to the chosen land of America, an accident occurred—Wei Zaode fell ill!

At least, that was what Wei Zhongcheng said upon returning to the Ming to report to Zhu Cilang on the progress of the negotiations with Japan.

"Your Majesty," said Wei Zhongcheng, seated on an embroidered stool, sweat already beading on his forehead, "this subject's—this subject's father, though ill, still worries ceaselessly over affairs of state, and so he sent this subject back to report the state of the negotiations to Your Majesty, and hopes to have this subject go to America in his place to oversee the opening of the territory. As for this subject's father's illness, after a period of recuperation it has already improved somewhat; he is merely weak and unable to endure the rigors of the sea."

"Oh." Zhu Cilang was still somewhat worried. "Can he truly manage without family at his side to care for him?"

How could there be no family? Wei Zhongcheng thought to himself: he's got three little Japanese concubines waiting on him, living in comfort—he's almost forgotten the Ming in his pleasure.

"Your Majesty may rest assured. This subject's father does have a few servants about him. It is only that he cannot set his mind at ease about the affairs in America, and so he wishes this subject to go in his place and properly carry out the task Your Majesty entrusted to him."

"Good, good—a true loyal subject!" Zhu Cilang in fact did not care whether Wei Zaode was truly ill or shamming. What he cared about was whether there was a capable man to go "break ground" in America.

Wei Zaode had held the post of Chief Grand Secretary for so many years; his portfolio must contain no shortage of capable men, and his son Wei Zhongcheng was one of them.

"We shall not treat you father and son shabbily," Zhu Cilang continued. "Zhongcheng, have you heard that We intend to establish a joint-stock united republic in North America?"

"I have heard something of it."

The matter had only come out a few days before, and not many people knew of it—but Wei Zhongcheng had ears everywhere; how could he possibly not know?

"We shall set aside one percent of the shares for your family as well! The total capital of the united republic is one hundred million; one percent is one million. But you need not pay the full subscription at once—you may first invest five percent of it, that is, fifty thousand taels." Zhu Cilang smiled. "Do the job well, and in the future the New Continent United Republic will have a share belonging to your family!"

In the original plan, Zhu Cilang had intended to have Wei Zaode manage the America Bay region as a Wei-family fiefdom.

But plans could not keep up with changes. After the Battle of Kagoshima Bay, command of the Pacific sea lanes had for the time being fallen to the Ming, so the Ming could openly and on a grand scale transport personnel and supplies to North America.

Small-scale operations were therefore no longer appropriate; they had to go big and go fast!

Because the situation in Europe could change at any moment, and the reason for the change was enough to leave one speechless—once Cromwell died, Charles II of the House of Stuart would be restored to the throne.

And Charles II was at present an ally of the Kingdom of Spain! If he became King of England, England would certainly withdraw from the war.

Once England withdrew, France would most likely have to quit while it was ahead, because what France wanted most right now was the Spanish Netherlands, and Holland would not be willing to have France as a neighbor. Holland had not formally joined the anti-Spanish alliance at present; only the Dutch East India Company had joined in.

According to the latest report Zhu Cilang had received from Li Shaoyou in France, the States General of the Dutch Republic had formally refused to join the anti-Spanish alliance.

Moreover, a considerable portion of the many Spanish privateers operating in the English Channel came from the Dutch Republic!

In other words, in the European theater Holland was in fact pursuing a pro-Spanish policy. If France invaded the Spanish Netherlands in force, Holland might even join the war on Spain's side.

With France's current strength, it was impossible to challenge Spain and Holland at the same time.

In addition, Li Shaoyou had reported that Cardinal Mazarin, France's red-robed chief minister, was secretly arranging a marriage between Louis XIV and the Spanish princess Maria Theresa.

So the excellent situation of the eight-nation alliance hammering Spain probably could not be maintained for long.

And once Spain extricated itself from its troubles in Europe, the Ming would have trouble in the Pacific!

Therefore Zhu Cilang had to make full use of the little time remaining to keep America Bay firmly in hand!

(End of Chapter)