Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Kiichi finally understood that the governor's refusal to take action against these merchants wasn't simply a matter of tolerance, but rather a ulterior motive. He listened patiently to the governor's instructions, his future plans gradually forming a clear picture. Given this, he must devote all his energy to eliminating this hidden danger and absolutely not allow any further instability to grow.

The Governor's gaze grew sharper as he continued, "Starting today, we must immediately cut off the smuggling routes and arrest some of the smuggling ringleaders. We will use them as witnesses to intimidate other merchants, but we must not allow them to reveal their identities. Merchants are important, but once we thoroughly expose the connections behind these people, we'll gain even more leverage."

He paused, a cold glint in his eyes, and continued, "As for those who still don't know how to restrain themselves, there's no need to be lenient. Kill them and confiscate their property as a warning to others. At this point, there will be no mercy."

After hearing this, Kui was shocked. He knew that this was the governor's foresight of the situation. If he could execute it smoothly, it would definitely make the defense of Chikan City stronger, and at the same time accumulate more advantages for future struggles.

"Yes, I understand."

However, the Governor did not seem completely satisfied. He spoke again, "But the Han Chinese cannot be completely trusted. We cannot kill all of them. After all, they are the foundation of our foothold in Southeast Asia. If we want to do business in this land, we must establish a certain level of cooperation with the Han Chinese. We can use them, but we cannot over-oppress them."

These words struck Kouyi as unusual; the Governor-General wasn't merely giving him orders; he was guiding him on how to balance interests in a complex situation. To gain a foothold in this volatile region, relying solely on force wouldn't last; a balanced approach with the local Han people was essential.

The Governor sighed, looked up at the gradually whitening sky in the distance, and said, "If Chikan City falls, all our efforts will be wasted, and it may even bring disastrous consequences to the entire East India Company. We must act with caution and not be negligent."

Kiichi's heart trembled, sensing a heavy pressure from the Governor-General's words. The conversation between He Nan and the Dutch Governor-General ended in a friendly and harmonious atmosphere. Despite the politeness on both sides, he knew it was all just a show.

He no longer took the Governor's compliments seriously. He was no fool; he knew clearly that if the Dutch truly valued him, they wouldn't have set up such strict surveillance and precautions in this city. However, all this needed to be maintained until his goal was achieved.

The Dutch garrison in Chikan City was too meticulous, their defenses too strict, and they even required the strict enforcement of some unreasonable rules, which made He Nan very uneasy. What made him even more irritated was that the Dutch influence seemed to have infiltrated every corner of the city, and he still had to bow his head and cater to it and participate in it.

"You've done well, He Nan," the Governor said earnestly. "I greatly admire your talent, and there will surely be higher positions waiting for you in the future. Your performance this time not only earned you honor, but also contributed to our cause. I will apply for your promotion soon."

However, He Nan only nodded slightly at the Governor's praise without saying much. He was already accustomed to such hypocritical praise and knew that the Governor wasn't simply thinking of himself. The stronger the Dutch's control over Chikan City, the less room he had to maneuver, and even the slightest careless move could be fatal.

Only when the Governor's guards rode away did He Nan finally relinquish his respectful expression and watch them disappear into the distance. His outward appearance of respect and gentleness was quickly replaced by a cold and deep expression. His brows raised slightly, and the sharpness and coldness in his eyes were barely concealed.

"Are you done?" A familiar voice broke his contemplation. He Nan turned around and saw his Han officer Liu Debing following closely behind.

Liu Debing asked with a hint of worry, "Brother, Lao Wan just woke up. Should we go see him?"

"You stay and continue to watch the city gate. The others come back with me." He Nan said calmly, without a trace of warmth in his eyes. He knew that Liu Debing was loyal, but he also understood that this loyalty did not mean he was completely without scheming.

Liu Debing nodded, then whispered orders to the other accompanying guards. He Nan, without a word, rode his horses quickly across the street with a dozen or so of his closest confidants, heading towards his residence.

During this period, the Dutch patrols of Chikan City became increasingly strict, and every confidant around He Nan was on constant alert. This was especially true of Wan Jiu, his former good brother, who had been drinking almost every day recently and his mental state was becoming increasingly unstable.

He Nan couldn't let him be discovered by the Dutch patrol, otherwise he would be in big trouble. Therefore, he decided to temporarily house Wan Jiu in his own mansion to avoid attracting unnecessary attention. When He Nan pushed open the door of the mansion, walked through the long corridor, and came to the wing room on the left, he saw Wan Jiu standing in the courtyard, his face looking extremely haggard.

He Nan couldn't help but frowned, and stood at the door and whispered, "Are you awake?"

Wan Jiu heard the voice and turned his head slightly. Seeing He Nan's figure, his face instantly became even uglier. Although the elder brother in front of him didn't seem to show much anger, Wan Jiu could still catch a hint of displeasure in his eyes.

He Nan had never shown much emotion, but at this moment, his eyes were enough to convey his inner dissatisfaction. Wan Jiu didn't know how to respond for a moment, and an awkward smile appeared on his face, forcing a smile.

He lowered his head and quickly walked back to the room, looking a little bewildered. "Brother, how about...I should go back to the barracks. It's not appropriate to stay here with you all day."

He Nan gritted his teeth when he heard this, and tried his best to suppress his inner anger. He knew that at this juncture, he had to remain calm and not appear to be too out of control, especially in Wan Jiu's delicate state.

He took a deep breath, turned around and signaled the two trusted servants to leave. He knew that tonight's conversation had to go on and Wan Jiu could not be allowed to continue in this unstable state.

"Brother, what's so mysterious?" Wan Jiu saw the door being closed with a "creak". He turned to look at He Nan, frowning slightly, with a hint of confusion in his tone.

He Nan didn't answer immediately, but just smiled faintly, his expression becoming more calm. He looked into Wan Jiu's eyes and said in a low voice:
"Our current situation is far more complicated than you imagine. We need to eliminate all unstable factors. Wan Jiu, you should know why you came back here today." Wan Jiu's expression changed, and the ease he had just shown disappeared without a trace. He lowered his head and remained silent, as if pondering the meaning of He Nan's words.

He Nan sighed inwardly as he looked at his good brother, haggard and shaky after months of alcoholism. Ever since that tragic conflict, Wan Jiu had been numbing himself with alcohol almost daily, his life plunging into a hopeless abyss. His eyes were hollow, and he seemed to have lost his former edge, like a "dead man" bereft of fighting spirit.

He Nan wanted to comfort him, but seeing his miserable appearance, he finally suppressed his pity and said straight to the point, "Brother will help you get revenge, do you dare?"

"Report..." Wan Jiu was startled, his words stopping at the tip of his tongue. His entire mind seemed to be thrown into disarray by this sentence. His throat moved violently a few times, as if he had swallowed something difficult to swallow. His dull gaze finally fixed on He Nan's eyes, which were filled with determination and ruthlessness.

After a long time, he squeezed out two words from his mouth: "Revenge?"

He Nan still maintained that sharp gaze, squinting at Wan Jiu, a sneer on the corner of his mouth, and the unique ruthlessness of the southern Fujian mountain people emerged again.

"Don't dare?" His tone was flat, but it carried a threat that was hard to ignore and a determination to force the other party to make a decision.

Wan Jiu was stunned. His long-silent heart was suddenly pulled back by a violent shock. He knew clearly that he longed for revenge, but the confusion of the past few months had worn away his will.

Whenever he thought about his wife being killed by Red Hair and he was unable to avenge her, a feeling of powerlessness and fear would overwhelm him. Coupled with his fear of implicating He Nan and his brothers in the process of revenge, he chose to numb himself and use alcohol as a tool to try to escape everything.

"But..." Wan Jiu finally spoke, but his tone was extremely hesitant.

He clenched his fists tightly, as if using all his strength to force the two words out of his mouth. Although he had long made up his mind to seek revenge, the concerns in his heart prevented him from making up his mind. He couldn't imagine how deep the quagmire he would fall into if he took action, and even implicated more innocent brothers.

"I'm telling you, big brother also wants revenge." He Nan's tone gradually calmed down, and he said, "Your revenge is big brother's revenge. We must lead our brothers to resist and surrender to His Majesty. Then you and I will lead our brothers to kill all the red-haired people in this city and avenge our blood feud."

He Nan's voice was calm and firm, as if he had already made up his mind. The pain, frustration, and even the confusion about the future no longer seemed important at this moment. What mattered most was revenge. At this moment, all his worries became a thing of the past, and all his hesitations were no longer necessary.

He Nan expressed his feelings to Wan Jiu without any reservation, without even trying to hide it, and made it clear that he would lead his brothers to completely eliminate the Dutch in this hatred.

Wan Jiu's eyes froze, his emotions nearly spiraling out of control. He Nan's tone, words, and gaze all told him an indisputable truth: they had to fight for their dignity and blood feud. The chance for revenge was now. As long as they persevered, they could take everything back from the red-haired man.

However, Wan Jiu's heart was filled with entanglement and fear. He had originally numbed himself with alcoholism and let himself wander in hatred, but at this moment, he knew that he could no longer hide, and the voice of revenge was as loud as a huge bell.

"..." Wan Jiu's eyes widened, their rims slightly red. He didn't say anything, just stood there in silence, as if these words had hit every sore spot. He hadn't thought he'd have another chance for revenge. He had thought it would fade with time, until he decided to escape instead of seeking revenge.

But now, his world seemed to be ignited in an instant, and the anger and desire that had been buried suddenly burst out like a volcanic eruption. He Nan looked at Wan Jiu's painful expression, stood up, walked in front of him, patted his shoulder, and said in a deep voice:
"Brother knows you've been holding back for a long time. The chance for revenge is coming soon. We must kill them all and not let a single red-haired person escape, especially that bastard Kiichi. He was the one who protected those red-haired people in the first place."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious. "But before that, you must pull yourself together. Look at your current state, neither human nor ghost. Can you pick up a knife and kill someone? Then, with what right will you kill Red Hair? With what right will you kill Kiichi?"

"Yes!" Wan Jiu's voice burst out with unprecedented anger, his fists clenched, the veins on his forehead throbbing, and he responded with gritted teeth.

He Nan nodded, then calmly sat down and drank a bowl of cold water. He slowly put the bowl down and said slowly, "This matter is of great importance. We can't accomplish it with just a few dozen of us brothers. In addition to ourselves, we must find some external forces to cooperate with us, at least find some people who can jointly resist the red-haired people. We need to distract the red-haired people during the action, and even attract their attention and lead them away."

As He Nan finished speaking, Wan Jiu's face still showed a hint of hesitation. He raised his head slightly and looked into He Nan's eyes, which were full of confusion and a hint of worry. Although the other party had recovered his composure and was obviously no longer as panicked as before, he still couldn't suppress the doubts in his heart.

"Come with me to see Zhang Tiandao in two days." He Nan's words were calm, but with some invisible pressure.

"Zhang Tiandao?" Wan Jiu repeated subconsciously, his brows furrowed slightly. Then, he suddenly realized something and asked with some uneasiness, "Can Zhang Tiandao be trusted? What if he..."

"He can be trusted." He Nan answered lightly, with a faint smile on his lips, but hidden in the smile was an invisible determination: "Don't worry, Zhang Tiandao's situation is somewhat similar to that Liu Xun you mentioned. Although he once worked for the Li family, he is no longer the Zhang Tiandao of the past."

Wan Jiu felt a slight sense of relief upon hearing this, but a hint of worry still lingered in his eyes. He pondered silently for a moment, then finally spoke: "Liu Xun happened over a year ago. Can Zhang Tiandao really believe it? After all, he was once a member of the Li family. Even though he's gone, he might not be able to completely let go of the things deep in his heart." (End of this chapter)