Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 506 Exploitation
Zhang Dashan's words resonated powerfully in the warm meeting room, earning nods of agreement from most of those present.

Sun Shoude, the head of Changning Fort, wholeheartedly agreed, adding, "The commissioner is absolutely right. Every grain of our food is crucial to the sustenance of the thousands of immigrants arriving this year, and to whether we can truly establish ourselves on this land. What does it matter to me whether Kong Youde lives or dies?"

"In my opinion, not only should we not sell grain to him, but we can also take this opportunity to secretly send people to Hamgyong Province to spread the word that our Haedong region has ample food supplies and welcomes Korean refugees with nowhere else to go to come and cultivate the land. In this way, we can weaken Kong Youde's power base and increase our population at the same time, killing two birds with one stone!"

This proposal is quite ruthless, directly targeting Kong Youde's foundation—population.

Once famine leads to a large-scale exodus of people, Kong Youde's military manpower and tax base will be depleted, and his rule will inevitably crumble.

The village chiefs' eyes lit up, clearly indicating their approval of the plan.

While absorbing refugees may increase food pressure in the short term, it is the fastest way to expand colonization in the long run.

However, just as everyone was about to reach a consensus, a slightly deep but clear voice rang out: "Gentlemen, I think this matter may be discussed again."

The speaker was Zheng Yu, the deputy commissioner of the expansion zone who was sitting to Zhang Dashan's left.

He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a lean face. Unlike Zhang Dashan, who was full of the boldness of a pioneer, he had a scholarly air and a thoughtful composure.

He was originally the chief clerk of Qi Yongze, the colonization commissioner of Beiying Island. Because of his skill in planning and his familiarity with the establishment of the colonization system, he was sent to the Haidong colonization area to assist Zhang Dashan.

Zhang Dashan frowned slightly, but did not interrupt him, only gesturing for him to continue.

Zheng Yu stood up, walked to the map hanging on the wall, and pointed to the location of Hamgyeong Province: "Gentlemen, Kong Youde is indeed a fickle and despicable person. But right now, he has more than 10,000 troops and occupies a corner of Hamgyeong Province, which is a very delicate position."

"He was neither close nor distant from the Qing forces in Liaodong to the northwest, and was at odds with the Korean Kingdom in Hanyang to the south, while our Haidong Colonization Zone was to the northeast. He was like a wedge driven between these three parties."

He looked around at everyone, his tone becoming more serious: "Now that this wedge has loosened due to the famine, should we let it rot and fall off, or even hope that the Kingdom of Joseon will come and pull it out? Or... should we take this opportunity to step forward, give it a little nudge, and make it wedge deeper in the direction we want, or even pry open even harder boulders for us?"

"Deputy Commissioner Zheng, do you mean... to supply the enemy with food and weapons?" An impatient village chief couldn't help but ask, his tone full of incomprehension and even a hint of doubt.

"It's not about aiding the enemy, but about using one wolf to devour another." Zheng Yu's voice rose a few decibels. "Kong Youde is currently trapped in Hamgyong, where famine is rampant. If no one comes to his aid, his strength will be severely weakened, and if he is not careful, he could be destroyed in an instant. If we extend a helping hand now, even if it is only limited assistance, it will be like sending charcoal in snowy weather to him."

"Does Deputy Commissioner Zheng mean we should help him get through this difficult time?" Sun Shoude asked incredulously, his tone clearly showing disapproval.

"It's not about helping for free, but rather... taking advantage of them," Zheng Yu corrected. "We can provide them with food, and even... we can consider providing them with some urgently needed military equipment, such as muskets, gunpowder, and lead bullets, to get them to do some dirty and hard work for us."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked.

Even Zhang Dashan looked surprised.

"Deputy Commissioner Zheng!" A military officer in charge of militia training suddenly stood up, his voice booming, "This is absolutely unacceptable! What kind of person is Kong Youde? First, he betrayed the Ming Dynasty, causing chaos in Dengzhou and Laizhou, and then he wreaked havoc in Korea. He's fickle and unpredictable! It's said that he's also exchanging glances with the Tartars in Shenyang. How can we trust such a wolf in sheep's clothing?"

“If we send him food and weapons to help him through his difficulties, wouldn’t that be like raising a tiger to cause trouble? Once he recovers and his strength is restored, who can guarantee that he won’t covet the development achievements of our Mokowai colony and turn around to bite us?”

"At that time, Suian Fort will bear the brunt, and Yongming City will also be shaken! If we sit idly by and watch them perish, it will be the perfect opportunity to use them as a tool to kill them, and let the Koreans resolve this trouble. Why invite trouble upon ourselves?"

These words immediately resonated with most people, who nodded in agreement.

Even Sun Shoude, who advocated for absorbing disaster victims, believed that giving Kong Youde material aid was too risky.

“Our aid certainly won’t be given away for free. We can propose some harsh conditions,” Zheng Yu said, tracing lines on the map. “For example, we can have him send troops to harass the Qing forces’ rear, attacking old strongholds in places like Huifa and Yehe. Or we can drive him south to attack the prefectures and counties of Jiashan and Sanshui in Korea, thus tying down Korean forces.” “No matter how effective his attacks are, they will greatly relieve the pressure on our western and southern fronts in the Haidong Colonization Zone. We can even have him exchange captured Qing soldiers, Korean artisans, and women for food and weapons. In this way, Kong Youde will become an ally that we can use.”

He paused, allowing everyone to process the idea, before continuing, "Furthermore, while your concerns about a backlash are important, they are not insurmountable. Firstly, the Kong Youde Group lacks a navy; when they fled to Korea, they only had a handful of ships, and they have yet to build a decent navy. In contrast, our Xinhua controls the sea routes, possessing powerful ships and cannons, which they absolutely cannot contend with."

"Secondly, please look at..."

His finger pointed to the map of Hamgyong Province again: "Although the territory occupied by Kong Youde is vast, seven or eight out of ten of its population, towns, and grain production are concentrated in that narrow plain corridor along the coast. These towns and ports are all within the attack range of our Xinhua Navy ships!"

"If he makes any unusual moves, our fleet can set sail in the morning and arrive in the evening to blockade and bombard his coastline, or even launch a amphibious assault to cut off his supply lines and destroy his ports. Without naval power, his lifeline is in our hands. If he has any sense, how dare he easily turn against us?"

“More importantly…” Zheng Yu licked his lips, “Supporting Kong Youde, who has some strength but has to rely on us, can effectively divide Korea, making it difficult for him to take care of both the North and the South. At the same time, he can also serve as a buffer, directly resisting possible pressure from the Korean Peninsula for us, and even become a potential ally for us to attack the Qing invaders from the side.”

"Although this ally is unreliable, he can be used as long as our interests align. Looking around, who else besides us is capable of providing him with large quantities of weapons and food? Korea? The Qing Dynasty? Or Japan across the sea? We are his only option. This dependence is the rein we hold over him."

A long silence fell over the council chamber.

The charcoal pencil spun unconsciously in Sun Shoude's hand, while Zhang Dashan stared at the Hamgyong Province area on the map, his brows furrowed.

The others also looked thoughtful.

Zheng Yu's analysis was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

The picture he painted was certainly tempting—a separatist force that could be remotely controlled and could share the burden of Xinhua—but the risks involved were equally enormous.

Kong Youde was notorious for his ruthlessness and cunning; to do business with such a ruthless and cunning man was tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin.

Finally, Zhang Dashan slowly spoke, breaking the silence: "What Deputy Commissioner Zheng said does make some sense. If we can get Kong Youde to work for us, to harass the Jurchens and contain Korea, it will be of great benefit to our expansion in the East China Sea. However, his temperament is fickle and the risk is extremely high, so we must be wary."

He made a decision: "This matter is of great importance and cannot be decided by our Haidong Colonization Division alone. We must immediately write a detailed report, including the details, the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages, and the suggestions of Deputy Commissioner Zheng, and submit it to the Beiying Island Colonization Headquarters for the decision of the esteemed officials and the Council."

He changed the subject, his gaze sharpening: "However, we cannot remain inactive before headquarters issues its orders. We cannot leave Kong Youde's envoy hanging, nor can we outright refuse him. We can make initial contact and conduct limited, exploratory trade."

"How limited?" Sun Shoude asked.

"We can sell some grain, but not too much, not enough to feed them all, and at a high price. It must be exchanged for real gold and silver, high-quality ginseng, sable fur, and warhorses, and delivered in batches to see how they behave," Zheng Yu explained with a smile. "As for weapons, especially firearms, we will not sell them for the time being. But we can hint that if they are truly 'sincere,' such as raiding the Qing rear, or launching a large-scale attack on Korea, or giving us a port as collateral, it is not impossible in the future."

Zhang Dashan nodded: "Deputy Commissioner Zheng is right. We need to be wary of Kong Youde. Well, I'll leave this matter to you. You'll return to Yongming City later to discuss the relevant matters with the envoy sent by Kong Youde. You need to be careful not to let them get away with it. We need to make them understand that we have grain, and we have even more good things, but whether they can get them depends on their attitude and actions."

"Yes, Commissioner, I understand." Zheng Yu bowed and accepted the order, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes.

"As for absorbing the disaster victims from Hamgyong Province," Zhang Dashan added at the end, "we can proceed as usual, but we should not make a big fuss about it. We can do it secretly through the tribes that are on good terms with us to avoid overly provoking Kong Youde. Right now, stabilizing him and making use of him is the best strategy."

After the meeting ended, everyone dispersed with mixed feelings.

Outside, Changning Fort continued to operate smoothly in the cold winter. The sounds of sawing wood, hammering iron, training shouts, and work chants mingled together, full of pioneering vitality.

In the distant Hamgyong Province, amidst countless starving people, the warlord Kong Youde, Dorgon in Shenyang, and the King of Joseon in Hanyang, none of them could have imagined that on the edge of this black soil long forgotten by the Ming Dynasty, a new force was attempting to use grain and firearms as leverage to quietly reshape the future of the entire region.
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(End of this chapter)