Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 507 Yongming City

More than ten days ago, when Lü Pinghuan arrived in Yongming City (now Vladivostok), he could hardly believe his eyes.

Because the scale of this stronghold, known as "Yongming City," far exceeded his expectations.

He had previously heard from scouts of the Jingdong Governor's Office in Hamgyong Province that "the new Chinese have built a relatively large stronghold in Vladivostok," and he thought it was just a large outpost made up of some drafty shacks. But the "city" in front of him actually exuded a grandeur that was rare even among major towns in the Central Plains, far beyond what his imagination could contain.

It stands majestically on the coast of the bay. Unlike the square city walls commonly seen in the Central Plains, it is a series of sturdy wooden and stone fortifications built layer upon layer according to the terrain. At key corners, tall watchtowers stand, their dark cannon muzzles pointing menacingly towards the bay and the land.

The entire city was enormous in scale and layout, with a circumference estimated to be over eight li, far surpassing the simple military fortresses like Suian Fort.

Surprisingly, the harbor area was not completely frozen. Due to the mountains and hills blocking cold air and the high salinity of the seawater, the bay remains ice-free year-round. However, the outer bay freezes for four months every year, with several ships moored at the dock, gently rocking with the waves.

The houses in the city are neat and orderly. Although most of them are made of wood, they are well-planned. The streets are even paved with large stone slabs (cement) to reduce mud.

The town was bustling with people. In addition to a large number of Han Chinese immigrants wearing cotton-padded or fur coats, there were also many Koreans and various indigenous tribes wearing fur clothing, making it look like a busy border port town.

This is hardly a remote and wild settlement.
Its meticulous planning, formidable defenses, and vibrant population give it the air of a powerful town, far more dynamic and orderly than any war-torn city in Hamgyong Province.

In fact, ever since he set off from Suian Fort, he had experienced one shock after another in his heart.

He was prepared to endure the arduous journey of over 250 li from Suianbao to Yongmingcheng, even if it meant sleeping in the open and eating frozen dry rations.

However, the pioneering efforts of the new Chinese completely overturned his understanding.

They could find a fortified stronghold or outpost almost every twenty or thirty miles, either in a strategic location or near a water source.

These outposts, varying in size, were scattered like pearls along the coast and in the main river valleys, extending all the way to Yongming City.

Larger settlements, such as Wanghaibao (now Slavyanka town), which we passed through along the way, had about 150 immigrants and high, thick walls; smaller ones were simply enclosed by wooden walls with corner towers, resembling beacon towers, and were guarded by 30 or 40 villagers.

But regardless of size, these outposts all have one thing in common: they are extremely fortified, with a deep-seated sense of defense.

They are usually built in key transportation hubs or strategic locations, with walls made of massive timbers that are as thick as two people can hug, deeply buried as the framework, with rammed earth inside and out, and sometimes even encased in stone to form thick walls.

The stockade walls were equipped with firing ports and watchtowers, and platforms for placing small cannons were often reserved in the corners. Outside, there were often chevaux-de-frise and trenches.

Even the smallest village is like a hedgehog that's hard to gnaw on.

Lu Pinghuan was originally a veteran of the Dengzhou-Laizhou rebel army. He was knowledgeable about military affairs, and even he couldn't help but be secretly alarmed when he saw such a fortress.

These fortresses do not require many garrisons; firearms alone are enough to inflict heavy casualties on attackers who lack heavy weapons.

This was by no means a spur-of-the-moment colonization by the new Chinese, but a systematic advancement through meticulous planning and step-by-step deployment. Each fortress was a wedge driven into this land, echoing each other and forming a solid defense and supply line.

What alarmed him even more was the relationship between the new Chinese and the local gentry.

Along the way, he saw more than once small hunting teams of Hezhe, Oroqen, or Warka people, dragging sable furs, deer antlers, and other mountain goods, coming to these fortified villages to trade with familiarity.

The Xinhua militiamen at the village gate seemed to know them well, greeting them warmly, inspecting their goods, and then exchanging them for grain, salt, ironware, and even high-quality firearms and ammunition that were clearly produced by Xinhua itself.

Although the two parties may not have been able to communicate clearly, the transaction process seemed quite smooth, and smiles could even be seen occasionally on their faces.

This is completely different from the strategy of dike construction, forced requisition, and exploitation that the Jingdong Protectorate often adopted towards the mountain tribes.

Lu Ping felt a chill run down his spine.

what does this mean?
This means that the new Chinese not only established themselves here, but also wove a huge network of interests through trade and goods, and with the help of appeasement and co-optation, gradually incorporated these fierce mountain tribes into their colonization system.

Once war breaks out, these swift and familiar native hunters will become the most formidable eyes and ears and auxiliary force for the new Chinese.

If Governor Kong's troops want to attack northward, they will not only have to face strong fortifications, but also have to deal with the ever-present sniper arrows from the jungle.

The closer you get to Yongming City, the denser the population becomes.

On the pristine white snowfield, crisscrossing paths, worn into the ground, connect villages of varying sizes.

These villages were often built around a small fortified village. Although the houses of the villagers were simple, they were arranged in an orderly manner. He saw people clearing snow from the roofs, chopping firewood, and children wrapped up tightly, running and playing in the snow.

Although the entire land was covered in snow, the outlines of large tracts of cleared land and neat rows of ridges could still be seen, giving an idea of ​​the bustling scene of farming that would unfold here in the spring.

The accompanying Xinhua militiamen proudly told him that within a 60-mile radius of Yongming City, there were more than 40 fortresses and villages, and the number of Han Chinese and Korean immigrants exceeded 10,000.

Ten thousand people!

Lu Ping clicked his tongue in amazement.

In just a few years, Xinhua has gathered such a large population and built such a tight defense and control system in this area.

The new Chinese were not at all the group of adventurers or refugees who came from overseas as he imagined.

They are a sophisticated and efficient colonization machine, with strong organizational capabilities, astonishing construction speed, and far-reaching strategic planning.

They are not only here to survive, but to take root here, and with a speed and determination that is unimaginable to ordinary people, they are firmly in control of this wasteland.

They reclaimed wasteland, built cities, trained troops, and cultivated good relations with various tribes... taking each step steadily and firmly.

In contrast to the famine, chaos, and widespread panic under the rule of the Jingdong Grand General's Office, this place presents a tenacious, orderly, and ever-expanding vitality.

As he stood beneath the sturdy city gates of Yongming City, gazing at the red-flagred five-starred flag fluttering in the wind atop the city walls, Lü Pinghuan's initial nervousness at the impending meeting with Xinhua's "big boss" was further amplified by a profound sense of awe and an indescribable anxiety.

The letter requesting food in his arms seemed unusually heavy.

Faced with such a well-organized, deeply rooted, and clearly ambitious force, it would be no easy task for the Grand Commander to obtain life-saving grain through mere "trade."

Would these people really be willing to give up their precious food to help their potential competitors?
The new Chinese are probably up to a lot of ambition.

"What are we after?" Zhao Ergu, the militia captain of Suianbao who accompanied him, curled his lip and looked at him coldly. "All we want is to have enough to eat and wear, a house to shelter us from the wind and rain, and a piece of land to support ourselves, our wives and children."

As he spoke, his voice suddenly rose: "Do you know who I was before I came here? I was a damn nobody from Liaodong, a starving person who was about to starve to death at any moment! If I hadn't been lucky enough to climb onto Xinhua's immigrant ship and eventually get here, I probably would have starved to death in the snow long ago!"

He pointed to several immigrants in the distance who were clearing snow from their roofs: "Do you see those people? They are like me, they were pulled back from the brink of death by Xinhua. They were given food, seeds, farm tools, and even oxen and packhorses. Starting from cutting down the first tree and clearing the first patch of wasteland, they built our homes in this wild land."

Lü Ping remained silent.

Zhao Ergu became more and more agitated as he spoke: "What about your damned Jingdong Military Governor's Office? After Governor Kong brought his troops to Korea, besides requisitioning and robbing grain, did you ever cultivate a single acre of land? Build a single village? Construct a single road? You're no different from the Tartars, just a bunch of bandits. You don't know anything about farming or how to build anything! Now that you've suffered a disaster, have no food to eat, and can't rob anyone anymore, you're at your wits' end? Humph, you're shameless enough to come to my Xinhua territory to beg for grain!"

Lu Pinghuan rubbed his hands awkwardly, trying to explain, "Captain Zhao, the people are innocent..."

"The common people are innocent?" Zhao Ergu said sarcastically, "You really do care about the common people! I reckon the people under your rule are starving and want to rebel against you, right?"

"..." Lu Pinghuan was very annoyed by the other party's retort, but considering where he was and the instructions of Grand Commandant Kong, he could only suppress his anger.

“Our grain didn’t fall from the sky. Just like our commissioner said, it was earned by us through hard work and sweat, by pulling it out of the fields!” Zhao Ergu didn’t care about his reaction at all and continued, “To be honest, I really don’t want to give you the grain. It would be much more practical to bring back more refugees from the Ming Dynasty to help them!”

Upon hearing this, Lü Pinghuan gave him a rather unfriendly look.

"What's wrong? You're not happy about what we're saying?" Zhao Ergu glared back. "If we're not willing to give you food, are you planning to send troops to rob us?"

His eyes immediately sharpened: "Go back and tell your Grand Commander Kong that if he tries anything funny with our Haidong Colonization Area, let him come and try. Every single one of us here is ready to fight you to the death, believe it or not? Hmph, if you dare to come near, we guarantee you'll pay a heavy price!"

Lu Pinghuan could only manage a bitter smile.

Damn it, they only promised 5,000 shi of grain, and we have to pay 20% more silver than the market price, yet they make it seem like we owe them a huge favor!
The problem is that a mere 5,000 shi of grain is like a drop in the ocean for the hundreds of thousands of people in Hamgyong Province, and is simply not enough to alleviate the disaster.

"Just wait and see." Zhao Ergu glared at him. "If you want more grain, you'll have to wait for our Beiying Island Colonization Headquarters to send you a message, and then we'll ship it over."

"However, I think it's a bit risky. I heard that there's a large-scale famine in Japan, and food prices have skyrocketed. Hehe, if the island of Beiying wants to make more money, they might just sell their grain to the Japanese!"

"..." Lu Pinghuan was stunned.
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(End of this chapter)