North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 124 Recreating a New China (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"Relocate the Southwest Command to California, and strengthen the Army's deployment in California...!"

Upon hearing this good news, Burnett, Wilson, and Speaker Ansel all showed uncontrollable excitement.

De Sandis continued, "Yes! The San Francisco massacre, the annihilation of the Northern California Rangers, the recent Quincy massacre, and the subsequent riots."

"These shocking events have made the gentlemen in Washington realize the necessity and urgency of strengthening their control over California!"

DeSantis added, "Moreover, California's gold, penicillin, and other resources have made California increasingly important in Washington's eyes!"

Whig leader Wilson of California wholeheartedly agreed: "Yes, gold and penicillin both represent enormous profits! Unfortunately, penicillin is still in the hands of that Chinaman!"

"Right now, that Chinese guy is supplying the church with penicillin in bulk through Bishop Evan at a discounted price of seventy dollars!"

"Bishop Evan's Dolores Church has now become the busiest and most bustling place in all of San Francisco!"

"It's not just bishops from other dioceses who are asking Bishop Evan for supplies. Many people outside the church are also trying every means to get penicillin from Bishop Evan!"

"It's said that Bishop Evan's prestige within the church is growing daily, and he's very likely to become the Archbishop of California! And I've heard that Bishop Evan's niece is getting engaged to that Chinese guy!"

"Alas...!" Wilson sighed deeply, "With the help of penicillin, that Chinese man not only acquired countless riches, but also gained the support of the church! This is simply... enough to drive one to despair!"

“It’s not just penicillin!” Speaker Ansel said in a deep voice, “As far as I know, Huamei Industrial’s mining base in Giant Elephant Mountain is producing huge amounts of gold every day!”

De Sandis added, "That Chinese guy also has a powerful and advanced rifle! In that letter, I learned that the U.S. Army had decided to purchase a large quantity of advanced rifles from Huamei Industries, and the orders are said to be on their way!"

"And his shipyards are constantly expanding. The existing dry docks are all crammed with new ships under construction. The black smoke and roaring noise from the shipyards are non-stop, day and night! Moreover, his shipyards are still digging new dry docks and starting construction on new ships!"

"The body, the new ship he is building, is mostly a new type of iron-hulled steamship that has never been seen before...!"

"Furthermore, he now commands four militia regiments! In the military camp in the southern suburbs, the militia regiments, already at full strength, are training day and night, most of them being yellow-skinned Chinese!"

Before today, Burnett had never heard of any of this!

Upon hearing this shocking news, Chief Justice Burnett managed to remain calm, but deep down he felt that his decision was absolutely the wisest thing to do!

Burnett asked in a deep voice, "Gold, penicillin, advanced rifles, new iron-hulled steamships, four militia regiments... what the hell is that damned Chinaman up to?"

"Heh, what are you trying to do?" De Sandis replied coldly, "Isn't it obvious? That Chinese guy wants to be the King of California!!!"

"The King of California...! Oh my God...! Does he really have such great ambitions?"

Faced with Burnett's astonishment, De Sandis remained unfazed and said, "Mr. Burnett, do you think he's still far from becoming the King of California?"

"That Chinese guy, now nominally an assistant governor, actually wields the power of the governor! Even without anyone officially recognizing him, he effectively controls most of the power in California!"

“That’s exactly why…!” DeSantis said, “America must strengthen its control over California as soon as possible! Relocating the Southwest Command and reinforcing Army deployments are just the first steps!”

"Once the U.S. Congress and the President approve California's formal accession to the United States, they will further strengthen their economic, judicial, and administrative control over California!"

Burnett questioned, "But California is too far from the eastern United States and from Washington! Whether by land or sea, it takes more than a month. With such a distance, no matter what, Washington will find it difficult to truly control California!"

“Indeed!” De Sandis replied. “At such a great distance, anything that happens in California will be too late to react if we wait for Washington to respond.”

"Therefore, we must expedite the construction of a direct railway to the East! We must also expedite the construction of a wired telegraph. Only with railways and telegraphs can Washington maintain its control."

"Railways and wired telegraph?" Burnett made a mental note of it.

De Sandis continued, "I have also contacted Brigadier General George Phillips, who is already working on the relocation of the Southwest Command."

"Two years have passed since the Mexican-American War, and now those Mexicans have basically quieted down. Brigadier General George Phillips is preparing to redeploy some of the Army troops originally deployed in New Mexico and Arizona, including two infantry regiments, three cavalry battalions and one artillery battalion, to California."

"Adding to the infantry regiment, two cavalry battalions, and one artillery battalion already deployed in California, the number of U.S. Army troops deployed on California soil will reach more than five thousand, which will definitely be able to suppress that Chinese guy's ambitions!"

"This plan has been approved by the U.S. Army!"

In the near future, the U.S. Army deployed in California will consist of three infantry regiments, five cavalry battalions, and two artillery battalions!

Burnett silently wrote it down.

De Sandis added, "So, we need to lie low for a while and wait until the U.S. Army is in place before we really deal with that Chinaman!"

Burnett, Wilson, and Ansel all nodded in agreement.

But Wilson then asked doubtfully, "I'm sorry, Mr. Sandys, I'm not questioning your position or ability. But we, as state legislators and leaders of both parties, are unaware of these movements in Washington and the U.S. Army. How can you, a city councilor, know so much about them?"

De Sandis and Burnett exchanged a silent glance, then nodded simultaneously.

De Sandis dropped the pretense and laid his cards on the table: "To be honest, I am a Freemason, and Brigadier General George Phillips is also a Freemason! As for Washington, well, I don't need to say more, do I?"

"The Freemasons...!" Wilson and Ansel exclaimed in realization, "I see! This is all inside information from the Freemasons, isn't it?"

"Heh...!" De Sandis blinked. "What's the difference between Freemasonry inside information and official American information?"

“There is still a difference!” Ansel said in a deep voice, “The Freemasons’ internal information is undoubtedly more timely, more accurate, and more detailed!”

"Hahaha!"

The four people present agreed wholeheartedly and burst into laughter.

“Mr. Sandys…!” After a burst of laughter, Wilson and Ansel simultaneously said seriously, “We want to become members of the Freemasons, but we don’t know…!”

"Welcome!!"

For these powerful and wealthy individuals, joining the Freemasons is undoubtedly all benefits and no harm!
It's just that California was brought into the American sphere of influence too late, which prevented people like Wilson and Ansel from gaining access.

Now that someone is guiding them, they certainly wouldn't be happier with such an opportunity!
On the Pacific Ocean, where the sea and sky merge into one and the blue waves stretch endlessly.

A large, almost brand-new clipper ship with a beautiful design is gradually approaching its destination after a transoceanic voyage of more than two months.

The large clipper ship, named "Barbara," with its dozen or so white sails fully loaded with the wind, was cutting through the waves at an extremely high speed of over ten knots.

At the bow of the "Barbara", three Chinese people with different temperaments stood facing the wind, looking at the unfamiliar continent they had never set foot on before!
"Brother Shi, I've noticed that you've been looking back west frequently since you boarded the ship. Could it be that you still can't let go of your family?"

The three people at the bow of the boat were none other than Wu Qingfeng, Shi Dakai, and Zuo Zongtang!

Leaving aside Wu Qingfeng for the moment, Zuo Zongtang and Shi Dakai were two different figures. Zuo Zongtang was one of the four great ministers of the late Qing Dynasty and a capable general in suppressing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Shi Dakai was one of the rebel leaders of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the most famous Wing King!

These two people, however, boarded the same ship in this time and space and became fellow travelers!
This is truly a cruel twist of fate!
Upon hearing Wu Qingfeng's question, Shi Dakai felt somewhat embarrassed and said, "It's just that I can't bear to leave my elderly mother at home...!"

"Hehe, Brother Shi, don't worry. I have already instructed them to take good care of your family!"

Wu Qingfeng laughed and said, "Although my Wu family is not as powerful as it used to be, taking care of the old lady of the Shi family should not be a problem!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Dakai was immediately relieved and bowed deeply, saying, "Brother Wu is so thoughtful; I am truly ashamed!"

Zuo Zongtang smiled and said, "Brother Shi, the Wu family is a wealthy family in Guangzhou. Since Qixian said he would take care of your mother, he can certainly ensure that she lives a life free from worries about food and clothing. You can rest assured!"

Qi Xian is Wu Qingfeng's courtesy name, but generally only scholars address each other by their courtesy names.

These words made Shi Dakai feel even more ashamed: "Brother Zuo is a great man from Hunan, and he even has the title of Juren; Brother Wu is also from a wealthy family, and he has been well-versed in poetry and books since childhood, and he has also learned excellent medical skills from foreigners...!"

"Even the thirty-odd young talents recommended by Elder Lin are all men of vision!"

"I'm just a common laborer, not much of a scholar, only good for sheer physical strength." To be honest, being with these people put Shi Dakai under some pressure: "I don't know why that Mr. Li wrote to invite me! Going there will probably disappoint him!"

"No!" Wu Qingfeng shook his head and said, "With Mr. Li's foresight and vision, he has never missed an opportunity! Although Brother Shi has no official rank, Mr. Li's painstaking efforts and repeated invitations must have his reasons!"

"Under Mr. Li's guidance, Brother Shi will surely have a great opportunity to showcase his talents!"

Zuo Zongtang stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "Brother Shi, don't underestimate yourself! In the past two or three months, I have often talked and discussed with you, and I have come to realize that you have an extraordinary and amazing talent for military strategy!"

"It's easy to find a thousand soldiers, but hard to find a good general! If I'm not mistaken, Mr. Li's repeated invitations must be because he has his eye on Brother Shi's talent for leading troops."

“This…!” Shi Dakai replied, “I have been seeking guidance from Brother Zuo every day, and I have benefited greatly from it! I have also been studying the military books that Brother Zuo gave me every day, and I have gained a lot from them!”

Zuo Zongtang smiled and waved his hand: "I am but a scholar, and I am merely a theorist! Throughout history, most famous generals have been people with extraordinary talent. Studying military strategy is nothing more than adding icing on the cake and making up for one's own shortcomings!"

"At present, we are in a time of great change, the likes of which have not been seen in a thousand years. We should study and learn from the ancient military treatises. As the saying goes, there are no constant tactics in warfare, just as water has no constant shape. Do not memorize them by rote or apply them rigidly!"

"Our journey across the ocean is also for the purpose of seeking knowledge, exploring new paths, and seeking change! No matter what lies on the other side, let us never forget our original aspirations!"

Shi Dakai and Wu Qingfeng nodded emphatically in agreement!
The three of them turned their gazes toward the distant shore!
The hazy outline of the other shore was becoming increasingly clear in the three people's vision!
When Azu learned that the "Barbara" had arrived in port, he was writing a letter in his study.

Upon hearing that the long-awaited Barbara had returned safely, he jumped up from his chair, and without even tidying himself up, got into his carriage and rushed towards Clarke Wharf.

At this time, Azu did not know that the "Barbara" had been gone for a full six months, and whether Wu Qingfeng had completed the task he had given him, and how much of it he had accomplished.

Therefore, he was very anxious and couldn't wait a moment longer!

When the carriage arrived at Clarke Wharf at top speed, Azu jumped out of the door and rushed toward the "Barbara" ship docked at the wharf, disheveled.

"Wu Qingfeng... Wu Qingfeng... Wu Qingfeng...!"

At this moment, the "Barbara" had just docked, and a group of Chinese laborers and a group of young people had just disembarked.

More than two months of drifting at sea made everyone who had just set foot on land feel extremely uncomfortable, as if they were walking on cotton, with one deep step and one shallow one!
Hearing Azu's shouts, Wu Qingfeng, who was organizing this group of young talents, turned around and saw Azu jumping up and down, calling his name.

"boss……!"

Wu Qingfeng quickly stepped forward and clasped Azu's hands tightly together!
"Qingfeng, you've been gone for half a year, it must have been so tiring for you!"

"Boss, I don't feel tired at all...!"

As he spoke, Wu Qingfeng quickly made way for the two people behind him.

One was a middle-aged man of extraordinary bearing and profound wisdom.

One was a tall, broad-shouldered, and dashing young man.

"Boss, these are Mr. Zuo Zongtang and Brother Shi Dakai, whom you asked me to find!"

Even without Wu Qingfeng's introduction, Azu's eyes lit up when he saw the two from afar!

It's super shiny!
He was really looking forward to their arrival!

"Mr. Zuo...! Brother Shi...!"

"Hahaha!" Azu, holding one person in each hand, couldn't help but laugh loudly, "To be able to see Mr. Zuo and Brother Shi in person, I have no regrets in this life!"

"Who is this...!"

Zuo Zongtang and Shi Dakai were somewhat unsure what to do with this sudden madman, so they turned their attention to Wu Qingfeng.

"This is Mr. Li Zunian, the owner of Huamei Industrial!" Wu Qingfeng introduced the two with a smile.

"Mr. Li, you really are so young!"

Shi Dakai and Azu are the same age, both nineteen this year. But Shi Dakai, having worked hard labor year-round, appears more mature due to the wind and sun.

Ah Zu has been eating and sleeping well for the past year or so, and has been scheming and plotting against people. When the two of them stand together, Ah Zu is at least three to five years younger than him!
"Zuo Zongtang from Xiangyin, Hunan, greets Mr. Li!"

Zuo Zongtang clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, which was considered a formal self-introduction.

"Shi Dakai from Guixian County, Guangxi, greets Mr. Li!"

Overjoyed, Ah Zu realized that he had gotten a little carried away.

So he quickly clasped his hands in a deep bow and said, "Li Zunian from Taishan, Guangdong, greets Mr. Zuo! Greetings, Brother Shi!"

Wu Qingfeng continued, "Boss, they are thirty-three talented young people personally recommended by Lord Lin Zexu!"

Wu Qingfeng gestured to the group of young people who had just disembarked and were full of curiosity about everything.

Ah Zu bowed deeply to them: "Li Zunian from Taishan, Guangdong greets all of you brothers! You've come from afar, and I'm sure you've all had a long journey!"

Thirty-three talented young men bowed to Azu at the same time: "Greetings, Brother Li!"

Azu turned around, grabbed Zuo Zongtang with one hand and Shi Dakai with the other: "Come on, come on, I've already arranged a banquet to entertain all of you who have traveled across the ocean!"

After saying that, Azu enthusiastically pulled the two of them onto his armored carriage.

Behind their carriages were about ten more carriages, which took all the young talents directly to the "Rosewood Hotel".

A moment later, in the most luxurious presidential suite of the Rosewood Hotel, a feast of thirty-six dishes combining Chinese and Western cuisine was laid out!
Zuo Zongtang sat to the left of his father, Shi Dakai sat to the right of his father, and the other thirty-three talented men sat around the huge dining table.

Azu raised his glass first: "Distinguished guests, you have come from afar. I have prepared a small feast to express my gratitude!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ah Zu, who was in high spirits, drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.

Everyone stood up and drank their wine in one gulp.

"From this moment on, please treat this place as your own home and don't be shy!"

In no time, glasses clinked and after a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table became lively, no longer as reserved as before.

Zuo Zongtang looked around at the presidential suite, a blend of Chinese and Western styles, resplendent in gold and extravagant in its luxury, and couldn't help but sigh: "Back when I was still at Lord Lin's old residence in Fujian, I learned about Mr. Li's achievements from Qi Xian and I couldn't quite believe it!"

"Having met you today, I realize that what Qixian said is still inadequate!"

"Just by looking at this hotel, one can tell how wealthy Mr. Li is!"

"However...!" Zuo Zongtang changed the subject: "Neither Brother Shi nor I are skilled in business. Mr. Li, why have you invited me so earnestly time and time again?"

Shi Dakai quickly put down his wine glass and listened intently.

Not only the two of them, but also the other thirty-three young talents at the table put down their chopsticks almost at the same time.

Azu's gaze swept across everyone's faces one by one.

Finally, his gaze fell on Zuo Zongtang.

"I invite you all to travel across the ocean, solely to rebuild a new China on this other side!!!"

(End of this chapter)