North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 141 Can I still trust you?

Azu was quite surprised to receive an invitation from the Vatican.

"Vivian, would you like to go to Europe next year?" Azu asked Vivian.

What could Vivian say? She quickly nodded.

Azu said, "But it's too far from California to Europe. A round trip would take at least three or four months just for the journey. If we really want to go, we have to arrange everything in advance."

Upon hearing what Azu said, Vivian's face immediately darkened: "When you become governor, won't you be even busier? Where will you find the time!"

Azu smiled and shook his head: "Even if I become the governor, I won't get involved in too many specific administrative matters. Let Ellen and Mr. Zuo take care of it, that's enough."

"All I want is this noble title!"

Archbishop Evan asked curiously, "Actually, Azu, I've always been curious. You're already the richest man in California and hold most of the real power, so why do you insist on becoming governor? If you become governor but don't want to handle the specific administrative affairs, then what's the point of being governor?"

Azu said, "With the title of governor, we can accomplish even more."

"Without the title of governor, we would still be constrained in many ways."

"Is that so...?" Archbishop Evan and the others present seemed to be deep in thought.

The day after returning to San Francisco, Azu attended another important ceremony!

East West Bank's opening ceremony!
Jones and Carnegie Jr., two young men whose combined age is only thirty-three, have actually managed to get East West Bank open after a month or so of hard work!

Watching Jones and Carnegie, dressed impeccably and trying to appear calm as they cut the ribbon for the opening of East West Bank, Azu couldn't help but want to laugh.

These two young men, one the general manager and the other the deputy general manager of East West Bank, with the assistance of banking professionals recruited by Vivian, managed to at least get East West Bank up and running properly.

Ah Zu didn't put too much pressure on them or assign them too many tasks. Instead, he told them not to rush into taking in deposits and making loans. He suggested that they wait until they were truly familiar with banking operations and had a basic understanding of the ins and outs before they could start.

Anyway, I wasn't expecting to make money from East West Bank.

Meanwhile, the first 1,500-ton ironclad propeller steamship built by Huamei Shipyard was also completed and launched.

This new type of propeller steamship is powered by a brand-new compound impulse steam turbine. It is only one-tenth the size of a traditional steam engine of the same horsepower, and its thermal efficiency is several times higher. It also has a variable speed function that traditional steam engines do not have.

With the addition of a curved-blade propeller, the newly launched ship has an astonishing top speed of 28 knots and can maintain a cruising speed of 20 knots.

With these ironclad propeller steamships, the one-way voyage from San Francisco to Guangzhou was reduced from two or three months to less than a month!

If the entire journey is at high speed, it could take as little as twenty days to cross the Pacific Ocean.

This is extremely important!
The significantly reduced travel time means that each ship can now make four or five round trips per year instead of a maximum of two, resulting in a substantial increase in the amount of cargo transported and the profits earned.

More importantly, the number of Chinese laborers that each ship could transport doubled or tripled.

Because the voyage time is shortened, the proportion of Chinese laborers who die at sea due to injuries, illnesses, or other accidents can be reduced to the greatest extent possible.

Before the Chinese American Company transported Chinese laborers, at least 30% of them died at sea.

After the Huamei Company made every effort to transport Chinese laborers, this proportion dropped to below 10%.

Now, if all the Chinese laborers were transported by ironclad propeller steamships, the number of those who died at sea could perhaps be reduced to single digits.

Before 1850 was even over, the number of Chinese laborers who had arrived in California had already reached more than 20,000, and the total number for the year was easily over 30,000.

Once these ironclad propeller steamships reach a certain scale and form fleets, the number of Chinese laborers transported will surely experience another surge, potentially reaching another order of magnitude.

Huamei Company had ten existing docks, plus ten new docks that were dug, for a total of twenty docks. Except for a few docks that were still finishing up clipper ships under construction, most of them were fully engaged in building new ironclad propeller steamships.

To commemorate his hometown, Azu named the first ironclad propeller steamship launched "Taishan".

With ironclad steamships, how far away can ironclad warships be?

What we lack now is not ships, but cannons!

So, after the ironclad ship was launched, Ah Zu returned to his old profession!
Design machinery!

The factory already had machine tools, milling machines, drilling machines, rifling milling machines, etc., and this time they were designing a larger and more powerful set of machine tools.

There is also a 3,000-ton hydraulic press, and the metallurgical plant also needs to add a crucible furnace.

Only with this complete set of equipment can breech-loading rifled cannons be manufactured.

Especially large-caliber naval guns!

In modern land warfare, lightweight and flexible mortars are generally sufficient. If that's not enough, larger caliber mortars and larger propellant charges can be used!
However, Huamei Industrial currently lacks the capability to manufacture naval guns.

We need to wait until Azu completes the design, whether it's purchased from outside or manufactured in his own machine factory, and then install and debug it before we can start trial production.

This process will take at least several months, and perhaps it won't be until March or April next year that we will see Huamei Industrial's own breech-loading rifled gun come to fruition.

In addition to shipbuilding, a large arms factory located on Angel Island has also been built and put into operation. It produces more than 4,000 HM49 or HM50 rifles per month. Hand grenades and ammunition are also produced in large quantities here.

After the rifle and grenade production lines were moved away, the arsenal on Alcatraz switched to producing machine guns and mortars, and its production capacity increased several times over.

As for the core militia battalion led by Feng Zicai, Azu also sent a message to Feng Zicai to return alone, leaving the militia battalion at the Giant Elephant Mountain mining base and entrusting it to Ayan for management.

Then, a large number of mechanical equipment were added to the mining base, further expanding its scale.

The number of armed miners increased from 300 to 700, and the number of mining pits increased from two to four.

The number of simple train lines for transporting ore has increased from two to four.

The number of equipment sets for extracting gold with sodium cyanide has also increased from two to four.

Once these machines are manufactured, transported, installed, and tested, the daily gold production at Giant Elephant Mountain will double again.

With ample manpower support, all industries under Huamei Industrial Group have once again entered a period of rapid growth.
-
Meanwhile, at the Southwestern Command headquarters in Monterey.

Chief of Staff Walton, who had overcome numerous difficulties to return to headquarters, has been bedridden and recovering from his injuries these past few days.

Although Shi Dakai had held back, each lash only caused superficial wounds and did not damage bones or tendons.

But no matter what, the whip marks all over his body were real, and especially to outsiders, his body covered in blood and with his flesh torn open looked particularly horrifying.

While Walton was bedridden recovering from his injury, he secretly cursed Ah Zu and Shi Dakai countless times in his heart!
If it weren't for the huge profits brought by that one percent stake in Huamei Pharmaceutical Factory, Wharton would have really considered turning against that damned Chinese guy!

On second thought, Walton realized that one percent of the shares could bring him and his descendants at least hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit every year, and he felt that the beating was absolutely worth it.

Whenever he thought of this, Walton felt that all the injuries on his body didn't hurt so much anymore!
"Da da da……!"

Familiar footsteps echoed outside Wharton's room.

Upon hearing the footsteps, Walton knew who it was!
"Dong dong dong...!"

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Walton asked deliberately, sounding annoyed, but also groaning weakly.

"It's me...!"

"General... Ah!"

Walton reflexively tried to get up from his hospital bed to salute, but this aggravated his injuries, causing him to let out a scream.

Brigadier General George Phillips pushed open the door and entered. Looking at Chief of Staff Walton, who was lying on the hospital bed groaning but still trying to get up to salute him, a hint of pity flashed in his eyes.

"Walton, you better lie down!"

Brigadier General George Phillips, accompanied by Captain Nicholson, strode to the bedside and looked with concern at Walton, whose body was wrapped in bandages: "My chief of staff, how are you feeling today? Has your injury improved at all?"

"I...cough cough!" Walton was about to open his mouth when he couldn't help coughing twice, which aggravated all the wounds on his body, and an expression of extreme pain immediately appeared on his face.

“Damn that son of a bitch Chinaman, how dare he treat you like that! One day, I’ll kill that bastard myself!” George Phillips cursed. “I was just about to go and negotiate with that Chinaman myself to rescue you. It would be even better if you managed to escape on your own!”

What a hypocritical old man!
Colonel Walton felt he had never hated anyone so much!

He sent the assassins to be his bodyguards; he had no good intentions from the start!

Now they're putting on this fake concern, it's utterly disgusting.

"Thank you for your concern, General...!" Walton insisted on putting on a grateful expression.

Brigadier General George said, "Walton, rest assured and recover from your injury! I have already sent someone to report this conflict to the War Department."

"That Chinese guy's good days are numbered! I believe it won't be long before not only the War Department, but also Congress and the President will use the real power of America to completely eliminate him and this cancerous tumor that is China United Corporation."

"In this way, I've avenged you!"

Walton said with great relief, "That's wonderful! We won't have a moment's peace as long as that Chinese guy is alive."

Brigadier General George added, "I just received news that yesterday, the uncle of that Chinese man's fiancée was officially appointed as the Archbishop of California."

"This also means that the Chinese guy has completely taken control of the California church."

"Also, that Chinese guy, taking advantage of the archbishop's ordination ceremony, officially announced his candidacy for the first governor of California, and used the distribution rights of penicillin to buy the loyalty of most of the powerful figures across California."

"With the votes of 20,000 to 30,000 yellow-skinned monkeys, plus the church, and that newspaper The Standard, that Chinese guy is almost impossible to lose in this California election."

Brigadier General George Phillips analyzed: "We must use the power of the entire United States to completely wipe him out before that Chinaman actually becomes the governor of California."

"Otherwise, once he becomes the governor of California, it will be extremely difficult to take action against him. Because that would mean that the United States would declare war on the entire state of California!"

Chief of Staff Walton asked listlessly, "General, how much time do we have left?"

"Two months! The California election is in two months!"

Walton continued, "From the time we submit the war report to Washington, and then through the War Department and Congress for discussion and policy formulation, and finally to the President's confirmation and signature, this whole process takes about two months, doesn't it?"

George Phillips nodded: "Yes, this process will take at least two months...!"

"Does that mean we're already too late?"

"No!" Brigadier General George Phillips exclaimed, "We still have a chance!"

Walton asked, "General, is there any other chance?"

Brigadier General George Phillips hesitated for a moment before saying, "Walton, can I still trust you?"

"Ah...?" Walton exclaimed in shock, "General, what do you mean by that?"

Brigadier General George said in a deep voice, "There's a mole in my headquarters!"

"What... hiss?" Chief of Staff Walton tried to sit up instantly, but the movement aggravated his wounds, causing him to cry out in pain.

"General, did I hear that right? There's a mole in headquarters? Who's the mole? Who is the mole?" Walton asked urgently.

Brigadier General George stared at Walton's expression and continued, "No, you heard right! There's a mole in headquarters that the Chinese guy bribed! That's why those damn model villages were prepared all along!"

"As for who the mole is... humph, I'll find out sooner or later!"

Brigadier General George stared intently at Walton and said, "I just hope that the mole isn't you!"

"Of course it wasn't me... Ouch!" Walton, agitated, felt his injuries intensify.

"Yes, because I knew it wouldn't be you, that's why I'm telling you all this!"

Brigadier General George Phillips added, "But I dare not trust anyone so easily anymore!"

“General!” Walton said solemnly, “I have been a member of the United States Army for more than 20 years since I was seventeen, and I have never done anything to betray America or the Army!”

Walton continued resolutely, "General, you can completely trust me!"

“Hmm…!” Brigadier General George Phillips turned around and asked Captain Nicholson, “Captain, what do you think?”

"Isn't this the captain from the Army Logistics Department?" Walton asked curiously.

Nicholson, in his disguise, was so convincing that Walton couldn't recognize him at all; the man standing before him was none other than the assassin corporal.

Captain Nicholson stepped forward and said, "That's right, I am Captain Nicholson of the Army Logistics Department, but I have other, more important tasks on my shoulders!"

"What mission?" Walton pressed.

“I’m sorry!” Nicholson replied, “I can’t tell the colonel yet, unless…!”

"Unless what?"

“Unless the Colonel joins our Freemasons!” Nicholson and Brigadier General George said almost in unison.

"What? Join the Freemasons?" Chief of Staff Walton was once again taken aback!
“Yes, join the Freemasons!” Brigadier General George and Nicholson nodded in unison.

Chief of Staff Walton's eyes darted back and forth between the brigadier general and the captain: "I've always known that the general is a core member of the Freemasons. Are you, captain, also a Freemason?"

“Yes!” Nicholson nodded. “I am also a Freemason!”

After a long silence, Wharton finally made his decision: "I'm sorry, I have no intention of joining the Freemasons at the moment!"

“Hmm…?” Walton’s reply clearly exceeded Brigadier General George Phillips’s expectations: “Walton, why? Tell me why? Only if you join the Freemasons will you be one of us!”

"Walton, your resume is impeccable. Moreover, you're only forty years old and already a colonel chief of staff. If you join the Freemasons, we'll definitely help you become a general!"

"Wharton, joining the Freemasons will give you unimaginable resources and connections; it will absolutely benefit you in every way!"

Colonel Walton nodded in agreement: "General, I am well aware of the benefits of joining the Freemasons. But... if one day the Freemasons and the interests of the United States and the Army conflict, whose interests should I choose?"

“I have sworn an oath to serve only the United States, the Constitution, and the Army for the rest of my life! If I were to join Freemasonry, I would face an extremely difficult decision someday.”

Wharton had a very clear understanding of his situation.

Inviting oneself to join Freemasonry might just be another test of oneself.

If you readily agree, it means your stance is not firm, and you are easily swayed by interests.

Therefore, he must stick to his unwavering persona to the very end!
Sure enough, upon hearing Walton's words, Brigadier General George Phillips and Captain Nicholson both wore relieved smiles.

"Heh!" Brigadier General George smiled and said, "Walton, I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"

Nicholson said in a deep voice, "Colonel, you are overthinking it! We Freemasons are America, and our interests will always be aligned with those of America."

"Therefore, in the future, you will not have to face the difficult choice of who to be loyal to!"

"If the Freemasons of the future are not aligned with the interests of America, then the Freemasons will lose their reason for existence. Not only you, but all Americans will despise them, including us Freemasons."

Hearing Nicholson say this, Walton hesitated: "Captain, can I choose to believe what you're saying?"

Brigadier General George and Nicholson nodded firmly at the same time: "Of course, you can completely trust us!"

Colonel Wharton fell silent for a long time once again.

Brigadier General George and Nicholson were not in a hurry and waited quietly for his decision.

“General, Captain, I think I’ve been convinced!” Colonel Walton concluded.

Brigadier General George and Nicholson smiled with satisfaction and extended warm, eager hands to Colonel Walton!

(End of this chapter)