North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 188: Revenge for the President?

What shocked Vice President Abraham Lincoln was not just the news that the Freemason headquarters had been destroyed and that almost the entire core leadership of the Freemasons had been wiped out.

There is another piece of news that is even more closely related to Abraham Lincoln!
That is, President Fillmore was assassinated by members of the presidential guard ten days ago.

President Fillmore, who was shot twice, succumbed to the poison two days ago and died.
That means that he, Vice President Abraham Lincoln, is now the President of the United States!

Those who received the news and came to pick up the ship included the Speaker of the House, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, and so on, encompassing almost all the heads of the American government.

"Mr. Vice President, it is with great regret that I inform you that the esteemed President Fillmore passed away less than forty-eight hours ago due to his injuries..."

The Speaker of the House and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, their faces grim, each grasped one of Lincoln's hands as he disembarked.

"Your Excellency Vice President, from the moment your feet touched American soil again, you have been the succeeding President of the United States!!!"

Abraham Lincoln's unusually long face was filled with nothing but shock!
Even with his steely nerves, he hadn't recovered yet.

The Freemason headquarters was bombed, President Fillmore was assassinated, and he became the successor president...!
This series of news is truly shocking!
Lincoln took a long time to recover, finally regaining his composure, but his face still showed no joy: "Gentlemen, can anyone tell me how President Fillmore was assassinated?"

"Who is the murderer? Who orchestrated it?"

"I also survived several assassination attempts during my trip to California!"

"If it weren't for the California security personnel risking their lives to protect us...!"

As he spoke, Lincoln turned his head and looked at Shi Dakai and the group of elite security personnel, saying with emotion, "If it weren't for their desperate protection, even I wouldn't have been able to return safely...!"

"Ahem... Mr. President, I never expected that even you...!"

The people who came to greet them were shocked, but also embarrassed.

Finally, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, steeling himself, replied, "Mr. President, based on our deductions, the assassination attempt on you and President Fillmore was likely carried out by... that organization!"

"The reason that organization's headquarters was bombed must be because someone was seeking revenge for the assassination of President Fillmore...!"

"revenge……!"

Upon hearing this, President Lincoln slowly nodded: "Indeed, that's a possibility!"

"President Fillmore was assassinated during the day, and that same night, the organization's headquarters was bombed."

There must be a secret hidden between these two events!

At that moment, Lincoln decided that he must closely link these two things together.

It is imperative to quickly establish that the bombing of the Freemason headquarters was an act of revenge for the assassination of President Fillmore.

As for who gets blamed for this mess in the end, that's not important.

As long as it's not pinned on you or on that guy in California, it's not a big problem.

After more than a year of honing his skills as Vice President, Abraham Lincoln, though just over forty, is now a fully-fledged politician.

At this moment, he was already planning how to make the most of this series of events to gain the greatest political benefits for himself and consolidate his ruling foundation.

At this moment, the Speaker of the House's somber voice continued: "Mr. President, due to a series of major political events that have recently erupted, even Speaker Roberts, who is temporarily assuming the presidency, has fallen ill under the pressure."

"Mr. President, our America is currently in a time of instability and turmoil. All the pressure rests on your shoulders!"

"We all agree that, Mr. President, you need to stabilize the situation as soon as possible! This chaotic situation cannot be allowed to continue."

Lincoln nodded calmly: "Mr. Speaker, you are absolutely right!"

"The most important and urgent task right now is to stabilize the situation...!"

……

After returning to Washington by train and being formally sworn in as President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln's first executive order was to establish the Truth Commission.

The sole mission of this Truth Commission is to investigate the truth behind President Fillmore's assassination and the bombing of the Freemason headquarters.

Then, Lincoln issued a series of personnel appointments.

Upon assuming the presidency, Lincoln promptly appointed his faction's key aides to crucial positions.
-
At that moment, Azu, who was far away in California, had just received the news.

"Hi BOSS, news just came from Washington and Philadelphia...!"

Azu, behind his desk, raised an eyebrow: "Is it news about the two tasks we assigned to Miss Hongzhong?"

"Yes!"

Victoria's face was beaming with joy: "Everything is exactly as you planned and expected, Boss!"

"Regarding our first plan, thanks to Miss Red's successful lobbying, the Freemason Round Table Masters indeed launched an assassination attempt on President Fillmore and Vice President Abraham Lincoln."

"Just over ten days ago, President Fillmore was assassinated by members of the Presidential Guard."

"President Fillmore, who was seriously injured by two highly poisoned bullets, is probably not far from death even if he is not dead yet!"

"And we thwarted the plan to assassinate Vice President Lincoln."

"Now, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Abraham Lincoln has officially become the successor to the presidency of the United States!"

Azu smiled and nodded: "Our first plan, although it encountered some variables during its execution, was at least completed as planned."

"So, what's our second plan?"

Victoria continued her report: "Boss, on the very night President Fillmore was assassinated, our Miss Red, with the cooperation of Agent One of the Eighteenth Intelligence Agency and others, successfully blew up the Freemason headquarters!"

“Apart from Senate President Roberts, all thirteen Round Table masters, including Grand Master of the Freemasons and Army Commander-in-Chief Major General Winfield Scott, died in the explosion.”

"Well done...!" Azu rarely showed his joy, saying, "It seems that our Miss Hongzhong has truly become our trump card!"

"Tsk tsk tsk...!" Victoria couldn't help but scoff, "Boss, you really care that slutty old woman that much?"

"If it weren't for the full cooperation of our 18th Division, with her abilities, pshaw...!"

Victoria spat dismissively.

"What? Are you jealous?" Azu asked with a smile. "She's still far away in Philadelphia, so far away, why are you jealous?"

"Jealous of that old woman? Pshaw...! I'd never be jealous of her!!"

"Hehe!" Azu reached out and pulled Victoria into his arms.

Victoria, taking advantage of the situation, plopped her ample, round buttocks onto Ah Zu's lap.

As he fondled Victoria's slender yet supple waist, Azu pondered, "Lincoln is most likely president now, and the Freemason headquarters has been destroyed; the losses are incalculable."

"The Freemasons in the United States have hundreds of thousands of members, a mixed bag of people, and different factions representing various interests."

"Without the overall coordination of the headquarters, a power struggle and competition for interests will inevitably take place among the various factions."

"At least in the short term, will Freemasonry no longer pose a threat to us?"

"If the Freemasons want to remain a major threat to us, they'll have to wait until their internal strife ends and they form a new leadership structure...!"

"Of course, we can't just sit idly by and watch the Freemasons end their internal struggles and easily form a new leadership. We'll have to cause them some trouble, more or less."

Azu continued to ponder, "But at least in the near future, our focus will not continue to be on the Freemasons."

"Now, it's time to move on to the next step of the plan."

"Next step...?" Victoria asked curiously, "What next step?"

Ah Zu laughed and said, "This time, I plan to stop in the East for a while on my way to Europe."

"Victoria, during this stay, besides meeting with Lincoln, Klein, Miss Red, and others, could you arrange for me to meet a few more people?"

Victoria asked curiously, "Boss, besides these people, are there any other people in the East that we absolutely need to see?"

Azu shook his head and said, "No! Compared to these people, the others I want to see are even more important!"

“Oh…?” Victoria asked curiously, “Even more important than meeting the President of the United States? Who is it then?”

Azu didn't answer, but picked up a pen and wrote a few names on the paper. After she finished writing, Victoria picked it up and looked at it, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Jefferson Davis...!"

"Robert E. Lee...!"

"Franklin Pierce...!"

"Steve Douglas...!"

……

After reviewing the list, Victoria exclaimed in bewilderment, "Boss, these people are all representatives of the South who support slavery, according to the intelligence we've gathered at our eighteenth office!"

Azu nodded and said, "That's right, these people are the core figures representing Southern slavery."

“But, Boss, why do you want to meet with them?” Victoria asked curiously. “We have already formed a substantial alliance with President Lincoln, so why would we meet with his political enemies? Won’t that…?”

Ah Zu chuckled and replied, "My dear Miss Victoria, you're quite the expert at intelligence gathering. But when it comes to politics, you're a complete naive idiot!"

What is a "naive and innocent" person?

“Hmm…that’s not important!” Azu continued to fondle the slender waist that felt wonderful to the touch, and pondered, “Now, the conflict between the North and the South in the United States will only intensify with the rise of President Lincoln.”

"In the near future, this struggle between the North and the South may even escalate into a civil war."

"If a civil war breaks out, it's not certain who will win or lose!"

"Although California is located in a remote area, far from the vortex of the American North-South struggle."

"But if a civil war breaks out between the North and the South in the future, California will not be able to remain unaffected."

"In order to maximize the benefits for California and China Industries in any future war, we need to hedge our bets on both sides!"

Ah Zu smiled and said, "Do you understand what I'm saying, my little Victoria?"

Victoria nodded as if she understood: "But, won't President Lincoln feel alienated because you're meeting with leaders of the Southern faction?"

Azu replied, "As long as we handle it properly, the President will not only not feel alienated, but will even be grateful to us!"

“How is this possible…?” Victoria’s eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief.

"Hehe, don't believe in my methods?" Azu laughed, "Then you'll just have to wait and see!"

At this point, Azu changed the subject: "How are the preparations for our trip to Europe going?"

Victoria replied, "The armored frigates 'Zhiyuan' and 'Dingyuan' were fully loaded with artillery and supplies and departed in early May, making their way around Cape Horn, the farthest point in South America, before heading to the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean."

"If there are no unforeseen circumstances, the Zhiyuan and Dingyuan will arrive at the port of Colon in Panama ahead of schedule, where they will wait for us to transfer."

"Archbishop Even has already written to the Vatican in advance, giving a general report on our itinerary."

At this point, Victoria hesitated, "Now, the problem is choosing someone to go to Europe with you...!"

“What problems might there be with the candidate?” Azu asked curiously.

Victoria frowned and said, "This opportunity to go to Europe is so rare, everyone is eager to go!"

"But with such a large operation like California and Huamei Industries, especially after you, Boss, are temporarily leaving, we must leave behind enough capable people...!"

"So, Boss, in the end, it's up to you to decide who goes and who doesn't."

"Hehe...!" Azu laughed, "In the end, do I still have to make the decision? This is a job that will offend people... especially you women!"

"Beep beep beep...!" Azu tapped the table lightly with his index finger, thinking to himself, "Allen has already been to Europe, so he doesn't need to go."

“Mr. Parker has been to Europe several times, so he probably doesn’t want to make this trip either.”

“Vic used to frequently fly European routes, so he probably doesn’t need to go anymore.”

"There's not much point in Jason going; he'll stay behind too."

"After we leave temporarily, Edgar Allan Poe will take over the administration."

"Mr. Parker will be in charge of the affairs of Huamei Company."

"As for the National Guard, well... with Shi Dakai not around, Feng Zicai will have to lead them temporarily."

"Vic is in full charge of the Coast Guard fleet."

"Jason is in charge of law enforcement matters."

As Azu spoke, Victoria quickly took notes.

"As for you girls... Vivian and you are definitely going, as are Daisy, Monica, and Youma, oh right, Fu Shanxiang... never mind, you can all come with me...!"

"Even if it's just to broaden my horizons and increase my knowledge, it's still good... After all, I can't afford to offend any of you!"

Victoria was immediately delighted to hear that the girls could go.

Ah Zu added, "This time when we go to Europe, we also want to set up an office there!"

"Whether it's representing the interests of California or opening up sales channels for Huamei Company's various products, this representative office is very important."

"Therefore, we need to determine the representative for the office in advance...!"

At this point, Azu remembered someone: "Victoria, what do you think of that Jones kid?"

"Jones? Boss, you mean, appoint him as the head of the European representative office?"

Azu nodded: "Yes! That kid is young, energetic, and has a lively personality. He's very sociable and a master at building relationships."

“But…!” Victoria said, “Jones is now the general manager of East West Bank. He’s been transferred, so East West Bank…!”

Azu said, "East West Bank can be handed over to Carnegie Jr. He's seventeen now. He's been training as the bank's vice president for over a year and is ready to take on important responsibilities."

"Moreover, I plan to open branches of East West Bank in the East and in Europe. Jones has experience in this area and is well-suited for the job."

"And your intelligence agents from the 18th Bureau will also follow that kid Jones and extend their reach into Europe."

"They have to represent California in diplomacy, represent China American Industries in business, run a bank, and ultimately, gather intelligence...!"

"Therefore, the person in charge of this European representative office bears a great responsibility!"

Azu said, "If Jones can gain experience in the European representative office, he might become one of the most outstanding all-round talents in the future!"

"Where in Europe will this representative office be located...?"

Azu pondered for a moment and said, "Let's set it up in Paris! Although England is the most powerful country in Europe right now, setting up a representative office on the European continent will undoubtedly allow us to reach more people from all over the world."

"Hehe!" Victoria laughed, "That Jones kid must be ecstatic to be able to stay in a city like Paris, with its dazzling lights and bustling nightlife, for so long!"

Azu continued, "Including Huamei Company and the Eighteenth Division, we must provide Jones with a full complement of personnel so that he can achieve results in Europe as soon as possible."

……

After everything was arranged, in mid-June 1851, Azu finally boarded the armored frigates "Zhenyuan" and "Jingyuan" with a large group of people and a guard of more than 6 men.

Thick black smoke billowed from the tall smokestacks of the Zhenyuan and Jingyuan as they set sail from Clarke Pier in San Francisco, beginning their long journey.

Two armored frigates, carrying a group of people, arrived at the port of Panama in Central America after a ten-day voyage.

Here, after passing through the customs of the Republic of New Grenada, a group of nearly three hundred people need to cross the Isthmus of Panama, which is tens of kilometers wide, to reach the port of Colon on the other side.

Throughout the journey across the Isthmus of Panama, Azu conducted on-site investigations of the terrain and surrounding environment.

On a whim, Ah Zu pointed to the surrounding terrain and spoke to Zuo Zongtang.

"Mr. Zuo, in the future, we will dig a canal here that connects the two oceans. What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)