North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 250 A Rare Perfect Match

"You think you can achieve great things just by reading a few books? You're seriously underestimating the difficulty of rebellion!"

Azu continued, "I showed Mr. Feng so many books, hoping that when he returns to the Taiping Army in the future, he might be able to create less negative karma and cause fewer deaths!"

At this point, Azu suddenly turned around, stared at Shi Dakai, and said, "Dakai, if I let you lead a team back to China on your own, can you build a foundation for me?"

"what……?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Dakai's eyes widened in surprise: "Boss, you mean...?"

Azu smiled and said, "What I mean is that California's current strength is not enough to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and then consolidate its power!"

"After all, our population is too small and our army is too small!"

"Moreover, in the short term, our main target is still the United States."

"However, we should still be able to seize a small base in the country and use it as a testing ground to experiment with our ideas!"

Azu pondered, "Furthermore, if we have a base in the country, it will be easier to send people to California and then seize half of the United States!"

"Boss, are you serious?" Shi Dakai asked, still utterly astonished.

Azu nodded: "Of course it's true! I've been thinking about this idea for a long time."

"But this idea didn't really become clear until Mr. Feng arrived."

Shi Dakai barely managed to compose himself: "Boss, I wonder how large an army I can lead? And where do I need to establish a base?"

Azu pondered, "The easiest place to seize and hold is Taiwan!"

"But Taiwan Island has too small a population and too weak an infrastructure, which is not conducive to our experimentation."

"Considering all factors, Guangdong might be our best choice!"

"Guangdong...?" Shi Dakai was even more surprised.

“Yes, Guangdong!” Azu nodded slightly: “Guangdong is bordered by the Nanling Mountains to the north, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. In addition, with our fleet blockading it, the Qing army cannot attack Guangdong from the sea.”

"We only need to land one army in Guangdong, and we should be able to control the entire province!"

"Moreover, Guangdong has a dense population and a more open-minded culture, making it easier for people to accept our democratic and republican ideals."

"As for the number of troops, I estimate... an army of about 30,000 men, plus a fleet, will be sufficient!"

“Thirty thousand men…!” Shi Dakai hesitated, “But the total size of our California Army is only twenty-five thousand men… and that includes the Panama Garrison Brigade!”

“Let’s take it slow. I’m not talking about taking action immediately, but rather next year or the year after, when the Taiping Army and the Manchus are locked in a fierce battle before we make our move.”

Azu replied with a smile, "By then, the size of our California military and our economic strength should be sufficient to support an expeditionary force of 30,000!"

"Boss...!" Upon hearing this, Shi Dakai also became excited and couldn't help but rub his hands together, saying, "Don't even mention 30,000 men, based on my understanding of the Qing army, we only need 10,000 men to easily take over Guangdong!"

Azu replied, "Dakai, don't underestimate the Qing court! Moreover, the enemy we face may not just be the Manchu army...!"

"Boss, you mean... the Taiping Army?"

Ah Zu replied, "Not only the Taiping Army, but even... the British troops entrenched in Hong Kong could pose a threat to us!"

"Guangzhou is so large and has such a large population. To control the entire province with only 30,000 troops is already a very tight military force."

"Once we occupy Guangdong, we will need to recruit and train new soldiers locally to eliminate any potential threats."

Azu pondered, "Although we can't really get started on this for another year or two, we need to start preparing now."

"We should also plant spies within the Qing court and the Taiping army as soon as possible...!"

"It's time for our Hidden Knights, whom we've nurtured for so long, to make their grand entrance...!"

"Also, have Wu Qingfeng's Far East representative office gather as much intelligence as possible about the Qing army in China, especially the deployment of the Qing army in Guangdong...!"

As he spoke, Azu patted Shi Dakai heavily on the shoulder: "Dakai, you are now my right-hand man, and you are a future general who can stand alone. In the military academy, you must grow up as soon as possible, and you must master modern strategy and tactics and be proficient in commanding various branches of the armed forces."

"In the future, in this vast world, there will be plenty of time for you to command thousands of troops and wield your power with great flair!"

Being relied upon so heavily by his boss, Shi Dakai felt his blood begin to boil.

"Snap!" Shi Dakai snapped to attention and said solemnly, "Boss, don't worry!"

"Although I don't have much knowledge and am not academically inclined, I will make sure I master all the knowledge in the military academy, even if I have to use my teeth to chew it down!"

Azu smiled and said, "As a general who can stand alone, you must read books, but you can't just read books to death and become a bookworm!"

"I'd rather have an illiterate man lead the charge than a bookworm lead an army!"

"Reading should be applied in a practical way, and war should be learned in war. Only in this way can one truly become a great general!"

Azu continued, "When it comes to modern warfare, Napoleon was undoubtedly a genius in this field!"

"His numerous battles are all classics of this era!"

"When facing an enemy several times larger than himself, Napoleon was always able to concentrate his superior forces in localized areas and defeat them one by one through mobile warfare!" "At the same time, he often launched surprise attacks on the enemy's weak points while on the move!"

"Furthermore, Napoleon, being an artillery officer by training, achieved the pinnacle of artillery utilization for his time!"

……

After summarizing Napoleon's military tactics, Azu concluded, "Dakai, in short, I hope you will combine the strengths of Chinese and Western military strategists and grow into a renowned general of this era!"

"Snap...!" Shi Dakai snapped to attention again and said in a deep voice, "Boss, I will do my best to live up to your high expectations...!"

Ah Zu patted him on the shoulder with a smile: "You must not tell anyone what I'm saying, including my plans for the next five or ten years."

"Please also tell Mr. Feng to keep this a secret. Although... even if it gets out, it's not a big deal, at most I'll just deny it... haha!"

"I understand, boss!"

……

When Vivian returned to her own courtyard, she had already finished dinner and was working overtime under the gaslight, organizing the company roster.

Looking at her silhouette under the lamplight, Ah Zu quietly stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind.

"Why are you so late? Have you eaten?"

Vivian put down her pen and turned to look at him reproachfully.

"I've already eaten. I had a meal with Mr. Feng, who just arrived, at Shi Dakai's place."

Vivian exclaimed in surprise, "Can a meal really take this long? It's almost eleven o'clock!"

"We ate and chatted, and before we knew it, it was time!"

Azu looked a little tired, pinched the bridge of his nose, and then lay down lazily on the sofa.

Vivian got up and tenderly massaged his temples with her slender, warm fingers.

"Which Mr. Feng? When did another Mr. Feng appear?"

Azu then briefly recounted Feng Yunshan's story.

"This Mr. Feng is actually a very important figure?"

Azu closed his eyes and nodded gently: "Unfortunately, we probably can't keep him here, at least not now...!"

Vivian remained silent as she massaged Azu for a while, then suddenly said, "Shouldn't you also worry about the marriage prospects of those bachelors under your command?"

"If we don't find them a good wife, get them settled down, and have them have a few children, their roots will never truly be established!"

Hearing Vivian say this, Azu slowly opened his eyes: "You're right, it's time to help these bachelors settle down!"

Azu then opened his eyes and looked at Vivian, saying, "My little angel, you control the population and personnel resources of the entire California. This task still falls on your shoulders."

"Pfft...!" Vivian chuckled. "We're not even married yet, and now you're going to be someone else's matchmaker?"

"Hehe!" Ah Zu laughed, "You're definitely going to be this matchmaker!"

Vivian replied, "You don't need to tell me, I've already been secretly looking for partners for those bachelors!"

As she spoke, Vivian picked up a list from the table and handed it to Azu, saying, "This list contains girls who are suitable in terms of age, appearance, and background."

"I specifically picked these out, take another look."

"If it's suitable, arrange blind dates for them."

Ah Zu took the roster, turned to the first page, and was immediately struck by a very familiar name.

“Fu Shanxiang…?” Azu asked in surprise, “How come she’s on this list too?”

Vivian stared at Azu mischievously: "Miss Fu is unmarried and single, a pure and innocent girl, so beautiful and capable, why can't she be on this list?"

"Besides, Miss Fu is almost twenty years old. She's been in California for so long, it's time to arrange a good marriage for her, right?"

"Hehe...!" Azu chuckled somewhat awkwardly, "Of course, of course...!"

Vivian teased again, "I think Shi Dakai and Fu Shanxiang are a good match. They're about the same age, their social status is similar, and they're well-matched..."

"Ah...?" Upon hearing this, Azu immediately became a little displeased: "This... have you asked Miss Fu for her opinion?"

"Of course I haven't asked, but as long as you agree, I don't think there's a big problem... Look at Shi Dakai, he's handsome and has a heroic air about him. He became a general at only twenty-one years old. He's full of vigor and is a rare and good match for you!"

"This...!" After hearing Vivian say that, even Azu felt that this couple was really good.

But deep down, how could Ah Zu bear to part with it?

"What, you disagree?" Vivian asked with a meaningful smile.

(End of this chapter)