North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 291 Who says daughters are inferior to sons?
In just six months, the entire Guangdong province has undergone a complete transformation, with the whole society brimming with an atmosphere of vigorous growth and prosperity.

Even many people from neighboring provinces, such as Guangxi, Fujian, Hunan, and Jiangxi, have secretly come to Guangdong to find a way to make a living during this period, as they could not survive in their hometowns.

Meanwhile, in order to continue to alleviate the severe contradiction between a large population and limited land, Guangdong has also accelerated its pace of immigration to California.

At that time, the total arable land area in Guangdong Province was only about 27 million mu, while the population of Guangdong was as high as 28 million.

In other words, the per capita arable land area is less than one mu!
Even though Guangdong's climate is very suitable for farming, and double-cropping rice has been widely popularized, high-yield crops such as sweet potatoes are also grown.

Even so, Guangdong's total annual grain output is only around one million tons, which is simply not enough to support such a large population.

Moreover, land concentration is extremely severe in Guangdong, with over 70% of arable land controlled by landlords. The proportion of rural residents reduced to tenant farmers even exceeds 70%!

The severe conflict between population and land, coupled with the Qing government's intensified oppression and exploitation, led to the Tiandihui (Heaven and Earth Society) uprising in 1854.

Although in recent years, Azu has been working hard to transport people from the southeastern provinces to California.

Even with all the efforts, only a little over a million people have been transported out of the southeastern provinces in recent years.

Compared to the more than 100 million people in the Southeast, the more than one million immigrants to California are less than one percent, which is insignificant.

By sending people abroad, the sharp conflict between people and land was eased to some extent, and the intensity of the Heaven and Earth Society and Hongmen uprising was also effectively reduced.

However, the number of people migrating to other places is still too small, far from reaching the point where quantitative change leads to qualitative change.

Therefore, one of the main tasks of the Restoration Army after it recaptured Guangdong was to accelerate the pace of emigration.

In 1853, the number of immigrants from Guangdong to California was approximately two hundred thousand.

In the latter half of 1854 alone, when the Restoration Army seized power, more than 300,000 people immigrated from Guangzhou to California!

By 1855, with the political situation basically stable and the people's hearts at ease, this pace would certainly accelerate significantly.

At the beginning, Azu proposed three strategies: upper, middle, and lower, to alleviate the conflict between people and land and to break out of the vicious cycle of rise and fall.

The best strategy is to expand territory and migrate people to other areas.

The Guangdong military government has been vigorously implementing this strategy.

As for a moderate solution to alleviate the conflict between people and land, it is to improve land productivity.

The most direct and fastest way to improve land productivity is to promote the application of chemical fertilizers.

In the latter half of 1854, the Restoration Army distributed small amounts of fertilizer free of charge to each farming household and sent a large number of technicians to the fields to teach farmers how to use fertilizer and when to apply it.

The enormous role of chemical fertilizers in increasing agricultural output is obvious.

After the first harvest of crops fertilized with chemical fertilizers in 1855, farmers who tasted the benefits would naturally spread the use of chemical fertilizers.

Currently, fertilizers for Guangdong still need to be transported from California, which incurs considerable transportation costs.

The widespread use of inexpensive fertilizers will only be possible after the fertilizer plant near Guangzhou is completed and put into operation.

Other ways to improve land productivity include large-scale construction of irrigation facilities, widespread use of efficient agricultural tools, widespread distribution of high-quality seeds, and improvement of farming methods.

The new Guangdong government is steadily and systematically promoting these measures.

In particular, the construction of water conservancy and irrigation facilities and the popularization of efficient agricultural tools have entered the implementation stage.

Water conservancy and irrigation facilities will be constructed on a large scale during the off-season after the start of the year.

According to preliminary plans, Guangdong will add hundreds of reservoirs of varying sizes and thousands of kilometers of irrigation canals in the coming years.

Once these reservoirs and irrigation canals are completed, the area of ​​irrigated land will increase by at least six million mu; and previously difficult-to-irrigate wasteland will be reclaimed, adding at least two million mu of arable land.

The agricultural implement factory is also among the first batch of key factories to be built, and it is expected to be completed and put into operation in the second half of this year.

High-quality seeds and improved farming methods are still in the California Institute of Advanced Study, where agronomists are working hard on research and experiments, and it will be difficult to see results in the short term.

As for the less desirable strategy of escaping the vicious cycle of rise and fall, now is not the time to implement it.

After gaining control of the entire Guangdong province, Shi Dakai gradually developed a deeper understanding of the necessity and urgency of the situation.

More than 70 percent of the land in the province was concentrated in the hands of landlords. The vast majority of farmers were reduced to tenant farmers, and in addition to paying heavy taxes to the imperial court, they also had to hand over the vast majority of their harvest to landlords as rent.

Compared to the Jiangnan region, tenant farmers in the southeastern coastal areas bore a particularly heavy tax burden.

Throughout the year, more than 70 percent of the harvest from farming was paid to landlords as rent.

Then, they also had to pay about 10% of their income as taxes to the imperial court.

In other words, after a year of hard work, tenant farmers do not own at least 80% of their harvest.

How could that meager 20% possibly support a family?

The hard work of the tenant farmers enriched the landlord class who lived off the land, resulting in an extremely serious gap between the rich and the poor, as well as very sharp class contradictions.

Even though the new Guangdong government adopted various methods to try to increase the yield per mu, the majority of the profits still fell into the hands of the landlord class, and the income increase for the vast majority of tenant farmers was negligible!
The problem in this world is not poverty, but inequality!

This was the main reason why Shi Dakai joined the God Worshipping Society in the past.

But today, with a broader perspective, Shi Dakai has gained a deeper understanding of what the gap between the rich and the poor is and what class contradictions are!

……

On the Lantern Festival, under the moonlit night, Shi Dakai, who rarely had a moment of leisure amidst his busy schedule, was drinking with Feng Yunshan in his residence.

"Mr. Feng, in your opinion, when would be the right time?"

After gulping down a glass of wine, Shi Dakai couldn't help but sigh, "When the boss first brought it up, I hadn't experienced it firsthand."

"Only after I truly took control of Guangdong and gained a deep understanding of the current situation of the conflict between people and land did I truly feel the necessity and urgency of implementing measures as soon as possible!"

Shi Dakai looked up at the bright night sky: "Until the landlord class is completely eliminated... there will never be peace in this world!"

Although Feng Yunshan did not hear Azu's eloquent discussion of the three strategies, superior, middle and inferior, with his own ears.

But these days, Shi Dakai relayed Azu's political views to him in their entirety.

Although Feng Yunshan had long admired that person to the point of prostration.

But after hearing Shi Dakai recount the three strategies—superior, middle, and inferior—he still couldn't help but applaud in amazement.

"My boss is so brilliant, so extraordinary, he's almost reached the Dao...!"

Both the God Worshipping Society and the Taiping Army, which Feng Yunshan personally helped to establish, were also dedicated to the pursuit of "equalizing wealth and poverty."

But after years of searching in the dark, Feng Yunshan realized he hadn't found the right solution at all.

Hearing such insightful advice from my boss was like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, a moment of clarity that suddenly enlightened me!

The true meaning that I have been searching for all my life has turned out to be something that my own boss can easily obtain and do without any effort!
Is the difference between people really that great?

However, Feng Yunshan has long since calmed down!

In his eyes, his boss was no longer human... he had already transcended the ordinary and become a saint!
Feng Yunshan did not rush to answer, but quietly drank a glass of wine before saying in a deep voice, "I dare say, you and I both understand the necessity and urgency."

"But the boss's approach is correct!"

"The boss's original intention was to build Guangdong into a model of paradise on earth. Firstly, it was to win over the hearts of the people; secondly, it was to try out various policies and reduce the cost of trial and error; and thirdly, it was to build the most solid base for conquering the world in the future."

Feng Yunshan continued, "Since we want to win over the hearts of the people, we can't rush it...!"

"Even if you and I forcefully push this forward in Guangdong, when we seize power in the future, we will inevitably face enormous resistance and desperate resistance from the landlord class, the scholar class, and the self-cultivating peasant class."

"Our boss has a brilliant vision; he sees things very deeply and far ahead. We just need to follow his plan, and within three to five years, the world will be in our hands. It's not too late to implement our plans then!"

"Hehe...!" Shi Dakai shook his head and smiled bitterly, "I naturally know the boss's good intentions, but... alas, this is just making things difficult for the people of Guangdong!"

"Whenever I travel to the countryside and see so many people who are starving, naked, and even forced to sell their children... my heart aches as if it's being stabbed with needles!"

Feng Yunshan nodded solemnly: "Since it is not feasible for the time being, then we can only do our best to improve the lives of ordinary people."

Shi Dakai replied, "The land rent collected by landlords in Guangdong is so high that it is even 20 to 30 percent higher than that of the rice-producing areas of Jiangnan."

Feng Yunshan said, "Yes! The rent for tenant farmers in Jiangnan is at most 50%, and most are 40%. So, the people of Jiangnan can barely make ends meet."

"In places like Guangdong, where they collect 70% to 80% of the land rent, it's simply impossible for anyone to survive!"

Shi Dakai said, "The root cause is that Guangdong has a large population but limited land, which is really too serious."

"There are too many tenants and too little land. If you don't rent, there are plenty of others who will! The landlords have far too much pricing power. And the vast majority of tenants have absolutely no room for bargaining."

It's like renting a house. There are too few rental houses and too many people wanting to rent, so the rent will naturally keep rising!
"The best course of action now is to continue to vigorously promote immigration to California to alleviate the conflict between population and land."

"Mr. Feng, even if we risk our lives, Guangdong will still send at least 800,000 people out this year!"

"Eight hundred thousand people...tsk tsk!" Feng Yunshan couldn't help but exclaim, "Guangdong alone has eight hundred thousand people, so wouldn't the southeastern provinces have more than one million five hundred thousand this year?"

“Yes!” Shi Dakai nodded emphatically: “Although the boss did not give me a specific number of people to work with, the more the better.”

“The 60 million acres of fertile land in California’s Central Valley can easily feed 10 to 20 million people. No amount of immigration can fill the gap in the short term.”

"Once the boss personally takes over the entire American West... hehe, then it will probably be able to support at least fifty million people!"

Shi Dakai continued, "If we can send 800,000 people out of Guangdong every year, we can have 4 million people in five years, which will greatly alleviate the contradiction of too many people and too little land."

"In addition, we are carrying out large-scale infrastructure construction and building various factories and industries, which can absorb a large number of farmers. Whether they work on construction sites or become factory workers, it also helps to alleviate the contradiction between people and land."

"I estimate that by the end of this year, with the commencement of various projects and the completion of factories, the livelihoods of at least 100,000 people will be secured."

"Promoting employment for more than 100,000 people undoubtedly greatly improves the lives of tens of thousands of families."

Shi Dakai added, "By the end of this year, I expect the contradiction between a large population and a limited land supply will be greatly alleviated. The landlords' power to set land rents will probably not be so unshakeable anymore."

After a moment's thought, Feng Yunshan said, "That is indeed possible!"

Shi Dakai grinned: "Then by the end of the year, could we push for a 'rent and interest reduction' policy? At least to some extent, to secure some tangible benefits for the poor people of Guangdong?"

“Rent and interest reductions…I think it’s feasible!” Feng Yunshan nodded solemnly: “But we must be careful to maintain a proper balance and not provoke a backlash or even unrest.”

"That's natural... In my opinion, we should uniformly reduce land rent to 40%. What do you think, Mr. Feng?"

Feng Yunshan pondered for a moment, then said, "That makes sense! But what if someone outwardly complies but inwardly defies it? How should they be punished?"

"Heh heh...!" Shi Dakai sneered, "Putting on the surface while acting against your will? Are my Restoration Army, along with governments and judicial institutions at all levels, going to sit idly by?!"

"The landlords who dare to outwardly comply but inwardly defy us and are rich but heartless have given us a perfect excuse to confiscate all our land and put it to public use!"

"As for those who dare to rebel and cause trouble, hehe...!" Shi Dakai sneered again: "Alaska and Panama are preparing for large-scale development and infrastructure construction, and they're just worried about not having enough people to mine and dig the land...!"

"Hahaha!" Feng Yunshan laughed loudly, "You deserve it! Your methods and spirit are as bold as ever, you dare to think and act!"

Shi Dakai laughed heartily: "We should teach those rich and heartless landlords a lesson; we can't be too lenient with them!"

"In addition to land rent, the interest rates on grain and money borrowed by farmers from landlords must also be significantly reduced."

"According to our investigation, it is normal for farmers to borrow money from landlords with a 'nine out of thirteen' rate, resulting in annual interest rates as high as forty percent or more. In fact, annual interest rates of two or three hundred percent are also common."

“Countless tenant farmers, and even self-cultivating farmers, have been forced to sell their land and houses, and even their children and themselves into slavery, because they cannot repay such high-interest loans.”

"This situation cannot continue!"

Shi Dakai said in a deep voice: "Rent reduction can be implemented by the end of this year, but the policy of interest reduction must be promoted and implemented as soon as possible."

"In my opinion, no annual interest rate should exceed 15 percent; otherwise, it is illegal usury, and the government and judicial departments have the right to declare all usury invalid."

“Our East West Bank currently has 27 branches in Guangdong, and after the start of the year, it will soon be able to cover all prefectures and counties.”

"As a supporting measure, East West Bank can provide low-interest loans to farmers, with annual interest rates controlled below five percent. We do not seek to earn interest from farmers, as long as we do not lose money."

Shi Dakai added, "Once farmers get used to borrowing from banks, the current prevalent practice of borrowing from landlords at exorbitant interest rates will be greatly curbed."

Feng Yunshan pondered for a moment and said, "This is indeed a good policy that benefits the people! However, most farmers borrow very small amounts, often just a few bushels of rice or a couple hundred coins. If the bank were to handle such small loans itself, the labor costs would be too high and the feasibility too low." "Mr. Feng, you are absolutely right!" Shi Dakai pondered for a moment before saying, "Then how about we adopt a cooperative model, with thirty to fifty households forming a cooperative, and the bank issuing loans to the cooperative, which would then distribute them to the farmers?"

"The cooperative is the lender, the guarantor, and the lender all at once. Even if individual farmers are unable to repay their loans, the losses will be shared equally among all the farmers in the cooperative."

"In this way, we avoid the problem of lending too little money to individual farmers, which would be difficult to manage. At the same time, we also avoid the situation where individual farmers cannot repay their loans."

Shi Dakai continued, "Our current government agencies have been established at the township level. The construction and supervision of cooperatives can be completely handed over to the township governments."

Feng Yunshan pondered for a moment: "I think it's quite feasible! We can first select a prefecture or county near Guangdong and try it out for a period of time."

"If it is feasible, then we will promote it throughout Guangdong."

“Alright…!” Shi Dakai slammed his fist on the stone table: “Then it’s settled. We’ll arrange a trial run as soon as the new year begins.”

"Interest rate cuts and cooperative-related matters are being addressed simultaneously. I believe that the interest payments to farmers will soon be completely reduced."

……

After the two finished discussing agriculture and rural matters, Feng Yunshan suddenly pulled a letter from his pocket.

Feng Yunshan placed the letter on the table and said with a smile, "I dare say that. Why don't you guess whose letter this is?"

"Whose letter is this...?" Shi Dakai examined the envelope on the table, pondering, "Could it be from Yang Xiuqing, the Eastern King, urging you to return?!"

"Hahaha!" Feng Yunshan laughed loudly, "That scoundrel Yang Xiuqing would love for me to be as far away from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom as possible, so as not to let me take away his power. How could he possibly persuade me to go back?"

"If it's not Yang Xiuqing... then, could it be Hong Tianwang...?!"

"Hehe!" Feng Yunshan stroked his short beard and said, "That's right, it's a letter from King Hong!"

"Oh...? What did the letter say?"

Feng Yunshan pushed the letter in front of Shi Dakai and said, "Why don't you take a look for yourself?"

Shi Dakai did not refuse, took the envelope, took out the letter, and quickly glanced through it.

"Heh...!" After reading it, Shi Dakai couldn't help but sneer: "This King Hong is really... delusional!"

In this letter written by Hong Xiuquan himself, he first reminisced about his sincere friendship with Feng Yunshan in the past.

From their initial acquaintance to their growing friendship and shared ideals, the two embarked on a journey of overcoming numerous difficulties and dangers to spread Christianity in Guangxi.

After rambling on for a long time, Hong Xiuquan finally expressed his regret over Feng Yunshan's departure.

According to Hong Xiuquan's letter, when Feng Yunshan returned from recuperating from his injuries, his original intention was to give him an important position, and even arrange for him to be on par with Yang Xiuqing to discuss national affairs.

However, Yang Xiuqing held absolute power, and even Hong Xiuquan's own words were completely ineffective.

In the end, Feng Yunshan was ostracized by Yang Xiuqing and left in a huff. Hong Xiuquan expressed his regret but also conveyed that there was still room for redemption.

It wasn't until the very end of the letter that Hong Xiuquan revealed his true intention in writing it.

In short, Hong Xiuquan invited Feng Yunshan to lead his army back to Nanjing in secret to kill Yang Xiuqing and his followers.

Once the powerful and autocratic Yang Xiuqing is executed, all military and national affairs of the Heavenly Kingdom can be entrusted to Feng Yunshan, who will be in charge of the Heavenly Kingdom's internal and external military and political affairs, and so on...!
After reading the letter, Shi Dakai looked into Feng Yunshan's eyes and asked, "Mr. Feng, what are your thoughts after receiving this letter?"

"Hahaha!" Feng Yunshan laughed loudly, "What's done is done, there's no going back, absolutely no going back!"

"Leaving aside my own wishes, among the tens of thousands of Taiping officers and soldiers who followed me, after witnessing the strength and might of the Restoration Army, who would still be willing to go back with me?"

"Although it was only a few months, tens of thousands of Taiping soldiers, whether officers or soldiers, underwent a complete and thorough transformation from the inside out."

"They've completely become the Restoration Army now, who would still be willing to risk their lives for him, Hong?"

Feng Yunshan continued, "As for myself, I returned to Jinling with resentment, and after a year, I finally saw through everything."

"The Kingdom of Heaven is utterly finished! It was only a matter of time!"

“Besides Hong Xiuquan being incompetent and immoral, Yang Xiuqing being talented but immoral, and Wei Changhui being a despicable and shameless villain, the various Taiping armies outside of Nanjing gradually grew stronger. They gradually developed into warlords and regional warlords, each controlling their own territory.”

"When Yang Xiuqing was alive, perhaps he could still manage to mobilize a few people."

“And Hong Tianwang has already harbored murderous intent toward Yang Xiuqing. Even if he doesn’t use my hand, Hong Tianwang will kill Yang Xiuqing sooner or later.”

"Regardless of who wins or loses, whether it is Hong Tianwang or Yang Xiuqing who is ultimately killed, the Taiping Army will instantly fall apart like a pile of loose sand and will surely scatter like birds and beasts. The generals leading the troops in the field will inevitably go their own way!"

"At that time, the day when we are defeated one by one by the Qing court will not be far off...!"

"Alas...!" Feng Yunshan sighed deeply, "What a pity, what a waste! Ten years of hard work, all destroyed in an instant!"

"But all I could do was watch as it marched step by step toward its doom!"

As he spoke, two lines of clear tears involuntarily streamed down Feng Yunshan's face.

"It's too late, it's too late...!" Feng Yunshan closed his eyes, lying face up in anguish: "If it were half a year ago, when I was still in Tianjing, and the Heavenly King had such decisiveness and courage, how could things have come to this, how could things have come to this...!"

Six months ago, before Feng Yunshan led his troops away, if Hong Tianwang had secretly issued an order for Feng Yunshan and Wei Changhui to join forces and kill Yang Xiuqing, it would not have been difficult.

If Hong Xiuqing were to entrust all matters of state to Feng Yunshan after Yang Xiuqing's death, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom might still be saved.

At least, that's what Feng Yunshan himself thought.

But Shi Dakai thought differently: "Mr. Feng, even if you were still in Nanjing that day and executed Yang Xiuqing according to Hong Xiuquan's orders, you still couldn't have saved the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom...!"

"Oh...?" Feng Yunshan slowly opened his tearful eyes and said, "I dare to accept, why?"

Shi Dakai said in a deep voice: "When Mr. Feng was in Nanjing, he had no soldiers and no power. How could he have killed Yang Xiuqing, who held absolute power?"

"To kill Yang Xiuqing, Mr. Feng, you must secretly join forces with Wei Changhui, who holds real power and military authority."

"Wei Changhui is a despicable and shameless villain, and he is extremely power-hungry."

"Once this person kills Yang Xiuqing, how could he be willing to relinquish power?"

As he spoke, Shi Dakai looked at Feng Yunshan opposite him and said, "With Yang Xiuqing dead, Wei Changhui's next target will probably be you, sir!"

"For no other reason than that you, sir, are blocking his path to power!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Yunshan was startled and felt a chill run down his spine.

Shi Dakai's analysis was so accurate that it was impossible to refute.

During the years he spent with Azu, Shi Dakai not only improved in modern military theory and command skills, but also underwent all-round growth and improvement.

This includes his political acumen and his ability to judge character.

In later generations, Shi Dakai was the most skilled in military strategy and also quite capable in administration.

But the problem lies in their sensitivity to political struggles and their ability to judge character.

In later generations, Wei Changhui slaughtered Yang Xiuqing's entire family, as well as everyone associated with the Eastern Prince's Mansion, implicating tens of thousands of people. The deaths were devastating, and the Yangtze River was stained with blood.

When Shi Dakai led his army back to Tianjing, he denounced Wei Changhui for killing too many people, but little did he know that he himself would become Wei Changhui's next target.

If Shi Dakai hadn't been quick-witted and escaped from Tianjing, he would surely have died at the hands of Wei Changhui.

But his entire family and subordinates were slaughtered by Wei Changhui because of this...!
The later Shi Dakai lacked this kind of sense and sensitivity.

If it were Shi Dakai today, he would either not return to Tianjing at all, or if he did return, he would simply lead his army into the city, kill Wei Changhui and Qin Rigang, and seize absolute power from then on.

……

Feng Yunshan wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and gave a self-deprecating "hehe" laugh: "So be it, so be it! The demise of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is irreversible."

"What we should be concerned about is how to deal with this next!"

Shi Dakai nodded solemnly: "Yes, if the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is about to perish, we must be prepared to deal with it."

"Firstly, once the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is destroyed, the Qing government will definitely turn its guns on us!"

Shi Dakai continued, "Before the Lunar New Year, small groups of Qing troops were already probing our defenses at various passes bordering Fujian, Jiangxi, and Hunan."

"Although they were all easily repelled by our army, I predict that a large Qing army will attack by the turn of spring or summer at the latest."

"Although our army is not afraid of any Qing army, having the Taiping army at the forefront is ultimately a good thing for us."

"Once the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is destroyed, we will face the encirclement and suppression of hundreds of thousands of Qing troops. Guangdong is too important; the Qing court simply cannot afford to lose it!"

At this point, Shi Dakai suddenly laughed: "Not to mention anything else, at the Guangzhou Customs Superintendent's Office, we found more than 3.6 million taels of silver...!"

"Of these three million taels of silver, two million taels are customs duties that are about to be escorted to the imperial court."

"And the remaining million taels, hehe, are the private wealth of Hengqi, the customs supervisor... It is said that Hengqi embezzles hundreds of thousands of taels every year."

"As for other corrupt officials and government treasuries at all levels, we confiscated a total of more than 24 million taels of silver... Hehe, we made a small fortune."

"This shows just how wealthy Guangdong is!"

"While the common people were poor, the officials, wealthy merchants, compradors, and big landowners were all rolling in money."

"The Qing court will definitely do everything in its power to take back such a fertile land."

Feng Yunshan pondered for a moment and said, "In that case, shall we expand our army and prepare for war?"

After a moment's thought, Shi Dakai said, "We now have a full 82,000 main combat troops, which is more than enough to defend Guangdong."

"But in addition to our main combat forces, we can indeed expand our auxiliary forces, especially our engineers."

"Currently, our engineering corps consists of only one brigade directly under the military headquarters. We will be undertaking far too many engineering projects in the future, and one engineering brigade is simply not enough."

"In wartime, combat engineers can go directly to the front lines or assist in building bridges, roads, and fortifications."

"In peacetime, engineers can be deployed to various infrastructure projects, which is very practical."

"Therefore, I plan to expand the army by three engineer brigades, each with 6,000 men, for a total of 18,000 men, bringing the size of the Restoration Army to a full 100,000 men...!"

Feng Yunshan nodded and said, "That's a good idea!"

Shi Dakai continued, "The passes along the border have already been reinforced. After the new year, we still need to further strengthen the fortifications and defenses."

"The Restoration Army must also strengthen its border defenses and absolutely not allow the Qing army to cross the line!"

Given the equipment and combat capabilities of the Restoration Army, the Qing army was no match for them. Moreover, with the Restoration Army focused solely on defensive warfare, the Qing army had absolutely no chance.

Shi Dakai added, “Once the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom is destroyed, besides the Qing army, there will definitely be large numbers of Taiping soldiers who will have no choice but to join us.”

"After all, with you here, Mr. Feng, your banner as the Seven Thousand Years Old King of the South is still quite effective!"

Feng Yunshan smiled and said, "In that case, we need to make preparations as soon as possible and contact the various Taiping armies in advance. Once Nanjing falls, this will be their only way out!"

Shi Dakai nodded and said, "That's right. Guangdong, our Guangfu Army, is their only way out."

"Mr. Feng, please write this down yourself and contact all the Taiping armies in advance. Anyone who is willing to come, whether they are elite soldiers or women, children, or the elderly, is welcome."

"Especially the Taiping Women's Camp, I heard there are over a hundred thousand of them... Hehe, there are plenty of bachelors in California who can't find wives...!"

"Hahaha!" Feng Yunshan laughed, "You're right, your calculations are almost as shrewd as the boss's."

"Indeed, the Taiping Army's women's battalion numbered as many as 140,000, and their fighting strength was indeed not weak."

"The women's battalion once covered the rear of the Northern Expeditionary Army, holding off the Qing Senggelinqin's 5,000 elite cavalry for three days and three nights with only 1,200 men!"

"In the Battle of Yangzhou, the 8,000-strong women's battalion annihilated more than 2,000 elite Qing troops in street fighting...!"

"In the Battle of Zhenjiang, the Taiping Army's male battalion suffered a crushing defeat and retreated in disarray. Female general Su Sanniang led five hundred female soldiers with swords and shields to cover the rear and ambush the Qing army, killing the Qing general Deng Shaoliang in battle..."

"Tsk tsk...!" Shi Dakai exclaimed, "Who says daughters are inferior to sons... These are all heroines!"

(End of this chapter)