North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 98 The Deed of Confiscating Property and Exterminating the Clan (5,000 words)
After a sumptuous Christmas dinner that made everyone's mouths water, the year-end summary was conducted right there at the huge dining table.

Daisy, still holding a thick ledger, reported on the financial situation of Huamei Industrial Company.

"Boss, after three months of hard work, our Huamei Industrial Company has completely reorganized all its assets and is gradually getting back on track. Most of our businesses are now operating normally."

"Currently, our company has three shipyards that can simultaneously construct or repair ten large ocean-going clipper ships. Two of our dry docks are also capable of building or repairing giant clipper ships that are 300 feet long."

"Two more docks have been renovated and are now building new high-speed steamships of 300 tons each! Of the remaining eight docks, four ocean-going clipper ships have been started, and four others are currently repairing our own fleet."

"The company owns eight mines, including iron ore, copper ore, coal ore, and asphalt ore, with an annual output of about 60,000 tons of iron ore, 110,000 tons of coal ore, 20,000 tons of copper ore, and 2,000 tons of asphalt ore."

"There are 23 trading companies throughout California."

"There are fifteen hotels throughout California."

There are 522 commercial and residential properties.

"The total area of ​​developed and undeveloped land resources is 470,000 acres."

"There is one smelter, one machinery factory, and one garment factory. The pharmaceutical factory and the textile factory are under construction."

"There are 28 ocean-going merchant ships and 66 coastal and inland waterway merchant ships."

……

"Currently, our company has a total of 3,371 officially employed staff."

"Currently, we have 6,300 tons of grain, 2,100 tons of steel, 450 tons of copper, and a large quantity of medicines and other raw materials stockpiled in various warehouses."

"Currently, the company's total monthly revenue from rent, product sales, and other sources exceeds $700,000."

"At the same time, the company's monthly expenses for salaries and various raw material costs reached more than $600,000. Overall, it was basically break-even with a slight surplus."

"Currently, the company has a total of $640,000 in cash and gold of equivalent value. There are also a large number of valuable items that are difficult to value and are still lying in the company's vault, which cannot be cashed out at the moment."

"Moreover, the company has a large amount of assets that are not being utilized to their full potential due to a lack of sufficient labor."

“For example, we have more than 400,000 acres of high-quality arable land in the Central Valley, but it is all currently in a state of wasteland, and there is simply no manpower to cultivate it.”

"Furthermore, our mine has only operated at a maximum capacity of 30%, mainly due to a lack of manpower. Almost everyone who can work at the mine has gone to pan for gold. We can only recruit some people during the winter rainy season from November to April next year when panning for gold is not possible."

"Furthermore, our ships are not being utilized properly! In the past two or three months, despite our best efforts to recruit, we have only managed to recruit a little over a hundred crew members. And a large portion of these crew members may leave by April of next year."

“Our shipyards, machinery factories, garment factories, as well as the pharmaceutical and textile factories under construction, are also facing a shortage of manpower.”

"If we want our businesses to be fully staffed, we need at least 5,000 people. This doesn't even include the large number of people needed for land reclamation."

After reporting everything, Daisy closed the ledger and sat down.

These past few months have been tough on this clever girl. Sorting out such a vast amount of assets is definitely not a simple task.

Although a qualified accountant came from the east, and although Ah Zu promoted several accountants and cashiers from various industries to help at the head office, judging from this girl's slightly haggard face and thin figure, she must have stayed up countless nights and suffered a lot these past few months!

"Daisy, you've had a tough time these past few days!"

Ah Zu sincerely thanked him, saying, "Once this period is over, I'll definitely give you a proper vacation so you can get some rest!"

"Boss, I'm not tired at all!" A smile of excitement appeared on Daisy's tired face: "Hehe, counting assets and money every day feels so good!"

Surprisingly, this foreign girl is quite the money-grubber!
"No way!" Azu said sternly, "You absolutely must take a proper vacation and rest! I can't bear to see our little housekeeper's health ruined by overwork!"

"Hehe, okay, BOSS!" Daisy felt a sweet warmth in her heart when she saw that Azu cared about her.

Azu turned to Mayor Vic and asked, "Mayor, our fleet should have arrived in Guangzhou by now, right?"

Vic calculated the days: "If there are no major surprises, they should have already arrived in Guangzhou. If all goes well, we should see the fleet returning to port by February next year."

"Next February?" Azu did the math: "Then it should still be in time for our Chinese Lunar New Year!"

Azu continued, "Currently, the biggest problem our company faces is still a shortage of manpower. This will have to wait until our fleet returns. The seventeen large clipper ships should be able to bring back several thousand Chinese laborers."

"With such a large number of Chinese laborers joining us, we can completely alleviate our manpower shortage."

"Besides manpower, we also lack a truly profitable flagship product. Jeans and prefabricated houses are no longer enough to support a company as large as ours."

"Next year, the cotton cloth produced by our textile mill and the steel produced by our smelter are commodities that are needed everywhere. Only by relying on these two commodities can our company maintain normal operation."

"But the real money-makers are penicillin produced by pharmaceutical companies! The equipment and supplies we ordered for the pharmaceutical company are expected to arrive in the next few days, and we must start large-scale production before February next year."

"Also, we need to make all the preparations for the second gold rush season as soon as possible!"

"For the company to grow and expand further, penicillin and gold mining are both indispensable!"

Azu deliberately omitted one item from the list: weapons production.

No matter how much wealth one creates, without sufficient military force, one simply cannot protect that enormous wealth.

But there are just too many people attending today, and Ah Zu won't reveal such core secrets until he's confirmed everyone's loyalty.

Azu continued, "Some of the grain, steel, and other supplies we stockpiled were purchased at high prices. Another part was the inventory of the assets we acquired."

"Next year, we will see the real gold rush, with gold prospectors and adventurers flocking from all over the world several times more than this year."

"Accompanying the surging crowds is an extreme shortage of various supplies, which will push the prices of various supplies to an unimaginable level once again."

According to later records, the gold rush of 1849 was just the beginning; the real peak was in 1850 and 1851.

To put it simply, in 1849, only three or four thousand Chinese laborers arrived in San Francisco. But by 1850, the number had increased seven or eight times, reaching twenty or thirty thousand.

Chinese laborers only account for about 30% of new immigrants, while new immigrants from other countries far exceed this number.

Azu continued, "Right now, a pound of flour costs a little over a dollar. I estimate that next year, food prices will at least double or triple!"

"What...? Flip it twice! Oh my God!"

As soon as Ah Zu finished speaking, many people exclaimed in surprise: "Does that mean that a pound of flour will cost a full four dollars?"

"Yes! I predict that four dollars won't be the highest price for flour, and the same goes for other supplies!"

Azu calmly said, "Therefore, we need to increase the acquisition and transportation of various supplies, and stockpile them from surrounding cities, surrounding states, and even Canada and Mexico, so that we can make a fortune when the time is right!"

"The same principle applies here. Once our fleet returns, we will not rush to sell the grain and supplies brought from the East."

"However, no matter how high prices rise outside, our company's own employees must have sufficient living security. As long as they are our employees, the company provides three meals a day, which are slightly above cost price."

"Even militia members who are not employees of our company can enjoy the company's collective meals."

"Of course, our company will provide free room and board to Chinese laborers who have signed contracts during the contract period."

"As for employees who cannot afford to rent a house, if they are single, more dormitories can be built in the shipyard for them to live in for free."

"If there are families, then provide them with individual prefabricated houses of varying sizes for $5-10."

At this point, Azu laughed and said, "Although we are capitalists, we must be capitalists with a conscience and capitalists with human touch!"

"Those who exploit their employees to the bone can only see short-term gains. Only capitalists who treat their employees well can achieve long-term stable development."
-
While Azu was far away on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, making plans and arrangements for the company's development next year.

On this side of the Pacific Ocean, in Nabang Village, Guixian County, Guangxi.

It was already late at night, and the mountain village was completely silent.

Suddenly, the sound of dogs barking rang out from a small courtyard at the east end of the village.

"Woof woof woof...!"

"You damned Wangcai, what are you barking about? You can't even recognize your own owner?"

Accompanied by a low curse, a tall, muscular figure, with exceptional agility, lightly pushed off the low courtyard wall and gracefully vaulted into the small yard. "Whoosh...!"

Upon smelling the familiar scent and recognizing the familiar figure, the dog immediately stopped barking and fawned over the tall figure, wagging its tail faster than a windmill!
The tall figure squatted down and stroked the fluffy dog's head: "Wangcai, have you taken good care of my mother while I've been away from home?"

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...!"

The dog enthusiastically stuck out its tongue and kept licking the tall figure's palm.

At this moment, a dim, yellowish light shone into the room.

"Who's out so late? Has the enemy come back yet?"

With a creak, the low door slowly opened.

An old woman carrying an oil lamp appeared at the door.

"Mother, your son is back!"

The tall figure rushed forward and helped the staggering old woman.

"Thank you! It really is you back!" By the dim light of the oil lamp, the old woman could see the tall figure clearly and was overjoyed.

Two streams of murky tears flowed from her eyes.

"Mother, your son is unfilial and has caused you to suffer!"

As he spoke, the tall figure knelt down in front of the old woman with a "plop" and kowtowed three times solidly.

"I dare you, get up quickly!" The old woman happily wiped away her tears: "I'm perfectly fine, why are you kowtowing!"

The tall figure stood up, helped the old woman into the house, and as he turned to close the door, he glanced around warily for a moment.

He helped his mother lie down on the bed, and the tall figure skillfully covered her with a blanket.

"Mother, your son has been gone for ten days or half a month. How are you feeling? Has that damned Zhou family given you any trouble?"

"Good, good, good, Mother is in good health!" The old woman sighed softly, "Alas...! The day after you left, Zhou the rich man's steward led the county yamen runners to arrest you."

"They didn't find you, and they didn't make things too difficult for this old woman, except they wiped out all the chickens and ducks in the house. But...!"

"Just what?"

"But your wife... sigh!"

"Her? What happened to her?"

"Your wife went back to her parents' home on the day you left. And she left a message for you."

"What message did you leave?"

The old woman, who had barely managed to stop her tears, started crying again as she spoke: "She said that what you did was a heinous crime that led to the confiscation of your property and the extermination of your entire clan, and that you should never look for her again! From this day forward, she will sever all ties with you... with you...!"

"Hmph!" The tall figure sneered, "This woman, what a ruthless severance! She's still carrying my child!"

"Alas...!" The old woman sighed deeply, "You dare, my son! I know you are doing something important, seeking justice for the poor and needy. I will not stop you."

"But at least leave a child for the Shi family!" The old woman wiped away her tears and said, "Whether your wife goes back to her parents' home or cuts ties with you, at least she's carrying your child!"

"Even if... even if something bad happens to you in the future, our Shi family... won't be wiped out! Waaah...!" As she spoke, the old woman's tears flowed even more uncontrollably.

"Why……!"

Eighteen-year-old Shi Dakai couldn't help but look up and let out a long sigh!
"Since that's the case... then let her be!"

At that moment, the old woman suddenly remembered something. After rummaging through the straw under the bed, she found a crumpled letter.

"I dare say, a few days ago, someone from a business in the city delivered a letter to you!"

"A letter from a trading company?" Shi Dakai took the envelope with a puzzled look.

He opened the envelope, took out the letter inside, and leaned close to the dim oil lamp to read it aloud, word by word.

"Thank you for your kind consideration, Brother Dakai!"

"I hope you find this letter helpful! I am Li Zunian, the same age as my brother Tianwei, and I am from Taishan, Guangdong. At the beginning of the year, I traveled across the ocean to San Francisco, America, to work in the gold rush, and fortunately, I made a small fortune."

"In a foreign land, I have few relatives and friends. I have long admired your great name, my brother. You are a hero of this region, with the ambition to govern the world and the talent to assist a king."

"I have long admired your name, but have never had the chance to meet you. I suddenly heard that you have joined the God Worshipping Society, and that you regard me, Hong, as your superior, with the aim of 'slaying demons and preserving righteousness, acting as the master and saving people; the world is one family, sharing peace,' and you are determined to expel the Tartars and restore China!"

“I respect your will, brother, but alas, God resides in the West, not the East, and among the barbarians, not among the Chinese! Although you worship God, you have not grasped His true essence. Though you serve the public good, the very foundation upon which you started your rebellion has already been flawed!”

"If you want to get to the root of the problem, my brother, you must cross the Pacific Ocean to personally understand the true meaning!"

“This young man, Hong, is neither good at literature nor martial arts, has no ambition, and spreads falsehoods to mislead the masses. He is no wise ruler! My brother is a man of great talent; how can you remain subservient to him for long?”

Upon seeing this, Shi Daxin was furious!

A nameless rage surged to his head, and he wished he could tear the letter to shreds and burn it to ashes right then and there!
However, Shi Dakai still managed to patiently read the letter to the end.

“I know that my brother Dakai has lofty ambitions to save the country and its people, but alas, he has not grasped the essentials. Throughout history, has anyone ever succeeded in starting a rebellion based on fallacious and heretical doctrines?”

"If the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion, the White Lotus Rebellion, the Manichaean Rebellion, the Maitreya Rebellion of antiquity... all ended in failure and ruin, destroying their reputations. I hope my brother will think deeply about this!"

"Looking at the world today, the West is strong and the East is weak. Why is that? It is not due to the Western doctrine of God, but to the enlightenment of thought, the advancement of science, and the prosperity of industry!"

"My brother, you do not study the philosophical reasoning of Westerners, the essence of science, or the spirit of industry, but instead study the Western concept of God. Isn't this like buying the box and returning the pearl? Putting the cart before the horse? I hope you will think about this more deeply!"

"The Western concept of God has existed for over 1700 or 1800 years, while the rise of the West has only occurred in the last 100 or 200 years. For the previous thousand years, China was powerful and the surrounding barbarians were subservient. Why? I hope you will think about this carefully, my brother!"

"If my brother is willing to travel east to seek the truth, I will be ready to welcome you and discuss ways to save the world!"

"If my brother is already deeply entangled in this situation and cannot extricate himself, I am also on the other side of the ocean, eagerly awaiting your return to the right path!"

"If you insist on your own opinion, I am willing to send you the essentials of Western learning for you to study and understand!"

“My business on the other side is called Huamei Industrial Company. If you, my brother, are interested in crossing the ocean, you only need to go to Guangzhou, find an American merchant ship, mention the name Huamei, and you can set sail and reach the other side!”

"In the year of our ancestors, I bow my head and pay my respects again!"

After reading the entire letter, the anger that had been simmering in Shi Dakai's chest had unknowingly dissipated by more than half!

This unexpected letter was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, bringing Shi Dakai, who was deeply immersed in the fanaticism of the God Worshipping Society, to a slight jolt of clarity!

Shi Dakai even suddenly had a moment of enlightenment, as if the clouds had parted and the sun was shining through!
Shi Dakai sat motionless beside the oil lamp, like a stone sculpture!

"You dare to accept this? You dare to be my son? Are you alright?"

Seeing Shi Dakai's dazed and confused expression, the old mother couldn't help but call out softly.

"Mother, I'm fine!" Shi Dakai replied, "I was just... thinking about some things!"

As he spoke, Shi Dakai picked up the letter again and read it carefully, word by word.

After studying it several times, Shi Dakai's previously unwavering belief in the doctrine of worshipping God began to waver slightly.

Throughout history, has anyone ever succeeded in starting a movement based on doctrine?

“My brother does not study the philosophical reasoning of Westerners, the essence of science, or the spirit of industry, but instead studies the Western concept of God. Isn’t this like buying the box and returning the pearl? Putting the cart before the horse?”

...These few words, in particular, deeply resonated with Shi Dakai's young heart!

Shi Dakai began to feel a little lost about what the future held!
(End of this chapter)