The faces of the elders were very ugly. Before determining the strategy of going south last year, Li Mingxun asked everyone for their opinions. At that time, although everyone thought that the war situation in the mainland would deteriorate, they did not expect it to deteriorate to this extent. The capital fell, the emperor committed suicide, and the Qing Dynasty entered the pass. The whole north is now under the iron hoof of the Qing Dynasty. Looking back now, only Li Mingxun was pessimistic about the war situation in the mainland. Now, it seems that he is right.

Lin Cheng took the lead and said: "It is a drop in the bucket for the community to invest the army in the mainland battlefield. It can be said that whether it is the need for the development of the community and support for the Ming Dynasty, food is the fundamental. We must ensure the input channel of food in the Southeast Asian countries. All must maintain high pressure on the Spanish in the Philippines to make it unable to harass them."

Li Mingxun and Zheng pointed at it and said, "Brother said this very much. This is what the club should do, rather than listening to the coercion and inducement of the high-ranking officials of the Ming Dynasty and investing their efforts to go to the mainland battlefield."

Everyone looked at each other, and finally Lin Cheng coughed lightly and said, "At this critical time of survival, the right to do things will come when the disaster is not the same. I suggest that Mingxun alone is responsible for the matters in the mainland, and there is no need to report to the elders or vote."

"I agree."

"Address!"

In addition to the five major veterans in the base camp, the senators from Taipei and Hong Kong also arrived. Even though there were three veterans who did not attend the meeting, there was enough vote. The seven veterans at the meeting agreed that Li Mingxun had arbitrary power. Although Li Mingxun's decisions have always been supported by the Senate, it was to analyze the interests and explain the reports to the Senate. Now the situation in the mainland is changing. Only when Li Mingxun goes, he can help allies and the people as much as possible on the basis of ensuring the interests of the community.

Li Mingxun stood up, bowed slightly, and said, "Everyone is one with me. This major change will not only be passed through the community safely, but will definitely go to the next level."

Li Mingxun sat back on his seat and said, "I will make a charter for going south between Jiangnan. First of all, one thing is to be stated that this year, the northeast monsoon will rise, and the large fleet will also conquer the Philippines in the south. Qian Jin will report on the construction of the main ship."

Qian Jin cleared his throat and said, "The large fleet lost two frigates, which is understandable for the community. The base camp has five ships, two in Taipei, and three in Yongning City. All of them can be made. Among the four main battleships returned by the large fleet this time, only the White Shark needs to replace the rear mast, and the rest are minor problems.

Among the main battleships under construction, the Humpback Whale and the Pilot Whale were launched last month and are now being tested near Keelung. The large cruiser of Dragon King Whale will also be launched this month, but the Ai Beast-class battleship on the ship is still being built, and I don’t know when it will be launched."

Li Mingxun nodded slightly. The Ai Beast-class is a real double-layer artillery deck battleship with a full load displacement of 2,000 tons. It has 74 heavy artillery pieces. The flat decks, no ship arcs, oval ribs, spliced ​​masts, and riveted keels are all new technologies that are epoch-making. Although this battleship has been on the ship for two years, there is still no sign of completion. The technology it uses is too high and the process is complicated, and the requirements for ship materials and craftsmen are very high. At present, it is impossible to rely on.

"Have Pilong arrived in Hong Kong?" Li Mingxun looked at Lin He.

Lin He quickly said, "Here, but only brought the Bloodhound and the Narwhal cruiser. Taylor's Garen ship and the Blue Banshee did not come. The two ships are being repaired in Taipei and will be launched soon."

"Is there any news coming from Manila?" Li Mingxun looked at Lin Cheng again.

Lin Cheng coughed lightly: "There is news, but it doesn't have much value. Now there are two confirmed cases. The Spaniards reopened the shipyard in Krabi. In addition to the Manila sailboats, they also manufactured heavy gunboats. The Manila fleet went south to pursue the large fleet in early March this year, and in April the sailboat returned to Manila. Most of the ships are repairing. Now it is not sure whether the Spaniards will go north to siege Hong Kong during this southwest monsoon season."

The room was quiet for a while, and Lee Mingxun said: "Okay, now it's confirmed that next month, the Navy and allies have nine battleships, which is basically the same as the Spanish fleet."

"Your Excellency, it will take at least two months for the newly launched main ship to form combat effectiveness..." Simmons reminded.

Li Mingxun waved his hand and said, "This is not important. We must inform the world of the strength of our fleet and let the Spaniards know that they have to consider it if they go north. Simmons, the big fleet will be handed over to you. Starting next month, we will hold the combat duty off the coast of Hong Kong, arrange the cruise ships separately to prevent the Spanish from breaking the fleet. We must ensure the food passage on the Western route. I will rush back at November at the latest. This year, we will fight the Philippines again!"

"Where is He Liangtao? Is he still in Yongning City?" Li Mingxun asked.

Ah Hai quickly said: "No, he is in the base camp. He just returned from Chongming inspection last month and is drawing a design drawing of Chongming Fortress."

Lee Mingxun took out a document and said, "Leave this plan to him and let Doya cooperate with him. Whether the situation can be opened up in the Philippines this year depends on him and the two of them."

Ah Hai put the plan underway, and Li Mingxun said: "Okay, the club's strategy for going south this year has been arranged, and the next thing is related to the situation in the mainland. The club will not fall into the quagmire of the mainland battlefield, but it does not mean that we will do nothing. Whether it is morality, national emotions, or the interests of the club, we will not allow us to stand by."

"I have three things to do this north. First, explain the community's position and countermeasures in this national crisis to our business partners and potential allies in the mainland, and obtain their understanding and support as much as possible. Second, go north to Denglai, support the army there, especially the fleet, to persist until the North Wind season, and assist them to retreat south to Jiangnan. Third, is immigration."

After hearing Li Mingxun's words, everyone nodded slightly. He had already informed everyone of the plan, which was to let the Senate know how to cooperate. To put it bluntly, it was just two different things, food and ships, of course, everything was without affecting the normal operation of the community.

"What does the base camp need to do?" Lin Cheng asked.

Li Mingxun said: "In addition to accepting and resettling immigrants, the most important task of the base camp is to complete the strategic reserve work of two white and one black. Given the low throughput of the base camp Budai Port, the strategic reserve base is set in the Taipei Chief Executive District, so this matter is subject to Ah Hai."

"What are two whites and one black?" Ah Hai asked.

Li Mingxun said: "Two whites refer to cotton cloth and grain, and one black refers to tea. Needless to say, the more you have, the better. The most important thing is cotton cloth. Starting today, we will inform the community of all bases to suspend the export of cotton cloth, regardless of price quality, how much cotton cloth and cotton products are purchased...."

As everyone listened, Ah Hai suddenly shouted, "Master..., no, your Excellency, what do you mean is that Jiangnan cannot be defended?"

Ah Hai's words woke up the dreamer. Everyone suddenly realized one thing. Among all the products operated by the club, only the cotton cloth produced in Jiangnan, especially Songjiang, is irreplaceable and is a necessary product for the development of the club. Other products can either be produced by the club itself, or are of quality and price.

Speaking of which, cotton has only been introduced to China for four hundred years. It was only planted across the country under the forced implementation of Zhu Yuanzhang. However, due to climate reasons, only subtropical and temperate areas can be planted on a large scale. Among all the land under the control of the community, the Yongning administrative region is too cold and Taiwan is too hot. The cotton cloth of the community is not suitable for the Indian cotton cloth brought by the British, but the British only have a few boats. How much cotton cloth can they bring?

On the other hand, Li Mingxun's request to store cotton cloth at all costs means that he judged that Jiangnan could not be defended. If it were half a year ago, everyone would definitely argue with it, but now everyone chose to shut up. When Li Mingxun said that the Ming Dynasty building was about to collapse, who would believe it? But in just half a year, the Central Plains had been lost.

"Ahai, don't fight for such meaningless things. Just consider everything from the worst." Lin Cheng coughed lightly and reminded.

June, Chongming.

Shi Kefa dressed as a Confucian scholar and stepped onto the dock from the boat. The dock was bustling with merchants and porters everywhere. After walking through the busy streets, he came to a white four-story building. It had become a huge construction site. The excavated trenches were deep and wide, with blue bricks, stones and wood piled up like mountains. Thousands of people were busy building the planned Chongming Fortress.

The four-story building was originally a commercial hall of Tenglong Trading Company. When it was built, the locals called it a white building. Later, the United Bank was established. The basement here also serves as the money treasury of the United Bank. The name of the Bai Building was replaced by the Silver Building. Even when the Chongming pirates was first wiped out, the community agreed not to arm Chongming, but now the United Bank was established, and millions of taels of silver were stored here. Even if the community did not mention it, the shareholders of the United Bank refused to allow it. Chongming Fortress was listed in the plan.

Shi Kefa still remembers that when he met Li Mingxun last time, he was just the governor of the grain transport. Qian Qianyi and others wanted to attract his military and resources to Jiangnan by using the method of subsidizing women to Li Mingxun. Although his goal was achieved, the rebellion that he had originally wanted to be prepared for did not attack Jiangnan. Now he is the chief minister of the Hongguang Dynasty. Although his official position was promoted, his country was destroyed. It is really hard to say whether he was lucky or unfortunate.

At the gate of the Silver Tower were four men with dark skin and ancient faces. They were wearing fitted robes, holding long swords and short guns on their waists. They stood there half an iron tower, which made people dare not approach them. There were still three hundred such elite soldiers in the Silver Tower. If there were no such elite soldiers, how could the gentry in Jiangnan dare to remain at ease to take care of the money treasury?

Shi Kefa walked into the silver building and went up the top floor. In the huge conference room, Li Mingxun was discussing something with seven or eight craftsmen. More than half of them were dressed in foreign style. Li Mingxun didn't see Shi Kefa coming in, so he just had to speak there. He spoke Chinese and foreign styles at one time, and there were more than one. On the round table surrounded by everyone, there was a delicate model. It could be seen that it was the shrinking appearance of Chongming Fortress. It was three floors high, with a huge round fort in the middle, a five-angle ridge fortress in the middle, and an octagonal fortress outside. The Red Building at his feet was also integrated into it and turned into a middle-level building.

Li Mingxun glanced at Shi Kefa, patted the craftsman beside him and said, "That's what you do for the time being. Remember, what materials are needed, how much manpower is needed, and how much money is needed. Just ask Xu Changxing for no worries, but one thing is that the main construction will be completed in one and a half years, and the construction period will be delayed, and all the crimes will be punished!"

The craftsmen stood up and left, and Shi Kefa asked: "Mr. Li built such a large fortress in Chongming, which is bound to make people imagine."

Li Mingxun said bluntly: "The Central Plains of the Ming Dynasty are in decline, who can say that Jiangnan is not lost? Lord Shi, if I use it to deal with the Ming Dynasty, there is no need for such trouble. This fortress is entirely for dealing with the Qing army."

As he said that, Li Mingxun signaled Shi Kefa to sit down. He clapped his hands. An elderly clerk walked in, put the teacup he brought in in front of the two of them, sat at the corner table, spread white paper in front of him, and placed the quill and ink in front of him, without saying a word, waiting quietly.

Shi Kefa swept over the clerk and asked, "Mr. Li, I am here today to discuss with you!"

Li Mingxun nodded: "Mr. Shi, you are not the only one who cares about the current situation. If there are major changes today, there are many people who want to borrow the power of the club. Many people are waiting for the decisions of the club, and more people are watching the attitude of the club. I don't have time to reply to them one by one. Today, you and I will discuss secretly. This person will record it on the shore. After the end, it will be sorted out. If you and I have no objection, it will be circulated on all parties, which will be less trouble."

Li Mingxun pushed the teacup to Shi Kefa and said, "Today, I know everything and say everything, and I am open and honest, and I feel that there is no false words. I hope Master Shi will do the same, so don't ask for the scholar's enthusiasm."

Shi Kefa's face changed slightly, and he didn't move the teacup. He knew that his initiative was no longer in his hands. The situation in the Ming Dynasty was so corrupt that he was at this point. Although he was the chief minister, he stood in the wrong team when he supported the emperor. Lin and horses in the middle east of the court, Ruan became water and fire. The four towns in Jiangbei all claimed to be the benefactors of the emperor and made a decision. Although the court must shout the slogan of restoration and revival every day, Shi Kefa knew that state affairs were difficult. Now the Nanjing court has set a plan to suppress the enemy, but the court has no elite soldiers and two lacks money and food. Although he knew that Li Mingxun could not provide it, he was in the southeast, attacking the enemy in the north, and controlling the enemy in the Central Plains. Shi Kefa really wanted to get the support of the community.

"Sir, I heard that you told the emperor that if the court moved the capital to Nanjing, they would be entrusted unconditionally and serve the country. Now Emperor Hongguang inherited the throne..." Shi Kefa asked quietly, but was interrupted by Li Mingxun.

Li Mingxun said: "One time and another time. Since Lord Shi has heard of it, he naturally knows it. What I am talking about is that Emperor Chongzhen moved south or the prince supervising the country. Although Emperor Hongguang is extremely in line with the blood of etiquette and law, it is ultimately inconsistent with what I said. The Lord should know the difference between the two."

Shi Kefa sighed. If Chongzhen moved south or the prince supervised the throne, Jiangnan could still unite the enemy. Now King Fu succeeded to the throne, but there was an endless internal struggle. The four towns in Jiangbei were rebellious, and the party struggles continued in the court, and Jiangnan was in a mess.

Li Mingxun knocked on the table and said, "Mr. Shi, I am here openly and honest. Don't use tricks. Let's talk about something meaningful. I know very well that the biggest constraints of the Nanjing court on me now is to expel the community from the territory of the Ming Dynasty. But Mr. Shi, think about it yourself. Can you say this, but can you do it?"

Shi Kefa naturally understood Li Mingxun's words. The club had two centers of gravity in the territory of the Ming Dynasty. Jiangnan and Guangdong, and Guangdong naturally need to say that the gentry and clubs there were too complicated conflicts. Moreover, the sky was high and the emperor was far away. How could it be moved? As for Jiangnan, the United Bank had already brought 4 million taels of silver from hundreds of gentry into the silver building, and it was a stalemate. Li Mingxun took away the silver and fled directly away. Wouldn't it be that he shot himself in the foot?

As Li Mingxun said, it would be fine to threaten, but it would be a real trick to play. In this way, Shi Kefa has no cards in his hand. He can't promote the kingly transformation to Li Mingxun in order to impress him.

"Okay, I'm all listening to what Mr. Li said, Mr. Li, you are the same as my Ming Dynasty and belong to China. I hope to help you, I'm grateful!" Shi Kefa said earnestly.

Li Mingxun shook his head helplessly. Even in the late Ming Dynasty, which was the most corrupt, darkest and most helpless, there were also many loyal ministers and righteous men in the Ming Dynasty. It can be seen from the officials who followed Emperor Chongzhen to commit suicide in Beijing. Unfortunately, there were more treacherous ministers and slanderous ministers in the Ming Dynasty.
Chapter completed!