Chapter 389 - Winning Over Defectors

Beyond revising legal provisions, merely transcribing the legal documents was itself a massive undertaking—ordinary people couldn't handle it. The "unofficial establishment" folks had to be mobilized.

"No problem! Majia, you're so accommodating—we brothers will definitely help!" Several people immediately agreed.

"But we have day shifts, so we'd have to work evenings."

"I'll talk to Wu De about 'borrowing' you for a few days."

Wu De supported establishing a judicial system; he shouldn't refuse such a loan. Without the loan formality, these people would work as volunteers, and only outside regular hours.

Escaping boring work for a few days to practice their specialty pleased everyone.

Majia took a deep swig of kvass. The Law Club members seemed in good spirits—a good sign. This was currently an era of engineer governance; in the future, like America, it would probably become an era of lawyer governance...

After the meeting, Majia submitted a report to Wu De requesting these people be "assigned" to the Maritime Court. He also submitted an application to Xiao Zishan for office expenses—drinks and cigarettes for work sessions.

Xiao Zishan proved quite generous, immediately writing an appropriation slip and issuing a special-supply purchase certificate.

Previously, special-supply goods were mainly consumables not produced in this time-space—various foods: cola, cigarettes, instant noodles, canned goods; also toiletries and medicines. These were primarily supplied to transmigrators performing "heavy labor" or "dangerous work."

As supplies improved, the special-supply items had changed. Some were removed—cigarettes, cola, instant noodles. Others were added. The biggest change was increasing locally-produced industrial goods. Many items weren't particularly "high-grade"—production capacity simply remained limited.

Majia checked the certificate's offerings: "Leizhou Sugar Industry" rum (750ml), one bottle daily limit; Lingao-brand cigarettes, one ten-pack daily limit. Just two items, but with meaningful implications.

"Seems quite a few on the Executive Committee think well of us." Majia murmured, then muttered: "Almost a year since landing," pocketing the slip.

While the Law Club folks busied themselves with the five-masted ship piracy case, a visitor arrived at Bo-pu.

This person came by small fishing boat. Per current emergency protocols, all vessels reaching Lingao-Xuwen waters required inspection. The visitor claimed during boarding inspection to be a rice merchant—the boat was indeed loaded with grain. After landing, however, he revealed his true identity: he was Zhu Cailao's envoy—Shi Shisi, the minor pirate captain captured during the previous year's "fishing" operation.

Back then, Ma Qianzhu had released him for peace talks with Zhu Cailao. But the man had vanished without trace. Afterward, Zhu Cailao rarely operated near Qiongzhou waters. The peace talks were shelved.

Now, arriving at Bo-pu, Shi Shisi demanded to see "Chief Ma," bringing Zhu Cailao's negotiation demands and a letter.

The letter's tone was hard. Zhu Cailao was willing to negotiate with the "Australians," but the collective must compensate all his losses from the Gou family's destruction in Lingao. He wasn't interested in their proposed exclusive glass export trade rights—he directly demanded forty thousand Spanish silver dollars as compensation, plus an equal amount as a loan at two percent monthly interest. Additionally, he specifically requested cannons and gunpowder; if possible, ship-building assistance. These he would purchase with cash or goods.

Though the letter was arrogant—very much "magnanimous despite wrongs" and "agree or we attack immediately"—after Ma Qianzhu studied it repeatedly, he sensed bluster concealing weakness. Zhu Cailao's urgent references to silver, weapons, and ships clearly revealed desperate need for support.

"If only we had the strength for a maritime Blackwater operation—Zheng Zhilong would have real headaches." Chen Haiyang remarked during the letter review.

"With such strength we'd have destroyed him already, taking his ships and men outright." Ma Qianzhu held the letter, genuinely undecided. "Our intelligence is still too scarce," he said with evident frustration.

What Ma Qianzhu didn't know was that Zhu Cailao's past year had been rough. His north-south fleets had scattered under combined Ming-Zheng Zhilong suppression. At this critical juncture, the mysterious "Australians" had blindsided him—the Gou family was his biggest fence and stash location. The loss was severe; sudden financial strain caused supply crises and serious subordinate unrest. Some men and ships immediately scattered.

Zhu Cailao wanted to attack Lingao for revenge, but Liu Xiang's pressure forced him to deal with that upstart first. After failing to seize ships through deception, he led the southern fleet north to Fujian, hoping for profits to rebuild. Arriving there, he gathered scattered forces, raided several land targets, and replenished provisions—his strength recovered somewhat. But Zheng Zhilong viewed all Fujian maritime trade as his personal preserve. Various factions clashed constantly. Zhu Cailao's weaker finances gradually put him at disadvantage.

In this deteriorating situation, Zhu Cailao planned retreat to eastern Guangdong, but Liu Xiang didn't want him back. The first returning ships were intercepted at the Fujian-Guangdong border. Though the ensuing battle proved inconclusive, Zhu Cailao's passive situation remained unrelieved.

"You've traveled far. Rest first." Ma Qianzhu said pleasantly, then ordered Shi Shisi lodged at the East Gate Market commercial house.

The Executive Committee immediately convened an emergency meeting. Honestly, the terms weren't harsh. Spoils from the Gou family definitely exceeded forty thousand Spanish dollars, and his loan request included interest payments.

"Zhu Cailao won't live long." Yu'eshui said. "Negotiating with him now is worthless—unless we intend alliance."

Historically, Zhu Cailao would be defeated by Zheng Zhilong at Min'an this August, then annihilated at Nanri.

The main question: should history be changed to save Zhu Cailao's group?

Some supported this—his existence could check Zheng Zhilong while indirectly checking Liu Xiang. From the transmigrators' perspective, the more chaotic the seas, the better.

Others thought saving him unnecessary. First, they couldn't absorb this maritime force yet; second, once allied, they'd assume ever-increasing responsibilities—something the collective didn't want.

Wen Desi wasn't interested. The investment was too large, uneconomical. Saving Zhu Cailao meant providing financial support and selling weapons. Unfortunately, the transmigrators weren't rich in either.

"I believe Zhu Cailao's amounts aren't exaggerated—he genuinely needs this much to operate his fleet. And this is probably just the beginning."

Once invested, it could become a bottomless pit. Such things often started as "spend a little, accomplish much," then spending grew while results worsened. See how America got trapped in Vietnam.

Times had changed, Ma Qianzhu reflected. Zhu Cailao hadn't played his card during their most vulnerable period—the most critical phase had passed. If Yu'eshui's historical data was accurate, Zhu Cailao had less than two months remaining. Perhaps it was better if he—who'd formally feuded with them—simply died.

Yu'eshui spoke: "...Colleagues, it's now late June 1629. In less than a month, Zhu Cailao will be defeated by Ming forces at Min'an, then destroyed by Zheng Zhilong at Nanri. In this final remaining month, how do we realistically plan to influence him?"

"Tell him not to attack Min'an, and when fleeing, avoid Nanri—"

"Whether he'll heed our advice is unknown. If he asks: instead of Min'an, where should I go? Who can produce a strategy benefiting both him and us?"

No one could.

"So we shouldn't try saving him, but act as vultures," Yu'eshui used an ugly but apt metaphor, "...gaining maximum practical benefits from his corpse after destruction."

Practical benefits meant not treasure, but Zhu Cailao's personnel and ships—what Chen Haiyang had always wanted.

The task of winning over Zhu Cailao's subordinates fell to the Political Security Bureau's Enemy Work Department, officially named "Rong Operation."

Ran Yao summoned his secret weapon in his office.

"Send for the Enemy Work Department Chief."

"Yes, Chief." Teenage messenger Hu Lai clicked his heels Prussian-style, turned, and ran out.

Enemy Work Department Chief Lin Baiguang soon entered. He'd been deputy director of a county committee office, with his own approach to officialdom—he'd climbed quite high at a young age. But his ambitions far exceeded being a civil servant in some dusty county town.

Ran Yao knew this man was a typical Chinese-style bureaucrat: always smiling, always measured in speech, always commenting only to a point; sometimes treating people better than blood brothers, yet capable of instant betrayal.

Ran Yao also knew he'd used all his ship weight allowance for luxury consumables—dozens of cigarette cartons—yet was never seen smoking. Every Political Security Bureau meeting featured Chunghwa cigarettes of unknown origin on the table—presumably his contribution.

Most suspicious was his solar-powered PDA, which he often studied at night, occasionally writing something. Ran Yao thought it definitely wasn't novels—more likely a diary. Possibly even a black account book.

Once, Ma Qianzhu had inexplicably asked: "Does anyone in your department keep a diary?"

Later, Wen Desi had made a similarly strange comment: "Keeping a diary is a good habit. Pay attention to colleagues with this habit."

Ran Yao took months to understand. Obviously, within the Political Security Bureau, people he didn't know reported directly to Executive Committee leadership. This deduction didn't surprise him—such a powerful department couldn't be entirely controlled by one person.

However, Lin Baiguang's work capability was indeed strong, his attitude extremely proactive. Not only had he quickly learned the difficult Lingao dialect, he'd self-studied Cantonese, Hokkien, and Mandarin. Recently Ran Yao noticed him practicing Manchu each morning.

Ran Yao thought: this kid's ambitions are impressive. But ambition drives motivation.

Lin Baiguang entered.

"Sit." Ran Yao got straight to the point. "I've just received an Executive Committee assignment. Your Enemy Work Department will handle it."

"Understood. What's the mission?"

Ran Yao briefly conveyed the Executive Committee's intent.

"So, have you considered how to proceed?"

"It's difficult," Lin Baiguang answered seriously. "We have no 'connections' to exploit among pirate groups. To date, our only contact is the Zhang Youfu line—but he only connects to peripheral pirate elements, and we can't currently judge his reliability."

(End of Chapter)