Chapter 944 – Center and Locality (Part Three)

Liu Xiang placed great importance on this "remnant of the feudal bureaucracy," as Du Wen would put it. In his view, the Hai family's prestige in the Qiongshan area would help strengthen their rule in this region. The family's exemplary role was useful not only for influencing the gentry and major households but also held great sway over ordinary people.

As one of the Ming Dynasty's most famous political figures, Hai Rui's political philosophy aligned remarkably well with the Senate's governance principles in many ways—it could fully serve as a weapon to attack major households when implementing policy. Therefore, Liu Xiang had invested considerable effort in winning over Hai Shuzu.

To break through Hai Shuzu's ideological resistance, Liu Xiang first had the Political Security Bureau's intelligence network in Qiongshan conduct a comprehensive indirect investigation of the Hai family. The Foreign Intelligence Bureau's training network originally established in Qiongshan had been transferred to the Political Security Bureau, and Jiang Shan had relocated the Intelligence Bureau's training base to Guangzhou.

This network had been built single-handedly by Lin Baiguang and was a mature system. Through it, Liu Xiang gained a thorough understanding of Hai Shuzu's situation.

Overall, Hai Shuzu wasn't a stubborn moralist or a rigid man who treated ancestral precedent as gospel—his willingness to pool capital for ships and venture into overseas trade fully demonstrated he was ambitious and quick-witted. Of course, involuntary factors also played a role: the Hai family's dire financial situation had forced his hand.

Having gathered ample information, Liu Xiang began targeted work on the Hai family. He met with Hai Shuzu multiple times, presenting facts and reasoning. He even wired Lin Baiguang in Guangzhou for a letter of consolation. Because Hai Shuzu had received substantial benefits from the Senate in the past, he had some understanding of Senate policies. Combined with witnessing the Australians' efficient brutality during the pacification campaign and land surveys, he couldn't—and didn't dare—put on a standoffish attitude. Under Liu Xiang's persistent indoctrination, he was finally moved.

Ultimately, he agreed to personally visit Lingao. After that trip—especially after visiting the South Sea Demonstration Farm—Hai Shuzu immediately registered all his family's fields with the Qiongshan branch of the Heaven and Earth Society, and even mobilized relatives to join the agricultural cooperative. Interest trumped all theory.

Liu Xiang found these "inspection visits" highly effective. A month earlier, he had again sought Hai Shuzu's help to organize a visit where each major household would send the direct heir designated to inherit the family business to Lingao.

The major households were of course very hesitant about this. Many believed the Australians were demanding "hostages" from them. They flocked to the Hai household asking him to intercede. Some took the wife route directly, having their wives bring generous gifts to specially visit the Hai family's old matriarch and lady, crying and begging them to plead on their behalf.

Hai Shuzu was dismissive:

"If the Chiefs really wanted you to send hostages as pledges of loyalty, do you think your children would still be bouncing around at home after just one word? Would any of you dare say no?"

Everyone fell silent. Having witnessed the Australians' thunderous methods, the major households knew very well no one dared refuse—unless they were willing to abandon their property and leave Qiongzhou Prefecture entirely. And the Australians wouldn't try to stop them.

"This is just an inspection. I will personally escort them and let your children see the world! Don't you trust the Hai family?" He spoke calmly. "And all of you—let me give you some advice: don't try passing off your maidservant's bastard or some distant nephew's son as your heir. The Chiefs know everything. Don't bring trouble on yourselves for nothing!"

With Hai Shuzu's personal guarantee, the major households finally—with great trepidation—allowed the specifically named direct heirs designated to inherit the family business to join this "tour group." The inspection targets were Lingao's factories, East Gate Market, South Sea Demonstration Farm, and several model households: the Liu Youren family, Lin Quan'an family, and Fu Buer family. Reception costs for the hosting units and individuals would be reimbursed by Qiongshan County.

Liu Xiang instructed: "When they return, temporarily put them in the County Office guesthouse. Each person will write an essay on their impressions of visiting Lingao—no fewer than 5,000 characters."

"Yes, Chief. I'll make the arrangements." Lu Cheng nodded. This essay-writing routine was a traditional trick for someone trained in the training camp like Lu Cheng. She smiled sweetly. "Any other instructions?"

"Nothing else. Go get busy." Liu Xiang watched her smile and the sway of her waist as she turned to leave, and couldn't help feeling a bit tempted. Lu Cheng was considerably more attractive than Guo Ling'er. Lu Cheng had always—

Liu Xiang wouldn't mind taking another one after Guo Ling'er. After all, the one-husband-one-wife-many-concubines system was one of his motivations for transmigrating. But he knew that to advance further on the path of local administration, he shouldn't become too intimate with Political Security people. He could only feel regret in his heart about this.

"Chief, the binding is done." Guo Ling'er held up several bundles of manuscripts and announced to Liu Xiang.

"Mm, go... hold on, put them aside for now." Liu Xiang looked at the printed manuscripts, wondering if his firepower was too heavy. Getting labeled as "local resistance to central authority" would not be worth it. The articles themselves were fine, but how to send them, who should receive them and who shouldn't, who first and who later, who as main recipient and who as CC, who should read together—these were all technical matters.

Liu Xiang stared at the titles of the three articles and sat at his computer desk, lost in thought.

The Superintendent's purpose in launching this operation—though "increasing state assets" was the goal and result—the stated justification was ensuring "Operation Engine's" grain security. This was this year's principal operation, belonging to the "great cause" and "guiding principle"—a line not to be crossed. On this point, Liu Xiang alone couldn't break it.

Second, his real purpose was only the locality asking the center for policy and resources, not opposing the center—this was critically important. This was a matter of characterization. Could the Nine Elders realize they weren't merely the Lingao County government but the core of the entire transmigration empire? This needed to be pointed out by someone in the core region.

Breaking it down point by point, Liu Xiang already had a rough idea.

Liu Xiang first opened his "C" notebook and wrote a telegram, then encrypted it with encryption software. This telegram was for Wu De at the Planning Commission.

"...The grain that can be mobilized can only satisfy about ten days' supply, making it difficult to ensure resistance to follow-on disasters and production recovery needs... Is it possible to arrange for part of the grain the Dutch are delivering per contract, or from the Siam operation when the Southeast Asia Company returns, to be unloaded at Qiongshan for relief?"

The Colonial and Foreign Trade Department had signed a grain transport contract with the East India Company: the Dutch would soon deliver five shiploads of rice from the South Seas. Two-thirds of this rice would be shipped to Hong Kong for storage, prepared for resupplying Jeju Island during Operation Engine.

The Dutch had only spices and ships in abundance, so transit trade was their main business in East and Southeast Asia. The Dutch East India Company, as a three-in-one enterprise of merchant, colonizer, and shipper, transported not only expensive spices, silk, and medicines but also various bulk commodities including timber, rice, and daily goods... they had even transported elephants for Siam.

The Dutch's main territory in the South Seas produced abundant rice, and the Dutch were fully capable of exporting large quantities from there—they also had trade routes to Siam, where rice had always been a major export. For Siamese rice, Skaade had dispatched several ships on a trading expedition.

Whether Skaade's trading ships or the Dutch grain ships, for now they remained pie in the sky from the Planning Commission's perspective. Liu Xiang used this to remind Wu De: Qiongshan also needed grain.

Then he handwrote a note and attached it to the cover of Yan'an Cannot Become Xi'an, Lingao Should Not Become Bianliang. It read: "Please have Qian Shuiting review, then post to BBS on my behalf, and forward to Ding Ding, hopefully for publication in the internal edition of the Lingao Tribune." Liu Xiang wasn't an Otaku Party member, but he endorsed the Otaku Party's goals and had attended several gatherings, making him a "friendly non-party ally." As Speaker of the Senate, Qian Shuiting was one of the Nine Elders and attended all major and minor meetings. If he could recognize this as an opportunity to put the Executive Committee in its proper place, then the "opposing central authority" label would be hard to stick.

Next was Analysis of Historical Post-Disaster Land Transfers and Predictions for This Year. He had originally planned to send it to Wu De, but now he changed his mind and wrote "To: Wu Nanhai" on the envelope. Regarding the current "kick while they're down" approach, apart from disliking how ugly it looked and worrying about central policy direction, Liu Xiang didn't have much objection to the work itself. It was simply that after ending up with land scattered here a piece, there a piece, he'd have to work on the major households—violently or otherwise—which was troublesome.

As for the last one requesting policy—originally to go directly to Mo Xiao'an—now he decided: "To: Planning Commission; CC: Light Industry Commissioner Mo Xiao'an, Forestry Commissioner Wu Kuangming." After all, industrial layout issues were better left to Wu De.

"After sending the telegram and letters, come back and rest. Build up your energy for tonight!" Liu Xiang said to Guo Ling'er with a lecherous grin. "These past few days the timing is just right—let's try to hit the target in one shot!" Then he looked her over. "Put on that lacy underwear and stockings that Ziming Tower sent last week!"

Though Guo Ling'er was used to Liu Xiang's various shameless antics when they were alone, her face still flushed red.

Liu Xiang was very satisfied with Guo Ling'er's blush. Chuckling, he left the office. He was going to inspect work at a Taoist temple on Jinniu Ridge west of the county seat. The previous day, all the refugees willing to go work in Lingao had been sent there to recuperate and recover while waiting for the "labor express" to take them to Lingao.

Not much grain—let's ship more out! Then, hehe, give me back mature industrial workers! Liu Xiang thought to himself as he headed for Jinniu Ridge with his guards.