Chapter 177: Central and Local (Part 3)

Liu Xiang attached great importance to this “remnant of feudal bureaucracy,” as Du Wen called him. In his view, the Hai family’s prestige in the Qiongshan area was conducive to strengthening their rule in this region. In particular, the Hai family’s exemplary role was not only useful for the large households and gentry, but also had a great influence on the common people.

As one of the most famous political figures of the Ming Dynasty, Hai Rui’s political philosophy was in many ways quite in line with the Senate’s administrative policies and could be used as a weapon to attack the large households during administration. Therefore, Liu Xiang spent a lot of effort in winning over Hai Shuzu.

To do ideological work on Hai Shuzu, Liu Xiang first conducted a comprehensive side investigation of the Hai family through the intelligence network of the General Political Security Bureau in Qiongshan. The intelligence network originally set up in Qiongshan by the Foreign Intelligence Bureau for training had been transferred to the General Political Security Bureau, and Jiang Shan had moved the intelligence bureau’s training base to Guangzhou.

This network was single-handedly established by Lin Baiguang and was a mature system. From them, Liu Xiang gained a comprehensive and sufficient understanding of Hai Shuzu’s situation.

In general, Hai Shuzu was not a stubborn moralist or a rigid person who only regarded his ancestral family laws as golden rules. His willingness to raise funds to buy a ship and go to sea to do business fully showed that he was very enterprising and had a flexible mind. Of course, there were also many unavoidable circumstances: the Hai family’s dire economic situation also forced him to do so.

After mastering sufficient information, Liu Xiang began to carry out targeted work on the Hai family. He met with him many times, presented facts and reasoned with him, and even telegraphed Lin Baiguang in Guangzhou to get a letter of persuasion. Because Hai Shuzu had received great benefits from the Senate before and had some understanding of the Senate’s policies, and had also witnessed the high efficiency and cruelty of the Australians in the security war and the land measurement, he was not in a position to and did not dare to put on an aloof attitude. In Liu Xiang’s continuous brainwashing every day, he was finally moved.

In the end, he nodded and agreed to go to Lingao to see for himself. After a trip to Lingao, especially after visiting the Nanhai Demonstration Farm, Hai Shuzu immediately joined all the family’s fields to the Qiongshan branch of the Tiandihui upon his return. He also mobilized his relatives to engage in agricultural cooperation—interest trumps all theories.

Liu Xiang found that this kind of “visit” was very effective. A month ago, he asked Hai Shuzu for help again and organized a tour group for the legitimate sons of the various large households who were to inherit the family business to visit Lingao.

The large households were of course very hesitant about this. Many people thought that this was the Australians demanding “hostages” from them. They all came to the Hai family to ask him to intercede. Some even took the “madam route,” sending their wives with large gifts to visit the old lady and the mistress of the Hai family, crying and begging them to intercede.

Hai Shuzu disapproved of this:

“If the chiefs really wanted you to send hostages to show your sincerity, would your children still be able to jump around at home with just a word? Who among you would dare to say no?”

The crowd was silent. The large households who had witnessed the Australians’ thunderous methods knew very well that no one would dare to do so, unless he was willing to abandon his family business and leave Qiongzhou Prefecture—the Australians would not stop him from doing so.

“This time, it’s just a visit. I will personally lead the way and let your children see the world! Do you still not trust my Hai family?” he said very frankly. “Gentlemen, I must advise you not to try to pass off a servant girl’s son or a distant nephew as your own. The chiefs know everything. Don’t ask for trouble!”

Under Hai Shuzu’s guarantee, the various large households finally reluctantly allowed the designated legitimate sons who were to inherit the family business to participate in this “tour group.” The objects of the tour were the factories in Lingao, Dongmen City, the Nanhai Demonstration Farm, and several demonstration households in Lingao: Liu Youren’s family, Lin Quan’an’s family, and Fu Bu’er’s family. The reception expenses for the units and individuals were reimbursed by Qiongshan County.

Liu Xiang instructed, “When they come back, temporarily arrange for them to stay at the county office guesthouse. Each person will write an essay of no less than five thousand words on their impressions of visiting Lingao.”

“Yes, chief. I will arrange it,” Lu Cheng nodded. This trick of writing essays was a traditional routine for Lu Cheng, who had been trained by the training class. She said with a smile, “Is there any other instruction?”

“No, you can go and get busy first,” Liu Xiang watched her smile and the sway of her hips as she turned and left, and couldn’t help but feel a little itchy. Lu Cheng looked much more attractive than Guo Ling’er. Liu Xiang didn’t mind having another one after Guo Ling’er. After all, the system of one husband, one wife, and multiple concubines was one of the driving forces for his transmigration. But he knew that if he wanted to go further on the road of local administration, he should not have too close a relationship with the people from the political security department. For this reason, he could only express his regret in his heart.

“Chief, it’s bound,” Guo Ling’er said to Liu Xiang, holding a few bundles of manuscripts.

“Hmm, go… leave it there for now.” Liu Xiang looked at the printed manuscripts and felt that the firepower was a bit too strong. If he was labeled as “local against central,” it would not be worth it. The articles themselves were fine, but how to deliver them, who should receive them and who shouldn’t, who should receive them first and who should receive them later, who they should be sent to and who they should be copied to, and who should read them together, were all technical matters.

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

Governor Ma’s action this time, although “increasing state-owned assets” was the purpose and result, the reason for launching it was to ensure the food security of “Operation Engine.” This was the main action of this year, belonging to the “great cause” and “program,” and this line could not be crossed. On this point, Liu Xiang himself could not break it.

Secondly, his real purpose was only for the local government to ask the central government for policies and resources, not to oppose the central government. This was very important. This was a matter of principle. Could the Nine Elders realize that they were not the Lingao County Government, but the core of the entire transmigrator empire? This needed someone in the core area to point it out.

After breaking it down one by one, Liu Xiang already had a general idea.

Liu Xiang first opened the “Gui” notebook, wrote a telegram, and then encrypted it with software. This telegram was for Wu De of the Planning Commission.

“…The grain that can be mobilized can only meet the supply for about ten days, and it is difficult to guarantee the demand for resisting subsequent derivative disasters and restoring production… It is expected that the grain transported by the Dutch according to the contract, or the return voyage of the Southeast Asia Company’s Siam operation, can the procedures be given to unload part of the grain in Qiongshan as relief?”

The Ministry of Colonial and Foreign Trade had signed a grain transportation contract with the Dutch East India Company: the Dutch would soon transport five ships of rice from the South Seas archipelago. Two-thirds of this rice would be transported to Hong Kong for storage, to be used for supplying Jeju Island during Operation Engine.

The only things the Dutch had in abundance were spices and ships, so entrepôt trade was their main business activity in East and Southeast Asia. The Dutch East India Company, as a merchant, colonist, and ship owner, not only transported expensive spices, silk goods, and medicinal materials, but also carried various bulk goods, including timber, rice, daily necessities… and even elephants for Siam.

The Dutch’s main territory, the South Seas archipelago, was rich in rice. The Dutch were fully capable of exporting a large amount of rice from the local area—they also had a trade route in Siam, and Siam’s rice had always been a major local export commodity. For Siam’s rice, Sikaide had sent several ships to the local area for a trade expedition.

Whether it was Sikaide’s trade ships or the Dutch grain transport ships, they were still just a pie in the sky for the Planning Commission. Liu Xiang used this to remind Wu De: Qiongshan also needed grain.

Then, he wrote a note by hand and attached it to the cover of the article “Yan’an Cannot Become Xi’an, Lingao Should Not Become Bianliang.” It said, “Please have Qian Shuiting post this on the BBS after reading, and forward it to Ding Ding, hoping it can be published in the internal edition of the Lingao Times.” Liu Xiang was not a member of the Otaku Party, but he very much approved of the Otaku Party’s goals and had participated in several gatherings, so he was considered a “friendly person outside the party.” As the Speaker of the Senate, Qian Shuiting was one of the Nine Elders, and he would attend all meetings, big and small. If he could realize that this was an opportunity to make the Executive Committee straighten out its position, then the hat of “opposing the central government” would be difficult to put on.

Next was “Analysis of Post-Disaster Land Transfer and Prediction of This Year’s Situation.” He had originally wanted to send it to Wu De, but now he had changed his mind and wrote “Wu Nanhai to receive” on the envelope. Now that they were taking advantage of the situation, Liu Xiang, besides being disgusted with the ugly way of eating and worried about the central government’s policy line, did not have much objection to this work itself. It was just that in the end, after getting a small piece of land here and there, he would have to work with the large households—whether violently or non-violently—which would be troublesome.

Finally, the one asking for policies was originally to be sent directly to Mo Xiaoan, but now he decided to “send to the Planning Commission, with copies to Mo Xiaoan of the Ministry of Light Industry and Wu Kuangming of the Ministry of Forestry.” After all, it involved the issue of industrial layout, so it was better to leave it to Wu De.

“After sending the telegram and the letter, come back and rest. Conserve your energy and get to work at night!” Liu Xiang said to Guo Ling’er with a lewd smile. “These few days are just right. Let’s try to hit the jackpot in one go!” Then he looked her up and down. “Put on the lace underwear and stockings that Zhiminglou sent last week!”

Although Guo Ling’er was already used to Liu Xiang’s various high-level shamelessness in situations where there were only the two of them, she still blushed.

Liu Xiang was very satisfied with Guo Ling’er’s blushing face and walked out of the office with a trembling smile. He was going to a Taoist temple at Jinniuling, west of the county town, to inspect the work. Yesterday, all the disaster victims who were willing to go to Lingao to work had been arranged there, to rest and recuperate while waiting for the “labor special bus” to take them to Lingao.

“There’s not much grain. Let’s transport more away! Then, hehe, give me back mature industrial workers!” Liu Xiang thought to himself as he set off for Jinniuling with his guards.