Zhao Wenhua’s question left Zhou Qi silent for a full ten seconds or more. His face flushed visibly, and the hall fell so quiet that a pin drop could have been heard.
As the seconds dragged on, Zhu Pingan sensed the growing awkwardness. The atmosphere in the room had become heavy and oppressive.
“Ahem…” After more than ten seconds, Zhou Qi cleared his throat, gathered his thoughts, and spoke slowly. “My three policies address the problem at its root. Once the wokou are eliminated, all other difficulties cease to be difficulties.”
Though my three policies do not directly solve the shortage of provisions or the saline soil, they will eliminate the wokou. Once the wokou are gone, everything else becomes irrelevant. Is there any flaw in that reasoning?
Zhou Qi looked at Zhao Wenhua.
Zhao Wenhua tugged at the corner of his mouth, gave a dry laugh, and said nothing more, yet his silence spoke volumes.
“Lord Zhao, do you have any further questions?” Zhou Qi asked, turning to him.
“None,” Zhao Wenhua replied with a wave of his hand.
“Good. Let us return to the matter at hand. Today I have summoned you all here to unify the great undertaking of suppressing the wokou in Jiangnan.”
Zhou Qi’s gaze swept across the assembly. “The first priority is to increase the construction of warships. Each coastal patrol commissioner in Jiangnan shall establish a naval force. The total number of warships must not fall below one hundred, and naval troops must number no fewer than three thousand. The more, the better. In the absence of orders from this Governor-General, your naval forces shall remain stationed at key points within your respective jurisdictions, patrolling waterways and resisting wokou incursions. When orders are issued by this Governor-General, all naval forces must assemble according to those orders and obey my command.”
“Governor-General, establishing a naval force is not a task accomplished overnight. Building warships and recruiting sailors both require time. Moreover, whether constructing warships or recruiting sailors, substantial funds are needed, a very large sum. May I ask how much timber, craftsmen, and silver Your Excellency can allocate to us…”
Hu Zongxian rose, cupped his hands, and addressed Zhou Qi, hoping the Governor-General would provide assistance in materials and funds.
Zhou Qi replied with firm resolve, “Lord Hu, my fellow patrol commissioners, I am fully aware that establishing a naval force cannot be achieved in a single day and will consume both time and money. Yet if we are to exterminate the wokou, a navy must be built. The sooner it is built, the sooner it can be used, and the sooner the wokou can be destroyed. Otherwise, with the wokou roaming freely on the water, would they not stand invincible? Only by creating a powerful navy can the wokou be thoroughly eradicated.”
Seeing that Zhou Qi had avoided answering whether aid would be provided, Hu Zongxian pressed the question again. “Governor-General, we shall naturally comply with the order to establish naval forces. However, doing so requires a very large sum of silver. May I ask how much timber, craftsmen, and silver Your Excellency can allocate?”
“Indeed, Governor-General. We are already stretched thin maintaining our current local and guest troops. Adding a navy would make it even harder to sustain. To build warships, Fujian-style ships are indispensable. They are tall as towers, sharp-bottomed yet broad above, with prows raised high and wide mouths. Arrows, stones, and cannon all fire downwards, overwhelming smaller enemy vessels on contact and sinking them like ploughing through water, while the enemy struggles to attack upwards. They are truly formidable weapons for sea warfare. Yet Fujian ships require vast quantities of materials and complex craftsmanship. They are time-consuming and costly. Depending on size, a single Fujian ship costs anywhere from two thousand to over ten thousand taels of silver. Relying solely on our own resources, I fear we cannot bear such an enormous expense. We earnestly hope Your Excellency will allocate materials and silver to assist us in increasing warship construction and forming naval forces.”
Another patrol commissioner rose in support. Building warships and establishing a navy was far too expensive. They could not bridge such a massive funding gap alone.
At present, the court’s finances were strained and could spare no silver. Yet the Governor-General, by imperial authority, could retain tax revenues and redirect some materials and funds to help the patrol commissioners build warships and form navies.
“My fellow patrol commissioners, I understand your need for silver to build warships and establish navies. However, as Governor-General, I must oversee the entire situation. Provisions, supplies, and pensions for local and guest troops, city fortifications, and countless other demands all require vast sums. Furthermore, I myself must take the lead in forming a main naval force, an undertaking of no small expense. At present, I truly cannot allocate silver or materials to assist you.”
Zhou Qi shook his head, indicating that, much as he wished to help, the Governor-General was unable to do so. Each patrol commissioner would have to establish their navy through their own efforts.
“Ah, this…” Hu Zongxian frowned and sighed deeply.
“No allocation possible?” The several patrol commissioners looked openly disappointed. Without support from the Governor-General, forming navies would be exceedingly difficult.
Zhou Qi regarded Hu Zongxian and the others, nodded slowly, and encouraged them. “This official knows it will be hard for you, yet building navies and increasing warships brooks no delay. You must not delay for any reason. My fellow patrol commissioners, you must overcome all difficulties, build over a hundred warships, and form a navy of more than three thousand men.”
“This… we can only do our utmost,” the patrol commissioners below replied with some difficulty.
“Not our utmost, but our full effort!” Zhou Qi declared sternly to the assembly. “In due course, I shall from time to time inspect the progress of your warship construction and navy formation, rewarding or punishing as circumstances warrant.”
The patrol commissioners below looked troubled.
“Lord Zhu.”
At that moment, Zhou Qi suddenly called Zhu Pingan’s name.
“Governor-General,” Zhu Pingan rose and cupped his hands, unsure why the Governor-General had singled him out.
“I have heard that you ordered Yu Dayou to form the Zhejiang Army Navy. How many ships does the navy now possess, and how many troops?”
Zhou Qi asked this in front of everyone.
Only then did Zhu Pingan understand why Zhou Qi had called on him. The Governor-General knew he had already formed a navy and was using him as a positive example. Zhejiang Patrol Commissioner Zhu Pingan has already begun building a navy. If Zhu Pingan can do it, why cannot you? That was roughly the intended effect.
“In reply to the Governor-General, several months ago I ordered General Yu Dayou to form the Zhejiang Army Navy. At present, the navy possesses twelve large Fujian ships, thirty medium and small Fujian ships, and over eighty light boats. As for troops, three thousand sturdy men of good families were recruited from among fishermen. They have undergone several months of training and are not yet combat-ready. In another month or so, they should be able to drill against water bandits and small-scale wokou vessels in coastal waters…” Zhu Pingan briefly outlined the Zhejiang Army Navy’s situation.
Zhou Qi nodded in satisfaction, then swept his gaze over Hu Zongxian and the other patrol commissioners, clapped his hands, and said, “Excellent, excellent. You have all heard. Lord Zhu has already trained the Zhejiang Army Navy, with over a hundred large and small warships and three thousand naval troops. In another month, they will be ready for battle. If Lord Zhu can form a navy, what reason have the rest of you for being unable? All difficulties can be overcome. Therefore, I am confident that you can all, like Lord Zhu, establish a naval force.”
At once, several patrol commissioners turned their eyes towards Zhu Pingan, their gazes reminiscent of childhood moments when parents mentioned the neighbour’s child.
You can do it.
Only you can do it.
For a moment, Zhu Pingan felt helpless. Comrades, do not look at me like that.
