Chapter 276

Li Linshan’s stay in Feng’an was even shorter than Wang Xiujin’s, but before he left, he had a lengthy private conversation with Wang Xiubai. What the two discussed remains unknown. Wang Xiujin didn’t ask; he trusted Linshan would not set him up. After Linshan accompanied the Fourth Prince out of Feng’an, Wang Xiujin also prepared to leave with his son. Lady Wang, hearing her youngest planned to take Yachang to Wang Village before returning to the capital, chose not to travel with them. She took her three children directly back to the capital. With the year’s end approaching and much to be done, now that her eldest had recovered, she saw no reason to linger. Still, she gave careful instructions before boarding the carriage with her children.

Wang Xiujin first went to Xiangcheng with his son, then returned to Wang Village. The ancestral home was well kept by the servants. He took his son to visit the village chief, sat for a while, and seeing his son nodding off in drowsiness, took his leave. Wang Village had changed greatly; most families now had new houses and many new faces had appeared. Along the way, elderly villagers greeted Wang Xiujin warmly. Seeing him carrying his child, none made any awkward remarks—for their good days were thanks to Wang Xiujin, and none would risk offending him.

After staying two days in Wang Village with his son, Wang Xiujin handled some affairs in Xiangcheng. Manager Yu of Wuxian, who had followed Wang Xiujin from the start, now oversaw matters in Xiangcheng. Wang Xiujin noted how much Yu had changed, yet the label on his head remained the same, which pleased Wang Xiujin. Frankly, in an era when communication was slow, Wang Xiujin did not want to spend much effort on staffing. After hearing Manager Yu’s report, he toured the workshop and shops, dined with several supervisors in the oil mill’s canteen, and was satisfied with the workers’ meals. Still, he urged the supervisors to pay extra attention to cleanliness and ensure the laborers ate well and heartily, with plenty of meat—not to be stingy or serve oily dishes devoid of substance.

After sending off the supervisors, Wang Xiujin spoke privately with Manager Yu. The supervisors themselves had no ulterior motives, but their staffing worried Wang Xiujin: all the lucrative positions went to their relatives, which he found very troubling. Manager Yu didn’t defend the supervisors, stating he would keep watch and immediately expel anyone at fault.

Upon arriving in Wuxian, Wang Xiujin did not notify the local officials and left before they could visit. This unsettled the officials, who wondered if failing to greet the royal merchant immediately had angered him—would he complain in the capital? The officials hurried to seek out Manager Yu. Accustomed to dealing with officials, Yu knew that nowadays, annual inspections kept them honest and cautious; they looked after the workshops and shops more diligently than before. Yu kindly explained that the master merely passed through for a quick survey, not wishing to involve the government. Despite this explanation, the officials remained uneasy. Manager Yu shrugged, feeling no sympathy; his employer was not one to complain.

Heading north from Wuxian, Wang Xiujin stopped at shops along the way but delayed little. Even so, by the time he returned to the capital, it was midwinter. He took his son directly to the Li family, paid respects to the elders, and before he could rest, was summoned to the palace by a royal attendant.

Donning his official robes, he tried not to show his fatigue and asked the attendant the reason for the emperor’s summons. The attendant didn’t know much, but kindly mentioned a major event: the returning sea vessel had arrived. Hearing this, Wang Xiujin’s spirits soared. The ship had returned! He wondered who had gone on the expedition, and if time permitted after his palace visit, he would call on them to learn what they had seen—whether any large machines had been found. He regretted not returning sooner and wondered what had been brought back.

His mind full of thoughts about the sea vessel, Wang Xiujin entered the imperial study and paid respects to the emperor, finally focusing. He wondered: was he summoned about the ship’s return, or something else? Aside from making money, he had no other talents. As for the ship, the emperor could simply send him to those who had sailed.

The emperor had summoned Wang Xiujin for both his wealth and the sea vessel. The returning voyagers reported that overseas, industrial development was booming, though not all foreign countries prospered equally. Their journey encountered many pirates—not only intercepting merchant ships, but raiding along the coast. Their large ships, numerous and well-armed, avoided being robbed. They saw ships equipped with cannons and wished to build new-style warships, which required a vast sum. Beyond money, soldiers for the sea and overseas officials were needed; how to assign these was a matter for court debate.

Hearing the emperor’s intentions, Wang Xiujin agreed without hesitation. He pledged to donate whatever funds were needed, supporting the country as long as the emperor left him enough to operate.

With money settled, the emperor showed Wang Xiujin a list of items brought back by the voyagers. Wang Xiujin was amazed; overseas development far surpassed his expectations. Though he could not recall which country first invented the warship, he knew that the Pirate Nation’s naval power had grown rapidly at a certain time. He pondered whether the Pirate Nation’s navy was developing or already advanced; either way, it needed to be countered.

“In my opinion, we should purchase a ship equipped with cannons and bring it back. Have the master craftsmen dismantle and study it. If one is not enough, buy two; I will cover the cost.” Rapid development of naval strength was vital—not just offense, but defense. If any country now had airplanes, buy two and study them as well. “I believe we must also buy shipbuilding machinery and send people abroad to learn the technology—we must not be frogs in a well, blind to the wider world.”

The emperor listened intently. Sending people to study abroad had been previously suggested on the court, but the ministers’ attitude at the time had been... He shook his head gently. Wang Xiujin was right: they must not be ignorant of the wider world.

Selecting people to study required those truly able to learn. The emperor immediately thought of Wang Xiujin, whose eye for talent was keen—consider those he had chosen from the prison, compared to the court ministers. The emperor suddenly felt frustrated. Thus, just as Wang Xiujin left the palace, ready to send invitations to the returning voyagers, he received another imperial order: to select candidates from the prison to study overseas. Hearing this, Wang Xiujin’s mouth twitched silently. He was not a court official—how did this fall to him? Did the emperor want him to be a scapegoat?

Grumbling inwardly, he accepted the order. An imperial edict—refusal meant death for his whole family. He’d rather be worked to death than executed for disobedience. Wang Xiujin, resigned and tearless, had no mind to visit the returning voyagers, instead calculating his finances—how much he had, how much he could spare after keeping enough to operate.

Money was just a number to Wang Xiujin now—he didn’t mind giving it to the royal family. After tallying his available funds, he visited the Wang family. Having just returned from his travels, he had not yet reassured his parents. He also needed his father’s opinion on the selection; he believed candidates need not come only from prison—military camps were a good option.

Upon reaching the Wang family and discussing with his father, he learned how lively the court had been lately—arguments every day. Wang Xiujin found it vexing: after so many years, the ministers still had not united. What could be accomplished by constant quarreling?

“As for sending people abroad, I had suggested it before, but the ministers were opposed. Now that the emperor has ordered you to select candidates, I expect the shipyard project will end up in your hands. If the court sends people, it may not work, but if it’s a merchant initiative, the ministers will have to tolerate it, even if displeased,” Wang Senior said after much thought.

Wang Xiujin stared wide-eyed, begging for mercy. He truly couldn’t handle so much; he was not superhuman, yet they expected him to do the work of a hundred.

Wang Senior looked at his son—others could only dream of such opportunities, yet his son complained. He almost wanted to beat him. After the official talk, Wang Senior brought up a personal matter: “Don’t worry about your eldest brother. As for refusing to remarry—who is he threatening? Once the divorce is settled, your mother and I will find him a husband. If he thinks marrying a woman would affect the children, we’ll find him a man—one strong enough to keep him in check.”

Wang Xiujin listened, feeling something was off, but he agreed with his father’s plan. Marrying a man was good; best to find someone who could help his brother, ideally both scholarly and martial.

Meanwhile, Li Linshan, who had accompanied the Fourth Prince along the coastal defenses, received a letter from home. Old General Li emphasized the importance of supervising the sea defenses. Compared to the lively debates among civil officials, the military had realized the threat posed by ships equipped with cannons. Could building walls on the sea really stop such ships? One or two might be halted, but what about dozens, hundreds? Old General Li was deeply worried; until Great Liang had ships like those, the sea walls had to be extremely strong.