Zhang Jue

  Due to the Second Opium War, Taiwan's camphor production, which was the world's main producer, almost came to a halt, causing a sharp rise in camphor prices. Camphor that originally cost 16 taels of silver per picul in Taiwan rose to over 140 taels on the Hong Kong market. By early September, Lin Xiang had sold off his stockpile of over 30,000 piculs of camphor, and the situation in Taiwan was already beyond control.

  Although his assets in hand had surged to over 40 million taels of white silver, Lin Chong did not feel particularly happy. The news of Changhua's fall still made him feel very lost.

  At this time, Chen Jiyu, the former Taiwan Governor, happened to be returning from Taiwan with four ships, "Jiashi", "Simei" and others, belonging to the Taiwan Business Bureau. Lin Chao-dong took over and temporarily borrowed two passenger ships from Chen Ji-tong's hands. Later, he also chartered two more ships from the German company, Baoyi Yanghang in Xiamen. These merchant ships flew the German flag and rushed to Wuzhu, where they successively picked up about 7,000 or so righteous warriors who were willing to follow Lin's family to mainland China. The Japanese also tacitly allowed Lin's actions, as fewer rioters would be beneficial for them to maintain their rule over Taiwan, on the condition that they hand over their weapons.

  However, the resettlement of these people became a big problem. Lin Chao-dong found Liu Ming-chuan who was idle at home and asked him to take care of them after he returned to his post in Liangjiang. With Liu Kun-yi's support, Dongjun was able to rebuild and reorganize into five battalions. The remaining thousands of people were laid off, but Liu Kun-yi allowed the Lin family to buy mountain land in Liangjiang for cultivation.

  In February of the 23rd year of Guangxu, Liu Kunyi, the Governor-General of Liangjiang, summoned Lin Chaoding, the commander-in-chief of the Dong Army who had withdrawn from Taiwan, to a meeting in the Xihua Hall of the Governor-General's Office in Nanjing.

  "Please sit down!" Liu Kunyi said after Lin Chaozhong had paid his respects. Due to his poor legs, he leaned sideways on a long couch, while his eldest son Liu Nengji stood behind him.

  "Yes!" Lin Chaodong took a step back, still standing respectfully there. He had never seen an official as senior as the Provincial Inspector before. The old man was very polite, which made him feel a bit at a loss for what to do with his hands and feet.

  "Sit down and let's have a good chat. You were entrusted to me by Province Three before his death, so from now on you can consider yourself one of my people, no need to be so formal!" Liu Kun said with a gurgle, taking two puffs from a bamboo water pipe.

  "Yes!" Lin Chaodong then carefully sat down on one side of a red sandalwood armchair.

  "When did you arrive?" Liu Kun asked.

  "Your subordinate was in Hefei to observe mourning rituals for the deceased Zhuang Su Gong, and upon receiving your letter, I rushed here overnight. I just arrived this morning and came straight to the court." Lin Chaodong replied. Liu Mingchuan, the first governor of Taiwan who was recovering from illness at home, heard that Taiwan had been ceded and became so enraged that he died suddenly. The Liu family owed a great debt of gratitude to the Lin family, and Lin Chaodong had recently been helping with funeral arrangements in Hefei.

  "Alas, Governor Liu spent half his life's energy on Taiwan's construction. He was deeply grieved by the loss of Taiwan and couldn't bear to close his eyes in death." Liu Kun sighed, "From now on, if you have any difficulties, feel free to come find me."

  "Everything depends on your instructions!" Lin Chao-dong said.

  Liu Kun nodded slightly, "I called you this time because there is an urgent matter that I want to entrust to you." His expression turned serious, "In the Battle of Jiawu, the Beiyang Fleet, which was established at a huge cost by the imperial court, was completely defeated. Moreover, we also suffered consecutive defeats on land in Liaodong and Jiaodong. Li Hongzhang signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki with Japan, not only losing Korea, Liaodong, and Taiwan but also having to pay 200 million taels of silver as indemnity to Japan. I strongly opposed signing this treaty. 200 million taels of silver can buy a hundred warships like Dingyuan and Zhenyuan. With that much money, it would be better to continue fighting the Japanese." Liu Kun paused for a moment, "Now all the treaties have been signed, so there's no use talking about these things anymore. The imperial court has allocated the indemnity to the two provinces of Jiangsu and Jiangxi, with an additional 30 million taels of 'Liaodong redemption fee' this year. This year's total cost for the two provinces is as much as 130 million taels of silver. Where will this money come from? We can only think of ways to reorganize the local taxes, salt tax, and donations, and cannot be as perfunctory as in the past, in order to make up for the allocated amount."

  "What can a humble official like myself do to help? Please, sir, speak your mind." Lin Chao-dong thought to himself, he had just donated 200,000 taels of silver to the imperial court, and that was what saved the Lin family and his own position as commander. Surely Lord Liu wouldn't ask him to donate more money now?

  Liu Kun took a sip of tea from his cup and continued, "The tax revenue in Jiangnan is mainly generated from the salt tax in Huaiyang. However, with the rampant spread of private salt production, a significant amount of tax revenue has been lost. The patrol troops stationed at various locations are useless, either colluding with salt merchants or having lax military discipline. It's astonishing that these official soldiers often suffer defeats at the hands of salt bandits and allow them to act lawlessly." Liu Kun shook his head repeatedly as he spoke. The once-reliable Eight Banners and Green Standard armies had long since become ineffective. Even the later-established elite troops, such as the Xiang and Huai armies, had quickly become corrupt and degenerate, similar to the old Banner soldiers. Throughout the imperial court, there were hardly any reliable troops. "I sent someone to investigate, and it turns out that this military unit has a full quota of soldiers and their training is excellent. General Yin can be considered a good commander, no wonder Provincial Governor San often praised him when he was alive."

  "You're overpraising!"

  "There's no need to be overly polite." Liu Kun waved his hand, indicating for Lin Chaozong to sit back down. "I'm planning to thoroughly clean up the salt industry, and I'll have General Mu inspect and crack down on private salt production, striking at the arrogance of these salt smugglers. You go take care of defending Yangzhou City. Yintang, you still need to help me with this matter."

  Yīn Táng is Lín Cháo Dòng's courtesy name, Liú Kūn Yī addresses him in this way to show that he regards him as one of his own people, and also mentions "helping out", Lín Cháo Dòng cannot decline, although he knows the matter will be difficult, he can only force himself to agree, "This humble official obeys your orders!" Lín Cháo Dòng stands up and says with a bow.

  Salt is a necessity for people's lives, and the salt tax is equivalent to a head tax. Since the Han Dynasty, it has become one of the main sources of fiscal revenue for successive feudal dynasties. The salt tax has been very heavy throughout history, and if someone evades the salt tax and sells private salt, the profit is huge, just like selling counterfeit cigarettes in later generations.

  Smuggling private salt has always been a serious crime throughout the ages, belonging to the kind of business that risks one's head, but the huge profits in between still attract many fugitives to participate. These private salt smugglers form gangs, smuggling and selling salt, evading salt taxes, yet repeatedly banned. The number of local salt bandits is large, each extremely ferocious, most of the time using armed force to resist the authorities, when encountering a large team of government soldiers they disperse and flee.

  These salt merchants gathered and dispersed, many of whom were still appointed by the imperial court as big salt merchants, colluding with government officials. Since the Taiping Rebellion, the imperial court's control had been declining day by day, and local officials became more corrupt and lawless, making private salt production even more rampant.

  Due to the indemnity of over 230 million taels of silver paid to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War, the financial pressure on various local governments increased sharply. The New Army was arranged by Liu Kunyi to be stationed in northern Jiangsu to crack down on private salt sales. During this period, most salt smugglers sold private salt through waterways, and a part of the Dongjun army reorganized into two waterborne battalions.

  Lin Zhaotong was disheartened after leaving Taiwan and spent most of his time in Xiamen, only thinking about the livelihood of his former subordinates. He nominally held the position of commander-in-chief of the Stack Army, but actually no longer managed the affairs of the camp. As for the request of the Governor of Liangjiang to establish a naval battalion, it was all entrusted to Lin Rong to handle.

  Dongjun Water Camp was set up near Chonghai Town, Haimen. Lin Xue drew a battalion from the Dong Army and recruited more than 300 sixteen- or seventeen-year-old boys from the countryside to participate in military training. To turn these people into his own trusted followers, Lin Xue decided to take personal command of the Water Camp's operations and training.

  Chonghai originally had a small wooden fishing pier and some private workshops for building fishing boats. After Lin Rui determined the location of the Waterborne Battalion, he bought this small fishing port and immediately carried out large-scale expansion on the pier, accompanied by the construction of a simple shipyard. Of course, this shipyard could only build small wooden fishing boats, as for steam-powered ships, that was just an idea.

  It was already autumn in the 24th year of Guangxu.

  Autumn wind and autumn rain make people more sorrowful.

  As he walked out of the Prime Minister's office, Zhang Yuanji couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

  After the news of the coup d'etat came out, he didn't sleep well for a night. The whole street was filled with soldiers and braves sent by the imperial court to hunt down Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao and others. Many officials who participated in the reform were arrested, and then the news of Tan Sitong, Yang Rui and other six gentlemen being killed came out. At that time, all the officials who had participated in the reform in Beijing were very frightened.

  Zhang Yuanji also knew that the outcome was uncertain, but in any case he was listed as a member of the New Party and had an inseparable connection with the Emperor's promotion of reform. However, he did not choose to flee, but still went to work as usual, quietly waiting for arrest.

  Afterwards, the Empress Dowager Cixi, in a fit of rage, had Tan Sitong and others killed, but did not continue to slaughter on a large scale. Instead, she sentenced Xu Zhijun to life imprisonment, exiled Zhang Yinheng to Xinjiang, and simply dismissed the remaining new party members from their posts forever.

  With a heart full of mixed emotions, Zhang Yuanji ended his official career in Beijing and left with his family to head south. They took a boat from Tianjin to Shanghai.

  On the boat, Zhang Yuanji met Zhang Jingyi, a jinshi from Nantong who was the top scorer in the imperial examination of 1894.

  Zhang Dang, after serving as the governor of Shanxi province, felt that being an official in the capital couldn't fulfill his ambitions and instead resigned to return to his hometown to start a business. This time, he came to Beijing to sell his goods, but coincidentally encountered the Wuwu coup, which made him give up on his political career once and for all.

  Two imperial scholars by origin, both with a belly full of patriotism, yet disappointed in officialdom, their words were in harmony, they chatted with great pleasure, as if they had known each other for years.

  The ship had been sailing for most of the day and was now passing through the waters near Weihai in the late afternoon.

  "The Yellow Sea's blue waves are filled with hatred towards the sky, the setting sun outside Liu Gong Island is fading; when will I cross the sea to conquer the East, in front of Deng Gong's statue my heart is gloomy."

  Two people were chatting on the deck, but saw a young man not far away, holding the railing and looking at the sea in the direction of Liu Gong Island, with a desolate expression.

  Zhang Jue thought to himself, "This young man is quite the talent." He saw that the youth was wearing a pale blue silk robe with a crimson satin jacket over it, and on his head he wore a black satin hat adorned with a piece of bright green jade. At first glance, he looked like the son of some wealthy family. The young man's face still had a youthful air about it, and he couldn't have been more than eighteen or nineteen years old. But the poem he had just recited seemed to be the work of someone who had experienced many hardships and had a hint of a fierce and heroic spirit.

  Zhang Zai felt curious and bowed his head to the young man, saying: "Good poem, I don't know who wrote the poem you just recited?"

  This young man was Lin Xiang. At this time, he saw from a distance that Liu Gong Island was occupied by the British, and the warships passing by were all flying the St George's flag of the British Empire. He couldn't help but feel a sense of regret for the fate of the Beiyang Fleet. He recited a short poem he had written when he visited the Sino-Japanese War Memorial Hall in his previous life, but unexpectedly startled the two people beside him.

  Lin Zong turned around, smiled awkwardly and cupped his hands: "Just now I saw that Liu Gong Island was full of foreign warships, and I couldn't help but think of the prosperous Beiyang Fleet in the past. The young man felt a sense of melancholy and recited it casually, but it's laughable."

  Zhang Jue was taken aback: "I didn't expect that you, my elder brother, would be so talented! I am Zhang Jue from Nantong, but I don't know which master's school you are from!"

  Lin Xiao's eyes lit up, "So it's the champion, but I've long admired your great name! As for me, Lin Xiao from Zhangzhou, I don't have any merits or fame. Thanks to my ancestors' virtues, I'm currently serving as a guard in the army, just a military man, not worthy of being mentioned alongside you two." He then greeted them again with courtesy.

  The three of them chatted again, and Lin Xiu told the story of how Taiwan was ceded, and how his family had moved to the mainland. Although he was young, he was well-versed in many things, and his storytelling left the other two men feeling deeply moved. They also talked about current politics, and although Lin Xiu didn't say much, his occasional remarks hit the nail on the head, making Zhang You regret that such a talented person wasn't being utilized. If only they could be trained in governance, they would surely become an excellent economic talent, and he really wanted to take them under his wing.

  Later, after some thought, I gave up the idea of pursuing an official career. What's the use of studying and reading books in this world? Why deceive young people again, so I stopped.

  The three of them chatted straight through until dinner time before going their separate ways.

  A night without words.

  Lin Xiao did intend to make friends with Zhang Wei and others, but visiting them at midnight was too presumptuous, and since they weren't familiar with each other, he feared leaving a bad impression, so he didn't act on this thought.

  The next morning, the ship had arrived at Wusong. Lin Shuo finally found Zhang and left his address, telling them that he was doing business in Shanghai and if they needed anything, just let him know.

  Lin Xue accompanied his uncle Lin Chao-dong to Beijing to pay respects to the emperor, but unexpectedly encountered the Wu Xu coup and was delayed in the capital for over a month before he could start his journey back to Jiangnan. When they arrived in Shanghai, Lin Xue and other young members of the Lin family returned to the concession, while Zhang Yuanji had to settle his family, and Zhang Jian returned directly to Nantong.