Chapter 24: Shen Yourong

By September, all the refugees from the Thirteen Mountains had been settled in Qian'an. Most had cleared their allocated wasteland and sown their seeds, making it the perfect time to begin constructing houses.

The Imperial Construction Corps had completed the renovation of the Wanggong Factory and relocated entirely to Qian'an. They first established a brick and tile kiln by the river, allowing the refugees to purchase materials on credit for their homes. A large number of carpenters were also dispatched to the mountains to fell timber, which was similarly offered on credit. The corps then began guiding the refugees in construction. During this process, the refugees only needed to provide their own labor, with the understanding that the materials purchased on credit would be paid off within three years.

After extracting soil from the riverbanks for the kilns, the construction corps began reinforcing the river embankments. They compacted the earth and lined the outer slopes with stone. Every mile, a culvert was built into the embankment, connected to the irrigation ditches alongside the roads. These were set slightly higher than the river surface, allowing water to be diverted into the fields or drawn by waterwheels when needed, while being easily sealed during flood season.

All initial funding for this endeavor came from the Emperor’s private treasury. Zhu Youxiao intended to turn Qian'an into an agricultural demonstration base, hoping to refine methods there before promoting them elsewhere. He spared no expense, especially since the proceeds from recent confiscations were more than sufficient.

Bi Zisu was kept busy from dawn till dusk, but he felt a deep sense of satisfaction watching the wilderness transform into a tapestry of orderly fields and villages wreathed in cooking smoke. During this time, the eunuchs arrived with chicks, ducklings, and goslings, distributing ten of each to every household. They stipulated that next year, each household would only need to return three eggs per bird. They also asked if anyone wanted piglets, offering them under the condition that fifty catties of meat be returned the following year.

Bi Zisu, quite curious, asked Li Siqing, "How is it possible to have chicks and ducklings in this season?"

Li Siqing smiled and replied, "The Emperor taught us a method of incubation that allows us to hatch chicks and ducklings even in the dead of winter. The Emperor says that raising poultry helps with... some form of energy flow—I’ve forgotten the exact term—but the point is, it is beneficial."

Bi Zisu asked, "If there is such a good method, why not share it with farmers everywhere?"

Li Siqing chuckled, "People don't listen to methods explained for free. We tried it in Yan'an Prefecture last time. The Emperor said it’s a matter of people’s receptivity; we must take it slowly, and eventually, everyone will come around."

Bi Zisu said no more. He had heard that the eunuchs were fond of conducting experiments whenever a problem arose. Though he did not fully understand the logic, it seemed to have some merit, so he let them continue while he focused on managing the work at hand.

Li Siqing added, "Your Excellency, we have one final task: establishing house numbering. Once that is done, the embankments and roads should be completed with cement. We will then hand over all the accounts to you, as we are heading to Denglai next."

Bi Zisu had actually grown fond of these eunuchs. They organized everything with impeccable efficiency, leaving him with nothing to do but sign off on their plans. However, he knew that local administration could not rely on eunuchs; the Emperor’s ambitions were vast, and these men were merely instruments to help him discover effective methods of governance. He expected to remain in Qian'an for some time, as the Emperor planned to establish an ironworks there.

By the end of the sixth month of the second year of the Tianqi reign, Yang Guanggao and Man Gui set off for Pi Island. They departed from Tianjin, arrived in Denglai, and after paying their respects to Governor Yuan Keli, went to the Regional Commander’s office to meet Shen Yourong.

Shen Yourong, sixty-five years old, was a renowned Ming naval commander. He had participated in campaigns against the Wokou to save Taiwan, fought the Dutch to secure the Penghu Islands, and defended Taiwan against the Japanese Shogunate forces, saving the island three times. He currently served as the Regional Commander of Denglai.

Previously, after Shen Yourong submitted a memorial protesting the restriction on refugees crossing the sea—which led to the downfall of Tao Langxian—he had dispatched over a dozen naval vessels to rescue refugees stranded on various islands, bringing nearly forty thousand to safety in Denglai.

Upon seeing Shen Yourong, Yang Guanggao immediately knelt and kowtowed. Shen was startled and tried to step aside, but Man Gui grabbed him from behind, saying, "The Emperor requests that the General does not dodge."

Despite his military background, Shen was elderly and could not break free from Man Gui’s grip. He watched helplessly as Yang Guanggao performed three loud kowtows. Man Gui then released him and said, "Apologies, but the Imperial decree must be obeyed." He then knelt and performed his own three kowtows.

Shen Yourong stepped forward to help Yang Guanggao up, then backed away to help Man Gui, asking repeatedly, "Why is this? Why is this?"

After rising, Yang Guanggao bowed to Shen and said, "The first gift was from the Emperor, brought by me for General Shen. The second is my own personal tribute."

Shen was even more baffled. Yang continued, "Upon hearing of your deeds, the Emperor commanded me to kowtow to you three times on his behalf, to thank you for saving Taiwan, protecting Penghu, and aiding the refugees of Liaodong. The respect I show you is also by the Emperor’s order."

Hearing this, tears streamed down Shen Yourong’s face. He fell to his knees, kowtowed toward the direction of the capital, and choked out, "Your Majesty, to be held in such high regard by you—I would gladly die this very moment."

Yang Guanggao helped Shen up and said, "The Emperor speaks of you with endless praise. He instructed me to tell you to take care of your health and to continue training naval talent for the country. In the future, our Ming Empire will not only eradicate the Jianzhou Jurchens but also project our might beyond our borders—all of which requires a strong navy."

Shen Yourong then recalled something. Not long ago, he had met Qi Zuoguo, the eldest son of Qi Jiguang, who was a commander in the Dengzhou Guard. The four brothers had compiled the *Chronicles of the Illustrious Qi*, but lacked the funds to publish it. Shen had generously provided the means for the book to be printed, and the brothers were deeply grateful.

These four men were highly skilled in martial arts—the third, Qi Changguo, was a martial arts graduate—and they possessed literary talent as well; the fourth, Qi Baoguo, was a government-sponsored scholar, and the fifth, Qi Xingguo, was also a scholar. Such men, well-versed in both literature and war with a prestigious family heritage, were rare. He wondered if he should recruit them into the navy.

He tentatively mentioned the situation of the four brothers and hinted at his desire to recruit them. Yang Guanggao was overjoyed: "Being the sons of Commander Qi, there is naturally no issue. The Emperor holds Commander Qi in the highest esteem; if he hears this news, he will surely be delighted. I know you are concerned about their current official duties; I shall write to the Emperor immediately, and we shall have an answer soon."

Shen Yourong was thrilled. Yang Guanggao added, "I have one more small favor to ask. We are heading toward Zhenjiang, but the routes and conditions along the way are unclear. I hope you might assist us."

Shen Yourong replied, "We have several naval charts in the barracks. How about this: I shall have a copy made for you and assign guides to escort you on your journey."