New Han Dynasty 1834

Chapter 49 Lead the Way or Resist?

Yu Yang signed a simple agreement with McMillan and then sent soldiers to inform Zhang Zongyu, who was leading his troops and waiting.

Zhang Zongyu immediately directed the militia and boats to continue approaching Langley Fort.

Three ships were moored on a makeshift dock outside Fort Langley, and two hundred militiamen were left outside Fort Langley to stand guard.

Zhang Zongyu led a hundred militiamen into Langley Fort, reviewed the agreement signed by Yu Yang, affixed his seal, and kept a copy for himself and McMillan.

When Zhang Zongyu entered the courtyard, he briefly observed the situation inside and found that there were only about thirty adults with guns around.

Faced with the danger of a full-scale attack, they should have called out all the men who could fight, which means that there are only about thirty adults in Langleyburg.

There were fewer than he had expected, perhaps even more than a hundred. No wonder Yu Yang surrendered the city after a little intimidation.

Zhang Zongyu left eighty soldiers in the courtyard to keep watch over the thirty-odd Hudson Bay Company employees.

He and Yu Yang, along with twenty soldiers, entered the wooden house where McMillan usually lived, along with McMillan, Yale, and other Langley Fort administrators, and continued their conversation in the living room.

As an interpreter and civil official, Yu Yang first inquired about the situation of wild animals and savages in the vicinity.

Then they asked about the conditions here throughout the year, how cold the winters were, and which season had the most rain.

Also, what are the navigation conditions like on the river next to it?

What changes occur throughout the year? Which waterways are safe upstream and downstream, and which are dangerous?

Finally, they inquired about the main products sold at the trading post.

If the Han people need it, they can choose to sell it directly to the Third Village of America Bay of the Han people.

McMillan did not deliberately conceal anything, but he also did not explain in detail, simply giving a general overview of the situation.

Langleyburg's original, seemingly logical plan was to sell furs.

However, they have now discovered that the savages around them are not good at hunting and mainly rely on fishing for a living.

Langleyburg now sources saltfish and furs, as well as building materials such as cedar timber.

Yu Yang asked about the things he needed to know and made simple notes.

Zhang Zongyu and the others only spoke after they had finished asking Yu Yang their questions:

"Send a few men to take us to your other trading posts and bring us under our jurisdiction."

After Yu Yang translated, both McMillan and Yale instinctively wanted to refuse.

However, considering the "powerful military force" controlled by Zhang Zongyu, it is best to express it in a slightly more euphemistic way.

McMillan gathered his thoughts and said:

"Your Excellency, these are commercial or even political secrets."

"We are just company employees. We are willing to accept your jurisdiction, but we are not obligated to provide secrets."

Zhang Zongyu dismissively reminded him:

"If you are willing to assist the Han Dynasty in controlling most of the surrounding trading posts, then your business activities can continue."

"You can even trade directly with us, selling the furs directly to the Great Han, without having to go through the trouble of sending them across the Atlantic."

"If you choose to resist, the Great Han can directly cut off your trade, leaving you with nothing."

McMillan and Yale were at a loss for words after hearing this:

"This...but this really isn't something we can decide. We're just managers of a trading post..."

Zhang Zongyu continued to threaten them from a different angle:

"Most of your trading posts are certainly located on both sides of the river and along the coastline."

"Our fleet and exploration teams will also be operating in these areas."

"Even if you don't tell us, we can find it ourselves and gradually encounter it."

"At most, you'll only slow us down a little."

"Without your introduction, our contact with your other trading posts would likely have resulted in conflict."

"After the two sides got into a fight, do you still want to continue operating here?"

"Only by fully accepting the rule of the Han Dynasty can you continue to operate normally here."

"Of course, you can also just leave. It's up to you."

After translating Zhang Zongyu's words, Yu Yang added the following:

"If all your trading posts were to be governed by the Great Han, you, as the representatives who initially contacted us and signed the agreement, would naturally be granted a better status."

"If it were the other way around, and the Great Han Dynasty went to war with your company, then you would be the first to surrender."

McMillan was slightly tempted; the threat Zhang Zongyu had made was very real.

If other sites were to go to war with the Han Dynasty, then subsequent commercial activities would certainly be unable to continue.

With Yu Yang's reminder, McMillan became hesitant:

"We need some time to consider and discuss this; I cannot make such an important decision on my own."

Yu Yang translated the words to Zhang Zongyu.

Zhang Zongyu stood up immediately:

"I'll give you three days to consider."

"Within these three days, unless we unexpectedly encounter other trading posts and caravans of your company, and your company's employees do not submit to our jurisdiction."

"Otherwise, we would not have launched an attack on other trading posts and caravans."

After listening to the translator, McMillan quickly said:

"Thank you for your understanding. We will consider it carefully."

At this moment, Zhang Zongyu pointed outside and said:

"Your yard is quite spacious, and you can't possibly use it all with just a few people. We'll borrow it for a while."

"We'll return our yard to you once it's finished. In the meantime, we'll help you keep watch."

Although the walls of Langleyburg were simple, it at least had a large courtyard with several warehouses inside.

Ordinary wild animals and savages cannot get in, otherwise McMillan and his thirty-odd men would have been wiped out long ago.

The wall surrounding the third village is still under construction and will take some time to complete.

By placing some of the goods and personnel in the yard of Langley Fort first, the pressure on defense and vigilance can be greatly reduced.

Moreover, Yu Yang said he wanted to coordinate with the British, but they knew that this land could not be given to Britain again.

The Third Village will definitely control Langley Fort, and can turn Langley Fort into a branch of the Third Village, or even call it the Fourth Village.

Using Langley Fort's yard will save at least the time of building a simple camp fence.

McMillan and Yale were both visibly surprised after hearing Yu Yangdi's translation, and instinctively worried that the loan might not be repaid.

But after hesitating for several seconds, the two ultimately did not dare to refuse the request.

With the enemy's troops already inside, verbal refusal is no longer effective and will only exacerbate the conflict between the two sides.

Zhang Zongyu stayed at Langley Fort that day, using the living room of McMillan's house as his command post and requisitioning the warehouse in the yard as temporary barracks.

A simple order was drafted and signed on the spot, and one hundred militiamen were arranged to return to the Third Village camp by boat.

Several large transport ships, along with five hundred militiamen and their families, were dispatched to Langley Fort to garrison the area.

Yu Yang had asked McMillan, and the navigable conditions of the lower reaches of the river next to Langleyburg were very good. It only became turbulent and rugged after entering the mountainous area in the middle reaches.

Even armed transport ships with a capacity of 20,000 shi (1280 tons) can sail directly over.

The next morning, four large ships, each carrying 20,000 stones, slowly approached the Langleyburg dock.

McMillan led Henry and others out to help with navigation and unloading, while also observing the true strength and weaknesses of Zhang Zongyu's group.

Upon seeing these four large ships, they were all speechless with astonishment.

In the era of wooden sailing warships, the largest warships may have had a displacement of over three thousand tons.

However, warships weighing over 2,000 tons have very poor cost-effectiveness. Even naval powers will only build a few to serve as fleet flagships and to show off their strength.

The vast majority of naval capital ships used in normal combat have a displacement of between one thousand and two thousand tons.

A 20,000-stone sailing ship, if loaded with cannons, would be a proper main naval warship.

Most ocean-going merchant ships are not this large.

Neither the British Navy nor the Hudson Bay Company would send such a large ship here.

Even large European ships with soft sails find it difficult to navigate into the depths of such waterways.

What exactly are these burly Han Chinese trying to do?

McMillan said he was going to come out and help, so Yu Yang was to act as their translator.

Zhang Zongyu was also in control of the situation at the dock. Observing the current state of McMillan and his group, he could roughly guess what they were thinking, so he gave Yu Yang a few instructions.

Yu Yang said to McMillan and the others who were lost in thought:

"You must be wondering how many people we sent here this time, right?"

McMillan paused for a moment:

"We're sorry, but we really want to know..."

Yu Yang pointed at Zhang Zongyu and reintroduced their official identities:

"Actually, as I have already said, this gentleman's official position is a thousand households, which means he is an official in charge of a thousand households."

"The third settlement has a total of one thousand families, which is one thousand soldiers and their wives."

"Their wives also received basic military training and were able to use firearms in combat."

McMillan confirmed his suspicions from yesterday, staring wide-eyed and speechless.

Henry and the others who were doing odd jobs nearby couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:

"A generous gift, thank you! A thousand families! Two thousand combat-ready adults!"

"With so many people, we no longer need to worry about attacks from savages."

"The savages need to worry! You can go and capture slaves now!"

"If we capture all those damned savages, we won't have to worry about their attacks anymore!"

"However, there is no need to eliminate or capture the savages who are willing to trade with us."

After listening to the screams of the crowd and the silence that followed, Yu Yang continued to demonstrate his strength:

"We want to clear this land, build a city, and live and multiply here for a long time."

"The immigration to our three settlements is just the first trial of immigration."

"Once it is determined that this place is suitable for settlement, large-scale immigration will begin."

"We came from the Pacific Ocean, following the route taken by the Spanish on their large sailing ships, which could transport tens of thousands of people in one trip."

"We have a large local population, and they come here to obtain arable land."

"Once our settlements are stable, we will focus our efforts on dealing with all the unruly savages who refuse to obey our orders."

"And any other unruly external forces."

"Including the British, Americans, Mexicans, and Rakshasa people who live in the surrounding area."