NCCnovel Chapter 749: Strange News from Around the World.
Chapter 749: Strange News from Around the World.
Ye Kun hesitated for a moment: "Whether to tattoo or not, wait for me to bring it to the nine departments for discussion. I also have a suggestion. Since the first batch of pirates have appeared, we must strengthen the security of coastal ports.
Especially for small ports in remote areas, it is necessary to strengthen security, build necessary fortifications, and improve the rules and regulations for entering and leaving the port."
The pirates' attack on the port is equivalent to Lu Meng's crossing the river in white clothes in the Three Kingdoms period.
As long as we take precautions and have a sound system and defensive fortifications, we can still ensure safety.
Everyone nodded.
The senator just now said:
"The pirates looted the port, killed people and stole goods, intending to escape to overseas islands. With their sailing conditions, equipment, and organizational capabilities, it is impossible for them to escape too far.
At most, they could flee to the East China Sea Islands and the South China Sea Islands. If they continued westward, they would have to pass through the Nanhua Strait and would definitely be caught.
In this case, the imperial court can take the lead, strengthen patrols, and control some larger islands with better conditions, so that those pirates will have no place to stay.
After committing crimes, without a place to stay or a base, these pirates naturally dare not cause trouble. "
Ye Kun smiled and said, "I understand what you mean. The imperial court will send troops and immigrants to control the East China Sea Islands and the South China Sea Islands. We will take over all the islands that are suitable for reproduction and life, so that the pirates will have nowhere to go, right?"
The councillor nodded: "Yes."
"But we can't do it at the moment." Ye Kun shook his head and sighed:
"In the East China Sea and the East Ocean, there are at least hundreds of large islands suitable for human reproduction, and countless small islands. In the South Ocean, there are more than 20,000 islands, large and small. It is impossible to send troops or settle immigrants on every island.
And there is another point. If the small number of garrisons and immigrants we sent out are not managed properly, they will eventually become pirates. At that time, it will be even more troublesome!"
Everyone looked at each other, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
But everyone knows that what Ye Kun said makes sense.
When sending troops to an island, logistics must be guaranteed.
Once the logistics can't keep up, the purity and discipline of the team will collapse. Soldiers have no food and clothes, so they can only become bandits.
Ye Kun has never developed the South Pacific Islands and the East China Sea Islands because there are too many islands to manage.
While the meeting was in progress, Guan Bao arrived and immediately joined the meeting.
After a brief rest, Guan Bao said:
“We need to intensify patrols on all islands. We can carry out regular patrols, one for public security and the other for asserting sovereignty over all islands.
We need to set up special patrol teams to patrol the southeast coast. We can search the South Pacific Islands and the East China Sea Islands once a year. If we find vagrants and natives who refuse to obey management, we can bring them back directly. "
Ye Kun nodded and asked, "Any clues about the pirates who looted Zhangtou Port?"
"It was done by the five brothers of the Zhao family in Zhangtou County."
Guan Bao sighed and took out the report from the local official: "The Zhao family is in Zhangtou, and it is a large family with more than 500 males, all of whom are relatives. Among them, the five brothers Zhao Chengyao have the greatest power and can call on the whole family. The five brothers originally had their own sailing team, and the farthest they had been was Hanhuang Island.
Five months ago, Zhao Chengyao and his brother were punished for smuggling and tax evasion. So they held a grudge and took a risk, gathering their clansmen to rob the port, and then moved the whole clan to the South Pacific Islands. "
"Relocate the whole family?" Ye Kun frowned.
"The Zhao family has more than 500 adult males. The total population of the family should be at least 2,000 people, right? It's not easy to relocate all 2,000 people. Are you sure?"
"There is no mistake. They adopted the strategy of ants moving house. Three months ago, they began to secretly transfer food and wealth."
Guan Bao smiled bitterly and said, "Zhangjiabao in Zhangtou County originally had more than 2,000 people, but now there are only about 300 old, weak, sick, disabled, orphans, widows, or mixed-race children left."
"absurd!"
Ye Kun was furious: "Zhaojiabao has such a large-scale immigration, but the local county magistrate, county lieutenant, and other staff members are completely unaware of it. This is really a strange thing! It seems that the local county magistrate and county governor are all good-for-nothings!"
There were two thousand immigrants, and they had to carry with them a lot of food, furniture, and clothing, so it was a huge commotion.
The ships of the civilian sailing fleet can only carry 100 people on large ships and 50 people on small boats.
Dozens of ships are needed to complete the immigration.
With such a big commotion, the local officials were totally unaware?
Guan Bao said: "The county magistrate and county lieutenant of Zhangtou County have been detained to investigate their dereliction of duty. Now we have the latest information that the entire Zhaojiabao clan should have immigrated to Luzon Island.
So, they are still sailing on the sea and have not reached their destination yet."
Ye Kun sighed, "The five brothers of the Zhao family are talented people. Unfortunately, they have committed such a big mistake and are doomed to die. Send out a fast fleet immediately to chase the five brothers of the Zhao family. No matter where they are, they must be captured alive!"
Guan Bao nodded: "Lu Kaijiang personally led 3,000 navy officers and has already chased them out. If we can't catch them at sea, we will go directly to Luzon Island and search the entire island."
Ye Kun nodded, but he also knew that the task was difficult.
If the Zhao brothers had been prepared and divided their clansmen into several groups and had them drift to the islands deep in the South China Sea, they would not have been easy to capture.
It would cost a lot to capture the entire Zhao family.
Guan Bao apologized to Ye Kun: "Your Majesty, I am also responsible for this matter. I apologize. In the future, I will strengthen the management of coastal fishermen and prevent such things from happening again."
"If something like this happens again, you should quickly escape to Southeast Asia, and don't wait for me to chop off your head."
Ye Kun rolled his eyes and said, "Immediately start improving coastal security. All merchant ships that do not meet the standards will be confiscated. All fishing boats, big and small, must be registered and numbered. All vessels must have a sea pass. All fishermen must operate with a license."
Everyone nodded together.
The next morning, Ye Kun went to Zhangtou Port to check it out in person.
The scene has been cleaned up and only residual bloodstains can be seen.
Ye Kun discussed with Guan Bao and said:
"There seem to be too many small ports. The court has no use for them, but they make it easier for private merchant ships to smuggle. I suggest that we investigate, close some small ports, and expand a number of ports in key locations."
Guan Bao said: "I think that civilian sailing teams can also be restricted. There are more than 70 registered civilian sailing teams. The larger sailing teams have dozens of large and small ships and thousands of people. Equipped with swords and guns, they are all hidden dangers."
Ye Kun waved his hand: "There is no need to limit the size of the civilian sailing fleet. But there can be some restrictions on weapons and equipment. Let them have some weapons to protect themselves, and they don't have to carry too many weapons."
There are more than seventy sailing teams, with an average of 500 people in each team, which is a total of tens of thousands of people.
These people prospered trade and also helped the Chinese nation's overseas expansion.
This is exactly the situation Ye Kun needs.
Ye Kun even felt that it would be fun if the scale was expanded tenfold.
Guan Bao said with a smile: "Your Majesty, if the civilian sailing fleet continues to expand, I am afraid that in twenty years, the South Sea Islands and the East China Sea Islands will all be the faces of us Han people."