Chapter 1144 - Zheng Zhilong's Ambition
The typhoon's toll was soon tallied. Though the aftermath looked chaotic, actual losses proved modest. Most damage was confined to temporary structures and crops.
Wei Bachi exhaled in relief. "Fortunately, we prepared well in advance."
Yet the typhoon had also exposed deficiencies in Kaohsiung's drainage. Severe waterlogging plagued many low-lying areas.
"We must upgrade the drainage system!" Wei Bachi slammed his palm on the table at the summary meeting. "I refuse to watch Kaohsiung become a water park the next time a typhoon strikes!"
Shi Dafu and Hong Laojun exchanged rueful glances. "Mayor, labor and materials are stretched thin as it is..."
"Think of something! Request support from Lingao if necessary!" Wei Bachi was unyielding. "I care only about results!"
Meanwhile, in Anping.
Zheng Zhilong sat in his study, listening to subordinates report the fleet's losses.
"Five ships sunk, over a dozen damaged..." He frowned. "Not a small loss."
"Brother, the Australians in Kaohsiung appear to have suffered little," Zheng Zhifeng ventured cautiously. "Their buildings are sturdy, and they have strange machines to assist them..."
Zheng Zhilong was quiet for a moment. "These Australians do possess certain... capabilities."
He rose and began pacing the room. "Li Siya's words—what is your assessment?"
"There's sense in what she says," Zheng Zhifeng replied. "Australian ambition is plain to see. If we allow them to grow unchecked, sooner or later they'll stand on our heads."
"But to turn against them now..." Zheng Zhilong hesitated. "Their firearms and ships are formidable. Victory would be far from certain."
"We needn't confront them directly," Zheng Zhifeng said with a sly edge to his voice. "As Li Siya suggests—use the Dutch, use the natives. Let others bleed first."
Zheng Zhilong nodded slowly. "Sensible. Proceed carefully. We mustn't let the Australians catch us with blood on our hands."
"Understood."
"And strengthen our ties with the Court," Zheng Zhilong added. "With an imperial commission, we hold the moral high ground."
Zheng Zhilong was no fool. He knew that confronting a formidable adversary like the Australians required marshaling every available force: pirates, merchants, the Court, foreigners—all pieces on the board.
He walked to the window and gazed out at the distant sea. "This ocean belongs to the Zheng family. No one will take it from us."
In Kaohsiung, restoration work proceeded at a relentless pace.
With Westerly's assistance, the great clock atop the Customs Clock Tower was finally installed.
"Ready for the test!" Zhong Lishi called out.
Workers removed the locking mechanism. The heavy pendulum began its slow, stately swing. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. The steady rhythm of the mechanical movement echoed through the tower.
"It moves! It moves!" Westerly cheered in a hushed voice.
Zhong Lishi checked the time against his pocket watch. "Accuracy still needs adjustment. But the mechanism runs—success."
He clapped a hand on Westerly's shoulder. "Thank you for your help, young man."
Westerly's cheeks flushed. "I learned so much, Dr. Zhong."
Huygens arrived to observe. He listened to the clock's rhythmic pulse and nodded in admiration. "A masterwork. Truly a masterwork."
"This will serve as the standard time for Kaohsiung," Zhong Lishi said, a note of pride in his voice. "From now on, every activity in this port will follow its rhythm."
The clock tower's completion became a symbol of Kaohsiung's renewal. Each hour, its melodious bell told the city that order had returned.
Wei Bachi stood on the balcony of City Hall, listening to the chime, a satisfied expression crossing his features.
"This is civilization," he murmured to himself.
Yet beneath the calm surface, undercurrents churned.
Xu Ke received a new report: Li Siya had departed Anping and was en route to Kaohsiung.
"She's coming again?" Xu Ke scoffed. "This woman is nothing if not persistent."
He issued orders to his subordinates: "Maintain close surveillance. See whom she contacts and what she does. At the first sign of suspicious behavior—arrest her immediately."
"Yes, Chief!"
Xu Ke understood that a shadow war was beginning. On the bright side lay construction and diplomacy; in the darkness lurked espionage and conspiracy.
The friendship between Zhong Xiaoying and Cleadia deepened with each passing day. Cleadia had begun attempting to use chopsticks and learning simple Chinese phrases. In turn, Zhong Xiaoying learned much about Western customs from her.
"When I return to Europe, I'll write to you," Cleadia said.
"Can letters reach here?" Zhong Xiaoying asked.
"Perhaps... They would be very slow," Cleadia admitted, a trace of sadness in her voice. "But I will write."
"And so will I."
The seeds of friendship had been planted in the hearts of two girls from worlds apart. They could not know how the currents of time would shape their destinies—but this moment of purity was precious.
(End of Chapter)