Chapter 2619: Coercion and Inducement

The gentry hadn't expected Zhang Xiao to estimate Jiujiang's fish fry production with such precision, and they exchanged startled glances. Guan Boyi recovered first. "Your Honor possesses keen insight. This humble scholar is most impressed."

"Then tell me—do you know how many fish fry the West River can produce annually?" Zhang Xiao pressed.

"I do not."

"Twelve billion." In truth, during the decade following New China's founding—before artificial breeding technology was developed—the Guangdong section of the West River yielded roughly five billion fish fry per year, with another seven billion from the Guangxi section. But under the backward conditions of the late Ming, catching three or four hundred million fry annually was already a considerable achievement.

Though the gentry had no idea how Zhang Xiao had arrived at such a figure for the West River's total yield, his accurate assessment of their township's annual catch lent his words considerable weight.

Song Guowei spoke up. "While the West River may produce many fish fry each year, the catching depends entirely on the Fishery Masters reading the weather. It would be difficult to increase production beyond current levels."

Zhang Xiao adopted the cadence of classical speech. "The taking of fish fry occurs from the third to the eighth month. At sunset, one observes the lightning. If the lightning legs appear high in a certain direction, then one knows no rain will fall there, and those waters will not rise. If the lightning legs appear low, then rain approaches, and those waters will rise. When waters rise, certain fish fry arrive. Those from Liu, Qing, and Yue take three xun or two xun; those from Nanning, two xun or one and a half." He paused. "I also know that from Wuzhou downstream to Jiujiang, the flood season begins early and ends late. The proportion of bighead and silver carp—which Jiujiang villagers favor—runs higher here than in other tributaries. Silver carp accounts for roughly five to ten percent, bighead carp one to ten percent."

That this Australian magistrate understood their township's fish fry harvesting methods so intimately left the gentry unsettled. Zhu Bolian, patriarch of the Zhu clan, said carefully, "Since Your Honor understands how we catch and load fish fry, surely you recognize that this township's livelihood depends on heaven's providence."

"Ah, yes—'relying on heaven to eat.'" Zhang Xiao raised his fan to point at the tent's ceiling. "But now the Great Song Senate is Heaven. Jiujiang villagers know how to catch fish fry—but do you truly believe Zhaoqing and Fengchuan cannot learn the same skills?"

Many in the room felt a chill run through them. Jiujiang Township's monopoly on fish fry catching rights ultimately rested on government policy, not some irreplaceable natural advantage. Zhang Xiao's words struck at their most vulnerable point; he might as well have written "threat" across his forehead.

The atmosphere in the tent grew cold. Huang Xiyin recognized that both sides were testing each other's limits and chose not to intervene. After a lengthy silence, Zhang Xiao judged the moment right and spoke again, his tone relaxed. "Gentlemen, it is not this county's intention to bully its elders. I have a business proposition for you today. I wonder if those present might be willing to give me face."

Guan Boyi responded promptly. "If Your Honor offers us a path forward, we will naturally support it with all our strength."

"I intend to propose to the Guangdong Region that we identify a suitable location to establish a National Freshwater Fish Artificial Breeding Base."

"Artificial breeding?" The gentry stared at him in disbelief. Since time immemorial, fish had been caught from rivers, lakes, and seas. Even fish fry were gifts from nature. No one had ever heard of breeding them artificially.

Zhang Xiao's expression turned knowing. "Have you noticed that some fish fry purchased last year did not originate in Jiujiang?"

"We... heard rumors to that effect."

"Precisely. Those fry were a test batch produced by the Senate during our technical development work in Lingao." A note of pride entered his voice. The process required fish pituitary hormones to stimulate parent fish ovulation, and he had personally handled the extraction and preservation techniques. "Artificial breeding means exactly what it sounds like. In the future, all fish fry will come from breeding farms—no more catching them from rivers. Within two years of establishing the base, fish fry production will increase at least tenfold over your current catch. Within ten years, a hundredfold."

The prospect of foreign fish fry made the gentry uneasy, though this new magistrate certainly had grand ambitions—claiming production could increase ten or even a hundredfold! What they didn't know was that after China cracked freshwater fish artificial breeding technology in the 1960s, Jiujiang had reached seventy billion fry by the 1970s—to say nothing of the five hundred billion scale achieved before the Senate's transmigration.

"But the North is plagued by natural disasters and war," one of them said. "How could such increased production find buyers?"

"Are you suggesting you lack confidence in how long the Senate's red flag will fly?" Zhang Xiao's words carried an edge of contempt.

"We wouldn't dare!"

"Nothing of the sort!"

"Then you need not worry about sales. Within ten years, the Senate will sweep across the realm. Wherever the Fubo Army marches, Senate fish fry will follow. Wherever there are fish ponds, there will be artificially bred fish. We will reach even Borneo across the distant seas." In Zhang Xiao's vision, Jiujiang would become the fish fry breeding center for the entire nation—and eventually all of Southeast Asia—just as it had in the original timeline.

"There is more," Zhang Xiao continued, rising from his seat and fanning himself. "Senator Li, who travels with me, also plans to establish a Sericulture Improvement and Promotion Base. We aim to fully develop the Pearl River Delta's natural advantages and integrate local raw silk into the international trade system. I trust you understand what this means." Li Yao'er was out inspecting today, so Zhang Xiao spoke on her behalf regarding the silk industry.

"Sericulture improvement?"

"Those present surely know that silk is one of Guangzhou Prefecture's major industries. Yue Satin and Yue Yarn are famous throughout the region and sell well overseas. Yet it is a pity—truly a pity. The quality of Yue Satin is dense and even, its colors bright and lustrous. However, it must be woven with Wu silk from Jiangnan. When woven with local silk, it turns dull and lifeless, the colors muted. Such fabric sells only within Guangdong's borders; distant merchants will not take it."

Zeng Xingxiang nodded. "Your Honor truly knows our local products inside and out. You are correct. Fabric woven with native silk is called Silk Yarn—cheap stuff. Foshan Yarn is also woven with native silk into patterns, all using printing blocks. Raw silk splits easily; cooked silk fuzzes. Both Jiujiang and Longjiang cocoons are inferior."

It was precisely this problem with local silkworm breeds that made Guangdong silk far inferior to Jiangnan's. Famous local silk workshops had no choice but to purchase Lake Silk as raw material for Yue Satin and Yue Yarn. The renowned Xiangyun Sha—Gambiered Canton Gauze—wouldn't be invented until the early Republic era, when villagers from Minle Village in Xiqiao would improve the loom by applying small jacquard and manual flower-pulling methods to create a new openwork variety. That would come more than forty years after Chen Qiyuan opened the first machine filature.

The reason Chen Qiyuan's filature eventually captured part of the international market was entirely due to selective cocoon purchasing—sending high-quality cocoons to machine filatures for processing through superior technical means, thereby strengthening competitiveness abroad. Inferior cocoons were sold to operators of foot-tread and hand reeling machines, whose products entered the local weaving industry. From a regional perspective, silkworm and mulberry quality remained unchanged, so cocoon quality saw no real improvement. This was the true state of modern Yue silk development.

In other words, without machine filatures, Guangdong native silk could never attract the interest of either Eastern or Western merchants. Before the Daoguang era, international trade provided little stimulus to the Pearl River Delta's sericulture industry.

Zhang Xiao continued, "Fish, silkworms, mulberry—your families' livelihoods are tied to all of these. To accomplish this great undertaking, we must also build a new-style primary school and an agricultural technical school as support."

Had ordinary folk heard this, they would have wept with joy and kowtowed in gratitude. But these Ming Dynasty operators had far too many calculations running behind their eyes. Their unspoken question, in modern terms, was simple: "What's the price?"

Guan Boyi rose. "Your Honor's consideration is thorough. You are truly a father to our people. How might we repay such generosity?"

"Repayment is unnecessary. But as I said—you must follow our rules."

"We are eager to hear the details."

"All relevant industries must be organized as companies. Whether the fish fry breeding company, the silkworm seed company, or the schools—the Senate will provide personnel and technology. Those present who wish to participate will contribute ponds, land, and capital. Each clan will undergo corporate transformation, using clan property as startup capital. After deducting funds needed for expanded reproduction, profits will be distributed as dividends according to shareholding. Given that clan property belongs to the entire clan, it follows that all adult males should reasonably hold shares. Company operations must comply with Great Song Company Law regulations. Accounts will follow new accounting standards. The Finance and Taxation Bureau will conduct regular audits..." Zhang Xiao laid out the Senate's requirements for clan corporate transformation. When it came to schemes and intrigues, these modern transmigrators were no match for the gentry—and the Senate disdained such games anyway. With overwhelming military force at their backs, they could afford to play with open cards and employ open stratagems.

Each revelation proved more shocking than the last. The gentry found themselves caught between hope and anxiety—pleased that Magistrate Zhang seemed to harbor special affection for Jiujiang, but troubled by the phrase "follow our rules."

"This is... might we be permitted to return home and discuss with our clansmen before giving our answer?" Guan Boyi asked.

The flood of information left them overwhelmed. The proposed changes were simply too momentous—nothing short of earth-shaking. Others followed suit, requesting time to consult their clans. Though they led their respective families, they could not dispose of clan property at will.

"Very well. You have three days. After that, we proceed to Longjiang and Longshan." Zhang Xiao's ready agreement carried an implicit warning: gentry elsewhere were already waiting to board the Senate's ship. Granting them this opportunity for clan reform was giving them face. If they refused what was offered, the Senate had plenty of ways to deal with them.

The gentry understood the message. They had all heard, to varying degrees, that clans in Xiangshan had already undergone this so-called corporate reform and were being publicized everywhere by the Australians as model examples. If they refused, this tremendous opportunity would likely fall elsewhere.

"Rest assured, Your Honor. You will have our answer within three days."

"As for the advancement path for scholars that you raised—the Senate has given this matter considerable thought. Soon the Nanhai County Educational Inspector will visit to explain our education policies. You may ask questions and speak freely then." Zhang Xiao paused. "I should mention, however, that the Great Ming's imperial examinations will no longer exist in the future."

(End of Chapter)