The moment Lian Guoshi's name was mentioned, Cui Weihua let out a soft sigh.
"So he has finally arrived. Lian Guoshi… an eighth-generation descendant of the renowned minister Lian Zining."
His subordinate blinked in surprise. "Such a distinguished lineage? Then how did someone so formidable end up transferred to one of the Six Ministries in Nanjing?"
Everyone understood that appointments to the Nanjing ministries were often little more than honorable retirements. Cui Weihua's subordinate was no exception.
Cui Weihua explained in a low voice, "I heard that during his three years as Governor of Shaanxi, Lian Guoshi never once submitted the full quota of taxes to the court."
"Not even once?" the subordinate exclaimed.
Cui Weihua nodded gravely. "Although Shaanxi suffered severe drought at the end of the Tianqi era, there have been no reports of major drought in recent years. The disaster shifted to Shanxi and Henan. Yet even without drought, he failed to collect and remit the full taxes. Either he was incompetent, or he deliberately neglected his duties. When His Majesty wished to promote Sun Chuanting after the defeat of the Dashing King, there was no suitable vacancy, so Governor Lian was moved aside."
Only then did the subordinate understand.
"No wonder he was reassigned to Nanjing."
Cui Weihua straightened his robes and gathered himself. "Come. We will receive him. He is probably just putting on a show as a newly appointed official—he will inspect the area and leave."
With that, he led his men out of the naval camp.
Cui Weihua offered Lian Guoshi a perfunctory bow, the sort exchanged merely for form's sake.
"Lord Lian, we were unaware of your honored visit. May I ask what brings you here?"
"I have come to inspect the geographical location of this naval camp," Lian Guoshi replied calmly.
Cui Weihua looked puzzled. "And why inspect this location?"
Lian Guoshi gestured toward the river. "The Huangpu River here does not appear shallow at all. I see rather large vessels anchored along its banks."
At once, Cui Weihua brightened.
"Indeed! During the Yongle era, Minister of Revenue Xia Yuanji dredged and regulated the waterways of Suzhou and Songjiang, connecting the Suzhou River with the Huangpu River. The Suzhou River became a tributary, increasing the Huangpu's water volume and greatly improving its navigability. Although this is merely an inland river, it can accommodate massive seagoing ships—better than some coastal harbors. That is precisely why I established the naval base here. You see how extensive our fleet has become? This entire stretch is filled with our ships."
Lian Guoshi surveyed the area carefully, glancing left and right, taking in every anchored vessel before nodding.
"It is indeed an excellent location."
Cui Weihua smiled broadly, clearly pleased with the praise.
Then Lian Guoshi's tone shifted.
"Such a fine location, yet wasted on a naval base. Since the navy will not be needing it, this place should instead be converted into a commercial dock."
Cui Weihua froze.
"What do you mean, 'will not be needing it'?"
Lian Guoshi regarded him steadily. "Tell me, Lord Cui, what use is your navy? Can you sail north to strike the Japanese? Can you venture south to confront the Franks?"
Cui Weihua faltered. "I… that…"
Lian Guoshi's smile carried a trace of irony.
"As I understand it, most of these ships were not captured by your fleet's own strength. They were… gifts, were they not?"
The words struck like a blow. Cui Weihua instinctively clutched his chest and took several steps back.
Lian Guoshi continued evenly, "This location allows ships from the sea to sail directly into the inland river and unload cargo. It is far more convenient than Nanhui Mouth. From here, goods can be transported easily to Suzhou and Nanjing. Likewise, merchandise from those cities can be shipped here with equal efficiency."
"Lord Lian, you… you…" Cui Weihua sputtered, struggling to respond.
"How about this," Lian Guoshi proposed calmly. "Relocate your naval base to a more secluded location. Let me consider… yes, Chongming Island would suffice."
Cui Weihua was speechless.
This was beyond outrageous.
Though his official rank was lower, he could not tolerate being pushed around so blatantly. Anger surged within him, and he prepared to unleash a fierce rebuttal. If necessary, he would summon support from his network of colleagues, fellow provincials, classmates, and mentors. He could even seek help from Shi Kefa, who was rumored to be thriving in office and on the verge of promotion to Governor of Anqing and Lu Prefecture. With such backing, why should he fear a mere Vice Minister relegated to Nanjing?
Just as he was about to explode, Lian Guoshi added calmly,
"Once this site becomes a commercial dock, I intend to levy two parts tax on foreign ships and one part on domestic merchants. If trade flourishes, revenue will increase accordingly. With greater funds available, we can allocate more to your military."
Cui Weihua's fury halted mid-breath.
"Increased military funding? You… you can make such a decision?"
"The Ministry of Revenue here has no effective leadership at present," Lian Guoshi replied evenly. "I am overseeing matters. Yes, I can decide."
"You will not report to the capital?"
Lian Guoshi let out a soft scoff.
"Local revenue should serve local needs. Why send it to the capital for those grand officials to siphon away?"
Cui Weihua felt as though thunder had struck him.
No wonder Lian Guoshi had never submitted full tax quotas during his tenure in Shaanxi. He had kept the funds for local use.
Such conduct bordered on treason in orthodox eyes—grounds for dismissal, even execution.
He had employed this tactic in Shaanxi, been reassigned to Nanjing for it, and now intended to do the same here.
And yet…
When Lian Guoshi spoke of capital officials embezzling funds, the words resonated deeply.
Collecting taxes locally was an arduous task that often pushed commoners toward rebellion. Yet once the silver reached the capital, it vanished into the hands of powerful ministers, each taking their share until little remained. The capital grew prosperous while local soldiers went unpaid.
Would it not be better to keep the money here?
His vast fleet desperately required maintenance funds.
In that moment, Cui Weihua found himself viewing Lian Guoshi in a different light.
"Lord Cui," Lian Guoshi said mildly, "shall we consider this agreed? You will transfer Shanghai Port for civilian administration."
Although Cui Weihua commanded ships, he was fundamentally a civil official. In matters of governance, his mind was sharp.
"You intend to relocate the Nanhui Mouth market here?" he asked quietly.
"Precisely. Nanhui Mouth lies at the tip of a peninsula, inconvenient for land transport. Moving the market to the Huangpu River will transform it into an inland port, greatly improving efficiency."
Cui Weihua nodded, but lowered his voice.
"I worry that Western and Southeast Asian merchants may hesitate to enter an inland river port. They are accustomed to the open sea. They may fear being trapped or exploited once inside."
Lian Guoshi smiled faintly.
"If our goods are superior enough, they will come regardless of risk."
Cui Weihua had no answer to that.
After a brief pause, Lian Guoshi continued,
"Although my earlier words were harsh, consider this carefully. Once the Imperial Merchants' massive ships begin to arrive regularly, what role will your small wooden vessels play in future naval warfare?"
Cui Weihua fell silent.
Lian Guoshi concluded decisively,
"Let your fleet transform into the Huangpu River Patrol. Maintain order along the river. Protect merchant shipping. Ensure a stable trading environment. Only by fostering secure commerce can we attract more Western traders and claim a share of their profits."