Chapter 406 Did I make a mistake?

Upon seeing the simple docks and wooden camps in Cape Town Harbor, Qin Mo knew that the Da Yuan pioneer team had not been there long. It seemed that they would have to wait for the subsequent fleets to arrive before they could build concrete piers and city walls.

Amanda was already expending her energy to resist the scorching sun. Upon seeing this, Qin Mo quickly dismissed the crowd and went inside with several high-ranking military leaders to discuss matters.

A sturdy wooden hut served as the highest authority in the harbor, with rough bark exposed, reflecting the simple and practical style characteristic of the pioneers.

"Yongqian, did the fleet's arrival go smoothly?"

"...Your Highness...may this young lady be...?"

Qin Mo waved her hand and said, "These are our partners, there's no need to hide anything!"

Lin Yongqian gave Amanda, who was standing helplessly behind Qin Mo, a deep look, and then said, "Your Highness, our journey to Aden was very smooth, but the journey south from Aden was quite difficult."

"Because of headwinds and currents, we had to stop at the shore many times to resupply and rest along the way. When we passed the 'Cape of Good Hope' that Your Highness mentioned, we lost some sailors. However, it proved that the nautical chart Your Highness gave us was completely correct. The best routes in the eastern seas are completely opposite in winter and summer."

Lin Yongqian's narration was very calm, but Qin Mo could fully imagine the hardships of this voyage.

Without the support of modern navigation technology, relying solely on a rudimentary sextant and compass to explore and advance in a completely new and unknown sea, the psychological pressure alone is something that most people cannot endure. Qin Mo knew that Columbus and Magellan had both experienced mutiny by their crews during their expeditions, precisely because their crews lacked confidence.

They don't have the same thorough understanding of this spherical world as we do.

"How many people came this time? Do you have enough help at home?"

"Your Highness, we do not have enough high-speed sailing ships, and we know nothing about this place, so only three thousand people have come this time."

"As for whether we have enough manpower... we in Taiwan are definitely short of manpower, but we never lack Koreans and Japanese. I have already sent someone back to report and ask them to send at least another 10,000 men over."

After several years of experience, Lin Yongqian has fully adapted to the position of director of the "Dayuan Development Administration Bureau". His allocation of manpower and resources has shown the demeanor of a great general.

"Are there any powerful tribes or enemies nearby? If you have any difficulties, speak up quickly! I'm leaving soon, or I'll miss this opportunity!"

Qin Mo was very satisfied with Lin Yongqian's efficiency. Since he was satisfied, he wanted to make sure his subordinates were satisfied as well. So he waved his hand and let Lin Yongqian and the others make their demands.

"Buzz!"

The leaders below quickly began to discuss in hushed tones. They were not all directly under the Prince's Mansion's pioneering team; some of them were heads of "big companies" under the Development Administration Bureau. Now that they had encountered a rare opportunity, they naturally had to weigh the pros and cons, trying to avoid displeasing Qin Mo while still maximizing their own benefits.

"Your Highness, there are indeed several large tribes nearby. We have already clashed with them a few times, and there is no immediate danger. However, to be on the safe side in the future, we hope Your Highness will grant some permission to purchase firearms, just in case."

After much discussion, no one mentioned tax breaks or increasing the number of powerful cultivators; they only demanded the purchase of more firearms.

They all understood that there were only so many cultivators and experts in Dayuan, and even if you asked, you wouldn't get one more. As for manpower... once the Koreans and Japanese were trained, they would definitely be ruthless yet obedient henchmen.

As for tax reductions? Don't be ridiculous. As long as you have a large number of firearms, you can easily make a profit of several thousand percent. Why would you care about a little bit of tax?

"Sure! From now on, the pioneer team or the company can apply for different firearms based on the dangers they face. In principle, each person can be equipped with a musket, and if necessary, cannons are also acceptable."

The entire wooden house fell silent. Everyone exchanged silent glances to make sure they hadn't misheard.

Amanda had just watched as the people in the house dared to openly discuss and argue with Qin Mo, and she felt that Qin Mo was being far too lenient with his subordinates. Now that the surroundings had suddenly quieted down, she couldn't help but feel a little strange. She knew that there must have been parts she hadn't understood. With her hundreds of years of experience and refinement, she couldn't understand the conversation of a short-lived species whose lifespan was only a few decades, which made her feel very ashamed.

Encouraged by the looks of his colleagues, the oldest "company" leader finally mustered the courage to say, "Your Highness, our current overseas expansion strategy prioritizes securing ports before expanding inland. Therefore, ports are the foundation of the expansion teams. So... naval support is paramount. Do you think that first-class ship could..."

"Stop! Don't even think about it. You guys have quite the appetite! You dare to even set your sights on a first-class ship?"

The old man gave Qin Mo an awkward smile, then glared at his companions with an angry look that seemed to say, "It's all your fault for encouraging me."

First-class ships are definitely not something that should be controlled by merchant fleets, and Qin Mo would certainly refuse outright. However, considering that the pioneering teams of Dayuan would surely expand in the future, the lack of warships would indeed be detrimental to the pioneering work of various "companies". Therefore, after some consideration, he decided to grant some authority.

"It's impossible to assign capital ships to the company. In the future, I will develop an armed merchant ship, and at most... assign light frigates to the company."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

The group of business leaders, whose minds were filled with arson, murder, and robbery, reacted very quickly. Before Qin Mo had even finished speaking, they rushed to express their gratitude, making Qin Mo wonder if she had made a mistake.

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