The most important reason why officials and civilians fled Chongming was actually... this damn place was too unreliable. You never know when the home you worked so hard to build and the crops you planted will collapse into ashes again.

Especially since the early years of Jiajing, the sands began to change frequently, with islands splitting and merging, and rising and falling unpredictably.

In the past forty years, the county seat has moved three times to various sand islands, including Sansha, Yaoliusha, etc.

First, in the eighth year of Jiajing, the county town located in Yaoliusha collapsed into the sea, and the county magistrate led all the county elders to move north to Sansha Island.

Then in the 29th year of Jiajing, Sansha Island also collapsed, and the county seat had to be moved to Pingyangsha.

Then the year before last, in the 45th year of Jiajing, Pingyangsha collapsed again...

This was also the main reason that prompted the court to finally decide to abolish the Tianci Salt Works. How could they open a salt work in such a place without Liuer? It was not enough to bother!

~~

In the Tingyu Pavilion, the sound of rain outside is so melodious that it makes people forget their tiredness.

"I heard that the location for the county seat has not been chosen yet." Zhao Hao took a sip of Xishan Yunwu Tea and felt the fragrant and sweet taste slowly moistening his lungs and seeping into his limbs, making him feel as if there was a breeze blowing under his armpits, as if he was half drunk, and even as if he was floating in the air.

"Yes. It is said that the previous magistrate was so frightened that he actually lived in the Temple of the Sea God in Xisha and borrowed the office of the Xisha Patrol Inspection Office to work." Jin Xuezeng nodded and smiled bitterly:

"Plus, the island was badly damaged in the past few years due to the fight against the Japanese invaders and the withdrawal. It has been managed like this until now."

"It's ridiculous! If the Japanese pirates come again, will the whole county be able to escape?" Yu Shensi said angrily, "I heard that even the garrison on Chongming Island has been transferred to Jinshan. I think the court intends to give up Chongming!"

"Lieyang has made progress." Zhao Hao nodded with satisfaction. Yu Shensi's shortcoming is that he is too sensitive and delicate.

But if he is used in the right place, this sensitivity and delicacy will enable him to discover problems earlier than others and perceive intentions that have not yet surfaced.

"The court has this intention. The abolition of the Tianci Salt Works and the transfer of the Chongming Lieutenant General were all tricks done by Xu Fan when he was in the cabinet." Master Zhao said to the two disciples in a deep voice: "The purpose is to cause a large number of islanders to flee to the mainland. So where can the refugees flee to?"

"It's either Taicang or Songjiang. In the past two years, my father-in-law's family and my third junior brother's family have both taken in quite a few refugees." Hua Shuyang poured tea for the three of them while whispering, "Of course, most of them were attracted by the Xu family."

"What does the Xu family need so many people for?" Jin Xuezeng frowned and asked. Damn it, they actually dared to target the people under the rule of the Golden Arches.

"There are so many uses. The Xu family has so much land that needs people to cultivate it, and the cotton and silk weaving factories also need tens of thousands of spinners and weavers." Hua Shuyang said, lowering his voice:

"Besides, the people of Chongming are the best sailors. Their sand boat gang followed Zheng He to the Western Ocean. Of course, they are now engaged in river transportation."

Zhao Hao smiled when he heard this. What kind of cat doesn't steal fish? The Sand Boat Gang has a unique position. Even if they don't smuggle in person, they are an important part of smuggling.

Jin Xuezeng was smarter than a monkey and immediately understood the implication of Hua Shuyang's words.

"Third Senior Brother, are you saying that the Xu family wants to take advantage of the serious collapse of the sandbar to bring all the people of Chongming County to Songjiang to work for them?"

Zhao Hao thought to himself, the British are like sheep eating people, the Daming sands are like sand eating people, it turns out that all capitalists are no good.

Of course, I am an exception.

Well, I am a capitalist who is devoted to the country and not seeking personal gain.

"There is still a next step." Hua Shuyang is the third son of the Hua family and the eldest son-in-law of the Wang family. He knows much more about these secret activities than his two junior brothers.

"When Chongming Island's population has dropped to 10,000 and all industries have declined, they will start to close the county. As for why they want to close the county and what they will do after closing the county, I don't know."

"What else can we do? Such an excellent smuggling port should of course be used to rebuild the glory of Shuangyu and Zhoushan..."

However, Zhao Hao revealed the secret in one sentence.

Some things can only be discussed face to face, not communicated through letters. He only had one night, so he had to explain everything to his disciples, and there was no time to hide anything.

"There are still many fertile fields on the island, and they can take them over after the county is abolished." Hua Shuyang agreed with his master's guess.

This is also the reason why he was obsessed with mathematics and ignored worldly affairs.

Dirty, very dirty.

Therefore, the third son of the Hua family has always been concerned with spending money without asking how it was earned.

~~

"ah……"

Jin Xuezeng was stunned when he heard this.

He originally thought that he was going to the overseas Yingzhou, which was like a novice village, to level up, but he didn't expect that he would face the most terrifying enemy right away.

"Master, this, this, can I do it?" He looked at Zhao Hao pitifully and said, "Why does it feel like that place is even scarier than Kunshan?"

"Hahahaha!" Zhao Hao laughed loudly and said, "Do you know why I chose these two places?"

The disciples quickly started using their clever little brains to imagine... Oh no, they started thinking.

"Because the more difficult the situation, the more one can demonstrate one's abilities and build achievements!" Hua Shuyang replied quickly.

"Crisis is crisis, but there are always opportunities in crisis. There are always opportunities brewing in danger, but ordinary people just can't see it." Yu Shensi also quickly offered his not-so-clever flattery:

"Master must have seen the opportunity, that's why he chose these two places. Master is awesome!"

"So Chongming Island can be saved? You are indeed worthy of being my master..." Jin Xuezeng praised him. Although he is usually eloquent, his tongue is like rust when it comes to flattery...

Zhao Hao smacked his lips. What the three said were all right, but he always felt like something was missing, and it didn't quite fit the bill.

Master Zhao suddenly slapped his forehead lightly, his eldest disciple was missing.

Without Wang Wuyang's flattery, I would feel really uncomfortable.

Alas, it’s all this guy’s fault that he usually does all the flattery by himself and doesn’t give his fellow junior brothers the opportunity to practice.

Now it’s over, you regret not having enough shit when you need it, right?

Master Zhao sighed and stopped forcing it.

"Yes, Kunshan and Chongming are both excellent places for men to achieve great feats and go down in history!"

Then he said to Jin Xuezeng and Yu Shensi who were looking at him eagerly: "Don't worry, their plan to withdraw Chongming County is doomed to fail!"

The three disciples' hearts beat fast with excitement when they heard this - here it comes, it comes, the great prophecy that is 100% accurate, it comes again!

"Yes!" The two disciples nodded happily.

As long as the master says it can't be done, those people with the surname Xu won't be able to do it even if they turn the world upside down!

But the surprise was not over yet, as Master Zhao said again: "If you set up the county seat on Changsha Island, it will be forever secure and will never collapse into the water again!"

"Is this also a great prophecy?" The disciples' hearts were pounding, but no one dared to ask.

"Because I have surveyed before, the large-scale collapse of Chongming is almost over." Zhao Hao said calmly: "In the future, with Changsha as the center, it will soon be connected to form an unprecedented large island with no risk of collapse. A real Chongming Island! Want to withdraw the county? No way!"

ps. Chapter 1, the next chapter will be posted at noon