Chapter 248 A big deal!
Nowadays, although they can only stay on Crab King Island to continue their education most of the time, but some people have begun to accept the task. For example, Liang Wengeng, who once traveled to Japan, is currently leading an inconspicuous smuggling merchant fleet, carrying a total of about 20,000 catties of opium. Starting from Crab King Island, it is along Taiwan. The sea route he once walked to Japan, one is to do business, and the other is to be familiar with this sea route. For the convenience of larger-scale smuggling activities.
And because he was Mo Guanrang's cousin, he was also separated from the Black Flag Gang. The relationship with Mo Guanrang was quite good, so a month ago, he was sent to Lantau Island on a mission.
Mo Guanfu believes that with the ability of these people, as long as they work hard enough, they can't achieve the glory and wealth of the past. Therefore, Mo Guanfu and others, who have extinguished their crooked thoughts, have gradually accepted their fate and begun to do things seriously.
Now, he is ordered by Liang Pengfei to talk about business with Mo Guan. Liang Pengfei needs the gang's current nest Hong Kong Island, and can even exchange money or materials for Hong Kong Island.
And Liang Pengfei rushed to Lantau Island to meet his lover. Naturally, this is the reason.
After a cold noise, Liang Pengfei led the way first. At this time, Pan Bingjie and Maria had already seen Liang Pengfei welcome guests, so they left here on another road, but Shi Xianggu stayed. After all, she is now the master of the Purple Flag Gang, and the battle to attack Lantau Island was Shi Xianggu's place. The leading Purple Flag Gang fleet is the main force. Otherwise, with the current strength of the Black Flag Gang alone, it is really not enough for the Green Flag Gang.
"It's really a perfect match for Miss Shi to have a husband like Liang Shao." After giving a salute to the coming Shi Xianggu, Mo Guanrang flattered her little by the way, which made Liang Pengfei have a good impression on Master Mo.
Several people sat in the grass pavilion on the flat ground on the hillside. After serving fragrant tea, Liang Pengfei took a sip and felt the lingering fragrance. He smiled at Mo Guan and said, "Master Mo, now Liang is here. On the one hand, he came to see his wife, and on the other hand, he wanted to take a good look at the red flag in the past. What does the old nest of the help look like? The last time Liang came in a hurry, he really didn't appreciate the beautiful scenery of Lantau Island. Of course, there is another important thing. Mr. Liang asked Brother Mo to discuss with you. I don't know how you are thinking about it?
"Master Liang looks up to Mo's broken nest, but Mo can't figure it out. Compared with Hong Kong Island, this Lantau Island is more suitable for our pirate base. Why did you abandon Lantau Island and choose Hong Kong Island?" Mo Guan smiled and did not answer Liang Pengfei directly, but asked back.
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For this reason, Liang Pengfei secretly instructed Shi Xianggu to help the gang seize Lantau Island. There are two reasons. First, Lantau Island, a nest formerly known as the Red Flag Gang, is indeed an excellent pirate base. For Crab King Island, the location is not only closer to the mainland, but also closer to Taiwan. In addition, Lantau Mountain is an easy place to defend and difficult to attack. It can be said that the last time I was able to easily raid Lantau Island, it was because Zheng Lianchang was too greedy. In order to swallow Guangdong sailors, he actually poured into the nest. And come out.
What's more, for more than a hundred years, Lantau Island has not been attacked by the court's sailors at all, making the Red Flag Gang too careless. Otherwise, you only need to leave a small fleet, or set up forts in several key places, then Liang Pengfei is also only It can retreat gloomy.
Second, since the Shi family came forward to help seize it, that is to say, the Shi family also has half of the right to use the island of Lantau. Although Lantau Island is a very good pirate base, for the sake of the bay between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, Liang Pengfei would rather give up Lantau Island to take Hong Kong Island.
Because Lantau Island lacks a good port, which is why although Zheng Lianchang is the head of the seven flags, although his strength is the strongest of the seven flags, his strength has been difficult to expand too much. The lack of a good port is one of the reasons.
The bay between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, which is not far away, is Victoria Bay, one of the three major ports in the world. Nowadays, it doesn't even have a name, but Liang Pengfei has given it a new name: Kowloon Bay. Others don't know the value of Kowloon Bay, but Liang Pengfei is very clear.
Liang Pengfei needs a powerful fleet, so it is bound to need a natural port, and Kowloon Bay, one of the three famous natural ports in later generations, naturally fell into Liang Pengfei's sight.
You should know that the seabed of the port area of Kowloon Bay (Victoria Bay) is mostly rocky, with less sediment and no silt in the waterway. The waters of the port area are vast, and 50 giant ships can be berthed at the same time. The water depth of the port area is large, with an average water depth of more than 12 meters. 10,000-ton ocean-going ships can enter and leave the port all day long. There are 72 berths for ocean-going ships to dock, of which 43 can be berthed by 183 meters long.
There are three bays and two typhoon shelters in the port to avoid the wind and waves. In addition, as the Kowloon Peninsula extends south into the sea, the wind and waves have been reduced, making the port area relatively calm.
Kowloon Bay has been a major waterway since ancient times. In ancient times, the Central Plains army was garrisoned at that time. However, according to historical books, the Song Dynasty had troops left behind to protect salt merchants and salt trafficking at that time.
Now, due to the relocation of the boundary to the forbidden sea, the isolation of the Qing Dynasty and other reasons, coupled with the rage of pirates in this area, so now, not to mention the garrison, even the sailors have hardly set foot in this area.
Now, there are only scattered villages formed by fishermen, with only thousands of people, and most of them are family members.
If Liang Pengfei wants to fight against the West, then most of this confrontation will inevitably occur at sea. Naturally, having a huge fleet is a foundation. Then Kowloon Bay, a natural port that can berth thousands of tons and has many safe havens, is certainly the best fleet base.
Although the Central Islands of Luzon are extremely rich in timber resources and convenient for shipbuilding, perennial storms always hit here, and shipbuilding work often has to be interrupted due to climate.
In addition, the power of the Western colonists in this area is still there, and their eyes are not white. If there is a fleet here that endangers the security of the colonies of European countries, it will inevitably arouse the vigilance of these people and may even unite to deal with it.
In addition, there are several natural ports in Annan, but there is a problem that although Liang Pengfei secretly controls the Lord of Annan now, this place is still a foreign land after all. If you want to be completely localized, you still need a long way to go. Moreover, who knows if there will be anything in it? The opposing forces have always been safe. Liang Pengfei, who is cautious, doesn't want to show his card under anyone's eyes and let people spy on it.
Although the terrain of Crab King Island is quite good, the problem is that the territory is too narrow. It may be competent to be a pirate base, but if you want to become a huge fleet base, it is simply a fool's dream. Therefore, he naturally aspires to Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula.
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Liang Pengfei glanced at Mo Guanfu and saw the eyes he made to himself. After a little calculation in his heart, he said to Mo Guan: "Master Mo, you are right. If it's just for a pirate nest that can be attacked and defended, the area around Lantau is indeed better than Hong Kong Island, but, Liang A planner is not just a pirate's nest, but for a foundation.
"Master Liang, didn't you slander Mo? If you talk about the territory, my cousin also told me all about Liang Shao's deeds in Annan. I'm afraid that the area around Annan should not be bad, right? There are also many good ports there. In addition, there is Nanyang. With those sites as the foundation, can't you make a successful business? Mo Guanrang couldn't help laughing and shook his head slightly: "The reason why Mo came here today is that I hope you can be honest with Mo."
"It seems that Mo Guanfu has told you everything. Yes, those places are really good, but they all have their own shortcomings. Although Hong Kong Island is only separated from the mainland, the relocation of the boundary to the sea decades ago has almost turned this area into a red land, desolate and deserted. Moreover, this Almost all of them are taken by my fellow people. The sailors in the court dare to patrol here. Even if they come, I'm afraid they will come back.
There is a saying that sometimes the things under the eyes are invisible. That's why I chose there. I need a good port there, and I have to build many shipyards there, because I need an unprecedented fleet, not only to use them to deal with the disabled sailors of the Manchus, but also to use them to defend the interests of our Han people in the Southern Ocean.
Hearing Liang Pengfei's words, Mo Guan didn't say anything for a long time. He didn't know when the tea in his hand had been cold, but he still held the lid in his hand and gently rubbed it on the edge of the cup. Mo hasn't read any books. I don't quite understand what you said. However, I don't like this court, and I don't like those Xiyi. However, the clear dog has occupied my Han people for almost two hundred years. I don't know how many people want to overthrow it, but no one can do it.
"And you, now you are now a second-grade member of the court and hold military power. Why do you want to rebel? Do you think you can succeed?" Mo Guan let this make the originally quiet grass pavilion fall into a dead silence.
Liang Pengfei looked at this dark and strong man who seemed to be an honest fisherman for the first time.
"If Sun Shijie asks me this, it's normal, but this guy can actually ask such a deep question. I'm afraid I really underestimated the old guy who made Zheng Lianchang run around." Liang Pengfei thought to himself.
(to be continued)