Chapter 272: Refugee Si Dongli (First update, please subscribe)

Does it matter whether the British choose peace?

Of course it is important, but what is more important?

It is strength. Only strength can make the other party compromise. Only strength can make them choose peace!

They chose peace not because they were pacifists, but because the cost of war was too high.

In this situation, they would naturally choose peace.

If it is replaced by something like "Treaty Clearance", don't even talk about compromise or peace. They will just want you to take the initiative to cause trouble, and then sign a treaty with you, ask you to pay some money, and give up some land.

Without strength, everything is just empty talk. In the final analysis, it all comes down to strength.

After 1867, Nanhua was still developing at a visible pace, even though the annexation of Chile led to widespread resistance to Nanhua in the Spanish-speaking regions of South America. Even at the instigation of the British, Spanish-speaking countries launched a boycott of Nanhua goods.

But the boycott of foreign goods is just a passing fad. After the boycott, cheap Nanhua industrial consumer products, including cotton cloth, are still flowing into South American countries and are gradually expanding their market share. The reason is simple - they are cheap!

Cheap is king. For ordinary people in Latin America, they don’t care whether Chile is destroyed or not, and what foreigners’ affairs have to do with them.

As long as Nanhua’s products are cheap enough, they will definitely choose Nanhua products after the Hive.

It's life, there's nothing shameful about it.

What supports Nanhua’s cheap industrial products?

Of course it is the cheap labor from China across the ocean!

Unlike in history, the Qing Dynasty in 1867 did not enter the so-called "Tongzhi Restoration". Three years ago, it had launched four-pronged attacks and arrived at the city of Tianjing. Not only did it fail to occupy Tianjing and pacify the Taiping Rebellion, but it also suffered heavy casualties at the gates of Tianjing. The Xiangshui River's once-dominant navy was almost completely destroyed by the Taiping Rebellion's ironclad ships. From then on, the situation of the Qing Dynasty was like the Yellow River, which was out of control.

After the Hunan Navy was completely destroyed, first King Chen Ying of Jiangbei, Anhui, and King Li Ying of Jiangnan successfully joined forces. Then the Qing troops in Jiangbei and Jiangnan were defeated. The Heavenly Kingdom Navy counterattacked all the way to Jiujiang, with the western route heading directly to Jiangxi and the northern route heading directly to the Yellow River.

Seeing the might of the Heavenly Kingdom reappearing the prestige of the army forcing the capital during the Xianfeng period, thanks to the rise of Li Zhongtang's Huai Army, the Taiping Army was barely blocked on the south bank of the Yellow River. Since then, although it has been two years of fierce fighting, the battle lines of both sides have basically stabilized. The Heavenly Kingdom, which controls Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi, faces the Qing army across the Yellow River and the Huai River. A river separates two worlds. One side has pigtails, and the other side has long hair... In fact, both sides are hungry.

hunger!

Even though the protracted war claimed the lives of tens of millions of people, whether in the once prosperous southern Anhui or the populous northern Anhui, there were cities and villages everywhere that were burned down and slaughtered, and only one in ten of the people in each place survived. Although a large amount of land was idle or abandoned and occupied by foreign immigrants, there was no paradise in the war.

On the official road full of wasteland, a group of ragged refugees were walking aimlessly. Among these immigrants, Si Dongli, wearing a ragged robe, looked very conspicuous. Having studied in a private school for a few years, he could barely be considered a half-scholar. This ragged robe became the biggest difference between him and others. Of course, it was also this robe that made him the backbone of these people. After all, scholars know a lot.

"Brother Dongli, is there really such a place in the world as you said?"

Si Dongchuan beside him asked, they were all cousins ​​from the same village, after leaving their hometown, they wandered around, trying to find a piece of uninhabited land and then settle down.

However, halfway through, Si Dongli saw a notice posted on the wall.

"Leave this poor place and come to Nanhua! There is fertile land all over the land. Those lands and houses will become your land and your houses. There is no war, no military disasters, no exorbitant taxes, and of course no bullying by the locals. As long as you abide by the law, the government will protect you from anyone!"

The tattered notice was posted in the fourth year of the Tongzhi reign. As for the place mentioned in the notice, he didn't know where it was.

But he had heard of Nanhua.

Where is Nanhua?

Si Dongli didn't know, but he had heard about that place. He heard that there was not only gold there, but also a lot of unowned land. Most importantly, there was no war or disaster there.

In times of war and chaos, places like that are the legendary paradise.

"That's right, Dong Li, where in the world is there a place like the one the notice says? The world is so big, is there any place that doesn't have wars?"

"The world is so big, there are always some places where there is no war!"

Si Dongli said.

"In this chaotic world, even if we find a place to stay, what can we do? We may just have planted the land for two days and lose our lives before we can even harvest it if we run into soldiers or bandits. This world..."

Shaking his head, Si Dongli said.

"You can't just think about not starving, you also have to think about staying alive. If there really is such a paradise in the world, what's the harm in walking a few more days?"

It didn't take them long, but only two days later, they arrived at a small market on the banks of the Xifei River. Outside the market, they just mentioned that they were going to Nanhua, and a boatman enthusiastically invited them on board.

"No money, no money. Once we send you to the destination, someone there will naturally give us money..."

The boatman said cheerfully.

For the boatmen, they have long been accustomed to doing such business in the past few years. As long as they bring people to a certain place, there will be people from the recruitment office there to give them money.

The Xifei River was a bit chilly in October. A patched sailboat slowly sailed out of the river mouth and into the Huai River. The boatman, holding the pole, looked at the shore from time to time. The reeds on the river bank swayed in the wind, and the shore was quiet without any movement.

"Captain, when will we arrive?"

Si Dongli, who was helping to row the boat, asked.

"It will take several days, but it will be quick once we enter the Huai River. We will follow the Huai River eastward until we reach the mouth of the old Yellow River. There, there will be a recruitment office. As long as you pass the physical examination, you can get on the boat. Once you get on the boat, you will have set foot in Nanhua."

The captain glanced at Si Dongli and sighed.

"Although the old saying goes that people are despised when they leave their hometown, but now there is chaos and war, I think I can survive if I leave my hometown. Alas, in this chaotic world, I don't know when it will end!"

In troubled times, people are worse than dogs. On this journey, human flesh is sold as meat in the market, and a pound is only a few coins. As for where the human flesh comes from, it is easy to guess. If someone is left alone or dies on the roadside, it is very likely to become a meat dish on the butcher's counter or become food for refugees.

Si Dongli pursed his lips and said nothing. He just looked into the distance and then sighed.

In this troubled times, as long as you can have a place to live, have food to eat, live your life in peace, marry a wife and have children, and carry on the family line, what else can you want?

In fact, isn’t this what people live for?

To be alive in troubled times is a luxury...

A few days later, the boat passed Hongze Lake and arrived at the old river mouth. The so-called old river mouth was the confluence of the Huaihe River and the Yellow River more than a decade ago. In fact, the old river mouth has been the Yellow River channel turned into a river on the ground since more than a hundred years ago. This place has become the so-called "old river mouth", where ships enter the Yellow River through the sluice gate.

However, since the Yellow River burst its banks more than a decade ago, it has taken over the Daqing River to flow into the sea. The Yellow River has become a waste river. Although it is a waste river, ships can still sail in the river, and inland ships with shallow draft can directly enter the sea from here.

This is also the reason why the Nanhua Association set up a recruitment station here. After all, in this era, river transportation is the most convenient mode of transportation in the inland.

After getting off the ship, Si Dongli and his group of dozens of people were led by the ship owner to a place with a sign hanging saying "Nanhua Labor Recruitment Station". After an inspection, they were led into the house.

The person in charge comforted him before entering the house.

"You guys wait here for two days now. When enough people have come, we'll send out the boat. Don't worry, everyone will not starve once we get to this place. We provide food here..."

There is no need for any other profound principles, just this one sentence is enough.

With food provided and enough to keep them full, what else could these refugees ask for?

Of course, this also makes them full of expectations for the future.

Lying in bed last night, Si Dongli's eyes were full of hope. This was the first time he had slept in bed in a few months. It was also the first time he had a full meal. Before this, such days were only dreamed of in dreams.

"Brother, this place seems nice."

My cousin was also talking on the side.

"Not only are we provided with food, but also with accommodation. It would be great if we could live like this forever."

"Um,"

Si Dongli responded casually, but did not speak. He was just thinking in his mind.

Nanhua...What does Nanhua look like?

(End of this chapter)