Chapter 524: Expulsion Order (First Update, Please Subscribe)

Like a whirlwind!

The news of the Ming fleet's arrival in Southeast Asia spread throughout Southeast Asia. From the Dutch East Indies to the Spanish Philippines, people there were looking forward to the fleet's visit.

Amid this expectation, the fleet set off from Singapore and sailed into the Strait of Malacca. It seemed that it would really sail into the Indian Ocean as planned, then into the Atlantic Ocean and return to South China, completing the Ming Navy's first circumnavigation of the world.

However, the fleet sailed into Port Klang of the Sultanate of Kedah.

Port Klang is the most important port here, and even in the 21st century it is still one of the most important ports in Malaysia. It is the most important tin exporter in the region. Standing on the bridge, Zhao Fuyong said to Meng Qingen.

"Since the 1940s, the price of tin in the European market has been rising, creating good business opportunities for the tin mining industry in the Malay region. Driven by interests, the Chinese secret societies in the Straits Settlements brought a large number of members into the inland tin mining areas and opened up the Narut Mine in Perak and the Kuala Lumpur and Jianzheng mining areas in Selangor. With the efforts of nearly 100,000 overseas Chinese, the tin production in the Malay Peninsula has increased rapidly. Because of this, the Chinese secret societies have never stopped competing for control over the Chinese labor force, Chinese society and mining areas. There have been constant conflicts between the secret societies. The conflict between the Haishan and Ghee Hin secret societies in the Narut area even triggered the Narut War, which was only quelled by the British the following year. Now the two factions in Narut have entered into a dispute over the succession of the local Sultan, and war is on the rise."

"Then why are we here?"

"Because this civil war here has been going on for eleven years!"

Pointing at the dock, Zhao Yongfu sighed.

"In 1860, two local chieftains fought over the mining area's tax revenue, which led to a war. The Hakka people of Jiayingzhou, that is, Meixian, who belonged to the Yixing Party in the mining area, and the Hakka people of Huizhou, who belonged to the Haishan Party in the Jilongpi mining area, often clashed over trivial matters and complained about each other's grievances. At this time, they were also involved in the Malay civil war. They supported each side. This war has continued to this day. The once prosperous tin mining area has become dilapidated. I don't know how many Chinese died in the war! If we don't intervene, I don't know how long this civil war will last."

Zhao Fuyong did not know that the civil war did not end until two years later when Yap Lai Yap led his congregation to retake Kuala Lumpur. Later, in order to prevent Kuala Lumpur from being taken away by the enemy, at the instruction of Yap Lai Yap, Chinese businessmen in Kuala Lumpur and other places invited the British to enter and maintain law and order through Singapore Chinese Justice of the Peace Chen Jinsheng. In fact, they were handing over the city created by tens of thousands of Chinese with their blood and sweat to foreigners.

In order to protect their own interests, they are willing to hand over their businesses to outsiders. This is the biggest characteristic of Chinese companies or participants in the Southeast Asian industry.

“So we have to go to Klang and Selangor, not only to get the two associations to sit together, but also to resolve the issue through negotiations!”

Meng Qingen nodded at the envoy's words.

"Since this conflict was caused by a conflict between two princely states, they would definitely not be happy with the Chinese secret society's truce!"

"That's not up to them!"

Zhao Yongfu looked at Meng Qingen with a smile and said.

"I believe that Commander Meng will be able to convince them!"

When the warships were slowly docking, the sailors on the ship noticed that the situation here seemed to be different. The dock was empty, with only some shirtless local coolies, revealing their thin and dark bodies, craning their necks to look at the two warships. As soon as the two warships entered the berth and dropped anchor, the port inspection ship came over spitting black smoke. As soon as the port officer got on board, he said.

"Selangor is a small state. To maintain its neutrality, no warships from any country are allowed to enter the port. If the fleet needs to replenish water and coal, please leave immediately after replenishing water and coal."

While he was talking, the coal-loading ship was also heading here. Faced with such a polite "farewell", Meng Qingen's reply made the port officer dumbfounded.

"The host is faulty. I will leave after the repairs are completed."

The host is faulty... go there to seek justice!

There is no place to reason. It is like a "scholar" meeting a soldier. It is difficult to explain the reason. However, in just one hour, the Malays in Port Klang fully realized the meaning of this sentence.

First the main engine failed, then they went ashore to purchase, and then the Malays had no choice but to refuse. When the sailors went ashore to purchase, they encountered something unexpected - all the shops were closed!

"What's going on?"

Looking at the empty streets, the signs written in Chinese characters and the closed store doors, Ma Hu, who was in charge of purchasing supplies, realized that something was wrong.

As a port city, this is simply unimaginable. There are local coolies on the dock, but no shops are open. The streets are as quiet as a dead city. It is too weird!

"Something must have gone wrong!"

At this moment, a small stone wrapped in a layer of paper was thrown from somewhere. However, after just a quick look at the content online, his face suddenly changed.

"Let's go back to the ship!"

…

"I am risking my life and crying blood. I beg for help from the Celestial Empire! The chieftains of the native states regard us Chinese as people who can be bullied. The leaders of the secret societies collude with them for their own interests. We are willing to be driven by the chieftains. In the past ten years, countless Chinese and Chinese workers have been killed and injured in the fight for the tin mines. The chaos has lasted for ten years. Although we were born in the Qing Dynasty, we still miss our homeland of the Ming Dynasty. When we heard that the Celestial Empire fleet was coming, we wanted to welcome it at the dock, but we were threatened by the chieftains and the secret societies. They asked us to close the door and not sell supplies to the fleet. If we violated the rules, we would be killed without mercy! Although we are willing to serve the country, we are in a remote place. How can we help the secret societies collude with the natives? We can only feel ashamed of the Celestial Empire's officers and soldiers. We only ask the Celestial Empire's officers and soldiers to think of the friendship of our compatriots and forgive the suffering of us!"

A piece of paper was spread out on the table. The handwriting on the paper was dense and sloppy, and it seemed that it was written in a hurry. The grief, anger and helplessness in the panic were all in these few words.

"What a great killing spree! What a great power!"

He smiled and looked at Meng Qingen and others who were sitting in the cabin looking at each other in bewilderment.

"What do you think? We just arrived here and someone is already trying to bully us. First they ordered us to leave, then they closed the shops... Humph!"

"This... is all driven by the secret society?"

"Meet the party..."

Pursing his lips, Zhao Yongfu said.

"The secret society, we have been unwelcome since the moment we sent a consul to Singapore. They have the power of life and death, and they hold the power of life and death. Do you think they would be happy if we sent an official here?"

Zhao Yongfu said in a deep voice while sneering.

"However, I was surprised that they colluded with the local chiefs..."

In fact, it was expected!

After all, wasn't the civil war between Haixing and Yishan so long because each supported one side and tried to dominate the mining area? What was the result? The war between the father-in-law and the son-in-law turned into a war between two groups of Chinese workers in their hands.

The two groups of Chinese workers fought for more than ten years in order to monopolize the mines and pay taxes to foreigners.

"What do we do now?"

Meng Qingen's brows were furrowed. He had never expected that the Chinese workers would not welcome their arrival.

It was not the Chinese workers, but the secret societies that controlled those Chinese workers. Not to mention here, even in Singapore, those secret societies would not necessarily welcome the consuls they sent.

After all, no one wants to have one more person to take care of them.

Zhao Fuyong sneered.

"What should I do? Since they won't let me come, then of course I have to pay them a visit!"

Home visit!

Now that I'm here, I must go in person and meet those people in person. After all, the reason I'm here is to mediate the contradictions and conflicts between them.

Now that they won’t even let me see them in person, there’s only one solution, which is to take the initiative to go to them.

"I want to see who gave them such courage!"

(End of this chapter)