Chapter 1146 Master Ma's Ambition (Third update, please subscribe)
Poza Rica is a city that has emerged in Mexico in the last decade or so.
What makes this bustling street market so out of harmony with other Mexican cities is that the buildings on both sides of the street are mostly oriental-style, and Spanish or European-style buildings are rarely seen.
The plaques on the buildings are mostly written in Chinese characters. Although there is Spanish, the Chinese characters are large and the Spanish is small. In the busy streets, there are many shops selling herbal teas for cooling off, from herbal teas in pharmacies to mint water, from Coca-Cola to Arctic Ocean soda.
In the high temperature at noon, the small teahouse under the corridor has always been the best resting place for passers-by.
Ma Baoguo blew air into the slightly hot cold tea in the tea bowl and murmured in confusion:
"When I first came to Mexico, I thought this was just a foreign territory, but I never expected that after coming here, I discovered that there are more of us here than foreigners? Hehe."
He was a little thirsty, so he took a sip of the cold tea, which was so hot that Ma Baoguo spit out the sweetness with a grin, looked around, and couldn't help but mutter to himself at the sign:
"Hehe, if the buildings here weren't a bit taller and the people weren't dressed so neatly, there would really be no difference from back home."
Many Chinese who have just come to Mexico from China have the same feeling. Those who don’t know would think they have returned to China. Not only do the plaques look no different from those in China, but even the passers-by on the street speak Mandarin with a mixture of southern and northern accents.
Such an environment made these newcomers breathe a sigh of relief. After all, this place was not full of foreigners as they had initially imagined.
"Master, you don't know this. Poza Rica is a place that prospers because of oil. The oil fields and refineries employ mostly Chinese people, so this place is almost full of Chinese people."
Song Jian, who was sitting next to his master, explained that he was the master's eldest disciple and had come to Mexico five years ago due to the pressure of life. Like many Chinese here, he worked in the oil fields.
"Oil? What is oil?"
Ma Baoguo asked with some doubt.
"Master, petroleum... the kerosene we used to light lamps in our hometown is extracted from it. It's very valuable. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to pay 20 or 30 pesos for our work."
"Twenty or thirty silver dollars is a lot!"
Ma Baoguo was surprised and chuckled twice, then thought about it, looked at the sign on the road, and thought for a while. Then he said.
"Jianzi, what do you think if Master opens a martial arts school here?"
"What? Open a martial arts school?"
Look at Master Song Jian’s eyes widened.
The master was right, he actually wanted to open a martial arts school here. He wrote a letter asking the master to come here because he could earn money working here.
"Yes, I want to open a martial arts school and teach students. I have been here for two days and I haven't seen anyone open a martial arts school. I don't have any special skills, I just know a little bit of boxing and kicking. If I open a martial arts school and teach students, it can also promote our Chinese Kung Fu, right?"
As he spoke, he used his sleeve to wipe the sweat from the hot tea on his forehead:
"When the time comes, you don't have to work in the oil field anymore. Just help me in the martial arts hall. We, the master and I, must make a name for ourselves here..."
"Master, this, this is unlikely."
"Unlikely? What? You don't believe in my Kung Fu, Master?"
"No, Master. All of us who work in the factory and the mine are members of the militia. We have to train every weekend and learn grappling and free-hand fighting. Who would pay to learn if there are free teachers?"
"What? Teaching martial arts doesn't cost money? How can that be true? Why do we need a militia? What about the students?"
Ma Baoguo pointed at the students on the road and asked.
“Students, we teach this in school too!”
"Are you kidding me? How can someone open a martial arts school like this?"
Just as he was about to spit, he hesitated for a moment and swallowed it back...
Why, you always have to save some face in front of your apprentice.
"Master, I think you should hire a coach from the militia, and then..."
"Coach? The coach of the militia? What does this militia do?"
"The militia is everywhere. Master, you may not know that some local governors are equivalent to our Chinese governors. The militias under their command even exceed the local garrisons of the empire. If we don't have guns in our hands, won't we be the fat meat in their mouths?"
"What? Isn't this just joining forces to resist the government? Won't the government investigate?"
Ma Baoguo had no time to think about opening a martial arts school, and asked in a lost voice.
"What do you mean by assembling an army to resist the government? The emperor ordered us to build this militia. Even the rural cavalry was reorganized from mercenaries back then. The Mexican emperor looks at the emperor, but he still relies on us. As for the Mexicans, hehe..."
Song Jian smiled.
"Not as reliable as us!"
"Why does the emperor have to rely on outsiders like us?"
Ma Baoguo was a little dazed and looked at his eldest disciple in confusion.
"Master, I can't explain this in a few words. Anyway, this place is a mess and it's hard to explain. Take the militia for example. Not only do we have them, but the governors and the big landowners also have them. So, if you are the instructor, there must be a place for you to use your skills. I will ask around for you later to see if there is a need for an instructor."
"According to what you said, if there are so many militias, do those foreign devils have a coach?"
"Master? What are you thinking about? You are not going to be a coach for the foreigners. This, this is not possible. We Chinese have to stick together when we come here, otherwise we will..."
"What are you thinking? I, your master, am a traitor."
Ma Baoguo smiled and said:
"I was thinking that since we all have a place to learn martial arts, why don't we teach foreigners? This can also be considered as promoting our Chinese culture. Don't you think so?"
If we can’t earn money from our own people, why can’t we earn money from foreigners?
Song Jian was dumbfounded by his master's words. He looked at his master and asked,
"Teach, teach foreigners martial arts? Then, then you can speak Spanish."
"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter whether we can do it or not. What matters is..."
What is it?
Ma Baoguo had his own ideas in mind, and of course he would not tell his apprentice.
"By the way, in Mexico, are there more foreigners there?"
There are not many foreigners in this place. If you want to teach foreigners martial arts, you have to go to another place. Yes, there are so many Chinese that they are almost changing the population structure of Mexico. But it is also true that in the past ten years, Mexico has also been the main destination for Chinese immigrants.
Although most of the land here is controlled by large landowners, American capital has invested in oil fields, mines, railways and various other factories. When Mexican farmers are dependent on large plantation owners as tenants, introducing and employing immigrants has become the first option for American capital.
As early as 1880, more than 1.5 million Chinese immigrants moved to Mexico. As of now, among the 13 million people in Mexico, Chinese immigrants and their descendants have exceeded 4 million. It is for this reason that many cities with a majority of Chinese people have emerged in Mexico.
So if Master Ma wants to spread Chinese Kung Fu culture, he really has to choose a place.
"Mexico City, right? There are not only many foreigners there, but also many Chinese. If Master wants to teach martial arts, he should go there."
(End of this chapter)
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