Chapter 468 Iron Boots Set Foot on France (First Update, Please Subscribe)
When the Great Eastern, also known as the "floating city on the sea", sailed into the English Channel again, even its former builders might not recognize it.
After several modifications, the Great Eastern not only removed the towering mast, but also the giant paddle wheels on both sides. It was equipped with a new triple expansion steam engine, which not only made it faster, but also used less fuel. As an immigration ship, the Great Eastern played the role of a "floating city on the sea" in the past few years.
One out of every five South Chinese people came to America on it!
Standing on the top deck, when this sentence came to his mind, Zhu Xianhai once again felt lucky that he had made a wise decision to buy it. It was this ship that brought millions of immigrants to Nanhua. It can be said that this ship was a great contributor to Nanhua's establishment of the national language and South America!
For Nanhua, it is not just a ship, but the difficult pioneering history of Nanhua. Of course it must be preserved as history!
"One day, even if it is retired, a museum will be set up to preserve it forever. It is history! It is the history of the Chinese nation's pioneering and enterprising spirit in South America!"
As this thought flashed through his mind, the escorting French warship sent a signal.
"Your Majesty, we have entered the Seine Bay."
Bay of the Seine...Once you arrive in Le Havre in Normandy, you can head straight to Paris along the Seine River.
Normandy!
This is Nanhua’s army’s Normandy landing!
Thinking of another Normandy Landing in history, Zhu Xianhai couldn't help but smile, and his smile was even a little weird.
Looking at the French warships in the distance and the French flag flying on the masts of the warships, Zhu Xianhai laughed and asked Sun Hu who was standing beside him.
"Your Majesty, are you thinking of something happy?"
"Do you know why the French flag is blue, white and red?"
"What?"
Thinking about the joke in later generations, Zhu Xianhai laughed.
“Because it’s convenient.”
"What? Convenient?"
"Yes, it's convenient. If there is a war, just cut along the dotted line. If you want to restore the monarchy, use the left side. If there is a revolutionary war, use the right side. If it's a foreign war, use the middle one!"
As soon as Zhu Xianhai finished speaking, there was laughter all around, and Sun Hu said directly while laughing.
"Who is this? How can he..."
He originally wanted to say something so "harmful" but took back the words when they came to his lips.
Who is it?
It's just the daily fun of insulting the law.
Zhu Xianhai didn't even need to explain, someone else explained it.
"Before the French Revolution, the flag of the Kingdom of France was basically two blue flags with gold irises on a blue background. So there was blue, and during the Revolution they used a red flag. As for white... well, it was the traditional flag of the French Navy."
"It seems that surrender is indeed a French tradition!"
Well, it’s insulting the law again!
This is not a good habit. After all, in Zhu Xianhai's plan, France will be South China's most important ally in Europe in the next ten or twenty years.
The role of this ally is to share the pressure from Britain for Nanhua. Why did they choose France as this ally?
Because he is the second in the world in this era.
As the second most powerful country in the world, France has always been eager to compete with Britain for the world. From Africa to Southeast Asia, France has always looked at the vast colonies owned by Britain with envy and hatred.
But what about France?
France's colonies were nothing more than the deserts of North Africa, or even that small piece of tropical rainforest in Vietnam.
But the British are different. They have the largest and most prosperous colonies in the world. How can the French not be envious and jealous of all this?
As long as they provoke a war between Britain and France, when they are powerless and unable to invade the New World, Nanhua can take the opportunity to start its own expansion.
Historically, Germany came to power by stepping on the corpse of the Second French Empire.
But what about the future of Nanhua?
It is certainly not enough to ascend to power simply by stepping on the corpse of an empire.
At least two were trampled!
Those two?
Of course, he would come to power by stepping on the corpses of the Second Empire and the British Empire.
Therefore, we must not insult the law anymore! For the sake of friendship!
A few hours later, the fleet sailed into Le Havre. The soldiers on the deck looked at the port with curiosity!
This is Europe!
Now, they have finally arrived in Europe!
When the expeditionary fleet entered the port of Le Havre, several French cruisers and gunboats were hung with colorful flags, and when the fleet entered the port, the warships fired cannons.
One sound, two sounds...
The continuous sound of artillery fire echoed in the air.
Twenty-one gun salutes!
This is the treatment given to a head of state.
For the whole of France, this reinforcement of tens of thousands of people may not be large in scale, but for France, which is seriously short of troops, it is simply a timely help.
Moreover, before this, their airships had just inflicted heavy damage on the Prussians and rescued 100,000 French troops!
Now, this country has sent its troops to lend a helping hand. How could the French not be moved?
For the French in 1870, there had been no good news since September.
Although the emperor led 100,000 French troops to successfully break through the Prussian encirclement 18 days ago, the Prussians have now occupied more than one-third of France's territory. 100,000 Prussian troops are approaching Paris. Just yesterday, September 19, the Prussian army had surrounded Paris.
Paris was now defended only by troops under MacMahon, most of whom were conscripts.
Under such circumstances, the reinforcements from South China that came from afar became France's hope.
What they saw was the generous helping hand extended by Nanhua and the selfless contribution of Nanhua. When they learned that Nanhua's ship would arrive at the port of Le Havre at 3 pm, thousands of Le Havre citizens walked out of their homes, carrying flowers and waiting at the dock to welcome the allied forces coming from afar.
Allied Forces!
What kind of surprises will this allied force coming from afar bring them in the future?
Everyone's heart was filled with curiosity. Over the past period of time, French newspapers were full of reports on the South China Army. Not only was it a "floating city in the sky that could bring destruction", but it was also South China's elite army. Their army had destroyed two countries in succession, turning the two countries into history.
Their army is not only well-equipped, but also brave and skilled in fighting. Each soldier is a warrior who can fight ten enemies at once. For the French people who have had enough of the "incompetence" of the French army, this army from a foreign land is hope, the hope of the whole of France!
On the French warships that welcomed the expeditionary force into the port, the French sailors with red pompoms on their naval caps were crowded on the deck. In the past days, it was because of their presence that the Prussians did not dare to invade the city.
"It's really hard to imagine that one day, the only people in the world who offered help to France were... the South Chinese. Well, they are South Chinese."
The tone of the officer who spoke seemed a little unnatural. Many of them still could not equate Nanhua with the Qing Dynasty. These were two completely different countries.
“Times have really changed…”
At least in the past, they never dared to imagine that one day a group of Chinese people would come to save France. After all, their impression of China was more of that country in the East where men had pigtails. Now these Chinese people have become the saviors of the entire France.
However, the French do not have deep-rooted racial discrimination views. After all, this land has been influenced by the Great Revolution.
Dozens of minutes later, amid the enthusiastic cheers of the people, they were welcomed by the mayor, the local garrison commander Major General Faber, and a group of officers.
The Nanhua troops finally disembarked. The soldiers, of course, looked at the Nanhua officers and soldiers disembarking from the ship with pure military eyes. Even with just a preliminary impression, it can be seen that this is undoubtedly an extremely elite force. The soldiers are of different ages. However, most of them are around 20 years old, with only a few who are slightly older. Their height is about the same as that of the French, and many of them are taller than Europeans. Although their faces are slightly tired from the long voyage, they still look very energetic.
From their neat and quiet movements when they disembarked, we knew that they had received strict military training, and the faces of these soldiers, without exception, were filled with pride in the army they belonged to. Unlike the noisy clamor when the French soldiers went ashore, after the soldiers went ashore, their commands kept echoing on the dock, and the soldiers quickly lined up in formation under the commands.
"These soldiers are so handsome!"
The French women who came to greet them couldn't help but scream. These soldiers completely overturned their perception of soldiers. After all, the French army was full of veterans who had served for more than a decade. They were all middle-aged men with beards, alcoholics, and poor discipline.
How can they compare with these handsome and young South China soldiers!
While the French women were looking at this army with amazement and even admiration, none of the soldiers looked around; they stood straight on the dock like sculptures.
Finally, accompanied by the military music played by the military band and the sound of French salutes, Zhu Xianhai walked down the gangway. Dressed in a military uniform, he looked no different from an ordinary soldier.
The moment his military boots stepped on the land, Zhu Xian didn't know how others felt, but deep in his heart he felt a kind of excitement.
What made him so excited?
Because this is the iron boots of China stepping on the land of Europe! In another world, this is something that countless people dream of.
The French major-general hurried forward to greet His Majesty.
"Your Majesty, welcome to France with your army! Salute you!"
(End of this chapter)
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