Chapter 504 Gunboat Diplomacy (First update, please subscribe)
October 26, 1870, Havana.
Amid the roar of cannon salutes, the warships "Friendship" and "Confederacy" and two immigrant ships entered the port of Havana.
The flag with the sun and the moon on the flagpole at the top of the warship's mast was fluttering in the wind. This is the national flag of the Ming Dynasty.
It was designed by Zhu Xianhai in France. The sun and the moon are bright, and they should be hanging in the blue sky. It's that simple. The national flag doesn't need to be complicated, as long as it is easy to draw.
When the fleet entered the port, the workers at the docks watched the fleet. There were white people, black people, and some Chinese people. There were more than 100,000 Chinese in Cuba, accounting for 10% of its population. Although a considerable number of Chinese workers worked as coolies in plantations, there were still tens of thousands of free Chinese workers living in Havana. Many of them worked at the docks.
"This is the flag of the Ming Dynasty!"
Although some of them still had braids, there were some changes in their eyes when they looked at the team.
But for these overseas Chinese workers, they don't care about the Ming Dynasty or the Qing Dynasty! After all, they have been oppressed by foreigners in Cuba for many years and have lived a life worse than that of cattle and horses.
They had hoped that the Qing Dynasty would stand up for them.
But what about dreaming?
Why would the Qing Dynasty offend foreigners for them?
What about the Ming Dynasty?
Will the Ming Dynasty stand up for them?
The answer is yes. Just as the Chinese workers were looking at the two huge warships with complicated eyes, Vice Admiral Sorel and his party walked into the command cabin of the "Friendship". As governors, they had to go on board first to pay tribute to the emperor.
However, Governor Solaire and others were greeted by Zhu Xianhai's cold words.
"You must release the Chinese workers to freedom unconditionally!"
In an instant, the temperature in the cabin dropped by several degrees. Without waiting for Lieutenant General Sorel to answer, Zhu Xianhai took out several photos. All the Chinese workers in the photos were wearing shackles.
"Our people signed contracts to come here to work, but they were enslaved, beaten, and even more so, not like slaves. They were restricted in shackles, forced to work, beaten, abused, and imprisoned. Is this how you treat your workers?"
Faced with the expected accusation, although feeling a little caught off guard, Lieutenant General Solaire still quickly replied.
"Your Majesty, I believe this is only an extremely rare case. In Cuba, even slaves do not need to wear shackles!" "That's because they are slaves, born slaves, and our people are free people, but you abuse and beat them like slaves. If you didn't imprison them, they would have escaped long ago. In fact, the Chinese workers who could not bear the abuse have participated in the escape from the very beginning - together with the remaining Indians, the hidden Moriscos, and the black slaves. And now, in order to survive, many of them have joined the rebels led by Baez. Groups and battalions of Chinese workers are fighting for their freedom..."
"Your Majesty, Baez is a rebel!"
Lieutenant General Soler exclaimed.
From the official Spanish perspective, there is no doubt that Baez, who led the rebels, was a rebel.
"They can be rebels or insurgents!"
Zhu Xianhai answered directly.
"As for what kind of person it is, you can decide, and so can we!"
Faced with such naked power, Lieutenant General Soler was upset. When had he ever been bullied like this? The pride of the Spaniard made him retort immediately.
"Your Majesty, is this a threat?"
"No!"
Zhu Xianhai shook his head and said.
“This is reality!”
Looking at Lieutenant General Sorel, Zhu Xianhai said.
"Now, I can discuss these things with you here. If you reject my goodwill, then my fleet and my army will speak for me. Please don't think that my goodwill is unlimited and my patience is limited!"
What is a threat?
This is a threat. A threat is to tell the other person directly - if you don’t agree, I will deal with you!
This kind of threat is the most direct and powerful!
"His Majesty……"
Faced with such a threat, Lieutenant General Sorel was really a little at a loss. Although he had several plans in mind to deal with the problem of Chinese workers, the other party did not play according to common sense at all!
He even made his attitude clear - either accept it or be beaten.
Get beaten!
Even if it happened a few years ago, before the queen was driven off the throne, Spain would certainly have been beaten when facing these two warships. So what about now?
Thinking of the dilapidated wooden warships in the Havana Bay, Vice Admiral Soler felt extremely heavy-hearted when he knew that there was no room for bargaining. After thinking for a while, he said.
"Your Majesty, we need time to report this matter to Madrid, and then let Madrid make a decision. After all, this involves more than 100,000 people, and they have signed a contract with the plantation."
Lieutenant General Sorel thought that such concessions would satisfy the other party, but his idea of delaying time was immediately shattered.
"You have twenty-four hours!"
This is the ultimatum!
Zhu Xianhai didn't give him any chance to delay at all. He didn't have the time to waste with them. After all, Cuba was just passing by and he had another thing to do.
"I hope you can make a decision within 24 hours - whether to set the Chinese workers free and abolish the inhumane slave trade contract!"
What about twenty-four hours later?
Of course, the cannons were fired and blasted him to pieces!
In fact, in his heart, Zhu Xianhai hoped that the Spaniards would be prouder and tougher and directly reject this request. Then the fleet took the opportunity to bombard Havana. Since they wanted to support the Chinese workers, they had to make some noise!
In fact, supporting Chinese workers can not only establish the orthodox image of the Ming Dynasty in the eyes of countries around the world!
More importantly, the Ming Dynasty needed to let the world see that it was completely different from the Qing Dynasty.
The Ming Dynasty will not accept the tricks they used to deal with the Qing Dynasty!
The "Treaty of Qing Dynasty" that measured China's material resources and pleased its friendly countries had already brought shame to China. If the Ming Dynasty wanted to gain a foothold on the international stage, it had to pick up the face lost by the "Treaty of Qing Dynasty" bit by bit. Protecting overseas Chinese was the first step. There was no other way. Westerners could not tell who was a Ming person and who was a Qing person. In their eyes, they were all Chinese.
If you want to get back the face you have lost, you must resort to some tough measures. Things like convincing people with virtue or defeating the enemy without fighting are all nonsense.
For Westerners, the only thing they believe in is that might makes right. Only if you beat them up and make them feel hurt, will they get along with you.
"His Majesty,"
Governor Soler clenched his fists and felt extremely humiliated. Although he instinctively wanted to refuse, he still chose to be rational.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to go back and seek the judge's opinion. After all, this involves many legal issues that need to be resolved."
When Solaire finished speaking, Zhu Xianhai immediately agreed.
"Indeed, this matter does involve many legal issues. I think that in the process of handling this incident, we need to set up a special court composed of representatives from both sides to investigate the plantation owners' illegal imprisonment and abuse of Chinese workers, and punish them according to the law!"
Without waiting for Lieutenant General Sorel to object, Zhu Xianhai said to Li Weiye who was standing beside him.
"Li Weiye, I appoint you as the judge of the Joint Court to investigate and handle this matter."
Although the appointment was a bit sudden, Li Weiye said excitedly.
"I will definitely live up to your majesty's trust."
This... we haven't agreed yet! When Lieutenant General Solaire was about to speak, Zhu Xianhai said to him.
"You don't have to worry about his professional level. He is a top student in the law department of Sciences Po in Paris. Oh, and he was born on a plantation in Cuba. His father was a contract Chinese worker!"
In an instant, Solaire's face turned pale. Everyone knew that this was not an appointment at all... He was clearly here to take revenge!
He didn't know if it was an illusion, but at that moment, he saw the beauty of the mixed-blood girl and a sneer flashed in his eyes...
As usual, Li Nianxiang was busy in his shop. After he finally managed to get out of the plantation alive more than ten years ago, he made a living by selling daily necessities on his shoulder. He bought this grocery store, and then redeemed the woman he loved on the plantation and his own children and brought them out. Not only did he bring them out of the plantation, but he also sent his son to school and even to France.
"Just work hard for a few more years, wait for Weiye to come back, find him a wife, and then we can..."
Just as he was looking forward to the future, someone suddenly ran over and shouted to him.
"Brother Li, Brother Li, hurry up, hurry to the dock, our Chinese, no, Ming Dynasty ship is coming..."
Like many people, after learning that the Ming Dynasty warships had arrived in Havana, Li Nianxiang also came to the dock. Even though some of them still had pigtails, to them, whether it was the Ming Dynasty or the Qing Dynasty, they were all China.
"It really is a Chinese ship. Look, what are the words written on the bow?"
"friendship!"
When staring at the Chinese characters on the bow, like many people, Li Nianxiang's eyes felt a little hot and he almost shed tears.
In the past, they never dared to imagine that one day they would see Chinese ships here.
Just then, someone pointed at the people on the boat and said.
"Brother Li, take a look and see if that's Wei Ye."
"It's Wei Ye, why is he on this ship? Isn't he studying in France?"
When Li Nianxiang was surprised that his son was on the ship, he saw an even more surprising scene: those arrogant foreign officers were talking to him politely, and some even bowed to him.
This, what is going on.
Staring at his son being complimented by foreigners on the boat, Li Nianxiang was completely stunned...
(End of this chapter)
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