Chapter 519: Going to Southeast Asia (Third update, please subscribe)
Some things will disappear once you miss them!
In fact, Zhu Xianhai had considered the Central Plains, but what era was the 1870s?
It was the last time the great powers divided up the world, and this frenzy of division directly laid the foundation for the international sphere of influence of future great powers.
It is not only an international sphere of influence, but also the foundation of international power!
Let's not talk about the British Empire. Let's talk about France. In the 21st century, there are endless jokes insulting France on the Internet. Insulting France every day is simply a great joy. But how many people know the great influence of France in its former colonies in Africa? France's influence far exceeds their imagination. When Chinese engineers and workers were kidnapped in the local area, they had to ask the French for help. When Chinese businessmen were blackmailed or even shot by local officials and police, even the poorest French could still live a superior life in those places, and officials and police still respected them. Such differential treatment is because they are French.
In fact, the status of all countries in their former colonies is generally the same. Even a weak country like Italy still exerts an extremely important influence in Somalia even in the 21st century.
And when was this influence established?
It was acquired during the frenzy of partition in the late 19th century, during the colonization of the local areas. Even if those colonies became independent, so what? The companies and enterprises of the former colonial powers still occupied the most important local mineral resources and still controlled the local economic lifeline. Even the officials were proud to settle in the colonial powers.
Those latecomers of civilization?
So what if they are waving money or machines?
In other people's eyes, you are just a sucker!
Yes, it is you, Excellency. Several people in the East Asian Monster Room have played such roles.
But now it is different. The last colonial frenzy on the little blue planet has not yet started. As long as Zhu Xianhai seizes the opportunity, he will be able to win a place for China in the world.
China is vast and rich in resources!
That's bullshit!
Compared to the world, China is too small!
There are too many people living here. If such a large number of Chinese people were trapped in their homeland, most of them would only fall into hunger and poverty, war and famine. The world is so big, bring them out of their homeland!
"Give me your tired, poor, free-hungry multitude!"
With their participation, Zhu Xianhai was able to seize the opportunity in this frenzy and fight for a living space for China on this planet. This living space will not change with time or the change of dynasties.
Everything belongs to China!
On one side is the Chinese homeland, and on the other side is the world! If you miss the most precious opportunity for the sake of your homeland, it would be a crime against the Chinese nation.
But what about the homeland?
What is the current situation of the Chinese homeland?
Governor Li controlled Shandong, Henan, northern Jiangsu and northern Anhui. The Huai Army also entered Shaanxi and Gansu. Zeng Shatou controlled Huguang, and Zeng Laojiu went to Sichuan. They were there to quell the rebellion, but how loyal were these great ministers of "our Tartar Qing"?
In exchange for guns, machinery and other goods, they sold their people with great pleasure.
It is better to support them to establish their own army than to let the Qing Dynasty "measure China's material resources and please its allies". Moreover, after they establish their own army, they will be free of ties and may be able to reform and become stronger!
Who knows?
For the sake of their own family business, they are always willing to invest, and with the addition of a kingdom of heaven, in order to make themselves stronger and unify the world in the future, these forces will definitely reform, change the law, and seek strength. Otherwise, they will only be eaten by others.
Just like "raising Gu", you can always raise a strong one. As for the warlords' infighting, Lord Li will not fall out with his mentor!
Even if things get worse, we can wait for 20 or 30 years, until the outside world has been divided up almost completely, and then we can fight back home. It won't be too late!
Therefore, what Liu Kunpeng said to Lord Li was from the bottom of his heart, and it was also the official policy of the Ming Dynasty. All the Ming Dynasty needed was people!
"Give me your tired, poor, free-hungry multitude!"
For the poor and hungry Chinese people, what they desire is not freedom, at most it is the freedom of food. What they desire is to be able to have a full meal!
Unlike the people along the river and in the north and central areas who went to South America by sea via rivers and railways, the people in Guangdong and Guangxi, especially those from Guangdong who, during the Hakka-Punti conflict, sailed across the sea to Southeast Asia. Most of them were treated as "piglets" and signed contracts to work as coolies. After long periods of hard labor and finally redeeming themselves and regaining their freedom, most of these Chinese workers chose to stay in the local area.
Nanyang is like another Nanhua, where millions of Chinese people escape poverty and seek a livelihood.
In March 1871, when spring was just coming back to the earth, a fleet of two warships left Hong Kong and headed south.
For the nearly 800 sailors on the two warships, Tianlong and Qinglong, this was just a voyage. They left Linhai Port last year, crossed the Pacific Ocean and arrived in Naha. After a short rest in Naha, they sailed to Bohai Bay. Although Liu Kunpeng and others who were detained had been released and the two sides even signed a treaty, as part of the show of force, the fleet still conducted a half-month exercise in Bohai Bay together with the French Far East Fleet.
In fact, this is a gunboat demonstration!
Afterwards, they visited Haizhou and Tianjing, and also paid homage to the Xiaoling Mausoleum in Tianjing. As a reward for the visit, the Heavenly Kingdom specially allocated 500,000 taels of silver for the repair of the Xiaoling Mausoleum. After all, it was the ancestral mausoleum of Emperor Zhu, and in order to make friends with the Ming Dynasty, the Heavenly Kingdom also spent a lot of money.
After the fleet sailed south to Hong Kong, it continued southward. As usual, the sailors were conducting routine training. While the sailors were training, Zhao Yongfu, as a special envoy, was studying the information about Nanyang obtained in Haizhou and Hong Kong all day long. At this time, his mind was all about going to Nanyang.
"Don't return empty-handed this time!"
Muttering this in his mind, Zhao Yongfu once again looked through the information he had. The pressure was on him that this matter could only succeed and not fail.
Even though I am full of confidence in my heart, I still feel heavy when I think about what I might encounter.
After all, there are many factors involved in making this matter go smoothly!
"The key still depends on the fleet!"
Thinking this in his mind, Zhao Yongfu walked out of the cabin. As soon as he reached the deck, he heard the orders of the officers on the deck. Following the fate of the officers, the iron plates on the side of the cabin were lowered and the ship's guns were pointed directly at the side.
As always, the squadron commander, Colonel Meng Qingen, stood on the bridge with a serious expression. He watched the sailors drill every day. Walking onto the bridge, Zhao Yongfu said.
"Commander Meng, where are we now?"
Meng Qingen answered without turning his head.
“Tomorrow, we will arrive in Singapore.”
Singapore is also called Nanyang. Zhao Yongfu is full of expectations for that piece of land...
(End of this chapter)
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