Chapter 523 They are Ming people after all (fourth update, please subscribe)
Fort Canning Hill, commonly known as "Royal Hill" or "Flag Hill", covers an area of 19 hectares and is about 50 meters high. It was once the residence of Sir Stamford Raffles. In 1819, after landing at the mouth of the Singapore River, Sir Stamford Raffles fell in love with this hill overlooking the mouth of the Singapore River and built his Governor's Mansion on the top of the hill.
In every corner of this white stone Victorian-style Governor's Palace, you can feel the luxury of the British at that time. This Governor's Palace, located on the top of Royal Hill, represents the authority of the British Empire in Southeast Asia and is also a symbol of the British Empire in Southeast Asia.
Watching the golden-red sunlight shining through the snow-white linen curtains onto the wool carpet of the same color, Sir Ward picked up the gold-rimmed Cantonese porcelain teacup and took a sip of the fragrant black tea.
Black tea is produced in Wuyi Mountain. Although the British introduced tea trees to the Darjeeling Plateau in northern India more than ten years ago, compared to the inferior Indian black tea, the real British upper class still drinks Wuyi Mountain black tea.
Well, that's the difference between the original English tea and the pirated Prussian tea, which is basically garbage. The same is true of Darjeeling black tea.
Since being appointed as the new Governor of the Straits Settlements by Her Majesty the Queen four years ago and coming to Singapore, Sir Ward would sit on the grass in front of the Governor's House every afternoon, enjoying the cool breeze from Malacca, eating some local desserts, and drinking a cup of fragrant black tea, which would allow him to temporarily forget the busy government affairs and relax his mind.
However, Governor Ward's mood at this time was not as relaxed as before.
He is so annoying!
The Ming Dynasty established a consulate here. Originally, he didn't think it was a big deal. Establishing a consulate was the most normal thing.
But now Ward feels he has made the biggest mistake of his life.
"Your Excellency, in the past two days, more than 5,000 Qing people have become Ming citizens and have received Ming passports. Now the Ming consul has protested to us many times, protesting against the Indian police's arbitrary beatings and bullying of their expatriates..."
"What are their expatriates, sir? You know, those are Qing people. They are used to being beaten by the Indians. They..."
Police Chief Henry, who was standing nearby, had not yet finished speaking when Harry, the Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, spoke up.
"Sheriff Henry, we all know that they are from the Qing Dynasty, and we also know that we could blackmail them at will in the past, but now, they are from the Ming Dynasty! Their consul will stand up and speak for them!"
"They are just a bunch of yellow people!"
Henry said with some disdain. As someone who was used to being arrogant, he was already used to discrimination against the Chinese.
"This group of yellow people is different. They can send troops to Europe to fight, Henry!"
Ward said a little helplessly.
"Even the British need to buy airships from them. Although they are all yellow people, there are differences between yellow people, just like..."
When Ward didn't know how to describe it, Hared echoed from the side.
"Just like Europeans and Turks, they are all white, but so what? Europeans under the rule of the Turks have long forgotten civilization and are shrouded in barbarism. Under the rule of the Tatars, the Han people are the same, completely degenerating into barbarians. Am I right, sir?"
Hared's explanation made Ward smile.
"It is true that the Turks are... a wild people, but they are also white."
Shrugging his shoulders, Ward ordered Sheriff Henry.
"Henry, when you go back, tell your subordinates to be polite to the Chinese who cut off their braids. No, the Ming people, they may not be white, but the country behind them can be considered a civilized country!"
Sometimes, people always have to face reality. Ward does not want to cause diplomatic disputes because of the greed of Indian police and some low-level police officers. He does not think that a country that can send troops to France to fight will ignore its own citizens being bullied abroad. Even if they will not bombard Singapore, it will definitely cause diplomatic disputes, which is bound to affect his future promotion.
This is not a good thing.
However, what Ward did not know was that it was precisely because of his differential treatment that in the next few years, almost all overseas Chinese in the Straits Settlements applied for Ming passports at the consulate and cut off their braids. The same was true in the Dutch East Indies. After all, the difference between the two is visible to the naked eye!
"Okay, Harry, you can reply to him now and tell them that we will definitely guarantee the legal rights of the Ming people, and..."
Just when Ward thought things had ended perfectly, Harry spoke again.
"But sir, the special envoy is waiting for your summons. He seems to have something more important to discuss with you in person."
"In person? What's going on? Is he there?"
After learning that the other party had arrived at the Governor's Mansion, Ward stood up and said a little irritably.
"Harry, I tell you, never deal with an upstart. Do you know what kind of people they are?"
Ward spoke with emphasis as he walked towards the reception room of the Governor's Mansion.
"They all look so arrogant, afraid that no one can see their arrogance!"
But a few minutes later, Ward regretted it. He even regretted why he didn't leave the matter to Harold. God can testify that what he was facing was not arrogance, but unreasonable entanglement.
"Mr. Governor, you must give me a reasonable explanation for the large number of Chinese casualties in the Kedah Sultanate conflict. They are being killed every day, people die every day, their property is looted, and their lives are not guaranteed. Mr. Governor, is this the so-called safe environment provided by the Straits Settlements?"
Almost as soon as they met, Zhao Yongfu protested loudly. While protesting and demanding an explanation, he also asked directly for understanding.
"Mr. Governor, I hope you can immediately send your troops over to maintain local law and order, prevent conflicts from happening, and protect the safety of the Chinese..."
Chinese, Chinese, are Chinese people from the Ming Dynasty?
They all came from the Qing Dynasty, and some of them came from the Ming Dynasty. Your Ming Empire is clearly in South America, so why did you come to Southeast Asia to entangle those Chinese people? Ward, who had been troubled by the envoy's questions about protecting the rights of Chinese people and treating Ming people equally, said directly.
"Mr. Envoy, please believe that I have great respect for you and your country, the Ming Empire. From the beginning to the end, I have been talking to you with the greatest patience. But you must know that my patience is limited."
Ward's tone no longer had any so-called courtesy, but was filled with annoyance.
"You must know that the conflict in the Sultanate of Kedah has nothing to do with the British, nor with the Straits Settlements. It does not belong to the Straits Settlements. Although we have mediated the civil war there for humanitarian reasons, it is under the control of the Malay states, not the Straits Settlements. We do not need to give you any explanation for any incidents that happened there! Now!"
Ward took a deep breath and stared at the unreasonable Zhao Yongfu.
"If you have nothing to do with the affairs of the Straits Settlements, then please get out immediately!"
He was really fed up with this guy's nonsense. Are those people from the Qing Dynasty people from the Ming Dynasty?
Is there any point in him making trouble here?
Faced with the governor's anger and dissatisfaction, Zhao Fuyong seemed to be really intimidated. He was silent for a while, and then said.
"Yes, sir, as you wish."
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
