Chapter 800: The world is unpredictable (first update, please subscribe)
In front of the customs channel, a long queue of people was formed. These people who came from the ancient land of China had expressions full of anticipation. From the moment they set foot on the land of the Ming Dynasty, they were full of yearning for the future.
In the customs channel, they reported their hometowns and names one by one. They were men and women, old and young.
“Place of origin.”
Listening to the official's words, the boy replied a little nervously.
“Cuiheng Village, Xiangshan County, Guangdong Province.”
"Name."
"My surname is Sun, and my name is Wen."
Because he didn't speak Mandarin fluently, the boy emphasized it twice. He didn't breathe a sigh of relief until he was sure that he had written it correctly. Just as he was checking in at Channel 3, his name was called out at the channel next to the Han Jiaojun station.
"My surname is Song, and my name is Jiashu."
Because the two people were of similar age, when they passed through the checkpoint, they looked at each other through the iron bars and smiled at each other. They had not seen people of the same age for a long time.
"My name is Song Jiashu, what's yours?"
"My name is Sun Wen."
"I'm from Wenchang, Guangdong, which is on Hainan Island."
"Ah, fellow countryman, I am also from Guangdong, Xiangshan, Guangdong."
The two of them were walking and chatting, and their destination was the same, a quarantine camp for new immigrants.
For these young children, they do not need to undergo several months of "education" after leaving the quarantine camp like their parents.
These teenagers will go to boarding schools to receive compulsory education, and at least four years of primary education, which is the law of the Ming Dynasty. Of course, this will not separate them from their families. After a few months of labor, their children will be sent to their side and study in the area where they work.
Song Jiashu's uncle must have been unhappy about this. After all, he brought his nephew here to make money, but he never thought that Song Jiashu would have to go to school because of his age.
Half a month later, when Song Jiashu, Sun Wen and hundreds of children in the camp were sent to boarding school, Song Yukun naturally complained about the tyranny of the Ming government and the separation of families, but that was all.
When you live under someone's roof, you have to bow your head.
When Song Jiashu and Sun Wen were riding in the same carriage on their way to boarding school, they chatted the entire way.
Life is sometimes so magical.
…
Sometimes the encounters in life are so magical. At least for Ding Ruchang, the admiral of the Beiyang Fleet, at least ten years ago, he had never thought that one day he would personally command a warship across the Pacific Ocean to Linhai.
When the cruiser "Jianwei" under his command was about to enter Linhai Bay, he deliberately ordered the dragon flag to be lowered, and then sailed into Linhai Bay amid the sound of salutes, and then began his journey to the Ming Dynasty.
In another world, the establishment of the Beiyang Fleet would take several more years, but under the flapping of butterfly wings - stimulated by the Heavenly Kingdom Fleet, the Beiyang Fleet was established ten years ago. However, due to the limitations of the times, except for a dozen "mosquito gunboats" bought from Nanhua at a high price, the remaining warships were iron-ribbed wooden hull gunboats. Although the "Jianwei" cruiser had long been behind the times, this ocean voyage also proved that the Beiyang Fleet's navigation technology was still good.
However, Ding Ruchang couldn't help but sigh when he saw the ironclad warships berthed at the Linhai Bay Naval Dock.
"After Japan was incorporated into the Ming Dynasty, some people in the court said that it was necessary to strengthen the coastal defense to prevent the invasion of the Ming Dynasty. However, even a single ship of the "Linhai" from the Ming Dynasty Navy could sweep away all the navies of the Qing Dynasty..."
The reason why Ding Ruchang said this was that when he passed through Japan, no, it should be said that when he passed through East Japan, he boarded the flagship of the Ming Dynasty Asia Fleet, the "Linhai", for a visit. While he was surprised at its power, now that he was at the base of the Ming Dynasty Pacific Fleet, the shock he felt can be imagined.
"Today I finally understand why even the British had to give in silently when facing the Ming Dynasty!"
Sun Xingtian, the captain of the cruiser "Yangwei", stared at the "Zhenyuan" not far away, with a solemn and eager look. Unlike most of the Beiyang Navy captains who graduated from the Naval Academy in history, the Haizhou Naval Academy, founded in 1865, has trained a large number of talents for the Beiyang Navy in the past decade, and Sun Xingtian was one of the earliest graduates.
"If nothing else, this 12-inch cannon is enough to shock the West!"
It is still unknown whether the West was shocked, but for the visiting Beiyang sailors, they were excited when they boarded the "Zhenyuan".
Ironclad warships, twelve-inch cannons...
Everything was something they had never seen or heard of before.
"...This is the 12-inch main gun used by the Zhenyuan, all of which have a 32-fold barrel length. This is the 12-inch naval gun with the longest barrel, the greatest power, and the longest range in the world..."
When introducing the "Zhenyuan" to the visiting Beiyang officers and soldiers, Dong Balang's expression was full of unconcealable pride.
These Qing sailors must have never seen such a huge ironclad warship! The Ming Dynasty not only had the "Nanhua Class" but also the more powerful "Youzhou Class". It's a pity that you came too early. If you came a few years later, you might have seen the "Youzhou Class".
"And these warships were all built by the Ming Dynasty shipyard..."
This seemingly casual remark shocked the hearts of the visiting naval officers and soldiers. The impact on the soul caused by hearing about it and seeing it with one's own eyes can be imagined.
“This is ‘Zhenyuan’!”
Standing on the battleship "Zhenyuan", Ding Ruchang was sighing while Shen Yaozu, commander of the Pacific Fleet, asked with a smile.
"Admiral Ding, how do you feel about this trip?"
Facing Shen Yaozu's question, Ding Ruchang thought for a moment and then said.
"Commander Shen, the strength of the Ming navy is far beyond our imagination. At this time, Lord Zhongtang sent Ding here not only to test our navigation skills, but also to discuss naval cooperation with you."
Why did Ding Ruchang come here?
On the surface it is for training, but what is the reality?
It was for the sake of cooperation. This cooperation was not just naval cooperation. There was another person on the "Yang Wei" - Zhou Fu. He was Li Zhongtang's longest-serving and trusted aide. The reason why he came to the Ming Dynasty with the ship was to win the support of the Ming Dynasty.
When Ding Ruchang boarded the "Zhenyuan", Zhou Fu and others had already gone ashore and taken a train to Yingtian. Like many people, they were dressed in Western clothes and hid their braids in their hats. They looked no different from ordinary Ming people.
However, along the way, they were like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, and the shock they felt was unprecedented...
(End of this chapter)
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