Chapter 986: The Conquest of Civilization (Second update, please subscribe)
Early in the morning, five o'clock.
Next to the platform of Dar es Salaam Railway Station, there is a train parked. This train is called the "Blue Steel Express" in the railway guide because the carriages of ordinary trains are made of wood, while this train has steel carriages painted blue and black. In addition, its speed is as high as 60 kilometers per hour, so it is called the "Blue Steel Express".
At the footboard at the door of the sleeper car, Long Dingchuan, wearing a khaki military uniform, was saying goodbye to Tamura. The two men were very different in height. Warrant Officer Tamura, who was not tall, stood there respectfully. When the captain was about to get on the car, Warrant Officer Tamura bowed again.
"Commander Long, I look forward to your next visit."
"Tamura, thank you for your hospitality. Welcome to Bechuanaland."
After saying that, Long Dingchuan got on the train. Before getting on the train, he took a special look at his luggage - a native attendant had already delivered his luggage to the luggage compartment of the Blue Steel Express.
The Blue Steel Express is generally used on special lines, and this train is an express train from Dar es Salaam to Bechuanaland.
What was the biggest change in Africa under the rule of the Ming Empire?
It’s transportation!
Almost from the first day of extending its tentacles to Africa, the Ming Empire planned the African railway. In just five years, more than 10,000 kilometers of railways were built. The railways connected the Ming Dynasty's African colonies into a whole.
Railways and towering telegraph networks are regarded as "the conquest of barbarism by civilization". It is through railways that modern civilization has been able to penetrate into the interior of Africa, which has not changed for tens of thousands of years, and let the locals be baptized by modern civilization.
Soon, with the sound of the whistle, the train slowly left the train station.
Five o'clock in the morning was an awkward time to board the train, with more than an hour before dawn. Long Dingchuan, who felt sleep deprived the previous night, fell asleep in the compartment after boarding the train.
When he woke up, it was already nine o'clock in the morning. After leaving the private room, he walked towards the dining car, wanting to get some breakfast.
Although it was already nine o'clock in the morning, there were still some passengers in the carriage. However, as soon as he entered the carriage, Long Dingchuan was attracted by a young girl. He quite liked her delicate face and delicate fair skin.
Judging from his height, he should be Chinese.
She seemed to be occupying a position somewhere.
There are many Japanese immigrants in the African colonies, not only because the African legions that conquered this land were composed of Japanese people, but also because Japanese immigrants have always been loyal servants on Chinese farms.
At this time, a middle-aged man with slightly gray hair on his temples, dark skin, and about forty years old, came over.
"He must be a farmer."
Long Dingchuan muttered to himself.
As soon as the man came in, the girl quickly stood up and spoke to the man in a tender voice.
"Master, I have already ordered breakfast."
The man nodded slightly, then sat down carelessly.
"The good cabbages are eaten by pigs!"
In an instant, this thought popped up in Long Dingchuan's mind.
But in the African colonies, such a couple combination was very normal. The man was a Chinese farmer and his wife was Japanese. Her father or brother might be the foreman or supervisor of the farmer's family. In order to please the employer, they would marry their daughter or sister to the employer.
Just at this moment, two Europeans in suits walked into the dining car. They glanced around the car, then walked to the seat next to Long Dingchuan and sat down. Then they ordered breakfast in not-so-fluent Chinese.
Then the two foreigners started chatting.
Is German.
Although there were not many people who could speak German in the colony, Long Dingchuan, who had studied military in Germany, was naturally familiar with German.
"...I got up very early and arrived late."
"What?"
"I mean the Europeans. They came to Africa earlier, but who would have thought that the richest place in Africa would be occupied by the Ming Dynasty."
Although Long Dingchuan, who was enjoying breakfast, had no intention of eavesdropping on their conversation, every word they said reached his ears.
"That's true. I remember Mr. Henry Morton Stanley once said that when he first entered Africa to explore, this was still an unowned land. But when his exploration was halfway through, this place became the territory of the Ming people!"
Listening to them mention the explorer Henry Morton Stanley, Long Dingchuan's lips curled up slightly. He knew this guy, a European explorer. He entered the heart of Africa even earlier than the Imperial African Corps. When he was exploring, he unexpectedly encountered the Corps' expeditionary force. He was almost dumbfounded as he looked at "those guys in khaki uniforms, who raised the flag of the Ming Dynasty under his gaze."
From then on, this ownerless land had its owner.
"Two years ago, Mr. Henry Morton Stanley published an article in a newspaper saying that under the colonial rule of the Ming Empire, the African continent was still mysterious and bizarre. There, the Ming gentlemen wore straw hats and enjoyed everything on the dark continent. The Japanese warriors with the scorching sun above their heads collected taxes everywhere. In the summer resort under the Kilimanjaro Snow Mountain, the empire's tables were filled with sumptuous banquets, with delicacies from land and sea, and on the lawn of the club, football games were full of ups and downs. On the arid African savannah, hunting lions and elephants was exciting..."
This is classic jealousy!
Just because you can't eat the grapes, you say they are sour!
Apparently, Long Dingchuan was not the only one who thought this way, another German also held this view.
"This is nothing but Mr. Stanley's jealous words. He has not seen how the African continent, under the rule of the empire, has entered modern civilization!"
"Like the millions of workers who are now building the railway? Mr. Stanley once said in his travelogue that under every railroad tie in Africa, there is a native body buried."
When he heard this, Long Dingchuan could no longer bear their conversation. He turned his head and looked at the German and said.
"Sir, everything you said is just hearsay, the jealous nonsense of Stanley!"
In Long Dingchuan's opinion, not even a single punctuation mark in Stanley's handwriting was trustworthy.
"Captain, this does not deny the fact that many people died during the construction of the railway!"
Facing the European man's questioning, Long Dingchuan took a sip of milk and spoke in a bland tone.
"If you want the happiness of civilization, you have to go through the pain of civilization. Civilization... always comes at a price."
(End of this chapter)
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