The Lion City of Singapore is a transportation hub connecting the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. Trade between Asia and Europe must pass through here. What the British love most is to occupy such transportation hubs and build them to control ocean routes.
Whoever controls the trade routes controls the main artery of the world economy. The confidence of the British Empire comes from their control of the oceans.
The year 1871 is destined to be the most important event in Singapore's diplomatic history, because this year they not only welcomed the returning Emperor Tongzhi, but also the Chinese expeditionary force and the head of state himself who were victorious in Europe.
Facing the return of the Zhiyuan Combined Fleet, the United Kingdom resorted to all-out tactics. All of Asia and even some warships in the Indian Ocean were removed.
The Strait of Malacca suddenly became murderous! This is not because the British want to go to war with the Chinese, but that the British must realize their powerful navy in Malacca.
"The British are really smart. They know that once our victorious fleet passes by here, it will definitely make all the Chinese and indigenous people excited!"
"Strong military power always makes people fearful, and this fear will gradually evolve into other thoughts... The British are afraid that local forces will wink at us!"
"So they must show their naval power while we are showing their strength!"
On the bridge of the Zhiyuan, Xiang Ying was using a telescope to look at the British warships that were following him all the way. There were more than 20 ships pulling out a long snake formation on the sea, and the end could not be seen at a glance.
The main channel has been occupied by the Chinese and British fleets, and all other merchant ships and civilian ships must stay away!
When the merchant ships in Southeast Asia, especially the Chinese merchant ships, saw the mighty Zhiyuan, they burst into cheers and shouts of long live. If the head of state had not issued a strict order not to slow down or park, those merchant ships would definitely catch up and give gifts, including paying homage to the head of state.
But just like that, some merchant ships sent out small boats to deliver the freshest food and the best goods to the head of state!
As for those European merchant ships, except those from France, Tsarist Russia, and Spain... all merchant ships also blew their whistles to pay tribute to the head of state.
Human beings have a heartfelt admiration for the winner. The strong always have privileges!
The British looked at the scene in front of them and felt sour in their stomachs, but there was nothing they could do about it... In terms of the number of battleships, the Chinese people would definitely not be able to compete with you, the British, but in terms of the advanced nature of the battleships, the Zhiyuan It is far superior to any main ship in the British fleet.
It is completely epoch-making, completely different style, and the power displayed is absolutely different!
The powerful aura created by the technological generation gap is really difficult to make up for with quantity!
The British, whose momentum was suppressed, could only lower their noble heads and fire salutes every morning, noon and evening to show their respect for Xiao Letian!
And Xiao Letian also enjoyed the flattery. Every day after eating, he would run to the deck and wave to the British.
The British captain cannot ignore the friendly expressions of the Chinese head of state! Wouldn’t that make the British Empire look very rude? A dignified British gentleman can never lower his price, right?
As a result, the three-way gun salute became a must-performing program every day. The British fleet escorted for three days and used up the three-month salute quota.
If they knew what the evil-smiling Xiao Letian was mumbling, they would definitely be furious!
"Hello, comrades... Thank you for your hard work, comrades... Let's fire one shot! Fire one more shot! Two or three more shots..."
"Anyway, it's your navy's military expenses. The less you have, the better... Comrades, thank you for your hard work..."
Xiang Ying has followed Xiao Letian for many years, and has become completely accustomed to his master's tricks, and has become completely immune to all this. On the way back home, Xiang Ying trained with the navy officers and soldiers on the use of various equipment. Including tactical deductions.
Boom boom boom...the white smoke of the salute spread across the sea, and the seagulls that were frightened away flew back again.
"Master! Please stay in Lehe for a few days. I'm afraid it won't be so easy when you get to the Lion City..."
Xiao Letian rolled his eyes at him and said nothing, but Hingtaro asked, "Why? Is there still a battle to be fought in the Lion City?"
"It's not a war, but countless official documents! Haven't you noticed that the closer we get to the Lion City, the more telegrams our fleet can receive..."
"The Lion City is the port we must repair, and it is also the largest intelligence war our intelligence agency has set up in Nanyang... As long as the master arrives in the Lion City, it will not be telegraphs to handle government affairs, but ship after ship of official documents! "
Xiao Letian's good mood was ruined by this brat. He glared at Xiang Ying, "You are the only one who talks too much..."
Xiang Ying's analysis was not wrong at all. Before the fleet arrived in the Lion City, the Chinese had to rely on telegraphs to deliver news for government affairs.
The left-behind minister Xiao Hexin telegraphed important military and state affairs concisely, and then Xiao Letian gave directional instructions, and then the Chinese went about their errands in accordance with the spirit of the instructions.
But when we get to the Lion City, which is the border of the powerful Chinese forces, the developed maritime trade here can be said to be crowded with thousands of sailors. When we get here, Xiao Hexin’s official documents, as well as the Chinese military affairs, all the internal affairs details must be written in black and white. The shipment has arrived.
Xiao Letian was about to cry. After being in Europe for so long, God knows how many documents Ryukyu had accumulated. Although there was a left-behind plenipotentiary minister who handled more than 80% of the documents, the remaining 20% could not be tolerated!
The key is that the Chinese have a huge territory right now, too many people, and their business scene is scary! There were 20% of the official documents left to be processed, which would exhaust Xiao Letian to death.
Sure enough, when the fleet slowly docked at the Lion City Military Port amidst the cheers of the crowd, the welcoming Chinese from Nanyang were completely blown away.
This is a ceremony that is ten times grander than welcoming Emperor Tongzhi. Entering Singapore is actually entering the core sphere of influence of the Chinese people.
What exactly does Xiao Letian’s Chinese people rely on? It relies on sea and river transportation, as well as the support of countless overseas Chinese!
There are businesses, there are Chinese... speaking Chinese and writing Chinese characters... these areas are Xiao Letian's base camp. The concept of Chinese has now surpassed the concept of Chinese in Southeast Asia.
After attending the ceremony in Shanghai, many wealthy businessmen took the fastest clippers or steamers all the way south to greet the head of state.
Even Mi Fu and Niu Jinfu bought two of the latest American-made clipper ships and hired the most experienced captains and sailors in the United States.
The two boats were directly transformed into fast yachts by the two of them. All the business owners who had good relations with them and had business dealings with them would take the boat directly from Shanghai to the Lion City for free.
The Lion City is boiling, the Chinese airships in Southeast Asia are in trouble, and the overhauled Zhiyuan has become a totem of Chinese worship. There are even old people kneeling down to the warship in the middle of the night, offering incense and praying for blessings.
The occasional trace of rust on the Zhiyuan's rivets was even said to be the blood of French soldiers. Some eminent monks even mysteriously said, "Every night, you can hear the wailing ghosts of foreign devils around the Zhiyuan." .
Even the steel battleships have been mythical, and Xiao Letian, the leader of the Chinese nation who single-handedly created the Chinese nation, has been praised to the sky.
At this moment, no one in the Lion City talks about the hidden dragon anymore. They directly call the head of state the True Dragon Emperor.
Xiao Letian and the senior Chinese officials really felt the strange atmosphere. They were familiar with the Lion City. After all, they had to pass by here during their two trips to Europe.
This is Xiao Letian’s fourth visit to the Lion City!
The previous three times, it was understandable that the people respected and admired him... But this fourth time, what Xiao Letian saw was a different majesty!
Wherever the head of state appears, all members of the Chinese ethnic group will kneel three times and kowtow nine times. No matter how the New Army tries to dissuade them, they cannot shake the semicolon!
"Long live the Führer! Long live! Long live!"
