Zhao Xin's meaning is very clear. Since the southwest boundary in the imperial era was not clear and the geographical conditions were too complex, the boundaries between China and India have been blurred for a long time in later generations. With Tibet and Gorkha as the base points, Beihai Town was expanded westward and southward.
"Guofeng, when we build railways or roads to Xining and Yunnan, and can successfully control the southwest border, the historical mission of the Manchu and Qing Dynasties will be over. Do you understand?"
"Kill the tiger and swallow the wolf. I understand. But why didn't you tell everyone during the meeting at the beginning of the year?"
"There are too many uncontrollable factors, and I was unsure at first. Whether it was Qianlong or the ministers under him, if they couldn't see it, I wouldn't believe it even if they were killed. Last year when we sent troops to Jiaodong, I The reason why Kong Shaoan stopped at Qixia was because he wanted to defeat Qianlong. Now that the Manchu Qing Dynasty has moved to Xining to clear up the family business, and the new Gorkha minister has taken office, I am sure that this move was the right one."
Only then did Ding Guofeng realize that Zhao Xin had been quietly planning such a huge strategic layout in recent years. The core purpose was to force the Manchus to take southern Tibet. At this point, the complaints and confusion he had accumulated in his heart finally disappeared. Early the next morning, he took his accompanying staff to the "Watergate Fort" military camp, planning to complete the exchange and handover of troops with He Xiwen in three to four days, and then rush to India as soon as possible.
On the other side, Luo Fangbai, who had been waiting for four days in Bacheng, became a little anxious. Since he became the eldest brother of Lanfang Company, he has never left Borneo, so coming to Bacheng to see Zhao Xinshi was a helpless move. Although before he left, he asked Que Xuanying, who ranked third, and Song Chan, who ranked fourth, to take charge of Dongwanlu and Pontianak New Port for him, but he was still worried that if he left for a long time, the war in Xingang might change.
Since the beginning of the year, Lanfang Company has been attacking the territory of the Sultanate of Vanna in order to capture the silver mines in the Xingang area. The two sides have been in a stalemate for more than seven months. In order to win a decisive battle, Luo Fangbai asked his men to build six fortresses outside the town of Bangjulan, completely besieging it.
He had made up his mind that if Zhao Xin didn't call again today, he would have to let Jiang Wu stay and take Wu Yuansheng back by boat tomorrow morning. Unexpectedly, at ten o'clock in the morning, a major from the Military Control Commission came to the hotel and informed them to come to the Military Control Commission at three o'clock in the afternoon, and King Zhao would spare an hour to see them.
In fact, Zhao Xin didn't want to hang on Luo Fangbai. After the conversation on the beach, he felt that it was best to find an interpreter who knew Hakka so that the two parties could communicate smoothly. However, after searching around for several days, I couldn't find anything suitable.
You must know that the majority of the Chinese here in Bacheng are from Zhangquan, and the Hakka in Fujian and the Hakka in Jiaying Prefecture, Guangdong are like chickens and ducks. What's more, people from Jiaying and Dabu do not go to West Po to make a living in Bacheng. That must be something that can only be done if your head is squeezed by the door.
Well, Zhao Xin doesn’t want to delay it any longer, so let’s leave it at that!
Although the officers who led Luo Fangbai and the others into the management building gave many warnings, saying that they must not kneel down and kowtow when meeting King Zhao, but just bow and hold their hands in hand, no matter what the people of the 18th century said, they did not have the awareness two hundred years later. So when Luo Fangbai, Wu Yuansheng and Jiang Wu saw the famous King of Beihai Town, their knees went weak instinctively. Fortunately, Zhao Xin relieved the tension of the three of them with a few words.
"Mr. Luo, Mr. Wu, we meet again."
"Luo Fangbai of Stone Fan Castle in Jiaying Prefecture, pays homage to His Royal Highness King Zhao." Luo Fangbai smiled and saluted calmly. The man opposite him was indeed the "straw hat boy" he met on the beach.
Wu Yuansheng had lived for more than 40 years, and this was the first time he was called "Sir". He was so frightened that he hurriedly bowed deeply and said, "Your Highness has killed a villain! Wu Yuansheng, Kuiling Township, Tubao, Lower Half of Jiaying Prefecture, Meet His Royal Highness King Zhao."
"Haha, you're welcome, Mr. Wu. I've heard that you have a heroic nature, are deeply respected by people in your hometown, and are even afraid of local powerful men. You are indeed a good man!"
"ah?!"
Zhao Xin then looked at Jiang Wu, who also hurriedly bowed and said: "Jiang Wu, a native of Meinan Town, Jiaying Prefecture, pays homage to His Highness King Zhao."
"Mr. Jiang, does your Excellency also have a nickname called "Jiang Dadao"? I heard that you have been practicing martial arts since you were a child, and your kung fu is very good. You can defeat five or six people with a big sword, and you have also killed a tiger. Now you have even
The Dayaks of Borneo are afraid of you. My guard company commander admired you very much after hearing about it, and said that we must learn from each other if we find an opportunity. Right, Rugui? "
Upon hearing this, Chai Rugui immediately raised his hands to Jiang Wu and said, "Chai Rugui, I've heard about Jiang Wu for a long time!"
Don't look at Zhao Xin's few words. To Luo Fangbai and the others, they were no more than several thunderbolts in the air. They were shocked and frightened. The other party actually knew the whereabouts of Wu Yuansheng and Jiang Wu in their hometown. It was too much. It's surprising. Although Zhao Xin didn't mention Luo Fangbai's matter, he knew in his heart that if the other party could get to the bottom of Wu Yuansheng and Jiang Wu, he would definitely not run away.
Thinking of this, Luo Fangbai took out the gift list that he had written personally from his sleeve, and handed it to Zhao Xinda respectfully: "This is a small tribute from the whole Lanfang Company to Beihai Town and His Highness, please accept it."
Zhao Xin took it and opened it, what a guy! In addition to 10,000 taels of gold and 30 five-carat diamonds, there are also 100,000 Spanish silver coins on it. The total is almost 300,000 Spanish silver coins. How awesome!
However, when you are polite to others, you must ask for something. Luo Fangbai dared to give such a heavy gift, definitely not just to pay homage to a mountain and then leave.
"Mr. Luo, we are all Chinese, and we have a friendship of having barbecue together. Actually, you don't have to be so polite."
Luo Fangbai smiled slightly when he heard this and said: "Your Highness, you are determined to expel the Tartars, clean up the world, avenge China's century-old shame, save the people from ruin, and restore the dignity of the Han people. A few Aduwu will naturally be nothing. However, Your Highness leads the army. First, he defeated the Dutch at sea, and then broke the enemy's formation in Langas Betong, achieving immortal achievements. After hearing this, hundreds of thousands of Chinese in Lan Fong Company were very excited and elated. Everyone collected this gift and entrusted Luo to bring it. By coming here, the folks from Jiaying and Dabu can be considered as contributing to the restoration of the Han family's mountains and rivers."
Otherwise, Luo Fangbai could become a powerful hero. His words were full of compliments on the surface, but they contained several layers of meaning.
He first praised Zhao Xin's achievements as Zhu Yuanzhang, the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty, and then said that you are about to become rich in the world. My small property is really nothing in your eyes, so don't mess with me; secondly, he told Zhao Xin, Lan There are hundreds of thousands of Chinese under Fang's company. If you want to take action, you should weigh it first. Finally, he said that these gifts were given by the Chinese in Jiaying and Dabu, and their intention was nothing more than to pave the way for the return of the emperor.
Zhao Xin said calmly: "Okay. Since Mr. Luo said so, I will accept the gift. This money will be used for the people in the future." After that, he handed the gift list to Chai Rugui behind him.
After a few people sat down, Zhao Xin asked Luo Fangbo and the other three how they felt about Bacheng these days, and whether they had gone to the hospital for a physical examination. When he felt that the three people began to relax in terms of tone and demeanor, he said smoothly: "Mr. Luo, don't mind what I said on the beach that day. To be honest, I really didn't know it was you at the time."
Luo Fangbo laughed and said: "Your Highness is really open-minded and has a broad mind. After Luo went back and thought about it carefully, what His Highness said was astonishing and enlightening. Luo is really ashamed that his vision was too small before. I will always keep in mind what Your Highness said in the future. He said that we should not only cherish our hometown, but also unite with our Chinese compatriots."
Zhao Xindao: "Okay! Mr. Luo's insight is indeed a model for millions of Chinese in Southeast Asia."
The two complimented each other, but they actually had ulterior motives. Zhao Xin dug a hole for a long time and finally found an opportunity, so he took advantage of the situation and said: "In that case, I will tell you directly. From now on, you and other Hakka companies can no longer use force fighting or annexation. Resolve conflicts. Past events, no matter who is right or wrong, will be wiped out; future conflicts must be resolved through sit-down negotiation. If I know that there is another bloody incident in West Borneo, Bacheng will directly send troops."
Although Luo Fangbai's face was still full of smiles after hearing this, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, thinking that the other party had finally seen him. Unexpectedly, Zhao Xin threw out another "carrot" next, which surprised and delighted the three of them.
"I can assure you that the Manchu Qing rule in Guangdong and Guangxi will end in two years at most. The new government is different from the Manchu Qing Dynasty and previous dynasties. Chinese in Nanyang can return to their hometowns to visit relatives and settle down at any time, and there will be no local thresholds. , whoever dares to embarrass you in this matter will keep an eye on your pockets, and military control in various places will severely punish them."
"Thank you, Your Highness, Beihai Town is truly kind to us and other Nanyang Chinese!"
Zhao Xin waved his hand indifferently and continued: "However, in order to make preliminary preparations, the Bacheng Military Control Commission will open offices in Pontianak, Dongwanlu and Daiyan, and send personnel to be stationed permanently to provide data. One hundred thousand Chinese people are required to apply for identity cards for free as a proof of return to their hometowns in the future. I wonder if Mr. Luo has any opinions?"
"this......"
As the upper echelons of Lanfang Company, Luo Fangbai and the other two knew very well what the identity card of Beihai Town was about. It was clearly another form of "yellow book of tax and servitude." In addition to not registering his property, property, or assets, his personal information was even more detailed than that of the government, especially the photo that looked like a real person, which was even more horrifying.
Well, no matter how detailed the ID card is, it has not yet touched Lanfang Company's core interests - the gold mine and the military. Furthermore, I came to Bacheng to seek dependence, as long as Beihai Town did not touch its own cake. So Luo Fangbai chatted with Wu Yuansheng and Jiang Wu for a few words, and then agreed.
Zhao Xin then put forward a third condition, but as soon as he opened his mouth, the expressions of the three of them changed, and then they felt relieved.
"I want to recruit troops in West Borneo. Don't worry, Lanhe Camp still belongs to you. I will recruit troops from the miners, and all new recruits will be sent to Bacheng for training. If you are interested, you can also send people from Lanhe Camp. Come and learn from me.”
"I wonder how many troops your Highness wants to recruit? Without Your Highness having to worry about this matter, Luo will definitely handle it properly and send them a ship to Bacheng."
"Not much, three thousand is enough. The personnel stationed by Beihai Town will be responsible for this, you just need to assist. Clothing, food, and temporary camp rental costs will all be allocated from the money you give. "
The reason why Zhao Xin wanted miners from West Virginia instead of recruiting people from Guangdong and Guangxi was, first, because the miners were highly organized, and second, they had adapted to the tropical climate and diet of Southeast Asia.
"In addition, I want to open three new schools in Pontianak, Dongwanlu and Daiyan, not only for children, but also for adults to learn to read, read and speak Northern Mandarin fluently. Everyone can attend for free, books and paper The pen and ink are also provided free of charge. You can help me find the venue, and the cost..."
Luo Fangbai hurriedly said: "Your Highness, promoting culture and governance is a major event that benefits the country and the people. Your Highness does not need to worry about the venue. We will handle this matter with our full strength, and your Highness will be satisfied."
Only then did he realize that the other party's statement about using the gift money to "use the people" was really not a joke. Just getting an identity card for free is a huge expense, plus military uniforms and meals for 3,000 people and three schools, that little money is enough for two or three years.
After laying out the conditions, it was time for Zhao Xin to hand over the "meat buns". If you want to transform West Borneo, now is not the time to use strong medicine. Let’s put a few nails in first. Wait for the new recruits to be trained and Beihai Town’s influence in West Borneo to expand. Then wait for He Xiwen to bring the Sultanate of Brunei and Vana. Once the Sultanate is defeated, quantitative changes will lead to qualitative changes. The situation is stronger than the people, and they have no choice but to bow their heads.
He turned to signal to Chai Rugui behind him, who immediately stood up and walked to Luo Fangbai, pulled out a one-foot-square piece of cardboard from the folder in his hand and handed it to him. The latter took it and glanced at it twice. He was stunned for a moment, and then his hands holding the paper began to tremble. Jiang Wu and Wu Yuansheng came forward in surprise. When they saw the content above, their eyes widened and their breathing became rapid.
"Notice of Appointment of Beihai Town: With the approval of the Civil Affairs Committee of Beihai Town, Luo Fangbai is appointed as the Regional Administrative Commissioner of Dongwanlu (including Pontianak and Samfa), West Borneo Province. This is hereby notified. The 30th day of the fifth lunar month in Xuanyuan 4490 Xinyou day."
At the end of the left side of the notice, Zhao Xin's name was signed and stamped with the seal of "Beihai Town Civil Affairs Committee". Well, Zhao Xin prepared a large pile of these things when he went south, and asked Chen Qingsong to stamp them in advance.
Luo Fangbai said tremblingly: "I dare to ask King Zhao, what is the "Administrative Office Commissioner"? "
"The system of Beihai Town is different from that of the Manchu and Qing Dynasties. There is no one to nine grades. There are different administrative and military levels. The "Administrative Commissioner" refers to the highest chief executive of a certain administrative region, which belongs to the fifth level of administration. . Mr. Luo, starting from today, Lanfang Company is no longer a rootless person hanging overseas. "
Luo Fangbai's eyes turned red, and he couldn't help but shed tears. For sixteen years, he begged his grandfather to sue his grandmother, and sent people many times to send gifts to the governors of Guangdong and Guangxi to smooth things over. He spent no less than a hundred thousand taels of silver, but all he got was a lack of attention. In desperation, they had no choice but to pull the tiger's skin and pull the flag to let the Dutch use the rat weapon.
Jiang Wu and Wu Yuansheng on the side scratched their heads anxiously. After finally listening to Luo Fangbai's explanation, they said happily: "Brother, from now on you will be a fifth-rank official!"
Yes, co-author Zhao Xinbai said!
Wu Yuansheng's visit was not in vain. He got a letter of appointment as deputy commissioner of the Dai Yan District Administration. When he learned that the deputy was a sixth-level civil servant, he was immediately excited and kowtowed to Zhao Xin regardless.
Unfortunately, he was the sixteenth generation of the Wu family in Kwai Ling and had never produced a scholar. This was good news. From then on, Wu Yuansheng became a "sixth-grade civil servant". After returning to his hometown to worship his ancestors, he could finally shine on his family name.
Luo Fangbai and the other three left with joy and sorrow, and two days later, Xie Jie from the Heshun Alliance arrived with several eldest brothers. Zhao Xin did the same thing, and Xie Jie was happy and uncomfortable at the same time. In the end, he didn't buy any weapons. Instead, he returned to Dalaolu with a letter of appointment. At this point, Zhao Xin's layout in West Borneo has been initially completed.
Of course, the situation in West Borneo is far from calm. Fortunately for Lanfang Company, the system is called for everyone to discuss it, but in fact Luo Fangbai has the final say, and no one dares to restrict it. The Heshun Alliance was in trouble. The eldest brothers of Dagang, Santiaogou, Jielian, Xinwu, etc. were all eyeing Xie Jie's appointment letter, which eventually triggered a large-scale uprising when Xie Jie passed away a year and a half later. Internal fighting also led to the split of the Heshun Alliance. Beihai Town officially intervened in the affairs of the West Borneo Chinese Company and nationalized the mining areas under the names of many companies involved in the armed struggle.
As for the Chinese elder brothers and thousands of brave men who participated in the armed fighting, they were exiled to southwestern Australia with their families. From then on, he began a life of gold mining and farming there. It was ten years before he was allowed to return to his hometown. But that's another story.
