Nearly seven thousand miles away from Tokyo, at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, Pulau Thong Island.
To be precise, the long-standing name of Puluo Zhong Island has become a thing of the past. Since Guo Liangping led the invasion last year and successfully captured the island in a battle with the Sri Lankan Kingdom, it changed its name to Liangping.
Many officials in the court couldn't stand Guo Liangping's behavior of inviting names. They felt that he was arrogant and arrogant. Of course, there was inevitably some jealousy and sourness in it.
After all, who doesn’t want to leave a name in history, but there are only a few people who can make a name for themselves in history, and it is even harder to impress others.
As for Guo Liangping, he only led the Nanyang Navy in an armed game to bully a small barbarian country. Even if you carve a stone monument to remember your merits, it is acceptable. After all, there is such a tradition, but it seems a bit arrogant to give your own name to the occupied territory.
In fact, after the performance, Guo Liangping felt a little regretful and felt that it was inappropriate. He was also encouraged by his subordinates to disturb his Taoism. Fortunately, the result was good. After Emperor Liu learned about this, he didn't care about it and responded. The territory was conquered by others, and it was reasonable to use his life.
It is only natural for people to cut through the waves, risk their lives to explore the South Seas, open up territories, and reward them with fame. Not only did the name issue pass, the court followed up by setting up a local county, covering the entire island, strait and many surrounding islands and reefs.
This was also the second overseas territory of the Han Dynasty besides Liuqiu. The first was Jeju Island, which was captured from Goryeo. And there is no doubt that this is the most distant territory of the Han Dynasty.
At the same time, this also means that based on years of exploration, the Han Dynasty has further developed its exploration of Nanyang. It no longer stops at setting up strongholds and operating commerce. The formal establishment of an administrative management system is a significant sign and announces a deeper , a larger-scale movement to invade Nanyang is about to begin. King Yong Liu Chengxun's southern tour actually represented a trend.
Liangping Island is not a big place, but its location is indeed excellent. It is located at the key point of access from east to west and has sufficient port resources. Before the Han people invaded, it was already a prosperous place. The Srivijaya Kingdom gained huge wealth just by taxing merchant ships from the east and west.
It can be said that the Han Dynasty's fierce and domineering use of force to seize the country was to cut flesh from the body of the Three Buddhas Qi. However, might is truth, and if you cannot defeat it, you cannot defeat it.
However, facts have proven that the natives of Nanyang are completely incomparable to the Han in terms of business capabilities. In just over a year, Liangping Island has undergone earth-shaking changes, becoming more prosperous and more orderly.
As the first and only territory where the Han Dynasty established an administrative system in Nanyang, it naturally attracted Nanyang Han merchants and people to flock here. In addition to its own thoroughfare transit function, it is also because it is the most secure here.
After all, there is a government here, officers and soldiers, and the Nanyang Fleet is stationed here for a long time. Therefore, a large number of successful Han merchants and Han people who went to Southeast Asia began to purchase land and properties here as a settlement base.
As for the Han people who are still moving south from the mainland, most of them choose to settle on Liangping Island as their first stop and plan for subsequent development. In just over a year, the new population of Liangping Island has exceeded 10,000, most of whom are Han Chinese. The entire Liangping Island now has a population of more than 40,000.
The first county magistrate of Liangping County, named Liu Shaoping, was one of the first people to go to Southeast Asia. Of course, as a position that can be registered with the Ministry of Personnel, it is not something ordinary people can hold. This person was chosen because he was a member of the Liu clan in Quanzhou.
As for the Liu family in Quanzhou, they had surrendered to the imperial court since the time when Liu Cong, the envoy of Zhangquan Jiedushi, was appointed. Even though civil strife later occurred and Chen Hongjin seized power, after the reunification, Emperor Liu remembered the Liu family's loyalty and obedience, and he was quite fond of it. To treat them well.
Liu Congxiao's son Liu Shaoban was granted the title of Duke of Zhang first and then Marquis of Yongchun. His status was completely consolidated and he was also a noble of the Han Dynasty. Among all the surrendered ministers and surrendered masters, the treatment is not the best, but the life is the most nourishing. (There is another person who lives more clearly, that is the Marquis of Guangtong Liu Yuan, who is sometimes called the "contemporary Adou")
The Liu family was originally a famous family of the Zhangquan generation. With this connection, plus Liu Shaoping was a leader among Han merchants in Nanyang, and with Guo Liangping's support, he was appointed as the first county magistrate. It's logical.
This is also a rare opportunity for Liu Shaoping. He is only a branch of the Liu family and has no direct blood connection with Liu Congxiao's brothers. When he was in China, it was difficult for him to have such an opportunity to become a court official. Compared with the mainland, in Liangping County, the real Tu emperor has the power of life and death, and does not need to ask for instructions from the country, and of course there is no such condition.
For Liu Shaoping, who is good at business, running a county is also easy and, of course, easier. This place is in the stage of barbaric growth. There is no need to educate the people, encourage farmers to cultivate mulberry trees, or even worry about the people's livelihood. Everything is based on profit and business, and he is particularly good at this.
There are dozens of rivers in Liangping Island. Although they are not large in scale, they still nurture this land. The largest one, no more than ten miles long, runs through the entire island from north to south and was named "Yongji River" by Liangping County Government. The water flow here is gentle and the river is winding, which is also convenient for loading and unloading goods.
Therefore, Hekou Port was also the first place to develop. It is currently the largest and most prosperous port on Liangping Island, and it is still being expanded and developed. After Liu Shaoping took office, he carried out large-scale rectification of the port. Shops and warehouses sprung up along both sides of the river.
There will be no shortage of manpower here, and of course, there will be no noble Han men. They are more likely to carry out various business activities and serve as supervisors. There are natives everywhere on each island. You can catch some at will and whip them to work. The county government only needs to pay some cheap copper coins, and there is no price at all. Over the past year or so, the bones of Nanyang natives have been buried under every new building on Liangping Island.
In the port, there are always many sails and masts. There are both Western sailing ships and Eastern sea-going ships, shuttling back and forth incessantly. At the same time, a Nanyang squadron has been stationed in the port for a long time, which is the largest military guarantee for the Han merchants and people.
However, due to the chaos of military-civilian sharing and the pressure brought by more and more merchant ships, Liangping County has planned to open a new port and build dock facilities. The target has been initially selected at Longyakou at the southern end of the island, where there is natural deep water. A good port with good geographical location can also carry larger and more ships.
July is when the southwest monsoon prevails, and this time of year is the busiest time for Liangping Island’s business. A large number of merchant ships from the west, loaded with goods, arrive one after another. According to experience, starting from Persia and following the monsoon across the Great Sea of Food, it can be reached in January.
Merchants from Persia, India and other places brought goods and exotic customs. Under the management of the Han people, Liangping Island also became an exchange station for East-West commodity trade.
Many merchants from the West choose to trade locally with those Han merchants who have abundant resources. Of course, there are also many who are curious about the Eastern Empire and want to obtain more benefits. They only choose to stop temporarily and replenish food. After drinking water, continue north, along the mature waterway, to the mainland for trading.
But the prosperity of Liangping Port is indeed due to those Western merchants, who are also the porters of trade exchanges between the East and the West.
