The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 617 Colonization means killing everyone

Hongxing Port, Nanji Island (Jakarta)

Colorful flags were fluttering, and there were crowds of people. A large number of Chinese people were wearing robes of various colors. They were gazing nervously into the distance in the slightly warm sea breeze.

"Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes!" After a while, the port pilot boat appeared in front of the public, followed by a roaring sound.

At this time, the last part of the southeast trade wind has not completely ended. Most of the time, the wind blows from Nanji Island towards the mainland.

Therefore, at this time, apart from some necessary supplies and personnel, which had to be transported extremely hard against the wind from Andai, Jiaqing and other provinces to Nanji Province, there were not many large ships coming from the northeast, let alone warships.

This is the limitation of the Age of Sail. When the season is not right, large-scale exchanges between the major islands are basically cut off.

And now, a new era has finally arrived.

Along with the dull roar, rumbling black smoke continued to spew out from the chimney on top of the battleship. For a moment, the Chinese on the dock could not even see the shape of the battleship clearly.

Suddenly a strong wind blew, dispersing the black smoke a little, and the hidden warship revealed its true form.

"No sails, no sails!"

"My God, this is a masterpiece!"

"This steam engine is actually real! God bless the dynasty!"

In an instant, the entire port burst into cheers, because the incoming warship had no sails raised at all despite the headwind, but was still moving at a speed of about ten nautical miles per hour.

"Hahahaha, good, good!" Liu Dingjue, the governor of Nanji who came to the dock in person to greet them, also praised loudly.

"Eight years ago, I, under the command of Your Majesty, led three million brave men from Guangxi to the south to conquer this land for the nation, turning the desolate and barbaric land into a prosperous one and the barbarians into common people.

Everything is going well now. The only thing that worries me is that Nanji is too far away from Tangshan, the trade winds are too seasonal, transportation is inconvenient, and it is not easy to hold on.

In the early Ming Dynasty, many colonization sites were abandoned because they could only be supplied within a limited time, and the officers and soldiers were unable to hold on due to excessive internal and external pressures.

Liu Dingjue was about to leave, otherwise he would not have said such self-boasting words.

This governor, who was born into a Zhuang chieftain family, was the most senior minister in Guangxi Province at that time when Beihai and Fangchenggang areas still belonged to Guangdong.

In 1779, he was ordered to recruit Guangxi wolf soldiers to go south to pacify Nanji Island. The three brothers Hu Quanhuan, Hu Xiaojiang, Wei Da, and Qin Datan all followed Liu Dingchui south at that time.

In eight years, the wolf soldiers of Guangxi Province have rendered harmless the more than four million indigenous people of Nanji Island, including 500,000 to 600,000 young and strong people.

Except for the docile ones who were controlled as serfs in the vassal manors of various sizes, the remaining young and middle-aged people hiding in the rainforest swamps were estimated to be only 100,000 to 200,000.

Moreover, the loss of 500,000 to 600,000 young and strong men does not mean that the indigenous people only lost 500,000 to 600,000 people.

Instead, at least the same number of young and strong women were abducted, and hundreds of thousands of the elderly, weak and sick were forced directly into the rainforest and swamps.

For the indigenous people in the early days of slavery, even if the wild resources were abundant, without the protection of the young and strong, there was a high probability that they would die from hunger, disease, attacks by wild beasts, etc. in a very short period of time.

As expected, they are called wolf soldiers and are worthy of being the province of ghost fires. These teenage soldiers from Guangxi who came here are really cruel.

In the later era when everyone is required to become a useful member of society and a screw on the assembly line, the ghost fire boy is the chronic disease and dark side of society, or at least an unwelcome and unstable element.

But in this era, they may not be the best fighters, but they are definitely the most useful and cruel colonizers.

Liu Dingjue was also well aware of this. He looked at his three sons, Liu Bu Tong, Liu Buke, and Liu Buyuan, and said:

"What we've done is still somewhat detrimental to the harmony of nature. That's why I've been constantly eating vegetarian food and praying to Buddha in recent years. As the saying goes, karma will always come true. Do you know why?"

The eldest son Liu Bu Tong and the second son Liu Buke looked at each other, and the eldest Liu Bu Tong said, "Father wants to say that every bite and every drink has its own cause and effect.

We committed such a bloody crime in order to stabilize the situation, but now the natives are weak, so we should treat them with kindness and make up for our past brutality."

Liu Dingchui smiled and said nothing. He looked at his third son Liu Buyuan and asked, "Ayuan, what's your opinion? Do you share the same opinion as your brothers?"

Liu Buyuan shook his head and said, "Father, what we did is indeed against the will of heaven. I also believe in karma.

But the child believes that the reason for the retribution is that the cause of killing was not completely eliminated, leaving the seeds of revenge.

Father, my two brothers, things have come to this point. The blood feud is too deep to describe. There is no room for leniency. Even if it is against the will of heaven, even if it is cruel, it must be carried out to the end."

At the end of his speech, Liu Buyuan stood up and said to his father and two brothers with a desperate look on his face, "Either don't do it, or do it completely. Let him leave the earth completely clean and white. Then there will be no cause and effect."

As he spoke, Liu Buyuan clasped his hands together, chanted a Buddhist name, and sang in a low voice: "There is no Bodhi tree, and the bright mirror is not a stand. I come here to sweep away all dust!"

Wow, this guy changed "Buddha nature is always pure" to "I am the one who always cleans it", and changed "wherever there is dust" to "wherever there is dust".

It makes sense and is quite catchy.

However, although Liu Buyuan said it so decisively, he was still very nervous.

Because his father Liu Dingjue was a Confucian scholar who was well-read in poetry and books. In order to stabilize Nanji in recent years, he had to allow his warriors to commit many killings. Although he looked cruel and ruthless, he was actually uneasy in his heart, so he indulged in Buddhism to seek peace of mind.

Alas, I don’t know if my father can listen to me. Liu Buyuan insists that only his method of cutting the grass at its roots will work.

Now we have completed ninety steps, and only ten steps are left. We must not give up all our efforts.

The two brothers looked at Liu Buyuan in shock, and his eldest brother Liu Bu Tong even showed a hint of joy in his eyes.

The Liu family was the great contributor to the conquest of Nanji Island. No matter from which perspective, although the Liu family could not take over the position of Governor of Nanji when their father Liu Dingjue was transferred this time, it was still easy for a relative earl to permanently govern a region.

Moreover, this earldom is most likely located around Hongxing City, and it is a well-developed land that can be enjoyed without any development on one's own.

'The third son is too tyrannical. He certainly won't suit Father's taste and he won't be chosen.' Liu Laoda thought happily, and then he saw his father, Liu Dingqun, looking stunned.

Liu Dingchu was indeed shocked, and after a long while he slowly said, "How come these four sentences of yours have a kind of Buddha nature?
In order to gain peace of mind, I chanted Buddha's name day and night, asking the Buddha to forgive my sins, but I didn't expect that there was already an angry-eyed arhat in my family.

Is it true that the prerequisite for laying down the butcher knife and becoming a Buddha is that you have to have a butcher knife to lay down?"

As expected, they are father and son. The son Liu Buyuan has unique ideas, and the father Liu Dingqun has a big imagination too. He actually understands "put down the butcher knife and become a Buddha on the spot" in this way.

Liu Buyuan was overjoyed to hear his father agree with him, and immediately said more firmly: "My hero, his devil. I am willing to go to hell and leave this fertile land for future generations!"

"So, you, Liu Buyuan, want to leave your name in history and are willing to do anything for it?" Liu Dingjue asked seriously.

"Yes!" Liu Buyuan said loudly, "My son's wish is not only to leave his name in history, but also to have a temple stand here at the mouth of the Red River where it meets the sea, honoring our Liu family and the three million brave men of Guangxi. This thousand miles of fertile land will all belong to the Han family."

"My son is truly a hero!" Liu Dingchui was greatly impressed. Without hesitation, he immediately said to the eldest and second sons, "You two should go back and pack your bags immediately.

I have been in Nanji for eight years and have made great contributions. My dear brother, you are a filial son and have been awarded the title of General Fengguo to stay by my side and take care of me until the end of my life.

Second brother, you are capable of governing a region, and you can become a fourth-rank prefect in the future."

Liu Dingchu then said to the third son, Liu Buyuan, "Come with me to welcome the new Governor-General Liu Tai and Liu Zhitai. Tell him your plan again. If it really works, my family may depend on you in the future."

"Father, are you saying this?" Liu Buyuan's eyes lit up as he whispered. "Liu Taier is the younger brother of Luo Fangbo, the elder Luo. He was transferred from his position as prefect of Guangzhou to become the governor of Nanji Province. He was actually just trying to gild his reputation."

"If you ask him to produce results, he will make you get what you want."

Liu Taier was indeed here to gild his reputation, because although the Governor-General of Nanji sounds impressive and is a second-rank official, how could such a colonized area in the far south be compared with the Guangzhou prefect who only looks like a third-rank official but is actually extremely important.

But he was not here just to gild himself, because he also had an extremely important mission.

It was not about Aceh's rebellion, but because after the steam engine matured, it was finally possible to cross the equatorial doldrums, which is about 270 nautical miles at its narrowest and about 630 nautical miles at its widest, and establish a colony in Zhanzhou.

"Your Excellency, our ship displaces 1,600 tons and carries a crew of 78. We successfully completed the 452-nautical-mile voyage from Xingang to Hongxing Port, using a total of 77 tons of coal."

Before getting off the ship, the captain of the armed merchant ship that Liu Taier was on immediately reported the data. Liu Taier made a rough calculation and found that basically one ton of coal can travel nearly five nautical miles.

Of course, this still relies on a little wind power. If it passes through a doldrums, it may increase by about 20%.

But it is completely bearable, that is to say, even if it is crossed from the widest point, it only needs less than 100 tons of coal. Even if the round trip is included, 200 tons of coal is enough.

Without considering economic benefits, merchant ships with a displacement of more than 1,000 tons can be loaded with a lot of colonization materials and travel back and forth at any time.

"What a big city! I think Hongxing is even more prosperous than Wangge (Bangkok). In Southeast Asia, I'm afraid only Jiading can compare with it."

Following Liu Taier, or rather, the person who was the protagonist, was Zheng Miao, the Prime Minister of Nanyang and the Grand Elder of the Nanyang Republican Parliament.

Zheng Miao is Zheng Xin's eldest son and Queen Zheng Shishi's half-brother, A Shui.

This also shows that his position as the Prime Minister of Nanyang and the Grand Elder of the Nanyang Republican Parliament was most likely not based on ability, but on blood relationship.

Of course, although his ability is not strong, Zheng Miao did a good job, because this kid has an advantage, that is, he is very obedient and does not have a strong desire for power. He is not as stubborn as his father Zheng Xin.

Therefore, Zheng Miao delegated almost all the political affairs of the Prime Minister of Nanyang to the staff team assigned to him by the emperor's brother-in-law, and he himself just acted as a rubber stamp.

"Master Zhongtang, Nanji Island is the richest in southern China. Its soil and water are even more fertile than the Pearl River Plain, so it is naturally incomparable to other places.

I foresee that in the future, the food supply of Southeast Asia and Zhanzhou will rely more on Nanji Island."

The title Zhongtang originated in the Ming Dynasty and was used to refer to the cabinet ministers working in the Hanlin Academy. Now it has been turned into an elegant title for the Prime Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Zheng Miao nodded, and with a smile on his face, he said to the senior officers of the Navy's Nanji Fleet and the Yang Wu Army of the Beijing Camp who were accompanying him:

"Besides this, I believe it's also thanks to the bravery of our navy and army. This is because Nanji Island is so rich, thanks to the Dutch's two hundred years of development. If it weren't for my brave navy and army inflicting a fatal blow on them, they would never have abandoned this precious land."

After hearing this, the Admiral of the Nanji Navy, Cai Qian, and the Commander of the Yangwu Army, Dong Jinfeng, Lieutenant General of the Army, all smiled and said in unison:

"The officers and soldiers of the navy and army receive the emperor's salary and serve him loyally. It is their duty to contribute a little bravery to the great cause of Your Majesty, the imperial court, and the people of Xia, and to expand the territory for thousands of miles."

After saying that, the two of them waved their hands and asked their adjutants to come forward, holding the navy and army flags, to escort Zheng Miao off the ship.

Zheng Miao walked down the warship leisurely, looked at the numerous excited Chinese people in the port, and timely displayed the scepter and banner awarded to him by the emperor.

"This Prime Minister, sent by His Majesty, has come to Nanji to visit the heroes who have helped expand China's borders. Gentlemen, thank you for your hard work!"

Hearing Zheng Miao's words, the port erupted in cheers, with countless people jumping and dancing for joy, and shouts of "Long live His Majesty" and "Long live the navy and army" echoed one after another.

. . . .

At the Governor's Office in Hongxing City, Liu Dingjue held a welcome banquet for the last time as the Governor of Nanji. As soon as the banquet was over, he went to complete the handover procedures with Liu Taier.

At this moment, Liu Dingju called his third son Liu Buyuan over and said to Zheng Miao and Liu Taier:
"It is the ethical code of conduct for officials to promote the virtuous and avoid relatives, but the Nanji Province is too important. I beg the Lord Zhongtang and the Lord Zhitai to bear with us and take a look at it."

Liu Dingjue was really at his wit's end. After eliminating Lianzhou in western Guangdong, no one in Guangxi had a status in the court, and he, as the Governor-General of Nanji, was already the highest-ranking official.

However, his good friend Liang Guozhi, the Minister of the Imperial Court who recommended him, died of illness, so Liu Dingjue had no choice but to resort to this bad strategy and take the risk of using him.

Fortunately, Zheng Miao has always been a peaceful person and is willing to give others opportunities, because no matter who it is, basically no one can block his way.

Liu Taier was tasked with the task of colonizing Danzhou (Australia), and Nanji Island was the best forward base, so he had to give it some face.

However, when the two called Liu Buyuan over, they were immediately stunned.

Because Liu Buyuan is well-organized and has a precise grasp of the current situation in Nanji, the solutions he proposes have a very high possibility of being implemented.

The most important thing is that Liu Buyuan positioned himself as a scapegoat.

The cruel policies and brutal execution were all carried out by Liu Buyuan, while Zheng Miao and Liu Taier only needed to sit back and take the credit.

If this is not supported, is there any justice in the world?

"Master Zhongtang, Brother Liu is truly a man of great talent, capable of benefiting the world. I suggest that you immediately recommend Brother Liu as the Southern and Northern Provincial Surveillance Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief of the Zhen Army."

Zheng Miao raised his middle finger to Liu Taier in his heart. He was worthy of being the younger brother of the calculating Luo Fangbai and the emperor's confidant.

This style of using someone to death when they are useful is really consistent.

The Censor is in charge of criminal cases, and the garrison troops are responsible for taking action. If someone reports that the garrison troops have violated the law, then that person is suing me, and I completely let Liu Buyuan do it.

"No problem. I will immediately submit a memorial to Your Majesty." Despite his complaints, Zheng Miao still agreed immediately.

However, his heart was much better than Liu Taier's, and he was not willing to push anyone directly into the fire pit, so he said to Liu Buyuan:

"The Aceh natives have recently rebelled, and this court is in need of a military commander. I wonder if you have the courage to take on this important task?"

The military commander was not a permanent position, but was appointed during wartime. His main responsibility was to judge the military law of a unit. He would complement and supervise the military judges in the army. Generally, he did not use his own people in the army. This was also the practice of the Dayu Dynasty.

"I thank you, Lord Zhongtang, and I am willing to give the responsibility of being the military commander a try." Liu Buyuan was quite smart and naturally knew what Zheng Miao meant.

If he could complete the post of the military commander of the Aceh rebels in such a hurry, it would prove that he was capable of completing the brutal colonization of Nanji Island after his father Liu Dingjue.

If Liu Buyuan fails to do a good job, Zheng Miao will not have to recommend him. At least this way there will be no mistakes. With the merits of his father Liu Dingqun, it will be easy for Liu Buyuan to return to Tangshan and become a rich young man.

"You, please think carefully." Zheng Miao finally reminded.

"Master Zhongtang, Xiaoxin's lifelong wish is to serve Your Majesty and expand China's territory. This heart is as firm as a rock and will never change."

As a generation that grew up in the new era, Liu Buyuan is different from the older generation like his father Liu Dingqun.

Liu Dingjue did the colonization work, but he often felt uneasy in his heart.

But Liu Buyuan watched the Dayu Dynasty grow stronger day by day, and saw how much benefit the colonization of Southeast Asia could bring to the country and nation. He was afraid that he was not doing enough and had no uneasiness at all.

Zheng Miao nodded in agreement, and Liu Taier, who was tasked with developing Zhanzhou, suddenly brightened his eyes when he heard Liu Buyuan's words.

(End of this chapter)