Nanyang 1931: From piglets to giants

Chapter 226: Taking India is like a snake swallowing an elephant; if a person is not ruthless, he cannot stand firm ( words)

Three days later, Li Xiaoshi returned, still in Singapore.

"You want me to go to India in person to meet Gan Heni?" Zheng Yi looked at Li Xiaoshi in surprise.

Then she looked him up and down and saw that he seemed much more haggard than before he went to India, and was obviously a little darker. There seemed to be an unpleasant smell on his body, but for some reason, it seemed that even his smile had become brighter.

"Brother, your life in India... your living habits and state of mind haven't been changed, right? Why do I feel like you've been... done to something?"

Li Xiaoshi: "Fuck you, I'm just happy. India, if they can really succeed independently, such a huge market will be fully open to us. How much money will they make and how many jobs will they create? Hehehe."

As he said this, Li Xiaoshi couldn't help but laugh again.

Just looking at this hehe energy, it looks like it was infected by Indians.

"Of course, Ni actually wanted to come to Penang to meet you formally, but you know, he and Gan are both under the close scrutiny of the British right now, so leaving the country would undoubtedly be more troublesome. He's also worried about whether he'll be able to return after leaving, so he invited you to go in person. What's wrong? You seem to be very prejudiced against Indians."

Zheng Yi shook his head quickly upon hearing this.

In fact, of course he had this in his mind, but he certainly couldn't say it out loud. There were many Indians in SAARC, especially in Yangon, where the number of Indians was greater than that of Chinese. Even if he discriminated against someone, he could only do it psychologically and would never dare to show it on his face.

As the saying goes, what goes up must come down. If he really showed some contempt for Indians, who knows whether it would evolve into a large-scale typesetting movement among the people.

And objectively speaking, Zheng Yi actually has an average impression of Gan, but he still respects Ni very much.

This person is actually a typical revolutionary martyr. Most of the revolutions that have been able to succeed in this world are led by those who have voluntarily betrayed their own class from the vested interests. Although they know that they are from the vested interest class, they are willing to lead the working people to overthrow the vested interests.

The more such "class traitors" participate in the revolution, the more successful and greater the revolution will be. On the contrary, a group of revolutionaries who rebel simply because they cannot eat enough are often traitors who will only lead the country into trouble.

Ni is obviously such a person. He is from a super aristocratic family. He has a detached garden at home and grew up in a private swimming pool. He is a top young master.

Moreover, in this time and space, Ni has a very high prestige and is well-liked among the Chinese, especially the Chinese in Southeast Asia.

As early as when the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression broke out, Nepal clearly supported China's anti-Japanese war, calling on the Indian people to boycott Japanese goods like the Chinese in Southeast Asia, and took the lead in establishing the "Support China Relief Fund".

Facing the Japanese invasion of China, he once said: "India cannot stand idly by in the face of this tragedy. Sympathy alone is not enough. We must do our best to help."

An Indian medical team was once sent thousands of miles to Yan'an to support the Chinese revolution. It is said that every member of the Indian medical team who went to Yan'an added the word "Hua" to their name, and raised 50 boxes of medicines, an X-ray machine and an ambulance for Yan'an.

This aid was actually very precious to Yan'an at that time. Although it was not much, you have to look at what they had. At that time, Nepal was beaten by British batons every day, and Indians have not yet achieved independence.

Although he himself could not even get enough food, he insisted on sharing food with the Chinese people who were "also suffering from imperialist oppression". This also made the Chinese at that time respect Ni very much.

Before 1962, the relationship, feelings, interests and historical origins between the two countries were indeed very good. Even if there were some contradictions, it was definitely far from the point where they could not sit down and talk.

Especially the Chinese in Southeast Asia, who had a lot of contact with Indians. There was no racial conflict between the two, and there was even some class sentiment. During the Japanese invasion, most of the puppet troops used by the Japanese were Malays, and the Indians joined the Chinese in fighting against Japan.

God knows whether he was drunk or had his head kicked by a donkey in 1962.

Therefore, at present, the Chinese in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation generally support India's independence cause. Some of them have even taken the initiative to go to India to help fight the war as internationalists.

Of course, those who advocate war are not from the same group as Gan and Ni. It is indeed difficult for Chinese people to accept how non-violence is not about cooperation, but this does not prevent everyone from respecting them.

Even Li Xiaoshi seemed to respect Ni from the bottom of his heart, otherwise, when Ni could not come out, he would not have thought of asking Zheng Yi to go to India to meet him in person.

Zheng Yi was also a little conflicted. He had a general impression of Indians, largely because of 1962. He also knew that after 1962, the painting style of the entire Indian country, especially the painting style towards China, would become particularly abstract.

But the problem is that it is only 1945 now. He can't use the emotions of 1962 to affect the Indians of 1945.

"What did Nigeria say? Why do you suddenly want to use the SAARC currency?" Zheng Yi asked with some confusion.

Li Xiaoshi: "It's mainly to promote their non-violent non-cooperation movement. They hope that all of India will use the South Asian currency. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) itself is not a state actor. If India can truly become independent, they are even willing to give up several major cities, such as Kolkata, to join SAARC."

Zheng Yi: "Let Kolkata join SAARC?"

I thought to myself, if they dare to add, I must also dare to accept it.

India! Most people can't stand the way people think.

But if, if, Indians can really use South African currency, it is the second most populous country in the world after all.

This is equivalent to the huge economic hinterland of the Southern Association for Regional Cooperation. If this thing can really succeed, Zheng Yi himself dare not imagine how much influence it will have on the future world pattern.

"They want to use the South currency, which is of course a good thing for us, but how do they plan to get the South currency? If they want to trade, several port cities must be in the hands of the British. How can I trade with them?
They are not even as good as Indonesia. At least the Indonesians now have actual control over the area, and Jakarta is still in Suja’s hands.”

Although, it looks like it won't be long before it's lost. The Anglo-Dutch forces certainly didn't have the ability to completely control and blockade all Indonesian ports. They couldn't even carry out a large-scale occupation, and occupying a few major cities was the best they could do.

India………

The main body is still in the hands of the British.

Of course, after Li Xiaoshi said this, Zheng Yi actually almost understood why these Nigerians came to him to ask for the SAARC currency.

"Non-violent non-cooperation?"

In my previous life, the domestic Internet generally looked down on India's "non-violent non-cooperation" and even slandered it. Almost everyone focused on the three words "non-violence" and ignored "non-cooperation".

A more crude interpretation is: "You have a mace, and I have a skull."

But in fact, the three words "non-cooperation" are the essence.

The core of non-cooperation is strikes and tax resistance.

To go a step further, it means a comprehensive boycott of everything related to the British. To put it bluntly, it means a boycott of British goods and even a boycott of Indian compradors.

For example, the famous Salt March called on people all over India not to eat salt from salt factories, but to find ways to get their own salt from the countryside to avoid the high salt tax levied by the British.

The two biggest goals of the British in ruling India were market dumping and plundering of raw materials. The non-cooperation movement meant using strikes to prevent the British from plundering raw materials. If you have the ability, go to Britain and find white people to mine for you.

By resisting taxes, the cost of British rule over India was increased. Taxes were avoided as much as possible, especially in the vast rural areas. After gradually accepting the idea of ​​non-cooperation, they began to refuse to pay grain taxes. This was actually similar to the armed bases in North China during the Chinese Anti-Japanese War, except that they were not armed.

The last step is to boycott British goods in general, or to put it another way, to boycott industrial products produced in cities in order to achieve self-sufficiency of the small peasant economy in rural areas as much as possible.

We don’t sell raw materials to you city people, we don’t buy industrial products produced by you city people, we don’t pay taxes to you city people, and we don’t work for you city people.

Non-violent non-resistance does not mean that I really used the top of my head to withstand the mace until the colonists were tired and couldn't bear it anymore, so they retreated silently. Zheng Yi didn't know who started such an outrageous rhythm in later generations.

Is this a self-glorification by Western colonizers? Or is it simply an insult to India?
There is actually a core premise here: the British government's rule in India had already begun to lose money, at least directly, long before World War II.

It’s not that the government doesn’t make money, but it’s difficult for the government to make money directly from the colonies. The cost of maintaining its rule is less than the direct taxes it can collect.

Of course, multinational corporations certainly still make money, but this money itself is not under the control of the British government. Moreover, with the example of SAARC and the role model of the Americans, the British have already discovered that if multinational corporations want to make money in a country, it does not necessarily need to be a colony.

As long as you can abide by the rules-based international order, I will still make money from you even if you become independent.

During this period, Britain, while guarding its colonies, did not dare to impose tariffs on American goods, so the significance of colonization was originally small.

Through "non-violent non-cooperation", Britain's already unprofitable colonial rule would suffer even greater losses.

Even because of the boycott of British goods, those multinational companies are now unable to make the money they could have made before.

You win face but lose substance.

The reason for non-violence is actually quite simple, because we can't win.

It's a bit like an alternative kind of fight: I pay with my life, you pay with money, my life is cheap anyway, let's see who can't hold on first.

In fact, it is a very tragic thing. Similar things are not uncommon in the 5,000-year history of our country. It is nothing new.

What's more, everyone is just evading taxes and not buying products produced by you British. The British can't just start a massacre like that.

If a massacre really happens, India will not be without armed rebellion.

Then everyone will just resort to “violent non-cooperation”.

Zheng Yi does not quite agree with this way of struggle, but it does not mean that this way of struggle is really stupid. Perhaps this is really the most suitable way for India's national conditions.

After all, he is not Indian.

And now the reason why they want to use the South African currency is even simpler: they don’t want to use the rupee controlled by the British.

In this case, the non-cooperation will be even more thorough. Isn't seigniorage also a tax?

Originally, India's non-cooperation actually included refusing to use the rupee and instead advocating the primitive trading method of barter.

Now the SAARC has started to develop an independent currency with non-rigid redemption, so this is where the idea comes from.

The matter was really too big, otherwise Li Xiaoshi would not have dared to make the decision and had to ask Zheng Yi to handle it personally.

Li Xiaoshi: "What Ni means is that they can smuggle Indian goods to Yangon through Assam through Myanmar. They can and are willing to accept all trade settlements in SAARC currency.

In addition, as long as we agree, they are willing to call on all Indians who have property in pounds to sell their pounds and exchange them for South African currency.

"Ayi, this is a rare opportunity."

Zheng Yi, however, remained serious. "That's a good thing indeed. Haven't you always been pro-British? Why are you so eager to poach those British people now? India and Indonesia are different. Doing this is like poking the British in the eye."

"Although our relationship with the British is currently tense, it hasn't reached the point of a complete breakdown. Although we are hostile on the Indonesian issue, Indonesia is, after all, a Dutch colony. India is the heart of the British Empire."

Li Xiaoshi sneered upon hearing this and said, "I used to be loyal to Britain. You know, I have a deep connection with Britain. But after they gave up Singapore and Burma, and even after they had already given up Burma, they still set up many diplomatic obstacles for the expeditionary force, I don't think this damn British Empire is worth my loyalty anymore."

"From the perspective of SAARC's own interests, I think that if India can actually become independent and use SA currency in large quantities, or even allow several cities within its territory to join SAARC and become a part of SAARC, then offending Britain or even going to war with Britain would not be unacceptable."

"I know you're worried about the impact on Penang's international trade. After all, Penang is an international port. However, the British Empire today is probably no longer comparable to the Britain before World War II. The current world order is set by the United States."

"Our relationship with the United States is pretty good, right?"

That is more than just good, it is simply a close ally. Not to mention that there are already a lot of American multinational capital in the SAARC, the SAARC model has inadvertently become a pioneering demonstration of the post-colonial era, or the new colonial era dominated by multinational corporations. In fact, it has become the most important and steadfast ally of the United States in the entire South Seas and even the entire Asia.

Moreover, for the United States, the expansion of SAARC is not a bad thing. To put it bluntly, it is much better to allow Southeast Asia and even Asia to join SAARC, a non-governmental organization composed of multinational consortiums, than to join the communists.

Invisibly, he has become a staunch ally of the United States in Asia, at least much more reliable than Japan in history.

Moreover, he has a good relationship with the American leadership. Mr. Du was a key investor of his during World War II. He cannot say how deep their friendship is, but at least if he wants to meet with Mr. Du, he can make an appointment one day in advance.

And the number one military figure in this time and space, Marshal Mai, is almost sworn brothers with him.

Marshal Mai had urged him seven or eight times to go to Japan to play and harvest.

In fact, Zheng Yi has been thinking about going to Japan in person for a long time. It is no exaggeration to say that for him, Japan is now full of trophies, just waiting for him to bend down and pick them up.

It’s a pity that there are still too many things to do in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. After all, a large-scale population migration from Penang to Singapore has just taken place, and many things are quite important. He is unable to leave for the time being.

Therefore, up to now, he has only let He Shili lead a group of only about 3,000 soldiers to be stationed in Tokyo temporarily. He himself plans to go there in person after he finishes his work for a while.

Zheng Yi: "Well, even if we can accept an enemy with Britain, the risks are too great. SAARC is just a business alliance, and our core base is only the Chinese in Southeast Asia, and at most a small number of Malays, and they have to be Malays from Alor Setar."

"The population that can serve as our base is no more than 20 million."

"With our existing base of 20 million, it would be very difficult to annex Indonesia, which has a population of 60 million. This is also because Indonesia is too close to us, a close neighbor, and produces a variety of resources, which is highly complementary to the SAARC."

"Most importantly, Indonesia is too fragmented internally. Its mainstream population also includes Malays, who are relatively easy to control. Furthermore, it lacks a truly capable leader and a modern political party that can truly integrate the people from top to bottom."

"So it's not a bad thing for us to unite with Indonesia. Even though they have more people, I still have some confidence that we can firmly grasp the leading position in SAARC, or at least not be too influenced by the Indonesians."

"India is different. Their population... is too large. Even if only one out of ten people uses SAARC currency, it's a bit too... who's in charge and who's behind?"

"If, and I mean if, those people in the Congress Party really want to join SAARC, and we agree, what if they want to seize the leadership of SAARC? From what I know about them, this is not just a possibility, but a high probability event." "Brother, can you accept SAARC being led by Indians?"

Li Xiaoshi: "Ah, this..."

For a moment, Li Xiaoshi couldn't help but frown. "Indeed, India is a bit too big. Apart from the Chinese in Southeast Asia, the SAARC currently has a weak base. It's like trying to swallow an elephant in the bud. I'm afraid it's going to be difficult to digest."

Zheng Yi: "It's not even just a matter of the snake swallowing the elephant. You have to understand that India itself is actually a geographical concept. Internally, it is extremely chaotic. And unlike Indonesia, Indonesia is an island nation. Although it is more difficult for different ethnic groups to integrate, there are actually fewer conflicts."

"India is different. There are religious conflicts, ethnic conflicts, and conflicts of interest. I bet you that even if this country truly becomes independent, it will definitely be plagued by internal strife. If our SAARC gets involved with them, what if we are dragged into their internal struggles? What will we do then?"

Li Xiaoshi: "Being caught up in their internal struggles? That's not the case. SAARC isn't a political alliance. We're just doing business, engaging in trade. If we really join SAARC, at most we'll just build one or two large cities there. What does their internal struggle have to do with us? After all, no matter how much they fight, can Indians still stop doing trade?"

Zheng Yi shook his head and said, "Brother, you still don't know enough about India. Take smuggling, for example. If I agree to the Congress Party's terms now and engage in smuggling trade with them that the British will have difficulty controlling, then this smuggling route can only be through India's northeastern states."

"But as far as I know, India's northeastern states historically belonged neither to North India nor to South India, and they believe in neither Hinduism nor the Blue and White religion. In other words, how can they be considered Indians?"

“Among the northeastern states, the most powerful, the richest and the easiest for us to reach out to are definitely the people of Assam, right?”

Li Xiaoshi nodded.

Zheng Yi: "As far as I know, Assam is the true ethnic group of the Tai people in our country, the Shan people in Myanmar, and the Thai people in Siam. I bet you that even without us, these Assamese people would definitely demand independence from India after independence."

"Assam itself is different from the mainstream ethnic group in India and does not share the same religious beliefs. It was the focus of British attention. Most of the Indians in Malaya plantations and those in Myanmar were from Assam."

"Myanmar is already in chaos, and Shan State has a close relationship with SAARC. Now Assam has gained control of a smuggling connection with SAARC, as well as a channel for communication with SAARC."

"Tell me, what reason does Assam have to join India instead of choosing to join Burma, or simply join Siam with their Shan compatriots, or form a new country?"

"If Assam secedes, then Nagaland, Manipur, and even the seven northeastern states that rely on Assam will all rely on us, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, to secede. Do you think we should help them or not? Given the nature of the Congress Party, will they just sit there and let the seven northeastern states secede?"

"Even if we are ruthless and cut off contact with them and turn to Kolkata and other places, Assam and Myanmar are bordered by roads. Once this connection is opened, it will be impossible to close it. If those people from Shan State and the Thai people insist on getting involved, what will we do?"

After saying that, Zheng Yi sighed deeply and began to smoke his cigar.

"So, if our SAARC, with its weak arms and legs, were to get entangled with India, it would be very troublesome..."

Li Xiaoshi seemed to be persuaded and nodded in agreement.

Then with a bang, he slammed the table with the cigar, even breaking it.

"Ayi, you are too indecisive!"

Zheng Yi: “Huh?”

In the entire Southern Alliance, only Li Xiaoshi dared to slam the table and glare at him.

After all, they have a special relationship.

"Do you think I'm wrong?"

Li Xiaoshi: "You're right, absolutely right. Ayi, you really have a long-term vision. You can actually think clearly about things so far in the future. Anyway, I think it makes a lot of sense. It's like a python swallowing an elephant, it will indeed suffer from indigestion."

"But what if I have indigestion? Even if I die of bloating, it's better than starving. In this world, the brave die of bloating while the timid die of starvation. When we Chinese went to Southeast Asia, which one of us didn't overcome many difficulties and survive many dangers to get the chance to prosper and make a name for ourselves?"

"Ayi, you are actually a bit bookish. And now that your status is getting higher and higher, no one dares to refute you when you say something. I'm afraid there are some things no one will say to you anymore."

"I think, Yi, you seem to be less and less decisive than you used to be. I admit that the risks and hidden dangers you mentioned do exist, but are you going to do nothing about risky things? This is India! Hundreds of millions of people, the crown of the British Empire. Such a good opportunity, if you miss it, it will be gone for good."

"As the saying goes, if you don't take what Heaven gives you, you will suffer the consequences. We've just experienced such a large-scale war, and the world is undergoing a complete reshuffle. The vast colonies left by Britain, France, and the Netherlands are all waiting to be developed. What is this? This is a time of land grabbing, a time of great contention, a time when the old king has passed away and the new king has not yet ascended the throne."

"You say you want stability at this time? The meat is right in front of your mouth, and you don't want to eat it? If you don't eat it, others will eat it. After eating your meat, they will become stronger. If there is no one to eat your meat, they will come to bully you!"

"You said you were worried that India would become too powerful and take over, so what? Are you trying to centralize power? Didn't you say you wanted to reduce your personal stake to 10%, or even below 5%, in order to expand SAARC? India, this is a treasure trove of land where you can get whatever you want!"

"As for your question about whether the Indians will seize the dominance of the Chinese, hey, do you think we Nanyang Chinese are so inferior? Even if that day really comes, will we kick them out?"

"If we really can't kick them out, and the Indians actually damage the interests of us Chinese, then that's fine. The worst-case scenario is that we Chinese will just withdraw from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. So what then?"

"Penang will never be lost, right? Singapore will never be lost, right? Even if the sky is high, we can just give them Rangoon! Hey, it's like we're using Rangoon to gamble on Calcutta! It's like we're using Myanmar to gamble on India. We're the bankers, so why not gamble?"

As he spoke, Li Xiaoshi took out a bottle of top-quality wine from the wine cabinet in Zheng Yi's office without Zheng Yi's consent. After opening it, he poured himself two glasses and then raised another glass to signal Zheng Yi to toast.

Zheng Yi smiled wryly, toasted with him, and said, "Brother, this is the 1926 Macallan Reserve. It's not only expensive, but also very strong."

Li Xiaoshi: "Be a man, drink it up, as the saying goes, three cups of wine for the world, a pot of tea for the great cause. I see you've been drinking a lot of wine lately.

What? You’ve put on your suit and let your trouser legs down. Our Southern Alliance is getting better and better now. Do you also want to learn to act like a gentleman and act elegant?

Bullshit! We Chinese in Southeast Asia have never been aristocrats. We are peasants. We tap rubber and dig tin. Most of us came here because we couldn't make ends meet in our own country and sold our pigs to make a living.

I remember you used to love drinking whiskey. This bottle has been sitting in your wine cabinet for ages. You brought it from Penang to Singapore, but I never saw you drink it.

Zheng Yi couldn't help but mutter, "It's all because it's expensive."

Although he said so, he still drank it all in one gulp under the encouragement of Li Xiaoshi.

But he was choked badly.

I couldn't help but laugh and scolded, "You're a fucking Cambridge educated rich kid, and you're from the same poor family as me, and you're pretending to be a commoner? What are you trying to imitate Chen Liushi?"

Li Xiaoshi laughed heartily upon hearing this, saying, "Chen Liushi must be so bold as to slam the table in front of you now. Who else but me can say this to you?"

"Ayi, you have a sharp mind. Not only are you a scientist with skills, but you also see more and see farther than others. That's why you always want to find a smooth and accessible path that will take you as far as possible."

"But is there really an easy path to success in this world? It's true that the Chinese in Southeast Asia need leaders like Ni, but is it our brains or our vision that have enabled us to gain a foothold in Southeast Asia?
No, it's fierceness! It's courage! It's the courage to fear nothing! You are the leader, you will lead all of us Nanyang Chinese. How can you have a brain but lose the courage that we Nanyang Chinese need to truly stand up! "

"As for whether Assam will drag us down? If it does, so what? Whether Assam or the seven northeastern states are independent or not, that's an internal conflict among Indians over ethnicity, religion, and economic structure. What does it have to do with us?"

"If we really come out on our own, what will happen? Will the Indians come and attack us? We are not even afraid of the Japanese, so why should we be afraid of the Indians?"

"Besides, independence may not necessarily be a bad thing for us. The Southern Association for Regional Cooperation needs to develop, but development is not stable. What is our biggest weakness? Isn't it that the number of Chinese people, who make up our core base, is too small?"

"There are only two ways to solve this problem. One is to continue to expand the size of the Nanyang Chinese community and continue to migrate people from Tangshan."

"But this migration has to end, and the rate is relatively slow. New arrivals also need time to assimilate."

"The second is to expand our base, rather than just recognizing Nanyang Chinese. To be honest, sometimes our fellow Chinese are not necessarily as reliable as those naturalized foreigners."

"Right now, apart from the Chinese, the most reliable people in SAARC are the Malays. And those are the Malays in Alor Setar and Kedah. If we expand a little, there are also the Malays on the Malay Peninsula. There are also Malays on Java and Sumatra. But can you trust them?"

"How many Malays are there in the entire Malay Peninsula? Just over three million, right? What can they do? It's a drop in the bucket. Who else can we trust besides the Malays?"

Zheng Yi: "Isn't he Indian?"

"No, it's the Thais. The big Thais."

"Datai?"

"The Shan people of Shan State, the Assamese people of Assam, and the Thai people of Siam all share the same language and ethnicity. Lately, I've been wondering if the idea of ​​Greater Thai nationalism in Siam that you're talking about actually has some truth to it."

"During the latter stages of the war, didn't Old Wu, Wu Aihua, return to Bangkok? I heard that he still has the final say on most matters in Siam now, as he has now changed back to a Teochew identity. More and more Chinese who originally took Thai surnames are beginning to regain their Chinese identities."

"Although Siam can be considered a victorious nation now, everyone knows that he just took advantage of the situation. With Wu Aihua around, the Thai people will naturally be more trustworthy than other ethnic groups."

"The Shan people have always had a close relationship with us, and during the Anti-Japanese War, they were our comrades who fought side by side with us."

"The Assamese have always had a lot of contact with us Chinese in Southeast Asia. Most of the Indians who grow rubber in Malaya are Assamese. If we open a smuggling route and they become estranged from the Dravidians, the majority of India, or even turn against them, will they have any other options besides relying on us?"

"The Great Thai... this concept is really interesting. Besides being the majority ethnic group in Siam, it seems like this group is everywhere in Southeast Asia, and they're being bullied everywhere. If all the ethnic groups in Southeast Asia become independent, will these Thais be condemned by everyone?"

Zheng Yi: "Just like the Kurds in the Middle East."

Li Xiaoshi: "What Kurds? I don't know much about the Middle East. Wow, you're quite knowledgeable. But anyway, a people who are hated by everyone and always causing trouble, whose majority are the Thais, have such deep roots with us, wouldn't they be the perfect base for our entire SAARC second tier?"

"Even if Assam really becomes independent and our relationship with India becomes irreconcilable, and we lose India's huge market forever, or even face conflict, what will happen then?"

"An independent Assamese would be very useful, and their population base is already there. If Assam and India's seven northeastern states join us, the strength and potential of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and even the future situation of us Chinese in Southeast Asia, will be much better, right?"

Zheng Yi: "Hmm...what you said does make sense."

To put it bluntly, Zheng Yi himself is a time traveler. Although he has just experienced World War II, he is still a pacifist at heart.

Or perhaps it is because we are used to the instinctive pursuit of peace in everything.

It is not a question of whether or not one can win, but an instinctive and natural belief that peace and stability are the cornerstones of development. In international politics, one should be kind to others and try to avoid conflicts when no one provokes one.

Especially with a country as big as India.

Not to mention the military strength, there is no Western Malayan Mountains blocking him and India. Zheng Yi is naturally afraid of engaging in a high-intensity conflict with such a behemoth.

However, for Southeast Asian Chinese like Li Xiaoshi, or the "ancients", they grew up and lived in this war-torn and dark era.

When thinking about problems, I never considered peace. I just thought about taking advantage of it first and then worrying about it later.

After all, who knows if there will be a tomorrow?
They all just came out of World War II.

What the hell is peace and stability?

Throughout the 20th century, which great power or powerful country rose to prominence through peaceful and stable development?

Isn’t it all based on robbing and war profits?
So in their eyes, it is normal to take risks, even the risk of war, for the sake of profit.

This may even be the true state of the world: we want to develop, live a good life and don’t want to fight wars. What else can we want?
Good days have to be won through fighting.

This is the case with different countries, and their past life experiences may also have shaped their personalities.

Before he came, Nanyang was not a society ruled by law at all. Anyone who could become a tycoon relied on his ruthlessness.

It is even possible that the current SAARC is not a society ruled by law.

Li Xiaoshi placed his hand on Zheng Yi's shoulder and said seriously, "My generation is far behind my father's generation in terms of ruthlessness and the spirit of enduring hardship."

"The Cambridge generation is even further behind our generation of Southeast Asian Chinese."

"What do you think the next generation of Nanyang Chinese will be like after Cambridge and his generation? They may never have to go hungry. Maybe their entire generation won't have to work in mines or tap rubber anymore, right?"

"Then do you think they can still endure hardships and suffering, and still have the courage and determination? Ah Yi, if we Chinese in Southeast Asia lose the spirit of hardship and perseverance, and the courage to fight to the death, how can we still survive in Southeast Asia?"

Zheng Yi thought for a moment and said, "Then we can only... be like the British today, relying on the legacy of their ancestors."

Li Xiaoshi smiled upon hearing this and said, "That's right. So, Ayi, while our generation is still in their prime, we should fight and struggle for them. We should leave a great legacy for them, don't you agree?"

"India is the fattest and largest piece of meat in the entire Southeast Asia, the entire Asia, and even the whole world. How can we not eat such a fat piece of meat just because we are afraid of indigestion?"

"Our generation will take care of the digestion for them. Then, their generation can grow fat with peace of mind."

I have to say that these last few words really touched him.

"Well, I won't make the final decision on this matter. Let's have a meeting. I want to see the presidents of the other major chambers of commerce. I'll explain all the risks involved. If they all agree to cooperate with India, then we can try it on a small scale first."

　So many people want to read my book "The Founding of a Nation" because they want me to die? I still rely on this book to support my family, godfathers.

　　Besides, if a country is established, it is obvious that it will not develop as fast as the Southern Association for Regional Cooperation.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)