Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 170 Recruiting Chinese Armed Forces
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After the failure of the Taiping Rebellion, the Qing government concentrated its forces to deal with the peasant army in the northwest. The peasant armies led by Wu Lingyun, Li Wencai and others were defeated one after another. Some of the remnants fled to the mountainous areas of Shenzhen, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan and Guangxi to deal with the Qing army, while others fled to Annan for refuge.

In 1868, Wu Lingyun died in battle, and his son Wu Yazhong led nearly defeated troops to Annan, seizing Cao Bang Province as a temporary residence, and the situation of the peasant army was shaken again.

Wu Ya finally captured cities and towns in the border areas and repeatedly defeated the encirclement and suppression of the Annan army. However, this made the Annan court increasingly wary of other small Chinese forces in the country, and it continuously dispatched superior forces to attack the scattered small peasant armed forces. The situation of the Chen brothers and Wu Fengdian became increasingly dangerous.

With less than a hundred strong men, their hope of success in resisting the attack of thousands of Vietnamese troops was slim. The Chen brothers and Wu Fengdian had originally planned to join other large peasant armed forces, but after receiving Ye Chenglin's letter, the three immediately decided to abandon the occupied village and move to Halong to meet Ye Chenglin.

One or two hundred people did not need to carry too much when migrating, so each member of the two peasant armed forces carried a few days' rations and headed towards Xialong.

A few days later, the Chen brothers and Wu Fengdian arrived in Halong, two hundred miles away, and met Sun Bin, Ye Chenglin and others who were personally welcoming them outside the village.

"Brother Zong Bo, brother Shang Fa, brother Feng Dian, I have been waiting for your arrival for a long time." The Chen brothers and Wu Fengdian's team arrived together, and Ye Chenglin greeted them with a smile.

"After receiving a letter from Brother Ye, my brother and I left our family business in the village and rushed over here. We left behind our food and hoes. When we got here, we had to rely on Brother Ye for support."

Chen Shangfa happily shook Ye Chenglin's big hand and said a little embarrassedly.

"Haha, if the brothers had met a few days ago, I would still be worried about the pressure of food logistics, but Mr. Sun is here, and if nothing else, rice and sweet potatoes will ensure that everyone is well fed."

Ye Chenglin waved his hand and said with high spirits.

"This must be the Mr. Sun that Brother Ye mentioned. I'm Chen Zongbai, and I've come to seek refuge with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I hope Mr. Sun will take me in." When Chen Zongbai saw Sun Bin behind him, he did not reminisce with Ye Chenglin, but took two steps forward and said respectfully.

"Wu Fengdian, a member of the Tiandihui, greets Mr. Sun."

When Wu Fengdian saw Chen Zongbai bowing to a scholar, he also walked forward to pay his respects.

"Brothers, please stand up quickly. After joining the National Defense Force, we are all brothers. There is no need to be so polite." Sun Bin helped the two men up and smiled as he looked at Chen Shangfa behind them and said, "This must be Brother Chen Shangfa, right? I have heard of Brother Chen's heroic deeds for a long time."

Chen Shangfa was in good health, and his skills became even better after he learned martial arts from Huang Shangying. He led his peasant armed forces to defeat the Qing army several times in the border areas of Annan and Guangxi. He was a famous peasant army general in Annan.

Chen Shangguang was busy reminiscing with Ye Chenglin. He only realized what Sun Bin was asking after hearing it: "It's all thanks to you brothers for your kindness. These minor matters are not worth mentioning."

"Second brother, come and meet Mr. Sun." Chen Shangfa was a loyal and honest person, but his actions were rough. Chen Zongbai was worried that his brother might offend him, so he reminded him immediately.

"We are all here to serve His Royal Highness, so just forget about the trivial formalities."

Most of the soldiers in the South American National Defense Force were rough peasants from the lower class. Sun Bin got used to getting along with them and adapted to them.

"Brothers, you must be hungry after traveling for several days. Brother Ye, tell the brothers to prepare wine and food. We will entertain everyone today." "Mr. Sun is considerate. I have been eating steamed bread for several days and my stomach is empty." Chen Shangfa immediately said, "Brother, didn't we bring two buffaloes when we set out? Let's just kill them and make food while we are happy today."

"Don't talk nonsense, second brother. The two buffaloes must be handed over to Mr. Sun for resettlement. We will rely on them for farming in the future. Otherwise, what will we eat in the future?"

Chen Zongbai glared at his brother and blamed him for being ignorant.

"How boring. If you don't know, then don't eat it. I don't care." Chen Shangfa muttered angrily, not daring to contradict his elder brother in person.

Ignoring his temper, Chen Zongbai bowed to Sun Bin and said, "It's not that I'm stingy and don't want to give the two buffaloes to improve the food for the brothers, but the Annanbei area has been in war for many years and there is a shortage of oxen. Leaving two buffaloes can help the village cultivate the land and save everyone a lot of trouble. Mr. Sun, please forgive me for this."

Sun Bin had witnessed with his own eyes how poor the remnants of the peasant army who were stranded in Annan were. There were more than 200 Chinese, including Han, Zhuang, and Miao people, in Ye Chenglin's village. They had no more than a few dozen livestock, such as oxen, chickens, and ducks, and seven or eight hoes and plows. As for clothes, a young couple had at most four or five sets of clothes, and the children did not have enough clothes, so they had to share clothes with their brothers and sisters. It is better to say that the peasant army is an armed force than to say that they are refugees stranded in a foreign land. The Chinese who gathered in villages were no different from ordinary farmers, except when they were armed to fight the enemy during wars. They also had to reclaim wasteland to grow food. As for the fertile land in Annan, it was owned by local landlords. The Chinese villages did not dare to seize their land for cultivation, otherwise they would face a joint attack by the landlords' armed forces and the Annan army.

The Chinese armed forces later helped Annan resist the French attack, but the successive victories concealed an unknown sorrow.

The Han people had no shortage of brave soldiers. The Qing court had suffered repeated defeats in foreign wars, and the main culprit was the corrupt and decadent traitor landlord class. Li Mingyuan sent his subordinates back to Southeast Asia to recruit poor lower-class Chinese, gather them under the banner of the National Defense Force, train them into a strong army that was invincible in every battle, and thus expand the living space for the Chinese.

Sun Bin had experienced a more miserable life in the Peruvian mines before, and he deeply felt the same when he heard Chen Zongbai feel ashamed because of the two buffaloes.

"My brothers are living a hard life in Annan. I understand Brother Chen's feelings. But since His Royal Highness sent me to Annan, I cannot let you live a hard life any longer."

Thinking of Rio Grande do Sul's growing national strength, Sun Bin felt more confident: "This is my first time entertaining you all, so I can't be stingy. Brother Ye, I'll slaughter all the five pigs and thirty chickens I bought yesterday, and also buy dozens of jars of good wine nearby. I'll make sure you guys eat and drink well today."

"Sir, isn't it too wasteful to eat five pigs and thirty chickens all at once?" Ye Chenglin had never been so generous since he came to Annan, so he reminded in a low voice.

"Brother Ye, you are worrying too much. This little food won't make us poor."

Sun Bin smiled slightly, without telling him that the supply fleet sailing from Natuna Island would arrive in two days, and a more abundant batch of logistical supplies would be replenished in two days.

"Mr. Sun is so generous. It's a good decision to follow you!"

With wine and meat, Cheng Shangfa's mood immediately became high.

"Brother, Brother Ye, brothers, let's stop standing outside and follow Mr. Sun into the house to eat meat!"

"Hey!" Hundreds of peasant soldiers outside, young and old, responded together, and then followed Sun Bin and others into the village.

(End of this chapter)