Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 203 Delayed News from Southeast Asia

"Your Highness, Lord Sun from Nanyang has sent new news."

On the way back from the Xinjing Machinery Manufacturing Plant, Li Mingyuan and his party met a soldier delivering a message.

"Hurry back to the meeting room. I want to see what good news Sun Bin has brought!"

The South Pacific and the American continent are tens of thousands of miles apart, and news from the South Pacific can only reach Rio Grande do Sul after a delay.

The Xinjing Machinery Manufacturing Plant was not far from the National Defense Forces headquarters. After receiving the notification from the messenger soldier, Li Mingyuan and his party quickened their pace and appeared in the National Defense Forces meeting hall more than ten minutes later.

"Sun Bin accepted the Annan government's offer of amnesty. The brothers in Annan occupied the provinces of Quang Ninh and Lang Son. Now the number of Chinese in the areas controlled by Brother Sun has reached more than 300,000. The development of the National Defense Army in Southeast Asia is very good."

Affirming Sun Bin's achievements in Southeast Asia, Li Mingyuan sighed, "When we sent Brother Sun to Southeast Asia, the plan was just to occupy a small place in Southeast Asia as a transit station for immigrants. I didn't expect that Brother Sun would quietly create a huge foundation in less than half a year after arriving in Southeast Asia. There are many talents like Brother Sun in Rio Grande do Sul, so there is no need to worry about the prosperity of Chinese business in South America!"

"When we formulated the Nanyang strategy, we all overestimated the strength of the Annan army, and the action strategy we formulated was somewhat conservative. Brother Sun personally went to the northern part of Annan to preside over the affairs of the National Defense Army in the entire Nanyang. He was able to observe the strength of the Annan Kingdom on the spot and have a clearer understanding of the strength of both sides. In this way, with the follow-up troops and weapons support transported by the fleet sent by Your Highness, it was both unexpected and reasonable to win the victory over the southern Annan team."

After reading the contents of the telegram, Liu Pu analyzed it rationally.

"Mr. Sun opened up the situation in Southeast Asia. Our army has gained access to immigrants from Southeast Asia and the mainland. The human resources problem that restricts the development of Southern Rio Grande can also be greatly alleviated. What Mr. Sun did in Southeast Asia is of great significance. The National Defense Force Headquarters should increase its support for Southeast Asia.

I suggest that we once again draw a field regiment of 1,000 troops from the National Defense Army field forces and set off with the next batch of transport fleets to increase the National Defense Army's armed forces in Annan."

Luo Linshan's troops had already set off for northern Argentina. Li Sandou's Second Division was stationed elsewhere. Only Chen Guozhu and Zhang Ansong were left in the meeting room.

Although Chen Guozhu served as the commander of the First Division, his strategic insights were only average. Therefore, when Chen Guozhu did not speak, Zhang Ansong put forward his own views.

"Although there are many Chinese in Quang Ninh and Lang Son provinces, the number of soldiers who have received formal military training is too small. It is appropriate for the headquarters to send field troops to reinforce Sun Bin."

Li Mingyuan nodded in agreement with Zhang Ansong's suggestion. He glanced at Chen Guozhu who was standing nearby and looked unwell, and couldn't help feeling a sense of regret.

Chen Guozhu is the oldest among the remnants of the Taiping Army, and in two years he will reach the age of 50.

In his early years, Chen Guozhu followed the King of Attendants Li Shixian to fight in wars, leaving him with scars all over his body. After drifting to South America, he spent several years of hard life in a mine. His health was not good to begin with, and the Chinese established their country in Rio Grande do Sul. There had been no war for more than a year, and after his spirit relaxed, his health declined rapidly. The various injuries he had left behind began to appear one after another within a year, and he looked much older than he was a year ago.

“Uncle Chen, you are not in good health, so you don’t have to stand to discuss matters.

Guard, bring a chair from the wing."

Li Mingyuan couldn't bear to see Chen Guozhu struggling to stand, so he gave the order.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I can still hold on." Chen Guozhu straightened his waist and said with all his strength.

Although Chen Guozhu was a strong-willed person, he could not help but his health was not as good as before. At Li Mingyuan's insistence, he finally did it.

In the 19th century, people who were nearly 50 years old were considered old. After the Paraguayan War, Chen Guozhu and Zhang Ansong and Li Sandou, who were younger than him, all suffered from poor health. However, Zhang Ansong and Li Sandou were in better health than Chen Guozhu and their health did not affect their command of operations.

The identities of Chen Guozhu and the other two are rather special. They are the subordinates left behind by King Shi Li Shixian to protect him. In a sense, they are also Li Mingyuan's uncles. Li Mingyuan does not want to see them unable to have a comfortable second half of their lives due to illness and the entanglement of complicated military affairs.

The older generation of soldiers are gradually dying out. Whether for their health in the second half of their lives or for the good development of the army, Li Mingyuan has to start considering the replacement of old and new officers in advance.

Among the younger generation of officers, Wang Dashan and Zhao Yongzeng have calm personalities and are suitable to be military generals leading an army. However, Wang Xiaoshan, Li Han, Zhou Daniu and others are temporarily unsuitable for the positions of senior officers either because of lack of training or because of their personality.

After examining the younger generation of officers in the National Defense Force in his mind, Li Mingyuan found that there were still many difficulties in building an excellent modern army.

Due to the lack of sufficient reserve senior generals in Rio Grande do Sul, Li Mingyuan had to turn his attention to Southeast Asia and the mainland in advance.

Liu Yongfu, Chen Shangfa, Chen Zongbai, Ye Chenglin and Wu Fengdian are all military generals who have left their names in history, and Sun Bin also highly appreciated them in his telegram.

True heroes always have a chance to stand out in troubled times. Although Liu Yongfu and others changed their original life trajectory because of the rise of the National Defense Army, they still made great contributions in the war with Annan. After Sun Bin stabilized the Annan region, it was unlikely that a large-scale war would be launched in the next few years. Taking advantage of the opportunity of stable development in Nanyang, it was also a good choice to transfer them to Rio Grande do Sul for key training. After carefully considering the pros and cons of dispatching Liu Yongfu and others, Li Mingyuan made some adjustments to the subsequent plans for Nanyang.

First, in accordance with the suggestion put forward by Zhang Ansong, a regiment of field army soldiers and a batch of weapons and equipment were sent to support the Nanyang troops with the fleet. Secondly, a group of elite peasant army soldiers were drawn from Nanyang to accompany Liu Yongfu and others back to Rio Grande do Sul, thus implementing the exchange of Nanyang and local troops.

The last step is to strengthen the construction of intelligence work, increase intelligence personnel in Japan, mainland China, Southeast Asia and other places, and realize the early layout of intelligence work.

The rotation system between the Nanyang and mainland troops can ensure the absolute control of the mainland over the Nanyang troops. Liu Pu, Zhang Ansong and others also agree with Li Mingyuan's approach. However, most people do not understand why Li Mingyuan has spent a lot of effort to expand intelligence work in Japan.

"Your Highness, placing intelligence personnel in the mainland and Southeast Asia can expand our army's influence on the local Chinese, but Japan has nothing to do with our army. I don't understand what benefit it will bring to our army if we place valuable intelligence personnel in Japan."

"Liu Pu, do you think so too?"

After Zhang Ansong finished speaking, Li Mingyuan asked Liu Pu who had remained silent.

"I share the same opinion as Master Zhang, but His Royal Highness is a long-term thinker. I believe His Royal Highness must have some considerations that others are not aware of."

"You are good at talking." Li Mingyuan joked, and then explained, "It is true that Japan is a small country, but the Japanese do have something worth learning from in some aspects.

You should all know that Japan carried out the Meiji Restoration last year.

Last October, Japan changed its era name and implemented the Meiji Restoration. After the Meiji Restoration Law was promulgated, Japan concentrated funds from top to bottom to develop industry. If you have been to Japan, you must have seen many poor weavers spinning and weaving in dilapidated wooden houses in rural villages. Japanese men with samurai headdresses cut off their hair, which symbolized their samurai status. High-ranking officials and nobles set off a wave of learning Western knowledge and etiquette...

It is true that Japan is a small country, but it is also a country that is good at learning. The population of Japan is over 30 million, which is similar to the population of Britain and France in Europe. As the Japanese abandon their traditional customs and learn from the West in all aspects, can you imagine to what extent Japan can develop in thirty or forty years?

The Chinese population in Rio Grande do Sul is only over 300,000. After the introduction of industrial equipment from Prussia, everyone can see how much life has changed compared to before. Japan has a population of over 30 million, which is more than 100 times that of Rio Grande do Sul. Compared with the development speed of Rio Grande do Sul, shouldn’t we pay more attention to Japan?”

Liu Pu has never been to Japan, but if Japan is really as Li Mingyuan said, Japan will rise quickly in a few decades, and the situation in East Asia will also undergo earth-shaking changes because of Japan's rise.

After completing its industrialization reform, Japan was bound to expand outward. As the traditional suzerain of neighboring countries in East Asia, conflict between the mainland region under the rule of the Qing Dynasty and Japan was inevitable. One was an emerging industrial country, and the other was a feudal and backward country ruled by a foreign race. Even if the Qing Dynasty had an advantage in military strength, Liu Pu, who was familiar with the strength of the Qing army, found it difficult to predict that the Qing army would be able to win the war.

The remnants of the Taiping Army were stranded overseas. After the founding of Rio Grande do Sul, they looked at the Sino-Japanese War decades later from a different perspective. Liu Pu didn't know what mood to use to describe his inner feelings.

"It is difficult to change Japan's industrialization. Sending intelligence personnel to Japan now is to prepare for the future. So everyone should look at the problem from a long-term perspective and not just focus on the immediate gains and losses."

"I am stupid and ignorant. Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness." Regardless of whether they truly understood Li Mingyuan's true intentions or not, after Liu Pu took the lead in expressing his opinion, others also echoed in unison.

"Intelligence work is a big deal. Intelligence stations need to be set up in Southeast Asia, the mainland, Japan and other places. Sun Bin can't take care of it all by himself. In the telegram, Sun Bin proposed that the National Defense Army Headquarters send a group of people to help him share military and intelligence work and reduce his burden. What do you think?"

After finishing the topic of Japan, Li Mingyuan continued to ask.

"It is indeed inappropriate for Brother Sun to take on multiple duties at the same time. It is only right to send a group of people to help him share the military and intelligence work."

Liu Pu followed Li Mingyuan's intention and said, "I suggest that Brigade Commander Wang of the First Mixed Brigade be transferred to take over Sun Bin's military command, and Liang Xing take over the intelligence work in various parts of Southeast Asia."

"Dashan has been in charge of the First Mixed Brigade for more than a year. It is a more appropriate arrangement for him to go to Nanyang to be responsible for local military work. As for Liang Xing, he is a businessman and has some connections with Chinese businessmen in various parts of Nanyang. It is just right for him to do intelligence work."

The two candidates proposed by Liu Pu both met Li Mingyuan's wishes. After asking other people again and they all had no objections, Li Mingyuan decided on the candidate to take over Sun Bin's military command and intelligence.

Then he announced the order for the subsequent development of Nanyang: "Telegram: In response to the opinions raised by your department, the following orders are now issued: First, Liu Yongfu, Ye Chenglin, Chen Shangfa, and Wu Fengdian are ordered to serve at the headquarters of the National Defense Force. Chen Zongbai will temporarily take orders in Nanyang, and further arrangements will be made depending on the subsequent development of the situation in Nanyang.

2. The troops stationed in Annam were awarded the title of the Nanyang Corps of the National Defense Force, and Wang Dashan, the former commander of the First Mixed Brigade, was appointed as the commander of the Nanyang Corps. The officers and soldiers of the troops were reorganized into a full-strength mixed brigade with a strength of 5,000 people, including 4,000 troops stationed in Annam, 1,000 troops stationed in the Natuna Islands, and 2,000 militia troops, organized into two militia regiments, one regiment stationed in the two northern provinces of Annam, and the other regiment stationed in the Natuna Islands.

Third, the Taiping Society was established to coordinate and manage overseas intelligence work in Southeast Asia, the mainland, Japan, etc., and Liang Xing was the chief officer of the Taiping Society.

Fourth, the post of Governor-General of Nanyang was established, and Sun Bin was appointed as the Governor-General of Nanyang, responsible for managing all civil, military and political affairs in the areas occupied by the Nanyang National Defense Army. ..."

(End of this chapter)