Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 207 Hong Chunkui II
ps: Thanks to book friend 20171110201052903 for the reward and support!

"Dangdangdang", the crisp sound of gongs and drums rang out in the street, attracting the attention of many pedestrians.

"Brother Zhou, what happened outside?"

The food on the table had been finished. Seeing some diners in the inn walking outside after hearing the sound of gongs and drums, Hong He asked.

"In recent months, the government has been improving the laws. Maybe they are announcing new laws outside. You and I just had lunch and have nothing to do for the time being. Why don't we go to the front to join in the fun and see what kind of laws the government has issued?"

"Okay, it's okay to go out and take a look." Hong He thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

In front of the bulletin board on the west side of the street, five or six soldiers in military uniforms separated the crowd, clearing out an area of ​​six or seven square meters.

In the middle of the open space, a Chinese man dressed in casual clothes and looking like a scholar was directing two soldiers to hang a large piece of cloth on the bulletin board.

"Master Zeng, what is the content of this notice? Can you explain it to us?"

As soon as the banner was put up, a voice came from the Chinese people watching around, "That's right, we don't know many words, so we have to trouble you, Mr. Zeng, to explain the law."

"Haha, you brothers are praising me too much. Promoting and explaining the law is my essential duty. It can't be considered a bother."

The scholar surnamed Zeng should be familiar with the Chinese people watching below. Seeing that they were making a fuss, he was not angry. He politely explained to the Chinese people around him, "The government has issued two new decrees. The first is to establish an army officer school that specializes in training officers. All officers and soldiers serving in the National Defense Force can apply to their unit commander to study in the military school. The military school has a two-year curriculum. As long as they pass the military school's admissions assessment and successfully pass the two-year study period, the students can not only receive the rank of second lieutenant awarded by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince himself, but also have priority in choosing the woman they like to start a family.

This decree will also be notified in the army. If you have acquaintances serving in the army, you can persuade them to apply for military academies. If you don’t have relatives or friends who meet the requirements to apply for military academies, don’t be discouraged. The government has also enacted a decree that Chinese men under the age of 18 in Rio Grande do Sul can report to the local government and apply to the newly established primary school. "

"Master Zeng, how much money does it cost to go to school?"

Before Zeng Xing the scholar could finish his words, he was interrupted by a voice.

"The government knows that everyone is a laborer and doesn't have much money saved, so all students admitted by the Army Officers School are exempted from all fees during their studies, and the school also pays for the students' food, clothing, and housing, without spending a single ounce of silver."

"What about going to school? Does it cost money to go to school?"

A young boy with a childish face who looks insignificant.

"Haha, this little brother asked a good question. Everyone knows that after His Royal Highness established the country in South America, he spent a lot of money on immigration, wars, and purchasing machinery... The government's treasury was also very tight, but His Royal Highness understands the difficulties of the brothers and only charges 50% of the tuition fees. Brothers who are really in financial difficulties and can't even pay tuition can report the information to the government, and the government will give them a reduction as appropriate."

The scholar named Zeng on the bulletin board patiently answered questions from the onlookers. This scene was very unusual in Hong He's eyes.

"Brother Zhou, are the officials of Rio Grande domicile in South Rio Grande always so polite to ordinary people?"

"Brother Hong feels surprised, right?"

Zhou Chengye looked at him meaningfully and said, "Four months ago, when I first went to Rio Grande do business in South, I had the same reaction as Brother Hong. All officials are so majestic and awe-inspiring. When they see ordinary people, they all look up to the sky. Officials who talk to ordinary people in a friendly manner have never been seen in the Qing Dynasty or in the foreign colonies. Only the officials in Rio Grande South are different from those in other countries.

At the beginning, I thought that the officials of Rio Grande do Sul were just pretending and would be back to their high and mighty ways in a few days. For this reason, I bribed a minor official in charge of business, but he flatly refused and fined me twenty taels of silver for bribery.

At that time, I didn’t know the official rules of Rio Grande do Sul. After being fined a sum of money, I specifically found a few merchants who used to do business in the area. From them, I learned why I was punished. ”

"But why?"

Hong He immediately continued the conversation.

"Don't be impatient, Brother Hong. Let me explain it to you slowly."

Zhou Chengye glanced at the people near the bulletin board and continued, "The fundamental reason why officials dare not accept bribes is that the government has set up an advisory council in every county. The members of the advisory council are representatives elected by retired officers and soldiers. The advisory council has the right to supervise the government's financial institutions. Once ordinary people report corruption to the advisory council, the advisory council will report to the Inspectorate and then file a case against the corrupt official according to the instructions of the Inspectorate."

"The government has given retired soldiers such great power. Aren't they worried that this will cause a backlash among officials?"

"Haha, this is why Brother Hong doesn't understand the situation in Rio Grande do Sul. In Rio Grande do Sul, everyone from the crown prince to the ordinary Chinese people have fought against the enemy before the country was established. So it can be said that in Rio Grande do Sul, all Chinese men are soldiers. It's just that due to government financial problems, most Chinese men have retired from active service and become retired soldiers."

"The military and the country are one, and the military is the foundation of the country's rule. No wonder those officials who come from educated backgrounds treat ordinary Chinese politely."

Hong He understood and nodded slightly.

When the Zhou brothers and Hong He were discussing under the bulletin board, they did not notice three soldiers wearing dark military uniforms with dragon heads embroidered on the cuffs walking away from the crowd. When they finished their conversation and left the crowd, they happened to run into the three soldiers.

Three soldiers were in charge of searching for the whereabouts of the civilian man. They happened to meet Hong He while patrolling the streets aimlessly. At that moment, at the suggestion of the leading soldier, one soldier quietly walked towards the bulletin board and transferred the six soldiers on duty under the bulletin board, while the remaining two raised their rifles and pointed them coldly at Hong He and the other two.

"Three of you, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has personally ordered us to see this person. We hope you will follow us obediently."

"Sir, you may have recognized the wrong person. My two brothers and this brother Hong are all law-abiding civilians. We have absolutely not done anything against the law. I hope you can carefully identify them and not make the mistake of recognizing the wrong person."

Being pointed at by officers and soldiers, Zhou Chengye, who had been overseas for more than a decade, could not help but feel nervous. If it was just an ordinary soldier, it would be fine. However, Zhou Chengye recognized that the dragon head on the armbands of the two soldiers in front of him was the symbol of the Imperial Guard Brigade. Could the person who could trouble the prince to personally send the Imperial Guards to search for him be an ordinary person? He had always felt that Hong He had an extraordinary temperament, but he did not expect to be implicated by him after knowing him for less than half a day.

Zhou Chengye felt bitter in his heart, secretly worried about the fate of his two brothers, but Hong He did not panic at all. He quietly said to the two soldiers, "The person your Highness is looking for is me. This is the first time I have met these two brothers. They have nothing to do with me. Let them go and I will go with you."

"Whether they are related or not is for His Royal Highness to judge. Someone take all three of them away."

The leading soldier refused to listen to Hong He's explanation and ordered the seven or eight soldiers who had surrounded him to step forward together, tie up Hong He and the other two with ropes, and then quickly returned to the palace to report to Li Mingyuan.

(End of this chapter)