The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 788 Twenty Years of Kindness
The vast majority of these powerful clans in Southeast Asia are indeed characterized by their sheer size and large populations. They are known as noble families because local officials dare not offend them.

If the Ma clan chief who was beaten were replaced by someone like Songcheng Junhou Wu Rang, Tao Gong Junhou Ye Xianyang, or Jida Junhou Ye Fengchang, even if you held a knife to Prefect Li Luanxuan, he wouldn't dare to go up and beat him.

These lords and marquises were the original followers of the emperor when he rose to power. In the war against the Manchus in the north, these lords and marquises fought so hard that every family was in mourning, and some even almost lost their lives.

They were true semi-monarchs who could appoint and dismiss officials and had their own troops, so their treatment was naturally completely different from those who later went to Southeast Asia.

Of course, the lords like Marquis Wu Rang of Songcheng didn't need Prefect Li to urge them. The emperor only needed to issue an edict to provide manpower and funds as needed. They had made considerable contributions to the development of Southeast Asia over the years.

Having vented his frustrations over the past three years as prefect, Prefect Li felt satisfied. He stood up leisurely, returned to his seat, removed his official hat, and replaced it with a simple net cap.

“It’s one thing for you to disrespect me in private, but today you dare to say that His Majesty has issued an edict to forcibly buy your land.”

Fuck your mother!

Think about it carefully. Back in Tangshan, what were you? And when you arrived in Southeast Asia, who helped you gain a foothold?

I won't even mention that you people are His Majesty's tenants; even if I were just an ordinary person helping you like this, would you forget your roots?
"A drop of water in need deserves a spring in return. You have received His Majesty's favor, and yet you dare to utter such foul language simply for the sake of the court and the country, merely to sell a little land. Do you have any conscience? Are you even human?"

It feels so good to occupy the moral high ground.

If an English official said this to someone from New England, or a Spanish official said it to a Mexican-American, the official would surely be met with fury.

However, it's hard to find fault with the officials of Dayu saying this to the people of Nanyang, because Prefect Li Luanxuan was not wrong.

Over a period of twenty-five years, more than 25 million people migrated from China to Southeast Asia, including the provinces of Guangnan and Rinan, which later became Annam. This number averaged over one million per year, or nearly three thousand per day.

This number would be impossible to achieve by relying on spontaneous efforts or the power of the people.

Therefore, at least 70% of these people were transported to various parts of Southeast Asia by ship, one by one, through the Fuxing Company's fleet, or even warships, organized by Mo Zibu.

During the transport and after arriving at the destination, Mo Zibu was worried that the mortality rate of the people crossing the border would be too high, so he gave away food, medicine and weapons almost for free, thus ensuring that the mortality rate of the people crossing the border did not exceed 30%.

All of this, not counting the navy's transportation costs, would cost at least ten million silver dollars annually, 60% of which came from Mo Zibu. Since the government would have to cover all the expenses, they wouldn't have been able to afford other expenditures.

Therefore, Prefect Li Luanxuan was not wrong at all in saying what he said, and even the claim that these foreign people should be considered the emperor's tenants was also reasonable.

As the passion subsided and the adrenaline subsided, Prefect Li's fist began to ache slightly, but he was overjoyed because he had the situation under control.

This person is no ordinary person; he is one of the most capable officials in the Great Yu Dynasty, someone Mo Zibu has written down in his notebook for future promotion.

Even in history, this Prefect Li Luanxuan was someone who lost his mother at a young age, but he passed the county-level imperial examination at the age of thirteen, the provincial-level imperial examination at the age of twenty-two, and the imperial examination at the age of thirty-two.

When he served as the military commissioner in Wenzhou, he earned the respect of the pirate Cai Qian, who refrained from robbing Wenzhou ships. When he served as the provincial judicial commissioner in Yunnan, he dared to overturn the verdicts of those convicted by the governor. He was a ruthless character who was good at governing local areas and was honest and upright in his official duties.

His move was not only due to the availability of free publicity tools like Yao Jingshan, but also because he had thoroughly understood these local powerful families during his three years as an official in the area.

These people all came from humble backgrounds. Many of them had barely eaten a full meal back in their hometowns. They only had their good lives today because the emperor allowed them to go to the frontier. They were skilled fighters and killers, and each of them had taken many lives, but their hearts were not completely blackened.

At the same time, because of their humble origins, they were not used to the roundabout way of expression among the gentry in China, and instead preferred and adapted to the rough and straightforward way of deliberation in the countryside.

The so-called crude way of deliberation in the countryside is quite direct and simple. For example, in Dayu today, or in the countryside of all dynasties, what kind of woman has the highest status?

It refers to a woman who has five, six, seven, or eight strong and powerful brothers, and who has also given birth to five, six, seven, or eight strong and powerful sons.

She had disagreements with her husband, in-laws, and uncles, so she went back to her parents' home and cried her heart out. Her brothers then stormed over to her husband's house and beat her up, making her husband's family never dare to mess with her again.

If she had a disagreement with her neighbors or strangers, she would stand at the gate and shout, and her sons would rush out with sticks and hoes, beating the neighbors and strangers until they screamed in agony. From then on, they would avoid her whenever they saw her.

Prefect Li is now like that woman, and his maternal family (the imperial court) is quite powerful and occupies the moral high ground. So at this moment, he dares to step up and beat the scapegoat, using his fists to directly regain the initiative and control.

Although Nanyang has been under the control of Dayu for more than 20 years, in the previous ten years, the government's presence was not strong except in big cities and places like Taiping (Siam) and Rinan (Guangnan). In many places, immigrants simply governed themselves, and there were no officials to exercise power at all.

It could even be said that this was the first time the colonizing families of Xinma Province (Malacca) had felt the majesty of the imperial court.

This outburst silenced the powerful clans in the room, but they were clearly just shocked. They did feel that it was morally wrong, but they were not convinced, nor did they feel much fear.

So Prefect Li's next step was to really take drastic measures. He clapped his hands, and several soldiers in military uniforms and wearing red helmets with the character "勇" (yong, meaning brave) on them entered.

"As you all just heard, Ma Yagui insulted the imperial court and showed contempt for officials. Strip him of his leopard-patterned robe and throw him out!"

"Li Luanxuan, how dare you!"

Upon hearing that his clouded leopard costume was to be stripped off and he was to be beaten, Ma Yagui, who had been lying on the ground groaning and trying to gain sympathy, jumped up without regard for his pain.

"This clouded leopard robe was bestowed upon me by His Majesty in the nineteenth year of the Guangzhong era in recognition of my meritorious service in land reclamation. How dare you, a mere prefect, strip it off so easily!"

No wonder Ma Yagui was in such a hurry; the Cloud Leopard Suit and the Flying Tiger Suit were the most important symbols in Southeast Asia.

For people like Ma Yagui, who came from humble beginnings and only managed to build a fortune in Southeast Asia, but had no connections in the imperial court, the Republican members of parliament in Southeast Asia, even those at the provincial level, were his most important protection and support.

In Southeast Asia, only those who could wear the Cloud Leopard Robe, Flying Tiger Robe, or higher-ranking imperial robes were eligible to be nominated by others to become members of the Republican Parliament.

It can be said that in Southeast Asia, those who wear the bestowed robes are not necessarily Republican members of parliament, but those who are not qualified to wear the bestowed robes are definitely not Republican members of parliament.

Without the bestowed clothing, it would be somewhat like saying, "We all drive Mercedes and Rolls Royces, and you're driving a Mazda, you're bound to get stuck in traffic. I don't think you're qualified to attend this meeting."

Moreover, after losing this bestowed robe, he was no longer qualified to enter the back hall of the prefectural government office for discussions, nor would he be able to see the prefect acting so casually. The right to discuss matters in Xinma Prefecture was basically no longer his concern, and the consequences could be quite serious.

"Hmph, of course I don't have the authority to strip you of your bestowed clothes, but they do." Li Luanxuan pointed to two soldiers beside him wearing red helmets with the character "勇" (yong, meaning brave) on them.

"These two are officers from the Northern Garrison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who came to Xinma Prefecture specifically to investigate illegal activities by officials and civilians."

Gudong!

Ma Yagui swayed twice. He never dreamed that a country bumpkin like him would be targeted by the Imperial Guards. Overwhelmed by the shock, he blacked out and passed out.

Pfft!Pfft!
The wealthy Singaporeans inside the house also knelt down, as if they were apologizing to Prefect Li, or as if they were paying homage to the emperor from afar.

After all, they were the first generation of nouveau riche who had just risen to power, and they were still very afraid of imperial authority.

Inside the room, only Ma Yaozong and Yao Jingshan did not kneel down.

Yao Jingshan was the designated guest of honor. Not to mention the strongmen of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, even high-ranking officials such as the commanders and captains of the Embroidered Uniform Guard would have to pay their respects to him first.

As for Ma Yaozong, he studied at the Hongwu Imperial Academy in Nanjing for three years and had seen the world. He knew that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was not that scary, provided that you yourself had not committed any crimes.

Ma Yaozong's father looked at Prefect Li with a complicated expression. Among these local tycoons, he was the most capable and the most cunning. He immediately realized that this prefect was pretending to be weak while actually being strong.

What terrifying cunning and forbearance! For three whole years, they endured the innuendo, insults, and bullying from these nouveau riche, and today they finally got the chance to strike a fatal blow.

"Your Excellency, Ma Yagui's arrogance and rudeness are just isolated cases. We, the people of Xinma Prefecture, have received great favors from His Majesty, and the vast majority of us respect and love our sovereign. However, 100,000 mu is really too much. We beg Your Excellency to consider our contributions to the country's land reclamation and reduce it a bit."

After hearing Ma Yaozong's father's words, the other clan leaders, who already implicitly regarded him as their leader and knew of the old man's abilities, all began to echo him.

"Yes, Your Excellency, we are willing to serve the court, but 100,000 mu is really too much."

Upon hearing these words, Ma Yaogui, who had just slowly regained consciousness, let out another scream, and his vision went black again as he collapsed to the ground, unable to move. He knew that this time, he was finished.

After listening to their words, Li Luanxuan pondered for a moment. Originally, asking these ten families to contribute 100,000 mu of land was indeed too much, but after careful consideration, Li Luanxuan did not want to reduce their contribution by much.

Because if we don't take 100,000 mu of land from these guys, their strength will still be too great. When the new immigrants come to divide their land, they may not be able to secure their share.

We must weaken them to the point where they dare not defy the imperial court's orders; the blows must be severe.

Of course, Prefect Li would not touch their core farmland, because maintaining local stability, revitalizing the local economy, and even sending militias to fight the local people and guard against thieves all depended on their efforts.

It's something that needs to be reduced, but you can't reduce it too much; it's hard to find the right balance.

"Please rise, everyone. In our Great Yu Dynasty, kneeling before officials is unacceptable." Prefect Li first shoved them to their feet, then asked in return:

"You don't think that I, a mere prefect, have the right to bargain with the imperial court on this matter, do you?"

Ma Yaozong's father was skeptical, so he turned his attention to his son, Ma Yaozong, thinking that since the boy was studying at the Hongwu Imperial Academy in the capital, he must know the truth and perhaps he could use what he had seen to shut up Prefect Li.

Little did he know that Ma Yaozong had a lot to say, so he immediately stepped forward and said to the ten clan leaders in the room, "Uncles and elder brothers, you must listen to what the Prefect has to say!"
Without His Majesty, we would still be working like cattle and horses for the Manchus. Let alone having thousands of acres of fertile land, hundreds of shops, and a multitude of wives and concubines, we would hardly even have a full meal.

His Majesty has devoted himself to the country and to us poor folks, spending tens of millions of taels of the imperial treasury every year. He truly treats us all as his beloved children and father.

This is something that Emperor Wen of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, and Emperor Hongwu of Ming could not do; he was the most sagacious and benevolent ruler in thousands of years.

We have received such great favor from our sovereign and father, and now we are only selling some land. How can we make excuses?

Moreover, serving as a pacification commissioner in uncivilized lands or as a ruler in various continents is also leaving an inheritance for future generations, a great blessing for posterity, and should be eagerly participated in!

Upon hearing this, Ma Yaozong's father immediately became anxious, insisting that the Xinma family could still afford to produce 100,000 mu if they gritted their teeth.

However, Ma Yaozong's words immediately put the Ma family of Panyu in a difficult position.

After that, everyone would say that the Ma family took the initiative to sell the land, and wouldn't the others hate them to death?
"You little brat, what do you know?!" Ma Yaozong's father stammered anxiously.

Unexpectedly, his actions only fueled his son Ma Yaozong's disapproval.

For this passionate young man who believed that this was a once-in-a-millennium opportunity for the nation, how could he possibly be so petty and selfish, forgetting justice for personal gain?
"Father, have you forgotten Grandpa?" Ma Yaozong asked his father with red eyes, "Back then, Grandpa had a pair of eight-slash swords, and he was invincible throughout the Shahe River. Everyone who saw him called him a hero."

He worked as a porter at Huangpu Wharf. While others could carry one bag, he could carry three. He managed to squeeze into the ranks of dockworkers, a job that was never given to outsiders, by sheer skill.

Even so, our family was still dirt poor. We offended two yamen runners, so we had no choice but to flee to Xin'an. In the end, we never returned to our hometown before we died.

My great-uncle from the main branch of the family in Panyu said he had brought trouble to the family, so he wouldn't let him be buried in the back hill of the family or have his memorial tablet placed in the ancestral hall. You, my second uncle, and my third uncle can only bury him in the wasteland of Shajiatou.

As Ma Yaozong spoke, he became increasingly distressed. He recalled his grandfather, whom his father had described as a hero but whose life was filled with misfortune, and tears streamed down his face.

"Dad, are you really better than Grandpa? You're so powerful now, did you get it all by working hard on your own?"
Without Your Majesty, my father and I, and our family for generations, would have been nothing more than poor fishermen from outside Lantau Island, the kind who could only afford to rent fishing boats from others, much like the Tanka people.

Now that I have received your favor and wealth, the time has come to repay my lord and father. What is there to hesitate about?

Ma Yaozong's father was stunned. After a long while, tears streamed down his face. He sobbed and exclaimed with joy, "It really is important to study. My son is much more sensible than I am!"

I, Ma Da, am far less heroic than my father, but I am able to live a life ten thousand times better than my father, all thanks to His Majesty's grace.

"Your Excellency, the Ma family of Panyu is offering 10,000 mu of land. If you grant me the title of Prince of Dazhanzhou, I will send my eldest son, Ma Yaobang, with one hundred members of the Ma family and three hundred local servants to Dazhanzhou to expand the territory for the country!"

This move caused a huge stir. As the leader of the Panyu Ma family, the largest family in Singapore and Malaysia, changed his stance, the heads of other major families also came out to agree and agreed to sell the land.

At this moment, Ma Yaozong stepped forward again, cupped his hands to Prefect Li Luanxuan, and said, “Your Excellency, Ma Yaogui is not an arrogant or rebellious person. He was so frightened that he vomited blood today because of his loose tongue. This can be considered retribution.”

"Please, Your Honor, spare his life, considering his contributions to the development of Xinma Prefecture!"

"Wow!" Upon hearing this, Prefect Li Luanxuan's eyes lit up immediately. "First, he takes the lead in upholding justice, and then he wins people's hearts. He's quite a character!"
This kid is studying at the Hongwu Imperial Academy and is associating with someone like Yao Jingshan. Even if he doesn't achieve great things in the future, he's definitely not an ordinary person. It would be good to give him face and make a good connection.

At this moment, Yao Jingshan also cupped his hands and said, "No one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. Prefect, you two strongmen, I think as long as Ma Yaogui knows what's good for him and is willing to serve the country, we might as well give him a break."

Yao Jingshan came from an extraordinary family, so he spoke with even more finesse, and he also very astutely mentioned the two Jinyi guards who came from Nanjing.

The two strongmen weren't any big shots, but they seemed to recognize Yao Jingshan, after all, his father was a great writer of the Tongcheng School and the Emperor Emeritus's closest friend.

“Young Master Yao is right. Please, Your Excellency, make the decision.” The two guards in brocade robes handed the decision over to Prefect Li Luanxuan.

Prefect Li pondered for a moment, "Since everyone is pleading for Ma Yagui, I will not play the villain. However, he may be spared the death penalty, but he will not escape punishment."

"Ma Yagui, you too shall send fifty clansmen and one hundred and fifty servants, and send your son with Ma Yaobang to Dazhanzhou. I will not accept this cloud-leopard robe, and I will not report your arrogant words."

Having narrowly escaped death, Ma Yagui dared not harbor any dissatisfaction and immediately kowtowed repeatedly, agreeing to the terms.

At this point, the problem was completely solved. Li Luanxuan, the prefect, chuckled and clapped his hands. Two people then emerged from behind the screen.

The two white men were a thin, shifty-eyed man who looked like the best serf, and a plump, not short woman with a large bottom who looked like she was good at bearing children.

"These were arranged by the Crown Prince of Lu, with supplies provided by Mr. Peter, the Prime Minister of England, and others. They were white slaves from Europe, not many in number, and quite precious."

According to the imperial court's plan, those hardworking, fair-skinned white slaves who were willing to cooperate with the court's strategy of selling land would be given priority in purchasing their land.

I grass!

Ma Yaozong's father felt a chill run down his spine.

These white slaves are really good stuff. They're much more useful than the natives of Southeast Asia. Female white slaves are even better. Keeping them for breeding is much better than keeping dark-skinned native women. They're more pleasing to the eye.

If the prefect had presented it earlier, we might have agreed long ago. But he insisted on going through all this trouble, which seems to be to establish his authority and to enhance the prestige of the court and himself.

He is meticulous, ruthless, cunning, and patient. Such a ruthless person is bound to rise to great heights in the future, so it's best not to go against him.

Ma Yaozong's father, Ma Dafu, bowed deeply, his hands clasped together, and his knees bent over.

"Your Excellency, from this day forward, we will follow your lead without question!"

(End of this chapter)