The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 791 The Coveted Property of the Kingdom of Spain

Another year of rice harvest has arrived. In Gutang Village, Hefeng Township, Xiangyin County, Hunan Province, the villagers were organized by the cooperative. According to the pre-arranged plan, more than 100 able-bodied men were divided into three groups and began harvesting rice from house to house.

Adults cut the rice in front, while children and women picked up the fallen ears of grain behind them. On the other side, the sounds of threshing rice rose and fell, like a symphony.

The group worked until sunset, finally ending their day's hard work.

The host, Mao Xianggui's wife, had prepared the meal long ago. The rice, made from this year's new rice, was fragrant, translucent, and looked like a pastry.

Chili peppers mixed with preserved eggs, with plenty of salt, are fragrant, spicy, and salty, making them a perfect accompaniment to rice.

One by one, silver carp were brought out of the steamer on plates, with lard and fresh chopped chili peppers added. Just one look and you knew they must be incredibly delicious.

In addition, seasonal vegetables, tender tofu, and a large pot of chicken soup were served in a continuous stream.

"The matriarch is here! The matriarch is here!" Just as the banquet was about to begin, a series of shouts suddenly rang out.

Everyone quickly stood up to look, and saw an old woman dressed in a blue brocade jacket and skirt with gold cloud patterns being carried over on a sedan chair commonly seen in the countryside, surrounded by dozens or even hundreds of teenagers.

"Oh dear, Grandma, you're still not well. Didn't you say you weren't going to come over? If my brother knew you weren't taking care of your health, he would definitely blame me."

When Mao Xianggui saw that it was his mother, he quickly went over to protect her and said with some heartache.

Mao Xianggui's mother did not answer him. Instead, with her grandson's help, she got off the sedan chair, waved her hand, and slowly walked through the banquet to the rice paddy, looking at a dilapidated courtyard in the distance.

Two cloudy tears streamed down the face of the old woman, who was dressed in a brocade robe and adorned with jewels, but whose hands were calloused from hard work.

He pointed to the dilapidated gate of the courtyard in the distance, his voice choked with emotion, "Back then, it was right at that gate that your younger brother left home to venture out into the world, risking his life."

I leaned against the wooden gate that year, watching him walk away, my eyes almost blinded from crying, only praying that all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens would protect him and keep him safe.

The old woman, who held the title of Lady of Changsha County of the Second Rank and was popularly known as the Old Lady, could no longer control her emotions when she thought of her young son whom she hadn't seen for almost twenty years.

Mao Xianggui was also somewhat dazed. Back then, because of the few acres of poor land his family rented, his wife instigated him to kick his second son, Mao Xiangsheng, out of the house. At the time, his father tacitly agreed so that there would be one less person to feed in the family.

Thinking back, the second son finally managed to return to Beijing to report on his work last time, but he only sent several truckloads of gifts home and didn't come back himself. It must be because I and Dad hurt his feelings.

“Grandma, I was wrong back then. I will immediately have someone write a letter to my second son to apologize to him. Father has passed away long ago, and I am the only one left. I will endure whatever he wants to do, as long as he can come back to see you.”

Mao Xianggui knew that his younger brother's absence from home for twenty years was a source of great worry for his mother, so he immediately made a statement.

Of course, this was also because he felt guilty. How could he want to drive his younger brother out of the house just for the tenancy rights of a few acres of land?

Moreover, over the years, his younger brother, who has become the Grand Protector of Zhanzhou Protectorate, has been sending a large amount of money home every year, allowing the whole family to live a good life. He should admit his mistake.

Mao Taijun shook her head, wanting to say something, but the villagers around her came over to comfort her, so she stopped talking.

The banquet finally began. The men ate with gusto, their mouths greasy, and drank the slightly cloudy homemade wine until their faces were flushed. All the fatigue of the day disappeared completely in this delicious food and wine.

"Brother Mao, your family's food is really good. We feel embarrassed by all this fish and meat. Before your second son beat me to death, we never got to eat this kind of food except during holidays."

One man, patting his bloated belly, lit a roll of his own homemade tobacco and said to the host, Mao Xianggui, with a satisfied smile.

Xiangyin County is located north of Changsha, on the shore of Dongting Lake. Since the area around Yunmengze was developed, it has been a first-class prosperous land.

At this time, it was an important grain-producing area supplying major cities such as Changsha and Yueyang. In fact, a lot of rice would be shipped south to supply the Jiangnan region, where a large amount of farmland had been converted into cash crops.

Therefore, these Hunan farmers, who typically own 70 to 80 mu of land, live extremely well. Apart from delicacies and fine silks, they have no difficulty with other necessities such as food, clothing, and daily necessities.

Upon hearing this, Mao Xianggui, Mao Xiangsheng's mother, Mao Taijun, tapped her cane on the ground.

“You, Mao Xiangzheng, have always been a glutton since you were a child. When you were little, you could only blame your hunger on catching snails by the river. Later, you couldn’t stand it anymore, so you stole a chicken from your great-grandfather Mao’s house and roasted it. As a result, you were hung from a tree and beaten. It was only after your mother and I kowtowed to your great-grandfather Mao for half an hour that we were able to save you.”

When Mao Xiangzheng heard what Mao Taijun said, he also became somewhat saddened. "Fourth Grandfather Mao died too late, while I, Grandma, died too early."

If she could see all of this now, see me, Mao Xiangzheng, surrounded by children and grandchildren, with endless feasts, how wonderful that would be.

These farmers in Xiangyin aren't really overflowing with food, or rather, Hunan farmers aren't that wealthy. But they still have the means to have a good meal during festivals and important events.

“My father loved this dish of pounded pepper and preserved egg the most, but he never got to eat a full meal before he died.”

Hearing Mao Xiang reminisce about his mother, people around him also began to miss their own relatives, and some even shed tears under the influence of alcohol.

Actually, these guys aren't good people.

Xiangyin is located at a strategic point in Hunan Province, at the border of Changsha and Yueyang. More than 100 kilometers to the west is Changde, a major town in Huguang Province that leads into western Hunan. A few dozen kilometers further west from Changde is the territory of western Hunan.

It was a vital transportation hub, adjacent to western Hunan, and to the north, across Dongting Lake, lay Jingzhou. Throughout history, whenever an attack on Changsha came from the north, it would first have to attack Xiangyin.

To attack Jingzhou in the south, we also need to capture Xiangyin and recruit naval forces there. The same applies to attacking Yueyang and Jiujiang downstream; we also need to recruit and train troops in Xiangyin.

As for the imperial court's pacification of western Hunan, it was necessary to deal with the Xiangxi Ganzi (Gan Army), which had been as famous as the Guangxi Wolf Army since the late Ming Dynasty. Xiangyin was still an important place for recruiting soldiers.

This unique geography has created a unique culture: the people are relatively wealthy, yet also savage and belligerent; they can make a living, but often enjoy committing ruthless acts out of momentary anger.

Back then, Chen Huizu relied on the people from the area from Xiangyin in the north to Xiangxiang in the south to join the army when he blocked Mo Zibu's army.

Of course, the backlash was also intense. Chen Huizu was defeated and killed overnight. Without the Great Yu Dynasty needing to rally support, these Xiang soldiers returned to their hometowns and almost wiped out the local wealthy families, waiting to welcome the royal army.

Historically, Zeng Guofan's Xiang Army was mainly composed of people from this region. After leaving Hunan, they engaged in numerous evil deeds in their struggle for power with the people of Guangxi.

Such people, when they could barely make ends meet, had little moral compass. So when Mao Xianggui, the elder brother, wanted to kick his younger brother Mao Xiangsheng out of the family, everyone thought it was normal.

But now, in the new world of the Great Yu Dynasty, they have become generally wealthy. Each family owns dozens or even hundreds of acres of land, and every household has oxen to save labor. The planting and harvesting are coordinated by the rural cooperatives, so they don't have to bother calculating the weather and seasons themselves.

Even the most difficult and laborious task of hulling rice has been solved with new steam rice milling machines. As long as the rice is transported there, the machine will hum and finish the heavy physical labor that used to take several days or even more than ten days in half a day.

When the granaries are full, people know etiquette; when they are well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame.

The people of Xiangyin are now wealthy, and many have even become prominent figures with considerable power. As a result, they have begun to reflect on their past chaotic and immoral behavior.

This reflection further promoted the new Neo-Confucianism of the Dayu Dynasty and the widespread dissemination of new science in Hunan Province.

"This is all thanks to His Majesty's grace. It is His Majesty who has restored our land and brought thousands of miles of Southeast Asia into China, bringing so many benefits to us villagers. Without His Majesty, we would not be where we are today!"

Compared to the older generation, the young people who have grown up in the last twenty years seem to be from a completely different world.

They grew up listening to stories of the emperor regaining his lost territories, and their schools were filled with tales of valiant men going out to conquer new lands for the country, so naturally they had high aspirations.

The speaker was Mao Xiangzheng's son. Looking at his son's still-childish face, yet seemingly possessing an air of dominance, Mao Xiangzheng didn't find his son energetic; instead, he thought the boy was a bit arrogant and ignorant.

If the emperor is a good person, then all the officials in the court are good people. Who knows where they might be waiting to harm the common people?

Driving in Xinjiang? That Southeast Asia is teeming with snakes and insects, and the islands of Jambudvipa are like wild wilderness. It's not like you can drive there easily. Don't risk your life.

"My second brother is right. When I grow up, I will take up arms and go to all corners of the country to open up new frontiers!"

"Yes, in today's school-wide competition, I hit the bullseye with all five shots, and three of them hit the bullseye. If I went to Southeast Asia, I could kill ten natives in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea!"

"No, the instructor said that the rainforests of Southeast Asia are everywhere, and long guns are useless. The best weapons are revolvers and steel knives."

I can fire six shots in fifteen seconds. After that, I'll draw my knife and stab them—one to the heart, one to the lungs. In less than five minutes, I can kill ten natives.

Mist grass!

Mao Xiangzheng was about to scold his son, but upon hearing this, he felt a chill run down his spine.

This is ridiculous! Aren't schools supposed to be for teaching and nurturing people? What are they teaching all this time? It's all about wielding swords and spears!
Mao Xiangzheng, who didn't care much about his son and only knew how to farm, smoke, and drink, had no idea that in Dayu these days, schools generally only taught basic cultural knowledge, and recognizing three to five hundred characters was considered graduating from elementary school.

The rest of the time, it was no different from a military academy, teaching everything from how to load rifles, rapid-fire revolvers, how to kill with a single blow, how to form ranks, and basic hygiene and medical knowledge. Ha! You think the emperor would raise your children to be scholars and officials just because you received one silver dollar a year?

Dream on! The emperor only trained slave hunters from Southeast Asia and skilled colonizers from Hezhou, such as horse-riding cowboys.

The children discussed it enthusiastically, and soon they became the stars of the banquet.

Life has improved over the past twenty years, and the birth rate has soared. Almost every family has five, six, seven, or eight children. In fact, even the smallest family will have no fewer than four children.

That's why Gutang Village has grown from over 600 people to nearly 2,000 in just 20 years. With so many young people, they chatter away, and no one else can get a word in edgewise.

"Good children, all good children!" Mao Taijun praised happily. "Songya, you are sixteen years old now. Do you dare to go to Zhanzhou to find your uncle and become an official there?"

It's here, it's been waiting for, it's finally here.

The adults in Gutang Village all showed expressions of reluctance, but they did not try to stop them.

Firstly, they wouldn't dare. What a joke! A second-rank imperial consort, the Lady of Changsha, isn't something anyone can easily obtain.
This was a very important person, whose birthday celebration would be personally attended by the prefect of Changsha.

Secondly, most of the good farmland in Gutang Village has already been allocated, so if more land is to be allocated, the only option is to reclaim land in other places.

However, what was originally a perfectly normal practice of burning mountains to clear land or reclaiming land from lakes is now being prevented from being done easily by the imperial court under the pretext of protecting the ecology.

Many people don't understand why this perfectly good place can't be cultivated. Is the ecology really that important?
Well, it is important, but not that important.

Most importantly, if they could freely cultivate the land, how many of these inland people would be willing to go to Southeast Asia? They probably wouldn't leave their hometowns unless they had less than an acre of land per person and couldn't even get enough to eat.

Now that land reclamation is no longer allowed, the children have no choice but to venture out and make their way in the world if they want a future.

"Third Grandma, I dare!" Mao Xiangzheng's second son, Mao Duosong, answered loudly: "The teachers at school said that sons should be filial to their parents and younger brothers should be respectful to their elder brothers."

My family now has 105 acres of land, which is enough to support my parents and allow my brother to have children, but it's not enough to continue supporting our family of nine.

Therefore, in order to serve the court, be loyal to His Majesty, and be filial to my parents, I, Mao Duosong, am willing to go to Zhanzhou to follow my second uncle, the Grand Protector, and to expand the country's territory!

“I’m willing to go too. Although I’m the eldest, I’ve studied firearms and swordsmanship for ten years. How can I just stay at home and wield a hoe? Let my younger brothers take care of our parents!”

"Good son, go out into the world and open up new Xinjiang for the country!" Mao Taijun stood up, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew how much pressure her son had endured, and she wanted to do one last thing for him in the final stage of her life.

"Go to the ancestral hall, go to the Mao family ancestral hall. Eldest son, at least three of your five sons must go to Zhanzhou. Every family in Gutang Village must send someone to Zhanzhou, for the Mao family, for Dayu!"

. . . .

"Let the Spaniards die!"

"You tiny, insignificant country dare to offend the Celestial Empire! We must teach them a lesson they won't forget!"

"The gold mine belongs to Dayu, and the silver mine also belongs to Dayu!"

Outside the Taishang Qinghui Palace, as the tide of colonization surged in along with the first wave of population after the founding of the Great Yu Kingdom, an overwhelming war spirit also swept in.

The Great Yu Dynasty controlled the East, but failed to conquer Luzon in Spain. It was like a rat dropping in white rice, which was extremely frustrating.

Furthermore, the Spanish holdings on the west coast of North America, such as in Texas and Mexico, are incredibly enviable.

Of course, there are also those silver mines with huge output. Even if Mo Zibu is not interested, others have long been drooling over them.

Guangzhou citizens, chanting slogans, came to petition outside the Taishang Qinghui Palace in waves. Among them were many primary school students, dressed in neat school uniforms, who walked past the front of the Taishang Qinghui Palace under the guidance of their teachers and instructors.

This was, of course, arranged by Mo Zibu, because he wasn't just going to give the Spanish a warning; he was going to take down Spain's stronghold in North America.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In order to protect its territory in North America and its homeland, the Spanish government actually cooperated with the French Directory.

In the eyes of the Chinese, this is a betrayal of one's ancestors. They have already executed the eldest son of your family, and you still cooperate with such an enemy. You deserve to die!

To Europeans, the Kingdom of Spain and its king were the very thing that allowed them to protect the interests of the nobility, and of course they had to be taught a lesson.

But this was a huge deal. Occupying Spanish territory in North America, especially Mexico, would cause panic in European countries, so Mozibu had to make the most of the situation.

So, after the military academy officers and cadets from Guangzhou and Guangnan Province arrived, he ordered a meeting with their representatives.

“Count, military action to punish the King of Spain and his government will inevitably begin. Even though I am the emperor, I must yield to the surging public opinion.”

Before the meeting began, Mozibu spoke to Francis Rodton, Earl of Moira, the English Ambassador to China.

Count Moira certainly didn't believe that such a great emperor couldn't control public opinion, but he knew that the Seres Empire had long coveted the Spanish Kingdom's properties on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, namely Mexico and the Philippines.

To be honest, the fact that the Seres Empire held out until now before deciding to take action was far beyond what Count Moira and everyone in the Kingdom of England had expected.

“I say this very clearly, Your Majesty, your empire is terrifying.” Count Moira knew he couldn’t stop it, but he didn’t want to admit the reality so easily, so he steered the conversation in another direction.

“A powerful country always inspires fear, but once you learn more about it, you will naturally overcome the fear that comes with the word ‘powerful’.”

Mo Zibu smiled faintly. It's always better to be strong than weak. He knew very well what these guys could do if China were weak.

"For example, the Seres Empire has decided to severely punish the Kingdom of Spain, but this is not for the Seres people, but to repay His Majesty King Louis XVI for his past support, and also to give an explanation to the French nobles who still uphold justice."

The territories of the Spanish kingdom we have taken on both sides of the Pacific will be used to establish a kingdom ruled by people of Louis XVI lineage, where all French exiles can live.

As for the Spaniards living on that land, I will protect their interests as long as they recognize their mistakes.

This independent kingdom will be open to everyone, including people from England, Prussia and other countries, just like in Southeast Asia.

So while it may seem that the Seres Empire gained Mexico, in reality, everyone gained Mexico.

Mo Zibu spouts nonsense, putting on an act as if he's willing to share it with everyone.

Count Moira knew that the Emperor was determined, even though it seemed he intended to place Princess Charlotte, daughter of Louis XVI, or the Duke of Valois, the child of Princess Charlotte and Dauphin Serres, on the throne.

Although the kingdom was open to Europeans, that did not change the nature of the matter.

This means that this kingdom was part of the Seres Empire, and even with the size of the Europeans, they could not compete with the Seres in an open state.

“Your Majesty, I am deeply moved. You are so grateful, in the words of the Seres.”

Count Moira then changed the subject, saying, "But your empire is already so vast that I believe it would be very difficult to manage."

This means, please stop encroaching on the land and give us some way to survive. If Seres really wants to control the entire Americas, he will definitely be opposed by all European countries.

“Yes, I agree.” Mo Zibu quickly reassured him, and indeed he didn’t have such great ambitions, because the Great Yu was incapable of controlling the Americas, and even its current territory was already starting to become unsustainable.

"Therefore, not only am I preparing a treaty to strongly support the Kingdom of England in punishing the rebellious French government, but I can also tell you seriously that the Seres Empire's actions in the Americas are limited to those against the Kingdom of Spain."

We have no ambition for any other territory, I assure you.

How shameless! Mo Zibu is even using the emperor's reputation as collateral to ensure the success of his plan. He can do without other places, but how could he possibly only take Mexico in North America?

"I am delighted to hear this news. Your Majesty, please allow us to begin negotiations regarding this support treaty."

Count Moira's face lit up with joy. Although the expansion of the Seres Empire had raised concerns, what she needed to be most wary of now was the mad French government's direct attack on the British Isles.

The most important thing is to overthrow the crazy government formed by those rebels in France and restore the Bourbon dynasty. As for the changes in the situation in North America, that's at least a matter for decades to come.

For now, I should focus on securing this credit myself. As for the affairs in North America, King George III and Prime Minister William Pitt Jr. should be concerned with those.

(End of this chapter)