Nanyang 1931: From piglets to giants

Chapter 230 The troublemaker strikes back, has the MCA race war begun?
After staying in Mumbai for more than half a month, Zheng Yi even returned to Kolkata after bidding farewell to Gan and Nepal to consider issues such as how to invest and operate this place in the future.

It can be said that I had a very happy stay.

I just couldn't help but feel a little guilty when I saw Marshal Meng again.

After all, he is not a real politician and is still thin-skinned.

Marshal Meng was also very clear about what Zheng Yi was doing in Mumbai, and he even knew what Zheng Yi was going to do in Kolkata.

Objectively speaking, Zheng Yi’s proposal to turn Kolkata into a Hong Kong island is also very beneficial to the British.

Is this the ruling center of British colonial India? The British have too much interests here. If it can be included in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and established as a special administrative city to participate in international trade, at least most of the British assets here can be preserved.

The British and the SAARC do have conflicts and are already stabbing each other in the back, but at least they still have to smile on the surface. At least it is impossible for the SAARC to directly and rudely confiscate British assets.

Although in Singapore, this guy played a trick to make the British lose a lot of money, he suppressed the price of his own assets and bought shares in their precious oil fields in Borneo at a low price.

But at least, it was obtained through market means, not through military force.

Moreover, Singapore is different from Kolkata. After all, that place was once lost and seized by the Japanese. In a sense, it is indeed Zheng Yi's trophy. There is actually a certain rationality in his playing such a trick.

As for the oil fields in Borneo, he did invest 200 million in cash after all. It is true that he was taking advantage, but on the other hand, he was indeed sharing the risk with Shell.

For Shell, SAARC is now the real local tyrant in Southeast Asia.

A strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake. This principle is applicable everywhere. International resource exploitation requires cooperation with local snakes.

These are all market behaviors. At least Zheng Yi has never used political and military power to bully them.

The SAARC has zero tariffs internally as a whole, and externally, it must join the Commonwealth. To put it bluntly, they are still a member of the international community and must abide by the international trade system constructed by Britain and the United States.

The conflict between SAARC and the British is essentially a competition between multinational corporations on the big stage of the international market. In a sense, they are really just one group of people.

This is actually a good thing for India. After all, if they want to implement a planned economy, it is impossible for them to join the Soviet Union's CMEA, so they really need such a window-type city.

Needless to say, for the SAARC, through the window of Kolkata, it can directly enjoy the extremely rich resources of the Indian subcontinent, which is definitely a huge profit. The only thing it has to worry about is indigestion and being usurped by the Indians.

Triple win.

perfect.

Of course, it is India after all.
Who knows whether they will change their policies and go back on their words after independence?

It is difficult for normal people to understand the Indians' way of thinking, so they cannot guess what kind of trouble will arise in future cooperation, but there will definitely be some.

It is definitely a good thing, but these are things that happened after India's independence. For the time being, India has not yet gained independence.

So although Marshal Meng entertained us, he always pretended to be confused when it came to serious matters.

After all, he is the Governor-General of India.

Don’t you have any face?

Zheng Yi originally wanted to discuss with him how much these British industries in Kolkata were worth, which ones could be preserved completely, which ones would be partially preserved, and which ones would most likely not be retained.

If possible, it would undoubtedly be more appropriate to let Kolkata start using South African currency instead of pounds and rupees before India's independence. In this way, after India officially becomes independent, there will be a certain inertia, and the implementation of this major policy will be much smoother with the help of this general trend.

It’s a pity that the Alliance Commander avoided the topic and refused to respond to Zheng Yi’s words, and all they talked about were some big and empty things.

If you really can't stand it anymore, just curse Japan and recall the glorious years during the War of Resistance.

This is the limitation of what politicians can do under their election model, especially since Marshal Meng is a military man and needs to maintain his tough image.

It can be regarded as the wings of a small butterfly. In history, Marshal Munro only became the Governor-General of India in 1947. At that time, the Labour Party had already decided to abandon India. Marshal Munro came to India just to get things done.

At this time, it was still the end of 1945, and the Labour Party had not yet decided to abandon India at the highest level.

Although they knew that the Indian colony might not be able to be maintained, politicians, especially elected politicians, would do their utmost to demonstrate their strength and extend their rule as long as possible.

Although sometimes this so-called strength is nothing more than the emperor's new clothes in the eyes of truly discerning people, they are not performing for discerning people.

The masses are certainly not fools, but most ordinary people have already tried their best to make a living. Who has the time to care about politics, let alone the politics of India, which is thousands of miles away.

In a democratic election, real political achievements are far less important than bragging.

As a British naval marshal who performed well in World War II, do you think he really had no interest in that supreme position?
If it can last until the handover to the next politician, then everything will be fine. What does the interests or disadvantages have to do with him? At least it is far less important than his bragging.

After all, Zheng Yi has been involved in this, and the sooner this matter enters the preparation stage, the more beneficial it will be to the development of the Southern Asian Association.

Since Marshal Meng was pretending to be confused, he had no choice but to point it out himself.

While Marshal Meng was talking endlessly about the Japs, he suddenly asked, "Marshal, our SAARC is planning to purchase 10,000 tons of cotton and 5,000 tons of black tea from Mumbai, paying in SA currency. I wonder if you could cooperate and have these goods shipped through the port of Calcutta?"

"If it's convenient, HSBC could open a large branch in Kolkata to specifically handle this kind of foreign exchange business."

Zheng Yi still gave face to Marshal Meng and specifically proposed that HSBC should carry out this business, and did not even mention asking OCBC to open a branch.

However, when Marshal Meng heard what he said, his face immediately darkened, and he blurted out as if in a stress reaction: "Mr. Zheng, you are stretching your hand too far.

India is the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Its significance is completely different from that of the Southeast Asian countries. As long as I am alive and breathing, I will never allow India to gain independence from me!

Zheng Yi: “…………”

"Marshal Meng, I didn't say anything about India's independence."

Marshal Meng: “…………”

"Humph!"

Knowing that he had let the cat out of the bag, Marshal Meng's face turned red, and he could no longer maintain his previous diplomatic decorum. He snorted angrily, sat down on the chair angrily, and glared at Zheng Yi fiercely.

Seeing this, Zheng Yi sat down next to him, took out a cigar with a smile, and handed it to him like he was coaxing a child, saying, "Marshal, have a cigar and calm down. Politics is all about compromise. You take a step back, I take a step back. The most important thing is to get things done."

"This matter will only benefit you in the UK, and will also benefit you personally, Marshal. I can't say anything else, but at least HSBC will definitely remember your favor."

Marshal Meng took the cigar and sneered disdainfully, saying, "Mr. Zheng, you think too little of me. Do you think I care about money? Do you think I'm someone who would sell out the dignity of our country for money?"

Zheng Yi: "Marshal, your words are meaningless. How exactly is this not in the national interest?

Britain's interests in Calcutta can be preserved to the greatest extent possible. Besides, this isn't just about money for you. All the multinational corporations left behind by the British in Calcutta will be grateful to you. As for Britain's national interests, I don't see where the problem lies."

Hearing this, Marshal Meng said with some concern: "But it would be a loss of national dignity."

Zheng Yi: "Is national dignity more important than national interests? Besides, can you really stop India's independence now?"

Marshal Meng said, "Zheng, I'm a soldier. I can't tell the difference between national interests, but I do understand national dignity. In the face of war, even if I'm at a disadvantage, I must fight to the end. Even if defeat is certain, I will never surrender until the last bullet in my gun is fired, unless I receive a political order from my superiors."

"A political order from above... I understand."

To put it bluntly, he just wants to maintain his tough image as a soldier. He doesn't believe that the British army will fight to the death until the last bullet in their guns is fired.

Who is he trying to fool? He has indeed had little contact with the British troops on the battlefield in Europe, but he is very familiar with the Asian side. If the British troops were not useless, he would probably still be hiding in Penang and would not be able to go to Singapore.

The Labour Party is now in power in the UK, so there is indeed a possibility of solving the problem from a higher level.

Still unwilling to give up, he asked, "Marshal, why are you so stubborn? This batch of goods actually doesn't need to go through Kolkata. We originally planned to smuggle it through Assam before India's independence."

"But if we really do smuggle it, it will be of no benefit to Great Britain or you, Marshal."

Marshal Meng, however, showed a look of disdain on his face and said, "India's northeastern states, especially the Assamese people of the Assam Gang, have always been at odds with other Indians. If you smuggle goods from the northeastern states, I'm afraid you'll be dragged into India's internal strife, and you won't be able to rest in peace."

Zheng Yi said, "Don't bother with that. Neither Gan nor Ni is a person with narrow-minded ethnic or religious ideas. In fact, whether you allow me to use Calcutta or not, we will carry out a lot of cooperation in Assam."

Marshal Meng: "Haha."

Zheng Yi was not talking nonsense about this. Both Gan and Nepal paid great attention to the issues of national and religious unity. Zheng Yi actually specifically mentioned the smuggling trade in Assam.

Not to mention that Kolkata's joining the SAARC is not a sure thing at present, even after India's independence in the future, smuggling in Assam will not be stopped.

Because Assam borders Myanmar by land, neither the Congress Party over Assam nor Zheng Yi over Myanmar has much control, and it is still unclear what will happen in Myanmar in the future.

If the border cannot be controlled, there will definitely be a lot of exchanges, whether it is people or goods. As the saying goes, it is better to open up than to block, Zheng Yi naturally hopes that the two can be prepared.

These two people are indeed different from the Indian politicians who followed. At least for now, they are still thinking about bridging differences and national unity. They do not believe that Assam and the northeastern states will have a tendency to separate after India's independence.

Especially Gan D, he believed that the reason why the northeastern states had some historical grudges was mainly because they were poor and most of them were mountainous areas with inconvenient transportation.

Now there is an opportunity to use them as a bridge for communication with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. If we can get rich from it, it will not be a bad thing.

Smuggling also requires exchanges with other states, right? You can't just sell tea and agricultural products.

Gandhi even took the initiative to propose labor export, using the people of Assam as laborers to earn more South African currency. This would further implement his non-violent non-cooperation movement at the time, and after India's independence, it would help India to reserve sufficient foreign exchange.

Of course, this was a serious matter, so Zheng Yi did not agree. He only agreed to wait until India truly became independent before discussing it.

After all, putting the economic impact aside, there is at least one characteristic within the Southern Association for Regional Cooperation: guns and weapons are too easy to buy.

Chinese people are all legally allowed to own guns. Even if there are legal restrictions on Indians owning guns, it is not difficult for Indians to get guns given the current environment, and Zheng Yi can't do anything about it.

You have to know that India does not have only the Congress Party as an anti-British force. After the disbandment of the National Army, other large and small armed resistance organizations are still thriving. Zheng Yi is also afraid that if the personnel exchanges with India are too loose at this time, if these Indians smuggle arms back to India to fight against Britain, the consequences will be too great.

As the saying goes, if you don't agree, there's no need to talk too much. Marshal Meng's meaning was very clear to Zheng Yi. There was no need for him to talk anymore, so he planned to say goodbye and go back after staying for a few more days.

Marshal Meng suddenly said, "Mr. Zheng, I have a piece of advice for you. Although the British Empire is in decline, it depends on who you are comparing yourself to. If you challenge the British Empire, you will definitely pay a price. We were close allies during World War II and could have been friends."

Zheng Yi smiled upon hearing this and said, "Of course, Marshal, you are right. We are of course friends. We, the Southern Alliance, are just a group of businessmen banding together for warmth. How could we be an enemy of the powerful British Empire?"

Marshal Meng suddenly said, "If, I mean if, London is dissatisfied with SAARC's recent actions and retaliates, Mr. Zheng, please believe that this and we, the Indian military attachés, must be the work of the civilian officials in the Colonial Office."

Zheng Yi had already bowed and was about to leave, but upon hearing this, he suddenly turned around and asked, "Does Marshal Meng know something? Can you tell me?"

Marshal Meng said, "How should I know? I told you, if there's any retaliation, it will definitely be done by the civil servants in the Colonial Office. Mr. Zheng, I'm sure you're aware that the British Empire's colonies are facing problems one after another. Those guys in the Labour Party don't care much about colonial affairs, and there are already voices within Britain calling for abandoning the colonies."

"But the Colonial Office is a big ministry, with so many officials. The abolition of each Colonial Office is bound to lead to the unemployment of thousands of civil servants. Besides, watching one colony after another riot and doing nothing would also make them look incompetent, wouldn't it?"

"I'm just guessing, I don't really know anything."

After saying that, Marshal Meng crossed his legs on the sofa and smoked a cigar with great pride.

"Really? Thank you, Marshal. Don't worry, every wrong has its perpetrator. If we in the Southern Alliance really have any conflicts with the Ministry of Colonial Affairs or the Colonial Bureau, we will definitely not come after you. Of course, you'd better stay away and avoid getting splashed with blood."

After saying that, Zheng Yi walked away, but he suddenly had a bad feeling in his heart.

He didn't believe that Marshal Meng was just joking when he said he hadn't received any news. He was a person of such status and position, and he was not just his drinking buddy, so he definitely didn't say anything casually.

And in all likelihood, retaliation is imminent, otherwise Marshal Meng wouldn't have said it. Before returning to the hotel, Zheng Yi instructed Li Jianqiao in the car, "Contact home immediately. The British are likely about to make a move. Ask Mr. Tan Kah Kee, your father, Chen Liushi, Zhuang Xiyan, and Wu Aihua if there have been any unusual signs recently. Everyone should be alert these days and be extra prepared."

"Yes, I understand."

Li Jianqiao also knew that this matter was of great importance, so he immediately sent a telegram.

Zheng Yi rubbed his temples tiredly.

World War II was over, and there was no clear boundary between enemies and friends. To be honest, he was really reluctant to focus all his energy on this kind of hypocritical diplomacy.

This kind of thing should be fully entrusted to Li Xiaoshi, and he should withdraw from these practical affairs and turn to thinking about strategic and development issues.

I always feel that in the long time since Japan's surrender, he is almost becoming a professional diplomat.

Nothing happened that night. At noon the next day, Zheng Yi was trying some Indian and British fusion dishes that looked quite good.

But it was Li Jianqiao who came back jogging and said, "Uncle, something really happened."

Zheng Yi didn't even stop spooning and asked, "What happened?"

"Today is Eid al-Adha, and there were some celebrations in Alor Setar. During the street parade and beating of hand drums, a conflict broke out between the Chinese and Malays, and the situation has spread."

"conflict?"

Zheng Yi frowned and asked, "Was there a fight, or just a shove? Was there a death, or were guns used?"

"During the march, for unknown reasons, a group of Malays clashed with the Huaji brothers who were helping to maintain order. Fights broke out, and six Hongmen brothers were killed on the spot. The Malays then fled in panic."

"After hearing about this, Mr. To wanted to suppress the matter and drove to see Dato' Ong to discuss the matter. However, they were ambushed on the way and their car was smashed. Two of Mr. To's bodyguards were killed, and he himself was injured."

"In other words, Du Yuesheng was almost beaten to death by the Malays?"

"Yes."

"Did you fire a gun?"

"No, only clubs and machetes were used."

"Oh~"

Zheng Yi breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this.

"Go ask around. This is unlikely to be an isolated incident. If the British were involved, there should be other incidents."

"Yes."

An hour later, Li Jianqiao returned with the latest news. He said, "Uncle, a major riot broke out in Alor Setar due to this incident. General Anand personally led the troops to suppress it. Over a hundred people were killed or wounded, including both Chinese and Malays, and over two thousand were captured."

"Did you fire a gun?"

"No, it was all machetes and clubs."

"Ah."

Hearing this, Zheng Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

He knew that Du Yuesheng was still very restrained.

Most Chinese people have guns, not to mention Huaji, they even have rocket launchers, and it was only a short time after the end of World War II.

As for the Malays, the Malays have stricter gun control, and most people probably don't have guns. And it is obvious that these troublemakers are smart and know that they will not gain any advantage if they really use guns, so they simply don't do anything.

I couldn't help but sneer: "Do you think Alor Star is a beach? What else? Is Alor Star the only place that has problems?"

"In Bandar Seri Begawan, a group of oil workers were reportedly killed after they slaughtered pork in public, which angered a group of local Malays. A conflict ensued, and six of them were killed."

Zheng Yi was stunned. "Isn't today Eid al-Adha? Isn't Eid al-Adha also known as the Festival of Sacrifice?"

Li Jianqiao: "Yes, so the Chinese in Bandar Seri Begawan generally believed that this group of Malays were looking for trouble. They had already started a riot. A group of Xiamen people wanted to expel all the Malays from Brunei. Sultan Ahmad sent the Sudanese army to suppress it, but failed."

"Ahmed...who are you sending troops to suppress?"

"They say they're suppressing both sides, but you know, we Chinese are all armed, and most of the Malays in Bandar Seri Begawan don't have guns, so..."

"Ah."

Zheng Yi nodded.

"Anymore?"

"Yes, there have been small-scale conflicts in Kuching and Machen due to different customs. Most of the Chinese there are from Qiongzhou and run farms in remote areas. The specific situation is unclear at the moment. There is not much information at the moment. I heard that... uh... General Chen Ce has already gone there."

Zheng Yi: "It's just a festival, how can it be celebrated like this? What about Singapore and Penang? Do any of us Chinese celebrate this festival?"

Li Jianqiao: "Almost none, but there are a small number of Malays living in Penang and Singapore. They celebrate, and as you instructed, we have always respected their festival traditions. But they... I'm afraid Penang and Singapore are now having some issues with this. Uncle, do you really think the British are instigating all this?"

Zheng Yi sneered at this: "Who else could it be but them? There's nothing new about them. The British only have a few tricks up their sleeves, huh."

It is almost the same tactic that the British used against Singapore in history.

After all, Singapore has a special geographical location. In fact, it is similar to Syria. Syria has been interfered with by foreign forces and has become like that. How could Singapore remain immune in the context of the Cold War?

In particular, Lee also took a shrewd diplomatic approach. He was pro-American in the general direction, but refused to allow US troops to be stationed in the details and invited the Soviet fleet to visit. While walking a tightrope between the two ends, the British also instigated and even hired Malays in Singapore to cause trouble for the Chinese.

It's the same few tricks that are used over and over again. In the Middle East, in Africa, and in Latin America, it's all the same. Zheng Yi has seen it many times.

To be fair, Lee's political ability is far beyond those scum in the Middle East. Under almost identical geopolitical environments, the situations of Singapore and Syria can basically prove how big the gap in politicians' abilities is.

"Uncle, what should we do? Should we go back immediately? A mere Malay dares to cause trouble. Should we retaliate immediately?"

Zheng Yi shook his head and said, "If we retaliate, we will play into the British's trap."

Li Jianqiao: "Yes, but if we don't retaliate, are we really going to just swallow this anger?"

Zheng Yi: "I definitely can't swallow it."

After saying that, Zheng Yi began to recall in his mind how Lee of Singapore handled this kind of thing in history.

Racial conflict is the most troublesome of all riots. If it is not handled properly, it is likely to cause endless harm.

To be honest, even fighting a real war with the enemy country is better than this. This thing will inevitably bring about all-round tearing of the whole society and low-intensity but long-term social unrest.

This trick is really useful in disrupting a country, otherwise Britain and the United States would not have been doing it for more than 80 years and still enjoying it, and even still being successful.

"Send a telegram to your father, Tan Kah Kee, Wen Jie, Tan Lark Sye, and Xu Shengli, urging them to refrain from any acts of revenge, offer condolences, seek leniency, and fully respect the religious beliefs and customs of the Malays. Internally, reiterate the importance of respecting faith."

Li Jianqiao: "Huh? This... not only won't we retaliate, but we'll also review and reflect on ourselves?"

Zheng Yi: "Didn't Chen Ce go to Borneo? Have him borrow someone from the Hongmen, bring guns, and tell him to do whatever he wants. If he kills someone wrongly, he won't let them go. And as for Ahmad, have Chen Ce have a good talk with him. After the talk and the killing, don't come back to Penang. Go back to Hong Kong or China. Give him one million US dollars and let him come back in a few years when the situation has died down."

Li Jianqiao: “Yes, I told him.”

"Tell Du Yuesheng that if he's not dead, he should be in a coma. If he's unconscious, it's normal for him to lose control of his Huaji brothers, right? The most important thing is to find Dato' Onn and Anand. Our Chinese leaders have already made their stance clear on this matter, so it's time for the Malay leaders to speak out."

After a moment's thought, Zheng Yi added, "Don't you want me to accept Indian workers? Tell them I agree. The visas will be for three years, with a maximum of one million workers per year."

Li Jianqiao: "Ah? Uncle, if we really need Indian workers, why don't we recruit Chinese from our country?"

Zheng Yi shook his head and said, "Chinese laborers still have their own limitations. There are some things that Chinese people no longer do, such as plantations, tin mines, and agricultural reclamation. Even if there are Chinese people coming from China, we won't do this kind of work."

The main problem is that the work cannot last long. Currently, the non-military production of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation has only recovered to about half. However, even so, as long as you want, you can basically find a job.

Although a group of immigrants came from the country one after another, they were basically settled in Bandar Seri Begawan and Singkawang.

At worst, men can work as stevedores at docks, construction workers at construction sites, or textile workers at textile factories.
No one is willing to go to the tin mines or the plantations to tap rubber anymore. Working in two shifts and working 996 hours a day are nothing compared to tapping rubber.

In other words, the ecological niche that originally belonged to the Chinese on the Malay Peninsula was vacated, as well as the southern regions of Siam such as Borneo and Pattani.

Then let’s use Indians to fill the position.

Originally, these ecological niches were supposed to be eaten by the Malays.

Now, haha.

When the Malay Peninsula was dominated by Malays and Chinese, class and ethnic conflicts were mixed together, and it was indeed too easy for the British to instigate them.

Flies do not bite seamless eggs.

But what if there are more Indians on the Malay Peninsula, in Borneo, and even in southern Siam, and they really take away their jobs?
The spearhead was naturally directed at the Indians.

The British are not the only ones who know how to divide and rule and divert ethnic conflicts.

These Indians are on a three-year temporary relocation scheme. If anything goes wrong, they can be sent back.

Moreover, the Indian workers he wanted were mainly Assamese, who are the same ethnic group as the Shan people in Shan State, the Thai people in Siam, and the Dai people in China.

This can be used as a basic foundation.

If the Malays behave well, they will certainly be the base of the SAARC.

But if they are not well behaved, they are not irreplaceable.

By the way, it can also cause some trouble for the British.

He was originally quite concerned about the British, fearing that these Assamese people would smuggle arms and go back to fight the British army.

just now.

Damn it, it’s not impossible to sell bazookas to workers.

Li Jianqiao: "Uncle, do you mean that the Chinese upper echelons are the good guys, while the middle and lower echelons and the Malay upper echelons are the bad guys? Then, when will we go back?
If, I mean, if Dato Onn and Anand did something bad, and someone, especially those British journalists, found you, you wouldn’t be able to ignore it.”

Zheng Yi: "I'm not going back."

"Ah? You've been staying in India all this time?"

"No, we're going to Japan."

"Japan?"

"Yes, Marshal Mai has been urging me for several months. After all, we are the winners. I haven't even received the spoils yet."

(End of this chapter)