Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 194: Preparing the Kingdom's Government Structure
More than ten days later
Victory reports came from all over the country. Officers and soldiers from the 5st Expeditionary Division and the nd Expeditionary Division, totaling five regiments, divided into five groups to capture cities and territories. The surrounding towns of Quezon, Angeles, Cabanatuan, Carawan, Batangas and other places fell into the hands of the Great Chu army.

Although the conquest process had its twists and turns, with fierce battles, repeated tug-of-war, and many bloody battles in towns, the local indigenous nobles were not willing to submit to the rule imposed by another alien race, but it did not affect the overall situation.

With the support of elite infantry weapons and field artillery, the resistance of local indigenous chiefs and nobles quickly collapsed and they were brutally and thoroughly liquidated.

There is no need to elaborate on the process one by one. The good news of victory from various places arrived as expected.

In a joyous atmosphere, the second batch of more than 4 Chinese immigrants arrived at the port of Manila.

There were some important figures among this group of Chinese immigrants, especially the general manager Li Hezhang, whom Zheng Guohui had been looking forward to, who arrived at the port with more than 170 entourages.

"Hahaha...Brother Xianqie, Jinghai has fulfilled his mission and led the entire army to capture Manila after a fierce battle. He laid the foundation for the eternal prosperity of our Great Chu. It was truly a lucky move. We are just waiting for Brother Xianqie to come and take charge of the situation."

Zheng Guohui came to the dock to meet him, his face flushed and he walked forward with a big smile. He put his hands on Li Hezhang's shoulders and shook them, with an expression that said, "Hurry up and praise me." He inevitably seemed to be showing off.

Li Hezhang smiled dumbly, clasped his fists and said;
"Master, my old bones can't stand the bumpy ride on the sea. I'm feeling top-heavy on the dock right now. Please stop rocking. If you continue rocking, I really can't stand."

"Come, I'll take your arm." Zheng Guohui was in a very good mood. He put his arm around Li Hezhang and walked towards the parked carriage.

Li Hezhang said hurriedly, "Marshal, no, no, let me see the beautiful scenery of the mountains and sea around here, and appreciate the coconut-lined harbor of Manila. Oh...is that Fort Santiago over there? It's been bombed into ruins."

"Hahahaha... This is all the work of the ironclad ships. They bombarded this sturdy fortress for two days straight, reducing it to rubble!"

"What a shame. If we had held back a little, the reconstruction wouldn't have to be completely demolished and rebuilt. The workload would have been much larger. Now I guess only the foundation is usable, and the rest will have to be completely rebuilt."

"There's no rush for this, let's take our time."

"General, General, please let go. I can walk on my own. Let me stretch myself and get used to it. I can't afford to go through so much trouble this time."

"Well then, have Brother Xian's family arrived with him?"

"Of course, I've moved my whole family here, along with some old acquaintances and friends from the academy. These dozen or so are all talented and courageous people who will be a great help in the future. They've all moved their entire families, and I've taken the liberty of making the decision to go to Southeast Asia with them."

"Hahaha... I have a lot of territory now, and I'm in need of talented people to manage it. I'm open to anyone who comes, the more the better."

"That's great." Li Hezhang replied with a smile.

Of course, he would not be naive enough to believe the Marshal's promise and place his own people everywhere, otherwise he would be dead.

Our commander-in-chief is a man of strong opinions, who holds power tightly. He is very experienced in arranging and appointing personnel, which shows that he is well-versed in his tactics.

The army has been expanded many times, and no officer from top to bottom dared to disobey the orders and form cliques privately. To be honest, there was no such opportunity.

The mere practice of rotating appointments completely eliminated the idea of ​​military generals establishing their own small factions.

Taking advantage of the high spirits, the group walked to Fort Santiago to investigate the location of the fort, the hydrological conditions of the nearby Pasig River, and the specific conditions of several rivers flowing into the bay.

The rivers on Luzon Island generally have short channels, but there are many rivers and they are dense. There are twenty or thirty rivers in a distance of more than 100 kilometers, and there are many large and small mountain streams.

This is very beneficial for farmland irrigation, but the road conditions are very bad.

The Chu army was conquering everywhere, and many rivers and mountain streams were just flowing water, without even a bridge.

During the more than 300 years that the Spaniards colonized the Luzon Islands, they only carefully built the Manila Intramuros fortress and invested heavily in the city and port of Manila, while leaving other places almost to their own devices.

What roads? No bridges, no irrigation canals, no dams. The local indigenous people have cultivated the land for hundreds of years and rely on the weather for their harvest. When they are really hungry, they go to the mountains to pick bananas or wild fruits to eat, which can fill their stomachs at least.

The natural conditions of this place are so good that the natives are all strong and sturdy, and the women are also very strong. There are very few who are pale and thin, which is very telling.

Chinese immigrants who come here are often quickly attracted to the indigenous women, and are so enthusiastic about buying on credit that they are almost robbing them.

Can you not grab it?

These indigenous women have big breasts and nice butts, are strong and feminine, can both work and give birth, which perfectly fits the simple aesthetic of Chinese immigrants.

After looking around the ruins of Fort Santiago, Li Hezhang already had an idea in his mind and said with a smile;

"Marshal, the Franks put a lot of effort into building this fortress. The foundation is particularly solid, and there isn't much damage.

The most dilapidated part is the city wall facing the sea, which is almost completely destroyed.

It wouldn't be difficult to restore it to its original state.

In the eyes of the immortals

This seaside fortress is particularly important for the city wall facing the bay. It is best to adopt the traditional Chinese city wall structure, add an 8-meter-wide rammed earth layer, and build the outside with large rocks and fill the joints with cement.

If conditions permit, iron bars and reinforcements can be added to enhance the overall firmness.

In this way

Even if it were to suffer the same intense bombardment again, its defenses would be significantly improved, and it would be able to hold out for a longer period of time, so a week shouldn't be a problem."

The Great Chu State built a pagoda fortress in Zamboanga Province and a river estuary fortress in Davao Province. Li Hezhang was very clear about the relevant matters and had reviewed the fortress construction drawings.

Over the years, he followed the Hunan Army to fight in more than ten provinces in the southeast, and was in charge of the logistics of an army of more than 10. He had seen countless cities.

He can be called a half-expert in civil engineering, or at least not a layman.

It is clear at a glance that the fortress of Fort Santiago can continue to use the rock walls in other directions, but the key side facing the bay needs special reinforcement.

Zheng Guohui readily agreed, nodded, and said with a smile, "Brother Xianqie, since you are here, take over these trivial matters after a few days of rest. I will not interfere with them anymore."

"Alas, it seems that I am destined to be a hard worker. I was assigned a task by the Marshal not long after arriving here. I must carry out the task without error." Li Hezhang did not hesitate and agreed readily.

One of his most important tasks was to prepare for the founding ceremony of the Great Chu Kingdom, prepare the three ministries and six courts of the Great Chu Kingdom's administrative agencies, and make fine adjustments to some names and administrative divisions of the jurisdiction.

For example, Mindanao Island is not a nice name, and it is planned to be changed to Tongzhou Island. This is the first place to land in the South Seas, and it is also a commemoration of the hometown of King Chu.

For example, the name of the Luzon Islands also needs to be changed. Marshal Zheng Guohui once discussed this with Li Hezhang and suggested changing the name of "Luzon Islands" to "Hainan Island" or "Hainan Islands", and Li Hezhang agreed.

Firstly, the island is located in the southeast of the traditional South China Sea, which is worthy of its name and conforms to the traditional Chinese naming method.

Secondly, the main island in the north was named "Hainan Island". The entire archipelago, together with the Visayas Islands in the central part and the Mindanao Islands in the south, were collectively called the "Hainan Islands", replacing the old name "Luzon Islands" as a whole. This highlights the new regime, new image, and new characteristics of the rule of the Chinese Han people in the Great Chu Kingdom, which is very appropriate.

Thirdly, giving the archipelago a name with a strong Chinese imprint will enhance the sense of belonging and identity of Chinese immigrants who will become the main ethnic group in the future, making it easier for them to integrate.

"How is the environment and climate here?" Zheng Guohui walked up and asked with concern.

Li Hezhang gestured "please," and as the two walked, he spoke, "This archipelago is rich in resources and has a mild climate. It has neither the harsh cold of winter nor the scorching heat of Jinling City. It is undoubtedly an ideal place, the foundation of a king."

"Hehehe... I have good taste, right?" Zheng Guohui liked to hear such words and said complacently.

Li Hezhang tried to dodge but failed, so he could only perfunctorily clasp his hands and say;

"The Marshal is a gifted genius, wise and brave, a true leader of his generation. His insight and vision are naturally extraordinary, which is why he was able to locate this wonderful place.

Our Great Chu army's conquest of this South Seas land is in accordance with the will of heaven and the will of the people, and is truly what everyone expects.

After years of preparation, it is a great joy to finally achieve one’s wish.

I, your humble servant, congratulate you and wish to follow your example and accomplish something great, so as to live up to your lifelong ambitions."

"Brother Xian Que, these are words from the bottom of my heart. From now on, you and I, as king and subject, should work together and cooperate closely."

"I sincerely wish it, but I dare not ask for it."

"Come on, come on... The banquet to welcome you has been set up. It's best to hurry into the city. If you have anything to say, let's drink and chat at the banquet table."

"The commander is above, and the immortals will obey your orders."

The group got on the carriage chatting and laughing. The long carriage team headed towards Manila, attracting many Chinese immigrants to watch.

Chinese immigrants were registered directly at the Port of Manila, and were informed of the precautions, benefits they could enjoy, land to cultivate, and the various graces of buying women, cattle, sheep, grain, and seeds on credit, all of which came from the Marshal's mercy and grace.

This second batch of more than 4 new immigrants will soon be distributed to the emptied indigenous towns, where they will be given land to rent, thatched mud houses to temporarily live in, and can buy indigenous women and food seeds on credit.

Take root as quickly as possible and start a new peaceful life of agricultural production.

Due to the large area of ​​Luzon Island, its long history of development, the numerous towns and cities, and the dense population of indigenous tribes on the island, a one-size-fits-all approach cannot be adopted.

So the current practice is "boiling the frog in warm water" or "sausage slicing".

That is, in the name of military control, the army and militia are used to block roads, bridges and passes, strictly prohibit the movement of indigenous populations, strictly prohibit the spread of false information, strictly prohibit gatherings and illegal gatherings, strictly prohibit spreading rumors to mislead the public, and other blockade measures.

The indigenous population of an area was cleared out, the local indigenous men were sent to labor camps, and the young indigenous women were randomly assigned and sold on credit to Chinese immigrants to be wives.

In the emptied towns, the land and houses were rented to newly arrived Chinese immigrants, who cultivated the land and collected 60% of the taxes.

All of these practices are the same as in Mindanao.

The difference is that it is carried out region by region. After the resettlement of Chinese immigrants in a region is completed, the control of the region will be relaxed and handed over to the local Chinese militia to maintain public order.

Fortunately, the Luzon Islands have an island terrain with a small inland depth and are separated by mountains and rivers. The local indigenous people do not have the habit of moving around, so they are relatively easy to control.

The Great Chu Provisional Government originally estimated
The indigenous population of the Luzon Islands is about 190 million, half of them men and half women. There are about one million indigenous males, and about % are young and middle-aged, which is about to .

With the current immigration rate of 7 to per month, the replacement can be completed in about a year.

If we include the 600,000 to 700,000 indigenous population in the Visayas, it will take another half a year.

Later, a census was conducted, and the total number of local Chinese (including mixed-race Chinese and indigenous people) was 38.7, of which more than 29% were bachelors, which means that about Chinese were unmarried.

This was due to the brutal oppression of the local Spanish white colonists, who demanded four times the tax, which resulted in most of the local Chinese being impoverished, barely able to make ends meet, and unable to afford to marry and have children.

Secondly, the local Chinese had a low status and were even looked down upon by the indigenous people. Only some wealthy and powerful Chinese businessmen or small business owners could marry, while other Chinese men could only suffer and live out their lives in loneliness.

Thirdly, there are ethnic and religious barriers. If Chinese men want to marry local indigenous women, they must convert to Christianity or join the indigenous tribe.

This made many Chinese who went to Southeast Asia to try to find a way out prefer to return home to marry and have children after making money rather than compromise.

Zheng Guohui was immediately delighted when he heard this. Isn't this an easy problem to solve? He and Li Hezhang jointly issued a new decree.

Local Chinese men were allowed to buy from an indigenous woman on credit, with prices adjusted according to market conditions. They were also allowed to buy rent from urban shops on credit and obtain small loans from Nanyang money houses.

This move alone immediately absorbed more than 30 indigenous women, and it became like a festival in the city. Every family was excited and held a wedding banquet.

Together with the more than 7 Chinese immigrants and the more than 2 troops who followed the army on the southern expedition, a total of more than 45 young indigenous women were absorbed, greatly advancing the process of assimilation.

The "sausage slicing" process, which was originally expected to take a year and a half, can now be completed in more than half a year.

After Li Hezhang arrived in Manila, Zheng Guohui specially rewarded him with a big house, which was the former mansion of Colonel Baeno Mendes of the Spanish Royal Navy, located in the Royal City of Manila.

He also rewarded 20 indigenous girls, as well as gold, silver, cloth and other items, which was extremely generous.

I settled my family, handled some trivial matters, met with relevant relatives and friends, and fulfilled all the etiquette.

Li Hezhang rested for only three days before he was appointed as the Prime Minister of the Preparatory Cabinet of the Kingdom of Great Chu. He began to prepare for the founding ceremony and build the government framework in a hurry.

Following Zheng Guohui's will and drawing on old court precedents and European experience, the government structure of the Kingdom of Great Chu was headed by the Prime Minister of the Cabinet, called the "Prime Minister", who was in charge of all court affairs.

The government of the Kingdom of Great Chu established the Ministry of Military Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Industrial Development, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Transportation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Commerce and Culture, and the Ministry of the Interior. It also established the General Administration of Taxation, the General Administration of Punishment, and the General Administration of Inspection, collectively known as the "Nine Ministries and Three Agencies", all of which were government agencies.

(End of this chapter)