Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 222 National Founding Celebration
"Your Majesty, congratulations. I believe this will be a powerful island country under your rule." Governor Ode was also full of praise.

Standing on the city wall overlooking the blue bay and the fleet assembled in the bay, Governor Ode withdrew his gaze from the distant anchorage with masts like a forest, and the smile on his face seemed more sincere.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu had a sincere look on his face, he stared at Governor Ode and said;

"Mr. Governor, I would like to pass on a personal letter to Queen Victoria through you, expressing my highest respects to Her Majesty and the friendly willingness of the Chu State to develop comprehensive cooperation with the United Kingdom.

In my opinion

It is admirable that the British Kingdom has brought new vitality to Southeast Asia, an ancient region with a long history.

The State of Chu was also committed to developing industry and promoting free trade policies, which was the only way to achieve prosperity.

To break down the current high trade barriers erected by various countries, the UK undoubtedly needs more friends to join forces. I firmly believe that the two countries will be natural partners."

Facing the sudden olive branch extended by the King of Chu, Governor Ode, despite being delighted, still asked cautiously;
"Forgive me, Your Majesty, for not being as optimistic as you are. Your hardline stance in previous negotiations was unsatisfactory."

"Mr. Governor, I would like to emphasize once again that the foundation of all economic and trade cooperation must be based on equality and mutual benefit, rather than unilateral opening."

"Hehehe... Your Majesty, please allow me to be frank and honest. Not everyone can be equal to the Kingdom of Great Britain."

"We are very patient and this can wait until the Governor-General watches the parade."

"I am looking forward……"

"Ah."

King Zheng Guohui of Chu nodded and said nothing more.

At this time, Prime Minister Li Hezhang came over, bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, the auspicious time for the celebration is approaching. Your Majesty, please proceed."

"Well, let's go."

At this time, the queen had been invited to the second floor of the Fubo Gate Fortress to watch the ceremony and would not attend the founding ceremony below.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu led a group of important officials of the provisional government and military leaders, hurriedly left the Fubo Gate Fortress, sat back on the imperial sedan chair, and headed towards the altar on the other side of the pier.

A group of government officials and military leaders followed behind in a long row of carriages, escorted by the royal cavalry.

On the other side of the pier

About 1.6 kilometers away from the Fubo Gate Fortress, a high altar for offering sacrifices to the sky has been built, surrounded by curtains and dozens of royal flags fluttering, which is quite magnificent.

Hundreds of monks and Taoists were holding magical instruments and surrounding the altar. The white-haired Taoist priest Jingyun was also here, leading his disciples to practice martial arts, waving gold and silver swords, chanting incantations and performing rituals. They were working very hard.

It's really tiring for this old skeleton to rush to two big places early in the morning.

When the muezzin shouted, "The auspicious time has arrived, worship heaven and earth!"

Young Taoist priests carrying three kinds of sacrificial animals and holding large plates of fruits and vegetables went up the stairs, while more than 200 monks sitting around them chanted scriptures loudly, wooden fish and bells rang out, and smoke filled the air.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu straightened his clothes and led Li Hezhang, Zheng Shouxin and a group of court officials up to the altar step by step with a solemn expression.

The whole place was silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on the altar.

Climbing to the top of the seven-tiered altar, where sacrificial animals and various fruits had been laid out and incense and candles had been lit, Li Hezhang took out the founding ceremony text and chanted it in a rhythmic manner.

After a few minutes
After the founding ceremony was finished, King Zheng Guohui of Chu stepped forward and lit three incense sticks. Under the guidance of the muezzin, he kowtowed three times and bowed nine times, offering sacrifices to the gods of heaven and earth and his ancestors, praying for good weather and good health for the people of Chu.

Finally, Zheng Guohui walked to the side of the altar where several large brass trumpets were placed, leaned close to the trumpets and announced loudly:
"Our Great Chu successfully conquered the north, expelled the barbarians, established our rule in the South China Sea Islands, and established a kingdom that will last for centuries.

Achievements in the contemporary era, benefits in the future.

This king now declares that the State of Chu has been officially established. My people, you may rejoice..."

The sound was transmitted in all directions through six large copper speakers installed under the altar, and could be heard clearly from a distance, followed by thunderous cheers from the spectators.

As drums and music sounded, tens of thousands of officers and soldiers on parade sang the national anthem in unison. The overwhelming momentum was so astonishing that it almost reached the sky.

The founding ceremony was simplified as much as possible and took no more than twenty minutes.

On the altar
Many government officials burst into tears with excitement. They witnessed this great moment with their own eyes and witnessed the establishment of the State of Chu, which is worthy of being recorded in history.

Li Hezhang came over, led everyone in bowing deeply to the ground, and said with emotion:

"Your Majesty,

On this occasion of great national importance, we humble officials humbly seek Your Majesty's guidance.

How lucky are we, the ministers, to have this?

I can follow Your Majesty and stand on this high platform, overlooking the people. Such a great favor should be repaid with my whole life.

My heart is filled with gratitude, and I should express my sincere gratitude..."

Seeing that he was still trying to speak in a flowery manner, Zheng Guohui stepped forward and pulled him up, holding Li Hezhang's arms with both hands and said;

"Brother Xianpei, I am not like Zhu Yuanzhang, and I cannot do such a thing as abandoning the donkey after it has done its work.

You and I are the emperor and his subjects, so we should work together and share wealth and honor. This is the case for all the ministers present.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we worked together to make Chu prosperous and share this colorful world?"

These sincere words instantly struck my heart.

Even the usually steady Li Hezhang had tears in his eyes and nodded repeatedly, saying "OK".

Originally in his heart

After the State of Chu was established, the distinction between the monarch and his subjects was clear, so the subjects had to be more submissive and humble in front of the King of Chu, and serve the monarch with great caution.

As the saying goes; God’s power is unpredictable, and fortune and disaster can happen at any time.

This is also the result of more than 200 years of slave education in the Qing Dynasty. They subconsciously lowered themselves in front of the king, glared at him and were about to kneel down, and regarded themselves as "slaves" everywhere.

Unexpectedly, the King of Chu was not like that at all. He laughed and said:

"Hahaha... The men of our Han family have always been strong and unyielding. From now on, we will not be bullied by those filthy birds. We should all stand up straight and be our officials.

My Lord Prime Minister, from now on;
The "Chu Li" is being fully implemented in the territory of our Great Chu. People are not allowed to wear braids or shave their heads like the Qing invaders. The kneeling ceremony, the bowing ceremony, and the shoulder-touching ceremony are all abolished. We want to restore the majestic spirit of Han men.

A man's knees are made of gold; he should kneel before heaven and earth above and his parents below, and need not bow to anyone else.

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

The young officials all looked excited, while the old scholars looked hesitant. They obviously disagreed with such a shocking practice, but they were reluctant to say it out loud.

Among them, He Ruilin, a prominent figure in Hanzhong, clearly disagreed and stood aside with an unhappy look on his face.

"The armies of Great Chu, both land and sea, have been assembled and are now ready for your inspection."

"Okay, lead the way."

"Your Highness, we will obey your Majesty's command." Lieutenant General Qian Jiang, acting director of the Army Department, led a group of generals and officers in front of the altar, followed by King Zheng Guohui of Chu, and other court officials followed at the back, walking down the stairs.

Arriving at the foot of the altar, other court officials took carriages back to Fubo Gate, preparing to climb the fortress to watch the military review.

The imperial carriage also returned empty and went back to the Fubo Gate Fortress to wait for orders.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu mounted a group of white horses and, accompanied by Lieutenant General Qian Jiang, commander of the First Expeditionary Division, Major General He Ruolin, commander of the Second Expeditionary Division, and Major General Huang Shan, commander of the Third Expeditionary Division, went to inspect the neatly lined infantry formations.

Rows of infantry formations were arranged neatly in battalion units. All the soldiers on parade were in high spirits and excited. They looked at His Majesty the King who was riding towards them with fiery eyes and full of respect.

Zheng Guohui rode his horse to the front of the infantry battalion and said loudly, "My soldiers, thank you for your hard work."

"We are loyal to Your Majesty and loyal to the State of Chu. We are willing to die for Your Majesty." The soldiers answered in unison. The sonorous and powerful oath echoed for a long time, stirring the blood in people's hearts.

"My soldiers, the king is proud of you."

"Use me in the first battle, and I will surely win. The whole army will advance, and there will be no retreat."

"My soldiers, thank you for your hard work."

"Defend the royal honor to the death. Soldiers must obey orders."

"My soldiers, the king is proud of you."

"Long live my king, long live my king, long live my king!"

"My soldiers, thank you for your hard work."

"Decisive battles determine victory, iron and blood forge loyal souls, and spread glory beyond the waves."

……

One after another, iron-blooded oaths echoed over the Manila dock. This was the soldiers' highest respect for the king and also their iron-willed response.

After riding his horse to review the troops, when he returned, King Zheng Guohui of Chu knocked the horse's belly with his feet, and the white horse galloped away quickly, with the three generals behind it following closely.

A group of four riders quickly passed through the empty dock area and arrived at the Fubo Gate Fortress 1.6 kilometers away. They dismounted at the side gate on the south side, and then several of them climbed up the fortress tower.

At this moment

The army formations that were originally waiting to be reviewed had already started moving. At the commander's command, the officers and soldiers of the Chu Army, arranged in rows and columns, began to march in neat steps towards the Fubo Gate. They would be reviewed by the king and the people.

When Zheng Guohui and three generals boarded the tower of the Fubo Gate Fortress, the commander of the front battery of the "Zhendong" ironclad, one of the four ironclad ships anchored at the dock, waved his hand vigorously and ordered, "Ready... Fire!"

"Boom..."

The sound of the cannon exploded like thunder from the sky. Even from a long distance away, one could feel the fear as if it was exploding in one's ears.

The iron and fiery nature that is deeply rooted in the bones of the Han people was awakened at this moment.

The 15-inch cannon opened fire, and the huge muzzle flame covered half of the ship. A large cloud of thick gray-black smoke rose up, and the smell of war hit the face.

The shot fired from the front turret of the ironclad ship "Zhendong" was only the first of a 21-gun salute.

No one would have thought that European countries usually used 6-pound or 9-pound cannons as salutes, so who would use a 68-pound cannon as a salute?
The cannon was not loaded with shells, and was only half loaded with black powder, which produced a huge explosion power, causing waves in the Manila Bay.

Then the rear turret of the ironclad ship "Zhendong", the ironclad ship "Zhennan", the ironclad ship "Zhenxi" and the ironclad ship "Zhenbei" opened fire in succession, firing a round of salvos from the side facing the bay.

Each salute is about one minute apart.

"Boom boom boom boom..."

The deafening sound of artillery fire echoed throughout the bay. After one round ended, another round came, and a total of 21 salutes were fired, making everyone's ears buzz.

This act
Even the British Channel Governor, Mr. Ord, could not help but smile bitterly. He knew that this was a display of Chu's muscle to himself, showing that it was capable of being a regional partner of Britain.

To be honest

This indeed made Governor Ode look at him with a higher opinion. He was a well-informed man and naturally would not be intimidated by such a scene.

The flagship of the British Royal Third Squadron, the Pearl of Calcutta, has an astonishing displacement of 3215 tons. It is a five-masted sailing battleship equipped with 148 guns of various calibers, but the largest caliber gun is only 60 pounds.

It is an indisputable fact that even in the British Empire's Home Fleet, there were no 15-inch bombardment guns.

The Chu State's armored fleet bared its ferocious fangs at this moment, fully demonstrating its style.

Governor Oudh believed
No sailing warship can withstand a head-on attack from such a powerful bombardment cannon. The 400-pound iron ball will explode violently, and the damage caused by it is probably something that no one can stop, right?
Governor Ode did not personally experience the scene of the ironclad warships bombarding Fort Santiago, but looking at the brand new city wall he was in now, this huge and thick wall was completely destroyed, you can imagine how powerful it was.
This is actually a misunderstanding of Governor Ord. The original wall of Fort Santiago facing the bay was only 2.8 meters thick, not the current 16 meters.

According to the thickness of the existing wall of the Fubo Gate Fortress facing the bay, it would take at least more than a week, or even up to half a month, to destroy this solid wall by bombarding it with four armored heavy swords at full force, without considering the return fire from the shore artillery.

The thickness of the walls of the Fubo Gate Fortress has increased five and a half times, and in the center it has increased fourteen times, and its ability to withstand destruction has also increased dramatically.

While the people watching the ceremony were still hearing their ears buzzing, the neat army column had already arrived.

Among the three officers walking in the front, the one in front was holding the Bagua national flag at an angle, and was guarded by two officers on his left and right.

The queue was neatly arranged like a line, with loud and rhythmic footsteps, and every step seemed to step on people's hearts.

This attracted the attention of the Governor's Secretary Wijnaldum, an officer from the British Army with a service record of 7 years, who retired with the rank of lieutenant.

in his eyes

The army's high degree of discipline and strict formations represent combat effectiveness, which is an indisputable standard in the era of line infantry. The Chu army has reached such a strong military standard.

When the column reached the foot of the Fubo Gate, the leading officer shouted loudly, "Look to the right and salute!"

All the infantrymen in the queue lowered their guns and swung their rifles in unison. Their neat movements drew exclamations of admiration. The soldiers switched from the seven-step march to the goose-step, and walked forward with firm steps, "clack, clack, clack."

"My soldiers, thank you for your hard work."

"We are loyal to Your Majesty and loyal to the State of Chu. We are willing to die for Your Majesty." The soldiers answered in unison.

The overwhelming passion seemed to hit the G-spot.

In an instant, the onlookers started shouting wildly, and the sound of "Long live, long live" came one after another, and the enthusiasm reached a climax.

Governor Ode's face changed when he saw this. He exchanged glances with the Civil Commissioner Sir Joachim Anderson and the Governor's Secretary Wijnaldum in silence, and his expression became serious.

It seems that the military strength of Chu is much stronger than he expected.

What attracted Governor Ord's most attention was the fanatical cohesion among the military and civilians. This was a major headache for all white colonists. It is difficult to deal with a cohesive nation!
Just like those tough Afghan mountain people and Nepalese warriors, they are extremely cohesive armies, and each of them is a tough nut to crack.

In comparison

The northern Shenzhou continent is like a soft dough. If you manipulate it at will, you can reap huge benefits.

As veteran colonizers, the British have witnessed and conquered hundreds of races around the world. They have unparalleled experience in this regard and are truly experienced.

The play performed by the King of Chu today was really wonderful!
(End of this chapter)