Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 226: Conferring Titles Based on Merit
On the return carriage
King Zheng Guohui of Chu asked Li Hezhang to sit in the imperial carriage, which was very spacious. The palace maid who was kneeling opposite him poured a glass of champagne for each of them.

"Brother Xianqie, try this French champagne. It's said to be very famous and tastes very good."

"Your Majesty, I still can't get used to this stuff. It's sour, sweet, and bubbly. Shaoxing rice wine is more palatable."

"Taste it carefully, the aroma is quite good, which shows that foreigners also have good things, Spanish ham is quite good."

"Your Majesty, maybe it's because I'm old, I'm more accustomed to eating Jinhua ham, and I'm not interested in those raw ham slices. And that coffee that smells like Chinese medicine is really a torture to drink." Li Hezhang is already in his early 40s. It is extremely difficult to change a habit once it's formed.

Zheng Guohui also mentioned this point, and he said with emotion: "Not only are you not used to drinking coffee, but old guys like He Ruilin and Zhongqiu also hate it and don't even want to touch it.

It is young people like Dong Huanzhang and Zheng Yulan who are willing to try these new Western gadgets. ” Having said this, he changed the subject and said;
"The Chu State resides in a corner of Southeast Asia, far from the Chinese mainland. Surrounded by local states and colonies of European powers, the situation is much more complicated than that faced by the Central Dynasty."

Li Hezhang also felt the same way and sighed, "Your Majesty, this is a situation that has not been seen in hundreds of years. It is simply a mess.

There were 9 princely states on the Malay Peninsula, 7 princely states in Sumatra, plus the Kingdom of Siam and the Kingdom of Burma in the Southeast Peninsula, the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Laos which retreated but did not perish, the Kingdom of North Vietnam, and several princely states on the islands of Sumatra and Java. How many were there?
To this day, I still cannot completely distinguish them one by one.

A tiny piece of land is a country.

In addition, the European powers have intervened one after another. It is said that expedition teams from Prussia and Italy have arrived in Hong Kong recently. I believe that they are following the will of the European powers and their ambitions are not small.

The situation in Southeast Asia is becoming increasingly unclear."

Speaking of here
Li Hezhang couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly. He did not hide his contempt for the Tubang Kingdom in his expression. He really looked down on it.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu raised the champagne glass in his hand, gestured, took a sip, and then responded;

"Let him be chaotic as he pleases, but Chu will not give up and will only need to maintain good relations with Great Britain. All other countries are secondary.

We should develop in a low-key manner, not strive to be the first, and focus on getting domestic affairs done first."

"Your Majesty is absolutely right. I will spare you the trouble."

"Well, this month's immigration plan has been slightly revised. Immigration to Cebu and Manila has been suspended. This month's Chinese immigration will be prioritized to the Solomon Islands, Guam, Saipan, Shangri-La Island, and some other Pacific islands."

"Your Majesty, nearly 10 Chinese immigrants have been admitted this month. How long will the suspension last?"

"Stop... for two months."

"20 Chinese immigrants? How... are they distributed?"

"Giving priority to replenishing the Pacific Islands is the current priority. Guam and Saipan have good foundations, so let's say 3 each and 1 each." Zheng Guohui thought, took another sip from his champagne glass, and slowly said, considering the situation on the Pacific Islands.

"The Solomon Islands has a long history of development and is well-positioned to receive Chinese immigrants, tentatively set at 4.

3,000 in Fiji, 2,000 on Wake Island, 3,000 on Midway Island, and the rest were all resettled in the Shangri-La Islands (note: formerly the Guinea Islands), with 50,000 to 60,000 people in each of the east and west.

We must now stabilize the coastal borders, strengthen settlements, and prevent the occupied territories from being taken advantage of by others.

Relevant resources should also be allocated to the coastal islands to help Chinese immigrants gain a foothold."

"Your humble servant will obey the Majesty's order." At some point, the small notebook in Li Hezhang's hand appeared again, and he wrote down the words with a fountain pen.

Zheng Guohui suddenly raised his right hand and continued, "By the way, dispatch strong and capable personnel from the immigrants, preferably from Tongzhou and northern Jiangsu, at a rate of 500 to 600 people per month, to settle in the Hawaiian Islands."

"The Kingdom of Hawaii?" Li Hezhang couldn't help but put down the pen in his hand. He sensitively realized that this might be the new expansion target of His Majesty the King of Chu, so he asked casually.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu nodded affirmatively and explained;

"It's the Kingdom of Hawaii. This country is located at the strategic point of the eastern Pacific Ocean and is the last springboard for the Pacific route. If this obstacle is removed, the Chu State will have full control over the vital Pacific route.

I will instruct the Ministry of the Interior to dispatch capable personnel to infiltrate the Hawaiian Islands, using business and estate management as a cover to accommodate the Chinese immigrants who arrive later.

Special arrangements should be made for the immigration population in this area, mainly selecting elite and brave people from the areas around Tongzhou, northern Jiangsu, and northern Anhui, with a stable influx of 500 to 600 people per month.

It may be increased as appropriate depending on the specific situation at a later stage.

This year and next year
The number of Chinese immigrants gradually imported into the Hawaiian Islands should be no less than 20,000, preferably around 25,000 to 26,000.

The Ministry of Military Affairs will also take action, retiring some experienced veterans and grassroots officers, and secretly sending them to the Hawaiian Islands, bringing some military equipment with them in case of emergency.

When the time is right, we will capture this indigenous island kingdom in one fell swoop and bring it under the control of our Chu State."

"Your Majesty, I understand and will make appropriate arrangements." Li Hezhang nodded without hesitation, then asked, "Given the American attitude, I'm afraid they won't let this go."

"Plan for the worst, and strive for the best." Zheng Guohui had already prepared a plan, and said solemnly, "While conquering the Hawaiian Islands, immediately initiate large-scale immigration. If we can move 20 people within six months, the Hawaiian Islands will be as stable as a rock."

Li Hezhang deeply agreed with His Majesty the King of Chu's judgment.

If there really were 20 Chinese immigrants landing on the island, the Americans would be powerless to do anything and would have to accept the reality.

Today, the west coast of the United States is vast and sparsely populated, making it difficult to launch large-scale military operations against the Hawaiian Islands.

After the Mexican-American War in 1848, the United States acquired California and access to the Pacific Ocean. There were less than Chinese living there. As the gold rush in the San Francisco area expanded, Chinese people began to pour in rapidly.

It reached 1850 in 10 and 1866 in 36, which are fairly accurate statistics.

According to a survey report made by three senators sent by the U.S. Senate in 1862, the rapidly increasing number of Chinese workers on the West Coast accounted for about % of the local population.

The relevant investigation report believes that;

These Chinese workers contributed to the prosperity of the West Coast, especially in California, which was the largest concentration of Chinese workers in the United States and the birthplace of the gold rush.

The earliest documented Chinese people to enter the North American continent were in 1785, when three Chinese arrived in North America on a sailing cargo ship.

The earliest Chinese students studied at a missionary school in Cornwall, Connecticut in 1818. These Chinese students were brought to the United States by Edgar Snow, the second U.S. consul in Guangzhou.

Another Chinese student was Lin Ashi, who came to Boston around 1820. After studying at a missionary school for three years (1822-1825), he returned to Guangzhou at the end of 1825.

In 1839, he was hired by Lin Zexu as an English translator and participated in the entire process of destroying opium at Humen. Early British and American missionaries to China, such as Robert Morrison and James Edwards, mentioned him in their works and letters.

Given the current population structure of the west coast of the United States, 20 immigrants would be enough to move to the Hawaiian Islands.

As long as the Americans are not stupid and go to the island to see the situation, they will give up the idea of ​​military intervention.

If you do something knowing that it is impossible, isn't that crazy?
The United States of this era had not yet developed the habit of arrogance and brutality that it would develop in later generations. It was also a punching bag that was often bullied by European powers. It was looked down upon and ridiculed as a country bumpkin, and its ambition was not that high.

The royal carriage of King Zheng Guohui of Chu took Li Hezhang all the way to the door of the government building. After Li Hezhang got off the carriage and expressed his gratitude, the royal convoy left.

Being able to ride in the royal carriage was an unparalleled honor that no one else in the entire Chu State could dream of.

Prime Minister Li Hezhang felt extremely proud. Officials coming in and out of the government building looked at him differently, with much more respectful expressions.

Li Hezhang's feet seemed to be walking on clouds, and he returned to the Prime Minister's Office lightly. Needless to say, it was a journey of light and airy.

Ministry of the Interior Residence

After receiving the commendation order signed by His Majesty himself, Interior Minister Dong Huanzhang was so happy that his face was beaming with joy. His back teeth were visible from the corners of his mouth. He was extremely excited.

At this moment

Footsteps could be heard outside the door, followed by a respectful announcement: "Your Excellency, I, Han Wenqin and Pan Changfu from the Fifth Department, have been ordered to come and request your instructions."

"Come in."

"As you command, sir."

The door was gently pushed open, and the Fifth Department Director, Lieutenant Colonel Han Wenqin, and Major Pan Changfu, both in military uniforms, came in one after another and closed the door casually.

Then he put his legs together, stood at attention with a "snap", raised his hand and saluted, "I have come here on orders, please give me your instructions, sir." Dong Huanzhang faced the window, trying his best to calm his inner joy, and only after his face recovered a little did he slowly turn around.

He looked him up and down, nodded, and said, "Director Han, you are a strong general with no weak soldiers under your command, and you have brought honor to my Ministry of the Interior! His Majesty has already issued a commendation order. Excellent, very good. I will give you a credit for your Fifth Department."

"Thank you for your training, sir. All the officers of the Fifth Division are deeply grateful and are willing to serve you at your utmost."

"Alas... you can't say that. We all serve His Majesty, so we can't say anything wrong." Dong Huanzhang couldn't suppress the corners of his mouth at this moment, and laughed loudly.

"Director Han, I have high hopes for you. This successful eavesdropping operation has been highly praised by His Majesty, and I have also benefited greatly from it.

This time, I will give you a great achievement for the Fifth Department. Keep up the good work and you will be promoted in the future. I am not exaggerating."

"This..." Lieutenant Colonel Han Wenqin, the director of the Fifth Department, and Major Pan Changfu were stunned by this great news. After a moment of hesitation, they immediately looked at each other in surprise and joy, and replied in unison; "Thank you for your cultivation, sir."

"Director Han, this is your right-hand man, Major Pan Changfu, right? He's in charge of the surveillance operations, right?"

"To answer Lord Butou, yes."

"The Fifth Department is still short of a deputy director. I think Major Pan Changfu would be a good fit. Submit your promotion application and I'll approve it."

"Thank you for your training." Major Pan Changfu stood at attention again, raised his hand to salute, and had a big smile on his face.

Dong Huanzhang gave them a few more words of enthusiastic encouragement before letting them leave.

Promoting his subordinate to deputy director was just a small sweet treat that Dong Huanzhang casually threw out.

He himself gained the greatest benefit. Not only did he secure the position of Minister of the Interior, making the Prime Minister and ministers look at him differently, but he also gained points with His Majesty.

This is related to a major event at the end of the year, which is to award titles to those who have made contributions to the founding of the country.

The State of Chu was established, Your Majesty ascended the throne, the royal government began to formally perform its duties, and everything was put on the right track for progress.

There is still one major task that has not been completed, which is to confer titles on the meritorious officials who have made contributions to the founding of the country, to ennoble their wives and children, and to pass on their glory to future generations.

According to news from the royal family
The formal conferment of titles based on merit will begin in the second half of the year and will be completed before the end of the year. A grand ceremony will be held at Ganquan Palace, and His Majesty the King will personally authorize the enfeoffment of nobles.

Based on the precedents of feudal fiefdoms in China and the West, the Chu State followed the fiefdom system of five ranks of nobles: duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron. There was nothing surprising about this.

The key point lies in what kind of noble title each person can get?
Basically, don’t even think about the second-level high-end titles of duke and marquis.

Your Majesty ascended the throne as the King of Chu, and the state system is only at the level of a kingdom. If a few dukes and marquises were conferred, it would be almost the same as the level of princes in the dynasty, which is very unrealistic.

In continental Europe

There are two levels of dukes: Grand Duke and Duke. The Grand Duke is equivalent to the king, while the Duke is the top noble without a kingdom, only slightly lower than the Grand Duke.

If there is a suitable extinct fiefdom, these dukes can inherit and become kings, such as the King of Spain, the King of Belgium, the King of Greece, and the King of Bulgaria.

The ruler of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is the Duke of Burgundy, the ruler of the Kingdom of Saxony is the Grand Duke of Saxony, the ruler of the Kingdom of Hamburg is the Grand Duke of Hamburg, and so on.

What the Chu State could be sure of was that there would not be a duke in the next ten years at least. The only possibility was that the crown prince might be made a duke after he came of age, but that was a rather distant thing.

The possible titles that the sons of the King of Chu could obtain, if they were not the crown prince, would probably be the level of earl or marquis, which belonged to the great nobles.

According to news from Ganquan Palace, 3 to 5 earls may be enfeoffed, but the exact number has not been determined.

Based on Dong Huanzhang's sources of information, he was pretty sure that he had no chance. The best he could get was the title of viscount and hereditary fiefdom, which would be pretty good.

There are only a handful of people who can compete for the title of Earl.

Prime Minister Li Hezhang is one, Tongzhou Governor Zheng Shouxin is one, and Army Chief Lieutenant General Qian Jiang is one. These three have the greatest control and are definitely the right-hand men of His Majesty the King of Chu.

There are several potential high-ranking military and political officials left to compete for the two possible earldoms.

But don't forget
In the Shenzhou Continent, the King of Chu's fourth uncle Zheng Shouye was stationed in Jinling City, contributing a steady stream of silver to support the huge expenses of the Chinese immigrant fleet.

Once this man went to Southeast Asia, except for Prime Minister Li Hezhang, Tongzhou Governor Zheng Shouxin and Army Chief Lieutenant General Qian Jiang would have to step back and make way for the Fourth Master.

With so many strong competitors vying for 3 to 5 earl positions, Dong Huanzhang was very self-aware and decided to target the viscount level as the noble title he was striving for.

It is said that the Viscount will evaluate 12 people. If it were not for the rumor spread by His Majesty, the loyal guards of Ganquan Palace would not have leaked any of it, so it is very reliable.

Dong Huanzhang felt that he could compete for the title because of several great achievements he had made recently.

There is never a shortage of smart people in this world. Many military generals are running around. No one dares to rest on his laurels and wait for high positions and generous rewards.

After pacifying the Solomon Islands, Major General Zhou Laonian received a personal commendation from His Majesty. He was so excited that he was ready to make further efforts.

Active preparations are underway for an expedition targeting the Pacific Islands already discovered in Spanish geographical archives.

No matter how far the distance is, I will conquer them all one by one.

Is Major General Zhou Laonian so bored that he is bored?

the answer is negative.

That means accumulating merits bit by bit. If you can't get promoted to earl, you must try your best no matter what. If you can achieve your wish, all the hard work will be worth it.

Not long after Major General He Ruolin returned from his expedition, he was also actively preparing for another voyage, but his direction was different from that of Major General Zhou Laonian.

According to the current status of the Pacific Islands
As long as Chinese immigrants can be sent up there, it will be equivalent to occupation, and there will be almost no use of weapons or fighting.

It's just a little harder, but it's worth it for future generations.

Officials from all government departments are working around the clock as if they have been injected with chicken blood, and the administrative efficiency is extremely high.

Why did you come?
Of course, high-ranking officials and noble titles are what attract people. Dong Huanzhang dared to guarantee that most of them were aiming for the title of viscount and were his competitors.

This also explains why Dong Huanzhang was so excited when he received the handwritten commendation order from His Majesty the King of Chu?

This thing is real merit. When it is put there during the evaluation of merits and awards, no one can deny it. It is a heavy weight.

Of course, this alone was not enough. Dong Huanzhang remembered the instructions given by His Majesty during the meeting the day before, so he walked to the map on the wall, and used his hand to trace the Pacific route all the way to Hawaii, and then emphasized it with his hand.

The Ministry of the Interior must now select elite troops and infiltrate the Kingdom of Hawaii as quickly as possible. This is a battle that must be fought, and not only must it be fought well, but it must also be fought beautifully.

Dong Huanzhang thought about it for a moment, then called out, "Someone come!"

"My Lord, I am here."

"Go see where Director Wang Haigou of the Third Division is carrying out his mission? Tell him to come see me immediately. It's an emergency."

"Yes, sir." After closing the door, the subordinate official quickly went to pass on the order.

The situation in the Ministry of the Interior is different from that in other cabinet departments. The main leaders of the subordinate departments do not work in the office, but perform their duties and often travel all over the country.

The First, Second and Third Departments are better, as they are mainly responsible for domestic affairs.

From the fourth to the seventh department, the heads of the departments often travel overseas. They cannot get first-hand reliable information by sitting at home, so naturally they will not get any credit.

The third director, Lieutenant Colonel Wang Haigou, is fluent in several languages ​​and once lurked in Manila for more than a year during the Spanish rule. He is a good intelligence expert.

This capable person should be sent to Hawaii to take charge of the work, which is a key area of ​​concern to His Majesty.

(End of this chapter)