Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 380: Another Twist
The Malayan Governor's Office is located in Bandar Seri Begawan, a port city with excellent bay conditions. There are many ships coming and going, and the port trade is quite prosperous.

in recent days

Two huge ironclad ships anchored in the harbor, with the Union Jack of the British Empire flying on their tall masts, attracted a large number of local Chinese residents to come and see the Western spectacle, and they were all amazed.

Knowledgeable people pointed out
This is the British ironclad ships "Duke of Kensington" with a displacement of 6852 tons and "Warrior" with a displacement of 5600 tons. They formed a formation to visit Bandar Seri Bega Bay and make a brief stay here.

This belated armored formation was replenishing supplies in Singapore Port.

A regional crisis that could have triggered a war between the two countries was finally averted thanks to the urgent mediation of the Governor of the British Straits Settlements, Ord.

But since we are already here, it is impossible to turn around and return.

Therefore, the "Duke of Kensington" fleet first visited Batavia to reassure the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies and received a grand welcome there. A grand dinner was held for three consecutive days, attended by all the local white upper-class gentlemen and ladies in Batavia.

The British fleet stayed in Batavia for a whole week before setting sail again, visiting Bandar Seri Begawan on the way, and the next stop would be Batangas Port.

The original plan was to go to Manila, but unfortunately it was not approved by the State of Chu.

The British fleet was intended to support the Dutch on the one hand, and to show off its strength in front of the State of Chu on the other. Such intentions were as obvious as lice on a bald head.

In Bandar Seri Begawan, the Governor of Malaya, Major General Zheng Guoguang, simply held a brief welcoming ceremony at the dock, which was a necessary etiquette for exchanges between the two sides.

Afterwards, he met with the visiting British naval fleet commander, Major General Harry Clarke, at the Governor's House and held a welcome dinner that evening.

The dinner was neither grand nor luxurious. Only a hundred people from both Chu and Ying attended, and it was held in the form of a buffet.

Such treatment seemed much colder than the Dutch's warm welcome, in which they were eager to offer the British Royal Navy fleet as a sacrifice.

Major General Harry Clarke was a hardliner against the Chu State. During his speech at the welcome dinner, he directly warned Governor Zheng Guoguang:

"The British Empire hates things that are out of control. The arrival of this powerful fleet I lead is to restore everything to normal order."

"Whether here or throughout the South China Sea, one thing must be clear: as the ruler of the world's oceans, the Royal Navy has the right to kick anyone who doesn't follow the rules off the table."

"The arrival of this fleet sends a stern warning signal..."

This rude and direct remark made Governor Zheng Guoguang's face turn dark.

I wonder what kind of magic potion the Dutch gave to Major General Harry Clark?

In such a public occasion, without any regard for etiquette or the host's reputation, this arrogant and domineering face was fully revealed.

After quietly listening to Major General Harry Clark's speech, Governor Zheng Guoguang then walked to the front, ignoring him with a cold face and walked over. After stopping, he said to everyone:
"I just heard some boring jokes from Major General Clark. They were vulgar and impolite. Considering the low quality of our British guests, I will not take them seriously.

His Majesty once said

Friends come with good wine, and jackals have shotguns.

When I was standing below just now, I always felt a sense of déjà vu about Major General Clark.

The Governor changed his mind.

Isn't this the commander of the Second Battle Squadron who was almost wiped out in the defense of Corregidor Fortress four years ago?

The Governor remembers
The flagship "Count Draper" commanded by Major General Clark was sunk at the entrance of Manila Bay. It was a wonderful naval duel and it is unforgettable!

Don't laugh, everyone. Be more tolerant towards the defeated.

Now that he's in an ironclad battleship, he's full of confidence and speaks without thinking. I can't believe he's not recognized..."

"Shut up! This is an unwarranted attack on my personal honor. Who gave you the courage to provoke the Royal Navy of the British Empire?" Hearing such sharp sarcasm, Major General Harry Clark immediately became angry and interrupted Governor Zheng Guoliang's speech.

Especially the "Earl Draper" mentioned by Governor Zheng Guoliang, which is the eternal pain in Major General Clark's heart and also the softest spot.

Once touched, the nightmarish scene will be recalled.

It was like a knife stabbing deep into his heart. Major General Harry Clark was instantly defeated and interrupted the speech without regard for etiquette.

Governor Zheng Guoliang turned sideways, gave him a cold, contemptuous smile, and said:

"It's not like the British Navy hasn't fought before, who are you trying to scare?
I personally respect the British Royal Navy, but I despise your character. If the British government instructs you to come to Chu to cause trouble.

Then I can officially inform you that the rest of your visit is cancelled.

Your fleet is not welcome in any of the ports of Chu State, and this port will not provide any supplies. Please leave the port before 12 noon tomorrow. You have been listed as unwelcome persons."

Major General Harry Clarke's face turned ashen with anger, his chest heaving up and down, the veins on his forehead bulging, and he gritted his teeth as he said, "Mr. Governor, you will be held responsible for all the serious consequences caused by this. The dignity of the British Empire must not be trampled upon."

"Don't brag about yourself. This governor said that I respect the British Royal Navy, but I look down on you. What kind of person do you think you are?" Governor Zheng Guoguang was a young man with a strong blood and a deep background. He broke off the confrontation with the other party without fear.

It has come to this, are you still going to celebrate the New Year without overturning the table?
Governor Zheng Guoguang then announced, "The welcome dinner is over. Please return home. After hearing these nonsense words from the defeated general today, please go back to sleep and forget about them. Don't take them to heart."

After saying this, without paying any attention to Major General Harry Clark, whose face was so gloomy that it seemed like water was about to drip, Governor Zheng Guoguang pushed everyone aside and led his men to leave the spot.

Such an action was like a slap in the face of Major General Harry Clark.

No matter how warmly you treat such a bad guest, it will be useless.

A welcome dinner ended so abruptly, and the host and the guest actually fell out on the spot, which is extremely rare in international diplomacy.

After returning to the Governor's Mansion, Major General Zheng Guoguang no longer had the same boldness and composure as before. Instead, he hurriedly made arrangements and ordered the army to be on full alert.

He immediately drafted a secret telegram and submitted it to the Yuehu official residence. The Prime Minister's office was the immediate superior, and the matter must be reported to the Colonial Office and the Prime Minister.

Another secret telegram was sent directly to the palace of the King of Chu, and reported to His Majesty as an urgent telegram. No matter how the matter is handled, I will first apologize.

Governor Zheng Guoguang still has some sense. The mess he has caused is not a small one and it has caused His Majesty another headache.

The speed of radio waves transmission was very fast. After just over half an hour, the urgent telegrams from both parties were submitted to the Prince of Chu and the Prime Minister's Office.

Poor Prime Minister Li Hezhang had just finished washing up at home and was getting ready to go to bed. At the age of fifty, he no longer had the energy to party every night, and his daily routine was very regular.

After receiving this urgent telegram suddenly, Prime Minister Li Hezhang thought about it and felt uneasy. He ordered to prepare a carriage and go to the palace quickly, as he needed to meet with His Majesty to ask for instructions on the matter.

If someone else had made this big mistake, Prime Minister Li Hezhang would have ordered a severe impeachment and taken immediate action.

But the brother of the King of Chu is of noble status, so when beating a dog, you have to look at its owner first, right?

Inside the Chu Palace
In the Zichen Hall, facing Prime Minister Li Hezhang who came hurriedly late at night, King Zheng Guohui of Chu, dressed in casual and cool clothes, pulled him to sit down, but did not talk about this matter.

Instead, he mentioned with great interest Li Hezhang's beloved daughter, Li Meir, who was 16 years old. This girl was beautiful and intelligent. She was the daughter of the first wife and had not yet been betrothed.

Li Hezhang's son Li Jingxi was only 14 years old, but he was already mature beyond his years, with extraordinary literary talent. His every move and gesture showed the steady demeanor of a scholarly family.

Such strict family education is definitely the best among the many famous families in China.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu brought up this matter because he wanted to arrange a marriage for his fourth brother Zheng Guoyao. The boy was 19 years old and the girl was 16 years old, and they were a good match in terms of family background and character.

Now that the King of Chu had spoken, Li Hezhang had also seen Zheng Guoyao and knew that he was a tall and handsome young man. Was he now a lieutenant or a captain in the army?

After a little consideration, he agreed.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu said with a smile:
"Hahaha... A marriage between the two clans is a perfect match, worth celebrating! I'll report this to the old queen mother and finalize it. The two will exchange their birth dates, and the rest will be done as soon as possible. Guoyao is not young anymore. When he was his age, I already had Xi'er."

Li Hezhang saw that the King of Chu looked calm and did not mention the matter of Bandar Seri Begawan at all. He was unusually calm.

I can't help but secretly admire
Over the years

The King of Chu has become more calm and experienced through his practice, and he is able to remain calm in the face of any crisis. He has revealed the majestic side of a wise monarch who is in control of the overall situation. It is difficult to see the sharp edges of his early years, and he has become more mature.

But the problem is
Your Majesty is about to have a long talk all night long, but I, an old minister, don't have the energy to do that. If I don't sleep well tonight, I won't have enough energy to go to the Prime Minister's Yamen to handle government affairs tomorrow.

So he said:
"Your Majesty's words are very true. Between the lines, you can see the love and protection of a brother. You are a model of elder brotherly respect for younger brother. I, an old minister, admire you very much.

There is no rush for this matter, just prepare it step by step.

At this moment, the Zongli Yamen received an urgent telegram from the Governor-General's Office of East Malaya, which pointed out many rude behaviors of the British warships, and the two sides immediately fell out.

This is an urgent diplomatic incident that may cause new twists and turns in bilateral relations.

In view of the seriousness of the matter, I, an old minister, dare not neglect it.

I have the audacity to enter the palace at night and disturb Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

When King Zheng Guohui of Chu heard Prime Minister Li Hezhang talking about this, the faint smile on his face faded, and his slender fingers tapped the chair handle from time to time, showing that he was not calm at the moment.

After a pause, he said in a calm tone:

"The arrogance of the British fleet has long been evident, and there are many people who are dissatisfied with our Chu State. It is not worth mentioning!

This king has authorized the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zheng Xin, to draft a telegram to be sent to London immediately.

The general idea is that the British warship's rude behavior was instructed by the London government, which would lead to unpredictable changes in the relationship between the two countries.

If so
The State of Chu reserves the right to make further responses and expresses deep regret for the damage to the relationship between the two countries caused by the visit of the British warship. This is not a situation that the people of Chu wish to see.

After saying this, King Zheng Guohui of Chu looked at Li Hezhang meaningfully.

heard this
Li Hezhang understood instantly that the King of Chu was not trying to keep things quiet. He was clearly going to make things bigger and report it directly to Queen Victoria.

Such toughness made Li Hezhang feel uneasy and a strong sense of powerlessness arose.

Something that could have been resolved by simply lowering one's head, but they insisted on making it known to everyone, which would inevitably lead to serious setbacks in the relations between Chu and Britain, with unpredictable consequences.

Is this really appropriate?
The King of Chu himself repeatedly stated that he wanted to "unite with other states, focus on domestic affairs, mobilize the entire nation's strength to develop the economy and trade, strengthen national strength, and build a solid foundation. This is the way to achieve long-term stability."

The words are still fresh in our minds. It has not even been three years since the end of the Anglo-French War, and trouble is about to start again.

After hesitating for a moment, Li Hezhang finally raised his doubts: "Your Majesty, this... is bound to cause another storm!"

King Zheng Guohui of Chu knew that the Prime Minister was trying to maintain stability, so he secretly said "sorry" in his heart, but on the surface he just said lightly:

“The tree wants to be still but the wind does not stop!
The undercurrents in the South China Sea today may usher in a new round of major changes in the regional situation, so it is advisable to respond early.

The French suffered a great defeat in Europe and are now turning around and trying to save some face by expanding their colonies in Indochina, and they are particularly eager to do so.

In the past few months, a large number of troops have been sent to the Saigon Governor's Office, with a strong desire to swallow up the Kingdom of Vietnam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, and the Kingdom of Laos in one bite.

He even tried to invade China from the north, his greed is insatiable.

The Germans were also restless after their victory. They believed that as a newly emerging world power, Germany should obtain vast colonies around the world, and more scientific expeditions of various names began to appear.

These German scientific expeditions are running around in the Pacific Ocean, clearly with ill intentions.

If our Chu State had not taken the initiative and occupied all the Pacific islands, we would have received a telegram from Germany claiming to have occupied certain islands.

In the past few months, six German scientific expedition teams have arrived at Shangri-La Island alone, which shows how impatient they are.

Guard the fence tightly and keep away wolves. This is the original meaning of the title.

The iron-hulled patrol boats widely equipped by our Chu State have played an irreplaceable and important role in safeguarding the territorial rights and interests of the border islands. They can be said to have made great contributions!

You can only be a thief for a thousand days, but there is no way to prevent a thief for a thousand days.

European powers have always acted like robbers. If you give them a little, they will take advantage of it and take over as much as they can. They don't know when to stop.

That is why
When others show malicious intent, there is no need to indulge them. Just slap them back hard.

With the strong national strength of our Chu State today, which has more than doubled compared to three years ago, who should we be afraid of?

The English want to trade with each other, and our Chu State welcomes them with open arms, treats them with sincerity and observes with courtesy.

But if you want to bully us and humiliate us, you are completely overthinking it."

The King of Chu's position was extremely tough, and he would not give in at all on issues concerning national honor.

Now that the telegram of rebuke to London has been sent, it is inevitable that the relationship between the two countries will experience setbacks.

After continuing the secret conversation for a while, Prime Minister Li Hezhang hurriedly said goodbye and left.

Then he quickly returned to the Yuehu official residence, gathered all the cabinet ministers overnight, and went to the Prime Minister's Yamen to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the next countermeasures.

They just talk a lot and the people below work hard, and that is absolutely true.

(End of this chapter)