Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 398 Embarrassing the Flag Master
same moment
The iron-hulled steam freighter "Fuda", loaded with more than 6500 tons of coal, slowly sailed into the Bandar Seri Begawan Port. With the concerted efforts of the sailors on board and following the captain's instructions, it steadily docked at the pier of the ore terminal.

Standing by the side of the boat

Huang Qifan looked at the azure bay with sails dotting the horizon. This was the silhouette of a prosperous city. A fiery look of deep envy could not help but flash in his eyes.

In his eyes, everything that the Chu State showed was prosperity and strength, including the huge iron-hulled ship he was on, the prosperous bay, the ancient and prosperous city located on the seashore, and the several huge black warships docked at the dock in the distance, all of which were intimidating.

Huang Qifan, who has been traveling in Southeast Asia for many years, knows that it is the powerful ironclad ship that even foreigners look at with awe. It is the core of Chu's maritime power and the confidence of all overseas Chinese to stand up straight.

To be honest, Huang Qifan is also a Chu person.

Since the rise of the Chu State, Chinese families living in various parts of Southeast Asia, whether they live in Saigon, Batavia, Surabaya, Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong, must first obtain an identity card from the Chu State if they have some financial resources.

This piece of identity paper is like a talisman. When the rights and interests of overseas Chinese are seriously infringed, they can go to the Chu embassy abroad to file a complaint and request protection of the interests of overseas Chinese.

Every time at this time

The Chu State's embassies abroad would negotiate with local officials in various countries to support these overseas Chinese and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests. This was not uncommon.

Under the temptation of such huge benefits, about 60 to 70 percent of the Chinese business families living in Southeast Asian countries have already registered as Chu people and can enjoy the convenience of overseas Chinese protection.

Others may not know, but these Chinese families who have lived overseas for a long time know very well how useful this identity paper covered with golden light is.

The family can be protected from being bullied, and can resist with dignity and confidence, because they have the support of the powerful Chu State and the powerful ironclad ships.

Those old-fashioned overseas Chinese who still have braids cannot enjoy such overseas Chinese protection facilities.

All one had to do to become a naturalized citizen of the State of Chu was to cut off one's braids, register for citizenship, then gather together to swear allegiance to the flag of the King of Chu, and pay a naturalization fee of 8.2 silver dollars per person, which could be processed at the embassy abroad.

If they cannot even pay 8.2 silver dollars per person, then they are definitely at the bottom of the overseas Chinese society, and do not need the protection of overseas Chinese, and they themselves cannot make much money.

I heard that this is the only

The Chu State's Ministry of Foreign Affairs earned nearly 60 silver dollars every year. After this money was handed over to the treasury, % of it could be returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for expenditure, which made everyone happy.

The Chu State's finances were divided into two parts: revenue and expenditure. All administrative fees had to be turned over to the treasury and were not allowed to be withheld, embezzled or concealed. The account figures were audited every month by the overseas agencies of the General Audit Office.

Officials who crossed the red line were brought down one after another. Many were dismissed from office, and many were stripped of their titles and thrown into labor camps. Their lives were ruined.

It is surprising that the rampant corruption and bribery, selling of official positions, deceiving superiors and concealing the truth from subordinates, which are rampant in the northern Shenzhou, are not seen at all in the Chu State.

"Mr. Huang, we have arrived at the port. Should we get off the boat now?" A question interrupted Huang Qifan's aimless thoughts.

The person who spoke was Wang Debang, one of Wu Yongfu's right-hand men and a brave and courageous general. He was now standing beside him in casual clothes.

In addition to Wang Debang, there is also Huang Qifan's deputy Wu Pengnian, who was a scholar from Zhejiang Province. He can write and calculate, and is responsible for the settlement of coal cargo ships and the purchase of materials.

There are also Wang Debiao, Xiao Sanfa and others, all of whom are capable backbones of the Black Flag Army.

Huang Qifan led a group of more than 30 people on this trip, escorting North Vietnamese coal to Bandar Seri Begawan. This was the first time they had been to this place, and he also had to meet with a superior in secret.

Of course, he didn't tell anyone else about this confidential matter.

Huang Qifan looked at the prosperous scene of the harbor with a lingering look, turned around, and said in a calm tone:
"Don't rush for now, let's settle things with the captain first. Brother Pengnian will stay on the ship with some people to take care of the delivery. Debiao, Sanfa and I will go with you later to pay a visit to the boss of the local Chamber of Commerce. When you arrive in a new place, you must pay your respects to the boss."

"What Mr. Huang said is right. I was reckless." Wang Debang said with a blush on his face.

He was a warrior and came from a poor farming family in Qinzhou. How could he know the twists and turns that businessmen faced?
Before your trip
These people received instructions from the military commander. The Black Flag Army now has many inconveniences when going out, so it is better to conceal their identities.

This is why everyone regards military advisor Huang Qifan as their leader and calls him "Master Huang".

Over the past month
The Black Chu Army had done coal business with the State of Chu several times, all of which went relatively smoothly. The initial wariness had been eliminated and they became relieved.

Even though it was my first time in Bandar Seri Begawan, I didn’t feel uneasy at all.

There are more than a dozen famous large trading companies in the State of Chu, and countless small and medium-sized trading companies. The Black Flag Army chose to cooperate with a company called "Si Hai Chang Da Trading Company". It is said that it has the background of the Royal Navy of the State of Chu and is also one of the large trading companies.

There are so many benefits to cooperating with these big trading companies. The first is safety and peace of mind. This ship of coal is worth 2.8 silver dollars, which is a huge fortune in the eyes of the Black Flag Army.

But in the eyes of Sihai Changda Trading Company, it was just a drizzle.

Whether you need cash, goods, weapons, machinery, grain or cloth, this trading company can get them at any time. Isn't that awesome?
Of course, the thresholds for entry into these large trading companies are very high, and the prices of goods are also low. The key is that they are worry-free, safe, and have a wide range of connections.

If you get cheated by small and medium-sized businesses, you will have no place to cry.

I heard that the Royal Bank of Chu did business directly with the British and French powers, with hundreds of millions of silver dollars involved, and sometimes even hundreds of millions. It sounded extremely unreal.

It’s like standing at the bottom of a mountain, looking up with your head tilted back, and even your hat falls off, you’re so surprised that you can’t close your mouth for a long time.

The true identity of the Black Flag Army was a group of traitors who fled from Guangxi to northern Vietnam. They had a total strength of about two to three thousand men and nearly ten thousand family members. They were entrenched in the Lao Cai area in northern Vietnam and ruled the mountains.

The Kingdom of Vietnam had no way to deal with him. They couldn't drive him away, and they didn't dare to use him, so the situation kept dragging on.

Until the French colonial army invaded the north and Hanoi fell. In the extremely critical situation, the King of Vietnam sent an imperial edict to the Black Flag Army for help. Liu Yongfu led a group of fierce bandits over mountains and rivers and defeated the French colonial army in one fell swoop...

Needless to say, Liu Yongfu was appointed as the deputy governor of Sanxuan, which was just an official title. He transformed from a rebel bandit into an official army.

Actually

With neither military pay nor food, the Vietnamese royal court was very wary of the Black Flag Army and did not want to see this northern Chinese force grow stronger.

Therefore, before entering the coastal defense, the Black Flag Army was extremely poor. Even having enough food to eat every day was a big problem. These backbone cadres were accustomed to going hungry.

That poor guy... doesn't even have a decent pair of shoes.

But the people of Guangxi are tough and fearless in battle. With just hundreds of muskets, spears and swords, they killed the invading French colonial army in the north and made them cry for their parents. They relied on their iron will.

As for silver, even the commander-in-chief Liu Yongfu couldn't take out a thousand taels of silver from his pocket.

It was not until they occupied Haiphong and seized the rich coal resources of Quang Ninh Province that they suddenly expanded like a balloon.

This expansion can only be compared with the previous poverty. At least they can have enough food to eat and their weapons and equipment have been greatly improved. However, it is far worse than the truly wealthy Chu people.

Huang Qifan gave some instructions to the captain and left Wu Pengnian in charge of the delivery. He then got off the ship with a few people, hired a carriage at the dock, and headed straight to the city of Bandar Seri Begawan.

along the way
The eyes of a few people were simply not enough, especially Huang Qifan's heart, which was like a huge wave and he was deeply shocked.

He had been to Bandar Seri Begawan before, probably five or six years ago, and had a deep impression of this ancient city.

I haven't seen you for several years and I hardly recognize you.

The carriage was driving along the wide asphalt road which was straight and smooth without any bumps at all. It was very comfortable to sit on.

Tall coconut trees on both sides of the road stretched into the distance. Stone milestones marked the distance every kilometer. It was clear which road it was and which prefecture it belonged to.

There are drainage ditches and small stone bridges on both sides of the road. When passing the factory area, dozens of tall chimneys are spewing black smoke. In the distance, neat factory buildings stand in rows and the streets are crowded with pedestrians.

There was an endless stream of heavily loaded carriages carrying large quantities of goods. Many of the goods were piled two or three meters high. They probably weighed tens of thousands of pounds, right?

After entering the city
The city's roads are more refined, with green belts in the middle and various shrubs and flowers blooming, which is fresh and pleasant.

The neat road is divided into two parts, and there are many shops on both sides of the road. It looks like business is booming, and the commercial scene is prosperous.

After the carriage entered the city, the driver stopped and lifted up a leather belt behind the animal's buttocks, like a loincloth.

According to the groom, this thing is called a "dung bag." It prevents animals from defecating along the way, so the feces can be collected and discarded. There is a large box like this every five or six hundred meters along the way. If the animals defecate on the road, they must stop immediately and clean it up with a broom and dustpan. If they are caught, they will be fined at least one silver dollar depending on the severity of the situation.

It would take two or three days to work a carriage to earn this much money, so the fine would be really painful.

These coachmen would rather go slower than let their animals urinate or defecate anywhere, so they often give their animals water and fodder only when they leave the city.

The urban area of ​​Bandar Seri Begawan is much larger than before. In addition to the original temple buildings with strong Islamic characteristics, there are also a large number of Chinese-style palace buildings with flying eaves and brackets, which are extraordinary in style.

There are many high-rise buildings that are six or seven stories high, including Victorian buildings, French buildings, and corridor buildings commonly seen in the Chu State, giving the city a wonderful fusion of Chinese and Western architecture.

This is also a major feature of Chu cities, that is, commercial buildings and office buildings have no restrictions on architectural features and can be freely designed according to the preferences of investors.

However, all government offices are typical Han and Tang style palace buildings, solemn and dignified, and have the style of a great country.

On a busy commercial street, a carriage stopped at the door of a four-story Huaxia Palace building, which is the branch of Sihai Changda Trading Company in Bandar Seri Begawan.

The more than 20 rooms on the first floor are all shops selling local products from all over Southeast Asia and even Western goods, each of which is classified into different categories.

The extraordinary strength of Sihai Changda Trading Company can be seen from the high piles of goods.

A large number of well-dressed customers were coming and going in the bustling crowd. The wire slings overhead in the shop were whirring back and forth, leaving Huang Qifan and the other accompanying men stunned.

It took me a while to understand its wonderful use.

When a customer buys something, the counter clerk issues a receipt, specifying the item purchased, quantity, unit price, and total price.

Then add the silver or copper coins delivered by the customer, put them in a cloth bag, add it to the wire suspension rope above the head, and push it hard.

This cloth bag was collected at the accounting office, but the people in the accounting office couldn't see it because it was completely blocked by the thick wooden boards. No one knew what was inside.
not for a while
The cloth bag will be pushed out of the accounting office and returned to the shop assistant along the wire. Inside it are the settled accounts and change. The bill is stamped with the "Jiaohe" seal, and there are four of these bills in a set.

The sales clerk keeps one copy, the cashier keeps one copy, the customer gives one copy, and the account holder keeps one copy.

At this point, the salesperson can deliver the goods to the customer and complete the transaction.

After each day's business, the salesperson will check the accounts and can only leave work if the accounts are correct. Otherwise, he must find out where the mistakes are.
If you are short of money, you have to make up for it yourself and you will be scolded.

The same is true in the accounting office. The sales amount must match the accounts, and there must be no mistakes or omissions, otherwise overtime work will be required to check the accounts.

The entire business was run like a sophisticated machine, and even a seasoned businessman like Huang Qifan was filled with admiration.

Compared to old-style businesses that rely on the store owner's diligence and the boss's favor, which are full of loopholes, this kind of bookkeeping and verification store is many times more sophisticated.
The shop assistants, the accountant and the manager have clear responsibilities and powers. Whoever makes a mistake will be punished accordingly. There will be no confusion and a mess of accounts.

When Huang Qifan saw the exquisite details inside, he was so fascinated that he couldn't move his feet.

After waiting for a long time, Xiao Sanfa could not help but urge, "Mr. Huang, it's getting late. Why don't we go find the shopkeeper first? It will be dark if we delay any longer."

"Oh... okay." Huang Qifan's eyes lingered on the zipline. He knew he couldn't delay too long, so he took the lead and walked to the other side.

The place he went to was not a shop, but the entrance of a public housing building with a golden signboard of Sihai Changda Commercial Bank, which immediately attracted the attention of several strong men.

These sturdy men were all dressed in short clothes, with four-finger-wide leather belts with rivets on them. Their muscles bulged out, and they looked like energetic martial artists.

Some of these people had daggers stuck in their belts, and some had revolvers stuck in their belts. When they saw Huang Qifan and others coming over, they stood up and surrounded them.

The leading man clasped his fists and said, "What are your names? What advice do you have for me?"

Huang Qifan took out an exquisite bronze plate with his backhand. The plate was engraved with a lion head, four seal characters "Si Hai Chang Da" and three stars below.

This is Sihai Changda's three-star customer card. You can enjoy distinguished treatment in any Sihai Changda branch, and the highest level is the five-star supreme customer.

With the Black Flag Army's transaction volume, it is not yet possible to reach that level.

"Oh... so it's you, the distinguished guest. Please forgive our rudeness and invite you in to chat. We will go and ask the steward to take you with us." When the leading man saw the bronze medal, his face suddenly changed and he stretched out his hand with a smile to lead the way.

The several strong men behind him immediately moved to the sides, all smiled, bent down and made a "come in" gesture.

The changes are so great that it is difficult for people to adapt for a short time.

As the saying goes, "recognize the medal but not the person." He was arrogant at first but respectful later just because of a bronze medal. This opened the eyes of Huang Qifan and others, and they couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction of being respected.

After all, it is a big trading company, even the semicolon is so particular.

Send the message in
Huang Qifan and the others were immediately ushered into the VIP room. Two middle-aged gentlemen in Confucian robes came forward, one in front and one behind. They clasped their fists and bowed from a distance, smiling and saying:

"Your distinguished guest has come from afar, and we have failed to welcome him. This is truly a sin. A sin. Please forgive me!"

"You are too polite, Mr. Dong. I apologize for coming from afar to show my respect."

"Alas, I cannot accept this title, Mr. Dong. I am the assistant manager of a branch of a trading company. My last name is He Guanghui, so you can just call me Manager He. This is Mr. Pan, the head of the company, Sir Pan."

Huang Qifan saw Manager He and Sir Pan, two people he knew well. His eyes lit up with surprise, but he forced himself to suppress his inner surprise, clasped his hands and bowed with an unchanged expression, pretending to be unfamiliar with them and exchanged a few pleasantries.

The shock in my heart has already surged.

The person he wanted to meet secretly this time was Commander Pan. It was also Commander Pan who had given him guidance. They had drunk and chatted together before, so they were naturally familiar with each other.

However, the origin of Commander Pan was a mystery, and Huang Qifan had some guesses privately. Now that he knew about 70% of it, he felt a little nervous and secretly happy.

The shocking thing is
I didn't tell Chief Pan when he would arrive in Hong Kong or when he would go to Sihai Changda Trading Company to discuss the details of the transaction. But Chief Pan was already waiting here and had created some kind of offering position to cover up his tracks?

This means that the other party knows the whereabouts of their group very well.

This also shows that the background of Sihai Changda Trading Company is far from as simple as it seems.

A brief greeting
After a few people sat down, a pretty woman served tea and 8 plates of dried fruit snacks of different styles for the guests to take as they pleased.

The VIP room of Sihai Changda Trading Company is magnificently decorated, with finely carved rosewood tables and chairs, coffee tables, heavy antique cabinets, and porcelains, calligraphy and paintings, all of which are ordinary items, showcasing a rich and restrained style.

The floor was covered with thick carpet, which was soft and silent when stepped on. The silent air of nobility came to your face, and it was all the smell of money.

Wang Debiao, Xiao Sanfa and other brave and fearless generals would not frown even when walking in and out of a pile of dead bodies. They had long been indifferent to life and death and were all heroic figures.

In this VIP room, he looked awkward and embarrassed.

For no other reason
These people all came on a coal ship. They were wearing wide-leg shorts, their legs were covered in black coal dust, and they had been wearing rubber sandals for who knows how long. In this luxurious house, a faint smell of foot odor wafted up.

This made Wang Debiao and Xiao Sanfa feel timid. They were both extravagant men who roamed the green forest. They always drank wine and ate meat with big mouthfuls, and fell asleep no matter where. They didn't care about these things.

Especially when the pretty girl in cheongsam with her smooth arms exposed served the tea and snacks, bringing with her gusts of tempting and lingering fragrance, the two men's old faces couldn't help but blush.

Damn it, you brought shame to the flag owner!

Who is the flag owner?

Naturally, it is Lord Liu Yongfu who is now appointed as the commander-in-chief of the coastal defense. His roots are in the Black Flag Army, so the brothers in the army also call him "Army Lord" or "Flag Lord", which seems more intimate.

As for the official positions conferred by the King of Yue, the brothers of the Black Flag Army didn't care much about them.

You are just a local king, not the emperor of the Forbidden City. You are given a small official position. How can you live as freely and happily as us?

(End of this chapter)