Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 404 Another Trouble
The change of cabinet government in London, thousands of miles away, affected the situation in Australia, tens of thousands of kilometers away, causing waves in the originally calm society and signs of chaos.

Northern Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory are better off. Western Australia and other states are basically dominated by the Chinese community and cannot cause much waves.

The unrest is mainly located in Victoria, where Chinese immigrants account for 62% of the total population, but the state government and relevant parliaments are dominated by white forces, and conflicts both overt and covert continue.

Only three months from July to September

More than 313 conflicts of varying sizes broke out in Victoria, resulting in a heavy price of casualties, including both white people and Chinese, and many of them were vicious armed fights.

Australia's population grew rapidly during this era, which was very different from its previous history.

in the original history
Australia had a population of only 1874 million in 189, but now its total population has reached 293 million, an increase of more than one million compared with the same period in history.

Of this nearly one million additional people, 99% were Chinese immigrants who followed the Australian Expeditionary Force into this continent. In just three or four years, they quickly became part of the mainstream centers of Australia.

Considering that the number of white Australian men lost during the war reached 7.7, this caused Australia's population structure to rapidly shift towards a Chinese-dominated population, a significant change.

In addition, during the Australian Expeditionary Force period, the Australian government seized major towns and port assets such as Sydney, Brisbane, Kelvin, Bundaberg, Port Macquarie, Townsville, as well as large white ranches and the New South Wales gold mining area through violent means, and quickly became prosperous.

The Chinese community, dressed in bright clothes and with generous incomes, naturally attracted the favor of a large number of young white girls. In recent years, the number of intermarriages reached 7.75, which is a huge number.

Especially in several northern states, many girls from poor white families prefer to marry down-to-earth and steady Chinese young men. They are attracted not only by the Chinese's favorable economic conditions, but also by the fact that they have fewer bad habits of alcoholism and violent beatings of their wives and daughters.

Compared with those rough Australian white cowboys, Chinese men are more gentle and family-oriented, which is one of the important reasons why young white girls are willing to choose Chinese men.

This kind of large-scale marriage is something that conservative and paranoid Australians would never want to see.

The frequent conflicts in Victoria are largely due to the fact that the local white and Chinese communities are equally powerful, and have sharp conflicts over many issues such as religion, marriage and interests, which have led to disputes.

The arrival of the British squadron in Australia made the gold mine owners and farmers in Victoria, where white conservatives were strong, feel supported and encouraged, and their attitudes became increasingly tough and harsh.

So why isn't this happening in the northern states?

This was because the Australian Expeditionary Force, when sweeping across several northern states, carried out a planned, purposeful and targeted cleansing and bloody attack on these Australian white middle and upper classes, and took advantage of the opportunity to expand rapidly.

Since it is a war, collateral damage is inevitable.

In Victoria
Some newspapers and media dominated by white forces began to denounce the atrocities committed by the Australian Expeditionary Force during the war, listing all kinds of heinous and cruel practices, in order to stir up widespread hatred and solidarity among the white community and incite confrontation.

On the one hand, the Chu government refuted the allegations through the media controlled by the Chinese in several northern states, accusing them of having bad intentions and going to great lengths to discredit the Chinese community in an attempt to stir up unrest and ethnic confrontation in Australian society.

on the other hand
Militia forces were strengthened through various civilian organizations. Militia cavalry teams of dozens or hundreds of people, and even large teams of several hundred cavalry, often entered Victoria from New South Wales in the north to support the state's Chinese ranchers and residents.

Recent Chinese immigrants are more inclined to settle in Victoria. Chinese businessmen have purchased a large number of ranches from local white people and hired Chinese cowboys to manage the ranches, making in-depth infiltration.

Due to the turbulent situation in Victoria, local white ranchers were inevitably severely affected. The wool produced in several northern states could be sold smoothly, but the wool in Victoria was seriously overstocked.

There were no ships for transportation at the port, and even if the goods were transported out, they would have to pass through various transit ports in the Chu State along the way. As a result, they would often be stranded there and subjected to various inspections and questioning.

Either the ship's paperwork is incomplete, or the type and quantity of cargo are questionable, or the crew has been arrested for violating the law. In short, all kinds of problems arise one after another.

As a result, many shipping companies abandoned their routes to Victoria, resulting in a serious backlog of wool at the Port of Melbourne.

Even if it is shipped out, the woolen mills in Chu State will not accept or buy it. You have to either ship it to Europe to sell it or to the United States to sell it. The high shipping costs alone are enough to make you suffer.

The shipping route to the United States is obviously blocked. It has to pass through several crucial supply ports along the way, all of which are under the control of the Chu State. It would take one or two months to make things difficult.

After this trip, the cargo ship transporting the wool lost all its capital.

November
The King of Chu issued an edict appointing Baron Li Jinghui as Governor of Hawaii, in charge of affairs of the Hawaiian Islands, surrounding areas and Central America, and he took up the post immediately.

At the same time, the State of Chu received news that Emperor Tongzhi of the Northern Shenzhou Court was seriously ill and bedridden. The two Empress Dowagers summoned Prince Dun Yixin and Prince Gong Yixin to the Forbidden City to urgently discuss countermeasures.

In early December, Empress Dowager Cixi issued an imperial decree to adopt the four-year-old Zai Tian to Emperor Xianfeng, making him the heir to the throne.

When the heir emperor has a son, he will inherit the throne of the late emperor. The two Empress Dowagers will rule the country from behind the curtain for the second time, and the northern Shenzhou will once again enter an era where women are in power.

Chu Palace

"The tree wants to be still, but the wind does not stop!" King Zheng Guohui of Chu sighed as he strolled in the garden.

Accompanying him was Prime Minister Li Hezhang, who was walking one step behind him. After hearing His Majesty's sigh, he couldn't help but look up to the north.

He said: "The Northern Divine Land is in a state of decline and has reached the end of its dynasty. Without a leader to revive it, it is beyond human power to reverse the situation.

Now it seems that the last breath will be extinguished.

Throughout the dynasties, there has never been any mention of two Empress Dowagers ruling the country from behind the curtain for the second time.

Such a vast country as China, with hundreds of millions of people, is entrusted to the hands of women. This is a wonder unprecedented in history.

It is against the will of Heaven to allow such a dynasty to survive."

King Zheng Guohui of Chu and Prime Minister Li Hezhang now both hate the emperor for not fighting for his country and feel sad about his country's corruption, but they also have a deep sense of helplessness hidden in their hearts.

Everyone minding their own business is the most true portrayal.

By the end of the year, the State of Chu had a population of over 2430 million and had rapidly grown into a regional power. With its own troubles tangled up in its head, how could it have the time to care about others?

If the State of Chu showed even the slightest intention to return to China, it would immediately be besieged by European powers such as Britain, France, Germany, and the United States, and would be killed without a burial place.

What these European powers are most worried about now is the alliance between Chu and Northern Shenzhou.

This is like a group of robbers finding a treasure house with almost unlimited resources. How could the State of Chu be allowed to wake up the owner of this treasure house and drive the robbers out?

At the end of the year

The new governor Li Jinghui sent by the State of Chu to Hawaii has arrived in Honolulu to take up his post on the ironclad ship "Zhenyuan", accompanied by two Huashan-class ironclad cruisers and two coal ships.

Vice Admiral Robert, who was accompanying them, served as Commander-in-Chief of the Hawaiian Fleet, whose home port was Pearl Harbor. The subsequent "Zhenwei" and its four accompanying Huashan-class armored cruisers would arrive in succession early next year to join the Pacific Fleet. This move immediately attracted great attention from the US side.

The United States then announced
In the next two years, no less than four new main ironclad ships will be deployed in important cities on the Pacific coast, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, to form the US Pacific Fleet.

The meaning revealed explicitly and implicitly is to confront the State of Chu, which is also expected.

The State of Chu strengthened the Royal Navy's armaments, and neighboring countries including Britain, France, the Netherlands, the United States and Fuso launched their own maritime armament enhancement plans to meet the challenge of the State of Chu.

Rich countries like Britain, France, and the United States have successively deployed new main ironclad ships to the South China Sea region and the Pacific Fleet to balance the regional situation.

Even countries like Fuso that are short of money have to buy two 2,000-ton ironclad ships from Britain to boost their courage.

A stone thrown into a lake creates ripples, and the same is true for the regional situation.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu stopped in front of the rockery and turned to look at Prime Minister Li Hezhang. He saw that his temples had turned gray and he had obviously aged a lot in the past two years.

Touched, he said in a friendly tone, "Brother Xian, you and I worked together to build the Chu State and opened up a vast space in Southeast Asia that belongs to the Chinese nation. You are the people's hope, so please take care of yourself!"

As soon as the affectionate name "Brother Xianqie" came out, Li Hezhang was obviously stunned. Then his eyes became moist. He blinked a few times and turned his head away and said:

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. I am in good health. Over these years, I have served Your Majesty in governing the country and fulfilling my great vows. I truly die without regrets."

Whenever I see the prosperous and flourishing scenes in various parts of Chu State, the soft spot in my heart is always touched, and I feel great joy from body to heart.

Such an intoxicating sense of accomplishment is the best reward.

When I grow old, bid farewell to the court and return to my hometown, surrounded by my children and grandchildren, I look back on the glorious past of these years and realize how fortunate I am to be able to follow in Your Majesty's footsteps."

"The Li family in northern Anhui has five Jinshi scholars and three prime ministers, who are in charge of two countries in the north and the south. This will be a story that will be passed down through the ages." King Zheng Guohui of Chu said with a smile.

Today in the northern China, Li Hongzhang, the Governor-General of Zhili, is in charge of the Beiyang Zongli Yamen, is granted the title of Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace, and works in the Grand Council. He can be said to be a giant with tremendous power among Han officials.

Li Hongzhang's comment that "he passed the imperial examination in his youth, served in the military in his prime, was a frontier governor in his middle age, and engaged in Westernization in his later years, rising all the way" is very pertinent.

It is precisely because of this that King Zheng Guohui of Chu said that he would "take charge of the two countries in the north and the south", and it was not groundless.

Li Hezhang's expression changed slightly when he heard this. He clasped his hands together and said, "Your Majesty, this humble official..."

King Zheng Guohui of Chu waved his hand, silencing him, and walked forward, saying as he walked, "If I had such a talented person beside me and didn't use him, wouldn't I be foolish? There's no need to worry too much. Besides managing the country, you should take good care of your health. We have a long time to live together as king and subject, and it will definitely not be just a decade or so."

"If a humble official like me has found a wise ruler, how can I not repay him with all my heart and soul?"

"Hehe...what do you think of the British side?"

"The London government's actions have caused unrest in Southeast Asia and Australia, and have sparked considerable criticism within London's upper echelons and the cabinet. However, Prime Minister Sir Disraeli is a tough man and is unlikely to back down, potentially escalating the situation."

"Yes, we have suffered a lot in the past one or two years."

"Your Majesty is wise and wise. To hold back is the best strategy."

"Hahaha...Brother Xianque still understands me." King Chu Zheng Guohui laughed happily and continued to talk with Li Hezhang while walking, casually chatting about various things in the region.

The State of Chu held three fruits in its hands: one was the former Dutch-occupied area of ​​Kalimantan Island, one was Nicaragua and Honduras in Central America, and one was Australia.

The three fruits have different degrees of maturity, and the advantage of time is on the side of Chu.

Backed by the Chinese mainland with a population of 3 million, and possessing almost endless human resources, the State of Chu was full of confidence.

In the tenth year of its expansion into Southeast Asia, the baby boom in Chu State became more and more intense. In 1874 alone, the number of newborns reached 132 million, and the country was in a stage of rapid population growth.

Now that they have enough food to eat, enough clothes to wear and a good house to live in, the vast majority of Chinese immigrants have an unprecedented enthusiasm for expanding their families and are busy creating children.

This is actually not surprising

There is really no entertainment activity in today's era. Although Chu is an oil producing area, the price of kerosene is not low. Ordinary people light a kerosene lamp at night, and it will go out in one or two hours.

But don't waste it, or you will be punished by God.

Then when you have nothing to do during the long nights, it is inevitable that you will create villains.

According to the statistics
The average number of children raised by white Australian couples is 6.72, and the situation is roughly the same among white European families.

In countries such as Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, the number of children raised by each family is between 5 and 7, which is a relatively high number.

Italians, in particular, raise an average of 7.12 children, the highest among European countries.

Chinese families have about the average number of children, around 5 to 6.

Since the State of Chu was established relatively late, its statistical data is incomplete and imperfect, and there are no corresponding authoritative figures, but they are roughly within this range.

When the total population of Chu State reached 1874 million at the end of 2430, the total number of children born that year exceeded one million, reaching 132 million.

The infant mortality rate in this era is high, often reaching 20 to 30%, and even higher due to frequent disasters in the northern Shenzhou continent.

The most important thing to maintain the population size is to ensure basic medical conditions.

The State of Chu also did well in this regard. Every year, a large number of graduates from medical schools graduated, and 70% of them were assigned to large towns and villages to become grassroots doctors.

Quinine cream and other traditional Chinese medicines widely used in China have played an important role in curbing the spread of diseases and improving primary medical conditions.

The main measures are the widespread implementation of sanitation measures in towns and villages, such as the separation and composting of human and animal feces, the elimination of sewage ponds and sewers, and the maintenance of rural hygiene systems. These are all important measures to significantly reduce the prevalence of tropical diseases.

In terms of health care, prevention and treatment, the State of Chu was ahead of its neighboring countries.

(End of this chapter)