Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 487 This place is so evil

They are all talented!

While King Zheng Guohui of Chu called on his ministers and the people to learn more about the world and Europe.

As a world-class power in the Nanyang region and a participant in many international issues, the Chu State was also put under the microscope and studied by knowledgeable people in European countries.

The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy, Marquis Agostino De Pretis, is obviously one of the best among them. He has studied the situation in the Nanyang region very thoroughly and knows what can really impress the State of Chu?

Aim at the right target and cater to the person's needs. A person's success is never as simple as it seems.

But he was disappointed. After thinking about it seriously, King Zheng Guohui of Chu said:
"I have truly felt the sincerity shown by your country and am deeply pleased with it. This has laid the foundation for further in-depth cooperation between the two countries in the future.

The matters discussed today involve major diplomatic and colonial affairs. Several important cabinet members of the Chu State are in Berlin and are temporarily unable to attend the meeting.

This is a serious matter and requires careful consultation before a clear answer can be given.

The two sides can maintain close communication. I believe that such beneficial cooperation will surely promote the smooth progress of the Berlin Conference, which is also what we hope to see."

Faced with such an ambiguous answer, King Umberto I of Italy showed visible disappointment on his face. Prime Minister Marquis Agostino de Pretis looked at King Zheng Guohui of Chu with a complicated expression, and inevitably felt a little lost.

Italians are a typical southern European race. They are passionate and unrestrained, and their likes and dislikes are revealed. They do things hastily and rarely consider the consequences, and are often confused by immediate interests.

Such a national character would be completely helpless when encountering the old and sinister Britain and the Chu State, which is good at playing Tai Chi.

Originally, Prime Minister Marquis Agostino De Pretis was full of confidence, believing that he had thoroughly studied the strategic needs of the Chu State and that the chips he threw out were sincere enough, and he was quite sure to gain support on the Ethiopian issue.

After a few powerful moves were unleashed, how could the Chu State, which had shown a strong tendency towards aggression and expansion, hold back?

I have never heard of wolves not eating meat. Are they going to become vegetarians?
Who knows, the other person just won't respond at all.

This can only be described as: an impatient person meets a slow person. The two countries have different cultures, religions and historical backgrounds, and their ways of looking at and dealing with problems are also different.

During the secret meeting

It had only been three days since King Zheng Guohui of Chu arrived in Rome. The two sides met several times and established initial trust and a desire to further develop their relationship, but that was all.

Talking about such a major exchange of interests suddenly seems like "talking too much to someone you just met", which is not appropriate.

The time-honored Chinese culture emphasizes careful thinking before taking action, especially when it comes to colonial policies that have a significant impact. It is impossible to make decisions on impulse.

To be honest, at one point King Chu Zheng Guohui was really moved.

Fortunately, he quickly adjusted his mindset and decided to stabilize the matter first and wait for another seventy or eighty years before dealing with it.

Anyway, Ethiopia is right there, it’s impossible for it to just fly out of thin air.

Once the Italians set their sights on this prey, no matter whether it takes three, five, ten, eight years or longer, they will eventually have to beg the State of Chu to show mercy. This is an unavoidable fatal flaw.

Understand this

At the appropriate time in the future, a private deal can be reached with the Italian government to cooperate with the Chu State in sweeping away the Dutch colonists in the East Indies, which can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

There is no rush now, not at all. The only ones who are anxious are the Italians.

Sadly
The interests of Ethiopia and the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies were used as bargaining chips by the two powerful countries, and their fate was decided privately.

This is the tragedy of the weak, and also the harsh reality of the international political ecology in the late 19th century.

During the remaining days of the visit
Accompanied by high-level Italian officials, the King of Chu and his entourage visited the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Italian museums, delivered a speech at the Italian Parliament, climbed the Palatine Hill, which is believed to be the birthplace of ancient Rome, and visited several famous universities.

January 10st

The caravan of the King of Chu and his entourage headed south to the famous ruins of Pompeii, which is more than 240 kilometers away from Rome. It is an ancient Roman city destroyed by a volcanic eruption.

Pompeii was built in the 6th century BC and was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 BC.

The entire ancient city was buried in volcanic ash, but the streets and houses were relatively well preserved. Since 1748, archaeologists from various European countries have gathered here, and archaeological excavations lasted until 1884, a total of years.

In the ancient city of Pompeii
There are the magical Temple of the Sun, the huge Colosseum, the magnificent theater, the mysterious wizard's hall and the novel steam bath, as well as numerous shops and entertainment venues, reflecting the amazing and highly civilized lifestyle of the ancient Roman era.

In this era of relatively closed and backward transportation and information, it is not easy for King Zheng Guohui of Chu to come to Europe, and it is unknown when the next time will be.

Based on such considerations
In addition to the major issues discussed during the state visit and extensive contact with royal families and senior officials of various European countries, traveling around and understanding the European style of the current era is also an indispensable and important aspect.

As King Zheng Guohui of Chu traveled along, the dozen or so photographers around him were really busy, constantly capturing the heroic figures of His Majesty the King and his accompanying ministers in photos, which became precious historical memories.

Standing on the top of the mountain
Standing amidst these ancient Roman ruins, steeped in a rich tapestry of history, King Zheng Guohui of Chu felt a stirring deep within his soul. He closed his eyes, as if trying to listen to the voices of distant times.

Deputy Secretary-General Li Jingxi, who also serves as the guide of the royal delegation, stood at the foot of the rock, looking up at the tall figure of His Majesty the King with a solemn gaze, his eyes full of reverence.

There were also many young diplomatic officials who showed the same expression as him.

His Majesty the King single-handedly founded and established this powerful overseas Chinese nation. In the long history of China, the founding monarch has been shrouded in a sacred aura and has a profound imperial majesty.

Every victory in a foreign colonial war would deepen this halo and add a different kind of brilliant color.

Accumulated to this day, he has become a god-like existence.

The Chu State was never a multi-ethnic overseas country. It was strictly forbidden to speak the Hu language, wear Hu clothes, and follow Hu customs (note: indigenous religions were prohibited). Only white people from European and American powers living in the Chu State were given an exception.

According to the "Great Ming Code", "wearing braids and buns, wearing foreign clothes, speaking foreign languages, and having foreign surnames are all prohibited." This policy has traces of itself in history.

The Great Ming Code states:
"All Mongolians and Semites are allowed to marry Han people, but it must be mutually agreed. They are not allowed to marry each other. Those who violate this rule will be punished with 80 strokes of the cane, and both men and women will be taken into government slavery."

The customary rules in the West African colonies, although not explicitly promulgated, are more stringent than the "Ming Dynasty Law", which completely deprives the indigenous black tribal population of the right to marry and reproduce.

They are prohibited from owning land and property, from moving freely, and from enjoying all citizens' rights, and can only exist as subordinates to their employers.

In the Congo River colony in West Africa, these indigenous black people who were forced to work were not called slaves. Instead, a new term called "contract laborers" was invented.

In reality, it was the same thing in a new name: serfs imprisoned on farms and plantations.

The Indo-European whites who were colonized in Central America and the oppressed and enslaved Indians in the Viceroyalty of Patagonia in South America were also called "contract laborers."

Within the vast territory of Chu
Only Chinese residents and white people from European and American powers who signed relevant consular treaties had full and equal civil rights. All others were enslaved classes and were born unequal.

The Chu State only emphasized the interests of the Chinese people, speaking Chinese, wearing Chinese clothes, and practicing Chinese customs. It regarded this tough ethnic integration policy as the basis for national stability and has adhered to it for more than 20 years.

Even if white people from European and American powers want to enjoy full civil rights, they have to marry Chinese women or Chinese men in order to do business and buy property without restrictions.

Otherwise, it would be difficult to achieve anything under the constraints of various explicit and implicit rules.

Driven by this strong assimilation policy, the Chu State no longer counts the proportion of the Chinese population in society, as that would be meaningless.

Although relevant data still exist in a few outlying islands such as Hawaii and Central America, the process of ethnic integration is progressing so rapidly that it is estimated that they will be abandoned in a few years.

The world is one, and we are all Chinese.

The areas where the process of ethnic integration is progressing slower are the Congo River colonies, Sumatra and Central America. These are regions that started later and have a long way to go in ethnic assimilation.

It is expected that by the end of this century, in another sixteen years, the ultimate goal of having an entirely Chinese population will be achieved.

The whole process took about thirty-five or thirty-six years.

The Chu State was not a multi-ethnic country and never emphasized the rights of ethnic minorities. It implemented a policy of severe repression and exploitation, and practiced divide and rule.

Those indigenous and colonized ethnic groups either actively integrated into the Chinese or eventually disappeared.
Standing on the top of the mountain, King Zheng Guohui of Chu slowly opened his eyes. His eyes were filled with complex emotions. He seemed to be standing at the intersection of the wheels of history, his heart surging.

Looking back on the years since his rebirth, they have now condensed into clear pictures, flashing through his mind.

The howling mountain wind blew past the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, making a chaotic whistling sound, as if countless dead souls were whispering in people's ears, causing emotional fluctuations.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu said with emotion:
"Today, the Chu State is leading the rise of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, just like a flood gathering in front of a dam, gathering momentum for a long time, just waiting to burst forth.

In order to expand the living space of our Chinese nation around the world, I have to take ruthless measures, which makes me feel ashamed of the thousands of indigenous tribes that have been colonized.

Time is the momentum.

This is the best opportunity for overseas Chinese to join the ranks of the world's powerful nations. We must not squander this gift and miss this good opportunity.

"For the overwhelming resentment, the mountains of corpses and the seas of blood that have resulted from this, I alone bear the consequences. What can you do to me?"

At the end of his words, all the domineering aura contained in his body was revealed.

A magical scene appeared
The mountain wind that was howling around the ancient city of Pompeii stopped in an instant, and everything became quiet, even the echo of footsteps could be heard.

This place is so evil!
King Zheng Guohui of Chu turned around quickly and said in an urgent tone, "Get down the mountain, quickly!"

After saying that, he strode down the mountain. Li Jingxi and the royal guards who were protecting him closely also noticed something. They looked at each other in surprise and suspicion, and immediately trotted after him.

They soon arrived at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. Before getting in the car, King Zheng Guohui of Chu took a last, deep look at this ancient Roman city and got into the car decisively.

Under the escort of many fully armed guards, the convoy sped away from here.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu sat in the car with his eyes closed, his heart still feeling a little uneasy.

Just when I was at the top of the mountain

He felt very clearly that it might be the malicious gaze of an alien god. The feeling was terrible, like a lone boat in a stormy sea, which could capsize at any time.

It seems that you really can't show off on other people's territory.

At least the gods and Buddhas and spirits of ancestors that the Chinese believe in are not very effective in this part of Europe. Perhaps this is beyond their scope of business.

His words were not random, but intentional.

The intention is to awaken the national destiny and the national destiny condensed by the millions of people in the Chu State. With these mysterious things, combined with the full-strength burst of kingly and hegemonic spirit, the unknown existence that is peeping can be scared away.

He made the right bet, and the huge crisis that put the King of Chu's life on the line disappeared in an instant.

This is such a mysterious feeling that no one would believe it if I told them about it.

But King Zheng Guohui of Chu firmly believed that this was true. If such a fantastic event as rebirth could happen, what else was impossible?

He even regretted being too careless during his meeting with the Pope in Rome.

Ancient places like ancient Rome are really prone to strange things.

The King of Chu then issued an edict and quickly contacted the Spanish royal family and government. The original visit agenda was advanced by two days, and the fleet would set off for the Spanish port of Valencia early the next morning and then proceed to Madrid.

The ancient city of Pompeii is too mysterious a place to stay for long.

During the King of Chu's visit to Europe, considering the importance and influence of each country, he first visited London, England, then Paris, France, and the third stop was Italy. The Kingdom of Spain was the fourth stop.

After these four official visits, he arrived in Berlin in early November and began his official friendly visit to the German Empire, and also attended the Berlin International Conference held in mid-November.

The countries that issued official invitations to the State of Chu included world powers such as Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Russia, as well as a number of small European countries such as Portugal, Belgium, Greece, the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Montenegro.

The King of Chu's visit agenda was to visit St. Petersburg, the capital of Tsarist Russia, after the Berlin Conference. This would be the last stop of his European visit, and he would return home after the conference.

The official invitations from Belgium and Portugal to visit were mainly to get Chu to support their respective international dispute claims over colonizing Mozambique at the Berlin Conference, which was a troublesome matter.

Small Balkan countries such as Greece, Serbia and Montenegro had just recently separated from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and were under the status of British protectorates. There is still controversy over their final ownership.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire has been coveting the territories of Serbia and Montenegro for a long time. However, these European countries have awakened to their national consciousness early on. How could they be willing to escape from the tiger's den and fall into the wolf's mouth?

Therefore, the political demand of these small European countries is to expand their presence on the European political stage by taking advantage of the official visits of the heads of state of the great powers.

The King of Chu was unwilling to get involved in this mess, so he simply didn't go.

The Netherlands and the three Nordic countries did not issue an official invitation for a visit, and King Zheng Guohui of Chu was not willing to go. After returning, he quickly criticized the Netherlands. Don't think that His Majesty the King of Chu is a generous person.

I may not go for the visit, but you have to issue a formal invitation for a visit. It's a matter of attitude.

If you are not respectful enough, I will beat you up. The logic is that simple and crude.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire was the most backward and conservative power in Europe. It had never been very interested in the rising Chu State in Southeast Asia. The Habsburg rulers of this country were shrinking their territory.

On the one hand, it is the serious intellectual decline caused by inbreeding, and on the other hand, it is also related to short-sightedness and the lack of sufficient international vision and overall perspective.

No wonder it was torn into pieces and split apart later. It's not surprising at all.

As long as there is a chance to step on it hard, the State of Chu will definitely not show mercy, so there is no need for His Majesty the King of Chu to do it personally.

The Spanish royal family had very complicated feelings about the King of Chu's visit.

The foundation for the establishment of the Chu State was the Luzon Islands, originally a Spanish colony in the South Pacific region. A colonial war broke out between the two sides more than 20 years ago, and in the end the Orientals won.

To say that the Spanish have no grudges would be an exaggeration.

that time

It was the end of the corrupt rule of Queen Isabella of the Spanish royal family. After the war broke out, Queen Isabella's rule was overthrown and she eventually went into exile in France.

From beginning to end, there was no attempt to respond in a decent manner to the loss of Luzon.

That was a period of history that was too painful to recall. Today, the Kingdom of Spain is like a fallen phoenix, worse than a chicken. It has long since recognized the reality and wisely chosen to give in.

There are many powerful countries that have taken advantage of Spain, including the United States, France, Britain, and Chu, aren’t they?

The British defeated the Spanish Armada, driving Spain from its position as Europe's leading power. They also seized the Strait of Gibraltar, the gateway to the Mediterranean, and numerous Mediterranean islands. Isn't this hatred deep?

Florida was snatched away by the Americans, as were other former Spanish colonies in North America, so many that you couldn't count them on your fingers, totaling millions of square kilometers of territory.

Even if I want to hate everyone, I can't hate them all.

As a country with a long colonial empire, the Spaniards had some idea that the power of Chu had spread like a flood to Central and South America, and was not far from Cuba, Spain's last stronghold in the Caribbean.

The relationship between the two countries must be friendly, otherwise there is the possibility of being beaten.

The United States has always coveted the territories of Cuba and Puerto Rico. Newspaper opinion stands on the moral high ground and meddles in Cuban affairs.

He has been criticizing the brutal Spanish colonial rule, which treated native-born whites and indigenous Cubans like animals.

The real purpose is well known to the Spaniards and political observers around the world.

Although the Chu State was not a good bird, for the Spanish royal family, if they could introduce foreign forces, such as the Chu State, it would be able to greatly alleviate the pressure of facing the US invasion.

This method of drinking poison to quench thirst is really a last resort.

(End of this chapter)