Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 498 Chapter 587 The New Look of Manila
The changes are so huge!

Li Jingxi returned to his hometown after more than ten years away. Everything in the kingdom had undergone earth-shaking changes, which made him dazzled and his heart was filled with mixed emotions of pride and honor.

The distance from the Marquis's fiefdom of Cambi to Manila is only 26 kilometers.

Today, the size of Metro Manila has expanded several times compared to more than a decade ago. The densely packed houses and workshops of all sizes have spread to the far suburbs, not far from Cavite.

The government has now tightened land use. Land for house construction and house renovation require approval. Random private construction is not allowed and violators will be punished.

Seven satellite towns have been formed around Metro Manila, scattered around Manila, connected by spacious and convenient roads, forming a fairly large urban cluster.

early in the morning

Li Jingxi got out in his own BMW and quickly drove onto the wide and smooth asphalt road. The driver drove very steadily.

He sat in the back seat and looked out the window.

There are already many people on the roadside in the early morning. Some are going to have breakfast, some are going to work, and some are setting up stalls to sell goods. The place is full of the atmosphere of life.

The car came out of the Marquis of Cavite Palace and quickly drove through the streets towards the avenue leading to Manila.

After a few minutes
The car has driven out of the city. There are large rice fields on both sides of the road, as well as some villages and farmers driving their sheep. Fresh air mixed with soil and grass comes in through the car window.

This farm also belongs to the Marquis's fiefdom and is leased to Chinese immigrants for cultivation.

Generally, after a few years, these Chinese immigrants will have paid off the principal and interest of their immigration loans, and with some capital in hand, they will move their families to the city to work.

Or embark on the path of secondary immigration and pursue your own farm dream.

The Chinese immigrants in the aristocratic fiefdom farms have been constantly on the move, and the only ones who have been able to settle down are the relatives and fellow villagers of the Li clan from northern Anhui, who are all wealthy families in the fiefdom villages.

With their own fields, houses and shops, the Marquis's Mansion rewarded these rural relatives with tens to hundreds of acres of land, and they were responsible for managing rural agricultural production, collecting grain taxes, and also receiving an additional salary.

The real bottom-level tenants have always had a high degree of mobility, with a new batch being replaced every four or five years.

Before obtaining the "blue paper", new immigrants cannot fully enjoy the preferential treatment given to citizens by the Chu State, nor can they move freely. This is a matter clearly stipulated by law.

Today
After more than ten years of grassroots experience, Li Jingxi can better understand the profound meaning of this policy.

That is, over a period of 4 to 5 years, the Chinese immigrants were gradually instilled with a sense of belonging, identity and pride in the Chu State, leaving a deep imprint in their hearts.

In the future, no matter which frontier colony the immigrants go to, they will always have a sense of attachment to the homeland of Chu, which is of great significance to maintaining the integrity and unity of the kingdom.

The British Empire's colonies spread all over the world, with a total area of ​​more than 3300 million square kilometers. Even Australia and New Zealand, which are thousands of miles away, have not developed serious barriers because of this, and have always had a simple yearning for the British Isles.

In addition to linguistic, cultural, and religious identity, the self-confidence and sense of belonging that come with a strong country are equally important.

There was a voice within the Chu State:
They believed that the kingdom's territory was too fragmented and that it was still expanding and colonizing, which was not conducive to long-term rule and was a wrong path.

His Majesty the King of Chu personally came forward to denounce such remarks, saying, "These few petty and short-sighted individuals, how can they possibly understand the vastness of the world? To make irresponsible remarks about state affairs is a grave sin."

"Westerners traveled thousands of miles across the ocean, using their powerful ships and cannons to break through the barriers of the Chinese mainland and colonize Southeast Asia. If Westerners can do it, why can't we, the Miao descendants of the great Chinese Xia Dynasty, do it?"

"To increase the ambition of others is to destroy one's own prestige."

"The vast territory of Great Chu stretches over tens of thousands of miles, encompassing both sides of the Pacific Ocean and extending as far as West Africa. All of this belongs to our kingdom and is sacred and inviolable."

"Anyone who talks nonsense about losing power and territory is a traitor to the country."

Upon hearing the order, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Chu launched a lightning strike. Li Ting arrested a large number of old intellectuals from the Qing Dynasty with decadent ideas and deported them directly to the Wenshan Coal Mine on a remote deserted island. They would never be able to get out in this lifetime.

His family and children were all affected, and after this rectification, the domestic public opinion was cleared up.

Looking at the scenery outside the window that was constantly receding, Li Jingxi sighed inwardly that His Majesty's decisive measures had really produced immediate results, and he was truly a wise ruler who governed the country and maintained peace.

This time, I really learned something new.

These dissenting remarks confuse the public and the Kingdom's policy of colonial expansion, are extremely harmful and must not be tolerated.

However, public opinion is extremely sensitive, and even the ministers in the cabinet dare not rashly speak about right or wrong, as that is the king's authority.

After the King of Chu made his attitude clear, a wave of purges swept through the court and then spread to society.

From the public opinion and education circles to business people, anyone who makes inappropriate remarks or does anything inappropriate will be severely punished after investigation.

The vehicle moved along the straight road, and the fresh breeze blew into the car.

Li Jingxi's thoughts were in a mess as he saw large areas of houses and buildings in front of him, mixed with some temples and Taoist temples, and the number of vehicles also increased.

Here, we have arrived in the outskirts of Manila.

From a distance, you can see the tall silhouette of a building in front. The tallest building in Manila is the new headquarters of the Royal Nanyang Bank, which was completed at the end of last year. It is located on Palawan Street. It is an 11-story reinforced concrete building with a total height of 53 meters.

The roof is a typical Chinese eaves beam structure, covered with brass tiles, which are skillfully made by Cebu craftsmen. Each piece is 1.2 meters long and 0.8 meters wide, and can be riveted together.

During Manila's monsoon season every year, the monsoon winds that roar through the city, although greatly weakened by the surrounding mountains, can still reach level 50 to , and even higher at an altitude of meters above the city.

This stable copper tile structure can effectively withstand the violent hurricanes in the South China Sea.

This was widely used in the palace of the King of Chu and the palaces and pavilions of major government departments of the Chu State. It was grand and upscale, resistant to corrosion and rust, and remained as bright as new after years of use.

The only drawback is that it is too expensive.

There are eight elevators in the new headquarters of the Royal Nanyang Bank. It is an extremely solid and grand building, demonstrating the strong strength of the first bank in the Chu State.

The car quickly drove into the city and sped along the wide and flat avenue.

At some busy intersections, you can see pedestrian bridges built in the air. Pedestrians have to walk up the steps to cross the road.

Under the pedestrian bridge was a constant stream of carriages and cars, as well as the clanging trams, which were full of passengers commuting to the early morning shift.

At a busy main intersection
There are patrolmen wearing armbands directing traffic, and mounted policemen riding on tall horses slowly moving along the streets to maintain order in the streets.

Trams became increasingly popular in large and medium-sized cities in the Chu State. There was a large factory in Manila that specialized in manufacturing trams, which greatly promoted the popularization of this new mode of public transportation.

Nowadays, the public horse-drawn carriages that were once common have long disappeared and can no longer be seen.

The only horse-drawn carriages in the city were those owned by nobles and wealthy merchants, as well as some freight carriages. These carriages had to pay a hefty sanitation fee, which ordinary families could not afford.

There were far more cars in Chu cities than in European cities, and they were much more popular.

As the first industrial country in the world to invent automobiles, various brands of cars and trucks have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain, with different shapes and performances.

A lot of Chinese capital has poured into the automotive industry and has also invested heavily in the agricultural machinery industry, which has promoted the rapid development of these two major machinery industries and also created the current chaotic competitive situation.

The royal government does not care about this and everything is decided by market competition.

Li Jingxi turned to look at the brown briefcase on the seat. It contained a number of documents, and they felt heavy when he lifted them. Among them was a draft of the "1885 Provisional Standards for the Automobile and Agricultural Machinery Industries," drafted by the Industrial Development Department under the Ministry of Industry. It was about to be distributed to automobile and agricultural machinery factories, soliciting feedback on the industry's manufacturing standards and compiling suggestions from all sides.

Li Jingyi carefully studied the draft for soliciting opinions and felt it was very necessary. This is also one of his recent tasks.

It is reasonable to suggest that cars must be equipped with a warning horn, a rearview mirror, a spare tire, night lighting, sufficiently sensitive brakes, a certain body torsional strength, and certain technical thresholds.

Regarding agricultural machinery, various manufacturers now produce different interface standards and power output methods. Implements that can be attached to a tractor may not be universal across different manufacturers.

These are problems that are constantly exposed during market applications. Unified standards need to be formulated by authoritative government departments to end the chaotic situation in which agricultural machinery manufacturers act independently.

This is also the original intention of formulating industry standards. When it comes to professional mechanical specifications, expert opinions are still needed.

Li Jingxi drove to the end of the road in a car with the emblem of the Marquis' Mansion. A military and police checkpoint blocked his way ahead.

Continue walking forward and you will reach the Pasig River Tunnel, which is the second riverbed tunnel in the world after the Thames River. The entrance is strictly guarded by military and police, and only royal family members and high-ranking officials with passes can pass through.

After passing the Basig River Tunnel, you are not far from the royal building Tianjie, and you have entered the Longshouyuan area where the powerful and wealthy gather. The security is stricter than other places.

The Pasig River Tunnel is manned by the Royal Guards, and the police only assist in maintaining law and order in the surrounding areas.

The car of the Marquis's Palace had a high-level pass. After inspection, the lieutenant officer of the Guards on duty at the sentry post saluted politely and signaled his subordinates to let it pass.

The car drove through a tunnel several hundred meters long, and the scene in front of us suddenly became bright.

Unlike the densely packed buildings in downtown Manila, once you enter the Longshouyuan area, you'll feel a sense of tranquility and nobility.

The lush trees here block out the sun. Walking along the shaded trees on both sides of the road, you will see luxurious buildings hidden deep in the green trees. Aristocratic carriages and cars are passing by, exuding a strong sense of elegance and nobility.

Walk forward for a few minutes

A wide intersecting avenue appears before your eyes. Not far away on the left is the tall and majestic Tianque that reaches into the sky. On the right are large areas of palace buildings with flying eaves and brackets, which are extraordinary and imposing. This is where Tianjie is located.

came here
Overwhelmed by the intangible majesty of the royal family, the Chu State has been building a grand royal palace complex for more than 20 years, and there is no sign of stopping so far, and it is still continuing to expand.

The scale of Tianjie has been extended from its original length of more than 300 meters to more than 1,400 meters. One side reaches the bank of the Pasig River, where the royal-style Pasig Park has been built.

The park is lush with vegetation and flowers bloom all year round.

Stone archways, stone tablets, stone steles, seven tall five-arch archways in a row, stone pagodas, stone pavilions, stone boats, as well as the winding corridors, pavilions, towers and so on in the lake are magnificent under the lights at night.

The other side continues to extend and intersects with several east-west main roads. It is said that a 5-kilometer-long Tianjie will be built, which is the rumored Ten-Li Long Street.

There are more and more residential and business areas extending here. The land in Longshou Park is extremely valuable. All the land belongs to the royal family and is operated by a real estate fund under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

There are many foreign companies and headquarters of large corporations settled here, and all of them are built in Han and Tang style, forming a unified architectural style, which is like a dream back to the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

Institutions with slightly weaker strength cannot survive here.

After passing Tianjie, Li Jingxi's car stopped outside Yingtian Gate. There was a checkpoint here that was strictly controlled by the Royal Guards, and one had to have a corresponding high-level pass to pass through.

After checking the pass, the car continued to move forward. After passing Tianjin Bridge, it turned a corner, went a short distance along the path, and finally stopped at an inconspicuous door.

Li Jingxi got out of the car with a brown briefcase. His driver continued driving forward, parked the car in the parking lot in front, and then waited in the lounge on the side of the parking lot.

It is where the drivers and coachmen of some ministerial officials and nobles gather. Free tea is provided and you can sit there, play cards, chat with acquaintances and wait.

It was not his duty day today, so Li Jingxi could not get the badge to enter the palace and could only handle some daily affairs in the secretariat office outside the palace gate.

Entered the small door
There is a hidden world inside, a large U-shaped courtyard with five main rooms and four side rooms on each side. There is also a small door in the left side room.

When Li Jingxi came in with his briefcase, the secretaries stopped and bowed respectfully, "Good morning, Vice President!" "Your humble servant welcomes you, Vice President. May your majesty be blessed!" "Your humble servant greets you, Vice President."

He nodded slightly in response as he walked, making a few "hmm" sounds through his nose, and walked steadily and unhurriedly, a skill that had to be practiced in the Royal Secretariat.

The Royal Secretariat itself is a huge internal affairs agency with more than a dozen departments under it. There are secretariat liaison offices in all the kingdom's prefectures and governors-general stationed abroad, which are also directly managed by the Royal Secretariat.

Counting on one's fingers, the total number of salaried staff, including logistics staff, is 1172, which is a giant hidden under the iceberg.

Every ministry, department and royal secretariat of the royal government has a corresponding docking agency, together with the senior secretariat serving the king, as well as a series of agencies such as the strategic analysis room, information and filing room, finance room, field office, secret telegram room, carriage room, and logistics room, which together form a sophisticated royal secretariat team.

As one of the three deputy secretaries-general, Li Jingxi is in charge of several important departments. When he is not serving in the Zichen Hall, he has to work here.

Generally speaking

Every royal secretary-general usually serves in the Zichen Palace from morning to night, and dares not be negligent. Even if his eyes are red from staying up late, he is unwilling to share the opportunity with others.

When the Deputy Secretary-General is on duty, he usually waits in the classroom outside the hall, and the secretary-general basically takes all the good jobs in the hall.

No one wants to share the opportunity to be close to His Majesty with others.

Therefore, except when His Majesty is out on inspection, it is difficult for these deputy secretaries-general to see His Majesty.

Often, after being on duty for a month or two, he would sit in the classroom outside the palace, watching the secretary-general busying himself, shuttling in and out of the imperial study.

Fortunately, Li Jingxi had a powerful background that no one else could match. His Majesty the King of Chu would often summon him to the palace and entrust him with some important tasks to do. He was truly favored by the emperor.

Even if the current Secretary-General Zhang Huaizhong is unwilling, he cannot go too far. When Li Jingxi is on duty, he will be brought into the palace to serve. The other two Deputy Secretaries-General will not have this blessing.

Sitting on the bench is also a compulsory course.

Sitting there and gazing at the center of power of the entire kingdom, day after day, the reverence and longing in your heart will slowly transform into a mark of unswerving loyalty, deeply engraved in the depths of your soul.

This is also the reason why His Majesty the King of Chu likes to use secretaries. They have extensive knowledge, strong abilities, and are loyal and know everything about you. How can he not use them?

Over the past year, Li Jingxi went to the University of London in the UK to study international law and European history. He witnessed and participated in the Berlin Conference, where the world powers gathered on the stage. After returning, he worked beside Your Majesty.

He felt that he had learned much more this year than in the past ten years combined, which greatly broadened his horizons and increased his knowledge.

Furthermore, I admire Your Majesty's ability to cultivate talents, which is truly brilliant.

Take the current Prime Minister Wu Qingfeng as an example. Before going to Southeast Asia, he was already a well-educated man and was selected to join the Secretariat as Deputy Secretary-General.

A few years later, he was appointed governor of Los Angeles for five years. He developed the world-renowned tobacco industry, which remains a pillar of the city and has brought it significant profits.

He was later transferred to become the Secretary of State for Colonies and was re-elected for two terms, totaling ten years. This was also the decade of great expansion of the Chu State's colonies. His achievements are still praised today.

In the military and political circles of the Chu State, the "Secretary Party" and the "Protective Guard Party" were well-known and held great power in the kingdom, even more powerful than the "Tongzhou Party".

As time went by, the earliest batch of veteran officials who had made great contributions to the founding of the country had reached the end of their official careers. Many of them had retired to the countryside or entered the House of Nobles to contribute their remaining energy.

The rise of the new generation of secretaries is becoming increasingly obvious. In Wu Qingfeng's cabinet, there are four cabinet members who are former secretaries and hold important powers, which is a clear sign of their potential.

(End of this chapter)