Nanyang Storm 1864

Shortly after the Spring Festival of 1896, the strong atmosphere of celebrating the New Year in the metropolis of Manila had not yet dissipated.

Early morning and evening

The sound of firecrackers can often be heard, and as the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month approaches, the city streets become increasingly lively.

in the palace

"Hahahaha... I've finally waited for this day."

King Zheng Guohui of Chu laughed heartily with the latest report in his hand, looking extremely happy.

This was a report from the Governor-General's Office on the Congo River in West Africa, sent back via transoceanic telegram, reporting a major international incident that occurred in South Africa, namely the "Johnson Incident."

Just as it was originally performed in history

On January 1896, 1, Johnson's forces were surrounded by South African police forces in Krugersdorp. Except for 2 people who were killed, the rest, including Johnson, were all captured.

At the same time, British expatriates from the "Alien Reform Committee" who were preparing to launch a riot in Johannesburg took quick action, but were suppressed by the South African police who had been prepared for it.

Johnson and his accomplices were handed over to the British and sentenced to 15 months in prison for "attempting to launch a military expedition against a friendly country." The move was very swift.

The leaders of the Johannesburg Aliens Reform Committee were not so lucky. Because they were British expatriates, several of them were sentenced to death by the Transvaal Court.

When the news came out, the world was shocked.

German Emperor Wilhelm II could not wait to send a famous telegram to Transvaal President Paul Kruger to express his congratulations.

This is a famous telegram that was powerful enough to influence the world's political situation. After it was publicly reported by the British "Times", it caused a huge shock in British society, followed by a large anti-German wave.

Shops run by Germans were burned and smashed, they were chased and beaten in the streets, German ships were denied entry to the port, and some German goods were dragged out and burned in the streets.

The whole of Britain was outraged. This telegram seriously worsened Anglo-German relations and made Britain determined to resolve the dispute with Transvaal by force.

During these years, the Governor of the Congo River in West Africa not only built highways and railways in the north, built a developed inland waterway transportation system and numerous roads throughout the colony, but also built a long-distance telegraph connecting to the Governor's Office in East Africa.

The telegraph line runs along seven coastal cities along the Atlantic coast, north to Grand Bay City (Note: Douala) and Calabar, then turns east for more than 7 kilometers, along the towns along the northern railway to Kigali, Rwanda, and from then on enters the German East African colony (Note, Tanzania).

The telegraph line connected Nairobi, the capital of the German East African colony, and continued eastward to the Indian Ocean coast, and then north along the coast to the jurisdiction of the East African Governorate.

Here, it connects to the Eurasian transoceanic telegraph line, thus connecting the entire world.

Because the relationship between Chu and France had always been not smooth, the long-distance telegraph line to the north through the French Northwest African colonies was never opened and encountered various intentional or unintentional obstructions.

Therefore, the long-distance telegraph line connecting Europe and Asia through the German East African colonies was the fastest channel for information transmission in Southwest Africa.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu was really happy in his heart. He believed that at this moment, most of the leaders of countries in the world would be smiling and willing to see the British suffer a severe defeat.

The British are so arrogant that most countries dare not speak out.

The slap in the face was so painful that it made the usually arrogant and face-conscious British feel deeply humiliated.

Not retaliating is definitely not the style of the British Empire.

It's settled. From now on, the South African issue will definitely be the primary focus of British diplomacy in the next few years, and there must be an explanation.

This fertile land rich in gold and diamonds, the Geographical Committee of the Royal Society of Great Britain has issued a report:
At the Rand gold mine alone, the total value of gold resources discovered so far is approximately 500 to 600 million pounds, and the total potential resource volume could be ten times or even more.

This was enough to prompt Britain to embark on a war adventure, which not only saved face but also gained benefits.

The excuse for war has been established, public sentiment has been brewing, and all that remains is the final diplomatic efforts and preparations for war.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu, like the heads of most powerful countries in the world, remained silent on this sudden incident, which was the most sensible approach.

He would not openly anger the British like the reckless German Emperor Wilhelm II did.

So what can you get besides venting your momentary pleasure?

It is best not to do anything at this time and just watch the show quietly. The more you do, the more mistakes you will make.

Having ruled the Chu Kingdom for more than thirty years, the 5-year-old King Zheng Guohui of Chu is now like an old fox, adept at governing with sophisticated political skills and a sharp tongue.

The historical trajectory has strong inertia, and the international chess game is moving in a familiar direction.

This is the biggest benefit for King Zheng Guohui of Chu.

By waiting for the right opportunity, you can reap excess returns while minimizing your own risks.

After the Johnson Affair broke out, European public opinion overwhelmingly supported the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State established by the Boers, and condemned the British's de facto military invasion, including Britain's military allies France and Tsarist Russia.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is particularly enthusiastic. Prime Minister JC Stein has recently been traveling across Europe, campaigning for the Boers in South Africa and garnering sympathy, hoping to exert strong international pressure and deter Britain from further action. If this were merely a minor friction, such diplomatic efforts would be in the right direction.

But the "Jansen Affair" was by no means a minor friction. It severely trampled on the face of the British Empire without any mercy. Even the Transvaal Court sentenced to death several leaders of the "Alien Reform Committee" which was mainly composed of British expatriates, taking the matter to the extreme.

How could the proud British tolerate such a humiliation?

The more the Kingdom of the Netherlands jumps, the more disgusted the British will feel, and the harsher their actions will be, which will be counterproductive.

At this time, Chu State would not be able to please anyone by supporting either side, so the government's position was neutral.

"We call on both sides of the incident to remain calm, resolve the dispute in a way that the international community wants to see, and jointly maintain regional peace..."

It sounds like something, let's think about it carefully:
Well, that's pure nonsense.

Consider that King Zheng Guohui of Chu leaned over the imperial desk and wrote a secret letter to Queen Victoria of England.

A cautious expression
On the issue of South Africa, Chu expressed respect and understanding for the British position and, as a close regional partner, was willing to provide assistance within its capacity.

The proud British may not care too much, but when they suffer a lot, they will realize the importance of getting help from the Chu State.

The total population of Chinese immigrants under the Congo River Governorate has exceeded 10 million, while the local native black indigenous population is less than one million and is still rapidly decreasing.

The West African colonies, which are mainly populated by Chinese immigrants, have been developing smoothly and have a very good momentum after eliminating tribal conflicts and civil unrest.

Today, the Congo River Colony is the second region after the Patagonian Governorate to supply frozen meat, high-quality beef and mutton products and leather to Europe on a large scale. Several ships of frozen meat and beef and mutton products are shipped to Europe every week.

The region is also an important exporter of natural rubber, palm oil, sugar, wheat, and canned fish, meat, and fruit, and is known for its high-quality agricultural products.

The locally developed Dongsang Steel Plant is the only steel joint venture in Africa. It produces more than 85 tons of steel annually. In addition to meeting its own needs, it can also export large quantities.

Markets included South Africa, Argentina, the Viceroyalty of Patagonia, and the Viceroyalty of Central America, partially replacing imported U.S. steel.

It would be a shame not to make full use of such powerful logistical supply capabilities.

in the original history
Britain's direct military budget for the Second Boer War in South Africa exceeded 200 million pounds, and the indirect investment was even more. It was a big business worth more than ten billion silver dollars.

If we can take a big bite, it will greatly promote the on-the-spot development of industry and agriculture in the Congo River Governorate.

This secret letter from King Zheng Guohui of Chu is not expected to play any role at the moment, it is just to establish a good relationship first.

When the British are in trouble, they will naturally think of the precious promise of Chu.

In the Boer War
Britain mobilized more than 40 troops from all over the world and used every possible means to conquer the Boers, who numbered only a few hundred thousand.

During the war, more than 36 high-quality horses and millions of cattle and sheep were transported. What a huge number!

Some people may wonder why the Boers in South Africa, who mainly engage in herding, are short of cattle and sheep?
This is simply a lack of understanding of the British Army's luxurious logistical supplies, just like the American Army in later generations.

British Army Logistics Procurement List

These include Scottish whiskey, French cheese, champagne and wine, Spanish ham, British Suffolk lamb and Hereford cattle, Zamboanga canned goods and Angeles tobacco, all of which must be authentic and brand-name products.

Various wastes were extremely common during the war because there were so many cargo ships piled up in the port, the management was chaotic, and it was difficult to arrange timely unloading.

An entire shipload of cattle and sheep suffocated to death on the cargo ship, and an entire shipload of high-quality agricultural products spoiled and became moldy, but they were simply pulled out and dumped into the sea. They were just that rude.

The Congo River Governor's Office is close to the water and has the upper hand, so it should get a piece of the pie, right?
In the Patagonia Governorate and the Congo River Governorate under the Chu State, high-quality British Suffolk sheep and Hereford cattle were also raised, and the meat was authentic, otherwise it would not have been possible to export it to Europe on such a large scale.

On the coast of Blan County, the southernmost tip of Hainan Island (note, formerly Manila Island)

There are many workers busy here. There are many sheds along the coast. A huge sewage pool has been dug near the coast, and an internal combustion engine is rumbling to pump water.

Not far from the sewage pool, a huge pit suddenly appeared.

The top of the pit is an arc-shaped cover made of reinforced concrete. There is a smaller mud puddle on the outside, and inside the cement cover is a dry construction surface.

The two young officers walked down the ramp into the construction site. Passing soldiers and Chinese foremen greeted them:

"Engineer Zheng, you're here!"

"Hey, Engineer Zheng, Engineer Wang, you two are coming down again."

"Yes, sir."

The two young officers were both quite tall, one of them was 1.9 meters tall, with a handsome face. He was Captain Zheng Yunwen, also known as "Engineer Zheng".

The shorter one is Lieutenant Wang Yuan. Both are professionals who graduated from the Royal Institute of Technology and are involved in this undersea tunnel project as engineers. (End of this chapter)