Nanyang Storm 1864

After inspection

One of the four internal combustion engines that powered the blower had a loose seal due to aging rubber.

When the leaked gasoline mist gathered to a certain level, it was ignited by the high-temperature searchlight, causing an explosive fire that resulted in casualties among dozens of workers.

After repairs were made, tunnel work resumed.

Due to the limitations of the times, accidents of all sizes are common in various large-scale engineering projects, resulting in numerous casualties.

Various safety construction standards are codes of conduct for construction that have been compiled based on painful lessons learned from accidents time and time again.

It was already dusk when we returned to our temporary residence in Blan County.

Captain Zheng Yunwen took off his military uniform with the help of a pretty maid and took a comfortable hot bath.

Then I changed into a cool and breathable short-sleeved shirt, sat on a chair under a big tree, drank some tea, and ate some watermelon from the well town. I felt very comfortable.

A middle-aged soldier walked in from the moon-shaped gate of the courtyard. He was wearing the uniform of the Royal Guard and had the rank of colonel on his shoulders. This man was Colonel Zheng De, the commander of the guards of the Duke of Cebu's Palace and a retainer of the Zheng royal family of Tongzhou.

"Uncle De, come and sit down and have some watermelon to quench your thirst." Zheng Yunwen's eyes lit up when he saw him, and he waved and called out to him without any hesitation.

Zheng De took a few steps forward, bowed, and said, "My Lord, I have overstepped my bounds."

"Please sit down, Uncle De. There's no need to be so formal. Wouldn't it be awkward?" Zheng Yunwen said with a slight smile on his face.

He said this out of consideration from his distinguished master, but it did not mean that Colonel Zheng De could act rudely in front of the Duke of Cebu.

The Grand Duke of Cebu is the highest-ranking nobleman after His Majesty the King. He can own a principality and has an extremely noble status.

According to the royal system
A battalion of the Royal Guard was deployed as a night guard, and all military pay and logistical expenses were funded by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The leader is the commander of the Grand Duke's guards, with the rank of colonel. In an emergency, he can mobilize local garrisons of no more than regimental level, and the matter must be reported to the military for review afterwards.

Colonel Zheng De was the head of the household servants. Although the Chu State no longer kept slaves or maids and there was no term "slave", the royal rules were strict and could not be violated.

Colonel Zheng De sat down as he was told, with only half of his buttocks sitting on the stool, his upper body straight, his hands on his knees, and an expression of respect.

This man had been training in the Royal Guard for more than 20 years. He had finally made his way to the fore by being prudent and understanding, and had gained the favor of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Cebu, which enabled him to take on this important task.

Where the rules should be followed, no one dares to break them.

The maid brought a cup of tea, and Colonel Zheng De only drank a sip without even reaching out to take the watermelon and tropical fruits on the plate, and began to eat them with abandon.

Chu-Zheng Su (Zheng Yunwen) did not force it when he saw this. His identity was highly confidential and only senior officers above the rank of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Army knew about it. Even the No. 1 Undersea Tunnel Project Department was unaware of it.

Colonel Zheng De in front of him naturally knew this and did not dare to overstep his authority in the slightest.

So he threw the watermelon he had eaten onto the plate, wiped it with a hot towel, and casually asked, "Tell me about anything interesting that happened recently."

Colonel Zheng De replied politely:

"Reporting to His Highness
There have been a lot of things happening recently, both internationally and domestically. I will talk about the ones that may be of interest to you.

It has been confirmed that Li Hongzhang, the Minister of Beiyang, will visit Russia on the imperial order, passing through Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and other countries, and will visit the United States on his way back.

On this trip, Mr. Li will take a British cruise ship via Hong Kong and Singapore, and will probably arrive in St. Petersburg early next month.

The whole journey did not pass through our Chu State port, probably to avoid suspicion. After all, there are so many people in the northern court watching, and they will stir up a big fuss even for no reason.
Chu-Zheng Su couldn't help but sigh, shook his head and said:

"My second great-uncle lived a life of extreme caution, but ultimately lost his integrity in his later years and took the blame for the imperial court. He will surely be cursed by the world.

If he had not been so obsessed with power and retired early, he could have preserved his good reputation. What a pity, what a shame!

His Highness could comment so casually, but Colonel Zheng De didn't dare to respond and could only force out an awkward smile.

This Lord Li is the second uncle of the current queen, of a very high generation, and a pillar of power in the northern court. How dare he make such an evaluation?

Colonel Zheng De then changed his tone and said:
"Another matter: the Johnson incident has become a major issue. European public opinion is now overwhelmingly in favor of the Boers, and the British are taking a very hard line, demanding the unconditional release of British nationals from the Aliens Reform Commission and making many unreasonable demands. The Dutch have refused, so this seems to be a serious matter."

"Yes, where do the Boers get the confidence to stand up to the British like this?" His Highness Chu Zhengsu was also a little confused and puzzled.

Colonel Zheng De attempted an explanation, saying, "Kaiser Wilhelm II's strong support for the Boers in South Africa caused relations between Britain and Germany to deteriorate rapidly. However, the Germans still sent a shipload of weapons and equipment, including the latest Mauser rifles. Perhaps... this gave the Boers some misconceptions."

"It's possible, but it's not wise for the Boers to do so. They might bring disaster upon themselves." His Highness Chu Zhengsu looks at the problem much more deeply than ordinary people and knows that it's not that simple.

If the British were easy to talk to, they would never become the world hegemon.

This is the focal contradiction on the world stage today. After discussing it for a while, the two men felt that the Boers were in danger and might be in big trouble.

Countless examples in Chinese history have shown that if one's virtue does not match his position, disaster will surely follow.

"Also, His Highness has been summoned by His Majesty recently and will probably return to the country to report on his work in the next two months. This is the news from the Yuehu official residence." The two discussed for a while, and Colonel Zheng De broke another big news.

"Oh, big brother is back."

His Highness Chu Zhengsu sighed softly and lay back on the recliner. He tapped the back of the chair lightly with his slender fingers and began to think with a frown.

Colonel Zheng De didn't dare to interrupt, but just sat there like a wooden man.

Colonel Zheng De was just a mouthpiece for these royal secrets.

The news from Yuehu Official Residence might be the intention of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. How dare he get involved?
His Highness Chu Zhengsu has some knowledge about the colonization of Madagascar, but it is not in-depth or detailed.

As the Seventh Prince, he has the right to know the kingdom's top confidential reports, including each issue of "World Situation Overview" compiled by the Royal Secretariat and the royal internal reference. He knows many more secrets than high-level officials.

After thinking about it for a while, I still have no idea.

His Highness Chu Zheng Su knew that the information was incomplete and it was difficult for him to understand his father's intention, so he shook his head and put it aside, deciding to keep an eye on the news in the near future.

All the adult princes lived in "Ximen Street", the core of Longshouyuan District.

Ximen Street is similar to the A'gesuo in the Qing Dynasty. A large number of high-standard official residences were built by the imperial court, and the princes who had reached adulthood moved out of the palace to live.

According to the royal ceremonies of the Chu Kingdom
The Grand Duke's Palace has seven courtyards and a main hall with five rooms. Its access control, gate and other regulations are second only to those of the royal palace.

The Duke's Palace has six courtyards and a four-room main hall, and its architectural regulations are slightly inferior.

The Marquis's Mansion has five courtyards and three main halls, and the treatment is one level lower.

Other earl's, viscount's and baron's palaces cannot be called "main halls" but are called "main halls". Golden roofs are not allowed, and various architectural regulations are much lower.

The Duke of Madagascar's sudden return to the court at the request of the emperor inevitably sparked speculation among those at court, especially among the upper echelons of the royal family. This was also inevitable. (End of this chapter)