Nanyang Storm 1864

Two months later
Manila

Purple Palace of the King of Chu
"Your humble son pays respects to my father, the king, and wishes him good health. May the great Chu kingdom prosper and all things be peaceful."

"Get up and sit down."

"Your Majesty, your son, bows to thank you and takes the seat."

Duke Chu Zhengdan of Madagascar was wearing a neat uniform of a major general of the Royal Army. He sat down at the bottom as instructed. His tall figure was as straight as a green pine.

Compared to the expedition to East Africa more than ten years ago, he has long lost the youthfulness of his youth, looks darker and thinner, with a finely trimmed beard at the corners of his lips, and has the calm demeanor of a middle-aged man.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu looked him over and nodded, saying, "My son has been training in the East African colonies for over a decade, and his resolve is unwavering. Your Majesty is deeply pleased."

It is a rare occasion for him to be recalled to the country to report on his work.

Go to the harem to meet the queen mother and the royal brothers, and stay for a few more days.

Now that I have some free time, my father would like to hear your thoughts."

His Highness quickly stood up, clasped his hands solemnly, and bowed deeply, saying, "Your Highness, I have faithfully followed your father's instructions. I have some thoughts in mind that I would like to present to you."

"There's no rush. You should go back and have a good rest first."

"Your son will obey your father's orders."

King Zheng Guohui of Chu asked some questions about family matters. His Highness had expanded the royal family in Madagascar and already had 13 children. The oldest grandson was eleven years old, and the youngest was still in swaddling clothes.

The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo, now renamed Florida, where the Duke's Palace is located. The entire island now has a population of more than 133 million, all of whom are Chinese residents. There are also thousands of British, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Belgian and other businessmen living here.

There are about 360,000 to 370,000 indigenous bonded laborers on the islands, most of whom work in mines, farms and plantations, doing hard labor and only getting enough food to fill their stomachs.

Since intermarriage among indigenous people is strictly prohibited, the local indigenous population is relatively old, and natural extinction is their inevitable fate.

The original indigenous population of Madagascar Island is completely different from the mainly black people on the African continent. Instead, they are typical yellow-skinned indigenous people, descendants of Arabs and East Indies.

Because of this
The local indigenous tribal women were better resettled. Except for the four or five hundred thousand women who were transported to the East African colonies, the remaining tribal women with lighter skin were mostly sold to Chinese immigrants as wives or concubines.

A small number of indigenous women with darker skin were taken into women's camps to work on plantations, or used as low-level prostitutes frequented by indigenous bonded laborers, which provided them with a place to go.

Although it has lost the support of preferential immigration policies, Madagascar already has a certain Chinese population base, and its natural growth rate is not slow.

Every year, more than 200 second-generation Chinese immigrants are born. It is estimated that by the end of the century, the total population of the island will exceed million (note: not including indigenous people).
The conversation between father and son lasted for more than half an hour. The prince said that he couldn't wait to visit the Queen Mother and his mother, and then he said goodbye and left.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu watched his tall and straight figure leave, his eyes full of relief, and he couldn't help but nod secretly.

These past ten years have not been in vain. I have become more aware of when to advance and when to retreat, and my behavior has become more steady.

The summons for His Highness to return to the country is actually related to the Colombian issue, which has been a long-standing and difficult problem that the United States and European countries led by France often mention in international occasions.

Today
The hidden dangers of the local native whites have been largely resolved, and the Chinese have become the mainstream of the social population. It is time to solve the Colombian problem once and for all.
Several approaches were proposed in the cabinet.

After the lifting of martial law
One is to restore the old practice of Colombia's democratically elected government and make it a puppet government supported by the Great Chu Kingdom.

The second option is to turn it into a colony of the Viceroyalty of Colombia. However, this would encounter strong opposition from neighboring countries and considerable resistance.

After all, Colombia is a big country in South America with a population of more than 300 million. Unlike the small countries in Central America with a population of only to , the geopolitical influence it brings is difficult to ignore.

If this is true

Then the condemnation by the United States and some European countries will be confirmed, the Colombian issue will become a long-term issue and an unavoidable problem in the interactions between Chu State and many countries.

The third option is to incite public opinion in Colombia and welcome a wise and intelligent prince to the country. This is common in Europe and is a more acceptable option.

When the royal families of Spain, Portugal, Greece, Bulgaria and other Europe become extinct, a prince or grand duke of noble blood will be elected to inherit the throne and continue the royal bloodline.

Independent regions that are not kingdoms are also acceptable, such as Bulgaria, which was originally a European province under the rule of the Ottoman Empire.

After gaining independence in the Russo-Turkish War in 1878, Bulgaria established an independent country in accordance with the Treaty of Berlin. Grand Duke Alexander I of Bulgaria was an aristocrat born into the royal family of Battenberg in Germany. With the support of Russia, Germany, Austria and other countries, he became the King of Bulgaria.

Is Colombia now suitable for this path?
This still needs careful consideration. Prime Minister Fan Zhicheng asked whether the Colombian model could be adopted in Madagascar?

This is equivalent to adding two subordinate principalities to the State of Chu, one in South America and the other in Africa, and the opposition voices will be smaller.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu seriously considered various suggestions, but had not yet made up his mind.

If the prince were to be enfeoffed, the Second Prince, as the crown prince, would definitely be excluded, as he is the first in line to the throne of Chu.

His Highness the Seventh Prince, the Grand Duke of Cebu, is the second in line to the throne. The other two dukes are also eligible, so it's almost a choice between two out of three. The specific decision depends on the opinions of His Highnesses.

The remaining princes were unlikely to be the next in line. The Seventh, First, and Third Princes all had good moral character, behaved in a disciplined and methodical manner. It was impossible to sacrifice the good for the bad; it was illogical.

There is no rush right now. We need to observe for some time.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu walked into the imperial study, turned around and went to the side hall.

A huge sand table appeared in the middle of the side hall. This is the geographical sand table of southern Africa, including British Rhodesia, Mozambique, German West Africa (Namibia) and Portuguese Angola, basically covering all of southern Africa.

The sand table is carefully made according to the high line, and the plateau areas, hills and mountains of southern Africa are clearly visible, as well as the scope of the Orange Free State and Transvaal Republic established by the Boers.

Recently
King Zheng Guohui of Chu was very interested in studying the situation in South Africa, so he simply made such a large sand table, which showed all the geographical environment of mountains, rivers, etc.

Doing a deduction in your spare time is also an extra pastime.

His eyes couldn't help but fall on the Mozambique side. Across the Mozambique Channel was the Madagascar Islands.

The island is shaped like a long hamburger, split in two.

Mountains and hills occupy 2/3 of the western area, and coastal plains occupy 1/3 of the eastern area. These are also the main population centers and key agricultural and animal husbandry development areas on the island, accounting for more than % of the island's population.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu did not care much about this island, nor did he necessarily want to hold it in his hands.

Granting a fief to a prince is one of the many options.

The East African Governor's Office is mainly based on strategic considerations of protecting the vital Eurasian route, which is part of the influence of a great power and must be firmly grasped in the hands.

The Congo River Governor's Office coveted the vast fertile land in West Africa, the rich mineral resources and the huge living and development space that could be brought to Chinese immigrants.

It was also an important territory for the Chu State to develop into a world power. Its influence was growing and could radiate to Central Africa, South Africa and other places.

There were no such considerations when colonizing Madagascar. It was just an alternative option for African colonies, so they just occupied it.

Fortunately, the location is excellent, with the 150-kilometer-wide Mozambique Channel. There is no need to worry about the influx of illegal black immigrants from the African continent, and it is a good place to find peace and quiet in the bustling city.

A purely Chinese vassal state can be established, but it will remain within the kingdom's territory.

As for the future?

A hundred years later, if the Chu State really cannot keep up with the development of the times and these vassal states become independent, then at least it will be the territory of the Chinese.

Speaks authentic Mandarin, has pure Yanhuang blood, and is 100% Chinese descendant. These are enough.

King Zheng Guohui of Chu stared at the sand table, his thoughts running wild.

These adult princes of the Chu royal family are top choices in terms of talent, knowledge and vision, and there are few useless ones.

The greatest credit must go to Queen Zheng Li, who was later described as a typical "tiger mom" who never relaxed her education of the royal children.

Inheriting the noble bloodline of the Chu royal family, none of these children are stupid.

Under the elite education of the royal family, and with the strict supervision of Queen Zheng Li and a group of concubines, who never slacked off, the children who grew up were naturally outstanding.

He started teaching Tang poetry and Song lyrics at the age of three, and began to recite the Hundred Family Names and learn to read and count at the age of four. At the age of five, he officially started to learn, and began to attend classes and study in an orderly manner every day.

While other children were playing wildly in the wild, these royal children were studying hard in the classroom, never slacking off for more than ten years.

They are born into a noble family and work harder than children from ordinary families. How can a royal child who has received such an education not be outstanding?
Even some lazy royal children did not dare to relax at all after seeing their older brothers being punished, as if they were studying in an elite class.

When an adult prince reaches the age of 15, he can leave the Chu Palace and move into the A-ge Residence to live alone. He will be granted a title and equipped with attendants and palace maids of corresponding ranks to serve him in his daily life.

Even at this point, we still can't relax completely.

Depending on personal interests, you can enter the Royal Military Academy or the Royal Naval Academy, or go to the Royal Manila University for further studies. Some princes also travel thousands of miles to study at Oxford University, Cambridge University in the UK, or universities in Germany, France and other countries.

The Chu royal family has always held an open-minded attitude towards His Royal Highness's choices in this regard.

After returning to the country after completing his studies, he can serve in various departments or the Governor's Office. There is definitely no hope of inheriting the throne, but he can be an official who can display his talents instead of being wasted.

Among these princes

Perhaps some of them are greedy for money, some are lustful, some like to pretend to be cultured, and some are obsessed with calligraphy and painting, but their character is remarkable, and so far there has been no news of any evil deeds by these royal children.

This made King Zheng Guohui of Chu quite proud, and he was especially grateful for the efforts of Queen Zheng Li.

(End of this chapter)