Nanyang Storm 1864

"Haha, heaven is on my side!"

Dubai's King Chu-Zheng Tao laughed excitedly, pumping his fist in frustration, all his worries vanishing instantly.

The key military and political officials around him were all beaming with joy, and they all bowed and said, "Your Majesty, we congratulate you! How fortunate we are!"

This makeshift government in the Kingdom of Dubai has about a dozen core military and political officials.

The military consisted of the same few familiar faces. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Dubai, they were all granted official titles and ranks, promoted to baronies, and awarded fiefdoms.

The reason why the noble titles are not high is that the Kingdom of Dubai is essentially a count's state, and the king is only a count of the Great Chu Empire, which is two levels lower than a duchy.

Similar situations exist in Europe. Luxembourg was a county, as was the former County of Burgundy within France, but it no longer exists.

Furthermore, the Kingdom of Holland was initially a county.

After Holy Roman Emperor Otto II conquered the Kingdom of Lorraine, he granted the region extending to the Meuse River and western Friesland to Dirk II.

Dirk II was known as the "Count of West Frisian" from 964 and was a subject of the Holy Roman Empire.

During the reign of his son, Dirk III, the title of Earl of Holland (meaning "land of dense forests") was first used, which is the title of "Earl of Holland". At that time, the Kingdom of Holland was an earldom, which later developed into a grand duchy.

There are many grand duchies. Bulgaria in Europe is a grand duchy, as are the Duchy of Bavaria, the Duchy of Hamburg, the Duchy of Baden, and the Duchy of Hesse, which were incorporated into the German Empire. The Grand Duchy of Finland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania are also kingdoms of this type.

Due to the limitations of the kingdom's hierarchy, the Dubai Kingdom can only bestow relatively low noble titles upon its military and political ministers; the title of baron is the highest it can reach.

Besides
King Chu-Zheng Tao of Dubai personally issued an edict to promote and ennoble meritorious officials.

Deputy Commander-in-Chief Feng Shuwen was promoted to the rank of Major General and appointed as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Kingdom of Dubai. He was awarded the Medal of National Founding and took charge of military and political affairs.

First Regiment Commander Wang Zhonghua was promoted to the rank of colonel and appointed as the commander of the Dubai Garrison. He was awarded the Medal of National Founding and was responsible for military defense in the Dubai area.

Second Regiment Commander Mei Fushan was promoted to the rank of colonel and appointed as the Abu Dhabi Garrison Commander, awarded the Order of the Nation, and responsible for military defense in the Abu Dhabi area.

Mo Yuanhang was promoted to lieutenant colonel, awarded the Medal of National Founding, and appointed commander of the Ranger Regiment, stationed in Ain, in the inland heartland.

Al Ain is only a few dozen kilometers from the southern border of the Kingdom of Oman. The important land route from Abu Dhabi to Muscat, the capital of Oman, must pass through this border town.

The only external force that could pose a threat to the Kingdom of Dubai is likely the Kingdom of Oman to the south.

As for the Kingdom of Yemen and the Kingdom of Sarawak, they are brother countries of the Kingdom of Dubai, with close blood ties, forming a unique force belonging to the Chinese community throughout the Arabian Peninsula.

Lieutenant Colonel Mo Yuanhang led the Ranger Regiment, which divided its original force of over three hundred cavalrymen into two parts.

A portion of them belonged to the Royal Palace Guard, consisting of about a hundred core members. After incorporating some Chinese cavalrymen, they established a Royal Palace Guard cavalry battalion of no less than 400 men.

Another part belonged to the Ranger Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Mo Yuanhang, consisting of about two hundred core Chinese cavalrymen, stationed in the important southern town of Al Ain.

In the future, after incorporating other Chinese cowboys and some Arab cavalry, the cavalry regiment will be expanded to a size of 1,000 men, maintaining a certain military deterrent against the Kingdom of Oman.

The Kingdom of Oman is located at the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, guarding the entrance to the Persian Gulf, and is one of the oldest countries on the Arabian Peninsula.

As early as the 7th century AD, this place became part of the Arab Empire, and it gained independence at the end of the 11th century.

In 1507, Oman was invaded by Portugal and was under its colonial rule for a long period of time.

In 1649, local tribes in Oman overthrew Portuguese rule and established the Aribah dynasty, which continues to this day and is one of the most powerful kingdoms in the Arabian Peninsula.

In 1871, Britain invaded the Kingdom of Oman, forcing it to accept an unequal treaty and become one of the British protectorates.

at this point

Similar to the Kingdom of Jordan in the southwestern Arabian Peninsula, both were British protectorates.

The Kingdom of Oman has a population of over 1.3 million, comprising hundreds of large and small Arab tribes, and is known as the "100,000 archers." They are typical Arabs who primarily lead a nomadic lifestyle.

Britain has stationed more than 770 troops in its capital, Muscat, to provide nominal military protection for the Kingdom of Oman.

Such a powerful opponent is not yet a challenge that the newly established Kingdom of Dubai can take on.

Fortunately, the Kingdom of Dubai is not afraid of its powerful southern neighbor. To put it bluntly, the Kingdom of Oman is a backward Arab tribal country with outdated weaponry and military concepts. What good is a large population?

Under the firepower of heavy machine guns, all living beings are equal.

Moreover, the Kingdom of Dubai is not without backing. The neighboring Kingdoms of Yemen, Sarawak, and Jeddah are all brotherly nations. Not to mention the powerful East African Governorate across the Red Sea, which is enough to make the Kingdom of Oman tremble with fear.

The East African Governorate has a history of more than 30 years of development and construction, and has grown into a powerful economy with a total population of more than 520 million. Its military influence extends throughout the Arabian Peninsula, and its Chinese mercenary groups are particularly famous.

We should be grateful if they don't invade others; who would dare to bully the Kingdom of Dubai?

If the Kingdom of Oman dared to brazenly invade the Kingdom of Dubai, the entire Kingdom of Dubai would probably be laughing all the way to the bank.

With the combined efforts of several brotherly nations on the Arabian Peninsula, and the open support of the East African Governor's Office, they were able to swallow the Kingdom of Oman whole, leaving not a trace.

During this time

A long-distance telegraph line was quickly established between the Kingdom of Dubai and the Kingdom of Yemen, connecting the entire Kingdom of Dubai to the world. Telegrams and messages from all over the world poured in, and telegrams from Manila, the homeland of the Great Chu Empire, could arrive in just one day.

The close ties between the Kingdom of Dubai and other kingdoms go without saying. The Governor-General of East Africa also made a security guarantee commitment to the Kingdom of Dubai and dispatched a force of more than 320 people to Dubai.

The Red Sea Squadron also plans to establish a naval station in Dubai, along with corresponding supply depots, to provide logistical support for fleet operations.

These substantial military actions brought the Kingdom of Dubai into the sphere of influence of the Great Chu Empire, which is the advantage of having a powerful backer.

The Kingdom of Dubai does not need to spend huge sums on military expenditures, and the political situation is naturally dominated by the Great Chu Empire. It only needs to focus on domestic economic development and can also receive strong support from Chinese capital.

After the successful founding of the People's Republic of China

The Mei family, located in Seri Begawan, seems to have been injected with adrenaline, continuously increasing their investment in the Dubai Kingdom and launching a three-year large-scale immigration plan, which is expected to cost more than 20 million silver dollars.

The cost of sending at least 15 ethnic Chinese immigrants to Dubai will be shared by several parties.

Half of the costs were borne by the Chinese immigrants themselves, with the Mei family and the colonial bank jointly providing loans to help them settle in the Kingdom of Dubai. These loans primarily covered the enormous expenses of long-distance sea transport and initial resettlement costs, helping these Chinese immigrants establish themselves in the Kingdom of Dubai. The other half was borne by the Kingdom of Dubai, mainly involving the exploitation of popular Arab women within the kingdom. Each young Arab woman could be sold for thousands of silver dollars, and these women were brought back on returning immigrant ships—a highly profitable business.

The border guerrilla force controlled by Mo Yuanhang is, to some extent, an armed force that constantly invades the Kingdom of Oman and plunders people, and is also a major contributor to the profits of the Kingdom of Dubai.

It is an indisputable fact that Dubai swept through the Arab tribes in the border areas of the Kingdom of Oman, massacred young and middle-aged people, and abducted women and a large number of cattle and sheep, thus accumulating its first pot of gold for the development of the Kingdom of Dubai.

Both the Kingdom of Yemen and the Kingdom of Sarai did this, frequently sending their troops to plunder border areas, causing great suffering to the Kingdom of Oman.

The reason why the population has decreased rather than increased over the past ten years is this.

Dubai Port

King Chu-Zhengtao and his military and political ministers stood in the shade of a thatched hut, discussing the expansion project of the dock and offering their suggestions.

The Dubai Marina expansion is the number one project of the current kingdom. You can see seven or eight kilometers of Arab laborers working under the sun along the bay, and a reinforced concrete pier extending into the sea is already taking shape.

Compared to the original simple wooden pier, this reinforced concrete cargo pier represents the modern transshipment capacity of a 20th-century port, which is more than ten times greater than before.

Modern dock facilities require huge investments. They are not only wider, longer, more solid, and flatter than the original simple wooden pier docks, but also require the installation of large dock cranes and rail transport lines.

The so-called rail transport line is a U-shaped track set up on the dock, with railcars pulled by mules and horses to carry goods between the dock and the warehouse, which can greatly improve transportation efficiency.

The planned construction of Terminals 1 and 2 at Dubai Port, along with site leveling and warehousing, will cost a total of over 160 million silver dollars. This is the minimum investment required even with seven or eight thousand Arab laborers working for free.

As one of the major ocean shipping operators in the Great Chu Empire, the Mei family pledged to invest half of the shares in the Oriental Ocean Shipping Company, holding a 38% stake.

To cover the remaining funding gap, the Kingdom of Dubai plans to borrow 50 silver dollars from the Royal Bank of Dubai, using port revenue as collateral, to be repaid over 10 years at an annual interest rate of 8.7%.

All that was left was to sell the Arab women they had abducted; about a thousand would be enough.

In the entire chain of interests
These young Arab women, shipped from the port of Dubai, were each worth between three and four hundred silver dollars. Regardless of their grade, they were considered a large-scale export.

The shipping company, Orient Shipping, takes a reasonable portion of the transportation fees, plus a portion of its profit.

After arriving in the Chu homeland

Those dealers who spend their hard-earned silver dollars to buy goods must also earn substantial profits while bearing the imperial taxes; otherwise, who would be willing to work for free?
Therefore, the price of young Arab women in the empire's homeland is only for reference; the price of goods transported out of the country is about one-third of that.

“Your Majesty, once the new port begins operation, it will provide at least several thousand jobs and will undoubtedly become the economic pillar of Dubai. No matter how much investment is required, it will be worthwhile.” The speaker was Mei Jianfeng, the Kingdom’s Minister of State Affairs and the King’s third maternal uncle.

Mei Jianfeng was also a highly experienced colonial official, having served as the Assistant Magistrate of Smadan County in Lanfang Prefecture, the Magistrate of Dongwanlu County, and the Independent Prosecutor of Sarawak Prefecture, among other positions, and had over twenty years of experience navigating the ups and downs of officialdom.

If it weren't for his nephew establishing the Kingdom of Dubai in the Arabian Peninsula, Mei Jianfeng's career would have been limited to the rank of Prefectural Assistant at best, with virtually no chance of taking charge of a prefecture's affairs.

Officials within the empire are all trained in higher education institutions and have generally undergone repeated scrutiny and selection processes at the grassroots, state, and central levels, making them the best of the best.

Moreover, only those who have made a slight impression on His Majesty the Emperor and are highly regarded by him are likely to be in charge of a government office.

If you're not that awesome, don't even think about that good thing.

Dubai's King Chu-Zheng Tao nodded in approval, pointing to the blueprints as he spoke;

"Now we must concentrate all our efforts to ensure that Pier 1 is put into use by the end of the year. Pier 2 will be built while we raise funds. We will do as much as we can to meet our needs."

In the early stages of the kingdom's establishment, the foundation was weak and the financial resources were limited. At present, the only option is to focus on developing Pier No. 1 based on the existing conditions.

The construction of the Abu Dhabi port can wait two years; right now, all efforts should be focused on building the Dubai port.

"Your Majesty's judgment is wise; we can only admire you." Mei Jianfeng offered a quick compliment.

King Chu-Zhengtao then asked, "What are the current difficulties in the construction?"

"It is Zheng Yunxiao, the chief engineer in charge of the wharf construction, who answered with a solemn expression."

"Your Majesty, there are still quite a few difficulties."

First, there is a shortage of manpower. Nowadays, the construction of wharves, piers, bay revetments, quarries, and transportation all require a large amount of manpower and animal power. Our mule carts are far from enough. Just transporting stones requires more than 200 mule carts.

The quarry needs to be expanded, and the construction of the riverbank embankment is often halted because of the shortage of stone, which seriously affects the progress of the project.

In the long run

Whether it's the port or urban construction, a cement plant needs to be built. Relying entirely on imports from the East African colony of Crescent City is not a long-term solution.

The sooner we build it, the sooner we'll benefit; we'll have to build a cement plant sooner or later anyway.

We also need to order large cranes for the docks. We can't delay any longer. It will take a long time to produce and ship them from the Empire. There's no way we can rush it at the last minute.

The current pier is in shallow water with a depth of 6 to 7 meters. The next step is to move into the deep water area for construction, which will require the use of steam-powered pile boats, otherwise there will not be enough manpower.

I've raised this issue many times, but I haven't seen any results.

In just over a month, construction will enter a deep water area of ​​more than 8 meters. How can the piles be driven in by manpower?

If construction is halted, our engineering department cannot afford the responsibility. Your Majesty, please consider this carefully.

All of what he said boils down to one word: money.

The Great Chu Empire possessed advanced port facilities and hundreds of large and medium-sized ports, placing it in a leading position worldwide in this field.

As long as the money is there, none of this will be a problem.

The problem is, even a skilled cook can't make a meal without rice!

Repairing cities requires people, building military bases requires people, pioneering the construction of the Dubai-Abu Dhabi trunk road and bridges that meet imperial standards also requires people, and the construction of the key project, Dubai Marina, requires even more people.

Unfortunately, the Dubai Kingdom has a small population, and the fact that it could spare seven or eight thousand Arab laborers to invest in this project has essentially drained its resources.

Funding is extremely tight; the budget for expanding the cavalry is still unsecured, and money is needed everywhere. (End of Chapter)