Nanyang Storm 1864

November 17st

Secret agents from the Ministry of the Interior of the Great Chu Empire discovered through hidden sentries deployed around Jinlan Bay that the main force of the Russian fleet located in the port area had all returned to port, indicating preparations for a major battle.

These past few days
The main force of the Tsarist Russian fleet, densely packed with ships anchored in Cam Ranh Bay harbor, began repeatedly starting up and testing their steam turbines, clearly in preparation for their upcoming long voyage.

Given that the main force of the Russian fleet had been in port for more than a month, the Ministry of the Interior's secret agents issued an urgent warning.
The main force of the Russian fleet will set sail within three days and may leave port at any time.

After being reported through multiple levels, it finally arrived at the imperial palace of the Great Chu Dynasty.

It was dusk when Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty heard the news and his eyes lit up. He burst into laughter, slapped his thigh, and said...
"After holding back for so long, they've finally decided to make their move! This spectacular show is not to be missed!"

"Your Majesty, we humbly beg you to reconsider. Your Majesty's health is of utmost importance, and this matter concerns the safety and well-being of the empire. We would be eternally sorry for any mishap."

"No need to say more, my mind is made up."

Looking at the Crown Prince Chu-Zheng Yuan, Prime Minister Li Jinghui, Duke Zheng Guoguang, Minister of the Army, Admiral He Zhucheng, Minister of the Navy, and other princes and nobles who rushed to stop him, Emperor Zheng Guohui of Great Chu waved his hand and said.

After he expressed his desire to personally witness the naval battle, his court officials repeatedly submitted memorials to strongly advise against it.

Crown Prince Chu-Zhengyuan even led many princes to kneel outside the Zichen Palace, pleading with the Emperor to rescind his decree.

As a result, he was scolded and his advice was not adopted.

"By imperial decree, the 'Coconut City' is ordered to prepare for a sea patrol mission. It shall be warmed up at 6:00 AM tomorrow and ready to set sail. So be it!"

"Those of you who are willing to come along, come along too. The ship can handle a few more people."

"Alright, it's getting late, everyone go back and get some rest. We have to set sail tomorrow!"

After giving a few instructions, Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty left with his hands behind his back, leaving behind a group of princes and nobles looking at each other in bewilderment.

Zheng Guoguang stood up, dusted off his robe, and said self-deprecatingly, "See what I said? It's proven once again, isn't it? My emperor brother never listens to advice and always sticks to his own ideas. That's why he's called a sage ruler for all ages. No one can fool him."

“Uncle, you are mistaken. Father is already sixty years old and cannot afford any mistakes. Otherwise, the sky will fall and our Great Chu Empire will be in danger!” Prince Chu-Zhengyuan said with deep concern.

The other ministers remained silent, until Prime Minister Lee Kyung-hoi stepped forward and said, “Since His Majesty has made up his mind, our advice is futile. The proper course of action is to make proper arrangements for the aftermath of His Majesty’s journey. The main force of the naval fleet must be ready at any time in case of unforeseen circumstances.”

"Please rest assured, Your Excellency, the main force of the Royal Navy fleet is ready to strike at any time. Once we receive the radio telegram order, all personnel will set sail immediately!"

"Very well. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall reiterate to both sides of the Russo-Japanese War that attacks on observation ships are absolutely not permitted, otherwise it shall be considered a serious act of starting a war, and all consequences shall be borne by them."

"As you command, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will immediately send a written note to Japan and Russia, and will not tolerate any transgression."

"The Army Ministry entered a high-level combat readiness state as soon as the 'Coconut City' sailed out of Manila Bay, in order to deal with any unforeseen risks at any time."

"Yes, sir. I will personally oversee the Army Department; there will be absolutely no mishaps."

"That's good then." Prime Minister Lee Kyung-hwa sighed deeply, glanced in the direction the Emperor had left, and turned to the crowd, saying, "As Your Majesty said, it's getting late, so go back and rest."

The group left the Zichen Palace together, exchanged a few pleasantries at the palace gate, and then dispersed in their respective cars.

Driving is not allowed inside the palace, let alone parking.

The carriages of these cabinet ministers were all parked outside the palace gates on the west side, in a side courtyard several hundred meters away, very close to the Secretariat Office.

Once the ministers left the palace, the guards on duty would make a phone call to notify their respective drivers to come out.

While the ministers were exchanging pleasantries at the palace gate, one luxurious car after another stopped to pick up the ministers who were entering the palace, and they filed out in single file.

The cars and carriages were arranged in order of rank according to the ministers' positions, a strict set of official etiquette that could not be disrupted in the slightest.

First came the Prince of Manila, Crown Prince Zheng-Li Yuan's royal limousine. Everyone saw him off, and after getting into the car, it sped off down the main street.

On one side of the main street, the Crown Prince's escort convoy waited quietly.

Once the main carriage arrived, the escort convoy split into two groups, one in front and one behind, and headed towards Chuxiu Palace, the residence of the Crown Prince.

The same applies to the other ministers; only the main carriage is allowed to enter the Heavenly Street with a special pass from the Imperial Palace, cross the Heavenly Bridge to the Heavenly Palace, and wait in the small courtyard on the west side of the Imperial Palace.

All the other accompanying vehicles waited outside the main street.

After the Crown Prince's carriage left, it was the carriage of His Highness Zheng Guoguang, Duke of Mingdulu and Minister of the Army. As the Crown Prince's uncle, he held an extremely prestigious position.

Next came the newly appointed Prime Minister, Earl Lee Kyung-hoi, followed by the newly appointed Foreign Minister, Marquis Lee Kyung-hee, and then the Minister of the Navy, Admiral Ha Choo-sung, and others.

The government of the Great Chu Empire was an administrative procedure in which the emperor would issue an edict to form a cabinet after the elected leader came to power. It mostly adopted a coalition government approach rather than a "winner-takes-all" approach.

Generally speaking

The losing party should retain at least three cabinet positions, with the choice between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Colonial Affairs, and then two less important cabinet minister positions.

According to Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty, joint governance is better, as the saying goes, "listening to both sides leads to clarity."

During the five-year term of office, if the chief minister of the cabinet angers the public and incurs strong opposition, or displeases the emperor, the emperor has the right to dissolve the cabinet or parliament at any time and hold a reorganization or election.

In the Great Chu Empire

The true supreme power always remained in the hands of the Emperor of Great Chu. The so-called election was just a formality; one should keep that in mind.

Sitting in the car
Li Jingxi had just instructed that he should immediately handle the written notes to Japan and Russia before returning by car.

It was just as the streetlights were coming on.

The streets were bustling with traffic and crowds, and the kerosene streetlights on both sides of the road were lit up, creating a vibrant urban night scene.

After the vehicle entered Glory Avenue, the wide avenue was lined with tall buildings on both sides, with buildings of ten or even twenty stories standing on both sides of the avenue, and even taller buildings silhouetted in the distance, forming an extremely modern urban scene.

These high-rise buildings are equipped with electric lights, elevators, and telephones, and their bright windows adorn the city nightscape, creating a dazzling urban skyline.

By 1905, Manila was already the world's second-largest metropolis, with a population of 472 million, far exceeding New York's population of over 430 million, and second only to London, the world's largest metropolis with a total population of over 600 million.

Manila and New York are both world-class metropolises.

Unlike New York City's slums, which have a population of over 1.5 million, the entire Manila metropolitan area has no real slums. Railways, tunnels, and viaducts run through the entire metropolitan area, along with a well-developed tram system, creating a dazzling and modern metropolitan landscape.

There are as many as 23 bridges and tunnels spanning the Pa-Shih River, including 18 large bridges and 5 river-crossing tunnels, which greatly facilitates transportation between the two banks and expands the urban area.

Metro Manila already has two ring roads, and a third ring road is under construction. The third ring road will start in Merlimau, east of Cavite, and end at the Royal Manila Naval Base in the northern suburbs.

Whenever Li Jingxi returned from official business and saw this magnificent metropolis, he couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement and a profound sense of accomplishment.

This is a miracle created by His Majesty the Emperor of Great Chu in Southeast Asia, and my late father, Li Hezhang, also deserves a great deal of credit. I feel honored to have contributed to this achievement.

The luxury car drove along, and the flickering lights from outside the window reflected on Li Jingxi's face.

this moment

He could feel even more strongly the magnificent achievements his predecessors had made in Southeast Asia, which were so inspiring and awe-inspiring that he almost wanted to etch the word "pride" onto his forehead.

Not long after we started driving, we got stuck in traffic. The wide Glory Avenue has 11 lanes in one direction, including two tram lanes, three horse-drawn carriage lanes, and the remaining six are all for cars. According to traffic rules, crossing lanes is not allowed.

Horse-drawn carriages must travel on designated carriage lanes, and automobiles must travel on designated automobile lanes.

Logically, there shouldn't be any traffic jams, but now that Glory Avenue has extended to over a hundred kilometers, there are hundreds of intersections of all sizes along the way, unless an overpass is built to clear the congestion.

Otherwise, there's a high probability of traffic jams during rush hour.

"My lord, there's a traffic jam up ahead again."

"It's alright, let's wait a bit," Li Jingxi replied gently.

From the vehicles one after the other, several burly men dressed in modern stand-up collar national suits (Note: i.e., Zhongshan suits) got out, their waists bulging with weapons concealed, and their sharp eyes scanned the surrounding vehicles.

These are the armed guards provided by the government for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Many of them are from the military or police force and have the right to carry firearms and immunity from harm in special circumstances.

Upon seeing this situation
The surrounding vehicles instinctively kept their distance, not following too closely, their eyes filled with envy.

In bustling Manila, having money is nothing special; having power, influence, and aristocratic status is what truly defines the elite and the true upper echelons of the empire.

This routine precautionary measure deters bystanders.

Those who can afford cars are at least wealthy middle-class people in the metropolitan area of ​​Manila. They are all somewhat knowledgeable and know that this convoy is for high-ranking officials at the prefect level or above, which is why they are equipped with armed guards.

As for how much higher?
Judging from appearances alone, it is impossible to tell the truth.

In the Great Chu Empire, officials at all levels did not wear official robes. Officials of all ranks generally wore dark blue or black civilian clothes, while there were also many people wearing light-colored civilian clothes, mostly middle and lower-level young officials.

There were also many old-fashioned officials who wore Tang suits and long robes; there was no strict rule about this.

In addition, the Great Chu Empire has experienced nearly 40 years of rapid economic development, resulting in a large influx of wealthy and middle-class individuals. There are far too many people who can afford to wear brocade robes, making it difficult to distinguish them based on their clothing alone.

The armed guards were different. High-ranking officials at the level of prefect were equipped with 4 armed guards, while those above them had 6, 8, 12, 16, and even great nobles had dozens or hundreds of armed guards, all with strict hierarchical divisions.

From a certain perspective, it is a symbol of status and position.

The government-appointed armed guards were dressed in civilian clothes and military uniforms.

Wearing plainclothes, he had a national emblem pinned to his chest, the only distinguishing feature from private bodyguards. He also had identification documents and a gun license, which he could not fake under normal circumstances.

Wealthy businessmen can hire private bodyguards, but they are not allowed to wear the national emblem.

If you get caught, it's a serious crime of having malicious intentions and defying the law, resulting in your property being confiscated and your assets being seized. You'll be sent to a hard labor camp in no time and experience the severe consequences of your pretentious behavior.

Sitting in the car, Li Jingxi wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, exuding a refined and scholarly air. He seemed oblivious to the astonished and envious glances from the surrounding vehicles caused by the armed guards.

Li Jingxi was considering...
The long-planned private university must hold its official opening ceremony before the second quarter of this year.

Cavite University embodies Li Jingxi's long-cherished wish to strengthen the country through education, and its campus is located in the noble fiefdom of the Earl of Cavite.

Now located in the northwestern suburbs of Metro Manila, Li Jingxi plans to donate 6,000 acres of land to build a comprehensive private university, aiming to create a world-class liberal arts college.

As the only major nobleman whose fiefdom was located near Manila, Li Jingxi inherited two noble titles: Marquis and Earl of Cavite, making him truly wealthy beyond measure.

The most valuable asset is the 100,000 mu (approximately 6,667 hectares) of land granted to the Earl of Cavite, including several small towns and more than twenty villages in the northwestern suburbs of Manila.

Land prices are soaring, and shops in the northwest suburbs are in high demand and short supply. The Marquis's family fund generates millions of silver dollars in annual returns, and the family owns countless properties.

The marquis's fiefdom is located on a separate island, about 227 kilometers from the Hainan Islands, covering an area of ​​over 100 square kilometers and inhabited by more than 10,000 people.

The port, docks, villages, and fields there all belonged to the Marquis's mansion. A large Gothic castle and a resort villa area with Suzhou-style gardens were built there, making it a frequent vacation and leisure destination for the Li family.

As a visionary and idealistic clan leader, Li Jingxi did not want to accumulate enormous wealth for his descendants, but rather preferred to use that wealth to benefit society and give back to the community.

Establishing a comprehensive university in Cavite was a major undertaking that she had always longed for.

Investing in education is a good thing!

Not only is it a legitimate way for wealthy nobles to avoid taxes, but the Li family can also hold important positions as honorary chairman and board member of the school for generations, naturally earning a high salary and a respectable income.

This tactic was learned from the royal family of the Great Chu Dynasty. In all major universities, foundations, museums, schools, hospitals, and social arts organizations that bear the title of "royal," one or two princes serve as honorary chairmen.

They usually don't get involved in anything; their main role is to maintain appearances.

Such salaries varied, with top-tier institutions such as the Royal Nanyang Bank, Royal Bank of Communications, Royal Colonial Bank, Royal Nanyang Telegraph Bureau, Royal Nanyang Heavy Industries, Royal Bright Oil Company, Royal Manila University, Royal Senior Naval Academy, Royal Senior Army Academy, Royal Medical College, and Royal Manila Museum offering annual salaries of over 100,000 silver dollars for honorary chairmen, and even lower salaries of 30,000 to 50,000 silver dollars.

As for those at the next level, there were even more, with annual salaries ranging from tens of thousands of silver dollars to several thousand silver dollars, basically monopolized by dozens of princes.

That was an additional source of income besides the prince's annual salary.

With multiple part-time jobs, you can easily earn tens of thousands of dollars a year. It's glamorous and respectable, so why not?

Li Jingxi didn't value these empty titles and official positions, but he had a lot of members in the Li clan, and there were many clansmen who were neither good enough for high-ranking positions nor good enough for low-ranking ones, so they needed to be placed somewhere.

It would be good to go to Cavite University. Those who are responsible can do logistics, those who are willing to do academic research can become professors, and if all else fails, they can just hold a nominal position. At least they will have a stable salary of several hundred or several thousand dollars. It is a place for them.

A decent and leisurely life is always better than being idle all day.

Li Jingxi's donation to build Cavite University involves not only donating a large tract of land, but also millions of silver dollars and shops along three entire streets. He also plans to invest a staggering 300,000 to 500,000 silver dollars annually thereafter.

Such a large-scale investment in education is rare, second only to royalty.

After a while
The traffic ahead resumed, and these elite armed guards quickly climbed into their vehicles, escorting the main vehicle as it slowly moved forward.

Li Jingxi sat calmly in the car, his mind still preoccupied with the matter of Cavite University.

He wanted to build Cavite University into a world-class university like the University of California, a wish shared by both his father and son, to use their wealth for good.

Therefore, continuous investment is essential.

Li Jingyi plans to donate all the shops on the three streets of Meilin Town to Cavite University. These shops can generate a fixed income of 170,000 to 180,000 silver dollars per year, which will be a beneficial supplement to the university's operating funds.

Establishing a world-class private university requires a lot of financial investment. It means offering generous salaries to attract renowned professors and world-class faculty, and making continuous and substantial investments.

Take the Royal University of Manila as an example. Today, it is a world-class comprehensive university, enrolling more than 3870 new students each year and having more than 1.52 students enrolled. It has world-class research capabilities in various fields such as Chinese, steel machinery, electrification, bridges and hydrology.

The imperial family has invested in education for decades, and now the annual education allocation is 780,000 to 790,000 silver dollars. The university itself also has some industries, company stocks and fixed property income, with an average annual income of more than 1.1 million silver dollars, which is enough to maintain the current scale of more than 970 high-level teachers.

The University of Manila also boasts over a dozen high-level research laboratories, such as the internal combustion engine laboratory, special steel laboratory, machine tool and machinery laboratory, automotive laboratory, steam turbine laboratory, chemical engineering laboratory, and so on, all of which demonstrate the university's strong scientific research capabilities.

Li Jingxi harbors grand ambitions to rival the best, and continuous heavy investment is inevitable.

He looked up at the dimly lit window, his face unusually bright, and he felt even more motivated.

To fulfill one's dreams, no amount of effort is too much.

(End of this chapter)