Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 607 Memories
"You can handle it yourselves. I won't see you. I have no time to deal with the British." Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu waved his hand dismissively at the British envoy's request for an audience.

Consider it

He then gave the following instructions;

Fisher was a meticulous engineer, not good at socializing, and not interested in one aristocratic banquet after another.

My intention is to arrange visits to the laboratories of several universities to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the empire's scientific research capabilities, which is also where my interests lie.

And the submarine base—since Fisher is interested in visiting it, let's be generous and let him go."

"Your humble servant will obey Your Majesty's decree." Secretary-General Gu Huaiyu accepted the order and left.

The French knew the British character best. Napoleon once said, "Never try to change the madness of the British; it's more difficult than the resurrection of Jesus."

The British are known worldwide for their stubborn adherence to tradition. In the age of sail, the Royal Navy was accustomed to leaving a narrow, long platform at the stern of its ships for officers to stroll and have afternoon tea.

This established custom can still be seen in the special design of the British Dreadnought-class battleships today and on aircraft carriers more than 100 years later.

This is the only one, there is no other semicolon.

The adherence to tradition has led many British factories to continue following the old rules of the steam revolution era, refusing to innovate or change, and not turning back even after going bankrupt.

That's how stubborn and inflexible they are; they'll just keep going down this one path to the bitter end.

The Royal Navy, with its tradition of large ships and heavy guns, looked down on submarines, which were considered stealthy little gadgets, and this included Sir Fisher.

Even visiting a submarine base won't change anything.

There are reasons why submarines have almost never been particularly successful in the history of the British Navy.

It would be easier to kill them all than to change the stubborn mindset of the Royal Navy.

It was precisely because of the British people's stubbornness and tradition that Britain was left behind by emerging industrial powers such as Britain, Germany, and the United States during the Second Industrial Revolution, which was dominated by electrification and chemical industries.

When I think of this
Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a slight smile. Let him watch if he wants; it won't change anything anyway.

In the Christmas naval battle, the submarine force of the Great Chu Empire made a stunning debut, shocking the world.

After detailed research, the Royal Navy's response was...

Establish anti-submarine nets, anti-submarine buoys, and anti-torpedo nets around anchorages in important ports, and deploy more torpedo boats and gunboats for close vigilance to prevent submarine attacks.

As for developing our own submarines? Are you kidding me?
The mighty British Royal Navy would never hide in an iron coffin underwater; the pride of the British people would never accept that.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked out of the Zichen Hall. The personal guards on duty and Deputy Secretary-General Zhou Qing carefully followed behind, ready to be summoned at any time.

On a whim, they headed towards the inner palace.

Willows sway gently by the Taiye Pond.

Breathing in the fragrant scent of flowers, moistened by the water, and gazing into the distance, one can see the seven-story pagoda and the golden eaves of the Buddhist temple in the vast expanse of water. The scenery of the lake and mountains is reflected in the water, which makes one feel relaxed and at ease.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty rode his horse forward at his own pace, a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind, and for a moment he was lost in thought.

Since his first voyage to Southeast Asia in March 1865, 43 years have passed in the blink of an eye, and 3 years have passed since he ascended the throne and established the nation. Time flies!

From a spirited young general to a gray-haired emperor, Zheng Guohui looks back on his journey with a heart full of pride.

Today, the Great Chu Empire is a world power with hundreds of millions of people, its reach extending to the Pacific region and Central and West Africa, possessing an enviable vast territory.

With abundant resources and strong national power, and even more remarkably, a social population structure dominated by the Chinese, the country had stronger national cohesion and virtually no internal strife during the surging wave of national awakening in the early 20th century.

Looking back now
The decisive measures taken at the end of the 19th century after the founding of the nation, though repeatedly criticized, completely eliminated the potential for ethnic conflict. This laid the foundation for the eternal rule of the Great Chu Empire, making it all worthwhile.

Over time, third-generation immigrants born in the country have become the backbone of the young and middle-aged workforce.

Their love for this nurturing land and their loyalty to the royal family and the nation are inseparable from the strong guidance of the Imperial Propaganda Department.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Empire let out a long breath. Reflecting on the past few decades, he never imagined that the Great Chu Empire could develop into such a powerful and vast empire.

He can now understand the conservative policies of Queen Elizabeth in the late 19th century, when the British Empire had swallowed far too many colonies and was feeling weary from overeating.

The late Victorian era saw a decline in the drive and expansionist colonial ambitions of the early and middle periods, replaced by a more modest and conservative approach, which was probably not due to aging.

The emperor of the Great Chu Empire is the same; he has little interest in expanding his colonial empire overseas.

As the Great Chu empire entered its later stages, Emperor Zheng Guohui focused more on eliminating internal threats, which at present appear to be only the Java issue and the Victoria issue in Australia.

For more than eight years since the occupation of Java, the policy of "restructuring and upgrading" has been implemented, forcing Javanese indigenous male laborers to work in the mines, which has achieved remarkable results.

The gap in newborns has led to a significant natural decline in the indigenous population of Java.

In another ten years or so, the Java issue will also become a thing of the past, no longer a concern for the imperial government's top brass, just like other conquered regions.

In Victoria, Australia, a different appeasement policy is being implemented.

Victoria is a state where citizens can elect a governor, mayor, and council. The state has a large white population whose ancestors mostly came from Europe and the United States.

If inappropriate policies are adopted, it is easy to attract criticism and attention from the international community.

Since January 1, 1905, when the new Victorian Premier, Huang Renhe, took office, his only two major actions were to make Mandarin the official language of Victoria and to promote Mandarin education throughout the state.

Furthermore, local legislative power is utilized to legislate and stipulate;

All civil servants working in Victoria must be fluent in both Mandarin and English, and be able to communicate and write fluently; this is the most basic requirement.

Although this move has caused great controversy in Victoria, it is not unreasonable to implement it given the current situation.

Australia was part of the Great Chu Empire, and Queensland, South Wales, the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and South Australia have all passed relevant legislation confirming Mandarin and English as official languages.

If someone doesn't understand Mandarin, then they cannot serve the Chinese community, which makes up more than half of Victoria's population; clearly, this civil servant is unqualified.

Since Mandarin is the official language, it is only natural to fully promote Mandarin education in primary and secondary schools and higher education institutions throughout Victoria. This is precisely why...

While the relevant legislation caused great controversy in Victoria, it was able to gain the understanding of the British side and be successfully implemented.

After receiving the money, the British showed considerable indifference towards Australia. They had never cared about this continent at the edge of the world and simply ignored it.

This is the goal that Emperor Zheng of the Great Chu Dynasty wants to achieve. He has plenty of patience; if 20 years is not enough, then 30 years; if 30 years is not enough, then 50 years.

Water dripping on stone will eventually wear it down, and one day it will produce a large number of people who are like white-skinned, yellow-hearted eggs.

In the Governor-General's Offices of East Africa, West Africa (Congo River), and South America (Patagonia), the reform of abolishing the Governor-General's Offices and establishing direct control by the Imperial Central Government is being carried out in an orderly manner.

The East African Governorate was reorganized into the State of Eritrea, while the Costa Rican Governorate was split in two.

The Kingdom of Costa Rica was established in the south, ruled by the Crown Prince's family. The Crown Prince, Chu-Zhengdan, ascended the throne as King with the title of Duke of Costa Rica. The Kingdom of Costa Rica was a duchy.

The northern part of the Costa Rican islands was directly governed by the imperial central government and a new state called the North Sea State was established.

The Patagonia Viceroyalty was divided into three cantons from north to south: Blanca, Chielo, and Tierra del Fuego. Chielo was the largest canton in the entire Great Chu Empire, with an area of ​​approximately 86 square kilometers.

It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Due to its vast area and large population, the Congo River Governorate was divided into seven provinces, forming a vast region with a total area of ​​over 330 million square kilometers.

They are the Greater Bay Area State, Yellowstone State, East Sang State, Cabinda State, Haian State, Kinshasa State, and Central Plains State.

Of these seven states, only Kinshasa and Central Plains lack coastal ports and are located inland. However, they possess inland ports along the Congo River, making transportation equally convenient.

After the reform of these four frontier governorates, the original nine governorates of the Great Chu Empire became mere historical relics, and national governance would enter a new period of direct imperial government control.

This will help strengthen the sense of belonging among the people under the jurisdiction of the Frontier Governor's Office and help form a stronger national cohesion, so that the people in the frontier can feel the warmth of the imperial government no matter how far away they are.

This is of great practical significance in today's era, where nationalistic sentiments are rising one after another.

The reform of the nine governor-general's offices, which has lasted for more than ten years, will come to an end at the end of this year.

No matter where they are, all citizens of the empire will be issued the same identity paper, a small dark green booklet with the gold-embossed emblem of the Great Chu royal family, and a photo section on the first page with an official stamp.

The new term is "Citizen Passport of the Great Chu Empire," which records detailed information such as name, place of origin, current residence, age, gender, height, religious beliefs, and ethnicity. It is an official document proving the status of a citizen of the empire.

Whether going abroad for business, tourism, studying, purchasing fixed property, taking out loans to start a factory, or visiting relatives, citizens can enjoy the diplomatic protection of the Great Chu Empire with their citizen passports, thus avoiding infringement of their legitimate rights.

The "Great Chu Empire Citizen Passport" plan aims to gradually replace the original photoless identity paper over five years, a pioneering initiative worldwide.

Even European powers like Britain, the United States, France, and Germany did not begin to implement passports with photos affixed to them; the Great Chu Empire was the pioneer in this field.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Empire's initial dream was to enable every overseas Chinese to stand tall and feel proud to be a subject of the Chu Kingdom.

Now, he has done it.

Gazing at the vast expanse of water, Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu felt a sense of peace and tranquility. He loved the clear blue waters of Taiye Pond, which broadened his mind and spirit.

Ripples occasionally spread across the lake, as large fish weighing tens or even hundreds of kilograms leisurely swim by in Taiye Pond.

These fat fish are not afraid of humans at all. The concubines and maids in the harem often feed them, which often leads to a spectacular scene of thousands of fish fighting for food, which is always a great pleasure.

Every year during major festivals such as Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice, and Spring Festival, the Imperial Household Department would organize the fishing of a batch of fat fish, often weighing tens or even hundreds of kilograms, which were extremely delicious.

The "Steamed Big Fish Head" served at the imperial banquet was a famous dish. It needed to be served in a porcelain bowl as big as a large pot lid. The soup simmered in it was snow-white like milk, and it was truly delicious, rich, and exceptionally sweet.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty looked at the backs of the large, fat fish swimming on the surface of the water. Each fish was round and plump, and a kind smile appeared on his face.

"Your Majesty, I greet you and wish you a long and healthy life." A gentle voice sounded from behind.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu turned around and saw that it was Empress Zheng Lishi and several concubines who gave him a deep bow. His smile became even more obvious as he spoke.

"Your Majesty, you may rise. I am simply taking a stroll by the lake to clear my head. As I grow older, I often find myself reminiscing about the past."

"I apologize for my intrusion, Your Majesty. Have I disturbed you?"

"What are you saying, Your Majesty? I still remember the scene when I went to the Li family in the capital to propose marriage. It is still vivid in my mind. At that time, Li Hezhang was in charge of the family. Your second uncle, Li Hongzhang, and I had a very pleasant conversation. More than forty years have passed in the blink of an eye."

"I am so fortunate to have spent so many years with Your Majesty. This is enough for me in this life."

"And what about me? The Empress is kind and virtuous, a true role model for the entire palace. I have benefited greatly from her!"

"Your Majesty's praise is too kind; I am unworthy of it."

"No, she deserves to be Empress..."

As Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty spoke, he took the still fair and smooth hand of Empress Zheng Li.

This intimate gesture sent a shiver down Empress Zheng Li's spine, a rare blush appearing on her face, while her heart was already churning with turmoil.

After realizing what had happened, she hurriedly flung her hand away and said with some reproach, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed to accept such a title."

Empress Zheng Li was clearly saying something else entirely. She was born into a prominent family with strict feudal ethics and had been careful in her words and deeds for decades, adhering to the virtues of womanhood without ever transgressing the rules.

How can we allow His Majesty to hold hands in front of everyone?
Although she felt incredibly happy inside, she hurriedly shook off his hand and took a step back.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty, knowing the Empress's dignified temperament, casually said, "If the Empress has nothing else to say, please accompany me for a walk."

"How could I dare disobey Your Majesty's command? It is exactly what I wish for, and I dare not ask for anything in return."

This royal couple, who had weathered many storms together, understood each other's feelings with a smile and strolled along the lakeside together.

The reflection of the lake water on the two people created an exceptionally peaceful and serene atmosphere.

The weeping willows along Taiye Pond resemble the "Spring Dawn on the Long Causeway" of West Lake in Hangzhou. Here, concubines and palace maids from Jiangnan can find familiar memories of their hometown.

(End of this chapter)