Nanyang Storm 1864

Not long after

Two distinguished-looking middle-aged men entered the private room, bowed respectfully with their hands on their chests, and said:

Wishing Your Highness good health

The people of Central America have been eagerly awaiting Your Highness's arrival. It is a great honor. On behalf of all my colleagues in the Costa Rica Provincial Government, I extend my warmest welcome to Your Highness..."

"Commander Luo, you're too kind. Please sit down and let's talk. I'm new here as well, and there are many things I'm not familiar with. I would appreciate your guidance, Commander Luo."

"I am unworthy of such praise, Your Highness. Please give your instructions."

"Please sit down, officers, and let's talk!"

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."

"Your Highness has been favored by my royal grandfather and granted the authority to handle important military and political affairs in Central America. How could I not be filled with trepidation? I fear that I may fail in my duties and disappoint His Majesty's expectations. What advice do you two have for me?"

"Your Highness is too kind. But if I am ordered to do something, I will go through fire and water without hesitation."

"Hehehe..."

His Highness Chu-Zheng Yan smiled faintly, said nothing more, picked up his tea, took a sip, and nodded with satisfaction.

The Central American Military District was the only military-industrial complex in the entire empire, with four main expeditionary divisions under its command, each equipped with a light tank battalion, an artillery regiment, an engineer battalion, and a heavy weapons battalion, making it a formidable fighting force.

The four main expeditionary divisions have a total strength of about 46,000 men. They are fully funded by the government, well-equipped, highly capable, and have high food standards. They are fully trained field divisions and have no military reclamation missions.

The remaining 3-plus local troops, organized at the regimental level, are mostly stationed in various towns, seaports, and transportation routes, and belong to the agricultural reclamation garrison organization.

That is
In addition to garrison duties and military training, daily tasks include land reclamation, farming, and operating farms and plantations to supplement the shortfall in military funding.

The main focus of the Panama Military District's defense is the United States to the north.

Lieutenant General Chu-Zheng Yan, who served as the commander-in-chief of the Panamanian military, not only commanded army troops but also the Caribbean Fleet, influencing the military and political affairs of Central State Province and Costa Rica Province. He was the de facto leader of Central America.

These two distinguished middle-aged men are Costa Rica Governor Luo Youxiang and Panama Governor Hou Deren, both powerful figures in their respective regions.

Within the territory of the Great Chu Empire

Central America was on the front line of confrontation with the United States and was also a typical overseas frontier region. After the colonial governor-general's office was changed to a centrally administered area, it was transformed into a centrally administered region.

Due to its unique geographical location, it is the only border region that maintains collective operations of military and agricultural reclamation.

The duties of the Commander-in-Chief of the Panama Military Region are more similar to those of the replaced Governor-General of Panama, who holds both military and political power, with functions leaning more towards the military field.

Under normal circumstances, they will not concern themselves with matters related to people's livelihood and economic development.

After talking with the two for a while and gaining a general understanding of the local affairs, His Highness Chu-Zheng Yan spoke with a warm expression.

"As you two gentlemen are surely aware, the Imperial Colonial Department's immigration policy in recent years has been guided by the aim of increasing the total population of Central America in preparation for possible future military conflicts."

The two countries of America and Chu will eventually go to war.

Although the current situation is not as bad as in Europe, it is wise to plan ahead.

Central America served as a springboard for empires to launch attacks on North America, playing an irreplaceable and crucial role.

The population, food self-sufficiency rate, and industrial capacity here all determine the sustainable supply capacity for future wars. The two of you bear a heavy burden.

Luo Youxiang nodded solemnly and reported with a confident tone;
"Your Highness, please rest assured. We have been preparing for all matters without ever slacking off."

Current stage
There are already 61 large and medium-sized reserve warehouses for military use, enough to equip an army of 30 people to fight a medium-intensity war.

in this year
The government will also establish no fewer than 13 strategic reserve warehouses to further increase the military equipment reserve capacity of the army and navy, which is also one of the key areas of local government funding.

on the basis of

The state government has been expanding its reserves of civilian supplies, including food, oil, cloth, and other materials. Basically, each prefecture, county, and town has varying amounts of emergency reserves.

Following imperial decrees, the Central State and the Costa Rica region have established a well-established standing militia system, which currently has a total of over 38 militiamen.

to the end of the current year

Thanks to the large-scale influx of new immigrants from the Empire, the total population of the two frontier provinces will reach 7.7 million to 7.8 million, and is expected to exceed 8 million in July or August next year, further strengthening the base of the total population.

If the population of Hawaii is included, the total would be around 1400 million, making it easy to build an army of 40 to 50, enough to counter the pressure from the US West Coast.

......"

After hearing this account, Prince Chu-Zhengyan nodded with satisfaction and praised it.
"That's good. Americans see us as enemies, and the media is spreading rumors and demonizing our Great Chu Empire, creating a hostile atmosphere."

His Majesty's Edict
Prepare for the worst, but strive for the best.

The Empire was not afraid of the Americans, but it did not lightly mention war. Instead, it hoped to demonstrate sincerity in all areas of politics and economics to resolve the dissatisfaction and hostility of the Americans.

For both Chu and Mei, once a major war begins, there will be no true winners. This is the greatest and most severe challenge the empire has ever faced.

There was a hint of worry in his eyes; the American Civil War, which took place in the mid-20th century, had only been over for a few years and was still fresh in his memory.

Today, the United States has the world's largest economy, while the Great Chu Empire has the world's third largest economy. Both are powerful nations with vast territories and abundant resources. If war breaks out between them, it will be a complete disaster.

Both countries' top leaders recognize the seriousness of this issue and are therefore making every effort to avoid escalating the conflict.

Newly elected U.S. President Thomas Woodrow Wilson is a Democrat who made some overly arrogant statements during his campaign. However, after taking office, he performed rather conventionally.

Americans who had suffered through the Civil War had a very high level of anti-war sentiment.

This prompted President Thomas to think twice before making any decisions, so as to avoid dragging both countries into the abyss of war.

The Great Chu Empire had a wise and sagacious old emperor who was also trying his best to avoid the two countries heading towards the most dangerous war, which should be the biggest difference from the tense situation in Europe.

An elder in the family is a treasure, and the same applies to the nation.

While having morning tea, His Highness Chu-Zheng Yan chatted with the two local officials for two or three hours, gaining a deeper understanding of the situation in the region before letting them leave.

After the guests left, the waiter cleared the tea table and served a freshly brewed pot of jasmine tea.

His Highness Chu-Zheng Yan leisurely sipped his tea, still processing the news he had just received, his gaze unconsciously drifting into the distance.

Panama City
Modern high-rise buildings and ancient Spanish architecture complement each other, with tall coconut trees standing on both sides of the road and traffic flowing by.

A large number of cars were mixed with horse-drawn carriages coming and going, and there were also trams clanging and banging, presenting a modern urban scene.

in this city
Whether it's cars, trams, electric lights, steam engines, or bicycles, they are all industrial products from the Great Chu Empire, with almost no trace of American industrial products.

For the Great Chu Empire
Wherever the empire's territory extended, it became a market for industrial and agricultural products, imposing considerably high tariffs on imported industrial goods, especially those from the United States.

This made industrial goods imported from the empire's homeland more cost-effective than those from the closer-knit American market.

Of course, this is also related to the current era's blockade of domestic markets by various countries. The rise of the automobile industry in Britain, the United States, France and Germany has greatly compressed the overseas automobile market of Chu.

This loss was filled by rapidly growing domestic demand.

under these circumstances
The so-called open international trade became an empty promise. After losing its position as the world's leading economy, Britain's trade policy gradually turned conservative, marking a step backward in history.

The United States and the State of Chu are still vigorously promoting the opening of international trade, but such opening is conditional;

That is to open your market and let me in.

My market remains my market.

Chu-Zheng Xin doesn't care much about economic development. He is a typical soldier, a graduate of the Royal Army Senior Military College, who led an infantry regiment to land on Kyushu Island six years ago and returned last year from an observation and exchange trip to European countries such as Britain, Germany, and France.

They have a clear understanding of the heavy responsibilities they bear.

Before coming to Central America to take up his post, he was summoned by His Majesty the Emperor, who instructed him to take root in Central America for 10 years and lay a solid foundation for a new strategy toward North America.

It's still the same policy.
Start from the worst-case scenario and strive for the best outcome.

After the Chu-Sun War, the Great Chu Empire clearly sensed the hostility emanating from the United States and adjusted its immigration policy accordingly, continuously increasing the number of Chinese immigrants to Central America.

Other corresponding military preparations are ongoing.

After Chu-Zheng Xin took office in Central America, he focused on deepening this military preparation work, including establishing a Central American military industry to at least manufacture the necessary shells and bullets, which required the integration of resources in the Americas.

This includes the Chielo copper plantation, Chilean nitrate mines and Peruvian sulfur mines, gunpowder and munitions factories in Colon and El Salvador, and some military uniform factories, etc.

In addition, the defense posture in Central America, the construction of more primary military academies, the strengthening of military organization and training of the army and militia, and a large amount of military preparation work are all tasks that he urgently needs to promote.

Prince Chu-Zhengxin pondered his thoughts. He planned to travel to the Kingdom of Colombia soon to meet the King of Colombia, who was his seventh royal uncle.

If a war breaks out with the United States, the Kingdom of Colombia will inevitably be drawn in; this is almost a certainty.

Therefore, taking a holistic approach is very important.

The Seventh Imperial Uncle learned three-tenths of his grandfather's true skills, and all his military and political policies were modeled after the empire. The economy flourished, and the empire became one of the leading nations in South America.

Colombia is particularly famous for its coffee, tea, and silk products, which sell well throughout Europe and are a pillar industry of its agricultural economy.

Thanks to the towering Andes and Santa Marta Sierra Nevada mountains, Colombia is dotted with high mountains and steep peaks stretching for thousands of kilometers, creating a unique geographical climate suitable for the growth of coffee and tea.

The coffee and tea produced here are of world-class quality and are highly sought after in the European market.

Thinking of this, a smile appeared on the lips of His Highness Chu-Zheng Yan.

We should at least try to get some favors from the Seventh Imperial Uncle. (End of Chapter)