The Australian Revolution of 1828

Originally, Luo Bingzhong wanted to extend the interrogation time for the foreigners so that he could get the interrogation results as soon as possible and complete the mission smoothly. Now that Han Qingyun has given new instructions, there must be other considerations.

As someone promoted by Han Qingyun, Luo Bingzhong always maintained the proper respect and obeyed Han Qingyun's orders without question.

Even if the command is incorrect, it must be executed as usual; no errors in execution are allowed. As for the impact, we'll discuss that after execution is complete.

He personally escorted the foreigners to the ship, handed the several packages seized to Han Shiwei, and gave Han Qingyun a statement about the foreigners, saying, "Chief Censor, these were found on the foreigners, and they don't seem to be merchants."

"In my humble opinion, these foreigners have probably come with colonial ambitions. However, I'm unsure how long they've been hiding here, and how much they know about Hanyang."

"The details of this matter require further investigation."

Luo Bingzhong was quite perceptive; he could discern hidden motives from foreigners' goods and offer his own advice.

They basically managed to speak freely and without reservation.

However, Han Qingyun didn't rush to respond to Luo Bingzhong's words, nor did he jump to conclusions. Instead, he directly instructed Han Shiwei, who was standing beside him, to do something, saying, "Shiwei, check what's inside the package?"

Following Han Qingyun's orders, Han Shiwei placed the items from the package one by one onto the table in the cabin. The items on the table were laid out in a row: gold bars, silver coins, books, nautical records, and various picture albums.

Han Qingyun picked up the books and nautical logs on the table and flipped through them one by one, but found nothing of value. It was only when he opened the picture album that he discovered something different.

The entire album consists of a series of proportionally sized images of the Minnesota coastline, while the sailing route circles the entire Minnesota (Australia) continent.

Each indigenous settlement in the booklet is marked with detailed information, including data on rivers and water temperatures around the coastline of the Australian mainland, as well as specific population details.

With such detailed illustrations, Han Qingyun had no reason to worry.

These foreigners are probably not just doing business; they likely came with a specific purpose: to conduct accurate reconnaissance of the settlements along the Mingzhou coast.

Han Qingyun understood immediately; it was clear that the foreigners already harbored ambitions to colonize the west. These foreigners who had been arrested were likely the pioneers, searching for land to establish themselves in the west.

To confirm my suspicions and ascertain the extent of the foreigners' understanding of Hanyang Prefecture, I needed to quickly pry open the mouths of a few foreigners and obtain accurate information.

Only in this way can we prevent problems before they occur!

Having understood the logic behind it, Han Qingyun gave a clear response, saying, "Bingzhong, just as you said, the foreigners' purpose in this trip is not simple."

"Judging from the existing nautical charts and books, it is not as simple as the foreigners say. It is very likely that they wanted to find out the true situation of Hanyang Port in order to prepare for the next colonial war."

"If we are deceived and let them leave, it's very likely that bombs will fall on our heads. Then, we will both be sinners against Hanyang!"

"By the way, have you found the foreigners' ship yet?"

Things had taken an unpredictable turn. Luo Bingzhong felt a chill run through his body and shivered involuntarily. He said, "We found them. The foreigners on the ship tried to escape, but our ships shot them down."

"Thirteen foreign sailors died, and 22 were arrested and are currently being held at the police station. The ship has been towed back and is now docked in the port."

Fortunately, they didn't escape, giving Hanyang Prefecture time to prepare for battle.

Considering the urgency of the situation, Han Qingyun didn't waste any time and said directly, "Bingzhong, you personally oversee this matter and immediately search all items inside the ship."

"Once any suspicious items are discovered, or suspected suspicious items are discovered, they must be immediately sent to the Governor's Office for a thorough investigation! This matter concerns the very survival of Hanyang Prefecture; there must be no perfunctory handling!"

"As for those foreign sailors, notify the police station to immediately bring them all to the ship, where the Governor-General's Intelligence Section will take over the interrogation."

The Intelligence Section, under the Governor-General's Office, was responsible for intelligence gathering, investigation, and other related work.

The affairs with foreigners were already a headache, and now that the intelligence section had taken over, it couldn't be better. Luo Bingzhong readily agreed, saying, "I'll get on it right away!"

"etc!"

Concerned about the foreigners, Han Qingyun remained uneasy and called Luo Bingzhong back, who was about to disembark. He added, "Until the interrogation results are in, the port must strengthen its security and patrols to prevent enemy attacks."

"If any foreigners are spotted, they shall be detained without question!"

As the director of the Immigration Agency, how could Luo Bingzhong not know about the many misdeeds of foreigners?

He had never been in charge of anything independently, nor had he considered this issue from a high-level perspective. Now, suddenly shouldering the heavy responsibility of the Immigration Agency, he felt immense pressure and said, "Chief of Staff, if a fleet were to arrive..."

To avoid giving Han Qingyun a provocative impression, Luo Bingzhong did not fully express what he wanted to say, deliberately leaving his words unsaid.

However, Han Qingyun was not stupid and naturally understood what Luo Bingzhong meant.

After a moment's thought, he made a decision and instructed, "If the fleet arrives, it means that the matter in Hanyang Prefecture can no longer be kept secret. We can try to show goodwill to them and find out their intentions."

"As for the dozens of foreigners who were arrested, they refuse to confess!"

"But if it's an ordinary ship, we can investigate the water temperature along the harbor shore and make an immediate arrest. If they refuse to surrender, then there's no need to hold back."

With the clear order in hand, Luo Bingzhong understood the situation and immediately stated his position, saying, "Your subordinate will resolutely carry out the General's order and ensure the safety of Hanyang Port."

Seeing Luo Bingzhong's firm attitude, Han Qingyun felt much more at ease. He gently patted Luo Bingzhong on the shoulder, giving him great affirmation, and said, "I trust you to get things done!"

After watching Luo Bingzhong disembark, Han Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief and instructed Han Shiwei, saying, "Shiwei, there are quite a few foreigners, and there aren't enough rooms on the ship to hold them."

"Go and cover or plug the ears, eyes, and mouths of all the foreigners to ensure that they cannot communicate with each other in any way, including but not limited to various actions, language, and expressions, so as to avoid collusion."

This is a necessary method and is important for interrogation.

As the captain of the personal guard, Han Shiwei was always on high alert, prioritizing safety and stability in all his work. He was equally meticulous about the foreigners' instructions, personally overseeing their execution.

After the police station had escorted the other foreign sailors onto the ship, Han Qingyun signaled for the ship to set sail. In less than half an hour, the ship arrived at the inland waterway shipping dock outside Hanyang Prefecture.

Upon arriving at the Governor's Mansion, Han Qingyun specifically summoned An Ping, the head of the intelligence section, and said, "An Ping, I'm entrusting the man to you. You must find out the purpose of the foreigners' trip and their military actions against Hanyang Prefecture."

"Also, I don't care about anyone except the leader; I only care about the results."

As the head of the intelligence section, Anping couldn't possibly be without some tricks up his sleeve. If he wanted to keep his position secure, he must have his own interrogation methods, it's just that these methods shouldn't be shown to the public.

To demonstrate his loyalty to Han Qingyun, Anping was no exception, stating directly, "This subordinate understands and will not let the foreigners fool us. We will definitely obtain everything the foreigners know."

Han Qingyun believed this and expressed his trust, saying, "Then let's begin!"