The Australian Revolution of 1828

Grandpa Han's intentions were good, and Han Qingyun understood. He tried his best to calm the old man's anxious emotions, saying, "Father, you'll be alright!"

"You survived the illness two years ago, so you can do it again now!"

Although his son's concern was heartwarming, Old Master Han knew about his illness and did not want Han Qingyun to act impulsively, especially at this moment of power transition.

At the same time, he hoped that Han Qingyun could shoulder the responsibility of Hanyang Prefecture and prevent it from declining, saying, "Qingyun, my son, you are already 18 years old, you must be strong."

"My illness is a result of what I developed at sea years ago, and it's incurable!"

"Five years ago, we old folks all followed your advice and settled down in Hanyang Prefecture. Now, five years have passed, and everyone has food to eat and doesn't starve to death. We can say we're living in peace and contentment."

"Also, after I die, you must guard against foreigners."

"These foreigners are unruly and are pressing us hard in various parts of Southeast Asia. I'm afraid this won't end well. If they find their way to Hanyang Prefecture, we must be on high alert."

After speaking intermittently for a long time, Old Master Han's mouth was a little dry. He took a sip of tea, patted Han Qingyun's shoulder, and continued, "I'm leaving the rest of the journey to you. I can't control you anymore."

"By the way, your wedding date has been set. We'll arrange for someone to deliver the betrothal gifts to the Meng family this afternoon."

Even as his life hung in the balance, the old man was still unable to put his mind at ease.

Even knowing that Han Qingyun shared the same thoughts and was very wary of foreigners, Old Master Han still couldn't rest easy and kept sharing his experience.

Moreover, even at this point, for the sake of stability in Hanyang Prefecture, Old Master Han did not forget to use marriage alliances to completely tie himself to the Meng family.

As for Han Qingyun's personal opinion, it is no longer important.

Of course, Han Qingyun did not consider refusing, after all, Hanyang Prefecture was not large, with a population of only two or three towns, and there were very few women suitable for marriage.

Moreover, Meng Yu, the person to be married, is also acquainted with the couple, and the two are completely in love, so there is no possibility of opposition.

Han Qingyun, fully aware of the implications of these arrangements, readily agreed, saying, "Father, I have no objections. This matter is entirely up to you!"

With Han Qingyun's affirmative answer, Old Master Han relaxed considerably, smiled with relief, and said, "That puts my mind at ease!"

"Starting tomorrow, you will find someone to take over the work of the Immigration and Trade Bureau, and then you will take up the post of Grand Commander of the Hanyang Governor's Office, overseeing all civil, military and political affairs within the territory of Hanyang Prefecture."

The position of Grand Commander does not exist in Hanyang Prefecture. However, in order to ensure a smooth transition of authority, this outdated position has to be used to fill the gaps and avoid problems with unclear responsibilities that could affect the succession of Hanyang Prefecture.

Fortunately, the title of Grand Commander is indeed very old, so much so that most people have heard of this position and can find the corresponding scope of responsibilities.

Upon hearing Old Master Han's arrangement, Han Qingyun did not notice anything amiss and readily agreed, saying, "Father, I will arrange the matters concerning the Immigration and Trade Bureau tomorrow."

Currently, the Governor's House comprises eight offices: the Immigration and Trade Department, the Mining and Industrial Department, the Police Department, the Finance Department, the Works Department, the War Department, the Inspectorate Department, and the Civil Affairs Department.

The Immigration and Trade Bureau was responsible for the operation and management of the fleet, as well as the import and export of goods. At the same time, it also had to take care of the immigration from the Far East mainland and ensure the population growth of Hanyang Prefecture. It was a daunting task.

The Bureau of Industry and Mining was responsible for all factories and mines within Hanyang Prefecture, from the production of raw materials to finished products, supplying exports, and meeting the daily consumption needs of Hanyang Prefecture.

The police station's main responsibilities were to maintain stability in Hanyang Prefecture, ensure order in daily life, production, and business within the prefecture, and handle criminal and civil cases.

The Financial Services Department is an important department that accounts for the expenditures and revenues of various projects. At the same time, it is also responsible for reviewing and auditing the implementation of various projects. Its powers are quite important.

The Public Works Department, while having a relatively singular responsibility, played an irreplaceable role. Its main function was to oversee the construction of cities, houses, and roads, ensuring that immigrants had a stable living environment and convenient transportation.

The War Bureau, which controls all the troops within Hanyang, is responsible for protecting Hanyang Prefecture from invasion by other regions.

The Inspectorate held supreme power of oversight, supervising, inspecting, and monitoring all civil and military administrative institutions within the territory of Hanyang Prefecture, as well as reviewing the trials of criminal and public security cases.

The Home Affairs Department is a comprehensive functional department whose main responsibilities are to provide the Governor's House with feasible development plans, as well as to manage and plan industries such as population, urban construction, roads, education, medicine, agriculture, industry, mining, finance, and services.

Simply put, the properties and affairs not handled by the other seven offices will temporarily be under the jurisdiction of the Home Affairs Department.

To be honest, although Hanyang Prefecture is small, it has all the necessary functions. As long as the various government offices cooperate with each other, Hanyang Prefecture is a force to be reckoned with.

Han Qingyun was confident in his ability to control this force, after all, he had contributed to the establishment of these government offices. Their work processes and responsibilities were all his doing.

Furthermore, Han Qingyun was not the kind of person who was sentimental or fussy. He had a natural heroic spirit of "I am the only one who can do it." Faced with the expectations of his father, he directly stated his ambition, saying, "Father, I will lead Hanyang Prefecture to prosperity."

My son has a strong character and is full of confidence in the future.

Grandpa Han, as a father, was especially happy. Forgetting the torment of his illness, a smile unconsciously appeared on his lips as he said, "Qingyun, I believe in you!"

"When that day truly comes, you must inform me of the sacrifice, so that I may know what has happened in Hanyang!"

While the Han family father and son were having a detailed discussion, the Meng family, who had already agreed to the marriage, were also chatting. The seven members of the family sat together and talked about the marriage between Han Qingyun and Meng Yu.

Meng Xiong, holding his two-year-old son, said, "Yu'er, you're getting married in a few days, so don't go out during this time."

Meng Yu was born on November 6, 1809, in Dezhou, Shandong. He suffered a lot from a young age. It wasn't until three years ago that Meng Xiong successfully moved his family to Hanyang Prefecture, and they were finally able to live a normal life.

Thus, Meng Xiong's family was reunited.

Two years ago, Meng Yu's newlywed wife in Hanyang Prefecture gave birth to a son, adding to the joy of the Meng family and giving Meng Yu a younger brother. It was truly a series of happy events.

Now that it's finally my turn, I feel a little shy.

Although Meng Yu was strong-willed, she ultimately lived in an era governed by feudal etiquette, and thus had to conform to the characteristics and choices of the times. Concealing her inner joy, she said, "Father, I understand!"

He still paid too little attention to his daughter, so much so that Meng Xiong didn't understand her at all. Instead, he comforted Meng Yu, saying, "It's good that you understand. Qingyun is still talented."

"Moreover, given the governor's condition, he is likely nearing his end. If we oppose the marriage now, we risk completely offending the Han family."

These words made Meng Yu a little embarrassed; she wanted to say something but was too shy to say it.

The mother, who was standing to the side, seemed to understand the situation and said with a smile, "Master, our daughter didn't mean that. She's just shy. If you really reject this marriage, I'm afraid she'll become your enemy."

Although it was a joke, it also revealed Meng Yu's attitude towards marriage.

The younger daughter, Meng Jie, who was about 13 years old, was quite lively. She leaned against Meng Xiong and said, "Daddy, I'll tell you a secret: my sister often goes to see Brother Han."

The younger daughter, Meng Jie, was unrestrained, which made Meng Xiong feel rather awkward. After a pause, he said, "No wonder, he's the one who named you all!"

"Back then, none of us roughnecks could read. It was Qingyun who registered everyone, gave us new names, and taught us to read."

"In recent years, in order to solve the problems of literacy and arithmetic, we have not only established primary schools, but also night schools."

Regarding schools, this was a rule established by the Governor's Office. Minors attended primary school, while adults attended night school, since they had to work during the day.

Currently, due to the shortage of teachers, middle schools, universities, and other schools have not yet been established. There are only primary schools and night schools that teach literacy, arithmetic, and moral education.

However, the first batch of students will soon graduate from the five-year primary and night school programs, from which some outstanding graduates can be selected to specialize in junior high school textbooks.

Once the junior high school is completed and opens in September, these outstanding students will be able to study junior high school textbooks while also serving as junior high school teachers, thus applying what they have learned in a practical way.

Of course, this was a last resort, since Hanyang Prefecture lacked teachers. They had no choice but to use this laborious method: selecting and training excellent teachers level by level.

Hearing her father's affirmation, Meng Yu felt much more at ease and mustered her courage to say, "Father, Brother Han is a rare hero, and he will surely achieve great things."

Meng Jie, the younger sister, chimed in at the opportune moment, "Father, my sister says that Brother Han is just like you; he's a great hero in her eyes."

Originally, he wanted to appease his daughters, but things went completely wrong. His two daughters showered Han Qingyun with praise, even calling him their older brother, acting like his biggest fangirls. Meng Xiong said helplessly, "Yu'er, you're more than two months older than that boy!"