The Australian Revolution of 1828

On May 3, 1828, after nearly half a month of preparation, the Hanyang Governor's Office officially issued the order to conquer the enemy and at the same time promulgated the "three kills and three no-kills" policy after landing.

Triple kill, namely:

Those who stubbornly resist shall be killed;

Those who disrupt the market, kill them;

Those who disturb the peace and commit robbery should be killed.

The Three No-Killing Rules are:

Those who surrender will not be killed.

Craftswomen, do not kill;

Royal family, not to be killed;

The "three kills, three no kills" policy was mainly aimed at weakening Denpasar's determination to resist as much as possible, while also stabilizing the local area as soon as possible to prevent the situation from deteriorating and becoming uncontrollable.

Of course, if the situation really deteriorates and develops rapidly in an unpredictable direction, the expeditionary force will not be lenient and will inevitably use some unconventional methods, especially against Denpasar at this stage.

At this moment, Han Qingyun stood at the port, watching the departing armed merchant ships, feeling restless and uneasy.

Left Commander Meng Xiong, who was standing nearby, noticed something amiss and knew that Han Qingyun was a little worried. He said, "Chief Censor, Deputy Commander Luo has already gone far away. We should go back."

This expedition involved a total of eight armed merchant ships, two troop transport ships, and three cargo ships, demonstrating thorough preparation. However, war is never without its challenges, and it was understandable that Han Qingyun, as the highest leader of Hanyang Prefecture, had some concerns.

As the expeditionary fleet of armed merchant ships gradually disappeared, Han Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief, easing his rather tense emotions, before asking, "Commander Zuo, is the navy ready?"

The navy had a lot to prepare, just in case, so it took a little longer than usual.

Left Vice-Commander Meng Xiong, who was in charge of the naval operation, looked calm and confident, and said, "Reporting to the Chief Military Advisor, the naval ships and forces have been put in place one after another, and will depart at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

Han Qingyun withdrew his gaze from the near sea and said as he walked back, "The success or failure of this mission concerns the safety of Hanyang. I entrust it to Commander Zuo!"

"The navy is leaving port tomorrow, and I will come to see them off in person."

Though it was said to be a farewell, it was really just a feeling of unease. The armed fleet and naval vessels were like their own children, facing the ravages of enemy fire before they had truly grown up and become strong; it was truly heartbreaking.

Forced by the current situation, Hanyang has no other choice but to move forward!

To maintain the morale of the troops, Han Qingyun displayed exceptional determination and fortitude. However, he encountered Meng Xiong, a seasoned veteran, who noticed something amiss.

The deputy commander Luo Bingzhong was also in a similar situation. Although he strongly advocated that the governor's office take Denpasar, it was actually his first time experiencing something like this, so he was inevitably a little flustered.

Pointing to the distant sea, he said, "Captain Wei, you are from the Trade Bureau and have been sailing this route for many years. You should be very familiar with the situation in Southeast Asia."

Captain Wei Guochang showed no modesty. Looking at the vast sea, he said, "Deputy Commander, I have traveled this route many times and have seen quite a few things."

"Judging from the current situation, the situation in Southeast Asia is indeed showing a trend of escalating."

"However, the Dutch Batavia colonial government is all show and no substance, and it is not yet time for Hanyang to retreat."

"The British, who had just colonized Singapore, were quite powerful."

"However, the British were too arrogant and looked down on the remote islands of the East Indies. Instead, they valued trade with the mainland, a country with a large population and abundant resources."

Deputy Commander Luo Bingzhong agreed with Captain Wei Guochang's assessment, saying, "That's right. With India as a big cash cow, Britain can be said to be eating its fill."

"Now that they've set their sights on the mainland, this new cash cow, it's understandable that they look down on these peripheral islands."

Having met like-minded people, Captain Wei Guochang was deeply moved and said, "Who can argue with that!"

"Now, besides Singapore, the only other thing that can interest the British is mainland China. One is a vital transportation route for trade between East and West, and the other is a populous country with huge consumption potential."

"The potential profits from this are self-evident!"

"If Mingzhou had 4 million people, I dare say that Southeast Asia would be our inland sea!"

"It's a pity that China was occupied by incompetent rulers like the Qing Dynasty for hundreds of years, missing a great opportunity for development. If the Grand Secretary had become emperor, India would have been our cash cow."

These words were indeed infuriating. Deputy Commander Luo Bingzhong wholeheartedly agreed, saying helplessly, "Yes, it's a pity the populations of the two places can't be exchanged! If only..."

Perhaps he was thinking of the heavy responsibilities he was carrying and it was not easy for him to say such unfounded things.

Deputy Commander Luo Bingzhong stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence, changing the subject and saying, "Alright, let's not talk about these sad things. Let's talk about Denpasar!"

Dreams are always futile; we can only face reality.

Captain Wei Guochang, being a man of principle, promptly ended the previous topic, saying, "Deputy Commander, according to the Governor's Office's usual practice, Zhang Yuanyang of the trading post should be negotiating with the Kingdom of Bali at this time, and the results should be forthcoming soon."

Deputy Commander Luo Bingzhong said, "Guochang, will the King of Bali agree to hand over the port to Hanyang and allow troops to be stationed there?"

Captain Wei Guochang hoped so, but based on his understanding, the King of Bali would definitely refuse, saying, "Absolutely not. The port is an important source of income for the Kingdom of Bali. If we give it up now, the Kingdom of Bali will lose a significant portion of its wealth."

"Moreover, the commander personally went to the Denpasar trading post, which clearly shows that he was prepared for war."

Every word he said made sense and hit the nail on the head, leaving Luo Bingzhong no choice but to admire him. He said, "Guochang, you are a talented man. After this battle, I will definitely recommend you to the Chief Justice."

Luo Bingzhong spoke the truth, but Wei Guochang didn't respond. Instead, he mentioned Commander Li Guochen, saying, "The Commander is the truly talented one; I merely happened to be there!"

Whether it's humility or flattery of his superiors, Wei Guochang's talent should not be underestimated.

Moreover, Commander Li Guochen's willingness to take this risk is truly admirable, as he said, "If this matter succeeds, Guochen will be a role model for us all!"

"And I, too, am willing to emulate the ministers of the state and dedicate my body to the prosperity of Hanyang!"

Once the topic escalated, even Wei Guochang was deeply moved and full of admiration, saying, "I have traveled this route for many years and have seen the law of the jungle all the time."

"In this age of great strife, states frequently wage war against each other. The strong survive, the weak perish. And we are the weakest, constantly facing the brink of annihilation. Therefore, I hope Hanyang will become strong, for only by becoming strong can we destroy others!"

Luo Bingzhong had the same thought, but he just didn't dare to think about it.

After a long chat with Wei Guochang, I realized how correct the Governor-General's approach was! To survive, one must first learn the means of destruction, especially in the 19th century.

If Hanyang were to become as muddle-headed and insane as Lanfang, its demise would be imminent!