The Australian Revolution of 1828

The Kingdom of Bali has a total area of ​​5620 square kilometers and a coastline of approximately 200 kilometers.

At a ship speed of 15 knots (about 28 km/h), it would only take about 8 hours to make a round trip, which is enough to show that its area is very small.

However, the Kingdom of Bali, with its small territory, has a population of nearly 23, which shows that its land is fertile and abundant.

Otherwise, given the Bali Kingdom's topography, which slopes from east to west and is crisscrossed by mountains, with only some narrow plains along the southern and northern coasts, and being located in a tropical rainforest region, it would be difficult to support such a large population.

With such a large population, apart from a portion residing in the northern coastal areas and mountains, the majority live in the southern coastal areas, with the capital Denpasar alone accounting for about two-sevenths of the population, approximately 6.6 people.

Of these 6.6 people, only about 9000 lived in the rural areas outside Denpasar city, and the total number of soldiers and people in Denpasar city was no more than 1000.

It was based on this data that Li Guochen dared to use scoundrels and ruffians.

Zhang Yuanyang and Wei Guochang disrupted the city's order with only 300 members they had temporarily organized. In addition, the trading post organized nearly 200 gunmen, which was enough to contend with all the armed forces in the city.

It sounds unbelievable, but it's true.

Now that the King of Bali has suddenly passed away, the foundation of the kingdom has changed instantly, and Li Guochen can no longer sit idly by.

After hastily negotiating the terms with the envoy from Denpasar, Li Guochen also assumed the role of a protector, saying, "Captain Wei, from now on, you will be responsible for the envoy's safety and help him obtain command of the city's army and police."

"Remember, the people of Denpasar cannot be trusted entirely. If the envoy is found to be deceitful, he may be executed on the spot."

While I'd like to trust the envoy, trust is something that only manifests through cooperation. It's a bit early now, and we should still be cautious to avoid being betrayed and ending up doing all the work for someone else.

Li Guochen performed a series of military maneuvers and commands with great skill, as if he had experienced them firsthand!

By the time the riots in the city were completely quelled, it was already four o'clock in the afternoon.

At this time, Li Guochen had already found a government office in the city to serve as a temporary command post. All orders were issued from the command post, ensuring the normal operation of the city.

Once all the participants had arrived, Li Guochen spoke with great enthusiasm and gave positive affirmation, saying, "This battle was entirely due to everyone's concerted efforts, which enabled us to take Bali without shedding a drop of blood."

"Zhang Yuanyang and Wei Guochang, in particular, were able to organize manpower and disrupt the order in the city within a limited time, giving the fleet ample time to control the port, forts and other places. They can be said to have made great contributions."

"Once this battle is completely over, I will recommend you both for commendation!"

At this point, the two couldn't help but feel a little proud, and a smile unconsciously crept onto their lips.

Seeing the two men's behavior, Li Guochen, who was speaking, changed his tone and gave them another warning, saying, "However, you two must not be arrogant or complacent. You must guard against impatience and strive to achieve new successes."

This achievement marked the beginning of Hanyang's development and was the most significant chapter in their careers, naturally bringing them great joy.

Having received a warning, he instantly wiped the smile from his lips, straightened his back, and said, "This humble servant (Zhang Yuanyang) (Wei Guochang) thanks Commander for the guidance!"

However, since both of them have made contributions, they shouldn't be completely dismissed.

After praising each of them, Li Guochen did not forget to reward their merits, saying, "Zhang Yuanyang, as the person in charge of the Denpasar trading post, you are familiar with the situation in Denpasar. Now you are appointed as the Denpasar City Defense Commissioner, responsible for the city's defense and all security within the city."

"At the same time, in order to prevent any unrest in the city as much as possible, you will recommend the officers in charge of the city's army and police."

"Anyone found negligent will be severely punished!"

A heavy trust was placed upon him, and Zhang Yuanyang knew all too well the weight of the responsibility. He replied resolutely, "Reporting to the Commander, I will defend the city's defenses and its safety with my life, and I will not allow any unrest to occur within the city."

After handing the document bearing the seal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Expedition to Zhang Yuanyang, Li Guochen offered a word of encouragement, saying, "I believe in your abilities. If you can use the people from today, then use them."

They were referring to the group of hooligans who were supposed to be supporting the expeditionary force. These people had offended too many Denpasar people and could only rely on Zhang Yuanyang to gain more benefits.

If they turn against the government and the people inside the city gain power, these people will likely not fare well either.

After Zhang Yuanyang stepped down from the stage, Li Guochen took out another appointment letter and said, "Wei Guochang, in view of your experience as a merchant ship captain, you are hereby appointed as the Port and Fort Defense Commissioner."

"Upon taking office, seize all ships in the port and blockade the port, ensuring that no ship not registered in Hanyang is allowed to enter. At the same time, to prevent foreign military intervention, it is imperative to organize personnel to expedite the construction of the forts."

"These two matters concern the safety of my expeditionary force, and we must not neglect our duties or be careless."

"Anyone found negligent will be severely punished."

He's been given an official position and responsibilities; now it remains to be seen whether Wei Guochang can maintain his position!

Wei Guochang was equally overjoyed to receive such an appointment.

He gave Li Guochen a standard military salute, solemnly swearing, "Even if it means going through fire and water, I will risk my life to ensure the safety of the port and the fort."

"We will never disappoint the commander, nor will we allow the expeditionary army to be caught in a dilemma!"

With the two men's pledges, Li Guochen felt relieved.

At this critical moment, with the expeditionary force just entering the city, everything seems surreal. Only through extreme caution and prudence can we completely control the city and prevent any unforeseen events.

After assigning the tasks upon entering the city one by one, Li Guochen turned his gaze to Luo Bingzhong, asking for his opinion, and said, "Brother Bingzhong, is there anything else you want to say?"

The arrangements were so meticulous that even Luo Bingzhong couldn't find any loopholes. He could only bring up the matter in Denpasar City, saying, "Commander, today in order to stabilize the city's order, we arrested more than a dozen hooligans."

"Should they be released, or should they be executed in a public ceremony to give the people of Denpasar an explanation!"

At that time, Luo Bingzhong was tasked with maintaining order in the city. After entering the city, he killed several people and arrested others, who were being held in the military prison.

If we abandon these people before things have even gotten done, we won't be able to find anyone to use later.

When the matter was brought up, Li Guochen remained completely unfazed. He settled the matter with a few words, saying, "Give some compensation to the dead, release the living, and hand them all over to the city defense commissioner!"

"Also, draft a battle report as soon as possible and inform Hanyang of the latest results. To prevent unrest, leave one prince to inherit the throne, and send all other members of the royal family to Hanyang."

"To prevent the royal family from being misled and affecting the stability of Denpasar."

At present, there are too few people available for the expeditionary force. Apart from a prime minister who is about to take office, the rest of the people are all people who have been bought off by the trading post over the past few years.

Furthermore, labor-related matters also needed to be handled, and Lee Kok Chen needed to rely on these people to get things done. After much thought, this was the only way these people could handle it, and as for the people of Denpasar, all he could say was "sorry!"