Chapter 27, Twenty-seven moments in the four years of Chongzhen (twenty-seven)
The twenty-seventh moment: The Xiangshan County Magistrate was stunned
December 28, the fourth year of Chongzhen, Bopu Port, Lingao County, Hainan Island
In recent years, the streets of Bobu Port are very lively - since the traverser Senate of Lingao County took control of the entire county, a port was established here, and Bobu Commune was established as a grassroots organization. Fishermen, The number of merchant ships and small merchants gradually increased, and it gradually became a market. With the successive construction of a series of modern enterprises such as arsenals, shipyards and chemical plants, a large number of workers and their families gathered here.
Therefore, the Department of Commerce under the Lingao Traveler Senate followed the old practice of Dongmen City and built a town in Bobu Port as a commercial service area to support the port. Although the scale of Bobu Town is far smaller than that of Dongmen City, the streets are still bustling with people coming and going, and it is very lively. There are fishing shops, warehouses, inns, wine shops, fishing gear shops... one after another, just like the Jiangnan Water Town. It is not inferior to many counties in the country.
At this moment, the bosses and clerks in each shop, under the command of the propaganda officer of Bobu Commune, were busy running in front of their homes one by one. There were people setting up ladders, pulling ropes, carrying paste. Still yelling for someone to bring something over. The local militiamen and cadres also took the lead in taking action, plastering slogans and posting notices all over the streets. They were very busy. Some people carried burdens to bring baskets of folded paper lanterns and distributed them to everyone. Some people hung the lanterns directly at the door of their homes, while others climbed up ladders and hung the lanterns on freshly tied ropes everywhere. .
——In addition to the customary lanterns and colorful decorations to celebrate the New Year, there are obviously other things on the streets of Bobu Port at the end of this year. Along with a burst of chants, several militiamen started to move together. An eye-catching banner was pulled up between two street lamp poles in the middle of the street. The red silk had been sewn with yellow paper squares, and the words were written in thick ink on it: "Welcome the heads of Australia and Song Dynasty." This county”.
Students from various new schools under the Lingao Senate were also mobilized to practice lining up to wave flags and shout slogans. Some pretty girls were responsible for laying flowers, and some boys were organized to play flutes, drums, and even lion dancers, making the streets noisy.
In addition, all settlements in Lingao County, including the old county town, have launched vigorous sanitation campaigns, and have also formulated evaluation indicators and reward and punishment regulations. Some of the sailors and engineers were busy building trestles in the harbor to facilitate the arrival of the huge visiting fleet; some were leveling the land on the shore, repairing temporary cabins, and setting up tents to accommodate thousands of distant visitors ashore for rest.
In order to provide delicious meals for the sudden increase in mouths, people from the Ministry of Trade had to rack their brains to organize supply sources, purchasing large quantities of vegetables, fruits, fish and shrimps, livestock and poultry from various places, and even went to Guangzhou and Vietnam to purchase goods. . After hearing the news that such a large group of potential customers was about to arrive, many vendors rushed in with the goods they could raise, hoping to get a share of this god-given business opportunity.
In the midst of the bustling commotion, while the people in Lingao were busy working, they also spread various gossips among themselves.
"...Brother Akun, you said that during this Chinese New Year, the Prime Minister of Australia just made the whole county crazy. What is the reason?"
"...Isn't it written on the banners and notices? Oh, by the way, you can't read... It seems that an imperial envoy was sent from the capital of Australia, and many high-ranking officials from Australia came! They also brought hundreds of There are tens of thousands of people on this big ship! How can the leaders entertain these many people if they don’t prepare well?”
"...Eh? There are still so many people in Australia? Is there another big iron ship coming this time? And what's going on with Australia's imperial envoy? Doesn't it mean that Chief Wen here in Lingao is already Prime Minister? Is there anyone in Australia who can give orders to Chief Wen? ”
"...I'm afraid a new big iron ship is really coming. Otherwise, why would the chiefs have people build trestles and put buoys on the pier? As for the imperial envoy, even if Chief Wen is the prime minister, there are still people above the prime minister. Emperor! And Australia may not have only one prime minister... The Ming Dynasty has two capitals, the north and the south, plus thirteen chief secretaries (provinces), and the Australians will definitely not have only one. We have just occupied this small piece of land in Qiongzhou. Several old masters in the county have thought before that the hundreds of people brought by Chief Wen in the seventh year of Tianqi were probably the pioneers sent by the Australian court over there to attack the front line. Chief Wen and Chief Ma have opened up the situation in Qiongzhou. Naturally, the Australian Emperor will send more reinforcements to plan a big event..."
"...Planning something big? What big thing? Hiss - could it be that... the Australian emperor is going to sweep the world and change the dynasty?"
"...It's possible! But if the Australians take away the flowers and mountains of the Ming Dynasty, there doesn't seem to be anything bad - how prosperous our Lingao is now, and how poor we were before. You have also seen the appearance. This Australian is not a foreign barbarian, but a deserted person. If the overseas Miao descendants of the Song Dynasty were replaced by these survivors of the Song Dynasty, the lives of the people around the world might be better... Oh, why am I nagging you so many taboo words? Hurry up and welcome Australia! Hang up the 'Shangchao' banners and lanterns..."
……
"...Brother Li! Have you heard everything? In the past, a few hundred thieves crossed the sea and landed in Lingao, which turned the land of Lingnan upside down. Qiongzhou is no longer owned by our government. Now there are tens of thousands. The thieves are gathering from all over the world. If this person has any evil intentions, I am afraid that our Ming Dynasty will be in danger!"
"... Be careful! Mr. Huang, Lingao is no longer the realm of the Ming Dynasty. Be careful of trouble coming from your mouth! We can't be quick and have to think long term..."
"...Sigh, how long will it take for our Chaotian soldiers to wipe out these bandits and give our Ming Dynasty a bright future!"
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Not to mention the undercurrents and rumors flying in the market in Lingao, Qiongzhou. At the same time, at the Hong Kong Island anchorage on the east coast of the Pearl River Estuary, the Lingao Senate Navy is also making intensive preparations for this grand global summit of travelers.
——As a group of careerists and conquerors from later generations, the Senate of Travelers in Lingao County, Hainan Island, all know that in this era of hegemony among nations, any diplomatic negotiation must be backed by force, even if it is a Traveler Group. Between is no exception. In other words, it is precisely because the negotiating opponent this time is also from the 21st century and has a similar way of thinking to the time-travelers in the Senate, so it is even more necessary to fully demonstrate one's military strength to avoid contempt or misjudgment by the other party, and prevent Let the disputes arise during the negotiation process!
So, on this day at the end of the fourth year of Chongzhen's reign, the morning sun had just risen above the horizon, and its red light was projected into the Hong Kong anchorage, shining on the masts of single-masted ships, ketch-up ships, three-masted ships and steamships. , waves of refreshing sea breeze blew across the water, making the military flags and sails rustle. When the sun rose, the half-hung sails changed into various colors in the field of vision, first black, then blue-gray, and finally white. Although the origins and styles of these ships are different, even the tonnage is very different. But each one was beautifully decorated and hung with flags. The deck and hull were clean and tidy, and the black cannons and various bronze and steel components glowed with a metallic light...
——More than 70% of the naval fleet under the jurisdiction of the Lingao Senate has now completed its assembly in Hong Kong and is about to set sail back to the Lingao home port.
The sailors who had just gotten up from their barracks and had breakfast, wearing copper basin hats made of coconut shells, gathered in the open space near the dock, waiting to board the ship. On the trestle at the anchorage, sailors and coolies shouted slogans and ran around like ants moving to load the fleet that was about to leave. Many boxes marked with different numbers, graphics and colors are loaded on pallets, covered with net bags, and are being lifted by cranes. Larger ships further away need to be transported by small boats - the bay is filled with small boats of various styles, some resident in Hong Kong and some brought with the big ships, coming and going like barracudas. They were busy carrying goods and people. The paddles of the rowing boats rose and fell repeatedly, and the motorboats continued to emit thick smoke and steam. Sometimes they lean on the pier, sometimes they lean on the big ship. The sailors shouted to each other and whistled to each other... all kinds of noisy human voices, the rattle of pulleys and ropes, the sound of oars hitting the water, and the roar of machines could be heard for miles through the turbulent sea. outside.
Rear Admiral of the Senate, General Counsel of the Navy, Commander of the First Fleet, and the "veteran" Admiral Mingqiu who had served in the South China Sea Fleet of the People's Liberation Army before traveling across time, stood on the bridge of the flagship Lichun, squinting at this tense and lively group. An orderly scene of the fleet going to sea.
Behind him, the officers and sailors on the flagship were also busy sorting out their personal affairs - wiping guns and swords; washing and mending flags; getting haircuts, shaving, bathing, washing clothes, and tidying up their appearance. : Even if the "Australian senior officials" may not come to inspect you, it is the New Year's Eve, so you still have to clean yourself up. Otherwise, how can you have a New Year's Eve dinner with unkempt hair and unshaven beard?
"...Report to the Admiral that the fleet is ready to sail! Please give instructions!"
After a while, a navy lieutenant came over, saluted, and said confidently. Mingqiu also returned the gift and immediately issued an order:
"... Very good, the whole fleet is setting off! Let's go to Macau first, say hello to the Portuguese, and then return to Lingao to celebrate the New Year together!"
——Logically speaking, for such a short sea route from Hong Kong to Lingao, there is no need to go to Macau for mid-way supplies.
In fact, Admiral Mingqiu’s decision was mainly for the purpose of deterrence and security:
As we all know, before any important international conference is held, absolute security of the venue must be ensured. Otherwise, if in the middle of the meeting, there will be shells and bullets roaring, explosions and fires will appear one after another, scaring the delegates to flee... it will definitely be a big embarrassment and a laughing stock for the organizer. Therefore, when the Lingao Senate holds the Global Travelers Summit to discuss state affairs, it will naturally do its best to prevent any riots from occurring.
In the surrounding waters of Lingao, the Vietnamese navy, which was in the middle of the civil war between the North and the South, was weak. In order to defeat the opponents in the civil war, they even recruited pirates to make up the numbers, and were unable to expedition to Hainan Island. The pirates along the coast of Fujian and Guangdong in China have been wiped out by the Senate, and the remaining ones are frightened and will never dare to offend. The Ming Navy in Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian were either frightened by the news or had been secretly controlled by the Senate through the relationship of Marshal Huang Shihuang. As a result, the only potential unstable factor in the surrounding areas of Lingao is the Portuguese who own a few Western-style armed sailing ships in Macau - the senior senators of Lingao who travel through Lingao still have fresh memories of that year. When they first arrived, and before they had a firm foothold on Hainan Island, a Western pirate ship, the Countess of Scarborough, made a sneak attack on Lingao at night. It set out from Macau.
Although the Senate fleet currently dominates the waters of Fujian and Guangdong, and the fleets from all parties that are about to arrive have a huge force that is invincible in East Asia, the Portuguese in Macau should not dare to make mistakes easily. But don’t be afraid of anything: What if there are a few bold Portuguese adventurers who are not afraid of tigers and want to take advantage of the chaotic situation of the fleets of all parties and take advantage of the opportunity to make a profit? What should we do? Even if these guys are absolutely impossible to succeed and will suffer heavy retaliation afterwards, the Lingao Senate has already lost its face and has been disgraced to the whole world!
Therefore, before the unprecedented global traveler summit in Lingao was held, the Lingao Traveler Senate sent the main fleet to Macau to show off their power and warned the Portuguese there not to talk nonsense. In various senses, It's still necessary.
However, when this wave of sails covering the sky and the blue and white cross-star flag of the Senate arrived outside the Macau harbor shortly afterwards and fired salutes in a show of force, not only the Portuguese in Macau were shocked into silence, but also Dare to make mistakes. There was another visitor wearing the official uniform of the seventh grade magistrate of the Ming Dynasty. He was also messy in the wind and had a nervous breakdown at the pier in Macau, so much so that he even exclaimed:
"...This...what the hell is going on? Why are there NATO flags these days? And where did the steamships in the seventeenth century come from? Oh! What on earth has this damn Lord thrown me into? Such a ridiculous world!" - He is the new magistrate of Xiangshan County, Liu Chaozuo. And...a reincarnator from the infinite world!
The theoretical "master" of this time and space finally witnessed the huge changes in this world with his own eyes...