1635 Han style rises again

On March 1678, 3, Huaiyang Fort (now Pearl Harbor, Oahu), Hawaii Island.

In the traditional Chinese geography concept, mountains, south and water to the north are called yang, and mountains to the north and water to the south are called yin.Huaiyang Fort, as the name suggests, is located in the south of Huaishan (now the Huaianai Mountains of Oahu Island), and it was the first stronghold established by the Qi people in the archipelago.

The entire harbor outside stretches inland in the shape of a bird's foot. The entrance and exit to the anchorage is a narrow waterway with an average width of less than 400 meters, which is enough to protect the port and land strongholds deep in the bay.

After nearly two years of construction, Huaiyang Fort has built a 500-meter-long masonry wall with a grain depot, an armory, a commander's office, a repair shop, a mill, a blacksmith's shop, and several rows of residential buildings.

On the outside of Huaiyang Fort, there is a simple fence surrounded by wood, branches and grass to prevent the natives on the island from intruding at will.On a high ground, a tall wooden watchtower was also built, supplemented by a telescope for observation. No movement within a few miles around could escape the watchman's eyes.

There are only 160 people in the entire Huaiyang Fort, all of whom are young and strong men, without a single woman, and more than 120 of them are prisoners in exile.

The entire archipelago, including the island of Hawaii, is temporarily placed under the administration of the Ministry of the Navy. Therefore, the management personnel and armed personnel stationed are all active-duty naval officers and soldiers, and the management method is naturally rough and simple military control.

Compared with the extremely backward weapons in the hands of the natives and the primitive social model without any organization, Huaiyang Fort has a solid city defense, and there are 45 fully armed naval officers and soldiers. In addition, the more than 100 exiled prisoners can also be released when necessary Organize and mobilize to engage in possible battles.

In this situation, which native tribe can capture it and conquer it?
"On Zhongzhou Island (now Hawaii Island), more than 250 kilometers away from the southeast of Hawaii Island, it seems that a unified indigenous tribe alliance has emerged." Shi Linguang, Chief Officer of Hawaii Island and Lieutenant (Major) Xuanjie of the Navy, said with a wry smile: " They heard that we have many rare things here, so they sent envoys over a month ago, asking us to surrender to them and offer all our property and rare things.”

"Haha..., that tribal chief on Zhongzhou Island didn't inquire carefully about your details, and just wanted to bring you under his control?" Xiao Weizhi, the commander of the squadron and Lieutenant Colonel Linghui of the Navy, couldn't help it. He laughed, "What's the matter, it's been a month. They didn't send troops to conquer your Huaiyang Fort because you didn't say anything?"

"Sir, maybe they are still dispatching troops and generals." Shi Linguang said jokingly: "These days, in order to resist the enemy's army, I have spent some effort, not only recruiting hundreds of local aborigines nearby, but also equipped them with wooden With a spear and some leather armor as the vanguard, he also drilled more than 100 prisoners in the fortress. But after waiting and waiting, the natives did not attack for a long time, which made the humble officer very anxious!"

"You're so anxious!" Xiao Weizhi scolded with a smile, "Maybe, when the natives attacked, they would flee in all directions as soon as they heard the sound of the artillery. By the way, don't you have a small galley? Why don't you take people to Zhongzhou Island?" to see?"

"I originally planned to take people to see that arrogant indigenous tribe, but half a month ago, more than ten exiled prisoners in the camp developed a high fever, so they delayed. The humble official suspected that they had malaria, so he made a decisive decision Isolation measures were taken, and the ten or so prisoners and two soldiers were placed alone in a temporary camp two miles northeast of Huaiyang Fort."

"Is anyone dead?"

"After the incident, Beizhi asked everyone to take cinchona bark powder to suppress and prevent the spread of malaria. But as of this morning, five people died, and the other three were not in good condition, and it is estimated that they also suffered from malaria. It won't be long." Shi Linguang said solemnly: "However, fortunately, there are no new patients with high fever in Huaiyang Fort."

"That's good!" Xiao Weizhi nodded, "This time, I brought you more than 200 immigrants, including more than 60 young women from Japan and North Korea."

"Aren't there more than 500 people on the three ships?"

"There are more than 200 people left. I will take them to the west coast of America and plan to build a colonial stronghold there."

"Ah?" Shi Linguang couldn't help but be extremely surprised when he heard that, "Wei'i Island stronghold has only been established for two years, and it doesn't have any support capabilities yet. Why did you rush to colonize the west coast of America?"

"This is an order personally issued by His Majesty over the cabinet and military department." Xiao Weizhi said solemnly: "Moreover, the order instructs our Ryukyu Fleet to go all out in the process of colonizing the west coast of America, regardless of the cost."

"Your Majesty's move...is a little too eager." Shi Linguang said: "According to the news from Spanish America, the Spaniards seem to have no intention of extending their power to the west coast of North America, and are still satisfied with the Mexican area they currently occupy. "

"For more than 40 years, our country of Qi has been deployed all over the world, and we have also occupied many important sea points, allowing our navy to cross the two oceans. This all proves your majesty's foresight." Xiao Weizhi glared at Shi Linguang, "today's west coast of America Although we don’t know the meaning of the layout, it’s not like we can arrange your Majesty’s arrangements in private and talk about His Majesty’s orders indiscriminately!”

"Sir, I'm afraid of being humbled!" Shi Linguang was startled, and immediately stood up, lowering his head to admit his mistake to Xiao Weizhi.

"Okay, take your people and settle down for the new immigrants first." Xiao Weizhi waved his hand, "In a few days, let's take a boat to Zhongzhou Island. If there is really a unified indigenous tribe , it is necessary to break it up again, so as not to develop into a primitive kingdom in the end."

"Yes, sir!"
-
Cui Yunze followed Feng Yiliang step by step, his clothes were already soaked in sweat, and his breath became heavier and heavier.It has been five days since he landed, but he seems to feel that he is still shaking from time to time. After waking up in the morning, he is also confused for a long time, not knowing where he is.

"In the past few days, I have traveled so many places and inspected the water, soil and climate here. Do you think that rice or wheat may be grown on the island?" Feng Yiliang stopped and looked at the vast field in front of him. , the vegetation is exuberant and lush.

"My lord, the climate here is... warm and the water source is plentiful. I think... it should be possible to grow... rice." Cui Yunze bent down and replied, speaking Chinese with a babble.

Cui Yunze was originally a farmer in Jeolla-do, North Korea. With the cooperation of local North Korean officials, he was coaxed and tricked by businessmen from Qi State, got him onto an immigration ship, and was sent to this lonely ocean center along with more than 30 other North Koreans. island.

After two years of development on Weiyi Island, the most basic food needs cannot be fully self-sufficient. It also needs to be transported by fleets from Japan and Ryukyu, which are thousands of miles away, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.As for the more than 100 prisoners on the exiled island, none of them are serious farmers. They only planted some potatoes, sweet potatoes, and some vegetables on the island, supplemented by wheat and rice imported from outside, barely maintaining the basic daily life. Life.

Therefore, the three transport ships specially recruited hundreds of farmers with many years of planting experience from Qin, North Korea, and Japan, and spared no effort to realize the basic food self-sufficiency of the island, so that the limited space on the transport ships can be provided to Other more urgently needed supplies and valuable manpower.

Of course, tropical islands like Hawaii have a variety of plants and fruits, as well as a large number of animals and birds, and the surrounding fishery resources are extremely rich, and there are also a large number of whales, even if there is no rice, wheat, etc. The food crops are not afraid of starving to death.

However, the immigrants who arrived here are all from the civilized world after all. Of course, they can't live the ignorant and wild primitive life like the native savages on those islands, slash-and-burn farming, collecting food, hunting animals, and eating live fish. .

Furthermore, Qi State intends to make this archipelago a strategic core point in the Pacific Ocean, so how can it not vigorously develop and build it?

"I need your affirmative answer." Feng Yiliang stared blankly at the North Korean in front of him, and asked coldly, "Is it possible to grow rice here?"

"Respond...to my lord's words..." Cui Yunze avoided the other party's eyes in fear, "Here... you can grow rice."

"Okay." Feng Yiliang nodded, and said: "Tomorrow, I will allocate 100 people to you, all of whom will follow your arrangement and immediately open up a rice field. This year, if there is no rice to eat, I will feed you to the savages."

"My lord..." Cui Yunze felt ashamed when he heard this.

Is there any law here?Whether or not rice can grow in the field cannot depend entirely on me!

"Beep...beep...beep..." There was a burst of assembly horns from Huaiyang Fort in the distance, short and passionate.

"Is this going to go on an expedition?" Feng Yiliang looked at the bay in the distance and murmured, but his heart was full of passionate restlessness.

Since he was exiled to Weiyi Island two years ago, because of his status as a naval officer and the attention of many colleagues in the military, Feng Yiliang was not forced to perform hard labor like other exiled prisoners. Appointed as the deputy director of Huaiyang Fort, to assist the director Shi Linguang in handling all affairs of the island.

Three days ago, Xiao Weizhi, the commander of the squadron who arrived on Hawaii Island, approached him and asked if he was willing to accompany more than 200 immigrants to the west coast of America to preside over the development of settlements and subsequent construction work there.

Although Xiao Weizhi spoke in an inquiring tone, with Feng Yiliang's current status, he naturally had no right to refuse. He immediately expressed his obedience to the commander's order, and promised to complete all tasks arranged by His Majesty and the military department.

But before leaving, Feng Yiliang still started to arrange the grain planting plan of Huaiyang Fort very conscientiously.After all, most of the American colonial strongholds that I will be in charge of in the future will rely on the support here.
-
On March 3, at about one o'clock in the afternoon, after a day and night of sailing, the three motor sailboats from Qi State arrived near the waters west of Zhongzhou Island.

Before approaching the shore, several canoes came galloping.The ships of the State of Qi immediately made alert preparations to deal with the attack of the natives. Dozens of muskets protruded out of the ship's side and aimed at the approaching canoe.

There were three to six people in each canoe, they were brown, of medium build, and stocky.Most had their hair cut short, some had it long and loose, and a few had it tied up in a bun on top of their heads.It can be seen that their hair color is black, but many people don't know what dyes are used to dye their hair brown or a burnt color.

They all had beards, wore no ornaments, and were clothed in red, black, and white.The natives who approached the ships of the Qi State seemed to be very gentle, they did not carry any offensive weapons, and only brought some small stones for self-defense.They spoke a language similar to that on Paradise Island (now Tahiti), the territory of Qi State in the South Pacific, and seemed to want to express a transaction with the people of Qi State.

"These people are probably the natives on the island who have not been conquered by that powerful tribe." Seeing Xiao Weizhi looking over, Shi Linguang said with some uncertainty: "How about we ask them for news first?"

Several natives were pulled onto the deck by cables. After they boarded the big ship, they were immediately stunned with surprise, their eyes rolling wildly, and they looked dizzy.Their rough expressions and dazed movements reveal their ignorance of the civilized world.

These aborigines don't have any concept of Qi country's goods, although they know that iron is a good thing, and they have only heard of it. They only know that iron is harder and sharper than other materials, and can be used for cutting.

Several sailors showed them a few glass beads, and the natives apparently saw them for the first time, and asked curiously what they were and whether they could be eaten or not.The sailor inquired whether there was a powerful tribal alliance on the island, whether it was very aggressive, and asked where the tribe was.

This difficult communication took more than half an hour. The officer in charge of the inquiry even guessed, and learned that the indigenous camp that had begun to form a tribal alliance was located on the east side of the island, with a population of about [-]. All the people on the island The indigenous tribes all need to pay tribute to them to show their submission.

On weekdays, that powerful tribal leader would not bring "soldiers" or send envoys to interfere in the daily life of these indigenous people, and let them maintain their original way of life.But if there is a dispute between the tribes, when they are found, some kind of mandatory ruling will be made.

Considering that it was going to be late, the fleet looked for a suitable place to anchor in this bay, and planned to rest here for the night, and then sailed to the east side of the island tomorrow to destroy the "powerful" indigenous tribe.

At around 700:[-] in the evening, the fleet found an anchorage about [-] meters offshore.During this process, more and more indigenous people paddled canoes and came near the ships of Qi State. They brought live pigs and a special small potato to trade with the people of Qi State.

A spike worth five cents can be exchanged for a few piglets.However, the local pigs are small and rarely exceed 25 kg.However, these natives seldom brought fruits and vegetables. It can be seen that this island is obviously not a place rich in fruits and vegetables.

Looking from the coast to the island, traces of volcanic eruptions can be seen everywhere (Hawaii Island is a famous active volcanic island).Although the erupting volcano has not yet caused any devastating damage to the island in front of us, the naked eye can see signs of damage to the adjacent area.

It seems that when choosing a suitable base in this archipelago, the explorers of the Admiralty spent a lot of thought and came up with the best plan to build Huaiyang Fort on Weiyi Island with better conditions.

The next day, at seven o'clock in the morning, while the fleet was eating breakfast, the dutiful lookout on the mast suddenly gave a warning.

From the northeast of Zhongzhou Island, under the light of the rising sun, countless canoes, densely packed, were speeding towards the fleet.The dark-skinned aborigines, with their upper bodies naked, held up wooden spears, shouting, roaring, and burning with a fierce fighting spirit.