The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style
Chapter 386 Colonial Constraints
Chapter 386 Colonial Constraints (Continued)
On February 1737, 2, the "Fortune" passed through the port of Punin on Kuafu Island (Noumea, New Caledonia), where it stopped briefly for one day to replenish fresh water and fruits and vegetables.
Although this long and narrow island is close to the mainland of Hanzhou and has a large enough area, its population has never increased due to its poor geographical environment - there are many mountains and few flat lands, which makes the utilization rate of arable land extremely low.
In the census of the first year of Yonglong (1730), the population of the entire island was only about (excluding indigenous people), most of whom were concentrated in the southern region. The population size was not as large as that of Dongfeng Island (now Efate Island, Vanuatu), which was only more than kilometers away. Although the area there was small, less than square kilometers, the island had fertile land and abundant rainfall, which was very suitable for the production of tropical cash crops. Therefore, the island was full of cocoa and coffee plantations, and life was prosperous.
The immigrants on Kuafu Island mainly engaged in animal husbandry and logging. In addition to supplying the merchant ships, the former also exported a large amount of wood to the plantations on the mainland of Hanzhou and nearby islands in exchange for hard-earned cash. As for the latter, they mainly forced the natives on the island to cut down precious sandalwood, which was then exported to the mainland and all over the world after simple processing.
Because there is not much arable land on the island, apart from providing a large amount of fruits, vegetables and side dishes, the island is basically unable to be self-sufficient in food, and food needs to be transported from Hanzhou, so life is neither good nor bad.
If you carefully examine Qi's many overseas territories, including the many outlying islands near the mainland, you will find that their economic types are basically the same as Kuafu Island, all very single. Either they cannot achieve self-sufficiency in food, or they can only rely on local supplies to produce daily necessities.
Even places like Qianzhou and Yinzhou, which have excellent resource endowments and geographical conditions, cannot survive independently without the support of Hanzhou.
The Qi authorities may have intended to use this economic means to strengthen their control over overseas territories, prevent them from developing autonomous tendencies, and ensure that they would always become part of the imperial territory.
In fact, with Qi's current strong national strength and the world's leading naval fleet, it is completely unnecessary for some people to worry too much about the autonomy or secession tendencies of overseas colonial territories.
Previously, transportation was too slow and letters were difficult to communicate, so colonial territories far away from the mainland might have the idea of separation or independence due to the "the emperor is far away" mindset.
But what era is this? Many advanced technologies such as steamships, trains, and telegraphs are constantly emerging. Once there is any disturbance in even the most remote territories, the central government will be able to detect it immediately and then mobilize the navy and army to suppress it.
In the 1667th year of Emperor Qianwu’s reign (), it still took half a month to travel from Jianye to Xuanhua Island (today’s Timor Island), the nearest overseas territory of Qi. It took at least one month to travel to Dongzhou (today’s New Zealand), two months to Shanghai (today’s Mumbai) in India, and three to four months to travel to Huaiyuan (today’s San Francisco).
Many of India’s major arterial roads still carry the same volume of traffic as when the Mughal Empire built them, but travelers from Jiangling (now Calcutta, India) to Peshawar must first take a ship to Benares (now Varanasi, India), which takes a month, then ride a horse or carriage to Meerut, and finally arrive in Peshawar in a sedan chair, and must continue on the road at night, with an Indian torchbearer holding a torch of burning rags in front.
In Yinzhou, people can only travel by canoe, sled, or on foot in snowshoes.
In the inland of Qianzhou, people traveled in four-wheeled carriages pulled by several oxen, just like the pioneers of the past.
By then, the officers and generals of the empire had become accustomed to the long journey, believing it to be a necessary and extremely important stage of a war. Usually, the actual time spent on the road would be longer than the staff planned.
Such a long journey for the empire can create long-term peace and tranquility, but it can also sow the seeds of potential separatist ideas.
However, with the advent of steam power, all of this was suddenly overturned, completely changing the relationship between the empire's homeland and its overseas colonial territories.
By the sixth year of Yonglong (1735), the steam liner of Hanzhou Shipping Company could complete the voyage from Jianye to Yong'an (now Jakarta, Indonesia) within twelve days; the latest volume of "Chang'an Chronicles" published by Chang'an could be placed on the desk of the governor of Huaiyuan City within forty days; and it only took four days and four nights to travel from the southernmost Nandu City (now Melbourne) of Hanzhou to the northernmost Jianye City.
Now, Qi people working in the empire's overseas territories could take home leave several times a year, and could also return to their country to receive the most detailed medical diagnosis or rehabilitation. Their wives and families also began to go to the empire's overseas territories, which to some extent alleviated the anxious and worried mood of colonial officials.
Government inspectors and various expatriate colonial officials and military generals could be easily transferred from one colonial territory to another, and the once distant distances suddenly became shorter.
At the same time, it was becoming increasingly difficult for colonial officials in overseas territories to respond to inquiries from home with beautiful official documents, as they might be subjected to harsh questioning and severe reprimands from the Secretary of State for the Colonial Office within a few weeks.
Oh, and there was also a wired telegraph network being built to bring the colonial territories scattered around the world closer together.
"Perhaps, some ambitious person is plotting rebellion in the early morning, and in the evening, the local government will receive a rebellion suppression order from the local central agency, and within a few months, tens of thousands of imperial troops will rush in from thousands of miles away." Fu Yuanze, the director of the Imperial Bank's Gold Reserve Department in Puning, said with a smile: "Times have changed. The scene in the past where the common people in Daze Township could overthrow an empire with a wave of their arms and wooden spears and swords will no longer happen. With the power of our Great Qi today, even if all the overseas colonial territories rebel, the imperial army can destroy them one by one in a moment. Not to mention that the empire has always been based on the principle of strong trunk and weak branches for decades, implementing different economic development policies in the homeland and overseas territories, which has created a situation where the overseas colonial territories have no power to compete with the increasingly powerful homeland."
Li Yanliang was silent for a while after hearing this, but he still did not give up. He said in a deep voice: "What Director Fu said is what would happen if our Great Qi continued to prosper. But looking back at the thousands of years of Chinese history, no dynasty or empire could last for more than three hundred years. If the empire declines and is unable to cope with it, how can we deal with the tendency of many overseas territories to secede on their own?"
"Captain Li is very far-sighted and considers the future, which makes me ashamed!" Fu Yuanze said, "But Captain Li, have you ever thought about what would be the point of maintaining the ruling power of overseas colonial territories if the empire declined and weakened hundreds of years later? More than two hundred years ago, the Kingdom of Spain rose first in Europe, and then began to expand globally. In a very short period of time, it conquered the vast American continent and achieved the glory of the empire on which the sun never sets. But what is the situation now?"
"The Kingdom of Spain was involved in one European war after another, which eventually consumed their remaining vitality and was trampled under the feet of the subsequent rising countries such as France, the Netherlands, Britain, and Austria, and became a second-rate country. In this situation, can the Spaniards still keep their huge American colonial territories? As far as I know, most of the Caribbean islands have been divided up by Britain, France, the Netherlands, and our Qi Kingdom. Their South American territories have been occupied by Qing Kingdom in the extremely fertile southern region, and their North American territories have been squeezed to the south of Mexico by our Great Qi. If it weren't for the fact that the European countries and our Great Qi couldn't swallow up the Spanish American territories for a while, they might have divided them up long ago."
"If, a hundred years later, our Great Qi also declines for various reasons, will it follow the footsteps of the Kingdom of Spain and have its overseas colonial territories divided up and seized by other countries? If so, why do we have to suppress or restrict the development and growth of overseas territories? In the future, when the empire declines, won't those colonial territories under the empire be taken advantage of by outsiders for nothing? Captain Li, I personally think that we don't need to suppress the development and growth of those overseas territories too much. At the very least, when our Great Qi is weak, we can have a few vassal states that help us to delay the loss of the empire's global hegemony."
"..." After hearing this, Li Yanliang stared blankly at the technical official, feeling vaguely convinced by him.
Yes, even if the empire’s many overseas territories want to be independent or separate in the future, it is still a waste of time and they still have some friendship with the motherland of Da Qi.
We share a common language, a common nationality, a common culture, and even common values. There is no way we would be too estranged from each other. We are of the same blood and look after each other. We are also a powerful force in major global affairs.
Perhaps, he was too narrow-minded and just blindly insisted on the obsession of the Great Qi Dynasty as a family-run empire, trying every means to keep all overseas colonial territories under the jurisdiction of the empire.
"You know, in this world, people who want to become citizens under the rule of the Great Qi Empire, whether in the traditional world of Eastern China or the Western world of the European continent, are all flocking to it and vying to follow. Even if they go through untold hardships, not everyone can be satisfied." Fu Yuanze said proudly: "Although I have never been to Yinzhou and don't know much about the people's livelihood and public opinion there, I believe that those who clamor to break away from the jurisdiction of the empire and become independent are definitely not the mainstream group of the entire society. They just want to use this publicity to gain fame and reputation. Captain Li, do you believe it or not, if the empire allows that small group of people to break away from the rule of the empire, find a piece of territory to be independent, and let them fend for themselves. They will definitely regret it extremely, and will cry and shout to become subjects of the empire again, and express their obedience and respect to His Majesty the Emperor and the cabinet government."
"..."Li Yanliang.
-
On February 2, after a long sea voyage, the "Fuyun" finally arrived at its destination - Daxing Port.
Walking out of the port passenger terminal and looking at the bustling city streets in front of him, Li Yanliang fell into a brief trance.
It has been ten years since I left the second largest city in Hanzhou. This city seems to have become a little strange and alienated.
High-rise buildings rose from the ground, blocks were lined up one after another, the roads were crowded with cars and people, and the smog over the city became thicker, blocking out the summer sun. Considering that he had too much luggage, Li Yanliang directly hired a four-wheeled carriage and told the driver to drive to the White Bay area in the west of the city (now the Morningside area of Brisbane).
When the driver heard the destination, he couldn't help but take a closer look at the senior officer.
The people living in Baiwan District are either rich or noble. It is the most prestigious district for nobles in Daxing City. Many dignitaries from the capital have bought houses in that elegant environment.
I never thought that this senior Army officer could afford to live in that neighborhood!
After leaving the port area, the carriage headed straight along the straight road towards the west of the city.
Li Yanliang leaned back in the soft chair, slightly closed his eyes, and imagined the joy and excitement of reuniting with his wife and children after returning home.
"Whims..." Suddenly, the neighing of horses was heard, and the whole carriage came to an abrupt stop, causing Li Yanliang in the carriage to almost stumble.
"What's wrong?" Li Yanliang asked angrily.
"Oh, I'm sorry, sir." The coachman leaned over and said with a smile, "The road ahead is blocked!"
"Is there any other way around?" Li Yanliang stuck his head out of the window and looked at what seemed to have happened in Qianming.
A luxuriously decorated carriage coming from the opposite direction was stopped by a lame man, who sat on the ground, shouting that he had been hit by the carriage and demanding compensation.
"My lord, look at the carriages behind us. They are all following us in a row. How can we turn around and change the route in this situation?" The coachman looked back and said with a bitter face, "Our carriage may be stuck here for a long time."
"Since the oncoming carriage has hit someone, it should pay some money and make way!" Li Yanliang looked at the increasing number of carriages and pedestrians and couldn't help feeling anxious.
I'm already at the doorstep of my home, but I'm stuck in traffic!
"...The lame man blocking the road looks like a scammer. He looks like he's arguing with the driver. Hey, there's probably a lot of arguing going on!"
Li Yanliang looked a little impatient, opened the door, got off the carriage, and walked straight forward.
"Sir... Hello!" When the lame man saw a Zhaoxin colonel officer coming towards him, his face showed a bit of panic. He immediately got up from the ground, stood up straight with the help of his crutches, and saluted the other party.
"Hmm?" Li Yanliang was stunned for a moment, saluted him back, and looked him up and down, "You are... a retired soldier from Daqi?"
"My lord!" the lame man replied, "I am Sergeant Hong Dapeng of the Fifth Company, Seventh Battalion, Eighteenth Army Mixed Brigade. Five years ago, I was wounded in the Caucasus Campaign and lost a leg. Since then, I have retired and returned home."
"Oh..." Li Yanliang nodded and asked with concern: "Were you hit by a carriage just now? Do you need me to seek justice for you?"
"Sir, I... I didn't..." Hong Dapeng's face flushed red and he seemed a little at a loss.
"Sir, it's obvious that this dog is here to scam people!" The coachman who had just argued with Hong Dapeng said angrily, "Look, now that you've come here, he's obviously feeling guilty!"
"Imperial soldiers fought for the country and unfortunately got injured and disabled. How can you humiliate them like this!" Li Yanliang glared at the driver fiercely, then supported Hong Dapeng who was about to leave, "You retired due to injury, didn't you receive disability compensation and retirement pay? Why... do you look like this?"
"Sir, after I was injured and retired, I received more than 400 yuan in consolation money and retirement benefits. However, I... I was accidentally defrauded of most of the money. Later, my father fell seriously ill, and then... then..."
Upon hearing this, Li Yanliang immediately took out a handful of gold coins from his pocket and stuffed them into Hong Dapeng's hand without counting them carefully.
"Go back and take good care of your seriously ill father, and then go to the local military association to find a good job for you. ... In the future, don't do these things on the street, which simply insults the dignity of the imperial soldiers."
"Sir..." Hong Dapeng was already in tears, choking with sobs.
"Go ahead. Even if we, the soldiers of the empire, lose a leg, we can still live upright and become real men!" Li Yanliang gently patted his shoulder. "If you really can't find a way to make a living, you can come to the mansion of Wen'an County Lord in Baiwan District to find me. I will definitely give you an explanation."
"Thank you, sir..." Hong Dapeng wiped his tears vigorously and bowed deeply to Li Yanliang.
"By the way, when you find your home, tell them you're looking for Li Yanliang."
As Hong Dapeng staggered away, Li Yanliang suddenly remembered that he had not left his name for him, so he shouted loudly at his back.
"...Li Yanliang!"
A clear and melodious voice came from the luxurious carriage. Li Yanliang looked in the direction of the voice and saw an exquisite woman's face outside the window.
I saw the woman, with picturesque eyebrows, red lips and teeth, three-dimensional and lifelike facial features, and a pair of big green eyes like cat's eyes. The whole person seemed to be emitting colorful light.
Princess Naheed Mirza!
(End of this chapter)
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