golden scales

The Mongolian romance of staking land is actually impossible in Daming.

Zheng Chongyuan drew two strokes on the map. This is the land that King Yong promised him.Now all the land in Australia is state-owned, or owned by the emperor, and the internal price is extremely low, Yongwang can buy it and give it to Zheng Chongyuan.

After all, Zheng Chongyuan came from a wealthy family, and he knew that being jealous would inevitably end badly, so he didn't dare to enclose particularly good land.He just drew a long and narrow line along the coastline in southeastern Australia with the help of the expedition diary he got, and believed that he could always find a suitable port within such a long range.

—What is the use of land?It is fundamental to occupy the thoroughfare and vital points of business.

Zheng Chongyuan is very confident in his choice.

All that was left was to go to Australia.

In the first year of Longjing, at the beginning of the north wind, Yong Wang Zhu Cizhen set out in Tianjin.He was ambiguous on the issue of whether to treat the country, but he just played the official card of the Governor of Australia.The civil official group is obviously not happy about this kind of royal family's children leaping to high positions, but they don't have enough qualifications to voluntarily go to Australia to preside over the overall situation, so they can only agree to this style of Taizu's time.

Accompanying Zhu Cizhen to Australia were three thousand musketeers and three hundred grain households. Whether it was interpreted as the governor's battalion or the prince's guard, it made no difference. Anyway, the actual commander of this team was Colonel Xiao Tugeng.Zhu Cizhen is only under temporary control, and will be handed over when he arrives in Australia.

"However, during the time on the road, the command of the army still belongs to me." Zhu Cizhao sat on the boat, showing no symptoms of seasickness, but the faces of the other members of his staff group were a little ugly.

"I want to take down that Australian barrier by the way." Zhu Cizhao spoke with excitement.

Shan Liantian covered his chest, he had already started spitting water today.Because the Yongwang fleet does not have as many "weak" as the survey fleet, the requirements are naturally different.During the long journey of the research fleet, going ashore for inspection is equivalent to taking a rest.However, the Yongwang fleet is only resupplying at the supply points along the way, and most people have no chance to go ashore.

"Is there a reasonable conflict?" Shan Liantian asked.

King Yong nodded: "Zheng Chongyuan knows that this place must be occupied, how can the court not know? Instead of letting others fight, why don't we take it down the road and set up a military fort directly."

"It's really on the way..." Zhen Guodong pointed at the chart and said: "After we pass Luzon, don't go to Timor Island, you can go directly to the southeast to Ping Island. Then sail east along the north coast, you can always Find a suitable place to land and set up a fort."

Finally, go south from the eastern end of Papua Island, you can directly reach the east coast of Australia, which is the destination of the Yongwang fleet.

The Ping Island that Zhen Guodong casually mentioned soon appeared on official documents and became the official Chinese name of this big island.

As mentioned in the investigation report, Ping Island is dominated by high mountains. From northwest to southeast, there is a large mountain range across the center, and there are delta lowlands impacted by rivers on the north and south sides.Overall.The north is mountainous, and the coastal mountains are all fault mountains, steep and towering, not suitable for landing.There are many swamps and wetlands in the south, with abundant rainfall, which is suitable for reclamation.

For Daming, it is best to connect the north and the south, using both land and sea routes.If there is no other way.It is necessary to set up military fortresses and villages in both the north and the south in order to achieve the expected effects of barriers and transit.

The Yongwang Fleet is under the principle of "going along the road".Going to the North Coast is also a matter of course.In the five days since they left the Luzon Islands, they have been sailing in the ocean where there is no land, and they are heading southeast slowly with the breeze.On the sixth day, the fleet finally saw land, which was the north coast of Ping Island.

On the seventh day, the fleet discovered a river estuary.

The mouth of a river often means that the land is wet.Fresh water is abundant, and if crops can be grown, it will be an ideal place to build a metropolis in the future.Zhu Cizhao ordered the fleet to drop anchor and sent Cangshan Iron along the river to explore inland.

After turning six corners and 150 miles of water.The fleet discovered a large lake with a circumference of a hundred miles.Although the vicinity of the Great Lake is still dominated by mountains, it can fully support the needs of a military fort for reclamation.

"It's really far away from the coast." Zhu Cizhen was a little dissatisfied, and said: "Go further and see if there is a more suitable place. By the way, the stone tablet can be placed here first, so that no one will occupy it first."

This island has been vacant for a hundred years, and it is not on the commercial road. Who will occupy it?But His Royal Highness Yongwang said so, the people below will naturally behave obediently.The artisans accompanying the army quickly found the local rocks, engraved the declaration of the territory of the Ming Dynasty, and left with the boat without encountering the legendary cannibal.

The fleet left the Liuwan River and continued to travel southeast along the coastline. After only [-] miles of water, they found a large bay.The bay has two natural havens and is surrounded by uncultivated plains, surrounded by mountains.The clear stream left on the mountain is not enough for boats, but it is enough for people and animals to drink.

It was in this bay that Zhu Cizhao met the legendary cannibal.

These cannibals are naked, no matter they are male, female, old or young, they only have blades of grass to surround their private parts.Their heads are crowned with feathers of native birds, both as decoration and as a status symbol.

The Ming people were obviously not as well-informed as the Tang people or the Yuan people. It was a bit surprising to see these people who were covered in black as carbon.

"This is Heisi!" Shan Liantian sighed as he looked at the native who was cautiously confronting him not far away.

Although there were no black slaves in Ming Dynasty, the theory of Kunlun slaves is widely spread.As for the black servants, it was said in the Yuan Dynasty. In the capital (Beijing) at that time, the status of a family was measured only by whether it had raised black servants and whether it had Korean maidservants.After the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the channel to obtain black slaves from the Silk Road was cut off, and black slaves only existed in legends.

Whoosh!

A wooden spear tore through the air, landed far in front of the Ming army's formation, and plunged obliquely into the soil.

"I heard that the black servants are very docile, but the black servants here are so wild?" Zhen Guodong walked up to Shan Liantian, and continued following Shan Liantian's words.

This is not a warning to the Ming army.

Because it is impossible for the Ming army to allow these wild men with weapons to enter the combat range, and these black servants are located in a position where even the bows of the Ming Dynasty cannot shoot, let alone the wooden spears thrown by humans?

"This should be a benchmark for our own people." Shan Liantian turned his head and said, "They just don't want us to step forward, and they don't intend to attack."

Speaking of "offensive", Shan Liantian unconsciously thought of "entering the palace".

"Hei Si is like a horse, not afraid of fierceness, as long as he is gelding, he will be docile." Shan Liantian said.

Zhen Guodong shook his head in disgust: "It's pitch black, I don't need it even if it's meek. What should we do? Shall we fight?"

Shan Liantian took a deep breath and struggled: "It stands to reason that no matter what the other party's background is, it's easy to talk after being subdued. But they look like this, are they considered human or monkeys or gorillas? If they are hurt by us, will they be hurt?" Just escape into the mountains and not come out?"

How to face up to the more and more discovered barbarians, the public opinion in Ming Dynasty is extremely controversial.The more extreme point of view is that they are not human beings, they can only be regarded as orangutans, monkeys, etc., and even the distinction between Hua and Yi cannot be applied to them unless they learn language and can communicate.

The military does not have the leisure to discuss the definition of human beings, and it is not like the bureaucrats have practical needs-if the aborigines are considered human beings, then they must have a bottom line in the use of manpower, otherwise they will accept the moral judgment of domestic public opinion.

"Your Highness has an order:" The messenger ran to the front of the formation: "Send steamed buns, bread, and barbecue, and see if we can communicate."

"Continue to be vigilant." Shan Liantian ordered, then turned his head and said: "The person who delivers things over should not surpass that spear."

The handymen didn't have the courage to go straight to the ground to deliver things. These black servants were said to be cannibals.

Soon, someone excitedly raised a large plate of white flour steamed buns and noodle cakes piled up into a tower, and carried the cut and roasted pork to the wooden spear, lined up, and quickly retreated to the Ming army.The strangers on the opposite side were obviously also confused by the strange behavior of these weirdos, but their strong curiosity still made them send their hands to carry the gift back.

Zhu Cizhao also rushed to the front of the confrontation, just in time to see the natives carrying the gifts back, and asked quickly: "Have they eaten?"

"I haven't seen it, I don't know if they will eat it." Shan Liantian said.

"Australia has already fought with the natives, but I think Taiwan's approach is good." Zhu Cizhao subconsciously explained to his friends: "It's just killing people blindly. Who will cut down trees, open mountains, and build roads for us?"

Shan Liantian nodded: "Your Highness has decided to set up a fort here?"

"Build a wooden stronghold first." Zhu Cizhao looked at the wooden spear: "It is probably enough to deal with these natives."

"You can erect an earthen wall." Zhen Guodong knelt down and twisted some earth in his hands.

……

Papua Island - The natives on Ping Island are still in the Stone Age, without any metallurgical ability. The most advanced weapon is the "sharp" stone axe, and the number is scarce.More fighters use wooden sharpened wooden spears, mainly for throwing attacks, and have not yet formed assassination routines, let alone array.

However, as a common habit of human beings, after getting a soft object, after observing and smelling it, you can basically judge whether it should be put in your mouth for a taste.In particular, steamed buns and noodle cakes are put together with barbecue, giving them a hint: these are all food.

Even in the Stone Age, humans have learned to grill animal carcasses to eat.

After eating the food given by the outsiders, it was the choice of these natives related to their own destiny.If they return gifts, then the two sides may develop and utilize Ping Island together in a friendly atmosphere, and Ming's army may even eliminate tribal enemies for them.

If they unceremoniously came to ask for it empty-handed, then King Yong would have no choice but to greet them with firecrackers. (To be continued..)

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