Forty-eight years of Qianlong

Chapter 602 Penang Guardian Church

"Tell me about the feeling of going to Madras."

An hour later, the tireless Zhao Xin asked Deng Fei about India in the dining room on the Thor.

"Local governance is a big colander, and we can't hide any news. The British already know about our secret agreement with the French, but they still don't know about our agreement with Mysore. I don’t think it will take half a year to figure out the urine nature.”

Deng Fei took a sip of his tea and continued: "Their governor is called Hobart, he is very polite on the surface, and asked a lot about us, and he and the group of British people he met at Dagukou also agreed. I know him. It can be seen that he is very afraid of our intervention. In addition, he also sent me a letter, hoping that we can visit the British mainland while going to France. I think they are very interested in the technology of Thor , when I was in Dagukou before, I asked about things.”

"The French are in a mess these days. At least don't expect it until Napoleon gets up. The era of the British dominating the Indian Ocean is coming." Zhao Xin continued: "We have to give them eye drops in India, otherwise these guys will fly away." If you make a move, you will go to Malacca and northern India."

Deng Fei nodded and said: "Yes! According to our history, in another six years, Tipu Sultan will die, and the British will clean up the Maratha Alliance in the next step. Break them one by one. I said, you Don’t you think the posture of the British is a bit like the state of Qin that destroyed the six kingdoms?”

Zhao Xin sneered at this: "'Bribe his powerful ministers to disrupt his schemes' can be regarded as sowing dissension! The British military strength in India is not yet the strongest, so it is natural to play tricks to assist them. .”

Historically, during the 92 years of the British East India Company's armed conquest of India, there was no complete and unified military strategic plan at all, which also prevented the East India Company from conquering India solely by military means.Although they have cultivated and developed a military force that can be used for aggression, their performance on the battlefield is often unsatisfactory due to military expenditures, and they rely more on diplomatic measures and even conspiracy to assist them, and they are becoming more and more handy.Looking back at the previous wars of conquest against India, only the "Battle of Asaya" in 1803 was won purely by military factors.

Deng Fei thought about it: "In my opinion, the biggest problem in Mysore's military is not the lack of weapons, nor the number of people, but the fact that they have not formed their own military system, and they rely too much on the instructors sent by the French. I visited the military school opened by the British for the native officers in Madras, although it was just a glimpse, but as far as I personally feel, it is much better than the French.”

Zhao Xin nodded and said: "The Beihai Navy has been in business for so many years, and the financial, material and manpower invested can scare people to death. Those power plants who don't participate think that with the guns that cross the age, they can conquer the world. I am too lazy to follow They explained that the military revolution has never been pure weapon technology, but the combination of centralized government and fiscal taxation! Without enough funds, it is impossible to support the training and management of modern troops. The era of hot weapons requires huge funds and No matter how rich these maharajas in India are, they can’t afford management costs.”

Deng Fei said: "Yes, that's why I suggested to Tip at that time to support him in unifying South India. Otherwise, with his financial resources, he would be a standing army of two battalions at most."

Zhao Xin took a sip of tea to moisturize his throat and continued: "Their relationship with the French is too close, just watch, the British will use France as an excuse to deal with him sooner or later."

Deng Fei then mentioned the language problem, and Zhao Xin also felt dizzy when he heard it; whether it was people from the Special War Battalion learning French, or people from Mysore learning Chinese, it didn't take a year or so for them to fail at all.He has the same opinion as Deng Fei, and "cramming teaching" is the only option at present.

"Before I left, Guofeng had already set off with the first batch of arms and 50 silver coins, and it is estimated that he has arrived in Ryukyu by now. The sultan must have seen the goods and felt more at ease. What is the name of our land? The name is so awkward, I can’t always remember it.”

"Pazayara."

"Forget it, let's call it Pacheng for our official records in the future. It's simple and easy to remember. After the weapons arrive on the shore, they will be placed in Pacheng. You can visit them if you want, but you can't let them take them back to Mysore until you know how to use them."

"Tip gave us a lot of gold crafts, take a look at them and take them away quickly. I have been guarded by guards every day, and I can't sleep well."

"Ah."

Zhao Xin looked at the wall clock on the wall and saw that it was past four o'clock, so he decided to end the conversation and go back to the cabin to sleep.To refuel the Thunder God tomorrow, Deng Fei will have to be busy for at least half a day.

On the next morning, Deng Fei declined the invitation of the French officials on Bourbon Island on the grounds that he wanted to maintain the Thor, and then began to prepare for refueling.

It is said that the fuel consumption of an ocean-going ship includes the fuel consumption of four parts: the main engine, the generator set, the boiler, and the shore power at the port.Take Raytheon as an example. The ship is equipped with a 2500kw marine diesel engine. If it runs at full speed, the fuel consumption per hour is 488 liters, which is 11.7 kiloliters a day; and the fuel tank of Raytheon is specially modified. To install 200 tons of fuel oil, in addition to supplying the main engine, plus the fuel consumption of other places, it is fully calculated, and 15 days is the warning level.

Usually, the Thunder God runs around the Sendai Domain and Kuye Island, which is completely fine, but once it is going to go on an ocean voyage, Zhao Xin has to play. According to the voyage, plan the route time, and he must show up when the time comes, otherwise the Thunder God I can only lie down.So you know why Beihai Town didn't dare to send the bigger Jinglei to Europe, it consumes at least 20~30 tons of diesel a day!
Even if Zhao Xin can recite it, the diesel output of Bitter Leaf Island is still hard to afford!If it weren't for Deng Fei's urgency, Zhao Xin would never have asked Ding Guofeng to go to India on the Jinglei.This is also the reason why he is thinking about Sumatra Island. If the two cargo ships in Beihai Town want to enter and leave Malacca frequently in the future, there must be a fuel supply point in Southeast Asia.

When Zhao Xin arrived at Bourbon Island, He Xiwen, who had received an order from the North Navy’s staff, had already sailed northward from Bacheng, crossed the Strait of Malacca, and arrived at George Town on Prince of Wales Island (Penang Island). I want to meet here a Jiapidan from Fujian, who used to be a small leader of the Tiandihui, named Gu Lihuan.Speaking of it, this person is the great-grandfather of Gu Hongming, who is known as the "weird man in the late Qing Dynasty" in later generations.

In 1786, the British East India Company sent Captain Francis Wright to the Kedah Sultanate to negotiate the cession of Penang in exchange for military protection from the British East India Company.Soon the British got Penang, renamed it "Prince of Wales Island", and named the settlement on the island "George Town", which is actually a village - George town.

Gu Lihuan came in the second year after he arrived in England. While visiting the British, he also brought hundreds of Chinese from Siam to help the British clear and level the land.At the inauguration ceremony of Chief Wrightton, Gu Lihuan presented him with some fishing nets as a gift, and was subsequently appointed as the first Kapitan.

So you see, speculation is really a science. Gifts are not important. If the timing is right, you can be an official with a rag.But then again, Gu Lihuan is quite capable and has a good eye, and he understands both English and French, and has a very good relationship with the Sultan of Aceh, Alam Saiya, and also has a good relationship with the Sultan of Kedah , won the trust of the British governor.Within a few years, Gu Lihuan relied on the big tree of the British to become a high-ranking person in Georgetown.

"Master, in the afternoon, someone sent a greeting card and two boxes of gifts."

In the evening, in a house named "Guard" in Chinatown in George Town, Gu Lihuan, who had just returned home and finished changing clothes, took a bright red post from the housekeeper, opened it, and was immediately stunned.

The steward said again: "The messenger said that they didn't live in the city, but they are now living on a Tang boat in the harbor."

"He Xiwen..." Gu Lihuan frowned and thought for a moment, then suddenly his eyes focused, and he thought, didn't this person go to Annan to become an official?I had heard of this person when I was in Siam before, and it was said that he was also a member of the Heaven and Earth Society. Later, he became a pirate, and a few years ago, he transformed into a navy general of Ruan Phuc Anh.Although he is now an "upper class" in the village, who was not poor back then?Still the same sentence, if you are not poor, what will you do if you are not poor? !
"Well, I'm living on the boat." Gu Lihuan responded casually, and he turned his head to glance, and saw two large carved boxes on the table.He is now in his 30s and hasn't married yet, so no one in his family dares to touch him.So he stepped forward and opened one of them to look, and couldn't help but gasped in surprise.

In the box is a ginseng tied with a red string. According to Gu Lihuan's knowledge, it is definitely the best Northeast ginseng, which is rare in Nanyang.He then opened another larger rectangular box, and found that it was actually full of cut sika deer antlers.

Good guy!He Xiwen actually gave such an expensive gift, what is he planning to do?The British don't get involved in the affairs of Guangnan. Could it be that he wants to buy weapons from the British?

Gu Lihuan looked at the clock on the case. It was already past eight o'clock in the evening. It is not appropriate to visit the port now, so it is better to go tomorrow morning.Thinking of this, he asked the steward, "Do you know which boat they are on?"

"I know, someone told me."

"Okay! Now take my post and go to the pier and tell that Mr. He, no, it's Mr. He, and say that Gu will visit on time at the beginning of tomorrow."

On a [-]-ton Tang ship moored at the port, Huang Zhongtong asked He Xiwen curiously: "Brother, let's come to Penang to meet the surname Gu. Is it useful to make such a big circle? According to me, it's better to go to the other side of the strait to find someone. The Sultan of Aceh bought the land directly, how easy it is!"

"You know what! Can you speak the local dialect?" He Xiwen held a toothpick in his mouth and said disdainfully: "The order from the staff department said that this time not only to buy the village across the street, but also to buy the village from Johor. The Sultan bought the southernmost part of the island. This guy surnamed Gu is a local snake in Penang, and he can talk to several Sultans, so asking him to do this will get twice the result with half the effort!"

He Xiwen hadn't studied much, and since he became an official in Guangnan, he often came up with idioms that don't match the horse's mouth.Huang Zhongtong wanted to remind him, but he flattened his mouth and gave up. He has been scolded several times for this matter.

"Brother, I heard from that boy surnamed Zheng that after the two of us finish our business, we will have to go to Beihai Town to take some classes in the spring of next year. Who will watch Ryukyu in the future? What does King Zhao mean?"

He Xiwen glared and said: "Don't talk nonsense! Prince Zhao, you dare to talk about it, don't you want to live?!"

Huang Zhongtong turned his head and looked at the door of the captain's room, and explained: "I'm asking you for advice, how dare I say that it's the fault of Prince Zhao."

He Xiwen snorted, frowned, and ignored him.To be honest, he couldn't understand the arrangement above. He had just stayed in Ryukyu for half a year, and his buttocks hadn't warmed up yet, so he was sent to Nanyang and had to buy land.In his opinion, the Beihai Navy has strong ships and powerful guns, so what should you buy?Just go ashore and grab it, anyone who dares to stab them will be bombarded with cannons!
As for the rules of the Beihai Navy, there are so many rules, and an official still has to go to school.He remembered the homework that Zheng Wenxian had told him before, and couldn't help biting his teeth, it was killing me!
In the morning of the next day, Gu Lihuan arrived at the port on time with the long entourage who delivered the post yesterday.By the way, He Xiwen and his ship borrowed the name of Kapitan Wang Zhusheng from Bacheng when they entered the port for inspection and registration yesterday, saying that they came here to purchase spices, so when Gu Lihuan hadn't approached, he saw a lot of Malays. People and Chinese are loudly soliciting business on the trestle bridge.

Because he is a prominent figure in the local area, when everyone at the port saw Jiapitan coming, they all greeted him respectfully.Gu Lihuan asked his attendants to board the boat to report, while he smiled and bowed his hands to everyone he knew one by one.Not long after, I saw two people coming down from the Narcissus Gate of the Tang boat. The leader was tall and tall, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a face with Chinese characters. He wore a sun-shading bamboo hat and a dark lake silk robe. ; while the man behind him was wearing bunt and also wearing a bamboo hat.

"He Xiwen, I have admired brother Gu's name for a long time, and I am honored to meet you today!"

"Brother He, look forward to it for a long time!"

"This is my deputy, Huang Zhongtong."

Because the pier was too noisy, when the three met Li, Gu Lihuan was led onto the boat and went directly to the captain's room.As soon as he entered the door, He Xiwen raised his right hand, with his thumb pointing to the sky, his little finger pointing to the ground, and pressing the middle three fingers on his heart, he said to Gu Lihuan: "Mu Li fights the world to know!"

Seeing this, Gu Lihuan smiled slightly, and made the same gesture: "All sworn brothers in the flood are together!"

"Haha, Mr. He once heard in Guangnan that Jiapitan in Penang is my Hongmen brother. When we met today, it is true! Mr. He is from Sichuan. In the 49th year of Qianlong's reign in Huizhou, he was introduced to the meeting by Zhang Tinghe and his elder brother."

"The following is the 47th year of Qianlong's reign. In Zhangzhou, brother Yan Yan recommended him to join the association. In the 49th year of Qianlong's reign, he was wanted by the imperial court and had no choice but to go to Siam. Penang since the 51st year of Qianlong's reign. Brother Ho's name has long been known!"

Then the two parties discussed their ages, and it turned out that He Xiwen was two years older than Gu Lihuan.Although Gu Lihuan is a native of Jiapidan, he is still a businessman at heart. Compared with He Xiwen's previous official position in Guangnan, which is the third rank, he is not a star and a half, so he called him brother.

After waiting for the sailors on the boat to bring some tea and snacks and retreat, Gu Lihuan cupped his hands and said, "Brother He, the gift you entrusted yesterday is really expensive, I am ashamed to take it! Since you are in Penang, if you need help from me, please help me." Please be frank. My brother is quite familiar with the local people, and the British can speak well, as long as he can help, he will definitely do a good job!"

"Okay!" He Xiwen said with a smile, "You don't need to be overly humble, brother. From Java to Siam, who doesn't know that you have been honored as the first Kapitan in Penang? It's just a small gift, just a congratulations."

Gu Li Huanxin said that third-rank officials are different!Can not help but give birth to a trace of envy.

(End of this chapter)