1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 497
February 1644, 2, Penglai County, Dengzhou, Shandong.

More than 20 boats slowly approached the wharf of Penglai County. A group of soldiers from Qi State in gray military uniforms held muskets and climbed onto the simple wooden trestle. Quickly cleared a large open space in the dock area full of hungry people.The hungry people who were squeezed to the back surged forward unwillingly, trying to regain a front position.

Dozens of Penglai county government officials who maintained order at the wharf ran up to an official in charge of immigration affairs in the Qi State with a smile on their faces, and looked at him eagerly while asking for credit.

Duan Xuan, deputy commander of Changshan Island, looked at the dark crowd at the pier, and sighed slightly in his heart. It is impossible for Changshan Island to take in all the hungry people, which means that many of them will be taken in because of this. Frozen and starved to death.

Duan Xuan ordered a small township captain to lead several yamen servants to the boat docked by the pier, each of them received a small bag of rice and one silver dollar, and then sent them away.Then, he nodded to the scribes beside him, signaling them to start recruiting.

"Those who can read and write stand over here!" A scribe stood in front of the dark crowd of hungry people and shouted loudly.

"I!"

"I know how to read!"

"I went to school..."

"I've been a scholar... and I almost passed the exam."

"..."

Many hungry people shouted and rushed forward.

"Don't squeeze!" A few Qi country soldiers brandished their scabbards and lashed at the crowd, "Come one by one, if you squeeze again, I'll cut you off!"

"Take out some of the grain on the boat, and ask the officials in Penglai County to quickly open two soup kitchens. In such a situation, how can we recruit people!" Duan Xuan ordered.

The turbulent crowd on the pier kept pushing forward, trying to let the people of Qi country take themselves and their family away first, so that they could live.

"Stand over here for those who know how to work..., regardless of medical craftsmen, blacksmiths, carpenters, shipwrights..., those who have special skills will be recruited first!"

Tens of thousands of refugees have accumulated in Penglai County, all of whom have fled here from various places in Shandong, and there are even hungry people who have come from as far away as Henan and Hebei.In the spring and summer of last year, severe droughts in various places, coupled with locust plagues and military disasters, almost made countless Ming people fall into a situation of having nothing.Bark, grass roots, gophers, and even flies were eaten.In many places, tragedies of cannibalism also occurred, and the land of the Central Plains was in panic, like a ghost land.

Although, after two large-scale transfers of the Qi State immigrant fleet, the stranded population on Changshan Island was reduced to more than [-] in January.However, in just over a month, Changshan Island either took the initiative or was passive, and as many as [-] to [-] hungry people landed on the island.In order to ensure the safety and food reserves of the island, the commander of Changshan Island, Zhao Hongxing, had to temporarily tighten the behavior of the hungry people landing on the island, and no longer sent ships to take the hungry people to the island on a large scale.

But he knew that if Changshan Island did not use force to drive them away, when the weather turned warmer, many hungry people would venture to the island to beg for food.Because too many people know that in the whole of Shandong, only Changshan Island has enough food.

In order to cope with the influx of hungry people in the later stage, Zhao Hongxing became ruthless and refused to recruit ordinary hungry people, and instead began to select scholars and various craftsmen; Zheng’s boats tried their best to evacuate many hungry people on Changshan Island to Hanxing Island (today’s Miyako Island in Japan), Xinsheng Island near Annan (today’s Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam), Lin’an Fort (today’s Vung Tau City in Vietnam) and other places.

"...Hey, you idiot, you don't know anything, what are you doing here to sign up?" In the immigration recruitment area, a clerk scolded loudly: "We recruited people from Qi State this time. People with great skills, you should retreat first. Go over there and eat porridge, and quickly find a way to survive by yourself!"

"I know how to kill people, I know how to do my best!" A thick man grabbed the scabbard of the villager who drove him away, and said loudly: "Didn't you say that anyone with a skill can sign up to come to your place to fill their stomachs. I can kill people, this is also a craft, isn't it?"

"We have plenty of murderous troops in the National Assembly of Qi, and we don't lack you. Hurry up, or else, you will be cut down here!" Several village soldiers held knives in their hands and slowly forced them over.

"Don't cut me off!" The man let go of his hand and took a few steps back, "You just need to give me a bite of food, and I'll sell you this life. There is a shortage of food everywhere in Shandong. There is still a way out for me to find! I beg you, just give me a bite to eat, and I can help you kill people, or even help you plunder!"

After hearing this, several rural soldiers couldn't help laughing, and then brandished their scabbards, they were about to come over to drive this nonsense man away.Our army of the State of Qi attacked Jiannu twice, and even broke through Gaizhou City where Jiannu was built, and captured and killed more than a thousand Jiannu. We have enough force, so why do we need you, an idiot, to work for your life.

"Lord Duan, have you ever heard of the begging army during the Jin Dynasty?" A scribe who was born as a scholar in Hebei changed his expression and said softly to Duan Xuan.

"The begging army?" Duan Xuan was a little at a loss.

"Collect refugees, equip them with arms, roam around, and live by begging for food. In troubled times, refugees come out, and refugees disturb the world. Today, Hebei and Shandong have been plundered by Hu bandits, and natural disasters continue. The people have nothing to eat, and countless refugees gather. If our state of Qi collects the strong and strong refugees, so that they can rely on them, relying on their no property and residence, just begging for their lives, and there will be no worries in the battle, they will be brave and strong, and they will defeat powerful enemies. Lead it to the peninsula, thinking that it will be eaten. Or you can go to Liaodong to attack Jiannu." The scribe looked at Duan Xuan with burning eyes.

"So... is it possible?" Duan Xuan looked at the scribe in astonishment.

"The humble job thinks it is feasible!" Mei Zhiwen said loudly: "Sit and wait for death, or beg for food, these hungry people who are waiting to be killed have to make a choice. Gather the refugees to build a begging army, and then assist the military governor of the Qi State Economic and Control Army Formation, will be able to control a strong enemy!"

"It makes sense!" Duan Xuan nodded, looked back at the starving people in the dark, and said decisively: "Mei Zhiwen, you go back to Changshan Island and report this idea and suggestion to the commanding officer and Marine Corps Commander Xu, please." They decide as soon as possible!"

"I obey my orders!" Mei Zhiwen happily replied: "If we build a begging army, there will be countless refugees here!"

"In the world, the only way to survive is to beg for a living!" Duan Xuan looked at the countless starving people who were crumbling, with a bit of sympathy on his face, "Life is as cheap as a dog in a troubled world. Pity the countless people of Ming Dynasty! Can you beg for help?" To get a life depends on their personal creation."

On February 2, Xu Chuanxing, the battalion commander of the Second Marine Battalion of the State of Qi, went to Penglai County in person and summoned more than 26 refugees, who were called the self-rescue army. And the township soldiers mobilized dozens of backbones to serve as the army's thousands of generals and hundreds of households, and roughly set up the shelf of this army.

"As I said, killing is also a craft, and you can always make a living!" The thick man who had clashed with Qi Guoxiang soldiers at the pier of Penglai County looked at Changshan Island, which was getting closer and closer. Grinning.

"Since you can kill people, why don't you go to Henan and follow the bandits?" A tall and thin man asked.

"I used to be an officer of the Ming Dynasty anyway, how could I get rid of thieves there?" The man said: "However, if I can't survive in Shandong, I will also find a mountain and become a king of the mountain!"

"In this world, there is no way for ordinary people to survive!" the slender man sighed.
-
On February 2, Weiyuan Island (New Guinea Island), Hudongbao (now Jayapura City, Papua, Indonesia).

Compared with the countless displaced hungry people in Daming, the immigrants stranded in Hudongbao due to various physical reasons belonged to the luckier group.Although they traveled thousands of miles, crossed the oceans, and even experienced life and death before they came to this strange tropical area, they still survived after all.If there is no accident, it is likely to take root here and become a resident of an overseas territory under the rule of Qi.

Hudong Fort, as the name suggests, although this stronghold is built by the sea, there is a huge and narrow lake more than ten miles west of the stronghold.

This settlement was established two years ago by the general administration of Weiyuan Island. It is located between Jinhua Fort (now the city of Lai, Papua New Guinea) and Tongzhou Fort (now the city of Manokwari, Papua, Indonesia). It made up for the long distance between the two places and the lack of midway supplies.

After nearly two years of early-stage development by natives, the infrastructure and surrounding environment of Hudong Fort have been greatly improved. Therefore, in January this year, the Weiyuan Island General Administration dispatched more than [-] Ming people and more than [-] Timorese The arrival of the island natives was considered a major population supplement for the place.

When the eastern immigration fleet returned, more than 40 Ming people who were unable to continue sailing due to illness or physical discomfort were temporarily detained in Hudongbao.After being raised for more than a month, more than ten people died one after another. The remaining less than [-] stranded immigrants were naturally detained by Hudongbao and pretended to be local residents.

For the population, especially the Ming people who are also of Chinese Miao descent, the government departments of the various settlements on Weiyuan Island are extremely eager.However, the annual immigration quota of 500 people set by the Prime Minister's Office for Weiyuan Island was far from enough to fill this huge island.After four or five years, the population of the entire Weiyuan Island was barely over [-] (only the Han Chinese were counted, and the aborigines were not counted), which was less than the population of a single town in Weihai City (now Cairns, Australia).

Moreover, half of the population of Weiyuan Island was concentrated in several settlements around Weiyuan City (now Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea).As a result, the population of the other supply transfer points on Weiyuan Island is somewhat sparse.

In order to obtain the population, the various supply points on Weiyuan Island tried their best to intercept the immigrants through the returning immigrant fleet every year. Some patients who were slightly unwell or suspected of infectious diseases were all kept behind.For some urgently needed craftsmen or scholars in various strongholds, even more forceful methods were used to stop them in place.

It is unfortunate for the Ming people who were stranded in Hudongbao, because the development here has only been two years, and although the general administration of Weiyuan Island has thrown more than 500 natives from Timor Island here, the surrounding environment has also been moderate. Improvements were made.But the various climates and environments here are still very unfriendly to the settlers.

This place belongs to the equatorial rainy climate, the temperature is very high throughout the year, and the annual difference is very small, there is no obvious cold and hot season, only the dry season and the rainy season. From November to April, the northwest monsoon prevails throughout Weiyuan Island, and there is widespread rainfall. Hudongbao, which lives in the northern part, has an annual rainfall of more than 11 mm.

From June to October, when the southeast monsoon prevails, the weather is relatively dry. The monthly precipitation is less than 6 mm, which is an obvious dry season.At this time, it should be the most comfortable season in the northern part of Weiyuan Island such as Hudongbao.If it comes to the season change period when neither monsoon is dominant, there will be no wind and still weather for several weeks, the air will be full of water vapor, the weather will be muggy, with frequent showers, and from January to April, it will often be hit by hurricanes.

This kind of geography and environment is completely different from Daming's alternating cold and hot climates, and the obvious four seasons. For many immigrants, it is very uncomfortable.Therefore, due to unacceptable water and soil, or the impact of climate and environment, many people get sick every year. Of course, the death rate is also somewhat high.

However, these Ming people who arrived here alive were relatively lucky.Compared with Daming, who had no food to eat and no clothes to cover his body, he faced various natural disasters and military disasters every day, and was on the verge of death at any time.Staying in Hudongbao, at least you can eat enough, wear warm clothes (the weather is hot, it seems that there is no need to wear too much), and there are neat and beautiful red brick houses to live in.It is said that after three years of reclamation here, the government will allocate [-] to [-] mu of land to each immigrant, and it can also be passed on to descendants.

After living here for a period of time, the Ming immigrants who had just arrived here gradually discovered a phenomenon that surprised them.That is, the identity of the Ming people, or should be said that the identity of the Han people has an absolutely superior position in Hudongbao.

There are currently more than 700 people in the entire Hudong Fort, while the Han people are only less than 200, but they are in an absolute dominant position here.Various functional departments such as civil affairs officials, township military organizations, wharf management, maritime transportation, medicine and health are all controlled by Han people.

More than 200 Hanzhou natives and Annan people are closely attached to the Han people. In an emergency, they will be temporarily armed by the Han people to jointly deal with various crises.

As for the remaining more than 300 natives of Timor Island and local aborigines, they are in an absolutely disadvantaged position, and they are the main targets of oppression and slavery by the Hudongbao local government and people.

The small Hudong Fort, with only a few hundred people, has already formed a pyramid-like colonial structure, and the governance structure of other areas of Weiyuan Island is basically similar to that of Hudong Fort.

Originally, in the environment of the Ming Dynasty, he belonged to the bottom of the society and existed like a pariah.Unexpectedly, under the rule of the Qi State, his status has been improved and he has become a master.

"Why?" A civil affairs official in Hudongbao sneered, "The status of us Han people on this island is not achieved by us alone! In this world, there are all kinds of injustices. As long as our If the fist is hard enough, you can always become a master, to suppress and enslave those stupid natives."

"Da Ming's fists were not strong enough, so Jian Nu bullied him." An immigrant who had just arrived felt that what the official said was a bit domineering, but it seemed to make sense.

"Da Ming's fist was originally hard, but he couldn't exert any strength." The civil affairs official shook his head and said regretfully.

(End of this chapter)