Rise of the 1630s South America

Chapter 128 Bordeaux Situation ([-])

A piece of news has recently circulated among the many unemployed textile workers in Bordeaux.

It started with a bankrupt spinning worker living in the countryside who was about to become a debt slave because he couldn’t repay the loan. At the critical moment, he asked a man from the east coast who had chatted with him for help, and he didn’t expect much. It is based on the attitude of treating a dead horse as a living horse doctor.Unexpectedly, only one day later, the East Coaster brought a purse and said that he would pay off the long-standing two-franc debt for him.Of course, the premise is that the bankrupt worker needs to sign a legal document that voluntarily emigrates to the East China Republic and will work for the East China Republic for five years without pay.

The spinner signed the document without hesitation, and then took his wife, two daughters and a son out of the dirty and run-down hut, and lived in the temporary living place prepared for him by the East Coast .The people on the east coast told them to make all preparations, and maybe they will take a boat to the East Port of the New World in the near future.

This rumor, popular among weavers, spread throughout Bordeaux in just a few days.Some good-natured people talked about the whole thing as a rare topic of conversation. They described it vividly, and of course there were some "unrealistic" news that sounded like "exaggeration" and "anecdote".For example, the government of the East Coast Republic of China provides three meals a day for the people of the whole country free of charge, and the dishes are rich, including fish and shrimp, poultry eggs, fresh vegetables, and even expensive beef.

God!Whoever said that must be crazy!How much will this cost?Is the underground of this country full of gold?Perhaps only heaven can have such abundance!

Although many people hold skeptical, contemptuous and mocking attitudes, as they are unemployed for a long time and the pressure of life is getting heavier, many people, under the guidance of the "enthusiasts" sent by the Pasquale family, procrastinate. The family took the mouth and found it in the East Coast Republic Commercial Station.After some careful inquiry and inspection, they were told that they needed to sign an application document for voluntary immigration to the East China Republic, as well as a contract labor contract.

The contract stipulates that each adult immigrant needs to serve the East China Republic for more than three years without compensation, and the specific number of years depends on the situation.For example, if you owe a debt in the Old World and need the East Coast Republic to help you repay it, then you need to serve for a few more years to offset the debt.The maximum period of unpaid service shall not exceed seven years, and after the service period expires, you can become a free citizen of the East Coast Republic of China.In general, this is a relatively fair agreement, and many French workers who have no choice have signed this document.Then live in the temporary living tent prepared by the Pasquale family, and wait for the day when the ship arrives to set sail for the New World.

At present, the work of immigration is entirely done by the people of the General Intelligence Bureau.It has been a full week since June 6th when the first local bankrupt workers came to sign up.At present, with the assistance of the Pasquale family employees, the agents of the Intelligence Bureau headed by Mo Ming have recruited more than 25 households of textile workers from Bordeaux and nearby areas, and the total number has exceeded 200.

With the hot sales of East Coast cloth in the Gascogne region, the number of bankrupt workers in towns other than Bordeaux and in vast rural areas is also gradually increasing, and the risks and benefits contained in this are self-evident.After all, the Pasquale family can't just take money and do nothing. They teamed up with the Flores family of the textile guild to send a large number of people to various towns and villages in the Gascony region, persuasion, temptation, threats and other means He did everything possible to bring those textile workers who were in desperate situation due to bankruptcy, including cotton ginners, rinsers, spinners, weavers, dyers, etc., back to Bordeaux with their families, and handed them over to Mo Ming et al.Of course, their behavior is not free, and the cost will be deducted from the purchase price.

Not everyone is willing to go with them.Except for a small number of single young people who joined the ranks of beggars and sailors, most of them embarked on the adventurous road to Quebec under the influence of the church.For this reason, the uncle of Baron Loris, Bishop Loris of the local church, even received attention from his superiors because of his ability to immigrate.

According to the statistics of the General Intelligence Bureau agent Bi Lasi, as of July 7, a total of more than 5 French people went to the New World to colonize Quebec through the channel of the church, most of them were young and middle-aged men.The dumping action of Travelers unexpectedly promoted the process of French colonization of North America. Mo Ming, who heard the news, couldn't help showing a dumbfounding expression on his face.

Like Mo Ming, there is also Mr. David Ludwig, a big shot in Bordeaux and a famous loan shark.The guy known as the Jewish vampire was listening to the news in astonishment at this time, and his loyal servant was responsible for reporting to him the "worthy of attention" things that happened in the outside world every day.

"This group of damn...whether it's 'Oriental' or 'East Coast' are recruiting and bewitching those damned untouchables to settle in the New World?" Ludwig didn't even care about his favorite New Granada coffee After drinking, he asked in a deep voice: "Who is helping him with these things? Well, it must be the son of old Pasquale, and that Flores who always fights against me. How many people have they got?" ?”

"I can't count this accurately." The old servant replied cautiously, "According to the information I circulated from the outside world and the number of tents temporarily purchased by the Pasquale family, they should have accommodated nearly 300 people. Moreover, recently they The speed of taking in these bankrupt untouchables is on the rise, and it should be that these untouchables found that the situation has not improved after running out of money, so they decided to go to the New World to try their luck."

"Yes, you guessed right, Hugo." Ludwig stood up and said as he walked, "They only partially alleviated the unemployment wave in Bordeaux by doing this. There are thousands of textile workers in Gascogne. There are tens of thousands of practitioners and family members. What is the use of these hundreds of people? As long as we think of a way, it is not difficult to cause trouble. The only troublesome thing is that now these untouchables know that the East Coast people are recruiting They, with a retreat in mind, will not be so resolute in their actions."

"Moreover, the church is now absorbing these unemployed workers and sending them to Quebec for colonization." The old servant Hugo reminded, "More than half a year ago, the Jesuit missionaries in Quebec wrote back to Paris, requesting more dispatches from China." The immigrants went to Quebec to consolidate the mission area there. Lord Richelieu agreed to the request of the Jesuit priests and ordered the country to encourage immigration to the New World. The local Bishop Loris took this opportunity to take in bankrupt workers. It is said that in Under the "inspiration" of the Bishop's personality, more than 500 people have decided to go to Quebec to farm, fish or hunt fur. My lord, I have to say that in this situation, our chances of winning are not very high. I find it hard to believe that these untouchables would take risks and act against them when they had no way out."

Ludwig remained silent.After a long time, Ludwig sat back in his chair and said a little tiredly: "Hugo, we have no retreat this time. It is not a pity that we lost the textile factory in Bordeaux. I will dismiss the workers and invest the money in shipbuilding factory. But will people from the East Coast be satisfied with the markets of Bordeaux and even Gascogne and stop there?"

"This is absolutely impossible!" Hugo nodded.

"That's right! People from the East Coast will not stop at Gascogne. They will enter La Rochelle, Marseille, Lyon, Calais and even Paris in the future. Most of the family's industries in Lyon and Marseille are concentrated in cotton and silk textiles. The profit contributed every year is more than half, and this is the foundation that I cannot abandon. So, I must do something to stop these crazy people from the east coast." Ludwig said resolutely.

"How?" Hugo asked tremblingly, he had a bad feeling.

"The people on the east coast must die!" Ludwig said firmly, "They must die! As long as the people on the east coast in Bordeaux die, those people on the east coast in the New World will no longer trust the damn Pasquale family. The foundation of their cooperation will be shaken, and it may even lead to a break and confrontation between them. As long as things develop to this point, our crisis will naturally be resolved. And the East Bank will also be far away from Bordeaux, Gascogne or even All France goes away."

"So..." Hugo hesitated.

"Go find that Scotchman!" Ludwig waved his hand, "Give him money! Let him and his accomplices be quicker. I hope to hear good news as soon as possible."

"It's just..." Hugo was still a little hesitant.

"Are you scared?" Ludwig walked up to Hugo, looked at the old servant who had been with him for more than 20 years, and said with a gloomy face: "This is not the first time, Hugo, what are you afraid of? Back then You are in Marseilles, have the guts to kill that baron..."

"No! Don't say it!" Hugo gasped violently, looked up at Ludwig suddenly, and then lowered his head after a while, and said: "I need a hundred francs, no, maybe two hundred. I understand Leicester, he is a very greedy guy, but also a very poor guy, maybe I need to buy some guys for them."

"Then go prepare!" Ludwig said without doubt, "I will give you the money and prepare it. Also, tomorrow I have to go to Lyon to deal with the affairs of the silk factory. You'd better get this done before I return to Bordeaux." One thing. Otherwise... I shall be very disappointed, Hugo, you know the consequences."

Hugo calmed down and said calmly, "As you wish, my master."

(End of this chapter)