1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 936 Sunda Strait
For Zhang Yun, the strategic position of the Sunda Strait does not mean much. He is more interested in the diversity of creatures living in this sea channel connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean.The special species bred on the island environment of Java and Sumatra between the two oceans are also an important research content of his southward trip.Although these research projects did not have much effect on Haihan's expansion of territory, the Executive Committee still gave Zhang Yun's department a lot of support, allowing him to come to these places on a warship for on-the-spot investigations—in terms of salary It is said that he is no worse than Darwin. Darwin established the theory of evolution after he followed the British Navy's Beagle warship for five years and collected a lot of first-hand information.

However, Zhang Yun could only arrange his own investigation plan according to the fleet's itinerary. For example, the fleet's itinerary did not arrange to land on the volcanic island in the strait. This made Zhang Yun, who wanted to see the active crater, a little disappointed.

On November [-]th, when Yan Chujie and Fan Dimen were arguing endlessly on the island, Zhang Yun's fleet crossed the Sunda Strait and arrived at the coast of Sumatra.

The fleet arrived at a small fishing port named Bakau. This destination was guided by the guides sent by the Matalan people. The southeastern tip of Sumatra Island is the territory of the Matalam country. The guides coordinated the fleet from the local The difficulty of obtaining supplies has been greatly reduced.

However, the aborigines here are not good at farming, and the supplies that the fleet can get from here are mostly seafood, poultry, vegetables and fruits. Zhang Yun saw these dark-skinned aborigines who are not familiar with the world, and couldn't help but think of the time-traveling group in Victory Port. When the landing was just completed, the residents of the local fishing village at that time looked at the group of outsiders by the sea with such fearful and curious eyes.

Of course, this small fishing port does not have a natural harbor, and the conditions cannot be compared with the Shengli Port that was determined after repeated selection by the preparatory committee at that time.However, Roger was surprised to find that there is actually a small-scale sun-dried salt field nearby, and the production method used is very similar to the official salt field in Danzhou.After asking the locals, Roger learned that this salt drying field was also built by the Han people in Nanyang in the early years, and the sea salt produced was not only used by the local aborigines, but also part of it was sold to Bandanan, the largest town nearby. The list can be regarded as one of the main incomes of this small place in Bakaw.

Roger continued to inquire, and found several locals who could speak Chinese, all of whom were descendants of Han Chinese.However, these people have multiplied in the local area for several generations, and their bloodlines have long been impure. Apart from being able to speak a few words of Chinese that are not fluent, they are almost the same as the local aborigines.Roger tried to show these people the books printed by Haihan himself, but no one could read the Chinese characters on them. He asked them where their ancestors were from, but they couldn't get a clear answer.

"It's a pity!" Roger put away the books and sighed with regret: "It's a pity that the Han culture has not been preserved!"

Zhang Yun was quite surprised by Roger's reaction: "I didn't see that you admired Han culture so much, but these people really don't have much chance of education in such a remote place, and it's reasonable to be illiterate."

Luo Jie glanced at Zhang Yun, shook his head and said, "It's none of my business if they can't read or write!"

Zhang Yun said in amazement: "Then what are you regretting?"

"As long as we can link these descendants of Han people with Haihan and prove that they are relatives of the same race and clan as us, can't we settle here?" Roger explained: "Since ancient times, you have always used these four words. Do you understand what it means?"

Although Zhang Yun is devoted to academics, he is not the kind of nerd who keeps his ears to the outside world. Of course, he knows how useful the words "since ancient times" are in the field of diplomacy and international relations.It is easy to find the roots of Haihan's development in the north. After all, most of these people are from the Chinese region. They grew up under the influence of Han culture. Their language and values ​​are in line with the current Ming Dynasty. It is not difficult to exchange for a chance to gain a foothold.But if you want to go south to occupy some overseas enclaves, and don't want to be as simple and crude as the Western colonists did without technical content, then you have to make good use of this "since ancient times" power.

When Hai Han seized the Ambuna Islands from the Dutch, he used this as a reason, thinking that the area had been settled by Han people in ancient times, and it should belong to the territory of the Han people.Since it used to be the territory of the Han people, of course it must be returned to the original owner and returned to the rule of the Han people. Of course, the Han people who rule this place now refer to Daming or Haihan, so no one has delved into this issue.Only when the teacher is famous can he explain the reasons for launching the war in a grand manner both internally and externally.But the Dutch couldn't figure out these relationships, and Daming wasn't interested in meddling in such nosy matters, so the Haihan people who took advantage of it naturally wouldn't take the initiative to explain anything.

After that, Haihan settled in Taiwan and drove away the Spaniards, all using similar reasons.There is no doubt that this is a good reason that has been tried and tested. As long as the banner of "since ancient times" is played, and then corresponding military actions are taken, it will be justified.Although the proportion of Han Chinese in the Haihan Army is only about [-] to [-]%, this will not affect the combatants' understanding of the purpose of the battle. Absolute trust and obedience to the Executive Committee will drive these soldiers to carry out the commander's orders without hesitation. Order.

Zhang Yun wanted to understand the mystery, and couldn't help laughing: "Actually, Westerners don't care about the reason for doing it like we do. The entire history of Europe is continuous conquest and division. In order to occupy more places, any excuse may become an excuse." The reason for the war. Greece and Troy fought for a beautiful woman for ten years. Louis VII of France was abandoned because he shaved his beard, and his wife was passed on to King Henry II of England. Later, it even triggered a protracted war between Britain and France. Are these reasons for starting the war ridiculous enough? In fact, they are all excuses to start wars to conquer other countries. As long as you want to fight, there will be no reason."

Roger muttered: "Only if we are civilized enough, can we consider these trivial matters so carefully. If we want to change to a country like the Netherlands and Portugal, I'm afraid it would have been robbed directly."

Zhang Yun nodded and replied: "That's actually true. The process of these European colonists coming to the Far East was to rob all the way. They not only robbed wealth and land, but even people. You see, they sold The slaves on Ambuna Island are from all races and colors of the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, and the plantations on the island are simply ethnographic museums.”

European colonists basically used predatory means to develop Asia, Africa and Latin America in the age of great voyages. The early contacts were mainly robbing, and they would try to establish trade relations with big countries that could not be defeated.This set of methods helped the colonists quickly accumulate wealth and expand the scale of operations in the early stages. If it hadn’t been for Haihan’s appearance in this time and space, which disrupted the original historical development track, in the next three centuries, the Far East would basically be affected. influenced by Western colonists.

And Haihan's current expansion model has more or less borrowed from the practices of Western counterparts, but compared with these foreign devils who came from thousands of miles away, Haihan has a unique advantage in race, and the team composed of most Han people is in the Far East. The difficulty of settling down is much less than that of Europeans, and at this time the power of the Celestial Kingdom is still there, and the countries around the Ming Dynasty are more willing to accept the power of the Han people, and they will not be as estranged as the European colonists who came to the local area.

The joint fleet stayed at Bakau fishing port for a short rest for a day, and then set off to continue sailing westward along the coastline.After a half-day trip, the fleet arrived at Bandar Lampung, the largest port town in the Sunda Strait region.

Banda Lampung means "floating port" in the local dialect. This place is the first stop from Java Island to Sumatra Island. It is only 40 nautical miles away from the narrowest point of the Sunda Strait. Even the sea armed forces are not strong. The country of Mata Lan also deployed a fleet here.However, the combat effectiveness of this fleet is obviously very worrying. It was not until the combined fleet sailed within sight of the shore that the warships docked on the shore finally responded. sail away from the coast.

Fortunately, the United Fleet also anticipated the possible chaos, so they prepared the Matalan flag in advance and hung it on the bow.After a while of chaos in the port, someone finally discovered that the fleet was flying under its own flag, and did not enter the port rashly.The port side quickly sent a small boat over to inquire, only to find out that this is a joint fleet composed of Haihan, Champa, and Annan, and it has been endorsed by senior officials of the country, allowing them to stop at the port of Matalam for supplies.

After a false alarm, the fleet sailed smoothly into the port to dock.Relying on the written materials provided by Abondo, the fleet was allowed to resupply and conduct a three-day goodwill visit here.

Although Bandar Lampung is known as the first port in the south of Sumatra Island, in fact the scale of this port is relatively limited. According to Mu Xiabo, it is similar to the Hoi An Port in Annan before it was destroyed.Due to the war between Mataram and the East India Company, there were no sailing ships from Western countries here, but many merchant ships from the Middle East bought local spices and sold cotton cloth and other handicrafts here.

Although these Persian merchants did not like to open up colonies everywhere like Western colonists, their scope of activities in the Far East was not much worse than that of Western maritime powers such as the Netherlands.As long as there is a small-scale trading port in the Far East, it is not difficult to see these Persian merchants wearing turbans and robes, even the ports under the control of Haihan are no exception.In terms of business ability alone, these Arab businessmen are not inferior to Haihan.

Although there is no living space for wild animals here, Zhang Yun took two apprentices to the market, intending to see the local customs and customs to gain some knowledge.But this trip was not in vain. They found something good after they went to the market not long ago.

Zhang Yun saw a group of people pointing and talking around a corner, so he squeezed into the crowd to watch the excitement, but he didn't expect that there was a big iron cage inside, and there was a tiger lying in the cage.

"Sumatran tiger!" Zhang Yun called out at once, but the people around him couldn't understand his language, so they didn't know what he was screaming.

The Sumatran tiger is the smallest species of tigers. Its body length including the tail is no more than two meters, and its weight is about 120 kilograms. The female tiger is even smaller.Coupled with its dark orange fur and dense stripes, it is easily distinguished from other tiger species.

Zhang Yun quickly seized the time and taught the two apprentices about the Sumatran tiger: "...this kind of tiger is the same animal as the tiger on the mainland, but more than 1 years ago, the rising sea level made the Sumatran area and the mainland isolated, and the ancestors of this tiger were left on this island, remember, this is the only tiger in the world that survives on the island.”

The businessman next to him quickly noticed the existence of Zhang Yun, because besides two well-dressed teenagers, he was followed by a dozen young and strong men. The style of a nobleman.The businessman hurried over to Ula Wah and said something, and the Chinese interpreter hired from the pier explained to Zhang Yun: "Master Zhang, he wants to ask if you intend to buy this tiger."

Zhang Yun was also curious, and said casually: "Then you ask him how much he is willing to sell."

The businessman was not ambiguous, and immediately quoted a price, which was roughly equivalent to 100 taels of silver.Zhang Yun thinks that the price is not very expensive, but if he spends money to buy a tiger back, it may not be easy to explain to Roger.Every inch of land is expensive on this boat, and a special place has to be reserved for the tiger. Besides, the meat that this thing eats every day is not easy to buy.Seeing the listless look of the tiger in the cage, Zhang Yun guessed that the businessman hadn't fed much since he caught it.

"You told him it was too expensive, forget it." Zhang Yun waved his hand to signal no.

Seeing his refusal, the businessman thought that his asking price might be too high, so he decisively lowered it a bit.Zhang Yun originally planned to take a look at it, and had no intention of buying the tiger, so he still shouldn't do it right now, but continued to tell the two apprentices about the Sumatran tiger.

The businessman probably thought that there should be a turning point if the guy neither bargained nor left, so he immediately resorted to his trump card and asked someone to bring out a bamboo basket.Not to mention Zhang Yun, even the attention of his two apprentices was attracted, and there were actually two one-foot-long tiger cubs in the bamboo basket, shaking their heads and shaking their heads very cutely.

"Master, he said that as long as he buys this tigress, he will give these two cubs as gifts." The translator said a transaction condition that made Zhang Yun quite moved.

(End of this chapter)