Wild North America 1846

South America

Glory City, where the Andes Governor's Mansion is located, is bustling with traffic.

Glory Province is a newly established province located south of Buenos Aires. Glory City is the capital of the province. It is bordered by the beautiful San Matias Bay in the east. If you continue to drive east from the bay, you can enter the Atlantic Ocean. Here is an excellent harbour.

More than 20 kilometers south of Glory City is the wide mouth of the La Plata River, and nearly 400 kilometers along the mouth of the river are waterways, and inland water transportation is extremely convenient.

The Circum-Atlantic Railway passes through Glory City, and there is a westward railway branch connecting the Central Railway, thus linking all the central and northern provinces together. Glory City is the hub of these main railway lines, and its geographical location is very important.

After more than 8 years of development

Glory City has built a world-class coastal port, with a Royal Navy base and large coastal warehouses. In the southern suburbs, there are more than 10 inland wharfs and food processing factories, large flour mills, oil mills, woolen mills, and meat slaughterhouses. Processing factories and other enterprises have formed a large factory area.

As of 1870

Glory City has a population of 35.7 residents and is the largest city under the Andes Governor's Mansion. It is mainly engaged in food and grain and oil processing enterprises. About 62% of the grain re-export trade to Europe is concentrated in Glory Port, with an annual throughput of 210 million tons.

There are 12 provinces under the entire Antis Governor's Mansion, with a total population of more than 244 million people. Glory Province accounts for 1/3, with a total population of more than 83.6. It is the most well-developed and richest province.

The railways, highways and shipping here are very developed. It is a major channel for the northern and central provinces to export to Europe. The transportation is convenient. There are many towns, large and small, and a scene of prosperity and development.

Baron Wu Erbao was wearing an elegant woolen coat, standing on the empty train platform, watching the cowboys in his hand driving a large herd of cattle and sheep off the train, he couldn't help showing a satisfied look on his face.

This train from Córdoba province was loaded with agricultural products from Wujia Town, including 1500 beef cattle, 11000 sheep, 4000 barrels of wine and 230 tons of wool, worth more than 20 Tang yuan.

And this is only a small part of Wujia Town's annual output. When it comes to the wheat harvest season, Wujia Town's wheat needs at least 6-7 trains to be hauled.

Baron Wu Erbao's ranch grazes 1.7 cattle and more than 20 sheep, as well as a vast area of ​​wheat fields. It employs more than 440 farm workers, many of whom are residents of the town.

In South America, there are at least 70 large ranches like Wujia Town, and Cordoba alone has six large ranches that are not inferior to Wujia Town, but the location may be a bit remote and the transportation is not so convenient .

"Hahaha... Sir Wu, rare customer, rare customer, you are welcome, our Fushunda Trading Co., Ltd. is full of glory!"

A black car drove into the platform, and got out of the car was a wealthy middle-aged Chinese businessman, who greeted him with a smile and a few staff from a distance behind him.

This person is Zhu Fu, the big shopkeeper of Fushunda Trading Co., which is also a fairly powerful trading firm in Glory City. It has its own wharf warehouse, flour mill and large-scale livestock slaughterhouse, as well as a fleet of ships and more than a dozen grain and oil businesses. Business is doing quite well.

Baron Wu Erbao is an imperial aristocrat who runs a large ranch. He is very influential in the Governor's Mansion, and his business partners who have been cooperating with him all the year round are naturally very powerful.

Fushunda Trading Company owns a shipping company, which is run by his second brother Zhu Shun. It has eleven ocean-going cargo ships and operates regular cargo flights to Europe.

Among them, there is a newly launched 4200-ton ocean-going refrigerated ship, and two refrigerated ships are under construction. The transportation tasks of the refrigerated ships are all scheduled for four months later, and the business is booming.

The cattle and sheep from the Wu family farm are sent to the slaughterhouse under the Fushunda Trading Co., Ltd. for slaughter and segmentation, and then made into cold fresh packaging for shipment.

After a three-week voyage, it can arrive at the port of Liverpool and enter the British table.

The huge market in Europe has almost endless demand, and no amount of agricultural products can be digested.

"Boss Zhu, you are too polite. The quantity of this batch is relatively large. I won't come over to take a look. The guys under me are sloppy, and they are always not at ease!" Baron Wu Erbao held the hand extended by the other party with a reserved expression, and smiled. greeted.

Zhu Fu responded with a hearty smile; "Since it's rare to come here, let's stay a few more days, just as the old guys from the Volunteer Corps are gathering, and I'll be the host, Sir Wu will not show you face?"

"That's a good relationship, respect is worse than obedience!"

The two talked and laughed while walking and chatting, watching the cowboys skillfully driving the cattle and sheep to the distance, which was the direction of the slaughterhouse.

They have been working together for many years, and the next procedure is to weigh and record the weight, and then drive them into the cattle pen and sheep shed in the slaughterhouse for temporary breeding, waiting for slaughter and division according to the production plan. This has formed a fixed procedure.

In a European-style building near the bay
When old friends met, Zhu Fu entertained them with good tea from his collection. Sitting opposite him with a cup of tea, the wide St. Matias Bay could be seen in his eyes. The giant ships moored in the bay were dotted with dots, which added to the beautiful blue bay. Intangible energy.

"It's been 17 years, and now I think about immigrating to Paradise Island, and then participated in the North American War with the army. Over the years, I have traveled half of the world unknowingly, and it still feels a little unreal!" Wu Erbao took a sip of tea. , put down his eyes and stared at the bay and murmured.

back in the day
He is just a penniless farmer, and in the blink of an eye for more than ten years, now he is a prominent status of the imperial nobles, sitting on a large farm of tens of thousands of hectares, everything is as mysterious as a dream.

Zhu Fu can understand his feelings very well, because the three of his brothers also started as small shopkeepers who walked across the street, following the expansion of the empire time after time, they took advantage of the situation and extended their business tentacles to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Isn't this a legendary experience? ?

So he interfaced and said;

"It is thanks to us that we were born in a good era, and thanks to the guidance of the Great Tang Emperor, we seized the opportunity and created an industry that can be passed on to future generations.

Sir Wu, I heard that you plan to continue to run for senior officials in Cordoba in the next term. Is the news confirmed? "

"Hehehe... That's right." Baron Wu Erbao did not deny that he was living a clear life now, and after being promoted to the nobles of the empire due to his military exploits, he longed to be on a bigger stage.

He sighed lightly, and continued with some regret;
"Last year, I ran too hastily for the election. I had neither experience nor preparation, so it was reasonable to lose the election.

today is different
I myself serve as the convener of the Cordoba Provincial Caucus of the "National Power Party", a member of the Provincial Advisory Council, and the commander of the Cordoba Volunteer Militia Division. I have the convenience to start preparations in advance.

The first is the mid-term elections in two years time. The "National Power Party" must do everything possible to win this battle and increase the strength of our representatives in the provincial assembly.

We have to compete not only for the seat of the provincial council, but also for the mayor of Cordova and the prosecutor, so as to win more right to speak, for which we are bound to win. "

"Then let me wish Sir Wu the best of luck, replace the wine with tea, and offer a toast first." Zhu Fu raised the teacup in his hand with a smile, and took a sip first.

In his heart, the weight of this big customer has added a heavy weight.

Baron Wu Erbao smiled "haha" and took a sip of the tea.

He is very confident in his candidacy. As an imperial nobleman, he is now serving as the commander of the Volunteer Division of the Cordoba Provincial Militia, which is a great advantage.

There are more than 330 officers in the militia division, such as regimental commanders, battalion commanders, company commanders, and platoon commanders. They are all farmers or ranchers, large and small.

Through the group of farmers and ranchers, more Chinese voters can be influenced.

Wu Erbao caught sight of a stack of newspapers by the table, and casually picked them up and flipped through them. Seeing that there were not only the main newspapers of the empire, but also English newspapers in the stack of newspapers, he said appreciatively, "Old Zhu, your business People's enthusiasm for learning is really admirable, do you know English now?"

"Where... Sir Wu is making fun of him, he just understands a little bit." Zhu Fu said humbly, then picked up the teapot to refill the hot water, and said while he was busy; "We businessmen do international trade, You have to learn the language of ghosts. There is no market for Portuguese in Europe, but you must learn English. My third brother Juda can even master German, oh, yes..."

With a flash of inspiration in Zhu Fu's heart, he put down the teapot and said seriously;
"Sir Wu, do you still have cattle and sheep to sell in your pasture? Send me two more trains in the near future. The price is quite good. This is what the Germans want. The new canning factory in our business has already started production. There is considerable short-term demand."

"Oh...make it into canned food?" Baron Wu Erbao asked with some surprise.

Canned food is widely used in military supplies, and only middle-class and above families in Europe can afford it. Most working families still buy frozen meat, which is cheap and high-quality after all.

Baron Wu Erbao has a long service experience. After coming to South America for armed colonization, he almost never stopped fighting and killing in the early years. Canned meat is a must-have item for the armed militia.

These things are not usually used, they are all put in the horse bag, and each armed militiaman will prepare a few.

Only when I have nothing to eat or drink, I am willing to open a can of meat, mix it with fresh wild vegetables and cook it in a pot, with salt and oil, it is the best way to replenish energy.

The tin cans can be burned directly on the fire, and thrown away after eating, which is very convenient.

With these canned meat as a base, it can last an extra week in the wilderness.

So when Boss Zhu mentioned canned meat, Wu Erbao immediately became sensitive to the military use, so he asked one more question.

Zhu Fu hesitated, and replied;

"It is to be made into cans, and the quantity of this batch of Prussians is still very large, the order is urgent, and the price given is also suitable.

Although they didn't say it clearly, I figured something would happen?
It's not...

This is the British "Sunday Times" last month, saying that the relationship between the French and the Prussians is very tense, and there are conflicts over the Spanish throne?

I don't know the details, but if you have a large number of beef cattle in your ranch, it should be a good opportunity to process a batch as soon as possible. "

"Thank you, Boss Zhu, you are so considerate. I will start preparing the livestock for the two trains immediately after I go back. Now I just want to weed out some poor breeds of beef cattle."

Faced with Zhu Fu's boss's deliberate overtures, Wu Erbao was as clear as a mirror in his heart, which was also the main reason why he wanted to participate in the election despite his head.

Since ancient times, power and money have not been separated from the family. If you want to be deeply rooted in South America and become a powerful and powerful family, it is the only way to develop into the political arena.

The emperor of the empire once said; opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared.

back in the day
If Wu Erbao indulged in the comfortable and comfortable life of Paradise Island and ran his own small farm of more than [-] mu, he could live a life of small wealth and peace.

That's the same as the partners who immigrated to Paradise Island, still digging food in the soil, with no great prospects.

It is precisely because he is unwilling to be mediocre, he actively participates in the militia training organized by the town, and performs relatively well.Only then was he able to enter the army during mobilization and expansion, and became a second lieutenant officer after three months of rotation training.

Precisely because he was unwilling to be mediocre, after the empire launched the "Desert Expedition", he resolutely sold his property to raise funds, organized a small expeditionary armed militia team, and pioneered in South America...

Wu Erbao put down the teacup in his hand, picked up the "Sunday Times" and read it carefully, with a serious expression on his face.

Opposite the tea table
Zhu Fu patiently tasted the tea and waited. He had read the newspapers on the table repeatedly. He wondered what new ideas this nobleman from the province of Cordoba could see?
A moment later
Wu Erbao put down the newspaper and thought for a while, then said in a more positive tone; "It seems that the French want to fight this battle, and the Prussians are well prepared. From the lines in the report, I seem to be able to smell the smoke of gunpowder."

"Will you really fight?"

"It's just a hunch. What's so strange about the war? The British and the French have fought one after another outside Europe, and they have hardly stopped. But Europe is relatively calm. After the Crimean War that ended in 1856, that is, In 1858, the French United Kingdom of Aden fought against Austria. Oh...by the way, there were also the Pudan War in 1864 and the Prussian-Prussian War in 1866..."

Speaking of here
Baron Wu Erbao couldn't help but stop talking, looking at Zhu Fu, the two suddenly laughed at the same time, and then the laughter became louder and louder...it couldn't be stopped.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha……"

across the atlantic

They always felt that the situation in Europe was still relatively calm, but they didn't expect to be shocked when they pinched their fingers. There had been a war in Europe for almost two or three years, and it never stopped.

If you count the rebellion wars in the Balkans and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Europe is really chaotic!

After finally suppressing his laughter, Zhu Fu's mind began to run at a high speed, and he said carefully; "If there is going to be a war, the battle between France and the Brussians is probably not a small one, so cowhide, flour, black beans, oil and tents These things are indispensable, and the demand is very high!"

"That's right. Tobacco and spirits are also popular products. We don't have tobacco, but there are still a lot of them in the winery in the spirits town. There are also a lot of cowhide." Wu Erbao's eyes lit up, this is a business opportunity to make money ah!

Needless to say, cowhide is needed to make high leather boots, cowhide saddles, belts, cowhide armed belts, magazines, backpacks and other military items, and almost every officer and soldier must be equipped with it.

Even though there were a lot of reserves before the war, how could they be counted after the war?
If the two sides mobilize millions of troops to fight, the amount of use will go to the sea. It is really as much as there is, and the price is right.

There is no shortage of leather craftsmen in Europe, but they will certainly not reserve such a large amount of leather. This is a good opportunity!

The same is true for military supplies such as flour, spirits, and black beans. Once a large-scale war breaks out in Europe, it means huge business opportunities.

Stock up a little bit, and if you don't keep it all, you can make a war fortune.

just do it
After completing the business, Baron Wu Erbao got a large amount of cash and returned to the pasture to prepare cattle and sheep. At the same time, he sent people around to buy a large amount of cowhide and spirits, which were transported to Glory City one after another.

Fushunda Trading Co., Ltd. has a bigger hand, eating a lot of stocks from many farmers and ranchers, and shipping them to Europe one after another.

Such a large amount of goods is very risky without an order.

And this just reflects the keen business sense and bold style of Chinese businessmen, that is, to take a step back, the European market is so big, at most they can earn some money, can they still lose money?
May and June 1870
There is an atmosphere of tension over the whole of Europe. The accumulation of contradictions caused by the vacancy of the Spanish throne, coupled with the French's dissatisfaction with the actions of the newly rising Prussia and the British, has plunged Europe into an inexplicable restlessness.

Like the gloomy weather before a summer thunderstorm, people feel worried and look forward to the most vivid eruption.

the french discovered;
In the past few months, the number of cargo ships from North America has increased significantly, and they are fully loaded with cargo to the ports of the North German Confederation countries and the Kingdom of Prussia.

The news that has spread through various channels proves that the suspicion of the French is not groundless, and this cannot be concealed.

The Tang Empire is sending various military supplies to the Kingdom of Prussia on a large scale, including high explosives and bullets, which undoubtedly angered the French.

Luo Zhaohui, Datang’s ambassador to France, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and French Foreign Minister Duke Gramont angrily accused;
"Please tell your emperor that the actions of the Tang Dynasty have seriously hurt the feelings of the French people. The French Empire must solemnly warn your country; never underestimate the strong belief and ability of the French people to safeguard their own interests."

"The French Empire will never ignore it, and will definitely make a strong counterattack."

"Datang should be cautious in words and deeds in European disputes. As a traditional continental country in Europe, France has extensive influence. I hope Datang can clearly understand this."

"Tell your emperor, this is not North America..."

For the strong protest of the French Empire, Ambassador Luo Zhaohui can only express regret, and any other words are superfluous.

these years
Although the Tang Empire tried its best to develop trade with Europe, France was still a trade zone with many barriers, and little progress had been made.

France itself is a large agricultural production country in Europe, mainly small and medium family farms.It is also a country that has just stepped into industrialization, protecting its own industrial and agricultural development through high tariffs, and avoiding the impact of more competitive North American industrial and agricultural products.

in comparison

The North German countries led by the Kingdom of Prussia have a huge gap in agricultural products, and the land is more barren than France, which is not suitable for large-scale cultivation.

Facing the sharp contradiction between domestic population growth and food supply, China has given up its self-reliance efforts and implemented the Grain Law similar to that of the United Kingdom, that is, opening up the import of bulk agricultural products at a lower tax rate to meet the strong domestic demand.

Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and other countries are the main markets for the export of North American agricultural products, while France and the Austrian Empire are not, and the importance is much lower.

Relations with Britain and Germany are the two pillars of the Tang Empire's European diplomacy, and the transatlantic trade is quite close, which contains major economic interests.

From the point of view of interests alone, it is obvious which side to support.