The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 361: Rui'an Port

During this period, Qi was relying on its strong national strength and influence to export its own civilization to all overseas territories, including Qi's ideology, Qi goods that competed with local products, and strong service support.

Sometimes, such behavior was the result of intentional policy implementation. For example, the newly appointed Minister of Colonial Affairs, Ma Weiyun, once suggested that the empire destroy all tribal social systems in the colonial territories and replace them with the "civilized system" built by immigrants from Qi.

Sometimes such exports were part of an economic strategy, as when goods produced in Yunyang (now Mackay, Australia) and Daxing (now Brisbane, Australia) completely destroyed India’s cotton textile industry, the foundation of India’s national craft and the mainstay of traditional Indian life.

But more often than not, this process happened completely naturally, or was even just a by-product. In the eyes of the Qi people - if they really took it seriously - it was just a side reflection of historical fatalism.

Indigenous cultures responded differently to this invasion.

Some cultures, such as India's Hinduism and Islam, have succumbed but have not disappeared or declined. It seems that they simply regard Eastern culture as an outsider and actively join in, just like the eleven foreign civilizations that have invaded in the long history of more than 3,500 years, and will eventually become a part of Indian civilization.

Some nations, such as the Egyptians, seemed indifferent to this and were willing to surrender only for the small profits offered by the Qi people.

The tens of millions of indigenous people in Hanzhou and even in the entire Nanyang region were forcibly submerged in the turbulent assimilation process before they could even learn about Qi culture in detail.

Undoubtedly, Qi was powerful and their culture was also somewhat strong. Their colonial expansionists always liked to turn any place they arrived at or occupied into the image of Hanzhou in order to comfort their inner confusion and helplessness.

On September 9, the Changyuan arrived at the Port of Ruian (now the Port of Barahona, Dominican Republic). Everything that Maynard saw seemed no different from any overseas colonial territory of Qi.

The sturdy and well-maintained breakwater, the concrete pier that extends deep into the sea, the towering steam booms, the solemn and tall port building, and a red and yellow dragon flag fluttering in the wind.

Although this port was leased from the Spaniards, it was obvious that the Qi people had already operated the port as their own permanent territory. They invested huge manpower and material resources and carried out large-scale construction, making it one of the most important and prosperous trading ports on Santo Domingo Island in just a few years.

Although the Spaniards originally leased only a small piece of land along the coast of Barahona, which was probably just a "shot-proof area", to the State of Qi, in six or seven years, the State of Qi extended their control area from the coast to the inland Barahona Valley, all the way to the vicinity of Lake Enriquillo (now Lake Enriquillo in the Dominican Republic), occupying a large tract of fertile land.

Merchants and immigrants seeking opportunities opened up large sugarcane plantations in the inland valleys. Like their European counterparts, they also introduced a large number of black slaves to earn huge profits from sugar.

In fact, settled colonies were essentially for the poor: well-educated people had nothing to gain from going to a “barbarian place” like Port Ryan except an escape from the troubles they had gotten into at home.

Well, not entirely. At least one could get a seemingly good job in the colonial territory, which undoubtedly put him in a superior position compared to those ordinary immigrants.

"I don't think there is anyone in the world who would prefer life in an overseas territory if he lives comfortably in Hanzhou!"

A port supervisor took Maynard's ID card with a surprised look on his face. He originally thought that this foreign-looking passenger was a Spaniard from Cuba, but he didn't expect that he was actually from Qi, and a black guard officer. Perhaps to show off his superiority in front of him, the port supervisor boasted that he was from Hanzhou, how comfortable his life was, and that he had met some big shots in the empire with his own eyes.

"What's going on over there?" Maynard felt a little impatient listening to the supervisor's endless chatter, and was even more annoyed by his arrogant appearance.

Is it so great to be from Hanzhou?
"Oh, over there, the Marines stationed in Hong Kong are giving several exiled prisoners a routine beating to calm their anger and let them know the rules here." The supervisor glanced at the east side of the dock and said indifferently.

It was said to be a killing stick, but the dozen or so soldiers over there actually pinned the person to the ground, and then picked up the whip and beat him severely according to the severity of the crime committed by the exiled prisoner.

For a moment, the sounds of whips, roars, cries, begging for mercy, and groans filled the air, making people shudder.

To be exiled to such a remote place in the Caribbean, these prisoners must have committed serious crimes, most of which were serious injuries or murders. The moment they boarded the ship, their lives were no longer under their control.

"Beep beep..."

As they were watching the excitement, a burst of urgent horns suddenly sounded from the military camp near the dock, scaring the dozen or so soldiers who were still committing violence. They immediately abandoned the exiled prisoners and turned around and ran towards the military camp.

The police who were watching nearby immediately stepped forward and dragged several prisoners up, kicking and beating them, and ordered them to go to the detention center in the city, regardless of the pain they suffered.

"…most likely there was a conflict between the settlers at Jingyue Lake and the French."

"French?" Maynard looked at the tax inspector in confusion.

"It's not surprising! The French have always wanted to move their sugarcane plantations near Jingyue Lake. After being warned by us, although they dared not make any big moves, they were very unwilling and always made some small moves. ... You don't know that those French sugarcane plantation owners only need to pay a land tax to the Governor's Office located in Cape France (now Cape Haitien) to occupy large tracts of land at will. The land near the sea has been occupied by the plantation owners who came earlier, so the later ones can only colonize deep inland, and they will advance all the way towards us along the valley. The French think that it is all Spanish territory, and the original owner has not said anything, so they can occupy it as they want. Therefore, they are very dissatisfied with our Da Qi's willful obstruction, and they will find trouble from time to time."

"Aren't the French afraid of making things worse and causing a military conflict?"

"On this island, the French are obviously stronger than our Qi and Spain, so they are fearless and act arrogantly." The tax supervisor said with a wry smile: "According to our estimates, the entire French Saint-Domingo territory has about 300,000 people. Although black slaves account for more than 90%, the number of French and native whites is more than 20,000. On the other hand, the Spanish have a total population of less than 80,000, and the Spanish and native whites are less than 10,000. The population of our Qi is even smaller. The immigrants and slaves added together are less than 10,000. To be honest, if a fight really comes, we still feel a little insecure."

After hearing this, Maynard turned his head and glanced in the direction of the military camp, his heart hanging in the air.

I'm not that unlucky. I just escaped from the North American continent. I don't have to go through a war in Ryan Port, right?
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(End of this chapter)