The sun never sets in America

Chapter 109 Immigration Life and Joining the Army

On the streets of Jinshan City, immigrants formed in groups of twos and threes and were looking around curiously.

For these immigrants, everything in Jinshan City or Han Country is novel.

A tall building that I have never seen before (referring to the newly built landmark Jinshan Hotel), and something I have never eaten before. (Referring to those Western pastries and delicacies)

Of course, these all require money. For those immigrants who have just come to America, Han, and Jinshan City, it is almost inevitable that they will be short of money.

After all, the ten taels of silver they received were either left at home, or, like some immigrants, they planned to use the ten taels of silver to plan their new home and their future.

But among so many immigrants, there are always some who don’t need to worry about these things.

"Brother Lu, this thing is really delicious. It's much better than the pastries in Hangzhou." Li Zihao was sitting in a Western-style dessert shop, eating the chocolate cream cake on the plate in front of him. The corners of his mouth full of brown cream muttered.

"Eat slowly, you are a young master, how can you act like a beggar?" Lu Mushan chewed the croissant in his hand slowly, while looking at Li Zihao in front of him with astonishment as if he hadn't eaten in 800 years, "But You are indeed right, this thing is indeed pretty good. It is said that there are several types of Western bread. The one I am holding is French bread... By the way, where is France? Let me take a look." Lu Mushan took out a world map from his arms that he bought in a bookstore after disembarking from the ship. There were bilingual Chinese and Western text on the map.

"I see, here..." Lu Mushan wiped the corners of his mouth and hands with a white napkin, then pointed to a plain across the Atlantic Ocean near the United Kingdom and said, "These European countries are so strange, the mainland is so small, and overseas The colony is so big..." Looking at the comparison between the area of ​​France and Britain and their colonies around the world, Lu Mushan said with some confusion.

"Tell me, why don't these British and French people move their homeland to these places..." Lu Mushan pointed to the vast colonies on the map and said in confusion.

"Who knows, maybe I like to stay in Europe. After all, it's hard to leave my homeland!!" Li Zihao replied nonchalantly, his mouth filled with chocolate cream cake.

Lu Mushan on the side was still looking at the world map in his hand, thinking hard.

He really couldn't understand what was so good about such a small place with so many countries. It was said that it often fought wars. If it had been him, he would have run away long ago. (In Lu Mushan’s mind, Europe is a small place with a lot of troubles)
In Lu Mushan’s mind, what kind of land is the best? According to Liu Peng’s discussion in Land Theory, it is rich in resources, vast in area, invincible, powerful, and with sufficient guarantee for its own security. Only in this way can it be guaranteed. Its own development will not be threatened or interrupted by other countries, and it can be calm and calm when facing the international situation.
.
Always in a state of late strike.

According to Liu Peng, the only country in Europe that barely qualifies is the United Kingdom, which occupies the British Isles and has the natural moat of the English Channel.

Other than that, everything is unqualified.

But sooner or later, the British will pay the price because of their narrow territory. Of course, in the book, Liu Peng still praised the British very much, describing the United Kingdom as the highest-level empire in human history, and the British Empire will continue to guide the future. All over the world for hundreds of years.

Then there are some ways to learn about British industry, economy, and colonial policy.

After this book was published, although most of it was circulated internally by the Han people, it inevitably spread to other parts of the Americas, especially British Canada. Governor Cecil Weir saw in it that Britain was a great country, and that the Han people After learning and making friends with the people, he praised Han as a follower and good student of the British Empire.

And I highly agree with what Liu Peng mentioned in the book, regarding American policy and the situation in the Americas, we must keep pace with the British Empire and listen more to the opinions of British teachers (note that the word "teacher" is used when referring to Britain). From this point of view, It can be seen that Liu Peng wrote this book not only to promote the theory of national territory, but also to show to the outside world, especially to the British, that the Han Dynasty valued its relationship with the British and tried to follow the British in certain strategies. Or to put it more harshly, he is my younger brother.

This book, recommended by Cecil Weir, was sent back to London and caused a stir in London. For the first time, the British aristocratic elites called the newly rising country in North America, the Han Kingdom, a pagan. The country has become interested, especially in the ongoing Opium War. The British curiosity about Han has never been as strong as it is now.

Even in the British Parliament, there was a discussion about the resolution to mediate the war between Mexico and China. Pay attention to mediation, not stopping. The difference between a few words is often a huge difference.

Liu Peng, who was preparing to launch another more violent offensive against Mexico in Nogales, also said to the British envoy, the British Minister to the Republic of Mexico, Rashid:
"I am very happy to see the British Empire appear in this war-torn land and bring the peace that people expect." Liu Peng praised the British at the time.

"But we must also see that this war was caused by the Mexicans. If they hadn't trained those damn troops day after day, we wouldn't be here..." Liu Peng said in a mocking tone. said.

"Now the situation of the war is very clear. We are in the lead, but those Mexicans are still stubborn. It is said that the crazy president has formed an army of [-] and is on his way..." Liu Peng smiled at Rashid Said, "I hope Mr. Rashid will tell President Santa Anna that if he and his country continue to fight stubbornly, I think the [-]-strong army will also become a failure like the previous times." Cannon fodder... And by that time, our asking price will be very high!!" Liu Peng continued to Rashid with a serious expression.

"Asking price, what price??" Rashid asked after hearing Liu Peng's asking price very keenly.

"Mr. Rashid, after a war in Europe ends, what does the losing side have to pay to the victor?" Liu Peng asked Rashid.

"According to European tradition, either compensation is paid, territory is ceded, or both." Rashid understood what Liu Peng meant and immediately replied.

"So please also ask Mr. Rashid to tell President Santa Anna that once they lose the war again, our asking price will be very high." Liu Peng said to Rashid with a playful expression.

"How high??" Rashid asked Liu Peng.

"Mexicans have such high expectations." Liu Peng gave up on this issue.

Sure enough, when Rashid passed Liu Peng's conditions and words back to Mexico, it aroused even greater anger and higher ambitions for revenge from the Mexicans.

After withdrawing from the front line, Morant, who served as the supreme commander of the Mexican army, said that he would let the Han Dynasty and the so-called Crown Prince shut their stinking mouth forever and wait for the Mexican army to eliminate them. They are heathens.

Other Mexican officials and military officers made statements like annihilating the Han State, annihilating the Han people, and more extreme statements.

Regarding these almost hysterical voices, Liu Peng’s consistent view is:

"Since you are facing a mad dog, it's best to use a stick to make it understand your voice." Although on the surface, Han military officers, including Liu Peng, despised the Mexicans and the so-called [-]-strong army. .

But in fact, when the Mexicans had formed a large army, Liu Peng had already asked the First Army and the Second Army to merge to form a joint force to fight against Mexico, referred to as the joint army.

In the entire Union Army, most of the troops, due to rear reserves, have basically replaced the soldiers lost in previous wars. Except for the 1 Mixed Regiment stationed in Arizona and Nevada, and due to the Peace Corps, The mighty battalion transferred back to the mainland, and almost the entire elite of the Han army, gathered in Mexico.

In addition to the three main infantry brigades, the Wuwei Brigade, the Iron Guard Brigade, and the Yingyang Brigade, there is also the Dragon Cavalry Brigade, the only cavalry unit in the Han Dynasty, and the 1st Mixed Regiment, which has been fully staffed again.

There are nearly 8000 people in total. If you include the more than 1 peace troops, the total strength of the entire coalition army will reach 8000 people, and may even be close to 4 people.

It can be said that in terms of military strength, they are definitely no worse than the Mexicans.

It is precisely because of this that Liu Peng planned to take a preemptive strike and continue to fight south until he met the main force of Mexico and fight the largest war of annihilation in the history of the Han Dynasty.

This is a battle that cannot be lost. It is a battle related to the national destiny of the Han Dynasty. Therefore, before the war began, Liu Peng replenished a large number of weapons, ammunition, military rations, and various military supplies from the rear and the local area. , all seized locally in Mexico.

From this we can see how rich Mexico, which has been the core of rule since the Spanish period, has colonized Mexico and even the Americas for hundreds of years.

It can be said that as long as you are ruthless and get a handful, it will all be oil and water.

In Nogales, a fateful war is coming quietly.

In Jinshan City and other places in the Han Kingdom, a new conscription has also arrived in advance.

.............................................

"Have you heard that the Han Kingdom is recruiting troops!!"

"Who did you hear?"

"There is a recruitment office on the street. If you don't believe me, go and see it yourself."

In the suburb where immigrants were temporarily assigned, several immigrants who had just returned from the city were discussing the recruitment of soldiers in Jinshan City.

"What do you think we should join the army? I heard it's four Chinese dollars a month, and there are cigarettes..." an immigrant said to his companion with some excitement.

"If you want to go, I won't go. I risked my life for these four dollars. It's not worth it..." The companion shook his head and replied dismissively. In his opinion, they came here. The purpose of America is to divide the land and make money. How can we risk our lives?

Besides, recruiting troops at this time is not just about going to war. He finally came to North America and was about to be assigned to a small town on the outskirts of Jinshan for farming. Together with his younger brother, the two of them had forty acres of land. , if you marry another daughter-in-law and have a baby, you will have one hundred acres.

With one hundred acres of land, even after deducting the cost and taxes, there would be a lot left over every year. He had already thought about it. In addition to giving it to the public, some of the grain would be kept for eating, and the rest would be sold and exchanged for Save money for a few years and give yourself and your brother a wife. When the time comes, your wife and children will be on the hot bed, not to mention how comfortable it will be... If you ask him to go to Mexico to work hard now, he won't go.

"I don't think there is anything to be afraid of. Didn't the newspapers say that we are about to win?" The immigrant mentioned the news in the newspapers (anyway, the current public opinion in Han is that the Han army has moved from this victory to a higher level. Victory, after all, only in this way can we stabilize the people's hearts and make the Han people more enthusiastic about joining the army).

"You believe what's in the newspaper, that's a lie." His companion replied disdainfully. When he saw that this was all a trick played by Han to recruit troops, he didn't believe it! !
"Why don't you believe it? We don't believe that we have such a good life today. Maybe we are still eating sweet potatoes in our hometown in northern Zhejiang..." The immigrant immediately retorted to his companion, "I think you just want to get benefits and don't think about any responsibility." Take it." The immigrant said contemptuously to his companion.

"You..." The companion was so angry that he couldn't speak.

In the end, neither of them could convince the other, and they parted ways the next day. One joined the army, and the other ran to the suburbs to cultivate wasteland with his younger brother. It was impossible to say who was right and who was wrong.

"Brother Lu...Brother Lu..." Li Zihao happily ran into the house the two of them rented (because they were rich, they didn't bother to stay with other immigrants).

"What's the matter?" Lu Mushan walked out of the room holding the newspaper. The two of them rented a four-bedroom, Spanish-style house. The price was very expensive, costing three Chinese yuan a month. In Jinshan City, a place that has just been developed, it is a wealthy area, and it is worth a month's salary of a worker.

"When I was eating in the city today, what do you think I saw?" Li Zihao asked Lu Mushan excitedly, with excitement in his eyes.

"What, did we defeat Mexico??" Lu Mushan asked immediately. If you listen carefully, you will find that when talking about Han, he used "we", which shows Lu Mushan's change in mentality.

"That's not true." When Li Zihao heard this, he also replied with some disappointment, "There is a recruitment process outside. They said that after training, they are going to Mexico to fight against the Mexicans..." Li Zihao continued to answer Liu Lumushan excitedly.

"What's wrong, do you want to go?" Lu Mushan asked Li Zihao immediately.

"Yes, I just want to go. Like I said, I came to America to do something big. What other big thing is there now than fighting Mexico?" Li Zihao replied to Lu Mushan with confidence .

"Okay, I'll go with you. Let's fight those Mexican foreigners together!!" Lu Mushan solemnly promised Li Zihao.

(End of this chapter)