African Nationhood

Chapter 140 Codename "Lao Ai" (Please subscribe!!!)

The leased port was still a deserted beach. When Shi Jintang returned to Anhai Town, he found Cai Jinzhang, a classmate studying geotechnical engineering in the United States.

After an interview with him, he was appointed as the chief engineer for the construction of the Dragua Bay (now Maputo, the capital of Mozambique)-Mapu Port, and also as the chief engineer of the road from Mapu Port to Bulawayo City.

The Matabeleland garrison will fully support Cai Jinzhang's work. The 10 indigenous black slaves under the control of the garrison will be the main force in the construction of these two major projects.

At the same time, Shi Jintang also asked Qu Sangqian, the leader of the Lunda garrison, and Shi Jinyong, the head of the commercial port, to launch a strategy against the Lunda Kingdom (Zambia region) as soon as possible.

He hoped that when he returned from Europe, he could see the contract for "delivery of territorial rights" signed by the king and the indigenous chiefs in the Kingdom of Lunda.

In addition, Shi Jintang also specifically asked his deputy Ding He to keep in close contact with the Portuguese and launch the "indentured labor" trade as soon as possible.

These indigenous people will be a disaster sooner or later if they stay in the country. The sooner they are transferred out, the better.

The Portuguese and the Nanhua Company agreed that the price of "exporting" an indigenous laborer was 3 pounds, and they would be sold to the French for 6-7 pounds, with a loss rate of about 10% along the way.

In addition, the Portuguese also engaged in black slave trade with the Zanzibar people. Because the two customers were very close, the Portuguese were able to go wherever they wanted.

With the Portuguese as middlemen, the Nanhua Company's efficiency in relocating the indigenous population will be further improved.

……

After explaining the matter with the Portuguese, Shi Jintang found Lawen Schneider. After his recommendation, he selected two female doctors from Anhai Medical College to go with him on a business trip to Europe.

As for Ye Rong, Shi Jintang comforted her and she stayed to study very obediently.

But she made a request to Shi Jintang, that he should stay with her for a while when he comes back from Europe.

Shi Jintang agreed. This girl has become very mature and has reached her prime.

……

On this trip to Europe, Shi Jintang also brought a handsome young white guy, Lucas Lao Ai.

The name "Lao Ai" is the code name given to him by Shi Jintang, and he usually only calls him Lucas.

The purpose of choosing this code name is very clear, which is to hope that he can play his due role.

Being able to be called "Lao Ai" naturally means that Lucas's conditions are not bad.

On the one hand, this young man is handsome, but on the other hand, he is very alert, and he also has good cooking skills.

In the past few years, he has been learning various cuisines. Not only is he proficient in several major Qing cuisines, but he has also dabbled in French and Indian cuisines.

When Shi Jintang came to Walvis Bay Port, he ordered people to take in the white orphans here, and Lucas was one of them.

The reason why this young man came into Shi Jintang's eyes was because Shi Jintang had long ago planned to cultivate some white children with flexible minds and hearts for Southwest Africa.

These people have been specially trained to be used as spies.

The training they received when they were young was mainly to teach people how to deal with people and professional skills, such as cooking, language, mental arithmetic, shorthand, etc.

Lucas's cooking and language skills are both high, and his emotional intelligence is extremely high.

Such a person will work wonders when placed next to the Queen of England.

After her husband died of illness, Queen Victoria adopted a groom named John Brown as her male favorite because of her loneliness.

The relationship between the two was once so close that they held a "secret wedding" in the British palace.

Unfortunately, John Brown did not live long and died in 1880.

Queen Victoria was now depressed and bloated because her endless thoughts turned into appetite.

In the original time and space of 1887, during the 50th anniversary celebration of Queen Victoria's accession to the throne, she will be attracted by an Indian cook, and then the Indian cook's love will grow.

After Queen Victoria's death, the Indian cook lived a wealthy life because of Queen Victoria's large reward.

……

It is only 1884 now, so we can take advantage of this window of opportunity to send Lucas Lao Ai there.

He hoped that this young man could make the queen happy and have no ill intentions towards Nanhua Company.

As for whether Lucas will confuse the British palace, this is not critical.

...     There were quite a few people traveling this time. In addition to Shi Jintang and his own guard company, there were also delegations headed by Robin Trudeau and James Lister.

James Lister will first go to the Colonial Department of Whitehall in London on behalf of Shi Jintang to submit the "Double C Plan" drafted by Shi Jintang and the gold and diamond mineral rights certificates in the Kingdom of Matabeleland.

Shi Jintang made up his mind to spend money to buy peace. The gold and diamond mines sent out this time were divided into two categories.

One is directly to the Queen of England, and the other is to the Colonial Office.

Giving the Queen a gold mine and a diamond mine showed his loyalty, while giving 6 gold mines and 1 diamond mine to the Colonial Office had to be negotiated.

He hoped that the Secretary of the Colonial Office could give greater support to the South China Company, not only in terms of immigration, but also in terms of loans and industrial support.

The reason why Shi Jintang wants to come up with the "Double C Plan" proposed by Cecil Rhodes of the original time and space in advance.

This is because once the British government approves this plan, the UK will invest huge amounts of money to develop the two indigenous kingdoms of Matabeleland and Lunda, and at the same time, the efficiency of promoting domestic immigration will be greatly improved.

Just opening the land railway connecting the "two Cs" will be an astronomical sum.

With the current size of Nanhua Company, it simply cannot afford such a large-scale infrastructure investment. Therefore, "borrowing chickens to lay eggs" will be Shi Jintang's best choice.

Once the British government begins to implement the "Double C Plan", various infrastructure projects in the interior will consume a large amount of the indigenous population in the indigenous kingdoms.

This is much more convenient and more secretive than secretly selling black slaves.

……

In early March, Shi Jintang and his party embarked on the "Landfortress". After half a month of sailing, Shi Jintang disembarked in the Bay of Cannes, France, with the guards, Lucas Lao Ai, Lawen Schneider, and two female doctors.

The "Landfortress" took James Lister's delegation and turned around towards Liverpool.

The Bay of Cannes has blue water, mild climate, and bright sunshine. It is known as the three major tourist centers in southern Europe along with Nice and Monte Carlo.

As early as the 5th century AD, Cannes was controlled by monks from the monastery of the Isles of Lérins.

Around 1530, the people of Cannes broke free from centuries of control by the monks.

In the 18th century, Spain and Britain both tried to control Reyhan Island, but were driven away by France.

In 1834, the British Lord Brougham passed through the French Riviera in southern France and went to Italy for vacation.

Unfortunately, due to the cholera epidemic, the border was closed, and he had to stay in Cannes, which was just a fishing village at the time.

During his stay, he discovered the beautiful scenery and warm temperatures here, so he decided to build his own villa.
  His decision aroused widespread curiosity among the European upper class. Hugo, Picasso, and even the British Queen Victoria came here in admiration.

Since then, Cannes has gradually become the first choice for European winter vacations due to its pleasant climate.

High-class people from Europe and all over the world compete with each other in Cannes, and gradually drive the development of Cannes.

……

Shi Jintang sent a telegram to Alice in advance, so they met the long-awaited Alice not long after they disembarked.

After more than a year of separation again, Alice seemed very excited.

She jumped straight into Shi Jintang's arms, not caring about his entourage at all.

Shi Ming and others had long been used to it, but the two female doctors who came with him looked at each other and couldn't help but secretly pouted.

They were torn in their minds whether to tell Sister Ye'er about the situation when they went back.

Shi Jintang and Alice hugged each other for a while and then separated.

After all, the customs at this time were not yet completely civilized to the point of kissing casually on the street.

Accompanied by Alice, Shi Jintang and the others quickly moved into a luxurious villa in Cannes Bay.

This villa was purchased by Alice and is located next to the villa of the Queen's youngest son, Prince Leodebo.

The purpose of his coming here is naturally to find a chance to meet the prince and save his life in danger.

In the original time and space, this little prince who suffered from hemophilia accidentally fell down and died of cerebral hemorrhage during his vacation in Cannes.

　Please subscribe, monthly pass, recommendation vote, collection.

　　Thanks to book friend FitGo for your monthly ticket support!
  　　
  　
  (End of this chapter)