African Nationhood

Chapter 21 Luis Botha
  A few days later, Shi Jintang was taking Robin Trudeau and others to inspect the hillside where the Vaal River flows in the northeast corner of his farm.

He was trying to find a trace of a giant gold mine here.

According to historical records, in 1886, George Huck and George Harrison accidentally discovered a large piece of gold nugget nearby.

Then the news spread that there was a gold mine in the Rand Basin, and all forces poured into the basin.

In a short period of time, more than 100,000 people gathered here, and Johannesburg was founded.

Later, conflicts between the Boers and the British continued over the gold mines.

The Boers also became more and more wealthy because of the gold mines, and began to flirt with the emerging European powers.

Germany, with its rapidly growing national power, naturally became the best partner of the Boers, and it became increasingly difficult for the British to restrain the idea of ​​beating the Boers violently.

Finally, in 1898, the Second Boer War broke out.

After the British cut off the external support of the Boers, the Boers were ultimately defeated at the hands of the British because their population base was too small.

Shi Jintang's inspection here was originally intended to eliminate the hidden dangers of the Rand Gold Mine in advance.

Because once the information about the Rand Gold Mine is exposed, neither the British nor the Boers will let him, a yellow-skinned man, stay here.

The first Boer War between the two sides will break out next year. Regardless of whether the overall situation can develop as he expects, he must have enough capital to swing.

Therefore, the top priority must be to gather the population and equip the armed forces as soon as possible, and the exploration matters in Southwest Africa must be stepped up.

……

The former Boer farms totaled more than 5000 acres, which was just enough to accommodate his escort regiment.

Before dividing the land, he was worried that there would not be enough mature land, but he didn't expect that there would be more land, so he set aside a riverside area near the Vaal River for his own management.

This time was free, so he often came here to wander around, but unfortunately he found nothing.

He checked the list of former Boer farmers who had been forced out, and found no one named George among them.

It appears that "Brother George the Lucky One" was either not a Boer or had not yet arrived in the Cape Colony.

However, this land is now occupied by themselves, and it is impossible for them to come here to find the gold nugget.

Shi Jintang wandered aimlessly, causing Trudeau and other guards who followed him to curse.

This yellow-skinned BOSS is really out of character. What’s the point of coming to this water slope every day?
  The yellow-skinned BOSS used to fool them by looking at the scenery before, but no matter how good the scenery is, it's just like that every day. I really don't know what's going on.

A few white guards were standing on the high slope chatting boredly, telling dirty jokes from time to time, when suddenly they saw a group of white people on horseback rushing towards them from the east.

"BOSS, someone is approaching over there."

As Trudeau spoke, the Martini-Henry rifle in his hand was loaded, and at the same time, his white colleagues were also holding guns in their hands.

Shi Jintang looked in the direction pointed by Trudeau, and was immediately frightened. These white people were very powerful, and they could be said to have come with evil spirits.

"alert!"

Trudeau gave the order, and more than a dozen guards raised their guns. Shi Jintang pulled out his revolver and hid behind Trudeau carefully.

If a gunfight broke out, he would retreat immediately and return to the farm where he had settled, waiting for rescue.

The group of white men came quickly, and they restrained their mounts rationally when they were out of rifle range.

"I would like to speak with your leader, I am Luis Botha."

Shi Jintang was observing the white man on the other side through the gap. After hearing that the other man claimed to be Luis Botta, he immediately focused his attention on him.

This man would become the leader of the Boers in the future. He served as the southern commander of the Boers during the Second Boer War and captured Churchill, who was still a newspaper reporter, in the battle.

Later, the Boer commander-in-chief Joubert fell from his horse and died. He was promoted and led the Boers to fight the British until the end.

Finally, in 1910, he became the first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa.

The Luis Botha in front of him was still very young and handsome, about the same age as Shi Jintang.

"Can you guarantee that you came with good intentions?"

When Luis Botta heard someone answering from the opposite side, he immediately shook the reins and drove his mount forward slowly.

"As you can see, I came with good intentions."

When Luis Botha arrived, Trudeau put down his gun, walked to his horse, and stretched out his hand to pull the young man off the horse.

"Hey, hey, that's not how you treat a neighbor who is being kind, especially a handsome enough young man."

"Handsomeness can't withstand bullets, so you'd better be honest."

Seeing the young man's bright smile and his mouth full of white teeth, Shi Jintang couldn't help but have an evil thought in his heart.

Just punch his handsome face to pieces!

Are you still smiling?
  Trudeau roughly searched for the revolver from Luis Botta's body and searched it carefully before letting him go.

"I have proven my goodwill, can you ask your leader to talk?" Trudeau did not speak, but just looked at Shi Jintang.

Louis Botta naturally recognized Shi Jintang, "Are you the yellow boss that my compatriots call him?"

Shi Jintang frowned slightly, "Is this how you communicate with others?

I guarantee you have learned a lesson this time and will not be so presumptuous next time. "

As soon as Shi Jintang finished speaking, Trudeau immediately punched Luis Botha in the handsome face.

"Shet, your punch broke the bridge of my nose!"

After he finished cursing, he immediately covered his nose with his hands, but nosebleeds spurted out uncontrollably, and soon the lower half of his white face turned red.

Seeing their companions being humiliated, the Boers in the distance started to move, and the white guards behind Shi Jintang also took aim with their steel guns. The spirits of both parties were extremely tense.

"It's okay, it's okay, it's my fault, don't be nervous, um, um, bah..."

Luis Botha tore off a strip of cotton from his shirt and blocked his nostrils, spitting out bloody phlegm. Then he waved to the compatriots behind him and looked at Shi Jintang.

"Can we talk now?"

Shi Jintang crossed his arms and said nothing, but looked at the other party coldly, waiting for him to speak first.

Luis Botha stuffed cotton cloth to confirm that his nostrils were really blocked, and then he said in a low voice: "My mission here is to find out your intentions."

"Oh, if I have evil intentions, will you expel me?"

Louis Botha nodded firmly, "Yes, the Boers are not afraid of oppression. Since our ancestors came to this land, we have been fighting in the past, now and in the future!"

Shi Jintang sneered, "Haha."

Luis Botha's face was dark, and he understood why the other party was laughing at him.

The Boers are not as strong as he said. They have compromised several times.

After being expelled by the British one after another, they were forced to move to what is now Orange and the Transvaal.

Later, due to Zulu and financial pressure, the Boers succumbed to the British again and incorporated the Transvaal Republic into the Cape Colony.

In the not-too-distant future, the Boers will succumb again. Faced with the crisis of national subjugation and genocide, they are far less strong than they think.

Weighing interests comes from deep in their bones. In the final analysis, they are just a group of profit-seeking businessmen.

It is far inferior to the determination and bravery of the Chinese people who regard death as home when facing danger.

Being laughed at by the yellow-skinned monkey made young Louis very unhappy.

But he was here to represent the Boers, so even humiliation could not make the mission fail.

"What are your intentions? Do you really want to go to war with the Boers?"

Amused by this guy, Shi Jintang couldn't help laughing.

"War?
  I am an honorary white person appointed by the Queen of England and the general manager of the Royal Southwark Company of Britain.

You have the priority to serve in the Cape Colony government. If you fight with me, what do you have to fight with me? "

Unexpectedly, this yellow man had such a profound background. Luis Botha secretly regretted it, but he still did not give up.

“Even if you are a high-ranking British official, you cannot invade our Boer land at will.

This is fertile land that we have worked hard to cultivate. What you are doing is an act of banditry.

We cannot let you oppress the Boers like this! "

Listening to the other party's harsh words, Shi Jintang continued to sneer in response.

In the first Boer War that broke out at the end of next year, one of the crimes the Boers accused the British of was bullying the Boers and allowing the British to speculate on land prices to make profits.

Therefore, even if Shi Jintang did not come here to buy land, the conflicts between the Boers and the British were already deep, and all that was missing was an opportunity to break out.

Coupled with the fact that the British's war against the Zulus was getting better and better, the Boers' internal views on this war became consistent. They all believed that the British would definitely win.

Once the British win, the security issues that restrict the development of the Boers will no longer exist, and the self-reliance tendency among the Boers will become more serious.

Luis Botta came here to confirm the intentions of this yellow man who suddenly appeared.

If these people are in the same group as the British, or the British deliberately placed them here to monitor the Boers.

Then they must be on guard when they rebel. This yellow-skinned force that has entered the hinterland of their sphere of influence may have to consider killing it in advance.

Otherwise, we will try our best to win over them to prevent these yellow-skinned people from completely turning to the British and increasing pressure on the Boers.

　There is a new work by a newcomer. I beg for the support of the big guys and invest in reading and collecting recommendation votes. These are all things that Puppet urgently needs. Thank you!

(End of this chapter)