African Nationhood

Chapter 322: Sino-Japanese War of Resistance

In late June 1894, the Nanhua Company instructed the commercial offices stationed in Lushun, Yantai and the southern coastal areas to withdraw from these areas as soon as possible.

The previously operated shops were transferred as soon as possible, and the staff of various shops were withdrawn to the main store in Magic City as soon as possible.

At the same time, Nanhua Company warned the British businessman William Sfield, who had been cooperating with him, to pay attention to the military conflict between Korea and Japan.

William Sfield was a little unimpressed by this. Although North Korea has not been peaceful in recent years, immigration cannot stop. He found that the more chaotic North Korea is, the easier it is for immigration.

Before, he had to pay bribes to local officials to immigrate North Korean women, but now he does not have to pay bribes, and North Korean women also come desperately to ask for immigration.

He also laughed at Nanhua Company for being too cautious and timid.

In early July, the Qing's northern stations were safely withdrawn one after another.

Immigration Bureau Futong was also very puzzled by Boss Shi's decision. The company's immigration business has been going very smoothly in the past two years, and its network of contacts has been established in the Northeast and outer Northeast.

Why give up suddenly?

Boss Shi replied directly, "Military conflicts in Northeast Asia may break out."

Futong did not agree with this, but he could not disobey Boss Shi and just warned: "If this is done, the immigration efficiency will be greatly reduced."

Shi Jintang directly instructed the Immigration Bureau to shift the focus of immigration to Southeast Asia. There are still many Chinese in Thailand and Myanmar, which had not paid much attention before, and they can contact immigrants there.

Futong was dissatisfied with this, but still obeyed the order and arranged it.

On July 7, the "Donghak Party Uprising" broke out in North Korea, and two days later the "Gaosheng" incident occurred.

At this point, Futong and others came to their senses one after another and praised Mr. Shi for being so good at everything.

Shi Jintang was not happy about the praise from his subordinates. Instead, he sighed deeply.

He immediately ordered the Immigration Bureau to temporarily stop the introduction of Japanese women immigrants. The company's female population gap was directly turned to Southeast Asian indigenous women.

The Immigration Bureau readily complied and had no further objections.

……

On July 7, Englishman William Sfield realized the seriousness of the problem. He transported a shipload of Korean women back from Busan, but was intercepted by the Japanese navy.

The Japanese believed that he had committed serious leaks and abducted hundreds of Korean women, so they directly detained him and his cruise ship "Flying Fish".

Shi Jintang immediately called the British Cabinet and asked the Prime Minister, the Marquess of Salisbury, to try to rescue William Sfield and the boatload of Korean women.

The Marquess of Salisbury expressed sympathy for William Sfield's experience, but could not let him go for the time being.

After all, the East and the Qing were in a state of war, and Great Britain should abide by "neutrality."

As for the boatload of North Korean women, don't even think about it.

Faced with the weakness of the British Prime Minister, Shi Jintang sneered.

Anyway, he has done his best. If you, the British Prime Minister, don't care about the safety of your subjects, then you can't blame the South China Company.

On August 1894, 8 (the first day of July in the 1th year of Guangxu's reign), the Qing Dynasty and the East officially declared war.

……

Regarding the "Gaoshenghao incident", Japan's public relations activities were very good. After Reuters received a "care fee" of 600 pounds from the Japanese minister in the UK, it immediately became silent.

Several "well-known figures" in Great Britain published articles in the Times to defend Japan.

On August 1894, 8, the first hearing in Nagasaki, Japan, concluded. The conclusion was quite favorable to Japan, which greatly increased the confidence of the Japanese people.

On August 8, Japan's Foreign Minister issued an "Instruction on the Gaosheng Incident" to the minister in the UK, stating that the Gaosheng itself had "illegal recruitment" and violated the Queen's statement of neutrality, and asked the minister to "raise a strong protest" to the UK.

In the afternoon of that day, the Japanese minister visited the British Foreign Office and asked the British government to order its subjects to strictly observe neutrality.

After the second hearing was held in the magical capital of the Qing Dynasty on August 8, the United Kingdom almost fully accepted the Japanese view that there was nothing wrong with it.

…    On the one hand, Japan actively exonerated its navy, and on the other hand, it stepped up its attack on North Korea. The Qing army stationed in North Korea was repeatedly defeated.

On September 9, the Qing Dynasty and the East officially had a naval battle in the Yellow Sea. The Qing Dynasty was defeated and the Beiyang Fleet existed in name only.

……

At the Guest House in Anhai Town, Guo Songtao had also looked away since his last heart attack, and began to cultivate his mind and nature and no longer care about external affairs.

Except for occasionally going out to attend classes, he spends most of his time in the guest house teaching his grandchildren.

On this day, when he was instructing his grandson to practice calligraphy, a middle-aged man in his thirties, with a shaved head and glasses, opened the door angrily and came in.

As soon as he came in, the man sat down on the chair angrily.

Guo Songtao saw that his son was so angry that he snorted: "Look at how old you are, why can't you sit as straight as Shaoxuan!"

The middle-aged man was Guo Songtao's third son Guo Zhuoying. He said angrily: "Father, don't you know, Japan and the Qing Dynasty fought, and the Qing Dynasty was defeated!"

Hearing these words suddenly, Guo Songtao staggered, and Guo Zhuoying supported her shaky father with a quick step.

"Oh, the Qing Dynasty really deserves to die!

Although I had expected it, I didn't expect that the Qing Dynasty would be defeated by the small country of Zuo'er! "

……

After hearing the news, many senior executives of Nanhua Company sighed. Fortunately, they saw the opportunity early and took refuge with Boss Shi early.

If they had stayed in the weak Qing Dynasty, today would be the day when their collective faces would be tarnished!

Ouyang Geng, Cai Shaoji, Li Enfu and others gathered together and drank wine.

They were not optimistic about the Qing Dynasty's national destiny, but they never thought that the Qing Dynasty would be defeated by the small Japanese states.

……

This is already the case at the top, and the free people at the bottom are even more grateful that they came to Southwest Africa early.

If you still stay in the Qing Dynasty, who knows how you will be despised?
  When the immigrants lamented the decline of the Qing Dynasty, they all realized that it was Boss Shi who brought them out of the sea of ​​misery. Their happy life today comes from Boss Shi's wise leadership and salvation.

However, there are still some immigrants who care about their homeland. After learning that Japan defeated the Qing Dynasty, they were unwilling to admit this fact and began to target Japanese women in the company.

……

The Police Headquarters continues to receive criminal cases from various places where Chinese immigrants harass Japanese women under pretexts and even assault Japanese women.

The war in the Far East has deeply affected the people in Southwest Africa.

As the conflict intensified, Tang Kui had to ask Boss Shi for instructions to issue martial law in Southwest Africa.

……

Boss Shi, who learned the whole story, immediately gave Tang Kui instructions: Those who messed up the company must be taken care of, no matter who they were, they would be dealt with severely.

When they arrived in Southwest Africa, they were no longer Qing people. They were no longer attached to their homeland or took the opportunity to cause trouble. They were enemies of the Nanhua Company.

Nanhua Company cannot tolerate it, nor can it tolerate it!

……

From then until the end of the year, Nanhua Company directly entered a period of martial law, and any immigrants who dared to commit crimes would be severely punished.

The "Martial Law Storm" of 1894 officially began!
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  (End of this chapter)