The arrogance started from Chinatown

Chapter 553 I’m here to do business, do you think I can do it?

As the world's first steam-clad battleship, the Warrior did not even have a bridge. Three tall masts stood on the deck, and cables were fixed to various parts of the hull, as densely packed as a spider web.

Two huge chimneys stood in the middle and rear part of the deck.

In the center of the deck is a platform two meters above the ground which serves as the rudder.

However, after falling into Chen Zhengwei's hands, the ship has changed drastically.

A three-story bridge was built on the original platform. The bottom floor was where the rudder and ship control were located, and the wireless telegraph was also located there.

The middle floor is the living room, which is equipped with sofas, desks and everything in between. Windows cover the entire front and half of the sides.

A veil and a velvet blackout curtain hung on either side.

There are two rows of wooden boxes in the corner, with tomatoes planted inside.

The third floor has a bedroom and a small balcony with a small table and two lounge chairs.

For Chen Zhengwei, enjoyment always comes first.

Once on board, the sailors who were working on the deck put down their work one after another. "Boss!"

"Everyone is busy with their own things. I don't like to be polite. We will be out to sea together for so many days this time!" Chen Zhengwei said with a smile.

Turning his head to look at the dock, Chen Zhengwei remembered something and said to the first mate behind him, "The school will be open in a few days. Let your boss's wife go there for me! Go down and tell them!"

The first mate hurried down to inform them, and came back a moment later: "Boss, tell the madam!"

"lets go!"

"Everyone, take your positions!" Captain Liu Guanchang shouted immediately.

The sailors on the ship returned to their positions one after another.

"Start the wheel machine!" Liu Guanchang gave orders as he walked, with a hint of excitement and pride in his voice.

This is one of the most powerful battleships in the world, even if it is retired!

It is also the most powerful warship of overseas Chinese.

Chen Zhengwei glanced at him, not understanding what he was so excited about.

As the order was conveyed, the steam engine in the cabin began to roar.

"Raise the anchor!"

As several sailors worked together to turn the capstan, the iron chain rattled.

"Adjust direction and leave the port!"

With the sound of the whistle, the Warrior slowly turned and sailed out of the port, and the two supply ships behind it also started.

Chen Zhengwei asked his men to put the luggage in the living room on the second floor of the bridge, and he went to the balcony on the third floor, threw his suit jacket aside, collapsed on the recliner and took out a cigar.

"Uncle Wei, the boat is not shaking at all!" Wan Yun said softly in Chen Zhengwei's ear.

"Because the ship is big!" Chen Zhengwei laughed. A warship that is a hundred meters long and has a displacement of more than 9000 tons naturally does not shake as much as a small boat.

Soon, the Warrior and two supply ships joined other ships and headed for Panama.

This time there are a total of eight warships, five transport ships, and more than 2300 crew members.

The Warrior, where Chen Zhengwei was, also had a cook from Dingshilou on board, and there was also a doctor on each ship.

The fleet sailed across the Pacific Ocean, from San Francisco to Panama, and saw other ships from time to time.

On a passenger ship sailing from Panama to Vancouver, several gentlemen leaning on the side of the ship were somewhat surprised to see the fleet in the distance.

Soon they could see the ship's flag.

"It's an American ship!"

"The U.S. navy is developing so fast!" Several of them were Canadians who had just arrived in Panama to sign an agreement. They were a little worried after seeing this scene.

Not far from them, a couple from the United States saw the warship approaching in the distance and waved to greet them.

"Uncle Wei, look, someone is greeting us over there!" Wanyun said excitedly while holding a telescope.

It was quite novel when I first boarded such a big ship, but after a few days, the surrounding scenery hadn't changed at all, and there was only vast ocean everywhere, so I began to feel bored.

Her current hobby is to fiddle with the tomatoes grown in Chen Zhengwei's study, and to watch passing ships through a telescope.

"Let's fire a shot at them to say hello!" Chen Zhengwei put down the book in his hand and said with a smile.

"Master Wei! They will be scared to death." Wan Yun knew that Chen Zhengwei was talking nonsense, and said with a smile on his face.

……

When Chen Zhengwei went to South America, Nathaniel left New Orleans at night with his black men according to the message he had sent.

The militia failed in its attempt to capture the rebel leader and suffered heavy casualties.

This incident was not only reported in newspapers, but was also widely reported in newspapers, causing an uproar in the United States.

This made the Louisiana National Guard extremely angry.

After Nathaniel and his men left, the militia regiment that had just been reorganized into the National Guard rushed into the slums. A large number of black people in the slums were implicated, beaten, arrested and imprisoned.

The result was that a large number of young black people from the slums left the city with their bags on their backs, seeking refuge with Nathaniel.

Therefore, the number of blacks under Nathaniel increased instead of decreased, from five or six hundred before the war, to more than three hundred when leaving New Orleans, to thousands of people a few days later.

Especially in the countryside, there are a lot of sparsely populated areas and a large number of black people, which provides great help for their hiding.

However, the next problem became serious. After leaving New Orleans, with so many more people, their supplies were seriously insufficient.

There is a shortage of food and medicine.

Just at this time, several Jews found them.

"Don't be so vigilant, I'm here to help you!" Facing the gun, the Jews raised their hands without showing any hostility.

Soon, the Jews were brought before Nathaniel.

"You said you are here to help us? Who are you?" Nathaniel asked vigilantly.

“We’re from Philadelphia!”

“We saw what you did, and it’s awesome!”

"Not only are you being discriminated against, we are also being discriminated against. We admire your resistance, so we decided to provide you with help!"

"We brought a batch of food and bullets! Enough for you to eat for a month, two days at most, and they can be delivered here!"

Hearing this, the people around Nathaniel immediately showed expressions of joy.

"Thank you so much! I believe that all of us can live equally on this land!" Nathaniel immediately stepped forward and grabbed the other person's hand, saying with gratitude.

He felt more and more that he was doing the right thing.

Mr. Chen, a Chinese, helped them, and these Jews, whom they had never met before, also came to help them.

And more and more black people are awakening.

One day, their cheers will resound throughout the entire society!

The whole of America will be filled with the laughter of black people.

……

Thirteen days later, Chen Zhengwei's fleet arrived off the coast of Panama, and more and more small ships began to appear around the fleet.

"Boss, do you want to send someone to say hello to them first?" Director Liu Guan asked while standing beside Chen Zhengwei.

Chen Zhengwei looked at the land and Panama City in the distance with a telescope, and instructed Liu Guanzhang: "What are you sending people over for? Fire a few shots to greet them! Otherwise they will think we are impolite!" "Boss, where are you shooting?"

Director Liu felt that they were very flamboyant the last time they went to Hawaii.

However, Chen Zhengwei is more flamboyant, and he totally ignores the Colombian government!
Nor is there any fear of angering the Colombian government.

"Just fire at the sea in front of the port! Otherwise, do you still want to bomb their port?" Chen Zhengwei turned his head and looked at him, a little surprised:
"I never realized you're such a vicious person. Remember, we're here to do business, not to bomb their port!"

Director Liu opened his mouth.

Boss, you are the one talking, I didn’t say anything!
In fact, Chen Zhengwei’s fleet had already been discovered when it appeared on the sea near the port.

Such a fleet immediately aroused the vigilance of the local government of Panama.

At that time, Panama was a province of the Federation of Colombia. Minister Justo Arosemena was handling official business in his office when his secretary knocked on the door.

"Sir, a fleet appeared on the sea!"

"They were flying the American flag, and most of them were battleships!"

Justo Arosemena frowned. "What are American warships doing here? Several ships?"

You know, Colombia’s relationship with the United States is not very good now.

The United States is a powerful country to the north of Colombia, and Colombia has always been vigilant.

Previously, Colombia had contracted the construction of the Panama Canal to the United States. However, in 1870, Colombia changed its mind and took back the construction and operation rights.

The rights to build and operate the canal were contracted to a French company in July last year.

This incident aroused strong opposition from the United States.

Therefore, the appearance of the American fleet here at this time inevitably made Arosemena a little worried.

"Looking through the telescope, there are eight warships, all of them are very large!" His secretary was describing when suddenly several cannon shots were heard in the distance!
Arosemena was startled and quickly stood up and walked to the window to look outside, only to see huge splashes of water on the sea outside the port.

"What are they going to do? Start a war?" Arosemena's face changed drastically.

"Notify the army and navy to stay alert! And find a way to contact them!" Arosemena ordered quickly, then took out the telescope from the table and looked into the distance, only to see several huge warships lying on the sea.

Through the muzzle on the side of one of the large warships, one could vaguely see the cannon inside, like a lion baring its fangs.

Even the smallest warship in this fleet is more powerful than the small dinghy of the Colombian Navy.

This made his face full of worry.

Colombia has an unstable political situation and the current Colombian government is less than 20 years old and does not have strong control over Colombia.

Therefore, Colombia's navy is very weak, and its largest ships are small gunboats of several hundred tons.

Moreover, each team is centered around a small gunboat and several patrol boats.

He had no doubt that if he ordered the navy to fight, they would abandon their ships and flee.

These gunshots also alarmed other people in Panama, and the merchants and civilians in the city were all in panic.

Soon, a small steamer left the harbor with port officials on board.

The closer we get to the fleet, the more we can feel how powerful it is. Compared with this fleet, the Colombian Navy is just a small dinghy.

Following flag signals, the small boat stopped beside the Warrior and the port officials climbed up the gangway.

Then he froze.

I saw that the people on the ship were not Americans as I expected, but all of them were yellow-skinned people!
"Excuse me, where is the captain?" the port official asked nervously.

Soon he was brought to Chen Zhengwei.

Looking at the man lying on a recliner in front of him, tall and strong, with bronzed muscles and a fierce and violent aura, it would be more believable to say that he is a pirate.

"Sir, are you from the American fleet? Your..."

Before he could finish his words, Chen Zhengwei grabbed the ashtray next to him and threw it at him.

boom!
The port official groaned in pain, his head was broken and bleeding from the ashtray, and his eyes were full of fear.

"Are you blind? Can't you see our huge American flag? Or do you think I'm not an American? Even the President of the United States doesn't dare to say that!" Chen Zhengwei's face was full of ferocity.

If the President of the United States dares to say that, he will hang the person!

"Sir, sir... I understand. May I ask why you are here?" The port official said in panic, covering his forehead with his hands, blood constantly flowing down his fingers.

"What can so many ships do? They come here to do business! And get some supplies!" Chen Zhengwei snorted coldly.

After hearing this, the customs officials didn't dare to believe it at all and almost said that the other party was here to rob.

But he didn't dare not to believe it.

"My last name is Chen, and I'm from San Francisco! Your top officials should know me! Please clear some berths for me at the port, and let the top local officials welcome me at the port!" Chen Zhengwei stared at the other party.

"Yes..." said the customs official tremblingly.

Chen Zhengwei leaned back in the recliner. If the highest official of a province didn’t even know about him, he might as well just die.

Living is also a waste of food.

Although this is a province of Colombia, Chen Zhengwei believes that he is somewhat famous internationally.

The customs officials quickly returned to report.

"Chen? San Francisco?" Arosemena frowned after hearing the report. He quickly remembered something and asked someone to get some newspapers.

Colombia's top leaders are all of Spanish descent, so the newspapers here are mainly in Spanish.

Soon, he found a report.

"The murder of the US President is suspected to be related to San Francisco Chinese leader Zhengwei Chen!"

"It should be him! The Chinese leader in San Francisco! He also forced the US government to sign the Washington Agreement!" Arosemena's face was uncertain.

"Let the troops enter the city and be on guard!"

"Let my family go to the country estate first!"

After giving the instructions, he took his men to the port to meet Chen Zhengwei.

Soon, as berths became available in the port, the Warrior and several supply ships entered the port.

Arosemena and his men stood at the harbor, craning their necks to look at the huge warship in front of them. Now that they were closer, they felt more and more the terror and pressure of the warship.

Then the warship lowered the gangway and Chen Zhengwei came down from the ship wearing a pair of red pants and a white shirt.

Dozens of sailors followed him with guns.

Looking at the tall man coming down the gangway, Arosemena hurriedly stepped forward, stretched out his hands, and put on a smile on his face.

"Welcome, Mr. Chen from San Francisco!"

"Are you the highest commander here? The cannon went off accidentally just now. I hope you weren't scared?" Chen Zhengwei stretched out a hand and looked down at Arosemena with some arrogance.

"No...it's just a little misunderstanding! I'm the captain here, Justo Arosemena!" Arosemena forced a smile.

"Chief S! It sounds like you hold a high position!" Chen Zhengwei nodded and said to Arosemena, "To be frank, I'm here to do business!"

After saying that, he took a few steps forward and turned to look at the Warrior.

"Do you think I can do this?"

Arosemena followed Chen Zhengwei's gaze and could only see the tall, monster-like ship and the sailors following Chen Zhengwei, getting off the ship with guns in their hands.

　Just use the Chinese character S for length. It will look fine in my backend, but it will be replaced by "senior official" in the main text.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)