Nanyang 1931: From piglets to giants

Chapter 97 What does this have to do with Mr. Zheng?
There are really no military talents in Nanyang. People like He Shili and Li Xiaowei are really rare, and they are even treasures that cannot be found even with a lantern.

And he really wants to go to war. He is actually preparing for war now, but most people can't see it, and don't know who he is preparing for.

Moreover, for Zheng Yi, if Ho Shai-lai could stay, it would bring great stability to the entire political structure of Penang.

Because Ho Shai-lai is from Hong Kong Island.

He didn't even have an ancestral home. Ho Tung himself was a mixed-race person, and his grandfather was a Dutch Jew.

If he comes, he will definitely represent the power of Hong Kong Island. Zheng Yi said that Hong Kong Island in this era is also a part of Nanyang, which is not nonsense. Almost all of these Nanyang tycoons have industries in Hong Kong Island, and the companies in Nanyang are all listed in Hong Kong Island.

He is the son of Ho Tung. As long as he works in Nanyang, no matter what he does, he will represent the Ho family of Hong Kong Island.

Then he won’t be able to join forces with other forces.

He couldn't find his fellow countrymen in Penang.

One that has connections with all other forces, even very close relationships, but does not have enough fellow villagers to become an independent force.

Everyone will feel at ease when this kind of person holds a gun.

Of course, Li Xiaowei also holds some power, but this kind of thing has always been the most sensitive. Within a certain range, others can tolerate it. If it exceeds everyone's tolerance, people will mistakenly think that Zheng Yi is engaging in dictatorship, which would be bad.

Moreover, if all the troops were in his hands, even Zheng Yi himself might not trust him.

Whether internally or externally, He Shilei is an indispensable talent in building up military forces in Nanyang.

The others didn't think too much about it, especially Lai Renkang. When he heard that these two were officers who had actually returned from the front lines, he immediately became excited.

When he heard Zheng Yi trying to persuade He Shili to stay, he no longer cared about his reserve. He stepped forward and held He Shili's hand. In a very humble manner, he begged with tears in his eyes:
"Mr. He, Nanyang really needs you. Please, please save us. Last night, just one night, the Chinese in Perlis suffered heavy casualties. Over a thousand people were killed! Please, lead us to seek revenge!"

He Shili: “…………”

For a moment, He Shili had no idea what was going on.

He had just arrived in Penang a few days ago. After withdrawing from the Northeast Army, he first returned to his home in Hong Kong Island.

The connection between Hong Kong Island and Nanyang is very deep, and Ho Tung himself is also friends with these Nanyang tycoons.

Ho Tung naturally paid close attention to such a big issue as Penang's autonomy. However, as a comprador of the British, he did not want to be too deeply involved with these people in Penang. It happened that Ho Shai-lai came back, and he knew that Ho Shai-lai had a friendship with Zheng Yi, so he asked Ho Shai-lai to come and pay his respects on his behalf.

Of course, Zheng Yi was busy all day yesterday, so he didn't see Zheng Yi, but he did meet with Chen Jiageng, Li Jiqian and others, and barely completed the task his father gave him.

By the way, I also took a good look at Penang, which was in Zheng Yi's hands.

Their family and the Li family are old friends, and coincidentally, Li Xiaowei also came back yesterday. The two knew each other and had similar experiences in China. When they met again after a long time, they had a drink together.

Until this morning, Qian Qiwen called Li Xiaowei and said that Zheng Yi was looking for him. He thought of coming over to say hello to Zheng Yi, so he followed Li Xiaowei here.

The result was very sudden. Zheng Yi wanted to keep him and said that Nanyang should set up its own Chinese armed forces.

Before he could figure out what was happening, a middle-aged man in his forties almost knelt down and begged him for help.

What the hell just happened?

Seeing He Shili completely bewildered, Lai Renkang quickly explained the whole story, including the current situation facing the Hakka people. He even sobbed when he got emotional.

"What do you mean, you want me to go to Perlis to lead the troops?"

Thinking this in his heart, he said: "Captain Lai, please don't get excited. This matter still needs to be considered in the long run.

Mr. Zheng is a modest gentleman, an intellectual, a great scientist, not a soldier, and not even a businessman. There are some things he might not be able to say, so why not let me say them for him?

"I know you're anxious, but don't worry. I understand your situation and the situation of the Hakka people in Perlis. But in the end, what does this have to do with Mr. Zheng? What does this have to do with Penang?"

"We are all compatriots, Mr. Zheng, and you are now truly a leader of the Chinese community. If you are in trouble, I will naturally help you if I can. However, the current situation is beyond the scope of simple assistance."

"If the British are really behind those Malays you mentioned, do you know that what you are asking Mr. Zheng to do is actually asking him to gamble on the entire Nanyang Chinese community and the bright future of Penang's development for you Hakkas and to engage in a war-like confrontation with the British?"

"You know, if you're not careful, you could be labeled an anti-colonial person, right? Penang may be autonomous, but the British Navy still operates the port there. Captain Lai, you're using moral blackmail and forcing someone to do something against their will."

On the side, Zheng Yi was slightly surprised.

This Ho Sai-lai is indeed worthy of being Ho Tung's son. At least he has a clear mind and he actually starts to encourage me.

What he said just now is right and wrong at the same time.

Strictly speaking, the affairs of Perlis really had nothing to do with him, and the interests there were not that big. From a purely calculating point of view, it was not worth it to fight with the Colonial Bureau for them, and to fight with real weapons.

However, if Zheng Yi had not established self-government in Penang, the British would not have given the Malays heavy artillery.

For the Colonial Bureau, Zheng Yi, who used tax farming as a means to establish Penang as an autonomous state, was actually completely acceptable.

Penang is a place with almost no special features in the eyes of the British at that time, except that there are enough Chinese people there. Such a small benefit is nothing compared to the value of Zheng Yi himself.

Not to mention there's Shell oil on it.

It doesn’t matter if Zheng Yi seduces Americans in Penang. For Americans, Nanyang is a flat land. Once it is flat, you can make it round or flatten it as you like, depending on your mood.

Penang is just a small place, and the Colonial Office didn’t feel any pity about giving it away.

However, if Zheng Yi and the Americans used Penang as their base and made all the Chinese in Southeast Asia follow them, it would be painful for the Colonial Bureau.

In simple terms, if Zheng Yi was just the ruler of Penang, even if he really broke away from the colonial administration, it would not matter if the colonial administration gave up Penang.
But if he was the leader of all the Chinese in Southeast Asia, and showed pro-American, separatist, and disobedient attitudes, the Colonial Bureau would not accept it.

Therefore, the Colonial Office chose to target the Hakka people in Perlis first.

These Hakka people were indeed victims of the game between Zheng Yi and the Colonial Bureau. When politics reaches a certain level, the lives of ordinary people are really just bargaining chips, and the dust of the times is like a mountain falling on a person's head.

But those who really play the game cannot really care about the feelings of every speck of dust. That is not a politician, that is the Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Guanyin Bodhisattva.

So naturally, we can’t say that their life or death has nothing to do with Zheng Yi.

But if you say there is a connection, at least so far, there is indeed no direct connection.

Haven’t they agreed to the military settlement issue yet?

(End of this chapter)