When the Chileans wanted to use fortresses to conquer the mountains of Araucania, after ten days of day and night travel, reinforcements from South China finally arrived in the Andes.
Crossing the Andas Mountains is not an ordinary march. The chariots that once severely damaged the Gaucho cavalry are definitely no longer usable. The mountain road can only be traveled by human legs and mules.
It would definitely be impossible without mules. The tribes at the foot of the mountain had already prepared mules for Zhu Xianhai and his party.
This kind of mules is a specialty of Argentina. They don't pay attention to feed and only drink water once a day. They can walk forty or fifty kilometers in eight hours without any problem, and they have no problem transporting things weighing more than 300 kilograms.
Of the 600 mules, only one-third took turns riding. Three hundred mules were loaded with various supplies and ammunition, and the remaining 100 carried cloth and other supplies. These industrial products were used to win over the chiefs.
.
In Zhu Xianhai's plan, the future conquest of the Arauca region is not just about the surrender of the chiefs, but also the way of cultural and economic penetration, by selling industrial goods that cannot be manufactured under the production level of the Mapuche people.
It gradually adapted to the modern business and trade model and eventually integrated into the "Nanhua family".
The mountain roads in the Andes Mountains are steep. As we go deeper into the hinterland, the slope of the mountain slopes increases. The paths on the rock tops become narrower and narrower. The valleys under the banks are horrifyingly deep. The mules walk cautiously and the people line up one by one.
go ahead.
"Doug, measure this mountain road."
During the break, Zhu Xianhai gave instructions to Doug, the accompanying map surveyor.
"Sir, don't worry, I will definitely make you feel it's worth your money,"
As an Irishman, Doug always looked optimistic. Even if half of his family starved to death during the famine, it did not affect him. What he meant by value for money was a monthly salary of 50 pesos.
"I never doubted it."
Zhu Xianhai smiled.
Staring at the rugged Andes Mountains, Zhu Xianhai secretly thought, "We must build a railway to the Pacific in the future. But before that, we must first master the mountain roads here, and the Mapuche people undoubtedly know these mountain roads best."
After all, for the past hundreds of years, the Mapuche people living in the Arauca region west of the Andes would cross the mountains every year and go to the Pampas to rob Argentinians.
They have long been familiar with the mountain roads here.
The hillside became steeper and steeper, with rugged stones that rolled under the mules' feet, forming a crashing gravel waterfall. Zhu Xianhai was observing the mountain road all the way.
This mountain road is very wide in most places, and only a few areas are dangerous winding roads.
"If we build a railway in the future, we might consider the path we are taking now."
railway!
For Zhu Xianhai, what he has always been thinking about is to build a railway to the Pacific Ocean. Even if there is no railway in Nanhua now, the significance of such a railway to Nanhua is absolutely indescribable, even in terms of immigration transportation.
It is said that it is closer and faster. Of course, the more important point is that it can block the Chilean ambitions for Patagonia and the Pampas. The railway will connect these maps and form a
Advantage over the Chileans and prevent their attempts to move south or east.
"see it?"
Zhu Xianhai pointed to the most dangerous part of the mountain road and said.
"No matter how dangerous the mountainous terrain is, it is not enough to block everything. If we want to defend Nanhua, we will have to add bunkers in the future!"
Zhu Xianhai said to Sun Hu in Chinese.
Railways need to be built, and fortresses also need to be built. After all, for South China, Araucania, like the Andes, is a line of defense that prevents the Chileans from expanding eastward, and the Andes is the last line of defense. This line of defense
It must be fortified with fortresses.
The next day, when they really penetrated deep into the hinterland of the Andas Mountains, they were not far from the highest ridge. However, it was impossible to distinguish the roads and trails at all. They could only climb step by step from the bulging stone shell on the mountainside.
Climb up the ridge.
"How long will it take for us to arrive at Aluogo City?"
Zhu Xianhai asked.
Arauco is the "capital" of Araucania. It once belonged to the Spanish, but the Mapuche never surrendered. It took them decades to force the Spanish to withdraw from the city.
City. Now the city built on the top of the mountain is what they call the "capital".
"Five days, five days at most."
After thinking about it, Juan pointed in another direction and said.
"If we climb over that mountain, we can shorten the time by half a day."
long time……
Pursing his lips, Zhu Xianhai asked.
“Where are the Chileans now?”
"gentlemen?"
Juan looked at Mr. in confusion.
"Chilean?"
"When you came to ask for help, didn't you say that the Chileans had already occupied many places in the Central Valley?"
Looking at Juan, Zhu Xianhai asked.
"I want to know where the nearest Chileans are!"
That night, when Juan and others went to contact nearby tribes and inquire about the whereabouts of the Chileans, they sat by the campfire at the camp by the lake and leaned close to their hosts, Sun Hu said.
"Master, I still can't understand."
"What?"
"Master, you said this is the second time we have helped the Mapuche people. This is all for some reason!"
Sun Hu couldn't figure it out, and Wang Qiande and the others couldn't figure it out either. But they all obeyed their boss's orders 100%.
"That's right, it's just some land."
"Um……"
Looking at Sun Hu, Wang Qiande and the others, Zhu Xianhai thought for a while and said.
"The place must be in our hands. If it is controlled by others, it will affect our plans in the Pampas."
Will Chile, which has occupied Araucania, allow South China to expand in Patagonia and the Pampas?
This is an unknown, but there are some unknown risks that must be eliminated. For Nanhua, it is necessary to avoid being attacked from both sides as much as possible.
"So, we are sending troops not for the Mapuche people, but for ourselves. Besides... if you punch them away with one punch, you will save hundreds of punches. This punch will not only hit them, but also hit them hard."
, If we don’t hit them hard, they won’t be able to remember!”
If you hit with one punch, you will save hundreds of punches!
The great man never deceived me!
Of course, it's not unheard of in history that one punch can't open a fight, but a hundred punches can hit him. But at least for now, Zhu Xianhai is still extremely confident about the Chileans.
"Only by allowing them to have a better memory can we sleep soundly and develop Nanhua properly!"
This chapter has been completed!