"However, those guys may have forgotten! The colonies will not abide by the first-come, first-served rule. Sometimes, it is easier for later-developing countries to gain the support of the indigenous people than for early-developing countries, just like the Kingdom of Britain at the time!
I'm right! Captain Grundy!"
Jerome Patterson's teasing about the Kingdom of Britain made Grandi a little angry.
Now that people were on the eaves, Captain Grandi had to suppress the anger in his heart and said calmly to Jerome Patterson: "Your Excellency, Governor, what we are discussing now is that if there is a conflict with the Kingdom of Portugal during the occupation of the land,
What should be done!”
Jerome Patterson "seemed" to realize that the topic he had just gone off topic, he hurriedly showed an "apologetic" smile to Captain Grandi and said: "Look at me! Why did I go off topic again! It's really
Somewhat sorry!
Didn't you just ask what you should do? My advice to you is to use legal means to protect our own rights and interests!"
"Legal means?" Captain Grandi looked at Jerome Patterson in disbelief. He really couldn't believe that this word came from the mouth of a colonial governor.
At this moment, he really wanted to ask Jerome Patterson loudly, which set of laws he was talking about, the laws of the French Empire, the laws of the Kingdom of Portugal, or the laws of the indigenous people living on this land.
.
"Yes! Legal means!" Jerome Patterson nodded and repeated the sentence again.
"Your Excellency, Governor, please forgive my ignorance!" Captain Grandi asked Jerome Patterson bluntly: "Which law are you talking about? We lack everything here, but there is no shortage of laws!"
"Of course it is in accordance with the land transfer law signed by our government and local residents!" Jerome Patterson said to Captain Grandi confidently.
Captain Grandy immediately realized that Jerome Patterson wanted to rely on the means of controlling the land to turn this area into French territory. "But the Kingdom of Portugal will definitely not recognize that we and the indigenous people
Signed agreement!"
"There's no reason why they don't agree!" Jerome Patterson showed a contemptuous smile, "Mr. Grandi, I'm afraid you have forgotten! France has the most elite troops in the world!
If you encounter any obstruction from the Portuguese, please tell them for me!
If Portugal believed that its army could defeat France, then they did not have to abide by the agreement.
Otherwise, they have to follow our regulations!
This is not Portugal’s back garden, they can do whatever they want!”
After Captain Grandi was silent for a moment, he nodded and said seriously to Jerome Patterson: "I understand!"
When Captain Grandy finished these words, the whole room fell into silence again.
Standing out of sight of Jérôme Patterson and Captain Lalandy, Rastignac, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately understood that it was his turn to appear after hearing that there was no further communication through the door.
So, Rastignac took a step forward and appeared at the door of the room, walked step by step in front of Jérôme Patterson and Captain Grandy, handed the quill to Captain Grandy, and at the same time opened the door for Captain Grandy.
The inkwell.
"Thank you!" Captain Grandi said politely to Rastignac, then signed his name on the last page of the document with a quill dipped in ink, and pushed the document back to Jérôme.
In front of Patterson.
Jerome Patterson took the document with a satisfied smile on his face. He put the document in his drawer, stretched out his hand and said to Captain Grandi: "Mr. Grandi, you made the right move.
s Choice!"
"Thank you for your kindness! I made such an extremely correct choice!" Captain Grandy replied with a sneer on his face, and he replied to Jerome Patterson.
"Mr. Grandi, I think your attitude towards me can be a little kinder! After all, I am your boss now!" Jerome Patterson spread his hands and said helplessly to Captain Grandi.
"Your Majesty the Governor! If you are forced to sign a treaty and you are unwilling to sign it, I think you will not have a good face!" Captain Grandi said coldly to Jerome Patterson,
"Then for the sake of money, can your attitude change slightly?
You know, I hire you and your team to do things for me with a salary of 30,000 francs per year. There are only a few people in Africa who can do this for such a price." Jerome Patterson shrugged and said nonchalantly.
Captain Grandi responded noncommittally, "Your Majesty the Governor, an annual salary of thirty thousand francs per year is indeed not a condition that ordinary forces can provide! Such generous conditions, let alone us, even Mr. Livingstone will probably be a little less.
think about it!"
"By the way! I have a question to ask you, but I don't know if it's convenient for you to answer it!" Jerome Patterson said to Captain Grandi?
"Say it!" said Captain Grundy.
"Why did you leave Livingstone this April?" Jerome Patterson asked Captain Grandi, and then added: "If it's inconvenient, you don't need to answer!"
"There is nothing inconvenient!" Captain Grandy said to Jerome Patterson in a calm tone: "It was because Livingstone and I had differences today in April that I left the army led by him.
"I think the next step for the team should be to continue exploring along the "Congo River" and strive for more development.
Livingstone believes that the team should not continue walking along the "Congo River" next!
In this way, the two of us had differences on the issue of the route!" Captain Grundy said with a hint of resentment in his tone: "Since neither of us could convince the other, the team
There was a stalemate.
In order to prevent the team from falling apart due to arguments, and also to prevent Livingstone from being embarrassed, I voluntarily quit Livingstone’s scientific expedition team and concentrated on forming my own team!”
[PS: The Congo River here is actually the Onwe River in Gabon.]
"So that's it!" Jerome Patterson nodded and gave Captain Grandi a thumbs up and praised: "Mr. Grandi, you are really an outstanding person!"
"Excellent!" Captain Grandi responded to Jerome Patterson with a reserved smile on his face.
Later, Jerome Patterson asked Captain Grandi when he could set off.
"Your Majesty the Governor! Originally I was planning to show up in a few days, but now it seems I may have to wait for a while!" Grandi said to Jérôme Bonaparte.
"Why is this?" Jerome Patterson asked doubtfully.
"Because your people are going to join our team, I need to train them!" Captain Grandi replied bluntly to Jerome Bonaparte.
"The people I send to you will be excellent soldiers in the military camp. They shouldn't need to train anymore!" Jerome Patterson said to Captain Grandi.
Captain Grandi shook his head and responded to Jerome Patterson: "Your Majesty the Governor, even the best soldiers need training!
The place we are going to is different from the battlefield. The battlefield is about frontal fighting, and all dangers come from the enemy's rifles and artillery.
But it's different there. Not only do we have to face slave trading teams and hostile indigenous people from various forces, but we also have to learn to fight against the environment there!
If you are not careful, there is a risk of death!
Even among Livingstone's team, some senior scientific expedition members will die in the jungle.
So we must be fully prepared!”
"Okay! Just do what you said!" Jerome Bonaparte said to Grandi, and then asked: "But I want to know! How long will it take for you to set off?
!”
"If it's fast, it will only take three or four weeks, if it's slow, it will take two or three months!" Captain Grandi responded to Jerome Patterson: "It all depends on where you are placed in my team.
The learning ability of Chinese soldiers!"
"I understand!" Jerome Patterson said to Grandi with a serious face: "I will select a group of soldiers with excellent learning ability to study there, and I hope you can teach them survival skills!
"
"That's natural!"
…
The next morning, Captain Grandi, who lived in the Governor's Palace, was woken up by Rastignac.
Sleepily, he yawned and asked Rastignac: "Excuse me, what can I do?"
"His Excellency the Governor asked me to inform you that he has prepared soldiers to accompany you." Rastignac said to Captain Grandi expressionlessly.
"Okay! I understand, I'll be there in a moment!" Captain Grandy yawned again and replied to Jerome Patterson.
After a while, Captain Grandi got dressed and walked out of the room, and saw Rastignac in the corridor.
"Please come with me!" Rastignac said briefly and then left.
Captain Grandi followed Rastignac in a carriage, and the carriage carried Captain Grandi to the military camp.
Captain Grandy entered the military camp and immediately felt a long-lost sense of intimacy. At this moment, he seemed to have returned to eight years ago, when he was serving in India...
"What's wrong? Mr. Grundy!"
At this moment, Rastignac's voice broke Captain Grandi's memory.
"No! It's nothing!"
Captain Grandi shook his head and followed Rastignac forward, and soon they came to Jerome Patterson. Jerome Patterson introduced Grandi to the must-follow guide.
the people around them.
"This is Major Mirabeau Plenković. He will serve as the captain of the escort team for this scientific expedition!" Jerome Patterson pointed at Mirabeau Plenković and said.
Mirabeau Plenkovitch saluted Grandi in a modest manner, and Grandi also returned the salute to Mirabeau Plenkovych.