p: Thank you to my classmates for the reward and support!
"Annam, Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, and the East Indies, millions of Chinese live in the Nanyang region, while the Chinese population in Rio Grande do Sul is only more than 300,000. Compared with the Chinese in the Nanyang region, the Chinese population in Rio Grande do Sul is
Still too little."
Li Mingyuan glanced at the huge map on the wall and murmured.
Outside the Hall of Heroes of the Guardian, he met a commoner man who was suspected of being an old friend of the Taiping Army. When he returned to the headquarters of the National Defense Force, Li Mingyuan had been thinking about a question: the Taiping Rebellion swept across most of China. After the uprising was suppressed, why did the surviving Taiping generals remain unknown?
Didn’t he play a key role in the various uprisings in the late Qing Dynasty?
According to the intelligence sent back by Sun Bin from Nanyang, most of the remnants of the Taiping Army who fled in places such as Annan, Thailand, and the Malay Peninsula chose to hide their identities and work as laborers to survive. A small number of remnants of the Taiping Army were unwilling to be driven by foreigners.
The army did not choose to restore its identity as the Taiping Army. Instead, it joined various local Hongmen organizations and gathered Chinese forces to protect itself as a Hongmen disciple.
"I only know Hongmen, but not the Kingdom of Heaven." Less than five years after the fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the anti-Qing forces originally led by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in Southeast Asia and the mainland have been replaced by Hongmen organizations.
Whenever a dynasty dies or a large-scale peasant uprising is suppressed, the remaining forces will often continue to exist for more than ten years, and the influence of the uprising will not dissipate in just a few years. The phenomenon that occurred after the demise of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom,
But it’s hard to figure out.
"Could it be that the corruption and fratricide of the upper-level leaders led to the collapse of the faith of the middle- and lower-level soldiers, so the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was abandoned by the surviving Taiping Army?"
Li Mingyuan thought of a possibility in his mind.
"Tap, tap, tap." The sound of military boots hitting the ground interrupted Li Mingyuan's thinking. He turned around and saw eight or nine soldiers escorting three Chinese to the door of the room.
"Your Highness, the person you requested has been brought."
The leading officer gave a military salute and pushed the civilian man tied up with a rope into the room.
"Untie the rope for them." Li Mingyuan didn't expect that his men would tie up the common man as a prisoner, and said rather helplessly.
"Yes." The leading officer did not hesitate and subconsciously carried out Li Mingyuan's order.
"My officers and men are not sensible. Please forgive me for offending you."
Li Mingyuan temporarily put the doubts behind him and said politely.
"I don't dare." Hong He said neither humble nor arrogantly, "I'm just an ordinary commoner. I don't know what your highness is calling this commoner here for?"
"Do you still want to hide your identity? There are many old brothers from the Taiping Army in the National Defense Force. Several Taiping Army brothers will come over to meet you later. Don't you still admit it at that time?"
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has great vision. No wonder he was able to lead a group of remnants of the army to build a large foundation after the Kingdom of Heaven was destroyed."
The man in civilian clothes sighed in admiration, and then said: I have followed the King of Heaven since I was fourteen years old, and I have fought in more than a hundred battles in the south and north. After the Kingdom of Heaven was destroyed, I originally wanted to live in hiding overseas for the rest of my life, but I didn’t expect to hear His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in the United States.
Curious about the news in Rio Grande do Sul, I sold my fortune in the United States and collected the fare for the long voyage to Rio Grande do Sul. During the few days I stayed in Rio Grande do Sul, I originally just wanted to see those things.
How are the surviving Taiping brothers doing? Unexpectedly, they were discovered by His Highness the Crown Prince.
"When I was fourteen, I followed Hong Xiuquan and took the pseudonym Hong." From the common man's words, Li Mingyuan vaguely guessed his true identity.
"Your Excellency should be His Highness Hongchun Kuihong, King of Ying, Zuotian General of the Kingdom of Heaven?"
"Haha, His Highness the Crown Prince still remembers me?"
"I don't remember much, I just remember meeting His Highness Hong several times with my father when I was a child."
Li Mingyuan shook his head and continued, "His Royal Highness Hong is a famous general in the Kingdom of Heaven. Now that the Chinese brothers are establishing their foundation in Rio Grande do Sul, they are in urgent need of various talents. Why don't Your Highness Hong stay and help me manage the army? What do you think?"
"It's rare that His Highness the Crown Prince is interested in it, but His Highness is not afraid that the descendants of the Hong family will seize power and swallow up Rio Grande do Sul?"
"His Royal Highness Hong underestimated Li Mingyuan's magnanimity." Li Mingyuan said unconcernedly, "His Royal Highness Hong has been observing Rio Grande do Sul for several days. May I ask His Highness Hong, how is the weather in Rio Grande do Sul?"
"The country is stable and the people's temperament is high."
"Are the soldiers of the National Defense Force elite? Are they loyal and brave?"
"The National Defense Forces have strict discipline and majestic momentum. His Highness has a high status in the National Defense Forces and is deeply supported by officers and soldiers. No one in Rio Grande do Sul can replace His Highness's position in the army."
Hong Chunkui objectively admitted.
"Haha, His Highness Hong is overly praised." Li Mingyuan chuckled and said confidently, "The National Defense Force may not be as good as the main force of the major powers in terms of combat effectiveness, but in terms of the loyalty of the soldiers, I believe that the troops formed by me will definitely obey my command. As for the King of Heaven,
If future generations want to seize power, even if I agree to abdicate in favor of someone more worthy, do you think the officers and soldiers of the National Defense Force will agree?"
Li Mingyuan looked directly at Hong Chunkui and said solemnly, "Your Highness Hong, I sincerely invite you to join the National Defense Forces. You can forget about all the grudges and grudges in the Kingdom of Heaven. However, if you agree to join the National Defense Forces, you must abide by the disciplines of the National Defense Forces.
During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, those soldiers who were generals and used the troops as private armed forces were banned at one stroke, and the National Defense Forces emphasized merit-based duties. After Your Highness Hong agrees to join the army, I will first arrange for you to serve in the General Staff Headquarters and be responsible for managing the troops.
As for training, wait until you have achieved results in the General Staff Headquarters before being assigned to the field unit to lead the army.
This is probably your arrangement, I hope you will consider it carefully before replying to me."
"Your Highness does not despise me, an old remnant, and treats others sincerely. How can I not know good from evil?"
Li Mingyuan did not taboo Hong Chunkui's identity and expressed his views directly to him. Li Mingyuan's straightforward and generous attitude moved Hong Chunkui. He did not hesitate and said decisively: "Hong Chunkui is just a distant nephew of the King of Heaven. Even if the King of Heaven is the direct descendant of
Nor can we shake His Highness’s rule over Rio Grande do Sul. If His Highness trusts me, I Hongchunkui is willing to join the National Defense Force and obey His Highness’s command.”
"It is a good thing that Your Highness Hong is willing to join the National Defense Force, but after joining the National Defense Force, everything His Highness Hong originally had in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom will have to be abandoned. Can His Highness Hong do it?"
"It has been nearly five years since the Kingdom of Heaven was destroyed. If I had not met His Royal Highness, I would probably have spent my whole life in the United States. As for my previous job titles in the Kingdom of Heaven, I have even lost them in the Kingdom of Heaven. Isn't it a joke to keep an empty official title?
Your Highness, since I have joined the National Defense Forces, everything will naturally be handled in accordance with the rules of the National Defense Forces, and Your Highness does not have to worry about other issues."
"His Royal Highness Hong is not restricted to ordinary names, but he makes me ashamed."
Li Mingyuan smiled awkwardly. As soon as he recruited others to work for him, he asked them to give up all their positions in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It was indeed difficult to say it, but considering that more and more remnants of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom would defect to Rio Grande do Sul in the future, Li Mingyuan must
Go ahead and set the rules, otherwise it will be even more troublesome to arrange for a large group of princes and marquises in the future.
