On March 7, 1878, Li Wencai first arrived in Kelantan State by boat and met with the local commander of the National Defense Force Chen Zongbai. He left Kelantan State in the morning of the next day and arrived in Songkhla City in the afternoon.
Songkhla City was built on the southern edge of Songkhla Lake and was one of the earliest immigration destinations for Chinese in the Malay Peninsula.
After Wu Rang assumed the position of Lord of Songkhla in 1775, he implemented a policy of encouraging commerce. A large number of Nanyang Chinese businessmen established commercial bases in Songkhla and resold rice and timber produced in Annam, Cambodia and other places to the Malay indigenous people, and then from Malay.
Come to the peninsula to buy chili peppers, tin, iron and other mineral resources and transport them to the mainland, and earn considerable profits through the difference in transportation prices.
Busy commercial trade brought a large amount of tax revenue to the Wu regime. In the areas controlled by the Wu regime,
When foreign cargo ships arrive at the dock, they need to pay taxes according to the size of the ship and the weight of the cargo. For large ships with a lot of cargo, they have to pay five to six hundred silver coins, and for small ones, they have to pay two hundred to three hundred silver coins. New Chinese passengers arriving for the first time have to pay one silver dollar.
For taxes, Chinese residents who are not naturalized in Songkhla also have to pay one silver dollar every year.
After deducting various financial expenditures, the commercial tax revenue established in coastal areas can bring more than 100,000 silver dollars in revenue to the Wu regime every year.
The Wu regime handed over part of the tax collected to the Thai government every year, and most of the remaining revenue was used to build coastal port facilities. So when Li Wencai looked from the ship to Songkhla Port, what he saw was a row of merchant ships lined up.
After getting off the boat, Li Wencai was greeted by Wu Jin's eldest son, Wu Chong, and got into a four-wheel carriage and drove to the city lord's palace.
In the Lord's Palace of Songkhla City, a complex of buildings covering an area of more than 5,000 acres, Li Wencai, accompanied by Wu Chong, met Wu Jin, the contemporary Lord of Songkhla City.
Wu Jin is about forty years old, wearing a white Ming-style uniform, and has an elegant temperament. When Li Wencai first met him, he thought he was a well-educated scholar.
"I have heard of General Li's reputation for a long time. When I saw him today, he was really extraordinary. General Li was able to stay in Songkhla for a while, but it was Wu's good fortune."
Wu Jin showed a smile on his face and praised.
"The battlefield has a poor reputation, so we don't deserve such praise from the city lord."
Li Wencai waved his hand, not taking Wu Jin's compliment seriously.
"City Master Wu, Wen Cai came to Songkhla under the order of Master Mei to assist your troops in training. I also ask the City Master to introduce Wen Cai to the situation of your troops."
Li Wencai sat down, put aside the tea brought by the attendant, and asked.
"General Li is concerned about official matters, and Wu will not waste the general's time." Seeing that Li Wencai was not in the mood for small talk, Wu Jin waved the attendant away and said to his second son Wu Shi'an, "Shi'an, come and introduce the Songkhla troops to General Li.
Case."
"My son understands." Wu Shi'an saluted Wu Jin and said, "Songkhla controls the eight provinces. Except for Perlis, Terengganu and Kedah, which are controlled by the British, Kelantan is managed by your army. The rest
In the land of the four provinces, there are 1,000 troops stationed in Yela, 800 troops stationed in Pattani, 1,200 troops stationed in Taogong, and 2,500 troops stationed in Songkhla. However, only 2,000 of the troops stationed in the four provinces obey the orders of the city lord, and 500 troops are stationed in Song Dynasty.
The Katai Army is a force sent by the Thai government to Songkhla to monitor us. The other three provinces' garrisons are all composed of local Malays. Their commanders are also local leaders. The three provinces' garrisons always obey their commanders. For the main palace of Songkhla
They have been disobeying their orders, and they will only be more obedient when the city lord's palace allocates military pay to the troops."
"So, the city lord's palace can control only two thousand troops?" Li Wencai asked.
"Indeed."
Wu Shian said a little embarrassed.
"It doesn't matter if there are two thousand people."
Li Wencai took a sip of tea and said nonchalantly, "Mr. Mei has transferred fifty officers from Annan to assist me in training your army. Commander Chen of the Kelantan garrison also promised to transfer thirty mid-level officers to me in a few days."
Listen to orders.
The National Defense Force attaches great importance to assisting your army in training its troops. I believe that through the careful training of more than 80 officers, the combat effectiveness of your army will be greatly improved."
"The combat effectiveness of the Han National Defense Force is convincing, but the weapons and equipment of the Songkhla Army are backward. Can General Li send a message to Lord Mei and allow the National Defense Force to sell a batch of your army's standard muskets at a low price to equip the Songkhla Army?"
"Songkhla has many merchants in the past and the tax revenue is huge. Lord Wu should not be short of money to buy weapons, right?"
Li Wencai smiled.
"It is true that there are many merchants in Songkhla, but most of the merchant ships currently docked at Songkhla Port belong to the British. We are worried about causing dissatisfaction with British Straits Settlements officials and have not dared to tax British merchant ships. Therefore, the coast of Songkhla
Port tax revenue is no longer what it used to be, and the Thai government continues to increase the proportion of tax paid to Songkhla. After a year of busy work, the real tax revenue left is only 20,000 to 30,000 silver dollars."
Wu Jin explained with a wry smile.
"The sale of weapons to foreign countries requires the approval of His Highness the King of Han. I will truthfully report the difficulties faced by Lord Wu to Lord Mei. As for whether the superiors will agree to sell weapons to Songkhla at a low price, I cannot guarantee it."
"Wu understands that General Li has done Songkhla a great favor by being able to pass the message on behalf of Wu. Whether it succeeds or not, Wu will remember General Li's kindness."
Wu Jin said excitedly when he saw Li Wencai agreeing to help facilitate the Han Dynasty's arms sale to Songkhla.
Wu Jin's expression looked a little strange in Li Wencai's eyes, but after thinking about it from Wu Jin's perspective, it was easy to understand his mood.
Songkhla is sandwiched between Thailand and the British Straits Settlements. Both Thailand and the British Straits Settlements want to annex Songkhla and are unwilling to see Songkhla develop and threaten the rule of the two countries on the Malay Peninsula. Therefore, the Straits Settlements explicitly banned the British
Businessmen sell weapons to Songkhla, but Thailand itself has limited access to weapons from the West, and will not sell weapons to Songkhla.
Under the arms blockade between the two countries, the number of weapons and equipment of the Songkhla army has always been very low. Most soldiers still use bows, arrows, long knives and other cold weapons as combat equipment, while a small number of muskets purchased at high prices can only be used as discarded weapons due to improper maintenance.
It is idle in the weapons arsenal and cannot exert its due combat effectiveness.
The old colonists such as Britain, France, and the Netherlands have rich experience in colonial expansion. The Lanfang Republic in the East Indies chose to rely on the Dutch to maintain its company's survival because of the lack of channels to obtain advanced weapons, while the Annan and Wu regimes relied on the French.
Due to the blockade by the British colonists, the country's strength gradually declined, and it was finally annexed by the colonists.
By establishing a country in South America, the National Defense Force avoided the risk of direct armed annexation by Britain, France and other countries. If Li Mingyuan had chosen to establish a country in Nanyang, he would have faced a joint stranglehold from Britain, France, the Netherlands and even Spain, making it even more difficult to develop.
After agreeing to pass the message to Wu Jin, Li Wencai reached an agreement with Wu Jin on behalf of the National Defense Force to transfer Chinese refugees to Songkhla, Kelantan and other places. Then, after completing his official duties, Li Wencai did not forget what Wang Dashan had asked him to do, and directly asked Wu Jin
The situation of my daughter.
"My daughter Wu Lingxuan has just reached her age. If she is lucky enough to fall into the eyes of His Highness the King of Han, Wu is willing to betroth her to His Highness the King of Han."
Regardless of his daughter's opinion, Wu Jin immediately agreed after hearing what Li Wencai conveyed.
"If His Highness the King of Han is a wise, mighty and valuable daughter, if he can marry His Highness the King of Han, it will definitely become a good story."
Li Mingyuan has not married since he founded the Chinese country in South America. If Wu Lingxuan marries Li Mingyuan, it will not only solve the Han Dynasty's hidden concern of lack of heirs, but also greatly help the stability of Songkhla's regime.
Li Wencai knew the importance of this matter. If he could handle this matter well, it would immediately leave an impression on Li Mingyuan, which would be of great benefit to his future development in South America and Han.
Concerned about the reputation of women who had not yet left the court, Li Wencai sent several Chinese women with him to meet Wu Lingxuan with a cabinet camera, and planned to send the photos they took back to Han, South America, for Li Mingyuan to review.