African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 45: Chapter 41: Returning Home in Fine Clothes

July 13, 1866, Far East.

Wang Dazhi, an old member of the Chinese immigrants in the East African colony, is now part of the Marine District Chinese immigrant army.

Just a month ago, the high-level officials of the East African colonial Chinese immigration office contacted Wang Dazhi to discuss using his identity as a Chinese to return to the Qing Country and recruit people.

Nowadays, the Qing Government has just pacified the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom not long ago, and the South, long plagued by warfare, has greatly alleviated the human-land conflict. Since the Song Dynasty, the economic focus has shifted southward, making it a densely populated area. Although the mutual wars between the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the Qing Government created many vacant lands, the populations of surrounding areas could quickly fill these vacancies after the end of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

In the North, however, the rise and colonial expansion of the Russians directly threaten the Land of Dragon’s Ascension. Previously, there was a fear of Chinese damaging the ancestral land of the Qing, but now that the Rakshasa are about to attack, the distinction between Qing and Chinese cannot be considered anymore. To populate the frontier, the Qing Government lifted restrictions on immigration to the Northeast, leading to a large influx of Chinese, known as the Crossing the East.

In the relatively northwest areas of Shanxi, they also have a migration route to Inner Mongolia to farm for the aristocrats, which is known as the West Pass route.

The current main option for immigrants to the East African colony is through the North, by shipping through northern seaports back to East Africa.

The current choices for Northern commoners are either to go to the Northeast or to East Africa. Given the options, their own land is naturally preferred, so most immigrants choose to bring their families and head to Crossing the East.

This is also why the East African colony has to bring in the old immigrants who are already settled in East Africa; otherwise, who would believe the words of the Western devils without seeing real benefits?

As for the South, recruiting people isn’t easy, aside from the new living space created by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement. The locals have two other choices: one is from the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta to America. The current advantage of the Americans over the German is considerable, and even the British and French will enlist some Chinese as enforcers in their colonies.

The second option is the South, especially the southeastern coast and southwestern border, where they can venture and develop in the Nanyang region due to convenient maritime traffic or proximity to borders. Historically, many have ventured to Nanyang or Southeast Asia.

In the South, where clans are prominent, they self-organize into native parties that recruit locally, making recruitment for the East African colony the hardest. Other than having many competitors, their offered conditions aren’t enticing.

How will these Chinese spontaneously head to the East African colony? Besides actually distributing land to them, then they’d definitely take their families to pioneer in East Africa.

But Ernst won’t just hand out land for free. The land in East Africa is Ernst’s private property, with significant future use. Giving land directly may not yield gratitude but instead breed ungrateful wolves.

Only when it’s time to distribute land will Ernst grant land ownership to these Chinese immigrants.

That is during war when Ernst will, in the form of military merit, distribute land to those who have achieved merit.

If the East African land is divided up now, what will Ernst use to earn people’s loyalty when countries like Britain and France start eyeing African lands? Still land.

Moreover, in Ernst’s vision, future agriculture in East Africa will be intensive rather than peasant self-sufficiency: working for the Hohenzollern family, getting land based on how devoted you are, with more fervent work yielding more land, cultivating numerous sizable farms in East Africa.

If everyone can get two or three acres of land, then Chinese people would dare to reproduce. Initially, a lack of people in the colony is fine, but what happens when there’s no shortage later? The rapid development of East Africa wouldn’t keep up with the population growth.

So regarding the migration and survival methods after migrating to East Africa, Ernst has considered it carefully; it can’t be too aggressive as East Africa isn’t running away.

The moment countries like Britain and France start dividing Africa, Ernst estimated that the East African region would still have five million people. Not to mention five million, even with three hundred thousand plus the help of the German Empire, Ernst would dare challenge the British to an African war.

...

Mopan Village, an ordinary small village in North China.

Today the village is quite lively, not because of a festival but because Wang Dazhi, who left a year ago, has returned.

Wang Dazhi’s return isn’t surprising, but what truly fascinates the villagers is that he came back with foreigners, along with several soldiers wielding real weapons.

Initially, villagers dared not approach the village entrance upon seeing a group holding Western guns, fearing trouble; who would stick their neck out in these turbulent times?

Fortunately, everyone knows Wang Dazhi. He picked up a megaphone and began proclaiming throughout the village.

”Fellow villagers, don’t be afraid, it’s me, Wang Dazhi! Don’t you remember me? I’ve made it now, and today I’m here to take everyone towards a better life.”

Wang Dazhi, dressed in military uniform, appeared confident, chest puffed, and head held high as he proclaimed throughout the village. As he reached the depths of the village, several acquaintances quickly pulled him into a house.

”Dazhi, it really is you! My heavens, you’ve gotten so fat that I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Wang Dazhi struggled to recognize the skinny, dark figure before him.

”Aren’t you Old Xu from the village’s end? How’s life treating you? Now that my brother has made it, I’m here to take you to a better life.”

Old Xu circled around Wang Dazhi twice, amazed, and said, ”You’ve really made it big, wearing clothes with patterns now! By the look of you, you’re not joining the army, are you?”

Even though Old Xu didn’t recognize the Prussian military uniform, the soldiers behind Wang Dazhi couldn’t fool anyone, as they were carrying real weapons.

Wang Dazhi chuckled and said, ”Not at all, not at all, I’m currently the vice-captain of the 25th squad, of the Marine District division of the Chinese Immigrant Corps in the East African colony.” He said this with a look of smug satisfaction.

Old Xu curiously asked, ”You really became an officer! That’s something, but what’s this East African colony and this Marine place? How big is your rank?”

Upon hearing Old Xu ask about him, Wang Dazhi immediately beamed with joy and said, ”I’m a changed man now, though my rank isn’t much, just in charge of five or six guys. Don’t be fooled by the rank; there’s a lot of significance in it. This isn’t an ordinary post, but an officer under the Germans. You have no idea; with this outfit of mine, I traveled hundreds of miles from Jiaozhou to here, and all the big officials I met on the way had to send me off with courtesy.”

Wang Dazhi continued to bluff, ”You know Mayor Li from our town, right? Just before I returned to the village, even he was nodding and bowing to me!”

Old Xu was shocked, ”Joining the Germans has such prestige? Officers bow to you!”

”Old Xu, you’re really out of touch. Remember when foreigners stormed the Forbidden City a few years back?”

”Of course... I’ve heard about it.”

”Exactly. Now even the emperor is afraid of foreigners, let alone the foreign soldiers. Look at me, I was just a poor old farmer who couldn’t even get a meal. After Landlord Wang took back the land, didn’t I go to Jiaozhou to beg? I heard you could make some money carrying bags at the Jiaozhou dock, so I went. Then I came across a big German boss recruiting people, saying it was to farm land for them. At the time, I didn’t take it seriously. I was almost starving, couldn’t even find work, skin and bones at the time. When the supervisor at the dock saw I couldn’t make it, they didn’t take me. Luckily, the Germans were recruiting, giving food just for signing up. So I signed up, had a few free meals, and then boarded the ship.”

Recalling the past, Wang Dazhi couldn’t help but sigh, ”On the ship, I was vomiting and had diarrhea relentlessly, but fortunately, we soon reached land. Later, I heard people say it was East Africa. The Germans needed hands to cultivate land, so I was hired to do that. At first, it was just farming. The land there is vast, much of it uncultivated, the locals live off hunting lions and wildlife, leaving the land barren. The Germans had us Chinese develop those lands.”

”Later on, as more people came, the German officers in East Africa started recruiting soldiers from among us. That’s how I was chosen.”

Old Xu, with curiosity, said, ”Isn’t this the same as in the Great Qing? If you can’t eat, join the army!”

”It’s not the same, Old Xu.” Wang Dazhi hurriedly explained to Old Xu, ”Can serving the Qing army be the same as serving the German army? Let me tell you, do you know how many meals I have each day?” Wang Dazhi said with a smug look.

”Two meals? Well, that’s not bad.”

With disdain, Wang Dazhi replied to Old Xu, ”You’re really naïve. Germans aren’t stingy like that. I get three meals a day and can even grab some meat every week. These clothes are made from Western fabric, and I get a small stipend each month.”

As he spoke, he extended his cuff to Old Xu and the others, saying, ”Feel this fabric, such quality, so smooth.”

As they touched it, Old Xu and the others were convinced. Wang Dazhi was doing quite well. Back in the village, he was so thin you could see his ribs through his clothes. Now he had gained weight, his face was glowing, you could tell he was well-fed, and he was dressed very decently.

However, Old Xu cautiously asked, ”These foreign masters are so good to you. Isn’t it to have you work for your life?”

Wang Dazhi disdainfully said, ”You wish! And besides, you don’t know, in East Africa we only deal with the locals, and those natives hold sticks, the better ones might have a stone spear, but I can take one down from afar with a single shot, they’re very weak.”

Hearing this, Old Xu and the others began to ponder, what Wang Dazhi said really was tempting, who wouldn’t want to live such a good life? But who knows if Wang Dazhi isn’t just picking the good parts to say.

”Dazhi, is there not a single downside to this great East Africa?”

Wang Dazhi understood, these people were still not assured, so he began to reassure them, ”The life is good, but if I said there weren’t any downsides you wouldn’t believe me, there is indeed one.”

”Dazhi, what is it?” several people curiously asked.

”The downside is, there are too many big bosses over there and too few women. But don’t worry, when you go there, you won’t be short of wives in the future.”

”Isn’t that contradictory, Dazhi?”

”You’re confused! Think about it, is it easy to get a wife in the Qing Country? Aren’t there many bachelors? Why? Because they think you’re poor. After a few years in East Africa, you’ll save up some money and get healthier too. When you return, you’re strong, and with money, which girl’s family wouldn’t want you?”

Wang Dazhi continued to whisper to the few people, ”To be honest, this time I’m back to solve the wife problem. The officer even told me when we return, they’ll buy me one in Nanyang. They have connections there, that is if I do my job well!”

”Look at me now, I have money, a livelihood, and even a wife coming. Isn’t that successful? So how could I lie to you? Go promote this in the village for me, especially to those old bachelors. If they don’t act now, they’ll stay single for life!”

Hearing this, the group of people got anxious, and said to Wang Dazhi, ”Dazhi, how many are you recruiting? If there are too many, will they stop taking more? Don’t forget us if there’s a good thing going!”

Seeing the anxious group, Wang Dazhi waved them off, ”Rest easy, rest easy. You don’t have to worry about competition. There’s plenty of land over there, just lacking people. They’ll take as many as come. This way, if you can bring a few more people from the village, I can speak highly of you in front of the officers, help you get a good position.”

Hearing this, they quickly promised Wang Dazhi they won’t fail, and soon this promotion group went door to door in the village. They talked it up even more than Wang Dazhi, just short of saying East Africa was heaven, and if you were late you’d miss the good stuff.