African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 356: Chapter 35 Aid Group

Outside the port of Dar es Salaam, a Far Eastern ship was entering the harbor, and the people on board were curiously gazing at the city of Dar es Salaam.

The houses were orderly, carriages intersected, the roads were flat and wide, and large and small ships were docked in the harbor, with people bustling on the wharf.

”Brother Shiyan! I feel like the court has been deceived! East Africa seems peaceful and prosperous, with no signs of disasters or calamities!” The deputy envoy of the Far Eastern government’s aid delegation to the Kingdom of East Africa, Ande, said conspiratorially.

Li Ge was also bewildered, but he said, ”Thick Brother, perhaps it’s because this is the part of East Africa meant to serve as a façade. We haven’t seen the rest of East Africa, so we should not jump to conclusions. We can inquire with the East African interpreter shortly to find the answer.”

So the two found the interpreter, Arian, from the nearby East African embassy. Li Ge spoke up, ”Mr. Arian, I have a question. Can you provide an answer?”

To be honest, Li Ge didn’t quite like Arian. After all, Arian didn’t look like a Westerner at all; instead, he had the appearance of someone from the Central Plains, and when he spoke Chinese, he carried a Shandong accent. In usual interactions, judging by his language, he seemed like a country bumpkin from some remote place, yet he held a formal nationality from the Kingdom of East Africa.

This is surely the perfect example of a ”traitor”! In the eyes of Far Eastern officials, the Kingdom of East Africa is like the German barbarians, unreasonable in their actions—speaking of cooperation but often resorting to armed threats. And since Arian worked for the Kingdom of East Africa and even changed his nationality, he was seen as someone who betrays his origins. Therefore, Li Ge and the others typically avoided interacting with Arian outside of official business.

In reality, they misunderstood Arian. Though Arian was indeed from Shandong, he was also a well-educated ”high achiever” who had received modern education in Heixinggen.

Arian has read a lot of books and has a considerable level of cultural knowledge, especially fond of Hegel’s ”Encyclopedia of Philosophy.” Arian’s education was Germanized, yet ironically, he comprehended virtually nothing about Far Eastern culture (primarily referring to books) and couldn’t even write Chinese characters.

After all, the students admitted to Heixinggen school were mostly orphans. Before coming to Heixinggen, Arian had never been to school and didn’t even have a name—he was only called ”Big Bull” in his village from childhood.

Because Arian never had the experience of Far Eastern education, he could not impress people like Li Ge with literary allusions during conversation, nor was he meticulous with grammar. Additionally, after translation from German, he communicated with Far Easterners in what was practically native Shandong dialect, so it indeed seemed eccentric.

But the fundamental reason was that neither Li Ge nor his companions knew German; if they were proficient in German, they would realize that Arian spoke fluent ”Heixinggen accent” German and conversed elegantly. This is the barrier between two different languages, which requires someone proficient in both to act as a bridge to break down such obstacles.

Arian: ”You can ask whatever questions you have!”

Li Ge: ”We have come to your country at the invitation of your government. Is this ship now in the Kingdom of East Africa?”

Arian: ”Yes! Look at the flag at the port; it’s the kingdom’s lion shield flag.”

Li Ge: ”Then this East Africa seems slightly different from what your ambassador described! Your ambassador initially told us that East Africa is desolate, and epidemics are rampant. I see this Da City and find it quite prosperous; why is there a discrepancy, and everyone seems naturally content, not as if plagued by an epidemic?”

As the chief envoy of the aid delegation, Li Ge assumed that he was coming to this barren place of East Africa to help combat the plague and provide support. Most of those aboard were also medical professionals organized by the Far Eastern government for free medical consultations in East Africa. However, looking at the situation in Dar es Salaam City, Li Ge thought that perhaps it was the Far East that needed help instead.

Arian: ”Hmm! Did Ambassador Richard say that? Then I’m not sure, but I don’t know if Ambassador Richard is correct—I, myself actually don’t know much about East Africa.”

Li Ge: ”Aren’t you East African? How can you say you don’t know about East Africa?”

Arian: ”In fact, I previously studied in Southern German, so I haven’t been to the East African mainland. Instead, I lived for a while in the Principality of Heixinggen under the Kingdom of Prussia, within what is now German territory. After graduation, I was immediately transferred back to the Far East, working at the East African kingdom’s embassy in the Far East on administrative tasks this whole time.”

Li Ge was puzzled by Arian’s words. What Southern German, German, Prussia, Principality of Heixinggen, Kingdom of East Africa—so many terms, where exactly is Arian from? Li Ge himself was aware of Prussia and East Africa.

Li Ge: ”Mr. Arian! Are you an East African or not?”

Arian: ”I am German.”

Li Ge: ”Then what relationship does the Kingdom of East Africa have with you?”

Arian: ”My nationality is the Kingdom of East Africa.”

Li Ge: ”...”

Arian: ”This is my first time in East Africa too, in truth I’m also quite interested in East Africa. Why don’t you both join me for a tour?”

Li Ge: ”...”

Soon, Li Ge and Arian’s group dragged their luggage ashore.

The aid delegation toured around Dar es Salaam City (the foreign commercial district) like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden—this place was too unique, with white, yellow, and black people everywhere, and all kinds of distinct clothing, especially the Arabs draped in white robes that left the aid group quite amazed.

Everyone had seen Western attire, like what this ”pseudo-foreigner” Arian wore, but not a whole body in white cloth, which easily reminded people of...

Li Ge: ”Mr. Arian, why are some people wearing white robes and headscarves?”

Arian: ”They are Arabs, generally distributed in the Middle East and North Africa, like Egypt, the Ottoman, and Persia have many Arabs dressed like this.”

Since passing through the Malacca Strait, the ship hadn’t stopped anywhere, going straight to Dar es Salaam, so Li Ge and the others were seeing Arabs for the first time in East Africa.

Arian continued: ”Arabs once established a great empire that spanned three continents and monopolized Eastern and Western trade. The Ottoman Empire is currently considered the Arab Empire’s successor.”

Li Ge: ”Then why do they wear all white?”

Arian: ”It’s their lifestyle habit, much like how people in tropical areas don’t wear woolen clothes. Arabs live in the desert, where the sun is fierce, and daytime temperatures can reach forty to fifty degrees Celsius. White can better reflect sunlight and reduce heat absorption.”

Li Ge and the others then realized it wasn’t because there was a death in their family—it was their customs. Li Ge almost thought this was evidence of a plague in the Kingdom of East Africa with so many ”mourning people,” likely due to the plague. Fortunately, he asked Arian first, otherwise the misunderstanding would have been significant.

In fact, Arian didn’t care about misunderstandings—it didn’t matter if the Arabs were truly like this.

The group continued to explore Dar es Salaam. After walking for quite some time, Arian finally said, ”It seems there isn’t much else to see!” He pointed at the no-entry sign ahead.

”What is that?”

”No entry ahead, meaning there’s no road.”

”But isn’t there still a street and buildings over there?”

”I’ll go over and ask.”

So Arian walked forward, where a policeman stood guard.

”Sir! May I ask, why is there a no-entry sign here?”

”Past here is the West District of Dar es Salaam City, which is not open to foreigners...”

Finally, Arian understood that Dar es Salaam City was divided into a foreign commercial district and a West District, where foreigners could only operate within the foreign commercial district.

Arian: ”In fact, I am a diplomat for the Kingdom of East Africa at the Far Eastern government. May I ask where the government agency of Dar es Salaam City is? I need to contact the kingdom because due to working in the Far East for so long, I am unfamiliar with East Africa.”

Policeman: ”Go back from here, and at the first intersection, turn left. You will see government agencies like the foreign commercial district’s police and tax offices.”

Arian: ”Oh! Thank you very much for your help.”