Nguyen Xuan Tang walked in fear on the newly built road in Hongji Fort.

Although there were many things in Halong Bay at this moment that made him panic as a county lord, Ruan Chuntang himself didn't expect that what frightened him the most was the speed of the construction of this city!

Nguyen Xuan Tang is a native of the Anh Nguyen ethnic group. As an indigenous clan residing in Thang Long Province, the Nguyen clan had a good grasp of political speculation and were able to survive the chaotic political changes in Annam.

This is also the reason why Ruan Xuan Tang was able to get a county magistrate position in the border county. In the past few years when Zheng Jie, the marshal of the imperial capital, came to power, in order to stabilize the Beijing division and win over allies, he gave the Ruan family a small vacancy in the county order of dispatch: Hengpu County, Quang An Province, where Hongji City, Quang Ninh Province was located in the later generations.

Although it is a small gap far away from the Jingshi, it is still very important for Ruan Chuntang, after all, this position was exchanged for the Zheng family. In other words, the Ruan family chose power and power in the current court situation, and abandoned the emperor, orthodoxy and morality...... The cost is not small.

Because of this, Ruan Chuntang, who is not confused, as the top generation of the clan, is also conscientious about the daily county affairs of Hengpu County, and does not dare to make the slightest mistake. And after being diligent in the past few years, Ruan Xuan Tang's "diligent government" ability has gradually been hyped by the clansmen to Thang Long Mansion. Just half a year ago, there was news that Marshal Zheng Jiedu heard his name, which made Ruan Chuntang once favored by the clan.

The good mood lasted until the day before the tenth month.

When the officials rushed to report that a large number of ships had appeared near Ha Long Kou and that the pirates were landing day and night, Nguyen Xuan Tang knew that trouble was coming.

Not to mention the Ming Dynasty in these years, the coastal areas of Annan are also full of bandits. It was common for a large group of pirates to gather and land to get a vote, so Ruan Xuan Tang did not doubt the accuracy of the information at first.

And just when Ruan County ordered the people to gather in Hengpu County, and the strong walls were ready to meet the incoming enemy, the follow-up steady stream of information made him fall into confusion - the pirates set up camp in Halongkou, the pirates built forts in Halongkou, the pirates went to the countryside to send condolences to the villagers, and the villagers went to join the pirates......

Confusing and inconsistent information left Nguyen Xuan Tang at a loss. In the end, after offering a rich reward, a subordinate finally risked his life to go to the beach to investigate in person, and then sent back accurate information: it was not a pirate, it seemed to be a genuine Ming officer and soldier.

Ruan Xuan Tang: "......".

Neuroticism usually sent people to "negotiate with the enemy camp" in a row, until the identity of the comer was confirmed, and Nguyen Dai finally knew why the coastal fishermen had defected to the "pirates".

The frightened Nguyen County Commander urgently sent someone to Thang Long Mansion to deliver the letter, and at the same time prepared to come to the door to question OR and ask to see the Ming officers and soldiers - his sesame county order could not be involved in the major affairs of the two countries' military exchanges, but when the army of Thang Long Mansion arrived, if he, as a magistrate, could not even say the reason for the landing of the Ming people, he would lose his head.

So Ruan Xuan Tang is here today. He was dressed in an official robe and a guard of honor, half lying on a pole with a canopy, posing as a magistrate, and was carried by his subordinates to negotiate solemnly with the Ming army.

However, when he came to Ha Long Bay, he was so shocked that he did not fall off the pole: in a short period of time, the city had risen on the deserted beach in the past, and a brick fort with thick walls appeared in front of Nguyen Xuan Tang so abruptly, as if it had been thrown down by the gods.

Ruan Xianling was furious and grabbed his subordinates' collars: "Idiot, where is this fortress, it's obviously a city!" Why didn't you tell me the day before yesterday? ”

The subordinates were also dumbfounded, stammering and unable to even straighten their tongues: "Old, master, I really haven't been so fast!" The day before yesterday, the little one came here, and the city wall has not yet been seen!? ”

It is no wonder that the people of Annam are surprised, the power of science and technology is unknown to most people in this era. For the city walls built by the traversers, the most laborious thing is actually how to excavate and level the foundation.

As for the city wall, the existence of standard red bricks first eliminates the need for "grinding bricks and joints", which is a necessary process for ancient craftsmen to build buildings. Secondly, the existence of cement has also greatly shortened the construction time, and these black technologies are the key to the sudden rise of the city wall.

After carefully looking at his frightened subordinates, after Ruan Chuntang confirmed that this cronie brought out of the clan did not lie, his face immediately sank: The people of the Ming Kingdom had already planned it, and the plan was not small.

Standing in the distance, after observing the harbor close to the city and the more than ten large ships in the bay, Ruan Xuan Tang and his party then came to the gate of Hongji Fort.

It didn't take long for Mrs. Ruan to be put into the fort and he personally stepped on the trail in Hongji Fort, but he stopped for a while.

At the foot of Ruan Xuan Tang is a red brick trail that is so extravagant that it cannot be said. You must know that even Thang Long Mansion, that is, the inner courtyard of the palace and the walls of some wealthy mansions are made of red bricks. Where can such a time-consuming thing be laid underfoot?

In front of him at this moment, there were two red brick roads wide enough to run horses. Although it is not yet completed, the trajectory of the extension of the two brick roads is already clear: the cross shape runs through the inner fort.

Standing on the dry red brick road, Ruan Chuntang stomped a few times: It's a good red brick.

At this moment, Ruan Chuntang first looked up at the bamboo and wood canopy erected above, and then looked down at the craftsman who was concentrating on paving the road. Then he turned around and took a deep look at the red brick façade of Hongji Fort...... and the blue-glowing cannons on the city.

When he entered the city gate before, Ruan Chuntang still didn't believe his eyes in his heart: in this era, even the city walls of the north and south of the Ming Dynasty were all loess as the core, covered with stone bricks, and there had never been a city wall in the world that was purely made of red bricks.

But just now, when Ruan Xuan Tang entered the door, he did see the section of the city wall: it was completely made of red bricks.

Now that there is the verification of the trail, the last trace of doubt in Ruan Chuntang's heart is gone: "What a villain!" But when did the Ming Kingdom become so generous? Doesn't it mean that there is also civil unrest? ”

With deep confusion and deep uneasiness, Ruan Xuan Tang finally came to the door of the red brick house in the middle of the city.

After handing over the name post, suppressing the uneasy things in his heart, Ruan Chuntang tried to calm down. Soon after, under the guidance of the strangely dressed guard in front of the door, Ruan Xianling was led into the house alone.

To Ruan Xuan Tang's surprise, the inside of the big house was very bright, and there were seven or eight kerosene lamps that emitted bright light around it, which made the county magistrate, who was used to dim palaces, a little uncomfortable.

Soon, after seeing the one sitting in the middle of the hall for the first time, wearing a Ming military general's robe, Ruan Chuntang ignored the people around him, stepped forward, and bent down to make a full salute: "Xiaguan An Nanguo Hengpu County ordered Ruan Chuntang to meet the lords of the Ming Kingdom." ”

Like all the smaller countries surrounding the Ming Dynasty in this era, the people of Annamite still spoke Chinese and wrote Chinese characters, later known as Vietnamese, until 1884, when the French colonized the French colonial period.

In fact, before Ruan Chuntang entered the door, it was Shao Qiang, who was wearing civilian clothes, who was originally presiding over the hospitality speech. Unexpectedly, after this little official in Annan, who was dressed in a copycat Daming robe, entered the door, he regarded Sha Zhengming, who was dressed as a military general, as the main master.

But it doesn't matter, send a small official in Annan, whoever comes is the same. So Sha Zhengming waved his hand aggressively: "Well, no courtesy, look at the seat." ”

Although Annam was a vassal state in the Ming Dynasty, people called themselves "Dayue Kingdom" internally, and they called Annam externally.

In fact, since the Annam people defeated the Ming occupation army 200 years ago and established the Li Dynasty, their people have long subconsciously regarded the Ming people as enemies, so the Nguyen Da County Order cannot be lowered today in any way...... This is a diplomatic matter.

So the next moment, in the middle of the hall, Ruan Daxian Ling sat down safely, and the many Ming people who sat in a semicircle opposite faintly put on a posture of opposition.

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Since the atmosphere on the field was not good, there was nothing polite between the two sides, and after a few words, the conversation quickly involved the core question of Ruan Xianling's visit: Why did the Ming people come?

The negotiators sent by Ruan Chuntang also asked this question before, but the level of the person who came was too low, and he was sent away by this side when he spoke, and he did not get a definite answer.

And today, since Nguyen Xuan Tang, the Zhengyin County Order, is here, it can be regarded as an official representative of Annam, so the traverser will no longer shirk, and Zhengda Guangming said the reason for coming here: to receive the land.

Whose land is it receiving?

The land of Annam, which was lost in the war of Macau, was taken out by the Franco merchants to redeem themselves.

When Ruan Chuntang heard this, as expected by the audience, he showed a mixed expression of bewilderment + disbelief. After a while, after finally digesting Sha Zhengming's words, he asked with an incredulous face: "Even if you take over some farmland, you don't need to build a city on my Annan land, right?" ”

"Joke, when you don't know? Not to mention the bandits everywhere in Annan, you are not a good person in the court. Now that we are under the emperor's order, we have no choice but to run to the realm where birds don't, but we can't build a small fortress to live in? ”

When Ruan Chuntang heard this, he was powerless to complain: as far as the regulations of this city were concerned, he was embarrassed to say, "Little fortress? ”

Fortunately, Ruan Xian Ling also saw it at this moment, and this Ming army general was probably a rough man who was not very reasonable. So he shook his head slightly and asked the next question: "Since it is the land sold by the Franco merchant, can there be a title deed?" ”

"Isn't this nonsense? How can you not have a title deed? ”

Hearing this, Sha Zhengming waved his hand impatiently, turned his head and shouted to the side door: "Staff Officer Zhao, is it over?" When you are done, hurry up and get the title deed of the Franciscan. ”

"My lord, right away!"

After a while, a young man in a cardigan hurried out of the back room, holding a stack of papers.

Seeing this, Sha Zhengming waved his hand confidently: "Show him the title deed." ”

"Yes!"

Nguyen Xuan Tang also took over the title deeds with great confidence: he was sure to find out the problems in these title deeds, because as a local county magistrate, he knew very well that the county government would never approve such a large area of land for the construction of a city port to a merchant of Rausch Zi Franco.

The next moment, Ruan Chuntang lowered his head and looked at these land deeds carefully.

At first glance, the printed paper of these title deeds is beautiful, and the official seal on them appears to be complete.

In the top picture, the original owner of the land was a Francois merchant named Leo Messi. Regardless of whether it is true or not, the number of acres marked on this title deed is extremely staggering: 5,000 acres of contiguous land, the location of which is right here in Halong Bay, and a detailed map is attached.

The original owner of the next one is Nelson Semedo.

Further down is Sergi Samper.

The last one is called Ter Stegen, and he appears to be a Prussian merchant.

The number of title deeds is quite large, and there are twenty-three in total.

The next moment, Ruan Daxian Ling opened his mouth wide, his eyes widened, and he dipped his middle finger on the title deed of businessman Messi, and then made an insulting gesture in the face of the sand ginseng general, and asked in a trilled voice: "The ink has not dried yet?" ”