At present, the total population of the African indigenous Eight Banners attached to the east bank of the river fort is just over 10,000 people, and they mainly live in the vast area opposite the river fort, on the south bank of the Berg River, and east of the river fort, of which the Khoisan reds account for 60 percent and the Xhosa blacks account for 40 percent.

Although these natives who were originally at the end of the primitive society were often enslaved and oppressed after the arrival of the East Coast people, their civilization level and living standards really rose several steps. With no written language and only a simple language, they were subjected to a strong cultural invasion by the East Coast people, and under the vigorous promotion of the government, the Chinese language became more and more popular among the Eight Banners. Many of the nobles of the Eight Banners (chiefs, deputy chiefs, and clares) sent their children to schools on the east bank across the river to learn Chinese, and they themselves took pride in learning the way of life of the people on the east bank.

Soon this "fashion" ethos spread to the middle and lower classes of samurai (i.e., spearmen), who also admired the language, clothing, food, and skills of the Easterners. Samurai who had little spare money (selling agricultural products to Fort River) liked to buy a shirt, jeans, and leather jacket for the East Coast people to keep at home, and wear it on their bodies during the traditional festivals of the East Coast people (Harvest Festival, Spring Festival, National Day, New Year's Day, etc.), and then go to the East Bank people's market across the river.

In addition to these cultural changes, perhaps the biggest change brought to them by the East Coasters was the advanced agricultural production techniques. For the first time, they only knew how to plough deeply, how to rotate crops, how to cultivate good seeds, how to use fertilizers, how to use animal power, how to dig water conservancy and irrigation facilities, and how to use metal farming tools. Except for the portion that is paid annually to the people of the East Coast. For the first time, there is enough food left to feed everyone, and there is a surplus.

Their success has had a good demonstration effect. Some scattered small tribes of hundreds of people came to vote after seeing this situation. As a result, the population of the Eight Banners is increasing day by day, and its strength has begun to grow like a snowball. In a census at the beginning of the year, the population of the Shangliuqi has exceeded 7,000, and the population of the Xialiangqi under the direct jurisdiction of the East Coast has also exceeded 3,000, most of whom are young and strong. In recent years, the Eight Banners have been drawn by the people of the East Coast, and now there are nearly 6,500 Eight Banners slaves serving in the major mines, farms, and construction teams in the local area alone (on paper, the mortality rate in actual work is not low). With so many people being transferred, it can still maintain such a large number of ethnic groups, and it has to be said that the development of Eight Banners has also been rapid in recent years.

Now, of course, it's time for a new round of blood draws. When early in the morning of March 17, after Mo Ming released the news, the banner owners crossed the river to inquire about the news and complained. Mo Ming first reprimanded the person in charge of these flags who came to the door, reprimanding them for "not talking about politics".

For the people of the Eight Banners, especially the nobles, what is meant by "stressing politics" is a very serious issue. What is the biggest "politics" in the South African region? By the way, the East Coast has everything, and that's the biggest politics! The people of the East Coast brought civilization to the Banner people, correspondingly. The banner people must also adhere to the absolute leadership of the people of the East Coast; Failure to obey orders, not to pay tribute, not to serve in labor, not to serve in the military, and so on is the greatest lack of politics. The consequences of not talking about politics are serious, as evidenced by the mysterious disappearance of certain flags, the chieftain and the Kral.

Of course. After reprimanding these people, he didn't forget to give some benefits inexplicably. The more than 700 Xhosa slaves captured this time were distributed to the banners to replenish their manpower, and at the same time, some agricultural tools, refined salt, cane sugar, liquor, tobacco, cloth and other consumer goods were also distributed to the ruling class that wielded force, from the chieftain to the spearmen, as compensation for the surrender of private slaves. As long as these people are trapped, then the Eight Banners will not be able to turn the sky.

And these people are also the people who know the power of the East Coast people the most, and the people who are most in awe of the East Coast people, generally speaking, as long as you don't squeeze them to the point where they can't survive, this group of guys who collectively have Stockholm syndrome can't resist much. What's more, Mo Ming also drew a big cake for them, promising to lead them to capture more slaves, cattle and sheep in the future, so that they can have more wealth.

Over the next few days, the nobles of the banners began to select slaves in the banners and send them to Fort River. Mo Ming also sent someone to check the gates, don't be too thin to do manual work, don't be disobedient and unruly, don't be sick and fall down at a touch, although these people will go to the Falklands in the future and will be used as cannon fodder, most people will even find it difficult to survive a year in heavy manual labor and poor living conditions, but they can't be too indiscriminate.

In this way, three days were chosen, and by the evening of March 20, Liu Ang, who was in charge of the matter, had selected about 2,100 Eight Banner slaves and numbered each of them. As soon as the 2,100 slaves were taken over by the Fort in the River, preparations for departure began. First, everyone was ordered to take a shower, then a set of white cheesecloth clothes and trousers were distributed, and then discipline and labor skills training.

The 2,100 people were divided into logging groups, geotechnical groups, construction teams and logistics groups, and each person was trained in their respective professional skills according to each group to ensure that they could get into work as soon as they arrived at their destination. In order to increase the enthusiasm of these people, Liu Ang even announced that all slaves who arrived on the Falklands for a year and worked would be immediately and unconditionally granted the status of free people, and from then on they would be promoted to the Shangliu Banner, and would be given a huge reward of 20 cotton cloth, 2 oxen, 10 sheep, 2 bags of fine grain seeds, and a complete set of metal farm tools.

Sure enough, as soon as this policy came out, the slaves immediately rejoiced, and they were full of enthusiasm for training and labor. In their simple understanding, those who were sent to the west of the sea had to work for three years before they could get free status, and they only needed to work for one year. Although I don't know where this place is, I don't think it will be more sad than when I was in my hometown and was chased around every day by the soldiers of the big chief on the other side of the mountain, right? As long as you survive a year, as long as you have a year! At that time, he will also be able to carry the flag and become a glorious, rich and noble flag man.

Thinking of this, these people suddenly felt that a light suddenly appeared in their originally muddy life. Even some uninformed poor flag people are asking if they can go to the Falklands to work, and Liu Ang naturally does not refuse to come to these guys who have thrown themselves into the net. At that time, the team that went to the Falklands also needed some bannermen to do some work such as boiling water and cooking, supervising slaves, etc., so they were simply incorporated and trained.

On the morning of 27 March, a mixed formation consisting of the frigate "Red Trout" and the armed transport ship "Businessman" of the First Fleet of the Navy and the merchant ships "Yingzhou" and "Fangzhang" of the South China Sea Transportation Company arrived at the wharf of Hezhong Port. Mo Ming, Liu Ang and others, who went to greet them, knew that the executive committee's plan to develop the Falklands was about to reveal the final mystery at this moment.

"The results have come out, and the Anziranana, appointed by the military department, defeated the Tamatav (Tuamasina), which is needed by the Government Council. In the end, safety prevailed over the thirst for coal. Li Yi, the lieutenant who led the team, sat in Mo Ming's office with a grin, and said while drinking tea. This guy has been sailing at sea for more than a month, and his hair is still meticulously combed, and there is no haggard look on his face, so he has to let Mo Ming say admiration.

"It doesn't matter where he is, I'm only responsible for sending people out anyway." Mo Ming said in a slightly sour tone, "I have prepared the first phase of 2,000 slave laborers, when are you going to leave?" ”

"I'm rubbing, I've just sat here, and you're in a hurry to catch people away." Li Yi said with a smile, "Let's take a two-day break first, the brothers are also human beings, and they can't take two days off after sailing at sea for more than a month, don't worry, you can't make a mistake." By the way, the Executive Committee has also understood your difficulties, and this time I have brought you two hundred Guarani and one hundred Frenchmen, so you can send someone to arrange it. ”

"That's pretty much it." Mo Ming smiled, and then called his righteous son Mo Dazhong and asked him to inform Liu Ang to arrange the handover of the new immigrants.

"You only have three transport ships, and you also carry a large number of materials to settle down, how many people can be transported at a time?" Mo Ming made Li Yi another cup of tea and asked casually.

"Of course you can't ship it once." Li Yi said, "One of the two merchant ships was loaded with red bricks, cement, lime and other building materials, and the other was loaded with a large number of mosquito nets, thick cloth clothing, tools, weapons and ammunition, medicines (cinchona bark powder), salt, canned food and other groceries. Only my armed transport ship can transport people, but the tonnage of that ship is also very ordinary, and transporting more than 300 people is the limit. I was still on my ship, with the mobilized 101st Company of the Army, and I couldn't fit any more. No way, the number of merchant ships in the country is still too small, and now the slipways of the two shipyards are full of warships built for the Spaniards, and they don't have time to build merchant ships for us ourselves, it's really fucked up. ”

"Okay, I'll arrange for someone to prepare the personnel and supplies for you now." Mo Ming stood up and said.

On March 29, 1639, the convoy of transports that had been resting for two days was loaded with men (three platoons of the 101st Company of the Army, 30 overseers of the Eight Banners, and 300 slaves) and a large amount of supplies left the port of Hezhong and headed for the Antsiranana region at the northern tip of the island of Madagascar, marking another substantial step in the eastern strategy of the Republic of China! (To be continued......)