As evening approaches, the warmth of the day in Atlanta fades, revealing a hint of early spring coolness. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

Compared to previous years, spring in Sachia came early this year, accompanied by several warm spring rains, when pink peach blossoms bloomed, and various flowers bloomed in the riverside wetlands and hills. The spring ploughing is almost over, and the land moistened by a few spring rains awaits the people to plough it, sprinkled with cottonseeds, and the soil of the furrows shows a pale red characteristic of this place.

The whitewashed brick houses of the farm are like islands in the middle of the Red Sea, because there are no long, straight furrows like the yellow earth of central Georgia or the moist black soil of seaside plantations. The rolling foothills of North Georgia were plowed into numerous winding ditches to prevent the fertile soil from being washed into the riverbed.

This land is dazzlingly red, even redder like blood after the rain, and when there is a drought, it becomes red brick powder all over the ground, maybe the land here is not the best, but according to the southerners, this is the best cotton land in the world. There are white houses, ploughed fields, and gently flowing rivers, but at the same time it is a place of contrast between the sun and the depths of the shadow.

Vacant lots to be planted and miles of cotton fields stretch smiling and basking in the sun. At the edge of these fields lies a woodland that is dark and cool even in the hottest midday.

The scenery here is like a painting!

At least for the diplomats from China, such as Yu Delhi and Ma Fuguo, from the time they arrived in Atlanta, what they saw was a beautiful oil painting of the wind shadow, and as diplomats, no, should I say businessmen, they came to Zozhia to find the raw material for China's burgeoning cotton textile industry, cotton.

In just four years, with the support of tax cuts and preferential loans, China's modern cotton textile industry has increased from less than 800,000 spindles to as many as 2 million, and the import of cotton yarn has decreased sharply at the same time, the import of cotton has surged, and the reason why a large amount of cotton is imported is because of the poor quality of national cotton -- it is short-staple Asian cotton, which is of inferior quality, and the poor cotton picking technology of farmers has many impurities in cotton. It had to be imported in large quantities, and 70% of its cotton came from the southern United States.

Under these circumstances, it was only normal for Chinese merchants to appear in Atlanta, where within half a month of their arrival, they, as "merchants," had reached purchase agreements with dozens of large farmers -- and their entry quickly filled the vacuum when the agents of the North withdrew from the South due to the situation.

And today, they are being invited to the farm -- just three days ago, they reached a purchase and sale agreement with them and paid a $10,000 deposit.

The three young men sitting in the corridor of the house on the edge of the city heard the sound of horses' hooves, and they heard the clanging of harness chains and the laughter of the black slaves; The men who were doing the farm work and the mules and horses returned from the fields.

Looking at this peaceful scene in front of them, they couldn't help but think of Africa, how similar it was to Africa when they waited with it, but compared to the South of the United States, it was much more vast, and one day, when the land there was cleared by indigenous indentured laborers, the people there would live a comfortable and prosperous life like these farmers in the South, of course, they would not be like the farmers here.

After all, compared to here, the African colonial land is within 100 acres, but it is just a group of "small farmers", few of them have horses, they only need a mule and they think they are satisfied, of course, they do not have hundreds of black slaves like these southern farmers, but have a few indentured indigenous laborers - that is a contract signed between the tribes and the company to provide labor for the company, and the company subleases the labor to the immigrants. The immigrants only had to provide food and three cents a day for the indentured laborers who were in use for up to ten years, and at the same time pay two cents to the company, which was not as expensive as the black slaves in the South, but at least they were free.

It is conceivable that in a decade or so, Africa will become as rich as the South under the labor of those industrious immigrants, and millions of immigrants from China will reclaim those wastelands into farms and grow crops to supply the country and meet the domestic demand for industrial raw materials.

At this time, the sound of porcelain dangdang and silver cutlery was heard in the dining room, and the manservant in the manor was already setting the table and preparing for the dinner.

For the Stu family, these guests from the East were undoubtedly honorable, and their arrival even caused a sensation in Atlanta, not only because they were the first Chinese to arrive in Atlanta, but more importantly, the business they brought.

After the dinner began, everyone quickly talked about the current situation between the north and the south, and Scarlett looked at the manager of the Oriental Trading Company and asked curiously.

"Why are you here in Georgia at this time?"

"Miss, chance!"

Putting down the knife and fork in his hand, Yu De said with a smile.

"Now it is certainly in a crisis, but for the merchants, the crisis is also an opportunity, the departure of the northern agents has made the market here blank, and this is the time for us to get rid of the control of the northern merchants and deal directly with you!"

"What Mr. Yu said is extremely true, those northerners used to control everything we have here, and now they are gone, it is a good thing for us, Mr. Yu, I believe that you will definitely get everything you need here, including wealth ...... of course"

As the head of the family, Stu hurriedly said.

"Do you think war will break out, then?"

Scarlett asked unhurriedly, curiosity in her eyes.

"Who knows? But if the current stalemate in the fortress continues, then war is most likely inevitable! ”

The stalemate in the fortress in Ma Fuguo's mouth refers to the several fortresses of the Northern Army surrounded by the Southern Army, and the Northern Army guarding the fortress refused to withdraw from the fortress.

"If it's inevitable, then let's fight! We'll definitely win! ”

Stu wiped the corners of his lips and looked at Hudri and said.

"You should know that in the makeshift camps, the lads meet twice a week for drills and they are praying for war to happen sooner. Although their horses were not yet ready, those who had horses were already engaged in their imaginary cavalry maneuvers in the fields behind the county hall, stirring up dust, shouting at the top of their voices, and even brandishing wartime sabers taken from the walls of their living rooms. As for those who did not have horses, they had to sit and watch, munching tobacco and chatting. Otherwise, they'll compete to shoot targets. No one needs you to teach him how to shoot. You have to know that most Southerners are born to play with guns, and they spend their time hunting all the time to train them to be good marksmen. ”

As a patriot, Stu certainly loves America, but he loves Georgia even more, which is why he chose to support independence when he voted.

"Now in Georgia, groups of young men with weapons are running to countless assembly points. Although their weapons were old, they included small-caliber rifled rifles used to fight squirrels, old smoothbore rifles that killed many Indians in Georgia's new era, revolvers used on horses that served in the Mexican and Seminole Wars, and of course silver-encrusted pistols, short-barreled pocket pistols, double-barreled shotguns, beautiful new British-made rifles with hardwood butts, and so on. But, Mr. Yu, Southerners are born to be the best warriors......"

"As long as they can get the best weapons!"

Ma Fuguo interjected on the side.

"I believe what Mr. Stu said is true, but like you said, their weapons are too messy, and if these warriors can get their hands on the best weapons, then they will undoubtedly be the best warriors in the world......"

The best fighters are the Chinese!

Of course, this was only in his heart, at least on the surface he wouldn't say that.

"Of course, now a lot of people are donating money to the army, buying bonds!"

Scarlett even pointed at her father with some smugness.

"My father donated $2,000 to the army and bought $5,000 in bonds!"

"This is a patriot's duty!"

The daughter's compliment made Stu say with a smile.

"Now our army needs weapons, we need money to buy weapons!"

"Dad, I heard that two days ago a merchant ship from England arrived in Atlanta, with more than 20,000 rifles of the latest type......

When Scarlett mentioned this, Ma Fuguo glanced at Yu Dry, if I remember correctly, the ship was ostensibly a British merchant ship, and the people on board were also British merchants, but in fact, it belonged to the Imperial Intelligence Service, and the weapons on the ship were also "Ishii-type" front-loading rifled guns that the Imperial Intelligence Agency had "scavenged" from colonial warehouses in Africa.

"Yes!"

Stu nodded, a little excited.

"Not only rifles, but also dozens of Napoleonic cannons, these weapons will greatly enrich our forces for our children to protect Georgia!"

Looking at Stu, Ma Fuguo suddenly asked,

"Mr. Stu, why are you in favor of Georgia independence?"

In past contacts, he knew that Stu was a patriot, and indeed many people were, who loved America.

"Mr. Ma, I love America, it is undeniable, my grandfather, who fought to defend America, his brother died in the battle against the British, but what did they defend? It's the Constitution of the United States! But now Lincoln and his administration are violating the U.S. Constitution......"

After saying this, Stu's expression became a little solemn.

"As for the Yankees saying that we have no right to withdraw from the Union, how ridiculous is this, at the time of the independence of the United States, the states joined the Union according to their own volition, became part of the Union, and since they can join on their own initiative, then they have the right to independence, just like ......"

After a pause, Stu mentioned the clubs in the city.

"It's like a club in the city, where men have the right to join it, to be part of the club, to be involved in politics, and of course to quit, to join another club, or to form a club of their own, and because they quit the club, that club is going to kill them? It's our right to join, and it's our right to leave! ”

Stu's words made Yu Derry and Ma Fuguo fall into deep thought, they looked at each other, for them, who were accustomed to great unification, obviously could not adapt to this view of the Americans, but this view occupied the mainstream in the United States, at least in the South, the Southerners believed that it was their right to join the Union, and likewise, it was also their right to leave the Union, and now that they had left, established an alliance, and established a new country, then the Union should leave the land of the South, leave the fortress of the South, Deliver supplies in the fortress to them, and not occupy there.

"Mr. Yu, if war breaks out now, whose side will China be on?"

Stu looked at Yu Derry and asked curiously.

"Yes, Mr. Yu, what will China choose when the time comes?"

Scarlett and her sisters looked at him curiously, maybe they were new to China, but they all knew that the Chinese fleet had just visited New York, and the strong fleet of the Chinese even worried the entire East Coast, which might be a good partner for the alliance, and if they could win their support, even Mr. President had sent an invitation to their fleet to invite them to visit the American Alliance, but it seemed that they had not yet made an immediate decision. Even if there are Chinese in their restaurants now, they should naturally ask,

Under the watchful eye of the Stu family, Hudri pondered for a moment before replying.

"I think that when the time comes, the adults in Nanjing should make a choice!"

Choice, what kind of choice will be made?

As a diplomat, Yu Delhi knew very well what choice they would make, and for China, the choice had already been made long ago -- that China would recognize the American Union.

"So, what do you think about war?"

Scarlett asked, a little unrelentingly.

"We are merchants!"

Ma Fuguo replied directly on the side.

"We care more about business than about war, we care about personal interests! I think that's ......."

Just as his words fell, suddenly, a person from the restaurant broke in, it was Brentlian, and he seemed a little excited when he had just broken in.

"The fight has started, the war has broken out! Fight at Fort Sumter! We're attacking Fort Sumter!"

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