Compared with the chaotic situation in Japan at this time, there is no major trend in the country, but many people in China have discussed the Kagoshima shelling incident that happened not long ago, which makes Lin Hong feel gratified, the people's awareness of participating in and discussing politics is gradually strengthening, and the society as a whole is showing a politically clear and prosperous economic appearance.

Monday, September 22, 1861. Portuguese territory, Mozambique, port of Maputo, Chinese Imperial Concession.

The concession in the port of Maputo was completely wasted, having been challenged by Western European powers since the Portuguese occupation of Mozambique, and in the 17th century Dutch ships repeatedly besieged the island of Mozambique, but failed to capture it. Not long ago, the Cape colony near Mozambique found gold and diamonds, the Western European powers of Mozambique competition has become more intense, Portugal is really powerless to face such a situation, 60 years when Portugal Mozambique colonization of several major companies suddenly to the empire East African colonial government governor Li Hongzhang (Zheng Qi has retired back to China) sent an invitation, hoping to cooperate with the empire's East African colonial company to develop Mozambique gold mines, this is free gold!

In 1860, on behalf of the colonial government, Li Hongzhang and the Portuguese authorities immediately signed a cooperative development agreement, and also opened a concession in the port of Maputo for the empire.

The entire Chinese Concession has expanded much more than in previous years, and the entire coastal area west of the port of Maputo has been encircled by the empire, with a total area of more than 10,000 acres, and even a small port has been built in a small bay in the southwest of the Chinese Concession.

The new governor of Mozambique, Baron Lapocon, who has been in office for a few months, is even more "excessive" than the previous governor Garcia, and not only is the newly revised concession agreement more "humiliating and humiliating" than Garcia, but also allows the Chinese concession to collect the cargo tax from the ports of the Chinese concession on its own. Privately, however, Lapocon receives 5 percent of the monthly cargo tax at the ports of the U.S. Concession.

A year has passed, and the concession has not only acquired extraterritoriality, but now even a part of the trade tax rights have been obtained, and the entire concession has become like a country within a country, and an army infantry company of the East African Military Region is directly stationed in it, and there are gunboats of the East African Fleet patrolling in peacetime. There are already more than 1,500 Europeans living and working in the concession for a long time, and the local population of Maputo Port (white people are not indigenous) is just over 3,000. There is no way, who will let the opportunities in the concession be more?

Now as many as 400 Europeans reach the concession by sea every year, mostly adventurers from Ireland, Scotland, Holland, Germany, Scandinavia and the Italian peninsula, as well as those who are bankrupt or unable to survive. Now China is like the golden country of the East described by Marco Polo in the eyes of the European world, and gold everywhere is an opportunity, as long as you have the ability.

Contrary to the 17th-century Europeans' "impatient" adventure to the New World of North America, being able to obtain a ticket and visa to China is almost a dream of reality that is infinitely close to the Garden of Eden. But the cruel thing is that the people who are lucky enough to pass the review and obtain Chinese immigrant visas are only more than half of this number, and most of them are relatively complete families or craftsmen and scholars with skills. A significant number of those who were not selected worked part-time in the colonies of East Africa or in the concessions of various places. The thriving trade here provided enough jobs to feed the stomach. Once you make enough money. They will be displaced elsewhere in search of opportunities. A small number of them simply entered the concession and became long-term laborers in various local Chinese-run factories, intending to live in this safe and comfortable place for a long time.

The method of being able to sneak into the Chinese Consulate General district at the right time to give birth to a child and thus obtain Chinese citizenship has been severely restricted, much to the disappointment of many families who have been wandering around the concession for a year or two. But fortunately, there are more job opportunities here, so I have the attitude of being at ease. but also lived peacefully.

On the edge of the mountains and forests to the north of the concession, there is also a manpower recruitment site in a newly opened temporary camp. But compared to the usual recruitment of new factories. The atmosphere here is obviously much more serious.

A major of the Chinese Army walked through the wide camp with his head held high, his eyes sweeping over the young Europeans who stood crookedly in an ugly phalanx. Behind the numb expression, there is also a hint of pride. With the current trend, graduates of both the University of China and the non-commissioned officer school have chosen to go to African colonies with more wars and conflicts to realize their dreams of being a soldier.

"Think about it, what are you going to say?" Walking in front of a group of young Europeans with numb expressions, Zuo Guigui proudly held the whip behind his back, and kept looking at the several European employees who were in charge of acting as translators around him, with a cool expression on his face, "You guys are so lucky!" It has to do with your guts, you know? ”

As soon as the voice fell, several European employees hurriedly repeated the translation of Yu Shan's words, but no matter how well prepared the concession was, it was impossible to have translators who could master all European languages at the same time, so they could only choose German, French, Norwegian, Dutch, Italian and other major European language translators.

Good luck?! Except for some retired young men who had served as soldiers before, more men smiled wryly. If it weren't for the fact that there was no way, who would have come here?

"Starting today, my colleagues and I are going to pick 300 people from among you and go and enjoy a good life!" The precious speech on the left was very level, but the good luck sentence on the left and the good day on the right made the faces of many young Europeans gradually ruddy.

"Want to immigrate? Want to get rich? Do you want your wife and children to eat every day? Want to own a farm that is truly your own? All of this can be done, and it's very simple, just join our Army Foreign Legion and you can make the whole family eat and drink! I can guarantee it. You have definitely received much more military pay than you can imagine in your life! ”

Zuo Guigui continued to say triumphantly. These words were taught by the consul of the concession before leaving, and it is said that they can have a great temptation for European hillbillies. Sure enough, as soon as these words came out, many Europeans' eyes lit up, especially a few sturdy former mercenaries and retired soldiers, all of whom were full of anticipation.

"A bunch of shit guys, why should they get a higher salary than me......" At this point, Zuo Guigui couldn't help but muttered to himself and complained.

"But. All of this will not be satisfied until you have completed your service period! When Zuo Guigui thought of the treatment system formulated by the Army Command, which was completely different from that of the active Wehrmacht, he felt that it was very unfair. However, with his simple mind and thinking, he could not understand the evil thoughts of those leaders in the country.

Unlike the Wehrmacht's generous treatment and high death and retirement pensions, except for officers, soldiers of the Foreign Legion can only receive a monthly salary 20% higher than that of the Wehrmacht, and there is no death pension! But as long as you complete the entire period of your military service contract alive, you will receive a retirement bonus of 30 to 50 percent that exceeds the standard of the Wehrmacht's death pension! Those who retire early due to an incurable disability. They will also receive disability benefits according to the length of service.

It is said that this treatment was "carefully calculated" by the Ministry of Defense. In the case of a private-class F-FDTL soldier, for example, the rates for a death benefit and disability benefit are $1,000 and $500, respectively. According to the estimation of the frequency of past and future wars, the average annual mortality and disability rate of a light infantry company with a standard establishment of 105 personnel is as high as 10 percent, and almost more than 50 percent of the soldiers will have to be replaced in several waves once the five-year military service period has expired. This does not include retirement benefits that are not less than pensions, and the final total expenditure will scare the individual to death.

In exchange for the special treatment of the Foreign Legion, they can enjoy a better monthly salary than the officers and soldiers of the Wehrmacht, but no more than 40% of the soldiers who can survive five years with complete limbs and peace of mind will be paid at the rate of up to 150% of the death pension. The total expenditure is also much lower than that of the Defence Force.

To put it simply, the Wehrmacht is dead and wounded, and the family is happy. The Foreign Legion is to survive and enjoy its own happiness, and the treatment is ultimately visible! In addition, at this time, the former Foreign Legion (mentioned above) under the colonial government of East Africa will be reorganized into the official Imperial East African Legion.

After speaking, Zuo Guigui pointed to the recruit physical examination and registration area in the distance behind him, revealing a harmless smile for humans and animals.

The Foreign Legion will be directly organized as a brigade-level combat unit. Play the role of the vanguard of foreign military operations. The brigade is composed of three light infantry battalions, one brigade-affiliated combat engineer company, one brigade-affiliated fire support company, and several support units, with a total strength of more than 1,300 troops.

In the early stage, a light infantry battalion would be formed, which would be put into operation in Namibia after the beginning of the spring of 1861, in order to "train and train" a number of qualified non-commissioned officers. On this basis, the army was then expanded, and the time for the completion of the brigade was set for 1863