In 1486, the Portuguese navigator Dias, who had long been trying to circumnavigate Africa in search of an eastern route, made the first mention of the Cape Peninsula in his logbook. Although the feat of circumnavigating Africa occurred two years later, it shows that Portuguese navigators had long been aware of Cape Town's important geographical coordinates on the eastern route.

A scorpion-tailed mountain peninsula thrusts into the sea at an elegant angle, and from a distance, the mountain peninsula is inexplicably imagined by the Portuguese as a long flat table, so that "God's table" has become the reputation of the Cape Peninsula, and "Table Mountain" has become another name for Cape Town.

But it was only in the mid-17th century that Cape Town was actually exploited by European colonizers. In 1652, the Dutch East India Company established a base in Cape Town to operate as a seafaring station to supply the Dutch East India Company's fleet to and from Europe and Asia. At the same time, Cape Town became one of the first African settlements to be settled by Asians during the Age of Discovery. In 1654, a dozen Chinese farmers were sent to Cape Town by the merchant ships of the Dutch East India Company, where they were to be tasked with cultivating the crops. The industriousness and tenacity of the Chinese farmers, who were so far removed from the lazy blacks and the European prisoners who were sent here, were greatly admired by the Dutch, and in the years that followed, the presence of Chinese Americans gradually spread across the continent.

……

The second phase of the Atlantic Checkers Project was launched in June 1627, led by the U.S. Navy, which had already conducted precise surveys of the routes, and more than 10 merchant ships carrying a large number of army and construction engineering teams followed suit, and sailed to the southernmost tip of Africa.

On the administrative map of the country, it has been renamed "Nanshan Peninsula" in advance, the later Cape Town Bay in the north of the peninsula is named Upper Bay, and the bay in the southeast of the peninsula with a wider area and more beautiful outline is named Lower Bay. The soon-to-be-established Nanshan Port is located on the coast of Shangwan, a natural harbor. It was later known as the Port of Cape Town.

Baptism on Butterfly Island. He also participated in many battles to capture the indigenous labor of the Caribbean on the small islands around Butterfly Island. The Foreign Legionnaires roared and rushed onto land with a fussy shout. They were complacent, excited, and vigilant, but they were not greeted by the spears and axes and wooden bows of the natives, nor were they the backs of panicked and scattered fleeing.

A black Khoi child led a cow curiously on a hillside not far from the coast. Looking at these energetic and sensitive and fragile outsiders, he smiled extremely innocently, and the big cow behind him also leisurely continued to gnaw on the grass, as if it was so normal.

From the very beginning, the establishment of the Nanshan Overseas Territory was enthusiastically helped by the local blacks. This 17th-century version of the "Co-Prosperity Sphere" lens made it difficult for the landed travelers to adapt for a long time. All it takes is a half-new shovel to get a sturdy ox or a few fat lambs from the Khois, a small bag of refined sugar, and a large pile of fresh game from the Buscemans.

The natives throughout the Cape Town region, whether nomadic or hunter-gathering, including the Khoi, were gentle and welcoming black tribes, and they did not seem to object to these strangers intruding from the sea as their neighbours. The Nanshan Overseas Territorial Landing Operation, which was ridiculed by the military reporters of the "Manchester City Weekly" as "persecution paranoia", ended in a dramatic half an hour.

Although this is by far the farthest overseas territory from the mainland, and from the nearest city of Twin Ports on Butterfly Island, it takes a fleet of half a month to sail to reach Nanshan Port, but there were no fierce disputes and bloody wars here from the beginning. With a surprising state of peace, Nanshan Overseas Territory has entered a period of steady development. A large number of military expenditures have been miraculously saved, and Congress is even more celebrated.

Generous black tribal trade. Not only did Nanshan Overseas Collar take away a large amount of land in the surrounding area, but Nanshan Port also became the only town that did not need to develop its own animal husbandry in the early stage of construction to obtain a stable supply of cattle and sheep, and the ancient traditional pastoral lifestyle of the local nomadic tribes led by the Khoi began to feed the Chinese and Americans here.

Over the past year, Nanshan Port has become a port city with more than 2,000 citizens, but the remote distance also leads to a small number of domestic immigrants, and less than 20% of the city's population belong to domestic immigrants who have been immigrants for more than 3 years. However, the proportion of the Chinese population is as high as more than 70%, because a considerable number of Ming refugees who arrived last year were resettled here.

The Nanshan Overseas Territory was not the richest mineral resource area in South Africa in later generations, much to the disappointment of capitalists who were counting on making a fortune here. Except for a limited number of metal mines and coal resources, it is basically difficult to obtain high-grade and large-scale industrial ore raw materials here, so at a glance, the entire surrounding area of Nanshan Port looks more like a modern civilized countryside.

With the exception of a small number of light industries and ship repairs, the port of Nanshan has been positioned as a hub for ocean-going trade and sailing supply from the very beginning. In order to support the supply of intercontinental voyages in the future, the development of agriculture and animal husbandry in Nanshan Port has been given a high priority, so the residents here, whether European or Chinese, are mostly farmers, who contract and operate the farms of several state-owned agricultural, forestry, fishery and animal husbandry groups on the river plains in the eastern suburbs of Nanshan Port.

……

Thursday, July 13, 1628.

At this time, the weather in Nanshan is colder, but the average temperature is also above 10 degrees, and it is the rainy season, and the air is refreshing and humid. Today is the first anniversary of the establishment of the Nanshan Overseas Territorial Government of the United States of America, and the celebration day of the new house number. Early in the morning, a simple flag-raising ceremony was held in the small square of the city hall, in which representatives of the navy and army stationed in the local area participated.

In the midst of the applause, the sign of "Nanshan Municipal Government of the People's Republic of China", which had been used for a year, was taken down, and then a new sign of "Nanshan Overseas Governor of the People's Republic of China" was hung up. Although it is only a few words more, a discerning person can understand at once that the meaning of this has changed dramatically.

Wu Yuanyi, who has changed his identity and changed from mayor to the first governor of Nanshan, smiled at this time to the reporter from the "Manchester City Weekly" to introduce the development plan of the governor of Nanshan and Nanshan Port.

Wu Yuanyi, who is 40 years old this year, was just an ordinary dock trailer driver before crossing the catastrophe. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he worked as a manager in the state-owned energy and mining industry. At one time, he was a member of the House of Representatives who seemed honest on the surface.

But those who are familiar with Wu Yuanyi. Everyone knows that this man with only high Chinese is very ambitious. At the beginning of the statehood. He openly quarreled that he could not run for the Senate under the age of 35, because he had just turned 34 at the time. After becoming a member of the House of Representatives, he openly advocated the legalization of slavery and has been seeking to enact the "Foreign Labor Importation Act". It should be said. Butterfly Island's side-kick behavior was the result of the strong support of Wu Yuanyi, who was a member of the House of Representatives at the time.

Next year will be the year of general elections for both houses of the National Assembly, but at this time, Wu Yuanyi suddenly resigned as a member of the House of Representatives. Coming to Nanshan Port to take up a leading position is a surprise. But on second thought, isn't the idea of national development pursued by Wu Yuanyi the easiest to realize in this rich land in the southernmost part of Africa?

The capitalists of Butterfly Island have already tasted the sweetness of the legalization of slave labor in disguise, but in the end it is only a small Caribbean island, at best a sea-going trade transit point and military base, and the local resources can only be regarded as the tallest of the short. South Africa, on the other hand, is bound to expand its influence in southern Africa, which is one of the world's most notable mineral riches, as time goes on to expand much beyond the confines of the Southern Mountains. Obviously, it is impossible to develop the products here with the manpower of domestic enterprises. The surrounding black indigenous population is not very large, though. But it also greatly exceeds the population of the country.

Wu Yuanyi was also a key figure in the management of the state-owned energy and mining group to vigorously promote the creation of mineral projects in cooperation with private enterprises, and was highly sought after by several major industrial oligarchs in China. Now that he is the first governor of Nanshan, his political and economic intentions are very obvious. However, Wu Yuanyi still made a brief speech at today's celebration, putting aside his radical attitude and saying that the idea of administrative development in a roundabout way is very beautiful.

"The transformation of an overseas territory into an overseas governor-general is actually extended from the narrow definition of Nanshan Port to the entire southern African region, and we can see it as a national special administrative zone, which selectively implements some internal policies and relevant laws and regulations that are in line with local characteristics according to the actual local situation. At this point, there will be no difference between Nanshan Port and the twin bay cities of Bermuda and the twin ports of Butterfly Island. Of course, everything is difficult at the beginning, and we must seize the historical opportunity, lay a good foundation, and make due contributions to the development of the country. ”

The words were indeed in place, but the representatives of the army and navy present all smelled a trace of imperceptible blood. Today's Nanshan Port is very calm, and this peaceful environment makes the development speed of Nanshan Port no less than that of several other overseas territories, but Wu Yuanyi's ambition hidden under the smile represents the thoughts of some people in China, which is basically obvious.

Perhaps in a few years, when the Governor of Nanshan is fully fledged, it will show its long-hidden fangs.

……

The southern district of Manchu City, a government administrative district.

In the spring of 1628, the Cabinet Administration Building, which had been in use for several years, was transformed from the inside out. The basic renovation and interior and exterior decoration finally have a bit of a relationship with the national status of this building.

In the foreign minister's office, Su Zining was hanging on his desk, looking through the draft of a foreign language textbook written by his wife, and from time to time drawing suggestions for revisions to some minor flaws.

"I heard that the day before yesterday, the prime minister came to talk to you alone?"

The door opened suddenly, and I saw Yan Xiaosong striding in, and the moment the door closed, he couldn't wait to take out a cigarette and light it, and smoke it beautifully.

"Hey, my office is also a non-smoking office, can you respect it?" Su Zining pursed his lips, holding back his addiction since quitting smoking, and let out a half-wailing dissatisfaction.

"See how long you can hold out." Yan Xiaosong smiled, threw the cigarette he had only smoked a few puffs into the ashtray, and then sat opposite Su Zining.

"Aren't you planning to spend more time in the Azores with your wife and children? How did you come back a week earlier? Su Zining looked at the other party's slightly bloodshot eyes, knowing that the other party's diplomatic negotiations in the Azores must be very hard, but he still said coldly.

"The rest has been taken over by Swenbo." Yan Xiaosong spread out comfortably on the chair, his eyes looking at the ceiling, "I heard just now that Nanshan Port has been changed to an overseas governor's territory, is it your ghost idea again?" ”

"Don't keep framing me, okay? This just represents the will of the hearts of the majority. Su Zining spread his hands and looked innocent. I think. Beat the Dutch to traffick the first Ming refugees, and Butterfly Island bought the first 'hired laborer' began. This magic box has been opened, and the economic model of overseas colonies is inevitable. I dare say that Congress was well prepared at least two years ago. It's just a natural result. ”

"So you already knew that the second phase of Atlantic Checkers would produce such a strange thing. It's no wonder that for a while Dai Botong kept secretly asking me what you meant by what you said on Butterfly Island at that time. I can only pretend that I will know when the time comes. Yan Xiaosong nodded, expressing his admiration for the other party's observation and judgment that were far sharper than his own.

"You're here to praise me?" Su Zining smiled and put a fake cigarette made of letter paper in his mouth. to divert your addiction to smoking.

"Lao Su, don't you think this is going back in history? Or are you starting to go back to the conservative line? ”

Looking at Su Zining's pretended relaxed smile, Yan Xiaosong easily took out a bottle of deeply hidden wine from the bookcase on the side, and the two of them each poured a glass.

"Hehe, it's okay, at least it's not unconventional, it's within the historical trajectory." Su Zining took the wine glass, smiled, and was noncommittal. A few seconds later. revealed a hint of concern, "We can only calculate this history from the general direction." It's really hard to say whether it will be smooth or big in the future. ”

"Let's put it this way, there will be more and more such places in the future, and it may not be much of a problem to completely dye yellow, but it is impossible to devote energy to taking care of the development in a comprehensive way. Then they will inevitably become ATMs, strategic chess pieces, resource suppliers, and product dumping places for local development in the future. When the political economy of a distant territory makes heavy sacrifices for the homeland, many uncontrollable problems will inevitably arise. Maybe they have a special status at the beginning, and it can also make people mentally prepared. ”

After Su Zining finished speaking, he picked up the wine glass and secretly observed his friend's expression with the corner of his eye.

Yan Xiaosong nodded slowly, understanding Su Zining's worries, and even more understanding the reason why the other party has become more and more "unconfident" over the years since he beat Zhou Kemin's sacrifice.

"But it's nothing, aren't we one of them? The Republic of China and the United States of America itself is an act of spreading branches and leaves for this nation, and we are afraid that we will make a forest in the future? It would not necessarily be a bad thing to have a few more such countries in the future. I hope that in many years' time, we will have countless 'British' hardcore boys by our side. ”

As if he had figured it out, Yan Xiaosong comfortably drank the wine in his hand, his expression optimistic and relaxed.

"Well, as long as you follow us, it's easy to say, if you follow...... Yan Xiaosong, why don't we come out of the entire first island chain in advance? Su Zining was not so optimistic, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"Stop! Don't think about these questions now! Don't think of yourself as a politician! You are a wreaking havoc on the country and the people! Yan Xiaosong almost spit out a mouthful of wine, let out a violent cough, and quickly wiped the corners of his mouth and stood up to sort out the wine stains on his chest, "Su Zining, it's not our turn to worry about this." If I follow you again, I'm afraid I'll be exiled one day!" ”

"Haha, just kidding, look at what scares you."

Su Zining laughed out loud when he pointed to his friend's face that was red from choking on wine, and several female clerks in the corridor looked at him curiously.

"Okay, let's get down to business, the agreement has been signed, and I'll hand over the original to the prime minister as soon as possible, and it depends on when Congress will pass it." Yan Xiaosong ripped off his tie that was wet with wine, revealing a serious expression.

"Well, Dai Botong also sent back the agreement from San Salvador yesterday, and it shouldn't be a big problem, and this result is the biggest we can do at the moment."

Taking a small sip of the liquid in the wine glass, Su Zining also said the progress on his side.

"In addition, you haven't been back to your homeland in the Azores in the past few months, so there is something you must be mentally prepared for, I guess something happened to Daming." As soon as he handed the text of the diplomatic agreement in his hand to Yan Xiaosong, Su Zining stared at his friend's eyes as if he suddenly remembered something, and said word by word, with a mysterious smile on the corner of his mouth.

Yan Xiaosong was stunned for a moment, and after a few seconds, it was as if he had been exposed, revealing a complicated expression.

……

In the year following its establishment, the Port of Nanshan was the only port in all Huamei overseas territories with entry restrictions. In addition to the ships transporting Ming immigrants, only foreign merchant ships with the permission of the Chinese and American navies were allowed to enter the port for supplies or trade. And the total number of non-Chinese-American European ships entering the port each month is also limited to a measly five. Such a policy began on the day of reaching the Portuguese. It aroused strong dissatisfaction among the Portuguese Viceroy of West Africa and the Viceroy of San Salvador, a Brazilian colony.

Originally, in the eyes of the Portuguese, "the whole of southern Africa" was the Portuguese sphere of influence. China and the United States suddenly intervened without warning, and it was obviously planned for a long time. Moreover, the geographical location of Nanshan Port is so sensitive, if it does not appear, it is equivalent to driving a big nail in the key point of the Indian route. The Portuguese had to be wary, and even Spain, which claimed to be the "patriarch" of Portugal, raised strong doubts about this.

In the final analysis, the geographical location of Nanshan Port, which appeared decades earlier, is too superior, and the ability of the ports of China and the United States to operate far exceeds that of any European country in the 17th century. Ships traveling between the United States, Asia and Europe can receive the "Premium Buff" for trans-Indian and South Atlantic sailing. If European countries could use this port without restrictions, it would be tantamount to speeding up the process of European colonial invasion throughout East Africa and Asia.

It may be a drop in the bucket to pull hundreds of thousands of people from the Ming Empire on this route, but it is difficult to say how much of an impact the influx of Europeans from the West into the Far East will have in the East, even if there are a few thousand more Europeans than in the history of the same period. Butterfly wings can't be avoided, but they can't be fanned indiscriminately, so Su Zining and other diplomats are under pressure and refuse alive the request of "allies" Portugal and Spain to open Nanshan Port without restrictions.

None of the major European countries were fools, except for Spain, which was relatively peaceful in the midst of the Thirty Years' War, and Portugal, which regarded the East Indies as its lifeblood, was so jealous that no matter how close it was, it threw the table away. He even hinted at the end of the cooperation with China and the United States in the Far East if Portuguese merchant ships were not given the privilege of opening the port of Nanshan. As the news spreads. Even the English and Dutch suddenly realized the existence and great value of Nanshan Port, and they also cheekily ran to the door and said a lot of bad things.

Although the negotiations were not in place, their attitudes were basically the same, and this diplomatic turmoil, which almost caused a chain reaction, finally made the Chinese and US Foreign Ministries compromise. The negotiations lasted for most of the year, until the summer of 1628, when the American Republic of China, Portugal and Spain signed the San Salvador Trade Agreement in San Salvador, Brazil, signed by the Consul General of Brazil and West Africa.

According to the provisions of the San Salvador Trade Agreement, as the "closest strategic partners" of China and the United States, Spanish and Portuguese ships entering the port of Nanshan will no longer be restricted, but ships with a displacement of more than 300 tons will have to pay double the cargo tax, and ships transporting migrants will enjoy a substantial reduction in the cargo tax.

At about the same time, under the auspices of Yan Xiaosong, negotiations between the American Republic of China and England and the Netherlands were completed in Angra Sangra in the Azores. The US-UK-Netherlands Azores Trade Agreement stipulates that ships travelling between England and the Netherlands in Asia and Europe must apply for a special port entry permit in the American Concession of the Azores in order to dock at Nanshan Port and pay double the cargo tax, while those without a certificate will be denied entry. One ship, one certificate, the port entry permit is not limited to the invalid time, but there is a limit on the number of port visits, and the quota must be re-applied for, which makes the representatives of the two European countries feel very novel for a while.

On the one hand, this model can give a general idea of the Far East shipping situation of England and the Netherlands, the two major trading countries in the East, and on the other hand, it can virtually prompt these three countries to import more commodity raw materials to the American concession of the Azores in the process of going to the Far East.

Using economic means to reduce the butterfly effect of Nanshan Port on the eastern route in the 17th century is a last resort. The officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Su Zining are not sure what the specific effect will be.

The biggest gains are of course England and the Netherlands, although double cargo duty still sounds like a pain, and they don't necessarily have to call at Nanshan Harbor. However, once the Nanshan Port of China and the United States is saved and utilized, it can raise the safety and convenience of the entire eastern route to a higher level, breaking the monopoly of Portugal on the route that has been strong in this region for hundreds of years.

Su Zining, who has been remotely controlling the negotiation process and has long guessed the thoughts of his opponents, once thought that he had made a bad move, and China and the United States seemed to be doing a voluntary labor for the whole of Europe to affect the colonial pattern of Asia and Africa. However, according to the original understanding of historical inertia, Portugal, the Netherlands, and England, the three countries committed to colonial trade in the East Indies, may be more intense in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia because of the opening of the port of Nanshan.

On the other hand, after Nanshan Port changed from the status of an overseas consular municipality to an overseas governor, it was also a chess game for the future maritime pattern of Asia and Africa. Sooner or later, the Nanshan Governor-General, which gradually gained more local autonomy, would one day become the "pass" and focal point for curbing the eastward expansion of the European colonial movement, and the United States on it could stay out of it as much as possible while maintaining its core influence and control power. (To be continued.) )