"If it was in Daming, the method you did just now would indeed work, but unfortunately, this is in Annan, and the situation here is different from Daming. Qian Tiandun reminded: "In this civil war that led to the destruction of the south of Annan, our results accounted for a considerable proportion, and many of these local magnates were vested interests in the south, and for them, we were enemies, opponents who took away their power and wealth, and may even be murderers of their relatives." It is not so easy to get these people to obey our arrangement and become our partners, and there are many specific problems that cannot be solved by paying a single penny. ”

"Maybe it's because they need a higher price to be bought. Gu Kai still insisted on his opinion: "As long as someone benefits from it, there will be others who will follow suit." ”

"The problem is that if we give too much, it will affect our own interests. Qian Tiandun retorted unhurriedly: "What we do in Annan is to be able to get income from the local area to feed back to the Sanya base camp, if we need to make a relatively large adjustment to the distribution ratio of trade income in order to buy off the local elites, I think most of the people here will not agree." ”

Qian Tiandun's is indeed the truth, no matter how good Gu Kai is, no matter how good he can say, ← ← ← ←, m.→.c£om argue, it is difficult to refute his law. When the Executive Committee chose to send troops to intervene in the civil war in Annam, it also took a great risk, in order to be able to open up new colonial areas and target markets outside Hainan Island, and use the profits earned from Annam to obtain raw materials and labor to enrich the development needs of the base camp. As far as Haihan was concerned, not even a penny of these due profits could be missing, so how could it be possible to distribute some of them to the local magnates? At the beginning, he considered that he would try his best to avoid extraneous branches and prevent the militia army from falling into a war of law and order in Annam, so he did not have all these old wealth of Annan, which was already very merciful.

"You mean, the main reason why we are making slow progress in the construction of several colonial port areas in southern Annam?" Tao Donglai had already understood what Qian Tiandun wanted to say.

Qian Tiandun said: "That's right, and the root cause of this contradiction is too deep, we may not be able to completely solve it in a short period of time, and it is unlikely that several port areas in the south will soon reach the level of Heitu Port." ”

As the earliest overseas colony opened up by Haihan, Heitu Port can now be regarded as a model model among the colonies, not only continuously providing coal resources for Haihan's industrial construction, but also as the largest transit point for immigrants in northern Annam, there are also a lot of immigrants exported from the local area to Hainan Island, there are as many as 20,000 or 30,000 people. More than ninety percent of the people who settled in Heitu Port joined the naturalized nationality and became subjects under the Haihan Executive Committee, which is also the highest proportion among the overseas colonies. In the past two years, Haihan has built several new ports in the south of Annam, which are basically based on the black soil port, but according to Qian Tiandun's law, due to the complexity of the local people, this simple copy obviously cannot completely replicate the construction process of the original black soil port.

Qian Tiandun's assertion was certainly not good news for Haihan, and the Executive Committee had been counting on the four southern ports to play a role in promoting Haihan's implementation of the new social system and trade system in the local area, but it was obvious that there were still insurmountable obstacles among the local people.

"Can we put pressure on the local people through the Annam Imperial Court?" Wang Tom said, "I know that the influence of the Annam Imperial Court in the south is low, but there are some things that are inconvenient for the Annam Imperial Court to do, and we can do it in the name of the Imperial Court." ”

Judging from the influence of the Haihan in the court of Annam, Wang Tom's construction is indeed feasible. Although he was not very clear, everyone present understood it - this is to use chicken feathers as arrows, in the name of the Annan court, to clean up those who are disobedient and uncooperative in the local area.

Qian Tiandun responded: "Tom's method, in fact, I have considered it before. There will definitely be results, but there are also risks. For reasons that everyone knows, we now have very few garrisons in the four southern ports, and if we were to send these troops to suppress the local landlords' forces, we would probably fall into a desperate war of law and order. ”

The armed forces deployed by Haihan in Annam have recently made two relatively large moves: First, in April, they moved south to occupy the Ambuna Islands, where hundreds of soldiers led by Mushabai were temporarily stationed. Second, Qian Tiandun was transferred from Annan to Fujian to take up a post this time, and he was accompanied by about a battalion of troops, so that the armed forces stationed in various parts of Annan by Haihan were even weaker. It's probably okay to barely maintain local defense, but when you have to go out on a military mission, you will be stretched thin.

The Haihan militia has always been cautious in its actions in Annam, especially in the south, in order to avoid getting caught up in an endless war of law and order. Although the Haihan militia is strong, it is far from being strong enough to do whatever it wants. There is a well-known negative lesson in this regard, that is, the encounter of the lighthouse nation's supposedly strongest army on earth in the Middle East, although they are strong enough to overthrow the regime of a country in a short period of time, but they still cannot stop the local law and order war and the continuous war losses in the occupied areas for more than ten or twenty years. However, the limited military strength of the Haihan militia is only suitable for use on the regular battlefield, and it cannot withstand the toss of the kind of public security war that cannot be prevented.

"Then what do you think is a more feasible solution?" Tao Donglai asked.

"A two-pronged approach, on the one hand, is to export our products, financial system and values through guò trade, and slowly cultivate a spokesperson for our interests, and on the other hand, to expand the size of the garrison and maintain a military deterrent to the restless people on the ground. Qian Tiandun obviously already had a certain idea about this question, and immediately replied: "Considering that there will definitely be people who ask questions about the cost of the expansion of the army, I will take a certain percentage of the commercial income obtained from Annan and return it to the local garrison as military expenses for the expansion of the army and its daily operations." ”

"Then this is another proposal by the military to expand the army in disguise?" Gu Kai was the first to react, and immediately answered: "You guys have so many tricks that you can't prevent it!"

Qian Tiandun said: "This is not only a matter of the military, the armed forces we deploy in Annan will be related to the progress of our local colonial construction in the next few years, and I have already made it very clear before." If you think I'm alarmist, that's up to you, but I'm obliged to inform the Executive Committee of the actual situation on the ground and make suggestions. If you can come up with a better and more secure solution, then I am willing to listen to it. ”

Among the people present, Qian Tiandun was the only one who could really be called an expert on the Annan issue, followed by Gu Kai, who went to the local area for a period of time to be the chief civil affairs officer in the early days of the establishment of Heitu Port. However, for the situation discussed by Qian Tiandun, Gu Kai was really difficult to propose other solutions for a while, after all, he had stayed away from Annan affairs in the past two years, and he didn't know much about the situation in the south.

However, Qian Tiandun did not continue to discuss this issue, but accepted it when he saw it: "I have now stepped down from all my posts in the Annan region, and it stands to reason that the matter of Annan has nothing directly related to me, so my mention is just a mention of yì, as for how to decide, I still ask the executive committee to consider it." ”

Qian Tiandun's work report did not only talk about this one issue, but also reported on army building, mineral development, commercial and trade cooperation, and so on, but the executive committee was most concerned about the southern issue that he first mentioned -- probably because of the fact that there was a topic of military expansion, which has always been sensitive to all departments.

The meeting lasted until noon, and Qian Tiandun's work report was completed, but the executive committee still did not reach a final conclusion on the issue of army expansion, so it could only choose to discuss it another day.

As soon as Qian Tiandun's front foot arrived at the State Guest House, Wang Tom and Tao Donglai followed with their back feet, and asked people to buy a table of lunch and send it to Qian Tiandun's room. Seeing this posture, Qian Tiandun also guessed that there should be something more important to talk to him, so he sent Takahashi Nan outside to be a doorman.

"Or is it a matter of the morning?" Qian Tiandun took the initiative to ask.

Tao Donglai shook his head and said: "There is nothing good about the morning, I can't find any other solution, and in the end, the army should be expanded." Now let everyone quarrel and quarrel, mainly to reflect our democratic atmosphere, so as not to let the executive committee engage in dictatorship. Don't worry, this matter won't drag on for too long, maybe you can settle it before you go to Fujian. ”

"That's Fujian's business?" Qian Tiandun's reaction was very fast, and he immediately found clues from Tao Donglai's words.

"There is a change in the shape of the shì on the Fujian side, and you may need to do your best to get past it. Tao Donglai admitted Qian Tiandun's speculation: "The specific situation, let Tom explain it to you!"

Tom Wang took over: "We sent a mission to Fujian in May, and you know about it. When the mission arrived in Zhangzhou, it encountered an open assassination by Assassins in the city, and Ningqi was the target of the attack. Fortunately, he was lucky and didn't get hurt. When the Assassins were interrogated later, it was revealed that they were all affiliated with the Eighteen Zhi. ”

Qian Tiandun responded: "It seems that Shibazhi really hates and fears us!

Xu Xinsu immediately blocked the whole city and arrested the prisoners, but the effect was not very good, and their security measures were relatively amateurish, and finally let go of the first culprit who planned this incident. Wang Tom said with regret.

Although Qian Tiandun doesn't know much about the situation in Fujian, he can also imagine that Zhangzhou City is jumping because of this, and there must be a wave of people falling to the ground.

"After that, the mission arranged a joint military exercise, and the calculation time should be these days. Tao Donglai continued: "The mission will take advantage of this military exercise to take Nanri Island, which is controlled by the Eighteen Zhi. ”

"Nanri Island?" Qian Tiandun had been in Annam for more than three years, and he was still very unfamiliar with the name, but he quickly took out his laptop and found the island from the database.

"It's a very important location. Qian Tiandun had such a vision, and at a glance, he understood the importance of Nanri Island: "Was this mention proposed by Xu Xinsu or by us?"

"It's our side of the idea. Wang Tom took over and said: "Shi Diwen leads the team, Morgan is also here, and it shouldn't be a big problem to take down this island." ”

"It's not difficult to fight down, but it's hard to hold the island. Qian Tiandun saw the problem very scathingly: "Even if it is defeated, it will probably be difficult for the Ming army to hold this island alone." ”

"It's similar to what you expected!" Tom Wang replied: "Shi Diwen has already sent a radio wave back yesterday and applied to lead a team to be stationed in the local area for a period of time. ”

"Are you just waiting for me to come over and take over?" Qian Tiandun's reaction was very fast, and he immediately understood the meaning of Wang Tom's words.

"That's about it. Wang Tom did not hide the military's arrangement: "After you arrive in Fujian, you will probably arrange to be stationed on Nanri Island for a period of time." Wait for the local fortifications to be built, and then make another arrangement. ”

"I don't have a problem, just arrange my subordinates. Qian Tiandun responded: "The garrison and supply channels, it is best to prepare in advance, I don't want my subordinates to have to endure the inconvenience of life after a long journey from Annam." ”

"We have already informed Ning Qi of this matter, and asked him to communicate with Xu Xinsu and arrange the station and supplies as far in advance as possible. Wang Tom paused and said, "If it is not done, it will be his pot." ”

"It's too early for you to throw the pot!" Tao Donglai couldn't help but laugh: "If Ning Qi knew that you were arranging him like this behind his back, he would spray you all over his saliva when he came back." ”

"God knows that the three of us know, if Ning Qi comes to spray me, then there must be a traitor among us!"

"Don't be dirty, insist on being a clear stream. Qian Tiandun said: "You guys can mess up as much as you want, don't drag me in." ”

As soon as Qian Tiandun's words fell, there was a knock at the door: "Is Qian Tiandun there?"

"Yo, woman!" Wang Tom immediately shouted: "Old Qian, you are very fast!

"What's good, don't mess around!" Qian Tiandun knew who it was as soon as he heard the voice. It's clear that Takahashi's shield didn't work this time - of course, it's possible that he was deliberately stealth.

"Sit down first, and I'll see who it is. Qian Tiandun wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin, got up and opened the door.