Returning in Glory

July 13, 1866, Far East.

Wang Dazhi was a long-time member of the Chinese immigrant community in the East African colony, and now served in the Binhai District Chinese Immigrant Army.

Just a month prior, high-ranking officials from the East African Colony's Chinese Immigrant Affairs Office had approached Wang Dazhi, discussing the possibility of him using his Chinese identity to recruit people back in Qing China.

The current Qing government had recently suppressed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The southern regions, ravaged by war for a long time, had seen a significant easing of the land-to-population ratio. Since the Song Dynasty, the economic center had shifted south, making it a densely populated area. Although the conflict between the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the Qing government had created many vacant lands, after the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's end, the surrounding populations could quickly fill these vacancies.

Meanwhile, in the north, the rise and colonial expansion of Tsarist Russia directly threatened the ancestral lands of the Qing people. Previously, they feared Chinese immigrants would disrupt the Qing's ancestral lands, but now that the Russians were threatening to invade, distinctions between Qing and Han were no longer considered. To encourage settlement and strengthen the border, the Qing government lifted restrictions on emigration to the Northeast, leading to a large influx of Chinese into the region – this was known as Chuang Guandong.

In the relatively northwestern Shanxi and Shaanxi regions, there was another migration route: heading into Inner Mongolia to farm for the princes and nobles, known as Zou Xikou.

For immigrants to the East African colony, the primary option currently was to travel north, board ships at northern ports, and sail back to East Africa.

The current choices for people in the north were twofold: either go to the Northeast or go to East Africa. Compared to a foreign land, their own soil was naturally the preferred choice. Therefore, when given the option, most immigrants chose to bring their families and head for Chuang Guandong.

This was precisely why the East African colony needed to bring over old immigrants already residing there. Otherwise, without seeing tangible benefits, who would believe the words of these Western devils?

As for the south, it wasn't easy to recruit people there either. Besides the new living space created by the Taiping Rebellion, locals had two other paths: one was to travel from the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta to the Americas. The Americans currently held an advantage that even Germany couldn't match. Even Britain and France would recruit some Chinese into their colonies to serve as enforcers.

The second option was for people in the south, especially the southeastern coastal and southwestern border regions, to venture to Nanyang for business and development. Due to convenient sea travel or proximity to the border, many had historically gone to Nanyang or ventured into Southeast Asia.

The south was already rife with powerful clans, and their self-organized dialect groups would also recruit people there. Therefore, recruiting in the south was the most difficult for the East African colony, not only due to the numerous competitors but also because the conditions they offered weren't particularly enticing.

How would these Chinese people voluntarily go to the East African colony? Unless land was genuinely distributed to them, they would certainly pack up their families and head to the East African colony to develop it.

However, Ernst wouldn't simply give away land for free. The land in East Africa was Ernst's private property and would have significant uses in the future. Directly gifting land might not result in gratitude, but could instead foster ingratitude.

Only when the time came to distribute the land would Ernst grant property rights to these Chinese immigrants.

That time would be war. Ernst would distribute land to the meritorious as military achievements, rewarding those who fought bravely and proved their loyalty.

If he distributed the land in East Africa now, when countries like Britain and France began eyeing African land, what would Ernst use to win people's hearts? Land, again.

Furthermore, in Ernst's vision, agriculture in East Africa would be intensive in the future, not the small-scale self-sufficient type. If you fought for the House of Hohenzollern, I would give you land. The more you fought, the more land you would receive, leading to the establishment of numerous large-scale farms in East Africa.

If everyone could receive two or three mu of land, the Chinese would dare to have more children. In the early stages of colonization, a shortage of people was beneficial, but what would happen when people were no longer scarce? At that point, no matter how fast East Africa developed, it might not keep pace with the rapid population growth.

Therefore, both immigration and the means of survival after immigrating to East Africa were matters Ernst considered carefully. In any case, he wouldn't be too hasty; East Africa wasn't going anywhere.

Even if Britain and France began carving up Africa, Ernst estimated that East Africa would still have a population of five million. Not to mention five million, even with three hundred thousand people and the assistance of the German Empire, Ernst would dare to engage the British in a major African war.

Mopan Village, an unremarkable small village in North China.

The village was bustling today, not because of any festival, but because Wang Dazhi, who had left a year ago, had returned.

Wang Dazhi's return wasn't the surprising part. What truly made the villagers feel it was novel was that Wang Dazhi had returned with foreigners, accompanied by several soldiers carrying real weapons.

Initially, when the villagers saw a group of people with Western guns at the village entrance, they didn't dare to show themselves. In these turbulent times, who would want to get involved and risk their necks?

Fortunately, everyone recognized Wang Dazhi. He used a megaphone to make announcements throughout the village.

"Villagers, don't be afraid! It's me, Wang Dazhi! Don't you remember me? I've made a fortune now, and I've come today to help you live a better life."

Wang Dazhi, dressed in a military uniform, looked dignified and proud as he paraded through the village. As he reached the deeper part of the village, a few familiar faces pulled him into a house.

"Dazhi, is that really you? My heavens, you've gotten so fat I almost didn't recognize you."

Wang Dazhi almost didn't recognize the thin, wiry figure before him.

"Aren't you Old Xu from the end of the village? How have you been? Your brother has made it big now, and I'm here to help you live a better life."

Old Xu circled Wang Dazhi, marveling, "You've really made it, kid. Your clothes even have fancy patterns now! Judging by your attire, did you join the army!"

Although Old Xu didn't recognize the Prussian military uniform, the soldiers behind Wang Dazhi when he entered the village were undeniable; they were carrying real weapons.

Wang Dazhi chuckled and said, "Not at all, not at all. I am now the deputy leader of the 25th Squad in the Binhai District Detachment of the East African Colony Chinese Immigrant Army." He said this with a smug look.

Old Xu asked curiously, "You're really an official! That's great. But what is this East African Colony, and what's this Binhai District? How high up are you?"

As soon as Old Xu asked him, Wang Dazhi's face lit up with joy. "My status is completely different now. I'm not a very high-ranking official, only managing five or six men. Don't underestimate this position; it's very significant. I'm not just any official, but an official serving the Germans. You wouldn't believe it, but this uniform I'm wearing, I traveled hundreds of miles from Jiaozhou to get here. Even high-ranking officials I encountered along the way showed me great courtesy."

Wang Dazhi continued to boast, "You know the town magistrate, Magistrate Li? He was bowing and scraping to me just before I returned to the village!"

Old Xu was astonished. "Serving those Germans gives you such status? Even officials defer to you!"

"Old Xu! You're just not well-informed. Do you know about the incident a few years ago when the foreigners invaded the Forbidden City?"

"Of course... I've heard about it."

"Exactly. Even the Emperor is afraid of foreigners now, let alone foreign soldiers. Look at me, I was originally a poor farmer in the village who couldn't get enough to eat. After Landlord Wang took back my land, I went to Jiaozhou to beg for food, right? I heard I could earn some money by carrying sacks at the Jiaozhou dock, so I went. That's where I met a big German boss recruiting people, saying they needed them to farm for them. I didn't pay much attention at the time, as I was starving and couldn't even find a meal. The supervisor at the dock saw I was near death and wouldn't hire me. By chance, the Germans were recruiting, and signing up meant getting a meal. So I signed up, ate for free for a few days, and then got on a ship."

Recalling his past, Wang Dazhi couldn't help but sigh, "On the ship, I was throwing up and had diarrhea the whole time. Fortunately, we landed not long after. Later, I learned we were in East Africa, where the German bosses wanted to develop land and needed workers. That's how I was recruited. At first, I just farmed. There was so much land there, and no crops were grown. The local natives relied on hunting lions and wild beasts, leaving the land barren. The German bosses then had us Chinese develop these lands."

"Later, as more people arrived, the German officers in East Africa began looking for men among our group to become soldiers. People like me were selected."

Old Xu asked curiously, "Isn't that the same as in Qing China? If you can't afford to eat, you join the army!"

"It's different, Old Xu," Wang Dazhi quickly said to him. "Can being a soldier in Qing China be compared to being a soldier for Germany? Let me tell you, do you know how many meals I eat a day?" Wang Dazhi said with a sense of superiority.

"Two meals? That's not bad."

Wang Dazhi looked at Old Xu with disdain. "You really have a wild imagination. The Germans aren't that stingy. I eat three meals a day, and I even get meat once a week. I wear Western fabrics and receive a small salary every month."

He then presented his sleeve to Old Xu and the others. "Feel this cloth, everyone. What good material, so smooth."

Old Xu and the others touched it and indeed, it was true. Wang Dazhi was living quite well. Before, when he was in the village, you could see his ribs through his clothes. Now, he was not only fat but also rosy-cheeked, clearly well-fed and dressed respectably.

"But Old Xu still asked cautiously, 'Are these foreign masters so good to you? They're not just asking you to risk your lives.'"

Wang Dazhi said dismissively, "Even if it was about risking lives, it would be your turn first! Besides, you don't know, in East Africa, we only deal with the natives. Those natives are armed with clubs, or at best, stone spears. I can take one down from a long distance with a single shot. They're very weak."

Hearing this, Old Xu and the others started to ponder. What Wang Dazhi was saying really made their hearts itch. Who wouldn't want a good life? But who knew if Wang Dazhi wasn't just picking out the best things to say.

"Brother Dazhi, if East Africa is so good, doesn't it have any downsides?"

Wang Dazhi understood. These people were still not at ease, so he spoke to reassure them, "It is a good life. If I said there were no downsides, you definitely wouldn't believe me. There is indeed one downside."

"Brother Dazhi, what is it?" a few people asked curiously.

"The downside is that there are too many men there and too few women. But don't worry, once you go, you won't have to worry about finding a wife in the future."

"Isn't that contradictory, Brother Dazhi?"

"That's where you're mistaken! Think about it, is it easy to find a wife in Qing China? Aren't there a lot of single men, and why? It's because they think you're poor. If you go to East Africa and live there for a few years, you'll be able to save some money and get your health back. When you return, you'll be strong and have money. What girl wouldn't want you then?"

Wang Dazhi then quietly told a few people, "To be honest with you, I came back this time to solve my wife problem. My superior told me that when we return, I'll be able to buy one in Nanyang with money. They have connections there, of course, provided I do my job well!"

"See, I have money now, I have a livelihood, and I'm even about to get a wife. If this isn't success, what is? So why would I lie to you? Hurry up and help me spread the word in the village, especially to those old bachelors. If you don't act now, you'll be single for life!"

The few people heard this and became anxious. They said to Wang Dazhi, "Brother Dazhi, how many people are you recruiting? If you recruit too many, will you stop accepting people? Don't forget about us when there's good news!"

Wang Dazhi looked at the anxious people and waved his hand, "Relax, relax. You don't need to worry about people snatching up the spots. There's plenty of land there, they're just short on people. They'll take as many as come. How about this, if you can bring more people from the village, I can put in a good word for you with the superiors and help you find a good place."

Upon hearing this, the few people quickly assured Wang Dazhi that they would not disappoint. Soon, this propaganda team went from house to house in the village, exaggerating even more than Wang Dazhi, almost saying that East Africa was paradise. They warned that if they were late, they wouldn't get in on the action while it was hot.