African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 30: Chapter 26: People Who Came from Afar

East Africa Colony, Second Town.

This is the location of the town of Ruvu in present-day Tanzania, and the former name of the Little Rhine River was the Lu River.

The Little Rhine River runs southwest to northeast in the East African region, originating from the Uluguru Mountains, turning northeast at Kisaki, and flowing into the Zanzibar Strait of the Indian Ocean north of Bajamojo.

The Second Town is located on the eastern bank of the Little Rhine River, where over 500 newly allocated Chinese immigrants are settled. Additionally, more than fifty immigrants who have already lived in the First Town for some time are transferred here to guide the new immigrants in production and life. Three Germans are responsible for local security management.

Ernst is not worried about these Chinese immigrants having ill intentions, as they have been carefully selected; illiterate old farmers with no sense of rebellion.

It is well-known that the endurance of the Chinese, unless forced to the brink of survival, is the second highest in the world, first being the Indians who are skilled at non-resistance,

As for the French on the battlefield, they may surrender, but if you lower their treatment, the next day the Paris mob might dare to besiege the government building. (Dark humor)

This is Ernst’s view, which is absolutely true for this era since the lowest class of Chinese deeply understands the golden rule of ”civilians do not fight with officials.”

Looking at ancient times, those who led revolts in Huaxia’s history, even if uneducated, had read a few books. A typical example is the recently suppressed Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, whose leader Hong Xiuquan had participated in the imperial exams, making him a highly educated person in this era.

Going back further, the earliest peasant rebellion leader in Huaxia’s history, Chen Sheng, could even say things like ”How can the sparrow and swallow know the will of the great swan?” Even if he had never read books, he surely heard some great truths and had insight, likely having access to lower bureaucrats and local gentry of the Qin Dynasty as a Village Chief.

Therefore, during the selection of immigrants, Ernst prioritized farmers, even vagabonds, as they would have almost no culture or insight, having encountered at most some opera and storytelling.

Being a Chinese person in a previous life, Ernst most understood the thoughts of these people.

No wonder the British loved using Indians in their colonies; apart from being obedient, they naturally mastered the art of taking advantage of authority, perfectly assisting the British in suppressing various colonies.

No issues would arise in the East Africa Colony, and the real concern was the temporarily captured natives; currently, they were not many and could not cause trouble, but caution would be needed in the future.

As for the Chinese, in the East Africa Colony, their status was not low, at least theoretically. After all, both the Germans and Chinese in East Africa were employed workers of the Heixinggen consortium and had signed contracts, so they were nominally equal.

It’s like saying that everyone is equal, as mentioned in later days, but can you dare to say that to your superior in a company? So in reality, the Germans in East Africa Colony were part of the management, while the Chinese were the managed, similar to a company structure.

The natives, from the start, were not considered residents of the East Africa Colony and were currently regarded as assets, even for sale.

Due to the development of the East Africa Colony, the Sultanate of Zanzibar even adopted a low-profit, high-sales strategy, reducing the prices of native slaves sold to the Arab regions.

With these natives as a comparison, the new Chinese immigrants were even more docile, working diligently, knowing that the natives had already proven that Germans were not kind, and priorities needed to be kept in mind at all times.

In this context, the Second Town was quickly developed. With the experience of the First Town, following the procedures, the Second Town emerged on the East African land.

This time there was also a breakthrough, which was rice paddies introduced from the Indian region with indica rice. Since Tanzania and India both belong to the tropics, the East Africa Colony didn’t attempt subtropical rice planting. It was more convenient and closer to transport from India, requiring only a negotiated price with British merchants passing through the Dar es Salaam port along the way to be brought on their return trips.

The Second Town is close to the Little Rhine River, providing more reliable water sources than the First Town, so large-scale rice planting was carried out. In the future, areas near wetlands in the East Africa Colony are likely to follow Second Town’s example and choose rice cultivation.

After all, rice yields are higher than wheat, and in the East Africa Colony, which requires human labor for development, it made sense to invest more manpower costs for better yields at present.

Moreover, Ernst also planned to plant higher-yielding corn in the East Africa Colony; in a previous life, Africa was a continent where corn cultivation was extensive.

...

In the Second Town, the new immigrants were reclaiming newly developed rice paddies, using waterwheels to channel the waters from the Little Rhine River into ditches, which then flowed into the fields with leveled ridges.

Li Tiezhu and fellow farm workers were digging new irrigation channels, their thin and dark bodies swinging shovels effortlessly. Stepping on Prussian-made shovels, the soft red soil was brought out by the shovel. Raising a hand, they flipped the shovel, letting the soil fall naturally onto the field ridges beside them.

”Uncle Jiaxiang, you’ve been here for a few months, tell us what these Kilman (German transliteration) people are like? Do they keep their word?” Li Tiezhu asked while digging the ditch.

Li Tiezhu was a newcomer from North China to the East Africa Colony, still unfamiliar with the Germans there.

Zhang Jiaxiang, digging soil in front, said, ”Why ask so much? Isn’t it just earning a living wherever we go? Previously in the Great Qing, weren’t we tenant farmers for the landlord-master? Now in Ah... Africa (German transliteration), it’s just being tenant farmers for the Kilman master, what is there to fear?”

Li Tiezhu said, ”Back in the Great Qing, we farmed land for generations for the landlord-master, knowing them well. These Kilman masters, we aren’t familiar with, isn’t it only natural to be afraid?”

”What are you afraid of, kid? So young, are the Kilman people scarier than Sir Zhou from your village? If there were other options, would you come to Africa to farm for the Kilman master? Stop having pointless thoughts. If the Kilman master gives us food, we should be grateful to heaven.” Zhang Jiaxiang said to Li Tiezhu.

”That’s true, this year my land was dry, no water in the river, and even Sir Zhou ran to the city, still demanding rent in full; there was no grain at home, we were starving, so when the Kilman master came recruiting, I signed up, eventually boarding a ship on the sea.” Li Tiezhu recalled.

He continued, ”That ship was the biggest thing I’ve ever seen, even bigger than Sir Zhou’s manor. But the days on the ship weren’t good; I had diarrhea for the first few days, and the food we were given at the dock all ended up feeding fish.”

”Life got better in Africa, I came the same way, now every day I can eat till full, three meals a day. Where could we imagine such good days in the Great Qing? End of the month after work, if you perform well, you can even get two taels of meat, these days are better than New Year!” Zhang Jiayi remarked emotionally.

”If we work well, we can really eat meat? Uncle Jiaxiang, don’t deceive me.” Li Tiezhu asked with his eyes shining.

”Why would I deceive you? I’ve gotten meat for three months now. As long as you don’t end up last, every team can get some.”

Li Tiezhu said upon hearing, ”Then we must work hard, I haven’t tasted meat in years!”

Saying this, he worked with even more vigor. Others, hearing their conversation, also harbored expectations, and the progress of canal construction greatly accelerated.

In the hands of the new immigrants, the Second Town became more and more decent. Even the Germans responsible for management were somewhat surprised by the diligence of the Chinese workers; in terms of sheer endurance and spirit, the Chinese were indeed admirable.