1890 King of Southeast Asia

The sun rises and sets, and in the blink of an eye, New Year's Eve is here.

Although I'm staying behind, I'm not just staying in the office stupidly.

At five o'clock in the afternoon on New Year's Eve, Liu Yiming closed the government gate and locked it. Usually, the gate is not closed.

Then, Liu Yiming took the lead, followed by dozens of people who stayed behind, and went to the headquarters of the First Division stationed in Sishui.

"Prime Minister! Why are you here?" Zhao Dabao and Zheng Lei were huddled in the corner of the gate smoking, watching the soldiers singing and dancing, talking and laughing.

Suddenly, a group of people came in at the door.

"The government's cook is on holiday, so I brought people here to eat." Liu Yiming said jokingly with a smile.

"Don't make a fuss, eat and drink as you should, don't do those things during the holidays." Liu Yiming grabbed Zheng Lei who wanted to give orders and went to the cafeteria.

After eating and drinking, it was time for the show, mainly military performances, calls, folk songs, and even operas, etc.

There is also the plagiarized "When you come to Nanhua, you are a Nanhua" by Liu Yiming

All for the purpose of rallying people's hearts!

…

Thunderbolt~

Unconsciously, it was already twelve o'clock, and the whole city of Sishui was bustling with people setting off firecrackers and fireworks.

The grand finale was the army's giant fireworks.

Led by the artillery who advocated big is good, more is beautiful.

A 24-inch firework quietly stayed in the center of the square, with a propeller underneath, which could push the firework to a height of 150 meters to bloom.

Puff~

Boom!

With a loud bang, hundreds of small fireworks in the firework were blown up and ignited the wires.

Bang bang bang...

After 5 seconds, a fire tree and silver flower bloomed.

…………

When you are busy, you always have insufficient time.

For example, Liu Yiming after the New Year...

After Xu Hui came back to work, Liu Yiming spent more than 20 days inspecting various places.

Oil palm and rubber plantations, the construction of coastal defense forts, urban construction, industrial construction, various schools, and the construction of Nanhua University, etc.

"This is the result of my inspection this time, take a look." At the end of February, Liu Yiming returned to Surabaya and found Xu Hui.

"Are there any problems?" Xu Hui did not open it, but asked.

"It's still the same few problems. The population is insufficient, and many tasks are not progressing fast. Oil, grease, etc. are insufficient and need to be imported from farther places." Liu Yiming said.

"This can be solved slowly. The gap will be even bigger after taking Borneo."

"There is news from the UK that four light cruisers are already being fitted out and are about to undergo sea trials. Should we let these four warships come back first or what?" Xu Hui nodded and asked.

"When can they come back?" Liu Yiming said in surprise.

"Cyril said it can be completed in June and can be back at the end of June." Xu Hui said.

"Come back first, then tentatively launch an attack on Sumatra in July." Liu Yiming said.

"Sumatra?" Xu Hui said in surprise.

"Yes! Drive the Dutch away first. As the old saying goes, how can you allow others to snore on your bed? If there were no navy, I would have driven the Dutch into the sea long ago!" Liu Yiming said fiercely.

"Let's not talk about this first. The Japanese sent someone again, and it's still that Komatsubara." Xu Hui said.

"Again? How shameless. Can't you just help me get rid of him?" Liu Yiming said indifferently.

"This time he came to establish a consulate seriously. The diplomatic official letter arrived during the time you were away. In addition, he came with the British." Xu Hui said.

"Okay, I'll go and meet him." Liu Yiming nodded. This was an official visit. No matter what, he had to be received normally.

…………

"Dear Prime Minister, hello, I am the Japanese Empire's plenipotentiary minister to South China, Komatsubara Jiro." Komatsubara smiled professionally.

"Hello, Minister, please sit down." Liu Yiming also said politely.

The two had a "pleasant" exchange for a while, but it was basically a case of talking at cross purposes.

Xiao Songyuan asked if he had eaten, and Liu Yiming replied that he was working hard. That was basically it.

"Mr. Prime Minister, our country will impose certain restrictions on imported luxury goods, and we hope that it will not cause huge misunderstandings between the two countries." Xiao Songyuan suddenly said.

Liu Yiming nodded indifferently, "Nanhua can understand this approach. By the way, it seems that your country did not sign the last trade treaty, right?"

"Your country's immigration policy is not particularly friendly." Xiao Songyuan repeated this sentence without thinking.

"Mr. Xiao Songyuan, just speak frankly. I am not that free." Liu Yiming said as if unintentionally.

"Our country hopes that your country can reconsider its immigration policy." Xiao Songyuan said.

"Your country is facing the problem of insufficient population, and Japan's land is difficult to support tens of millions of people. Your country is attacking Borneo, which is a fertile and vast territory."

"But the jungle is dense and there are savages everywhere. If your country agrees to our country's participation in joint development, our country can send soldiers to help you occupy this land."

"After completion, we will withdraw our troops immediately, and Japanese companies in Borneo will also pay taxes according to the rules. What do you think?" Xiao Songyuan handed over a document.

Liu Yiming didn't know why this man was so thick-skinned, and waved his hand.

"Don't mention it, Nanhua can solve these problems on its own, thank the Japanese government for its kindness."

"I suggest you wait and see." Xiao Songyuan smiled unchanged, looking like he was sure of victory.

Liu Yiming glanced at Xiao Songyuan.

"Then I'll see what gives you confidence."

Turning over the first few pages, Liu Yiming saw that they were all written in Chinese characters. He took a quick look and found that the conditions were even more greedy than the last time.

For example, he asked people in Borneo to have the right to own guns, and foreigners to own land, etc.

"Has your prime minister gone crazy?" Liu Yiming continued to flip through.

The back suddenly turned into English, and the signature was the British Embassy in Japan.

"The British government hopes that the two countries will work together..." Liu Yiming looked at it and rolled his eyes.

"Are the British your confidence?" Liu Yiming looked at Xiao Songyuan.

Xiao Songyuan still smiled and said nothing.

"Let's talk about it later. This matter is not that simple. We plan to launch the plan in mid-August. Let's talk about it then." Liu Yiming wanted to refuse strongly, but suddenly changed his mind.

"You made the most correct choice!" Xiao Songyuan smiled on his face, but he despised Liu Yiming in his heart.

"For safety reasons, divide the attack area. You attack from the northeast, starting from the Spanish territory. Is that okay?" Liu Yiming took out the map and marked the northernmost position and said.

"No! The Japanese Empire is strong in combat power, and we can start from these places together!" Xiao Songyuan thought that Liu Yiming had given in, and pointed out several locations in the east and north.

"Okay!" Liu Yiming looked at the map, imagined the terrain, and finally said.

"Then I will draft the treaty?" Xiao Songyuan said excitedly. This is at least 200,000 square kilometers of land, half the size of an island country!

"No, our goal is not this small island, but French Indochina. This island doesn't matter." Liu Yiming smiled falsely.

But Xiao Songyuan couldn't see it, and he thought more. Does that mean that wherever we attack is where?

"Okay, Liu Sang, you have a conscience!" Xiao Songyuan left.

As soon as the door was closed, Liu Yiming's face did not change, but he held a pen to calculate the route north of Borneo.

...

Soon, Xu Hui knew the news.

"Yiming? Do you want to let the Japanese get involved?" Xu Hui asked in confusion, but he was not very angry. After all, Borneo was indeed not the territory of South China.

Liu Yiming was lying on the table.

"Order the navy and the special forces battalion to go north to Sulawesi, attack this position and capture it. Order the engineers to carry dredging equipment and establish a temporary forward base here before July, which is large enough for four warships to dock." Liu Yiming pointed to a point on the map and said.

"This? Why is it Sulawesi again suddenly?" Xu Hui asked.

"I told Japan that we will start attacking Kalimantan Island in August. I will announce the takeover of the Dutch East Indies on the day when the plan starts, and declare war on the grounds that Japan invaded without reason!" Liu Yiming said.

"Declare war!" Xu Hui was shocked, "That means going to war with two countries at the same time!"

"Its arms are too long. If you don't break one of them, it won't feel pain." Liu Yiming said.

"But... it's just an island. We just stood on Java Island..." Xu Hui wanted to say something.

Liu Yiming knew what Xu Hui meant. If there was no war, just Java Island, the Chinese would live comfortably, but the next era was war, which could not be changed.

"Hello? Shipyard? Gather technicians and workers, I'll be there right away." Liu Yiming responded to Xu Hui after finishing the call.

"Japan, with small gifts but no great righteousness, is really despicable.

This is what Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty said, and Japan is still like this now. If we give him North Kalimantan today, he will dare to go south tomorrow, and he will be in Java the day after tomorrow!" Liu Yiming said.

"Just refuse directly, why do we have to go to war?" Xu Hui still couldn't accept it.

"Xu Hui, it's not just Japan, we will also have to fight with France and Spain next." Liu Yiming pulled out a map.

"From Sumatra to Papua Island, and the Philippine Islands, this is the territory I planned for the Chinese, for South China!"

"You have this idea, I will accompany you." Xu Hui was shocked by Liu Yiming's idea, and said after a while.

"The Japanese are a little smart and know the little thoughts of the British. If they join Kalimantan, there will be more changes. The British don't want us to be the only one. In this case, we will turn the table over and shoot them." Liu Yiming said.

"Otherwise they keep doing small things, it's so annoying!"

"Will this affect the two battleships we are building?" Xu Hui asked.

"Maybe, but it can be brought back after the war, unless it doesn't want to do business anymore." Liu Yiming was not worried.

If you don't give me a battleship, I won't provoke the French. Before 1900, the British-French feud was still established.

…………

The order was issued, and the three warships of the South China Navy began to assemble, and together with the four merchant ships of the Navy, a fleet of seven ships quietly sailed out of the port one night and headed north.

Their destination was a small deep port in the north of Sulawesi, not far from the north of Kalimantan-Bongkier.