Volume of Changning Kingdom: Chapter 51 Changes in the Situation
Going upstream along the Siriya River, Wu Tingwei led a small team to the hidden tribe according to Kaitlin's guidance.
Unknowingly, the boat had penetrated more than ten kilometers into the rainforest, arriving at the depths of the jungle that the exploration team had never explored before. In this lush secret realm, the air was even more solid, and not a trace of sea breeze could be dispersed through the layers of barriers.
In the humid air here, the disturbing screams and roars of primates can be heard all around. Occasionally, a primate being killed by a predator in the jungle will let out a scream, which will make the continuous noise subside for a moment.
.
The waterway in front opened up, and Kaitlin signaled that everyone could get off the boat. Under her leadership, the group walked forward along an unidentifiable road with sparse vegetation.
Every once in a while, Kaitlin would stop and look at the surrounding trees to confirm the marks on the trees before moving on.
Apparently she memorized the direction of the road through marks such as carvings on the trees.
"Arare tree!" Cui Yongfang suddenly shouted. He walked to a big tree.
His sudden stop made Wu Tingwei startled. He thought something important had happened, but when he walked over and took a look, he realized that he saw Curare.
This is a good thing... He thought to himself, it's a pity that we don't use bows and arrows.
Anna immediately squeezed over and looked at this strange plant curiously.
"This is the curare tree I mentioned to you before. Its poisonous sap can be obtained by peeling off the bark of the tree. Once the venom touches the wound, it can paralyze the heart, seal the blood vessels, and coagulate the blood. We will die.
Call it the blood-throated tree, it is the most poisonous plant in the world..." Cui Yongfang immediately explained.
Caitlin saw the team stopped moving forward and returned. After seeing it, she gestured and said something. Anna translated and said: This kind of poison is often collected by the tribe and used to smear bows and arrows. Everyone should be careful not to touch it randomly.
.
"Should we collect some?" Cui Yongfang asked.
"No need, what do we need it for?" Wu Tingwei waved his hand, "Let's move on."
"Look! There's also red-backed bamboo stalk here!" Anna pointed to another plant under the tree. "It's the red-backed bamboo stalk growing together with curare wood under the tree. This is probably a miracle of nature.
Here, the small bamboo stalk grass growing under the protection of curare wood has become the only antidote that can restrain curare wood toxin..."
Wu Tingwei couldn't help but laugh: "Who can you tell me?"
"I heard Cui Yongfang say..."
"Hahaha." Wu Tingwei laughed loudly, "You were misled by him. As for who he was misled by, I don't know. Cui Yunhong didn't tell you, right? He has seriously neglected his duty..."
Cui Yongfang blushed: "I heard it from another veteran."
"Come on, let me tell you, there is no such thing as red-backed bamboo pole grass in the world. It is actually a seedling of curare wood. It can't detoxify the poison of curare wood. If you don't believe it, ask Kaitlin. They often work with arrows.
Do you know about dealing with poisonous wood?"
Sure enough, Kaitlin didn't know about this either. Cui Yongfang and Anna both made a big fuss.
"Curiosity for knowledge is of course a good thing. However, the knowledge of the elders may not always be correct." Wu Tingwei said to Cui Yongfang, "For example, in terms of geology, geography, and natural history, Yonghong is the authoritative one, but it may not be the same if it were replaced by other elders.
."
This little episode livened up the atmosphere on the road and made everyone feel less tired.
After an hour of stopping and walking, "Chief! Discover the situation!" The team members in front found traces of human activities in the jungle. There were unnatural traces cut and broken by people on the path here, and there were also traces left on the thick and soft land.
Footprints of humans walking barefoot.
"We're almost there." Caitlin gestured.
The path here has become obvious, and after a hundred or two hundred meters, it suddenly becomes clear.
Next to a shallow river beach and among the jungle, there is a village built with thatched trees. There are curling fireworks inside.
Anna stopped and said something to Anna again. Anna said: "She wants to go back and tell the elders first, let us wait here."
This visit had already been approved by Caitlin in advance. Otherwise Wu Tingwei would not have dared to come to this headhunter's tribe.
In front of us is a large-scale Dayak tribe village. The entire village is surrounded by wooden fences. Thatched huts are scattered in an orderly manner on the high ground next to the river beach. There are reclaimed farmland around it - all paddy fields. Dayak people
The level of farming has reached a considerable level.
If it weren't for the rows of heads stuck on the wooden fence, this would be an ordinary primitive village...
"The Dayak people here live together in large groups, and there is a considerable degree of defense preparation. It seems that there are dangerous enemies to face..." Wu Tingwei looked at the layout of the village and analyzed it.
"Yes, Kaitlin said that they originally lived on the seaside. After the slave traders came, they gradually retreated to the inland." Cui Yongfang said, "Slave traders often captured lone indigenous people in this area. If they are found
They would also loot the villages, capture men, women, and children and sell them as slaves. So their villages are now deeper and deeper into the jungle, and they cannot live by the sea..."
Wu Tingwei thought to himself, this is it. If not for this, why would I come here? The Dayak people hate and fear these slave traders. As long as there is an organization to support them, they will definitely be willing to come out for revenge.
"Chief, Kaitlin is out...with two people!"
The negotiations with the Dayaks went very smoothly. When they heard that they were going to fight slave traders, the leader agreed without hesitation. At the same time, Wu Tingwei also promised that as long as they did not carry out headhunting activities in Silia, they could move back to the seaside to live in the future. The oil fields were willing to help.
They settled down and rebuilt the village. If anyone was willing to work in the oil fields, they could be hired.
Huang Lu assisted Huang Shidong in getting a loan in Mala, but he failed to catch the ship to Sanya in Mala because of the weather. The British ship expected to return to Sanya had already set sail three days in advance. Huang Lu took a chance and inquired.
Come down, there is only one Chinese merchant ship heading to Guangzhou recently, and it will not set sail until five days.
No matter how he calculated it, he couldn't make the round trip within twenty days.
Seeing that there was no time to return, he had no choice but to rush back to Silia.
"It's okay if you don't want to go. In fact, I have reported this matter to Mr. Zhou in a telegram. I was afraid that I couldn't explain clearly, so I asked you to go there specially."
"What did Mr. Zhou say?"
"Mr. Zhou... I don't really agree with our approach." Cui Yunhong's face showed that it wasn't that Mr. Zhou didn't "disagree", but "strongly disagreed".
"Then what?"
"Then he said that he would report to the Department of Colonial Trade and the Foreign Affairs Department, and maybe even to the Government Council..."
"Damn, things are getting big now!" Huang Lu complained, "Look, look, I said I wouldn't interfere! The sheep didn't get to eat, so it caused a lot of trouble. It's all the fault of Old Wu, who was holding on after he was full.
Got it!"
"I won't say whether Lao Wu is full or not, but there is still good news and bad news." Cui Yunhong said.
"Let me tell you the good news first."
"The good news is that the 'top' has approved our action plan." Cui Yunhong used this word carefully, "including the loan. And we were given a bigger gift package."
As he said that, he handed the relevant telegram to Huang Lu. Huang Lu looked at it and said in surprise: "Really?!"
"It's true."
"Let's talk about the bad news."
"The loan must be guaranteed by Nanyang Company. If there is a problem, neither the Government Affairs Council nor the Planning Institute will care."
"This is actually not bad news. Of course, of course, as long as the Huang family can get Shanba back, nothing will be a problem." Huang Lu said, "Are you sure? I haven't got a gun yet."
"It doesn't matter if we don't get it. Huang Shidong said they have channels to buy British matchlock guns. If you have money, anything can be done easily." Cui Yunhong said, "What I am most worried about now is Tao Liliu and the others. If they can play a role behind enemy lines
"If you put more pressure on Basten, things will be easier to handle." Cui Yunhong said, "I have to trouble you with one more thing."
"You go to Shanjiu's camp and look at Huang Shidong. We are also the majority shareholders of the Huang family now, so we have to have a representative."
The Huang family suddenly gained a large sum of money, and the news that Shan Jiu was starting to recruit troops quickly reached Basten's ears. He soon became unable to sit still.
The Australians have already begun to intervene in this matter, and this is already an open secret. Without the guarantee of the Australians, the Indians will not give the Huang family a loan.
With money, the Huang family, which was almost in a dead end, actually began to regain its vitality. Six to seven hundred people have gradually gathered in the camp in Shanjiu Port, as well as four sailboats and artillery. Moreover, a steady stream of people have fled.
The disciples are gathering there. Among them are many of the "scum" who he dismissed in order to save money in the previous period. Now they are standing under the banner of the Huang family again.
The attitude of the king of Cotabato also suddenly became ambiguous, and he was delayed in giving him the official authorization document to occupy Shanba.
The intervention of the Australians turned the situation around instantly.
Why do the Australians do this? If they really want the interests of Shanba Port, they can send someone to talk to them. Neither they nor the company will object to sharing the profits with the Australians.
Is there some other reason? Basten thought of Anna. It would be great if Anna could be found at this time. She might know what the Australian said and what he wanted to do.
The things that troubled him didn't end there. Originally, after he occupied Shanba and captured the General Military Mansion, most of the surrounding Chinese villages did not resist. After he sent several Chinese interpreters to declare his power, they all surrendered and agreed.
Pay tribute. However, not long ago, the team responsible for collecting tribute was beaten back by the Chinese. Not only did many people die, but they also brought bad news: "Grandma Changning" is back! This chapter has been completed!