When the Chileans were trying to conquer the mountains of Araucanía using fortresses, after ten days of marching day and night, the reinforcements from South China finally arrived at the Andes.
Crossing the Andes Mountains was no ordinary march. The chariots that had inflicted heavy casualties on the gaucho cavalry were certainly unusable. The mountain roads were only accessible to human legs and mules.
It would definitely not work without mules, and the tribe at the foot of the mountain had already prepared mules for Zhu Xianhai and his party.
This kind of mule is a specialty of Argentina. They are not particular about feed and only drink water once a day. It is no problem for them to walk forty or fifty kilometers in eight hours, and they can also carry more than 300 kilograms of things without any problem.
Of the 600 mules, only one-third took turns riding, 300 mules were loaded with various supplies and ammunition, and the remaining 100 mules carried cloth and other supplies. These industrial products were used to win over the chiefs.
In Zhu Xianhai's plan, the future conquest of the Arauca region is not just about the surrender of the chiefs, but also about cultural and economic infiltration. By selling industrial goods that the Mapuche people cannot produce at their level of production, they will gradually adapt to the modern commercial trade model and eventually be integrated into the "Nanhua Family."
The mountain roads in the Andes are steep. As we go deeper into the hinterland, the slopes become steeper, the paths on the rocks become narrower, and the valleys below the banks are terrifyingly deep. The mules walked cautiously. People walked forward one by one.
"Doug, measure this mountain road."
During the break, Zhu Xianhai gave instructions to the accompanying cartographer Doug.
"Don't worry, sir, I will definitely make you feel that your money is worth it,"
Doug, an Irishman, always looks optimistic. Even though half of his family members starved to death in the famine, it did not affect him. When he said value for money, he meant a monthly salary of 50 pesos.
"I never doubted it."
Zhu Xianhai smiled.
Staring at the steep Andes Mountains, Zhu Xianhai secretly thought that he must build a railway to the Pacific Ocean in the future. But before that, he must first master the mountain roads here, and the Mapuche people are undoubtedly the ones who know these mountain roads best. After all, in the past hundreds of years, the Mapuche people living in the Arauca region west of the Andes Mountains would cross the mountains every year to rob the Argentines in the Pampas.
They already knew the mountain roads here very well.
The hillside became steeper and steeper, with jagged rocks everywhere. Stones rolled under the mule's feet, forming a roaring gravel waterfall. Along the way, Zhu Xianhai was observing this mountain road.
Most of this mountain road is wide, with only a few areas being dangerous winding roads.
“If a railway is built in the future, perhaps the route we are taking now can be considered.”
railway!
For Zhu Xianhai, what he has always been thinking about is to build a railway to the Pacific Ocean. Even though there is no railway in South China now, the significance of such a railway to South China is absolutely indescribable. Even in terms of immigration transportation , it is closer and faster. Of course, the more important point is that it can block the Chilean ambitions for Patagonia and the Pampas. The railway will connect these maps into one, thus forming an advantage over the Chileans and preventing them from moving south or east.
"see it?"
Zhu Xianhai pointed to the most dangerous part of the mountain road and said.
"No matter how dangerous the mountains are, they are not enough to block everything. If we want to defend Nanhua, we will have to add bunkers in the future!"
Zhu Xianhai spoke to Sun Hu in Chinese.
The railway had to be built, and the fortress had to be built. After all, for Nanhua, Araucanía, like the Andes, was a line of defense to prevent the Chileans from expanding eastward, and the Andes was the last line of defense. This line of defense had to be reinforced with fortresses.
The next day, when they really went deep into the heart of the Andes Mountains, they were not far from the highest ridge. However, no matter whether it was a big road or a small road, they could not distinguish it at all. They could only climb up the ridge step by step from the rock shell on the mountainside.
"How long will it take us to reach Arogo City?"
Zhu Xianhai asked.
Aroco is the "capital" of Araucanía. It once belonged to the Spanish, but the Mapuche never surrendered. It took them decades to force the Spanish to withdraw from the city. Now the city built on the top of the mountain is what they call the "capital".
"Five days, five days at most."
After thinking for a while, Juan pointed in another direction and said.
"If we go over that mountain , we can cut half a day off the trip."
long time……
Pursing his lips, Zhu Xianhai asked.
“Where are the Chileans now?”
"gentlemen?"
Juan looked at Mr. in confusion.
“Chilean?”
"When you came asking for help, didn't you say that the Chileans had already occupied many places in the Central Valley?"
Looking at Juan, Zhu Xianhai asked.
"I want to know where the nearest Chileans are!"
That night, when Juan and others went to contact nearby tribes to inquire about the whereabouts of the Chileans, Sun Hu said as he sat by the campfire in the campsite by the lake and approached the host.
"Master, I still can't figure it out."
"What?"
"Master, this is the second time we've helped the Mapuche people, what's the point?"
Sun Hu couldn't figure it out, and neither could Wang Qiande and the others. However, they obeyed their boss' orders 100%.
"Yes, it's just some land."
"Um……"
Looking at Sun Hu, Wang Qiande and others, Zhu Xianhai thought for a while and said.
"The place must be in our hands. If we let others control it, it will affect our plans in the Pampas."
Will Chile, which has occupied Araucania, allow South China to expand in Patagonia and the Pampas?
This is an unknown, but some unknown risks must be eliminated. For Nanhua, it must avoid being attacked from both sides as much as possible.
"So, we are sending out troops not for the Mapuche, but for ourselves. Besides... one blow is better than a hundred. This blow must not only be hit hard, but also hit them hard. If we don't hit them hard, they won't learn their lesson!"
One punch is enough to save you from a hundred punches!
The great man never deceived me!
Of course, it is not uncommon in history that if one punch fails to break the opponent's advantage, a hundred punches may be used. But at least for now, Zhu Xianhai is still extremely confident about the Chileans.
"Only by making them learn their lesson can we sleep soundly and develop Nanhua well!"