Australian Storm 1876

  Chapter 243 Linyi Town

The wooden bridge across the creek has a beautiful name called "Rainbow Bridge". It can be seen from the unmaintained log branches of the bridge that it is a wooden plank that has not been built for a long time, and all under the bridge is thighs. The bridge deck made up of thick logs is covered with a thick layer of mud and cinder, which looks exceptionally strong.

  There is a high wooden stake at the end of the bridge with several wooden signs nailed to it;

  North; 77 kilometers from Linyi Town, 220 kilometers from Jinan Town, 1078 kilometers from Cairns, 1949 kilometers from Cape York.

  East; 84 kilometers from the coast.

  West; 117 kilometers from the Valley of the Shepherds.

   wrote on the top wooden sign;

  Isn’t the long journey a life scenery, I wish you a pleasant journey.

  The sign is simply written with a brush, but with both Chinese and English text, the content is detailed and caring.

  Old Mike used his riding whip to push up the wide-brimmed cowboy hat, looking to the north with a deep look, and more confident in the future.

  He once served as the mayor of Pine Tree, and he has long accepted the administrative orders of Red River Valley. From this simple guidepost, we can see the administrative style of Red River Valley, which is intimate, meticulous and warm, with a strong human touch.

  Northern Development is an economic development policy advocated by Queensland State Speaker Li Fushou. The Red River Valley is deeply involved in the construction of a dozen new towns in the north along the planned railway line. Investment from the Red River Valley accounts for the majority.

  For Queensland's finances, it is unthinkable to build more than a dozen new towns at once, and to be honest, they can't come up with so much money.

  To promote such a large-scale development plan, you must rely on the Lord Queensland, a farmer in a wealthy country.

  Night is coming

  The galaxy was shining in the sky, and a campfire was raised at the campsite next to the stream, and the fire illuminates the shepherds sitting around the campfire.

  A big pot of creamy potato soup was stewed on the campfire. At night, I drank a bowl of warm body. Mai Guangtian separated the roast lamb with a sharp knife, and was busy putting a portion on everyone’s plate.

  Ma Limin carefully flipped the roasted hares on the campfire. These are the two hares he called in the afternoon. They have been roasted on the campfire and are sprinkling oil. He is carefully sprinkling salt and cumin.

  Ma Liming’s wife brought him a bowl of hot soup, and Ma Liming took a sip and said; “The soup tastes great. Wait a moment, everyone, the hare will be cooked right away.”

   "Come and have a drink at the bar, brother."

   "Come on, I'll be fine soon."

The crowd sat around the bonfire, eating lamb and drinking happily. Mike sat at the top of the fire and took the large piece of roast mutton handed over by his eldest daughter. Regardless of the hot piece of meat, he took a big bite and ate his mouthful. Oily.

  There are more than 20 people in the group, including men and women, old and young, and everyone enjoys the warm atmosphere of this moment very much.

   "Old man, come and taste this wine, it's very strong."

   "What wine is this?"

   "Hehe... The dry sweet potato wine made by Chinese friends from sweet potatoes is really strong." Hudson smiled and handed it over.

Old Mike took it and opened the wine pouch, and a pungent smell of wine rushed up immediately. He took a big sip from the wine pouch without hesitation, and then let out a long breath of wine, his face flushed with naked eyes. stand up.

Nine of the ten cowboys are alcoholics. Spirits can drive away the cold in the wilderness at night. The climate in central and northern Australia is warm, but the climate in winter is also very cold. Snow falls every year in the Dafeng Shuiling areas of New South Wales and Victoria. .

  These places are also the areas with the most pastures and the most developed. Cowboys graze herds of cattle and sheep all year round. Spirits and rifles are the best partners. Old Mike is no exception.

   "It's really exciting, I like this wine, this is the strong wine that men in the wilderness should drink." Old Mike praised, but calmly covered the wine bag.

  Zhao Qishan, who was sitting on the side, didn’t say anything. He just kept laughing. He knew that this was a high-density dry sweet potato wine, which had not been blended at all. It was very rare to drink such a big mouthful without making a fool of yourself.

  He has no intention of exposing Hudson’s pranks, this is the friendship between the old guys.

   "Zhao, don't just look at it. Come and taste this spirit. I can guarantee that you will be very impressed." Hudson was still in a mood and wanted to pull Zhao Qishan into the water.

Zhao Qishan took out an exquisite tin jug from his arms, took a sip and handed it to Old Mike after opening it, and said with a smile; "Stop playing, Hudson, such a strong drink will burn the intestines and stomach, I I don't want to be crazy with you."

"Hey... Zhao, I know that Lord Earl has expanded the strength of the two divisions this time. Many of your Dragoon Guards have been promoted. Don't you want to go back?" Hudson took back his cowhide wine sac and tightened it. Throwing it aside, he took out another hip flask from his arms and drank comfortably.

   "Forget it, I have a wife and children, it is no longer suitable for the military career, I just want to live a stable life."

   "I don't believe this is what you say in your heart, you are still young...man, don't tell me any nonsense about being reluctant to bear the family, don't military officers have a family?"

   "I can't bear to leave Susan, and my daughter is still young."

   "Man, are you afraid of war?" Hudson asked abruptly.

Zhao Qishan knew that this old guy had no scheming, he was always a straight-tempered, so he didn't get angry, and said with a faint smile; "We now have such a good life. It all depends on the blessing of Lord Earl Fumeng. I, Zhao Qishan, know how to be grateful. People, as long as the Lord Earl gives an order, they will immediately ride on horses and take their guns to the battlefield, go through the waters and fire, as much as possible. Not only I think so, but we veterans of the cavalry guard think so. The life is sold to Lord Earl... it's worth it. If I'm lucky enough to be able to come back alive, I only hope to spend the rest of my life with Susan and my daughter quietly."

  The blazing bonfire reflects Zhao Qishan's solemn face. He is not chatting, but expressing his thoughts directly.

  If there is such a day, I hope my wife and family can understand it!

Nowadays, the tension between the north and the south can be seen by anyone with a discerning eye. Since last year, the southern extension of the coastal railway was frequently attacked by horse bandits, and several construction sites were killed and injured. The officials and bandits colluded, sitting by and watching the tragedy happen again and again.

New South Wales and Victoria have successively introduced bills to ban the circulation of Huitong gold tickets. Deportations and oppression of immigrants have occurred frequently, and there have even been dozens of vicious incidents of blatantly robbing immigrants’ property and burning houses. The relationship between North and South has taken a sharp turn. .

  Susan walked over with her only two-year-old daughter, and sat quietly beside Zhao Qishan's lap. She didn't say anything, she just silently supported her husband with this kind of action.

  No matter what decision Zhao Qishan makes, no matter how long he has to wait, Susan will always support him.

"Zhao, marrying my daughter to you is the most correct decision in my life." Old Mike threw the sheep bones in his hands into the bonfire, wiped his greasy hands on Hudson's body, and said with satisfaction; "Although I am of English descent, I have never visited that ghost place in my life, nor have I enjoyed bit by bit of the blessings of the British Empire. My fathers came to this barren continent as prisoners, without dignity. Lord Earl, Old Mike won’t have his own cattle, sheep and pastures, no honor of the superior and my lovely granddaughter, so no matter what those **** Southerners say, as long as Lord Earl gives an order, Old Mike You will also mount a horse and bring a gun to fight, Hudson, are you going?"

"Hahaha... count me." Hudson laughed, raised his hip flask to make a statement, and then took a big sip of wine, which was flowing down his golden beard, and he didn't care. He wiped his hand and said, "I don't have as much reasoning as you guys. I just can't understand the Southerners. By the way... Old man Mike, what does your granddaughter have to do with Lord Earl?"

  This sudden question stunned the old Mike. He just said it casually. Now that I think about it, there is really a problem, and I can’t help laughing.

Ma Limin walked over with the thick wooden sticks of the roasted hare in both hands, pulled down two thick rabbit thighs and gave them to old Mike and Hudson, and said when he left; "Hello when I go, count me. , I don’t think the Southerners are happy."

  The people in front of the bonfire looked at each other with pride. In this quiet night, the laughter and joy drifted away, bringing a different kind of vitality to this empty wilderness.

  A few days later

  Linyi Town

This is a newly built town with only a few hundred residents. Almost all residents are Chinese immigrants. Many residents stayed behind by workers who built roads. The houses here are mostly two-story Ming and Qing-style wooden buildings with high roof ridges. Eave structure.

  Not surprisingly, Linyi Town has the same equipment as all other newly-built towns; a Fulinmen Restaurant, a Huitong Bank business office, a wool purchasing station, an Australian Telegraph Company business office, and a Carrefour department store.

  Carrefour Department Store is an enterprise affiliated to the Red River Valley Industrial Corporation. It operates a variety of daily commodities and non-staple food, including kerosene, gas tanks and stoves, as well as long and short guns and weapons and ammunition.

  Now Carrefour department store has dozens of stores, available in every city and town, and it is popular for its complete range of goods and fair prices.

  Zhao Qishan and Ma Limin rode horses to the small town, and stayed in the wasteland for more than ten days. They wanted to buy a lot of things to take home.

   "Hey... buddy, where are you from?"

  "Hello, Mr. Mounted Police, we are cowboys heading to Qingdao Town. There are a large herd of cattle and sheep grazing not far from here. We need to buy something."

  "Is there an ID certificate?"

"some."

Zhao Qishan and Ma Limin handed over their identity certificates one after another. The Chinese Royal Mounted Police who stopped on the road took it and turned over. His faces immediately showed a respectful look and saluted with a "chirp"; "Hello, old sir." !"

   "Why... are you also a veteran?" Zhao Qishan took back his ID card and asked in passing.

   "Yes, old sir, I am a soldier of the 1979 Wolf Cavalry Guard. I was assigned here shortly after I was discharged from the army, two years later than you."

   "Hehe...what's your name, isn't it an army expansion today? Why are your wolf guards discharged on time?"

   "Report to the old sir. My name is Wu Xiaoshan. Our Wolf Cavalry Guards follow our personal wishes and go and stay voluntarily. Isn't this my family appointed me a kiss!"

"Oh…"

   Zhao Qishan suddenly realized that nowadays nothing is important to get married. What if the bride is robbed and confused if you don’t come back to get married?

  He patted Wu Shanshan on the shoulder with the same feeling, and said with a smile; "This is a reliable thing, by the way... Why do I need to check my ID when I enter and leave the town?"

   "You don't know, old sir..."

   "Don't... I have been discharged from Dragon Knight. My name is Zhao Qishan. Everyone used to be Brother Paoze. Just call me Brother Zhao."

"Well, let’s do it, Brother Zhao, I want to remind you. Recently, our Linyi town is unstable. There are always small groups of horse bandits running around to commit crimes. There are only 4 RCMP in the town, which is very difficult to deal with. Ah, so we have already reported to the summit, but we can come here at one or two o'clock, so we can only take precautions."

  (End of this chapter)