Xisheng: Difference between revisions

In 1645 the Qian dynasty began enacting a reorganization of its [[Crona]]n holdings by creating the [[Pinghai]] Department covering modern Xisheng as a separate territorial unit from [[Cao]], court bureaucrats reasoned that in this way the Chimor identity could be more easily diluted and suppressed under the rule of the well oiled and fully staffed administration of coastal [[Daxia]]n settlers. The viceroy in [[Cao]], a certain Shu Ao resolutely refused to cede control of Xisheng to the newly appointed governor [[Wen Rong]], arguing that the territory was not secure enough to rule itself. He detained Wen Rong's ship while it was in transit from Cao and arrested Rong and his entourage, this was the start of what is known as the Two Hats Incident named so because of Shu Ao's ambition to wear both the hat of Viceroy of [[Cao]] and the hat of Governor General of the [[Pinghai]] department. While imprisoned Wei Rong managed to have his writ of appointment and a plea for help smuggled to Xisheng. [[Wei Rong]]'s missive was received by the commanding officers of Xisheng's territorial forces, some of said officers argued that an expedition had to be launched to free the new governor while others were against as they felt Shu Ao was still their superior. In the end the deliberations resulted in a copy of Wei Rong's missive being sent to the mainland, asking for clarification and instructions on who should the garrison obey. While letters were exchanged by long sea voyage, Shu Ao also busied himself by contacting his allies in court, trying to have them revert the appointment of [[Wei Rong]]. After eight full months finally the Qian court resolved to uphold its own decision and commanded the Xisheng forces to depose Shu Ao, which was done bloodlessly as Ao's [[Cao]] troops surrendered without fighting. Never again were the two territories joined together again to prevent an overmighty local ruler from straying into autonomy. Xisheng's caste system first emerged in this period, proposed to the imperial court by settler elites although they were already implementing highly discriminatory policies unofficially.

===The Model Colony===

The 18th century brought great prosperity to Xisheng, nestled safely on the edge of the [[Nysdra Sea]] as it was and protected by [[Cao]]'s presence to the west. The [[South Seas Development Company|South Seas Trading Company]] and its local branch, the [[Xisheng Trading Company]] began investing heavily in the territory as a strategy to diversify their investments in light of the [[Daxian Polynesian Wars]] that were still raging in the southern oceans and [[Australis]]. The settler elites(精英) and the [[Xisheng Trading Company]] began together the acquisition of vast tracts of land further inland of historic proportions, the development of said territories made easier and cheaper by the inexhaustible pool of manpower in the form of Chimor and Ixa'Takan peasantry. The caricature of the wealthy Xisheng Daxian landowner being feted by a hundred [[Crona]]ns comes from this period when there were around four hundred natives per single [[Daxian]]. The territorial expansion of the colony was paused during this period as the Central Bureau of Expansion considered that moving further east into [[Nanzitolclatl|Nanzitolclatl]] territory would risk increasing the native population to uncontrollable numbers and a direct border with the [[Coscivian]] colonies further east was not desirable. Thus the decision was made that [[Nanzitolclatl|Nanzitolclatl]] would remain a buffer entity for at least seventy years while the territorial consolidation of the Pinghai Department continued. During this period the position of Viceroy was reverted to Governor-General and lobbying began to take place, mostly by the settler elite, to introduce limits on how long one individual could serve in the position. Previous Viceroys remained in office for as long as they could politically maneuver to keep the confidence of the central bureaucracy, starting in 1728 the Qian decreed that henceforth there would be an upper limit of fifteen years for anyone serving as Governor-General of Xisheng. Later still this period was reduced to ten years and eight years by the late 1880's.