Chapter 169: [Benito Juarez]

While waiting outside the city of Oaxaca, the people around Ma Shao talked for a moment.

"Many of the indigenous people here seem to have forgotten their native language and speak Spanish as fluently as white people."

"The language is just a facade, what really changed is the faith - they are all already Catholics."

"...Almost all the indigenous people here have converted to Catholicism. Look at that man over there, he's holding a cross in his hand."

The long-haired man couldn't help but say, "It's a pity. They should become believers of the Spiritual Oracle Religion..."

Sebastian: "There is nothing to be sorry about. It is difficult for Protestants to become Catholics, and it is also difficult for Catholics to become Protestants, but all of these believers can become spiritualists. This is the difference between fallacy and truth."

Ma Shao said, "The Spiritual Oracle Religion is not the truth, just like I am not a god. I have said this more than once."

The Apaches believed almost everything he said, except this.

Soon, Captain Asolon came out from Oaxaca City.

Although he hadn't said anything, Ma Shao already knew the answer - Governor Juarez agreed.

Because Benito Juárez himself walked out of Oaxaca.

Because of his distinctive personal characteristics, Ma Shao knew who Juarez was from a distance.

He knew in his previous life that Benito Juárez seemed to be the shortest head of state in human history. He was only about 1.4 meters tall and could be described as a "dwarf".

With such a short height and Indian descent, he can become the President of Mexico...this is simply epic in its inspirational level.

Juarez was in his early forties at the time, wearing a suit that looked like a child's suit, which looked a little funny.

His skin was a little rough, probably because of his poor early life, but his eyes were bright and calm.

The short but bright-eyed dwarf was walking towards us from afar. Although he took quick steps, his speed was still slow.

Therefore, the soldiers and officials around him followed him as if they were taking a walk.

Juarez smiled warmly and Ma Shao also came forward and the two shook hands.

"Governor Juarez, nice to meet you. I've heard of your name a long time ago." Ma Shao had to bend down to shake hands with the governor who was half a meter shorter than him.

"Haha, hello, Chief Horsewhistle from Apache. As a Native American, I am also very familiar with you." Juarez laughed.

He kept looking up at Ma Shao, and then he couldn't help but sigh: "Oh my God, you are so tall!"

The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and Juarez extended his hand and invited, "Let's go to the city to talk."

The two entered the governor's residence of Oaxaca. Some wine had been prepared, and it was obvious that the governor was very enthusiastic.

"Try it, this is a good wine I have collected for many years," said Juarez.

Ma Shao doesn't like drinking, no matter how good the wine is, but he basically won't refuse to drink a small amount.

What's more, it's a person like Juarez, a person with extremely high investment value and worthy of respect.

Ma Shao knew the story of Juárez, the Zapotec dwarf who would become the first Indian president and Mexico's national hero, one of the liberators of the Americas.

Therefore, there is no doubt that this is a project with extremely high investment value and a person worthy of respect, which is an appropriate evaluation.

At the same time, Juarez's evaluation of him was roughly the same.

The two chatted for a long time first.

Ma Shao also met Juarez's wife, Margarita, a young and beautiful white woman.

I have to say, this couple makes an amazing combination.

Juarez is an Indian who was born in poverty and has an "unremarkable" appearance - in fact, his appearance is okay, but his height is really too short.

The height of 1.4 meters is rounded off.

Five entries.

In contrast, Margarita came from the white upper class, was about twenty years younger than Juárez, and was tall.

The couple stood together. From the front, they looked like father and daughter, but from the back, they looked like mother and son...

The scene is unbearable to watch.

This is even more exaggerated than the comparison between Zhu Yuanzhang and Miss Ma. After all, although Zhu Yuanzhang may not be very handsome, he is at least a handsome young man and not a discriminated indigenous person.

Coincidentally, like Miss Ma, Margarita is also an adopted daughter, and both have the surname Ma.

There is no doubt that his marriage to Margarita was an important step for Juárez to become a rising star in politics.

From the perspective of others, Juarez is really good at eating gigolo food and making a lot of money.

It's hard to imagine how this couple got together, but they seem to have a good relationship.

"This is my wife, Margarita." Juarez introduced his wife to Ma Shao.

"Hello, ma'am." Ma Shao stood up and greeted.

Juarez then said to his wife, "Honey, this is the great Apache chief from the north, Horse Whistle. I think you still remember him."

"Oh, of course, a great hero!" Margarita looked at Ma Shao with surprise.

"You're too kind, too kind." Ma Shao felt a little embarrassed.

"Absolutely not." Margarita said, "Benito and I know your experience. What better way to prove you are a hero than to be the Son of the Sky, who is respected by even your enemies?"

"...In fact, we have always wanted to visit that city, the clean city that has eliminated plague and discrimination, called 'Sleeping Bear City', right?" She thought for a moment.

Ma Shao nodded: "Yes, if you come, Apache will definitely welcome you. But I also want to say that some rumors are too exaggerated. In my opinion, Sleeping Bear City still has a long way to go."

Margarita finally said, "Captain Mashao, I believe you and Benito have a lot in common."

"Obviously," Juarez laughed.

The conversation between Ma Shao and Juarez basically covers everything.

As the communication continued, both sides became less restrained and gradually were able to express their true thoughts that they would not discuss with strangers.

About half an hour later, Ma Shao couldn't help but be surprised by Juarez's radicalism.

He knew Juárez was a progressive figure, but he had no idea that his views were so much more radical than those of most people of his time.

Moreover, Juarez's radicalism is the kind that comes from the heart and is accompanied by strong emotions.

For example, during the conversation, he cursed various church organizations more than once.

"...all the church's property should be confiscated, and all the privileges of those guys who pretend to be gods should be revoked!" said Juarez.

"I think so too." Ma Shao likes this point of view.

"They do not produce anything, but they occupy a lot of wealth and a high social status. There is no doubt that they are parasites of society."

In fact, Ma Shao's ideas are more radical than Juarez's, much more radical, especially on religious issues.

But no matter in the past or present life, many of his ideas are destined to be just ideas. He has no way to eliminate religion, neither physically nor spiritually.

Not only that, he even had to compromise with religion.

Juarez asked, "Are you an atheist?"

Ma Shao pondered and said, "Well...if someone says I'm an atheist, I generally won't admit it, but I won't refute it either. This is a misunderstanding that doesn't need to be explained."

"But if someone says I'm a religious person, I would consider it a huge insult or provocation."

"Who knows about the so-called God or great spirit? Maybe there is indeed a transcendent existence in the universe, but this has nothing to do with religion."

"Those clergymen who wear funny clothes cannot be God's spokesmen, but are just parasites that feed on our flesh and blood."

Juarez smiled and said, "That's exactly right."

"Apaches also have shamans, right? How do you deal with them?" he asked.

"The shamans of the past basically no longer exist. I have put them in prison or hell," said Ma Shao.

He added: "Today, Apache shamans are just an identity, not a profession. Their only privilege is to stand up in disasters."

Juarez: "That would be great! I've always wanted to do this and I hope to be able to do it one day."

Horse Whistle: "Juarez, if you want to know what the Apache Shaman is like now, you might as well ask Long Hair, one of my assistants."

"Oh?" Juarez didn't quite understand.

Horse Whistle continued: "Following the example of the Cherokee, the Apache also opened a newspaper."

After a pause, he continued, "I came to Oaxaca this time hoping to establish a branch here. Changmao is the head of the branch, and he is also a new shaman."

"Oaxaca welcomes you very much!" Juarez said immediately.

"I'm fed up with those messy newspapers. They're so smoky and annoying... I don't know if you have any experience in running a newspaper. If not, it's best not to learn from the newspapers on the market."

Ma Shao smiled: "Don't worry, although Apache's newspaper is just getting started, I can guarantee that they are all true media warriors."

Juarez: "What kind of newspaper are you going to publish? Something like a party or government newspaper, or one of those 'penny newspapers' that have become popular in recent years?"

Ma Shao pondered and said, "If I have to choose between the two, I should choose the latter."

"But strictly speaking, the Apache Newspaper is neither a penny newspaper nor a party newspaper. It focuses more on the economy."

Juarez: "Newspapers like this are rare, but they are better than the tainted party and government newspapers anyway."

Ma Shao smiled and said, "Compared with empty political topics, discussing economics is actually closer to real politics. I have always believed that economics determines politics, and even things like morality and religion. I call these the 'superstructure' - the economic base determines the superstructure."

"The economic base determines the superstructure..." Juarez was silent for a while, thinking.

"I heard you created writing for the Apache?" he then asked.

"Yes." Ma Shao nodded.

Juarez: "What does your writing look like?"

Ma Shao: "A type of writing that uses English letters to represent sounds. It is simple and practical, and its pronunciation rules are similar to those of English."

"Will you publish a newspaper with your own words?" Juárez asked.

"Of course in Sleeping Bear City. But in Oaxaca, it obviously doesn't make sense to do so." Ma Shao thought for a moment, "So if nothing unexpected happens, our newspaper will have to hire some Mexicans. If you have any candidates, you might as well recommend them to me."

Juárez: "No problem, I'll help you find the best author in Oaxaca."

The two gradually talked about the war between the United States and Mexico.

"The war is over?" Ma Shao learned the news.

Juarez sighed: "Yes, Mexico lost, the president... No, the bastard Santa Anna has fled from the capital."

The Mexican-American War was over.

A butterfly in the tropical rain forest of the Amazon River Basin in South America occasionally flaps its wings, which can cause a tornado in Texas, USA two weeks later...

For this space and time, the horse whistles that have gathered tens of thousands of people are obviously much louder than those of butterflies, and it is inevitable that they will cause disturbances visible to the naked eye.

Therefore, compared with the original historical trajectory, the end of the Mexican-American War came a little later, about five months later.

In the original history, in October 1847, with the end of the Battle of Mexico City, the war basically came to an end, and Mexico began negotiations with the United States.

And now, the war ended in March of 1948.

Of course, what has ended is only the front battlefield. Security warfare and guerrilla warfare are still going on in various parts of Mexico, and this situation will continue until the complete departure of US troops.

"The American army entered the Mexican capital. If the people, especially the youth, had not risen up in resistance, this war in the capital would have been an unimaginable humiliation."

"The resistance organized by the people in the streets and alleys severely taught the arrogant Americans a lesson. They suffered heavy losses and thousands of people died! The leader of the guerrillas, Manuel Chavez, is like a young lion. There is no American who is not silent when hearing his name!"

"Despite all this, Mexico still lost," said Juarez, who is both Indian and Mexican, and is deeply saddened by his country's failure. "It is foreseeable that we will cede a large area of ​​our territory."

"Where is Chavez now?" Ma Shao couldn't help but ask.

"He was captured by the Americans and is probably in a prison camp or jail now," sighed Juarez.

Ma Shao also sighed when he heard this. He hoped that the Mexican people would do better, but in the end, the guerrillas led by Chavez did not cause much trouble.

"Santa Anna should be held fully responsible for Mexico's failure today, this stupid and incompetent dictator!" Juarez said hatefully.

Ma Shao also knew Santa Anna in his previous life, but he didn't know much about him. He just felt that this person's experience was a bit weird and funny. He fought again and again after repeated failures, and served as president eleven times.

In front of him, Chuan Baodu is like a thin-skinned person with a glass heart.

As the governor of Oaxaca, Juarez obviously knew Santa Anna very well.

And there is no doubt that he is also a die-hard hater of Santa Anna.

"If he hadn't weakened the state troops in order to centralize power, Mexico would not have been defeated so completely!" said Juarez.