A rubber garden outside Batavia has a large neatly arranged rubber trees. Although the rubber trees are not yet mature, this tall tree is already quite large and has formed tree-lined avenues.

"The rubber plantation is not my own industry. There are also Chinese businessmen and I working together to invest. They returned to the mainland and handed over it to me to take care of it. This large mountain was rented from the government three years ago. The starting period is fifteen years, and the first three years are a lease-free period. As long as we do not change the purpose of this mountain and produce natural rubber for the government, the rent is actually not much. I think this is because the government needs a large amount of natural rubber, so we rent the land for us to plant almost free of charge." Nobuchad Otomo followed the mule, pointing proudly at the large rubber forest of 100 hectares.

"Natural rubber, what is that?" asked more than a dozen warriors who served as forest rangers in confusion.

"It is to cut a cut in the rubber tree, and white liquid will flow out. Collect and store the liquid and sell it to the government. Of course, there are many links and things to pay attention to... What are you doing?!"

Originally, Nobuta Otomo was introducing the situation of the rubber tree to these hired forest rangers. When he saw a samurai pull out a samurai sword and want to cut a wound on the rubber tree to see what natural rubber looks like, he quickly stopped him.

"These rubber trees cannot be cut, and at least they have to wait another three years!" Nobuchad Otomo invested a lot of money and energy in the rubber plantation industry, treating the unripe rubber trees as treasures, so that the samurai cannot destroy the rubber trees.

"I have never heard of tree saps that the government specially purchased. Only desperate people and insects in the forest will eat these saps!" A warrior smiled.

Others who don’t know what natural rubber is also laughed.

"If you don't know what natural rubber is, don't be so arrogant. Although we don't know what the government's use to acquire such things, the earliest group of people who planted rubber trees have already made real money. We bought seeds and transplanted seedlings from rubber gardens on Hainan Island, and finally reached the current scale. It will take some time before maturity is achieved." Nobuta Otomo said seriously.

He made a special trip to the Hainan Island Rubber Park, the first established by the Jiuzhou Army, for inspection. He saw the official sailing ship transporting buckets of natural rubber to the north. The government did not announce to the public what products can be used to collect rubber on a large scale. However, when the rubber industry was just starting, the government's demand for natural rubber can be said to have reached the point where it can be purchased as much as it has, and there is no need to worry about the lack of sales.

Nobuchad Otomo brought a dozen samurai to the simple sanctuary area, which had more than a dozen sanctuaries. However, many sanctuaries were empty, with only three sanctuaries, and about 8 to 9 Javanese rubber farmers were squeezed into each sanctuary.

When they saw Otomo Nobuta arrived with a dozen samurai, they all came out to greet Otomo Nobuta.

"They are all farmers of local indigenous tribes. They don't make much money all year round and have to pay tribute to the tribe's patriarchs, so they simply chose to be hired by us to learn how to protect the rubber forest here. These people worked very hard and had low wages. The only downside is that they lack the will and ability to fight. When the Mada Blue Kingdom and the surrounding tribes invaded our plantation, they did not dare to resist at all, but fled here as soon as possible, so that the food we had hoarded in the shantytowns was stolen by the other party." Nobutata Otomo said to Miyamoto Musashi and others.

"These people have no fighting spirit and only act as cannon fodder when they go to the battlefield." Miyamoto Musashi agreed.

"I have three sui muskets fired by the government here, even if they are not as advanced as those used by the Imperial Army, they are still a powerful tool when the natives attack our rubber plantation."

Nobuchad Otomo opened the iron lock of one of the unmanned sheds and took out three muskets and a bag of gunpowder and projectiles from the hidden basement inside.

"Each musket has a number and it has to be taken to the government for inspection every year. If it is lost or damaged, it needs to be explained to the government. I plan to hand over these three muskets to the three of you for safekeeping. I don't know who wants to take over these three muskets? If the gun is lost for no reason, it may be executed by the government." Nobuta Otomo asked holding up the three muskets.

Originally, the warriors heard that there were muskets and planned to obtain the right to use the three muskets. But after they heard that losing the musket might be sentenced to death, they hesitated again. Who can guarantee that they would not lose the muskets when keeping them?

When Miyamoto Musashi saw Sui Musket, his eyes were a little fanatical.

"Let me, Miyamoto Musashi, keep one of the muskets. If any natives dare to invade the rubber plantation, I will use muskets to defeat them." Miyamoto Musashi stood up and took the lead in receiving a musket.

He is now more fanatical about muskets than katanas.

Miyamoto Musashi took the initiative to take one of the muskets, and two ronin took the other two muskets.

Yes, losing a musket may be executed by the government, but having a musket will be more beneficial when conflicts with the indigenous people.

"You must keep the muskets safe, and you must not lose them, otherwise I will not be able to protect you." Nobuta Otomo reminded them again.

"I see that except for the endless oak forests, there are only sheds, which are completely unfavorable to defense. It is better to use blocks of soil, stones, and wooden fences to build a small fortress here, leaving only one exit. As long as there are enough food, even if there are thousands of people to siege, we can hold on for ten days."

Miyamoto Musashi and a group of samurai arrived at the hut area of ​​the rubber plantation. The first thing he thought about was to build a fortress.

During the Warring States Period, they had a special liking for mountain cities and castles.

"I think so too, but it's a pity that the Javanese are not proficient in building castles, so that's what it is. If you can build a small fortress here to resist the indigenous tribes, then I can add a little more wage to you," said Nobutaha Otomo.

More than a dozen warriors heard that they could process money, build forts, and prevent indigenous people from invading the rubber garden, so they soon began to discuss how to build a castle.

"If only one exit is left, it is easy to defend but difficult to attack, but when we are surrounded, we will have no way out. Unless a horse or mule is always in the hut area, the indigenous people can send a person to the Batavia city to look for reinforcements, and the rest hide in the fort to defend. You can also prepare wolf smoke into the fortress, and you may see wolf smoke from the lighthouse in the city."

Miyamoto Musashi vaguely became the leader of more than a dozen samurai, using branches to mark the layout of the rubber garden fortress on the ground.

There is no need for special bastions to deal with indigenous people, and simple fortifications can cause huge damage to them.
Chapter completed!