Jero Patterson’s sudden command left Mira Bo Pulekovic feeling sowhat at a loss; he didn’t understand the purpose behind the Governor’s sudden order to lead troops into the city of Libreville.
Jero Patterson didn’t give Mira Bo Pulekovic ti to think. He urged him in a firm tone, "What are you waiting for? Execute the order!"
"Yes, sir!" Mira Bo Pulekovic saluted Jero Patterson and quickly went to organize the personnel.
About 20 minutes later, a fully ard infantry battalion ford into formations and gathered in the open space outside the camp.
Mira Bo Pulekovic appeared again before Jero Patterson and reported, "The entire battalion is assembled; please give your instructions!"
Jero Patterson followed Mira Bo Pulekovic out of the camp, looked at the full battalion of 960 n outside, smiled with satisfaction, nodded, and ordered Mira Bo Pulekovic, "March!"
"March!" Mira Bo Pulekovic turned and ran to the front of the formation, shouting.
Upon hearing Mira Bo Pulekovic’s order, the formations quickly rearranged. They moved into two rows and marched toward Libreville, with Jero Patterson and Mira Bo Pulekovic riding slowly at the back of the line.
So the entire unit marched for about half an hour, reaching the city of Libreville.
At this ti, the city of Libreville also received news of Governor Jero Patterson leading the army outside the city into the city center. Local rchants entrenched in Libreville and residents were obviously bewildered by Jero Patterson’s sudden troop mobilization; they also didn’t understand why Governor Jero Patterson was dispatching troops into Libreville.
Unable to obtain accurate and useful information, rumors began to spread throughout Libreville.
So rumors claid that Jero Patterson was bringing troops into Libreville to eliminate local forces.
Others said Governor Jero Patterson aid to better exploit Libreville.
In any case, with Jero Patterson’s every step closer, Libreville beca increasingly fearful.
However, when the vanguard reached Libreville, all rumors seed to be forcibly paused, coming to an abrupt stop.
Foreign Legion soldiers who entered the city began occupying Libreville’s streets under their officer’s orders, centering around the Governor’s Mansion.
Each street was guarded by two soldiers, and the fully manned battalion of 960 quickly occupied a third of Libreville’s city center.
During the army’s occupation of Libreville’s streets, no one dared resist the operation.
Those drunkards who usually boasted about being the strongest adventurers in the taverns trembled in fear at the sight of live ammunition.
Having done all this, Mira Bo Pulekovic once again ca before Jero Patterson, reporting, "Governor, our troops are all in position!"
"Thank you for your hard work!" Jero Patterson patted Mira Bo Pulekovic on the shoulder and said.
"Governor, do you need us to do anything else?" Mira Bo Pulekovic inquired further.
"No need, just have the troops stand by." Jero Patterson replied with a confident smile to Mira Bo Pulekovic.
"Yes, sir!" Mira Bo Pulekovic complied with Jero Patterson’s order, instructing the occupying troops to stand by.
More than an hour later, Jero Patterson, sitting in the Governor’s office, received a report from Rastigne.
Rastigne inford Jero Patterson that the rchants residing in Libreville wished to speak with the Governor.
"Have they finally co?" Jero Patterson muttered softly, then turned to Rastigne and replied, "Let them co over!"
"Yes, sir!" Rastigne turned and left. After a while, under Rastigne’s lead, several rchants ca to Jero Patterson.
Jero Patterson quickly stood up, feigning ignorance, and said in surprise to the rchants, "Why are you all here? Is there sothing?"
Over ten rchants, hearing Jero Patterson’s words, showed a forced smile on their faces.
"What do your smiles an?" Jero Patterson pretended to be annoyed, frowned, and said to the rchants, "Do you have any issues or not? If not, leave imdiately! If you do, speak up!"
The rchants, seeing that Jero Patterson was unhappy, hurriedly said they had matters to discuss.
"Listen!" Jero Patterson paused the conversation and then scolded the rchants present, "Your disorderly manner of speaking makes it difficult for to understand what you want.
"I’m giving you five minutes to choose soone who can speak for all of you to negotiate with !"
Five minutes later, the rchants finally elected a representative, the sa gentleman who previously donated his mansion to Jero Patterson to serve as the Governor’s Mansion.
"Speak! What is it?" Jero Patterson asked the gentleman with a smile.
"Your Excellency, the Governor, why have you dispatched so many troops into Libreville!" the gentleman asked Jero Patterson in a low and submissive tone.
"Are you suggesting that I don’t have the right to send troops into Libreville?" Jero Patterson responded with a hint of displeasure in his tone.
"No... no!" The gentleman shuddered inwardly and hurriedly replied to Jero Patterson, "No matter the ti, Your Excellency, you always have the right to deploy troops to this city! We warmly welco Your Excellency, the Governor, for bringing in troops to guide us in Libreville!
Don’t you all agree?"
The rchants behind the gentleman, upon hearing his words, echoed similar platitudes to Jero Patterson, saying things like "That’s right, indeed."
Seeing through the weakness of Libreville’s rchants, Jero Patterson’s eyes showed a trace of contempt. He spoke to those present in a stern tone, "The reason I am deploying troops into the city is to prevent any unforeseen incidents!"
"Unforeseen incidents?!!!" The rchants present couldn’t help but freeze in fear, worried that Jero Patterson might act violently towards the city.
"That’s right! I will soon introduce a ’Colonial Safety and Hygiene Regulations’ ordinance! I hope that by then, the entire city will comply with the regulations!" Jero Patterson explained to the rchants present.
Upon hearing that only a docunt was being issued, the rchants couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
However, Jero Patterson’s next words once again choked the rchants, "I know that those behind Libreville are discussing , saying that we are rely a passing governor, and you are the real power holders of Libreville!"
"We wouldn’t dare!" The gentleman replied to Jero Patterson with his head lowered, not daring to say that the Bonaparte Clan was just a passing governor, "We are rely..."
Before the gentleman could finish speaking, Jero Patterson interrupted forcefully, "Listen to finish!"
The gentleman imdiately fell silent and stood quietly in place.
Jero Patterson spoke again, "But this passing governor wants to achieve so real political results; that’s the only way to rise up! Do you understand what I an?"
The gentleman nodded to show his understanding.
Jero Patterson continued speaking to the gentleman, "Therefore, I must increase this city’s fiscal revenue, expand our territory, and bring the surrounding lands under our control.
Simultaneously, I want to lower the overall mortality rate of the city and make it a benchmark... Do you understand what I an?"
"Understood!" The gentleman imdiately responded to Jero Patterson, "We will definitely cooperate actively with your policies!"
"Good! I’m glad you understand!" Jero Patterson was pleased with their pragmatic attitude, "In a few days, my safety and hygiene regulations will be issued! When the ti cos, I hope you will support ."
"Rest assured, we will definitely actively comply with your actions!" the gentleman hastily assured Jero Patterson.
"Good then!" Jero Patterson patted the gentleman on the shoulder, "I look forward to your performance!"
Thus, the powers in Libreville reached an agreent with Jero Patterson. As the rchants turned to leave, Jero Patterson again addressed them, "By the way! The taxes you owe the governnt, when you have the ti, please settle them! I am not a person who likes to remind repeatedly!"
"Yes, yes!" The rchants all agreed to settle their debts as soon as possible.
In the following days, Jero Patterson and Dean Oster continued discussions focused on the Colonial Safety and Hygiene Regulations, and those who owed taxes also paid their overdue taxes punctually.
A week later, the first version of the ’Colonial Safety and Hygiene Regulations’ was released. The main content was how to prevent malaria, cholera, and other common West African diseases, while also encouraging colonial residents to develop habits of bathing frequently, drinking hot water, and killing mosquitoes.
When Jero Patterson showed them the content, the rchants all wore troubled expressions.
The regulations set by Jero Patterson were indeed correct, but there were quite a few of them.
"Your Excellency, the Governor, could you possibly reduce so of these regulations a bit?" the rchants suggested.
"No! This is already the simplest version!" Jero Patterson firmly refused.
The rchants had no choice but to abandon the idea of arguing with Jero Patterson.
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