The United States not only has the well-known democracy and freedom, but also has a legal system that guarantees this freedom! Well, that sounds a bit like what the later generations called the Cents Party. But it's also true! At least Zengke, who was imprisoned in a temporary black settlement, is still protected by American law - such as the Slave Freedom Act, under which he was arrested and sent to a temporary settlement in Texas.

Because he was an emancipated black slave with no job and no source of livelihood, and certainly no citizenship in the United States or any state. That is, he now belongs to ...... Illegal immigrant? Uh, probably?

Anyway, before that, he was someone's property, and the property naturally had no citizenship rights, and there was no problem of illegal immigration or illegal residence. But he is now a free man, and he has human rights! So there's the problem of being in the U.S. illegally...... By the way, now that the Civil War has not yet begun, and there are no white men who have not yet died, and hundreds of thousands of Chinese who have come from across the ocean and will soon be millions of hardworking Chinese who have violated the principles of heaven, where is there anyone in the United States who is willing to hire blacks? Although American farmers would have suffered some paper losses as a result of the emancipation of black slaves, the diligence of Chinese laborers would have allowed them to recoup their original income within six or seven years. And the use of slaves for production is always a bit evil, so blacks in the United States are now mostly enjoying the freedom of unemployment.

In this era, the United States had no social welfare, and if you were unemployed, you would starve, and in order not to starve, you had to commit crimes. In short, the white old men in the United States soon couldn't stand it, so there was the "Black Slave Freedom Act" with a very nice name.

According to this bill. There are no U.S. or state citizenship like Zengk. And there is no property "free unemployed" blacks. They all need to be repatriated to Liberia in Africa and live happily and freely with the help of the United States. But before that, he needed to spend some time in that frightening, frightening temporary settlement.

Oh, and he also has the opportunity to file a petition to prove that he is a slave, a U.S. or state citizen, has a job, or has some property before going to a temporary settlement.

"Judge, I really am a slave! I'm Gerald of Atlanta. Mr. O'Hara and Ellen. Mrs. O'Hara's slave. They're all great people, really good people...... You just need to do it. Let me go back, I promise I won't run away. I swear to God! ”

Zengk is lying, he made a big mistake! If he claims to be a servant of the Ming Embassy, then the judge of Alexandria will definitely send someone to verify it, so that he can escape. But he missed his master so much that he didn't want to go back to the Chinese embassy at all.

"What? Atlanta? How did you get to Alexandria? An old, somewhat bald judge lifted his glasses, "Well, you tell me their address, and I'll write to them for verification." If true...... You can go back to them. Because U.S. law protects citizens' property, if you're really a citizen's property! ”

The judge paused. He accentuated his tone again, and said to Zeng Ke quite seriously: "Young man, I actually know that you are lying, and every black person who is brought here will be in the same panic. And you, like them, are a free black man, but you don't realize that freedom is the most precious thing in the world, more than love and life, and it is worth everyone's attention! ”

What a fallacious reasoning! Zeng Ke had a pained expression on his face, did this white judge understand what starvation freedom was? Where is freedom more precious than bread, meat, warm clothing, and shelter? How could anyone in the world pay for such an ethereal thing? If anything, that person must be crazy!

"Life is precious, love is more valuable; If it's free, you can throw both! ”

"Arise, people from Africa, homeland is calling! It's time, it's not too late to go back! Would you rather be a free man or a slave? The choice is yours, that's the problem! ”

Someone is shouting at the top of their lungs! When Zengk was led to a squalid and dilapidated makeshift dining room, he saw several white youths reading poetry!

"These are goddamn volunteers!" An old man, with gray hair, who claimed to be named Solomon, whispered, "These Southerners, in the past, they took us as slaves, enslaved us, and exploited us. Now that they have better and cheaper labor for them, they feel that we are a burden and want to send us back to Africa, but they are reluctant to pay for it...... As a result, we are given an acre of land to fend for ourselves! We refused to go, and they said we didn't know the value of freedom! So come and read poetry to educate us! But don't worry, their plan will not succeed, and the white people in the north are genuinely helping us. We will surely have precious freedom! ”

"Freedom...... Freedom is not precious! Bread and meat are precious! Zengke stubbornly said. It's not that he hasn't enjoyed freedom, but if he could really choose, he would rather go back to his old life of being fed and drunk.

Solomon glanced at Zengk with some sadness, unlike Zengke, he was born a free man, a citizen of the state of New York, USA, and certainly would not be sent to a temporary settlement in Texas. He is now being hired by the U.S. federal government to help the newly emancipated slaves adjust to a free life...... And, of course, one of the leaders of the future Republic of Liberia that the U.S. federal government wants to cultivate!

The Americans have a very little idea about the first "democratic republic" in Africa -- if all 4 million black Americans emigrated to Liberia en masse, with the United States as the backing, they may not be able to create a "Greater United States of Liberia" in Africa, and they may be able to turn Africa into the India of the United States......

"Mr. Solomon, I am a free man, and I lied to the judge." Having received a lunch with no meat but a glass of milk and a large piece of eggs, Zeng Ke decided to confess to the black uncle who was willing to help him, "But I have a job, and I am a servant of the Ming Embassy!" ”

"What? Are you a servant of the Ming Embassy? Solomon's brow furrowed, "Is this true?" ”

"It's true, the former ambassador of the Ming Dynasty, Mr. Zeng Guoquan, bought me from Mr. and Mrs. O'Hara and promised to take good care of me." Zeng Ke said hatefully, "But after he brought me back to Washington, he declared that I was a free man under the pretext that the law of the Ming Dynasty does not allow slaves." ”

"I see." Solomon already understood what was going on, Chinese...... One by one, they are cut to death! If you are reluctant to eat or wear, you know that saving money and being a servant for them must be worse than being a slave to a white master. "So do you want to go to Texas or back to the Ming Embassy in Washington now?"

"Can't you really go to Mr. O'Hara as a slave?" Zengk asked pitifully.

"No, of course not! You are now a free man! There's no way anyone can turn you into a slave again! "Solomon said with a straight face." So, you can choose one of the places to go now at the Ming Embassy and the Texas Temporary Settlement. ”

Well, the free Mr. Zenk can now choose between starving and not having enough to eat. This is the biggest difference between a free man and a slave.

"Sir, I've heard that Texas Temporary Settlement is a very scary place...... Is this true? ”

"It's a bit of a bad situation right now." Solomon frowned, "But, believe me, it's only temporary. We could have taken care of the 4 million acres of Texas better. The land there is very fertile and each of us can get 1 acre to produce enough food. And it won't be long before we head to the Free City of Africa (Liberia)! That's our homeland, that's our black land, each of us can get at least 200 acres of land, and the United States will help us get it! ”

"Alright then, I'll trust you once." Zengk nodded, he knew how big an acre of land was, and if it was well cultivated, enough to produce 2 tons or more of food, he should not let himself starve. As for the free city, you know that it is not a good place to be...... (To be continued......)