According to Van Linenberg's information, at the moment the Spaniards in Manila should have only three fourth-class battleships, not even third-class battleships.

In this case, even if the matter is revealed, the Chinese-style hard sails used by the Pengzhou and Nanchong can be quickly activated to escort Liu Ximing out of Manila Bay.

You Degao, Zhao Jingyong and others were still resolutely opposed to Liu Ximing going to the danger in person, but Liu Ximing's words made them speechless.

"If the Great Furlong is really ill-intentioned, who has the ability to guarantee the safety of the soldiers who go to investigate, I can only do it with the help of Emperor Ziwei."

In a nervous mood, Liu Ximing and his entourage changed into the clothes of ordinary people, carrying only a small number of muskets, and the rest were dressed into weapons such as broadswords.

As for the artillery on the Pengzhou, there is no way, after all, there is a cannon door there, it is better to deter the Spaniards, lest they have any thoughts.

On the second day of the third month of the eleventh year of Chongzhen, it was sunny.

Two large bird boats with no flags written on them swayed into Manila Bay.

The Spanish were not strong enough in Luzon, and the most important fortress in Manila Bay had not yet been built, and there was only one lighthouse on the island to guide the passing ships.

When the Spanish soldiers above saw the Pengzhou and the other two ships, they suddenly felt like they were facing a great enemy, and two puffs of wolf smoke rose from the watchtower.

Crossing Corregido Island and further northeast for 21 nautical miles, the Port of Manila is impressively reflected in the eyes of the Pengzhou and Nanchong.

At this time, the port of Manila was still only a port with tens of thousands of people, and dozens of stone piers were built along the coast.

The three fourth-class battleships of the Spaniards that Van Linenberg spoke of were prominently docked on the dock to the right, and a dozen small carraks and nearly a hundred smaller ships were parked around it.

What made Liu Ximing's eyes shine even more was that behind the three battleships, the two Manila galleons that should have been the ones Van Linberg said were quietly parked on the edge of the dock.

The Spaniards' treasure ship has arrived!

Liu Ximing was pleasantly surprised.

Behind the wharf is the port area, on which dozens of Western-style three-story houses with sloping roofs stand, and the banners hanging on the houses should be shops built by the Spaniards for trading.

Liu Ximing looked in along the wide road in the middle of the wharf, and the back of the wharf was not the Western-style castle he imagined.

To the left of the pier is a large mix of Chinese-style stone and brick houses, with beautiful red walls and green tiles, and the outside of the entire area is enclosed by a continuous fence.

To the right of the pier is a messy area of thatched houses, and judging by the style of the roof, it is clear that it is a gathering area for local Manila natives.

In the middle of these two areas, there is a wide road that directly connects to the pier and a Western-style stone fortress deep in the pier.

A river meanders from the north side of the fort, splitting Chinatown and the fort into two parts before finally joining the sea in the port area.

Liu Ximing picked up the binoculars and looked at them carefully, put down the binoculars and rubbed his eyes, thinking that he was dazzled.

With so many Chinese-style houses, he thought he was going the wrong way back to Daming.

"Second brother, a boat is coming", Liu Dehui, who was in charge of the boat, shouted softly.

Two small armed clippers of several tens of tons sailed quickly towards the Liu family's fleet, with the flag of the Spanish Empire prominently displayed in the shape of a large red cross.

Gradually, the crew members of the two ships clearly appeared on the side of the Pengzhou, and a Spaniard wearing a corner hat with a warped edge and a cloak with a middle seam stood at the bow of the ship and shouted a few words to Liu Ximing and the others.

Perhaps seeing the Chinese faces of Liu Ximing and others, the white man immediately pulled a middle-aged Chinese man wearing a plain coarse cloth collared robe with a thin face from the side to translate for him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Master Frangi told you to stop the ship for inspection."

Hearing the middle-aged Chinese man's translation, Liu Ximing hurriedly signaled Liu Dehui and the others to stop the boat.

boom

The sound of the two boats colliding lightly sounded, and the white man who had been before jumped from their boat to Liu's boat with a few loaded guns and a Spaniard in bright silver upper plate armor with a serious face.

"Mr. Frangi asked what you do? Why do you still have so many weapons? ”

As soon as the Spaniard, who was obviously leading the team, got on the boat, he saw that all the sailors on the bow of the Liu family were wearing waist knives, and he put his hands on the short guns at his waist a little nervously, and asked loudly.

Liu Ximing hurriedly stepped forward with a smile, and said with a smile while constantly arching his hand:

"General, don't be nervous, we are just a merchant from Daming, and we just want to sell goods at the port, and these weapons are used to guard against pirates."

The interpreter whispered in the Spaniard's ear, and the look on the Spaniard's face relaxed, and he waved his hand to signal the soldiers behind him to enter the cabin and search.

"The lords want to check your goods, and each ship will have to pay fifty taels of taxes."

The interpreter had apparently also been working in the port for a longer period of time, and had finished speaking directly to the Spaniards.

Liu Ximing smiled and motioned for Liu Dehui to come over with the silver, "What do you call it, brother, it's the first time I've come to Manila to do business, and seeing them like this, they won't use force against me and other Han businessmen, right?" ”

"My name is Lingen, don't worry, although the Fran machine people are not very good to our Mingren, they are still very particular about doing business, and they will never do it directly for that little profit."

Lin Gen took the silver taken out by Liu Dehui and bit it one by one to judge the authenticity, and then nodded to the Spaniard.

At this time, several Spanish soldiers who entered the cabin to search also walked out, and said a few words to the leader of the team, and the eyes of several people looking at the Liu family eased a little.

Liu Ximing had to make a full set of plays, and the cabins were filled with coarse cloth and rice purchased from Annan, and the ballast value of these goods was not too high, which was the most suitable for cover-up.

Lingen listened to the leading Spaniard say a few words, and turned his head to Liu Ximing and arched his hand.

"This lord, you can enter the port, I would like to remind you that you can only trade in the port or Balian City, and do not enter the fortress, otherwise you will be shot directly by the Fran man."

The smile on Liu Ximing's face froze.

What is a colonist, Liu Ximing immediately understood from Lin Gen's words.

The middle-aged man named Lin Gen in front of him behaved as if he had read a book, but it was suitable for finding out some news.

Seeing that he was about to follow the Spaniards back to the ship, Liu Ximing immediately shouted at him:

"Brother Lin, I just arrived, and my eyes on Manila are dark, I don't know if you have free time later, I invite you to drink two cups and ask for advice."

Lin Gen turned his head to look at Liu Ximing's face, glanced at the opposite boat, pondered for two seconds before turning his head and smiled: "Okay, then I'll wait for you at the dock." ”

Liu Ximing breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, where there are Chinese, it is much more convenient.

It took nearly three hours to sail from Lubang Island to Manila Bay, and by the time the Liu family's fleet docked at the Manila wharf, it was already nearly hourly.

No wonder Lin Gen agreed, it turned out that he had already calculated the time, and when Liu Xi ordered him to get off the ship, Lin Gen was already standing in front of him.

"Brother Lin's time estimate is really accurate", Liu Ximing laughed, "It's already time to eat, there are restaurants and the like in this city, let's find a place to eat and chat?" ”

Lin Gen pointed in the direction of Chinatown and said with a smile: "There are restaurants in the port, but there are many people here, and it is easy to cause conflicts. ”

Liu Xi's life was indispensable, nodded and motioned for Li Biao and the others to follow, while walking towards the port with Lin Gen and his feet, "Okay, then ask Brother Lin to lead the way." ”

After more than 60 years of construction by the Spaniards, the Port of Manila is already a large port, and it is even more densely populated in Luzon.

Outside the Spanish fort, Chinatown occupies a huge area, almost the same size as the fort.

By this time night had begun to light up in the harbor, on the walls of the Spanish fortress and in the direction of Chinatown.

On the natives' side, several large bonfires were lit, and hundreds of people sang and danced around them.

Seeing Liu Ximing looking at the indigenous gathering area with some interest, Lin Gen explained with a smile:

"These barbarians are lazy all day long, but they are more comfortable than our Mingren, they know how to sing and dance all day long, so happy, hey, when will we be so happy."

Liu Ximing keenly heard the sorrow in his words, and hurriedly asked: "I see that Brother Lin is doing things for Franco, how can this salary not be less, why do you still say such things." ”

"Master Liu doesn't know anything", Lin Gen had already asked about the names of Liu Ximing and others when he greeted him, and this time he sighed directly:

"After all, this is the territory of the Franciscans, and our Ming people are just a little useful, so they are willing to let me wait to live here, if something happens one day, I am afraid that the butcher's knife will be added to our heads again."

Two heavily armed Spanish soldiers passed by Liu Ximing and the others, and Lingen turned pale with fright and quickly stopped talking.

He waved his hand and motioned for Liu Ximing and the others to speed up.