Intramuros Manila!

Located on the banks of the Pasig River, the Intramuros was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century. The name Intramuros comes from the Latin words "Intra" and "muros", which means "inside the walls". This is also in line with the structure of the Intramuros: a city surrounded by thick walls. During the Spanish rule, the Intramuros was also known as Manila.

The Spaniards in Luzon drew up a new blueprint for Manila based on a royal decree issued by Philip II in San Lorenzo, Spain, in May 1573. Designed as a star-shaped fortress, the 64-hectare Intramuros is surrounded by stone walls 2.44 m (8 ft) thick and 6.7 m (22 ft) high. Legaspi built roads, forts, churches and schools in the Intramuros district. Intramuros was also designed to defend against indigenous rebellion and Chinese piracy. Intramuros was completed in 1606. Intramuros immediately became the administrative, military, and religious center of Spain in the Philippines.

The oldest and oldest university in the Philippines (the University of Santo Tomas, founded in 1611, is not only the oldest university in the Philippines and even in Asia, but also one of the oldest Catholic schools in the world), many churches, and convents are located in the Intramuros, as well as the Governor's Palace, City Hall, Hospital, Arsenal and so on.

Its stone buildings are tall and magnificent, the city is well defended, and the artillery is numerous, making it a strong fortress.

The Spanish colonized the area, and the law stipulated that only legal "white people" (Spanish: blancos) could live in the Intramuros.

"Caucasians" include Hispanic Filipinos (Spanish-born Spaniards in the Philippines), Peninsular Spaniards (Spanish-born Spaniards), Hispanian-Malay-Chinese mestizos (Spanish: tornatrás), and Hispano-Malay mestizos.

Due to racial discrimination and the social morality of the time, only male "Caucasians" could marry non-Caucasian women; Female "Caucasians" are not allowed to marry non-Caucasians. Any non-Caucasian woman who marries a male Spaniard is automatically and legally classified as "Caucasian."

Naturally, they can also live with their husbands in Intramuros. However, children of mixed race born to male Spaniards and locals are not allowed to live in Intramuros unless they are adopted.

Only Mestizo de Sangley (Malay-Han Chinese) were allowed to set foot in Intramuros for work reasons to serve their colonial masters.

These people must return to their homes in the Binodo neighborhood, just outside Intramuros, at sunset.

The Spaniards imposed very unfair taxes: the white race was exempted from taxation; Local Bumiputera (Malays) are required to pay basic taxes; Mixed-race children are subject to twice the basic tax; Han Chinese, on the other hand, are subject to four times the basic tax.

……

OK, the introduction ends here, it can be said that Wangcheng District is a forbidden area for non-whites, non-whites are not allowed to enter, and they can only walk on both sides, they must keep their heads down, and they cannot offend the noble white lord.

But today all people, white and non-white, are amazed!

The Spanish Viceroy in the Philippines, Juan de Oquado, was the DD of the famous Spanish admiral Admiral Antonio de Oquado, who had a rich combat experience and defeated the Dutch fleet in the 1631 battle near the Abrolius Islands (off the coast of Brazil) and against Marten Tromp, one of the greatest admirals of the Dutch Sail Period, in the "Battle of the Dons".

Like his brother, Juan de Oquado, with his wisdom, ordered the reception of Hong Xiguan and his party with the highest courtesy.

At that time, he and the officials received the news of Hong Xiguan's visit, and after asking about the other party's situation, he broke the convention, received Hong Xiguan in a grand manner, and invited their fleet to enter Wangcheng Port, and invited the Ming people to enter Wangcheng District.

Many high-ranking officials thought that this was a way to elevate the yellow race, but they did not know that because of the long-sleeved dancing skills of Juan de Oquado, the war maniac Yan Changwu could not find an excuse, so the war between China and the West was postponed for a long time...... (There must be a ready-made excuse, plus the massacre of the Han Chinese by the Spaniards in 1603, for the excuse to be solid)

When the Spaniards saw the visiting Ming warship, they all showed surprise on their faces.

Although the battleship is also a European-style sail battleship, it is not as bloated as the European-style battleship at that time, it looks clean and neat, and the cannon on the ship cannot be faked, it is indeed an 18-pounder gun!

What surprised them even more was that the Ming crew on the ship were heroic and energetic, just like the sun on the sea, full of sunshine, and they did not have the self-esteem and lowliness of ordinary Ming people, let alone the treacherous appearance of Ming merchants.

Yes, for this visit, the Southeast Fleet specially auditioned, selected sailors with excellent quality and good image in the fleet to enter the visiting formation, and specially let the tall and mighty Hong Xiguan with outstanding temperament serve as a special envoy, so that the white people can appreciate the new image of my Chinese man!

They are physically first-rated, and the guns they hold in their hands are flintlock pistols, which is difficult for even the Europa powers to achieve.

All the whites gasped!

……

Seeing that the warships were docked one after another and fixed their positions, a spaniard dressed in splendid clothes (the Spaniards were dressed in colorful aristocratic costumes) shouted loudly in Spanish: "By the Holy Spirit, Juan de Oquido, the Governor of the East Indies of the Great Kingdom of Spain (Province of the Philippines), welcomes the Ming envoy to visit the "City of Eternal Loyalty and Nobility", and may the Kingdom of Spain and the Ming Kingdom be peaceful and friendship forever!"

(The Spanish for Ciudad Insigne y Siempre Leal, referring to Manila, was proclaimed on June 24, 1571 by Regaspi as the new capital of the Spanish East Indies.) Regaspi's achievements pleased King Philip II of Spain at the time, and gave Manila the title).

They didn't use Chinese, but Hong Xiguan had already been prepared, and an interpreter in military uniform told him what the other party had said.

"Since it's a good intention, then let's get off the ship!" Hong Xiguan issued an order: "Land! ”

Putting down the specially made escalator with a railing, the first step down two naval officers of the Southeastern Fleet and a group of sailors, who walked forward with neat steps and stood guard next to the escalator.

Lined up, a hundred strong Marines!

An officer said in a loud voice: "The great Ming Southeast Prefecture Special Plenipotentiary Representative, Colonel Officer Hong Xiguan, on the orders of the Governor of the Southeast Ming Prefecture, the Admiral of the Southeast Fleet, the Hussar General, the Commander of the Taiwan Guard, the Fujian Coastal Defense Guerrilla, and the Guangdong Coastal Defense Guerrilla Yan Changwu, visit the East Indies of the great Kingdom of Spain, and visit the "City of Eternal Loyalty and Honor", may the two countries live on peace and friendship forever!" ”

First he spoke in Chinese, and then another officer took over and spoke in Spanish.

It's a long story, but it's necessary.

As expected, Hong Xiguan strode down the escalator and landed in Manila!

He did not disappoint, his movements were skillful, his military uniform was full of style, and the purple and gold ribbon he wore (a wide banner draped diagonally over his shoulders) gave him the prestige of a soldier.

According to the system, he is only a school officer, and only generals can wear purple ribbons, but as a special envoy, he wears a purple and gold ribbon.

The Spanish army saluted, and Juan de Oquado stepped forward slowly, clasping together Hong Xiguan's hand.

The two sides treat each other as equals, and this is the recognition of an old colonial empire to a new regime!