Saturday, December 6, 1642. Spanish Philippine colony, Manila City, Luzon.

In the spacious governor's palace, which is mainly built of natural stone, Governor Coqueira is frowning and looking at the tax report in front of him, and the chief tax officer of Manila City, not far in front of him, is also waiting carefully.

"Hell, these cunning merchants of the East, who, like the Jews of the East, took advantage of the Kingdom of Spain...... Twenty years ago, these taxes would have more than doubled! ”

Looking at the rows and rows of numbers, even though more and more varied additional taxes had been added to them at his behest, Corquela was still very dissatisfied, and he did not think that in order to take economic benefits from the Chinese merchants, wine, lamp oil, candles and other goods in Manila were forcibly assigned to the shops opened by the Spaniards.

"How's the fat man?" Coquilla put away the report and asked his chief tax officer about someone. The fat man in his mouth refers to Bagum, the leader of the indigenous Luzon tribes around Manila, a scruffy and stocky man who claims to be a descendant of the ancient Luzon royal family.

"It is evident that the Chinese hated this man very much, and resisted the Chinese land surcharge he had set for His Excellency the Governor." The Chief Tax Officer shook his head helplessly, "The tax sent by Bagum to the Governor's Palace is less than 8,000 riyals, which is far less than last month, and I suspect that he has embezzled quite a lot. ”

"It doesn't matter, what I need is for him to continue to collect taxes from the Chinese here, no matter what excuse or method he uses!" Coqueira's fist slammed on the table, looking extremely arrogant, "As for the dissatisfaction of the Chinese, you can sue their elders, the Governor's Palace has been admonishing and restraining the indigenous leaders here, but the laws of the Kingdom of Spain will never allow the Chinese to have any excesses!" ”

Isn't this deliberately provoking contradictions between the Chinese and the natives, and what if it really breaks out...... The Inspector-General stole a sinister look at the Governor's sinister face and chuckled inwardly.

"Your Excellency the Governor! Paperwork from Lin Jiayan. The local Chinese and the indigenous people are in conflict! ”

At this moment, a small official, sweating profusely, broke open the door of the governor's office, and ran over with a scroll of paperwork out of breath.

"Lingayan? God, that's good news! Saying something, Coqueira's eyes suddenly lit up, and he quickly grabbed the paperwork.

"The local indigenous chiefs follow your ...... Oh, and they raided Chinese farms a week ago and stole 100 bushels (about 2 tons) of rice, saying they were collecting land taxes. After being discovered by the Chinese, the village was surrounded, with casualties on both sides. The petty official explained cautiously.

"These impulsive guys. This is not allowed by law! Inform Colonel Alonso immediately and send troops to Lingayen, we need to 'control the situation' and punish anyone who challenges the decrees of the Governor's Palace! ”

Governor Coquela was overjoyed, and almost slapped the table before standing up, busily giving the order to transfer troops.

It seems that the Governor is planning to find the Chinese in Lingayen first...... The petty official and the chief tax officer in the room glanced at each other, and both nodded slowly and thoughtfully.

……

To the south of Lingayen, large areas of farmland and pristine rainforest are adjacent. A simple fortification made of stones or sacks approached an indigenous Luzon village from the north, forming a clear encirclement and blockade.

Dozens of young Chinese men in short clothes and turbans squatted behind the fortifications, most of them carrying 21B or 34A flintlock pistols in their hands, except for a few cold weapons. Sandbags were dotted with a few wooden arrows of extremely rough workmanship. You can still see some blood stains.

"Brother Zhang, haven't they come back yet? Are we going to fight or not to fight? A small Chinese young man pulled out a chisel from the muzzle of the 21B flintlock pistol and pointed the gun at the indigenous village a hundred meters away, with a hideous smile on his face, "These miscellaneous pieces. I thought we were bullies. Those who robbed us of our food and dared to hurt us, this time they couldn't eat and walked around! ”

"Don't be impulsive. Otherwise, it will be a big deal! A sturdy young man grabbed the little man's hand from the side and shook his head again and again, "They must have gone to report to the Spaniards, and then they can attract the Spanish soldiers in the city, and Brother Zhang will lead people to ambush them in the middle of the road." ”

"Calm down, boys! Your commander has not given any orders for battle. ”

A middle-aged man dressed as a European merchant also appeared behind the fortifications at this time, staring at the flintlock pistols in everyone's hands with a playful face, looking like they were watching the excitement.

This middle-aged European businessman is the instructor sent by the Huamei Blackwater Security Company to Lingayan to secretly train the militia in cooperation with the local Chinese independence organization, but on the surface, he is still a Huamei businessman who conducts rice buying business in Lingayan.

"What are you afraid of, just our Lingayen, there are thousands of militiamen, and those more than 200 Spanish soldiers are a fart!" The young Chinese on the other side spat fiercely, looking impatient, and a little disgusted by this mysterious European businessman who was around all day long.

"Isn't it just waiting for revenge to train in the woods all day long? Now that these brutes have bullied us, they still don't fight back?! Do you look good with these muskets? ”

As he spoke, in the direction of the indigenous village in front of him, several more shrunken indigenous figures appeared. Dozens of Chinese youths after the fortifications quickly raised their guns.

Before anyone could give the order, at least a hundred meters away, a dozen flintlock muskets opened fire, and the natives who were crawling on the ground were so frightened that they retreated back to the village.

"You ...... Ay...... Let's wait for Brother Zhang to come back. ”

Seeing that these companions, who had been trained for several months, were extremely unfamiliar with the use of the Huamei flintlock pistol, the sturdy Chinese young man sighed helplessly. His worries are not unreasonable, after all, for safety, there are very few people who can sneak a few live ammunition in the deep mountains and old forests, and most of the shooting training can only be virtual fire.

"May God bless you, O courage. However, the next time you open fire, please listen to the order, or you will wait to be wiped out by the Spaniards. The Huamei instructor shrugged his shoulders and said that he did his best in the face of this kind of military action without the slightest discipline.

……

Late at night, in a shopping hall in the Balian community of Manila City, oil lamps were still lit, and seven or eight Chinese Americans, young and old, were sitting around a large table with solemn expressions.

"Shopkeeper Li, Lin Jiayan is okay there, right?" A middle-aged Chinese businessman looked at the old man with a worried face. "I heard that the Governor's Palace issued a military order yesterday, and the Spanish warships have already set off for Lingayen, with more than 1,000 soldiers and horses, and they will arrive in a few days. The plan to divert the tiger from the mountain has been accomplished, but Lin Jiayan Zhang Xin's troops are scarce, and I am afraid it will be difficult to resist so many enemy reinforcements. ”

Since an hour ago, Li Guozhu has been touching his beard and has not spoken, staring at an account book on the table and thinking. Seeing that the atmosphere at the scene was becoming more and more depressing, Li Guozhu finally exhaled softly and turned his head to a young man sitting in a dark corner of the room: "Liu Erchun." How's the preparation going? ”

The young man slowly stood up and walked out of the darkness, with a calm expression on his face: "Mr. Li, the secret training of the Chinese militia in various places has basically been completed. But for the sake of secrecy, the vast majority of militias do not conduct much live-fire training. ”

"Hey...... Liu Erchun, didn't you say that you could train elite soldiers in a few months?! Why is it at this time...... "The middle-aged Chinese were anxious, as if they had been deceived, and their voices were several degrees higher, "It's hard to wait for an opportunity, if something is unfavorable." Spread out, wouldn't the tens of thousands of Chinese people in Luzon be lambs to be slaughtered at the door! ”

"Let's be honest, it's no better than Temasek or South Africa, where there are any conditions to openly practice live ammunition. But. As long as you strictly follow the command and see the blood. In this world, how can there be a strong soldier that can be trained without blood? Liu Erchun's face did not change.

As soon as these words came out, the people who accused Liu Erchun because of the tense atmosphere had nothing to say.

"I have sent people to Cavite, Legazpi, Batangas, and other places. The road is long, and it will take about three days to reach it. Li Da shopkeeper, since the Spanish governor has been fooled. The soldiers and horses in the city are empty, or don't wait, do your best! Another young Chinese merchant stood up, still waving his fists.

"Shopkeeper Li, make a decision quickly! The life and death of the 80,000 Chinese people in Luzon is now! Several Chinese businessmen looked at their leaders anxiously, and their words trembled a little.

There is still a lack of confidence, there are those who are uneasy, there are those who are excited, the big war is approaching, and almost everyone's expression is different.

"Mr. Pedro has the right time to start an incident, but he needs to be cautious. If I can't bear to act recklessly, I will make a mistake......" Li Guozhu was also under a lot of pressure at this time, looking at the pair of eager and impulsive eyes present, he couldn't help but twitch his old face slightly.

"Guys, do you have any good news to share?"

In the dead silence, the door opened, and a young merchant dressed in fine clothes appeared in the candlelight.

"Mr. Pedro!" The people in front of them were only known by Li Guozhu and Liu Erchun, and the moment they heard the voice, both of them stood up.

"Looks like it's a lot of tension here...... Pedro took out his cigarette and lit it, took a deep breath before sitting down at the table, "The Spanish have found a good excuse this time, but it's exactly what everyone needs." ”

"Governor Coquela has been fooled, and the remaining Spanish troops in Manila City are only 2,000 at most! It was also stationed in various military camps inside and outside the city. Liu Erchun immediately unfolded the map and pointed to a certain place, "Sergeant Zhang Xin's men and horses have been deliberately fighting with the natives in Lingayan, the only trouble is that he doesn't know that there are thousands of Spanish troops on the road to Lingayan, and everyone is worried that they can't drag it out there." ”

"Well, I just came out of the Governor's Palace, and Governor Coqueira claims that this is just a small operation to maintain order. However, according to you, this could well trigger a large-scale armed conflict. If Sergeant Zhang Xin can't stand it, these Spaniards will turn back to Manila......" Pedro frowned, probably understanding why he was still looking ahead when it came to the end.

According to a secret telegram from the European Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Spanish naval navy was defeated again in the confrontation with the French navy, and the Spanish Caribbean fleet had to send its main forces back to Europe for emergency relief, and the Spanish navy was unlikely to recover in the next few years, and now it can be said that it was the best period for the armed independence of the Chinese in Luzon.

But at present, because Liu Erchun only has the suzhì of a low-level officer, the military preparations of Li Guozhu and others are still too amateurish, and they are not as full as imagined.

Although Zhang Xin only had the rank of sergeant in the Huamei Foreign Legion, he was proficient in military affairs and calm. If it weren't for Luzon, he would have entered the Chinese Army School earlier. It would not be a big problem for him to lead his troops to entangle the Spaniards in Lingayen. Liu Erchun whispered on the side, and there was a bit of cold-blooded flavor in his words, "I mean, don't worry about the success or failure of Lin Jiayan, this is the place we set to transfer the tiger from the mountain." ”

As the head of the secret training of the Luzon Chinese militia forces, Liu Erchun's words can be regarded as the most realistic commentary on the current situation. As soon as the words fell, everyone's eyes were fixed on Li Guozhu again.

'We need support, Mr. Pedro. In my opinion, since Lingayan has moved first and the tiger has been diverted from the mountain, Manila must not miss the opportunity, so there is no need to wait! Li Guozhu gritted his teeth and raised his head, his expression slowly hideous.

Not only Li Guozhu, but any Chinese businessman present has invested his wealth in Luzon's secret independent actions over the years, in other words, whether it is exposed in advance or failed afterwards, there is only one way to disappear.

"That's right...... So what do I need to do at the end? Pedro pondered for a minute, finally squeezing out a smile.

"We've discussed it, and we'll do it at the same time in ten days!" Liu Erchun hurriedly used his hand to point at several places on the map of Manila City, "When the time comes, I am going to send people to infiltrate the port fortress, seize the fortress heavy artillery, and control the mouth of Manila Bay." However, the main city of Manila was extremely fortified and had heavy artillery, and in case the Spanish army was defeated and held in it, it would be impossible for ordinary artillery to break through. So, I'm going to secretly plant a lot of explosives in advance and blast the ramparts if necessary! I calculated, the explosives secretly prepared at the moment are not enough! ”

"Very good tactics. No problem, but it seems like you're getting a little slower than expected. In a few days, I'll deliver another batch of explosives to you, and there will be no more assistance. Also, are all the troops in place now? Pedro roughly estimated the distance on the map, and felt that he could barely do it in a few days, so he took out his notebook from his bosom and began to record.

"Well, there are 2,000 people in Manila, and I'm directly responsible. There are 1,100 in Lingayan, 700 in Cavite, 500 in Batangas and 1,000 in Legaspitpi. ”

To sum up, there are more than 5,000 Chinese militia on paper, but the real one is fully trained, plus the hundreds of Luzon Chinese veterans who retired from the Chinese Foreign Legion or the Blackwater Security Company, less than 3,000 people, which is still less than half of the total strength of Spain in the Philippine colony, and the only advantage is that it can catch the Spaniards by surprise, and the opponent's forces are very scattered.

"Well, I try my best. However, according to the emergency plan, except for Second Lieutenant Liu, everyone else must be evacuated from Luzon with me. In other words, Second Lieutenant Liu will be responsible for everything that happens in the future. Pedro put away his notebook, his tone stern and straightforward.

The room was filled with people, and once again there was a dead silence.

"Please tell Mr. Fan, I wait for the Chinese people in Luzon to suffer hardships and suffer from other people's fish and meat for nearly a hundred years, and this time life and death have long been put out of the way, and now the big thing is coming, what a pity! If you lose, you won't be able to escape death anyway, and you don't have to worry that we will tell the truth. ”

Li Guozhu, who has always suffered from gains and losses, saw it at this time, and directly rejected Pedro's "kindness", and the demeanor of his father Li Dan's generation of sea heroes rarely reappeared in him once. According to Huamei's arrangement, he is the most qualified to hide in the safest place to give orders, but in the current situation, once he is not there, I am afraid that people's hearts will collapse in advance, and more than ten years of hard work will be in vain.

"Okay, but our ship will be parked in Manila until at least Christmas, and you can choose to leave at any time." Seeing that everyone looked generous, Pedro didn't intend to persuade and walked out of the room.

"Liu Erchun, Manila's defense arrangements are up to you, success or failure in one fell swoop! After you go back, mobilize the Chinese people of the Eighth Company to form an association to protect themselves, and don't mess up your proportions! ”

After Pedro left, Li Guozhu officially gave Liu Erchun the order to get up, and the blood in the room suddenly boiled, and the previous tension and depression were swept away again, which was probably the decision after there was no way out. (To be continued......)