Just when Da'an and other mixed-race Chinese youths accepted the weapons smuggled by the Chinese company, at the darkest moment before dawn, at the berth of a Portuguese merchant ship in the port of Manila, several black shadows touched the side of the ship and lay on the ground unnoticed. I found this ship. Next to this ship was the merchant ship "Haoyunxing" belonging to the Wang family in the south gate of Fuzhou.
Mai Xiaoliu stood vigilantly in a secret compartment in the bottom cabin. He drew the knife with his left hand, and with his right hand he pulled out the flintlock pistol produced by the China Company stuck in his waist. He got off the hammock quietly and quietly. He leaned against the door of the cabin. .There were three knocks on the cabin door. Then there was a pause and then three more knocks.
Mai Xiaoliu put away the knife. The trigger of the flintlock pistol was still opened. He opened the door carefully. A black shadow flashed into the cabin. Then there was a faint light in the corridor. Mai Xiaoliu quickly put the pistol to the back of the opponent's head.
"Brother Six, it's me, the third son of the Li family in Sanya Port." The visitor was not panicked.
Mai Xiaoliu let out a long breath and put away his gun. While lighting the candle, he said, "So it's brother Li Mo. Why are you here? Aren't you surveying the terrain in the eastern provinces? Why didn't An Xiaosi come?" He should be the one who reported the Manila city defense situation to me." Mai Xiaoliu's expression was very relaxed at first. As he spoke, he became more serious. In this overseas secret operation, Yin Feng not only used a large number of overseas personnel from the Military Intelligence Department, Staff. They also temporarily transferred Mai Xiaoliu, who was in charge of Nanyang development.
"Brother An went to the home of the big Portuguese businessman. He said that there are still several arsenals related to the Latins that have not been clarified. It will take a few days to arrive."
"Oh. Has he already stationed himself at Montoya's house?"
"It should be tonight. He will meet that Franji businessman."
"Okay. Inform him to collect the information and report it to me as soon as possible. It's best to report it to me within three days. Our ship won't be able to stay here for long. The owner of Franji doesn't want to cause trouble and is already urging him to leave. .By the way. Why are you here?"
Brother Li Mo smiled. Pretending to be mysterious, he took out a piece of paper folded into a small square and said, "This is Li Dan's letter."
Mai Xiaoliu was surprised: "What? Li Dan's letter? Aren't you in charge of intelligence collection in the eastern provinces of Luzon? Why are you going to get Li Dan's things? Li Dan's matter. The ship owner arranged for someone else to go to the rescue. .You'd better not get involved. Your most important thing is to collect information about the relationship between Pampanga Province and Cebu and the situation of the Latin garrisons. You'd better stay away from Li Dan, so as not to alert the enemy..."
Brother Li Mo was reprimanded by Mai Xiaoliu and was very unhappy. But after all, Mai Xiaoliu was a close confidant of the ship owner and his direct leader. He could only defend himself very aggrievedly: "You first Listen to me, Sixth Brother. I have no intention of getting close to Li Dan. I don’t know him either; he is doing hard labor on the ships of the Greeks in Cebu. I have never seen him at all. There is no way I can go to the Greeks. Meet him on the ship."
"So. This letter..."
"I went to Cebu Port to do small business a few days ago. The person who led the way was Lao Zhang. He handed this thing over to me. Today I went to his place to meet you. He knew that I was coming to see you. He specifically told me that "This letter has been secretly stored in his hands for more than a year. He got it from Li Dan when he went to Cebu to do business. He has known Li Dan for a long time and is willing to help him deliver the letter. It is human nature."
"Old Zhang" is China Company's most important informant in Luzon: Zhang Wei.
Mai Xiaoliu unfolded the letter. It was a piece of Spanish cardboard that had been folded countless times and soaked with sweat. There were a few lines of crooked words written on it. They were all instructing the recipient to protect themselves and their property. Pay attention. There is news about whether there is any property dispute case against him in Madrid. "It seems that it is written to Miss Li..." Mai Xiaoliu nodded: "Forget it. This can be considered a credit after all. Be careful when doing things in the local area. There are only a hundred or so Tang people in the winter. The target is too obvious. The Lu people will definitely be on guard against you."
Maritime merchants from all over Fujian called staying in Manila for the winter without returning home "winter". This has always been the reason and excuse for the Ming Dynasty officials to strengthen maritime bans: the Ming Dynasty officials did not like their people to go to places beyond the government's jurisdiction.
Mai Xiaoliu released the last homing pigeon he carried in the morning and informed Yin Feng of Li Dan's current situation. He did not know that the special team sent by Yin Feng to rescue Li Dan had already arrived in Luzon.
The ship these members of the special team boarded was the world's unique "quasi-clipper ship." After the Sea Spirit unloaded the weapons provided to the mountain natives in northern Luzon, two more members of the special team got off the ship. Prepare to go to the tribe of Daan and others to do some training and reconnaissance work.
The remaining ten members of the special team, led by Colonel Cutre and sharpshooter Loa Quan, took the Sea Spirit and made a large circle on the sea, bypassing the rugged and winding coastline of northern Luzon Island, and headed for the northeastern waters of Luzon Island. The guide who led the way was a Dutch sailor; the Dutch had planned to attack Luzon a few years ago and seize the Spanish largest colony in Asia. Therefore, they sent ships to circle around the Philippine Islands several times. This sailor was in the Netherlands at the time. He is very familiar with the waterways in the northern waters of Luzon Island.
It’s not just the Chinese who can’t sleep at night in Manila. The Spaniards can’t sleep peacefully either. Governor Acuna of the Spanish Empire’s Philippine colony also stayed up all night in the basement of his residence. And his friend Pampanga Governor Tang .Fernando was also helping to move a pile of boxes.
Two aristocratic bureaucrats were doing such physical work in a sealed basement. There was a very necessary reason: the gold and silver jewelry packed in boxes, Chinese silk porcelain, etc. were all the hard work of Governor Acuna. It took three years to get the property. And it was shady stuff. Some of it was the property of those Chinese businessmen who died unjustly three years ago.
"Dear Fernando, your share has been placed in this box. I will give it to your wife as soon as I return to Madrid." Governor Acuna wiped his sweat and sat on a fine cowhide box. Above. He smiled and said to the Governor of Pampanga: "The application I entrusted the Governor of Mexico to submit should have received a response. After the Acting Governor arrives, you should be able to be promoted to Deputy Governor. Will you be able to take over as the next Governor? That's it. Let’s see what happens when I get back to Madrid.”
Fernando also stopped to wipe his sweat. Two high-ranking officials of the Philippine colony sat on a pile of boxes. Fernando sighed: "Old friend, to be honest, what I want to do most now is to leave here with you. .Go back to Europe.”
Acuna said strangely: "What's going on, dear Fernando? What made you lose your courage and hope? Is it those physiological people? No, it's not that. You were just accidentally killed by those in Formosa Island."
It was just a plot by a scoundrel."
"Have you heard about it? Old friends, Portuguese businessmen are rumoring that the group of pirates who captured Macau a few months ago were actually done by this Chinese company's fleet. They were not Dutch."
"No way. The Jesuit missionaries witnessed the Dutch burning down the church..."
"No. It was the Dutch and the Chinese who burned down the church together. The reason was that the Portuguese imprisoned the wife of the leader of the Chinese Company in St. Augustine's Church. The Jesuits wanted to connect with the Chinese Company. They relied on their power in Holmes
Shah opened a missionary territory. That’s why he concealed it.” Don Fernando stood up and walked eagerly to the Governor General and said: “How many troops are there to reinforce the Philippines? We must be prepared.”
Governor Acuna rubbed his forehead in pain. His term of office was about to end. He did not want to be plunged into another war with the Chinese in the last few days. Now he most hoped to successfully complete the handover of the governorship and then take the
Return a large amount of treasure to Europe and live a life like a wealthy prince and noble.
Don Fernando smiled bitterly and said: "You can leave this place of right and wrong right away. But I still have to stay here. Otherwise, you can get me more reinforcements. Otherwise, I will go back to Europe with you. Anyway.
.I can also secure a position in the Peruvian colony."
Acuna looked at his old friend and smiled bitterly: "If you resign, what will happen to the next governor's position? What will happen to the business we stay here? The reinforcements led by the acting governor this time, I estimate, will not exceed one company at most.
...That's good. I appoint you as the army chief of the Philippine Colony. You can recruit indigenous soldiers freely. If something happens, you can support it until the acting governor's troops arrive. But, do you really think that the Chinese will attack Luzon soon?
Island. You see, Chinese businessmen have begun to return to Manila..."
Fernando shook his head: "No. These businessmen do not belong to the Chinese Company... According to the Portuguese, if they have the ability to attack Macau, they should also have the ability to attack Manila. If there is help from the Dutch, this will be more likely."
"What about time? When will something like this happen?" What the Governor was most worried about was that he would not be able to escape unscathed.
"They are merchants after all. They shouldn't go to war during the trade season. If there are no accidents during this year's trade season, they will probably start trying to attack us next year. I guess this is because the Chinese just attacked the Portuguese. After all, there must be someone
It’s time to rest and adjust... There is a problem. We are very lacking in intelligence about the Chinese companies. We know very little about them. This is very detrimental to us! I think..."
Fernando noticed that Governor Acuna's eyes were a little hesitant and seemed to be absent-minded. He sighed secretly. He understood that the Governor did not listen to his words. He was just worried about how his treasure could be transported out of Luzon Island smoothly. Sure enough, the Governor's face became solemn.
. He sat up straight and said: "My friend, you must know that it is useless to rush about some things. I will issue an order tomorrow, oh, at dawn. Appoint you as the commander-in-chief of all colonial armies. Give you the power and funds to recruit troops.
Tomorrow I will escort that damn Andri Thetis back to the water prison of the Santiago Fortress. I will also take him back to Europe."
Don Fernando was surprised: "What? Does he have any value?"
"The wife of the leader of the China Company is his sister, isn't it? Huh, I wonder if they can still chase her to Europe to get her."
…
The long night finally passed. When the sun rose, people in Manila began their daily life. Now, the Chinese have begun to come back. Chinese goods, Chinese craftsmen, Chinese farmers... these people will all come back. Manila It wouldn't be a lifeless city anymore.
And at night, there are always dozens of restless Chinese wandering around in and around Manila.
The first personnel from the Military Intelligence Department of the Chinese Company to come to Manila have been living in Manila for almost half a year. Some of them already have fixed residences and fixed goods warehouses in the city. This includes An Xiaosi and Li Moge. During the day They are traders who buy and sell various goods. At night, they are wild wolves wandering in the streets and wild fields.