freeallnovels Chapter 22 Undercurrents
Chapter 22 Undercurrents
Meeting the colonel's gaze, Governor Juan's cheek muscles twitched involuntarily, even though he had just made the bold statement in a fit of emotion that he would "borrow" money from Chinese merchants in Manila.
However, now that he has calmed down a bit, he is also very clear that if he really issues such an order, the already tense conflict between Xihua will be further exacerbated.
If the news of the Lingayen Chinese rebellion were to spread among the Chinese community in the city, an even larger rebellion would surely erupt in Manila.
"Colonel Lopez," the governor said slowly, rising to his feet. "Imposing large-scale taxes on Chinese merchants, especially at this time, is not a wise decision."
He walked to the window, gazing at the bustling streets of Manila, especially the Palian district where many Chinese people lived, and continued:
"Wasn't the lesson from twenty years ago profound enough? Excessive oppression and panic will only push more Chinese people to the side of the rebels. If riots or even uprisings break out in Manila now..."
He turned around, his face grim, and looked at everyone. "Then we'll face a pincer attack! If Lingayen hasn't taken back the city yet, and Manila descends into chaos again, the entire rule of the Philippines will be shaken!"
Colonel Lopez was silent for a moment. He understood the governor's concerns. As a soldier, he preferred swift and decisive measures, but as the de facto administrator of the colony, the governor had to consider the overall stability.
"So, Your Excellency, what do you mean?" Lopez asked.
Governor Juan took a deep breath, a sly glint in his eyes: "We can't openly impose large-scale taxes; that would be too foolish. However, the military budget must be secured. We can control the target population for taxation, without affecting the Chinese population throughout the city."
He strolled back to the table, tapping his fingers on the surface, and said, "We can try a different approach. We can notify the tax officials and the city garrison to conduct a focused inspection of the major Chinese merchants in the city under the guise of strengthening management, cracking down on smuggling, and preventing infiltration by rebels."
"During the inspection, it's normal to find some irregularities, such as unclear accounts, goods not matching customs declarations, and even suspected connections with northern rebels... right?"
He looked at the treasurers and members of parliament, a cold smile curving his lips: "Then we can impose hefty fines on them according to the law, or suggest that they voluntarily donate a sum of money to prove their loyalty in exchange for our understanding and protection. That way, we'll have the money, and it won't provoke a large-scale public rebellion."
"At the same time, strengthen checks at city gates and the port, strictly control the entry and exit of people, especially Chinese; arrest and interrogate any suspicious persons immediately. We must turn Manila into an impregnable fortress and never give the rebels any opportunity to coordinate an attack from within!"
After listening to his long speech, the finance officer and others nodded in agreement. The most urgent task now was to curb the spread of the rebellion. Targeting only Chinese merchants would reduce the impact on the Chinese community in the city.
"Your Excellency, what about the military operation against Lingayen?" Colonel Lopez asked.
"First, mobilize the garrison at Fort Santiago as an advance team." After a moment's thought, the governor ordered, "Colonel Lopez, you will lead the advance team north to try to make contact with the tribes that are still loyal to the kingdom, and ask them to provide guidance, supplies, and even cooperation in combat."
"If possible, find an opportunity to launch a powerful surprise attack on the rebels. Even if we cannot recapture the city, we must inflict heavy casualties on their forces and demoralize them, so that those watching natives can see who the true masters of this land are!"
"Regarding the main force," he paused, "I will order the garrisons in various locations to draw troops. At the same time, I will send people to urgently contact the garrisons on Cebu, Iloilo, and other islands to see if some of them can be transferred over. As for the navy... gather as many ships as possible, and use the existing ships to strengthen the blockade and transportation."
Having said that, he surveyed the crowd, his tone chilling: "This is a localized rebellion that must be resolved swiftly, not a full-scale war. We must suppress it with minimal cost, maximum speed, and the most ruthless methods, before it escalates and spreads!"
"No prisoners will be taken in this battle! All Chinese who resist with weapons, and all indigenous people who aid the rebels, will be killed without mercy! We will use blood and fire to re-establish the unchallengeable authority of God and the Kingdom of Spain!"
"Yes, Your Excellency!" the crowd responded in unison, their fighting spirit high.
……
The governor's orders were quickly relayed, and rumors of a Chinese uprising in Lingayen began to circulate in Manila. Coupled with the sudden increase in Spanish checks, the rumors spread like wildfire through the narrow streets.
"Have you heard? One of our people has started an uprising over with Lin Jiayan!"
"It's said they've raised the Ming Dynasty flag; I wonder if it's because they've attacked from Dongning..."
"Really? Don't tell me it's just another rumor like it was twenty years ago, used to trick us into starting an uprising."
"It's absolutely true! My cousin's boat just came from the north and I saw with my own eyes that the Ming flag was flying in Lingayen harbor, but we haven't figured out the situation yet and dare not enter the harbor."
"No wonder! I was wondering why there were so many red-haired soldiers on the streets these past few days. They looked at everyone like thieves, checking this and that. Turns out they've suffered a loss in the north and are taking it out on us!"
"That's right... Boss Chen from East Street was taken away yesterday, supposedly for suspected smuggling. He hasn't come back yet, and his family is scrambling to raise money..."
"Isn't this robbery? They're afraid we'll rebel, so they're striking first and draining us dry!"
Rumors spread wildly through the narrow, damp streets, noisy docks, and bustling eateries of the Parian district. Although the Chinese merchants who had been extorted by the Spanish dared not refuse, they also added fuel to the fire and joined in spreading the rumors after the Spanish left.
Panic quickly spread within the Chinese community, and many small shops closed their doors and suspended business to avoid being questioned by the Spanish.
The number of pedestrians in the Parian district gradually dwindled, and even those who were there hurried along, avoiding eye contact with the patrolling Spanish soldiers for fear of getting into trouble. The once bustling Chinese community fell into an eerie and unsettling silence.
The Spanish response also exacerbated the tension, with a noticeable increase in patrols, especially at entrances and main streets in the Palian district.
The patrolling guards were more vigilant, their swords and muskets seemingly ready to be drawn at any moment. Checks at the city gates and port became exceptionally strict. Any Chinese entering or leaving were subject to repeated questioning and searches, and any hesitation or improper handling could result in detention.
Under such high pressure, undercurrents were surging within the Chinese community, and voices gradually emerged in support of the Lingayen Insurgents. However, the lessons learned from the previous incident twenty years ago still made the Chinese community in Manila restrain themselves and remain on the sidelines.