1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 198 Black Guards in Luzon ([-])

On August 1629, 8, Tavola, the Spanish governor in the Philippines, proposed to the King of Spain to allocate two large sections of wasteland on the south bank of the Inner Lake, that is, the Calamba area.Compulsory resettlement of 1 Ming people, exempting them from residence permit fees and miscellaneous taxes, and letting them open up wasteland and farm land there.The severe food shortage problem in the Philippines has been solved.

After one or two years of planting, the Philippine colonial government can recover the resettlement and production costs loaned out.In a normal year, two thousand Ming people can provide enough food for the garrisons and government personnel in various fortresses in the Manila area of ​​the Philippines. With the subsequent development of cultivated land and personnel input, the food production will gradually expand.After paying off the loan in the first or second year, Ming people still need to pay 25 pesos per person per year for land rent.

This plan is quite attractive, and it can completely solve the long-standing food problem in the Philippine colonies, exempt the colonial government from a large amount of food expenditure every year, and it can also avoid the rice apportionment for the Filipino indigenous people.The latter point will to some extent moderate the conflict between the colonists and the natives.

Thousands of Ming people moved from near Manila to a place more than 60 kilometers away, which also increased the sense of security of the Spaniards to a certain extent.Therefore, although the Spanish colonial authorities foresaw that there would be some risks in the implementation of this plan, for example, after receiving the loans from the colonial authorities, some Ming people escaped because they could not be tortured, and some people might not be able to bear the torture. died before. "But in view of the common advantages which arose in the farms of monks and inhabitants, this was all a matter of indifference."

For unknown reasons, the plans for the two Governors of Tavola and Salamanga (1626-1635) were not implemented until Governor Sebastian Coquera arrived in the Philippines in June 1636.After more than a year of compulsory implementation, there are currently more than 6 Ming people in Calabad reclaiming wasteland and farming here.

Later generations of Calamba has been a famous agricultural area in the Philippines.But before the Ming people developed it, it was a wasteland where plagues were prevalent.The Ming people who were driven out had to overcome thorns and thorns, dig canals to divert water, and reclaim wasteland and fields.Due to the extremely harsh working conditions and the unacceptable climate, many Ming people have been tortured and died one after another.

"Perhaps, we can take advantage of this matter." Qu Shaorong said to He Qing: "In the past few days, I have also chatted with many merchants in the eighth company. Almost everyone is afraid of being sent to that Calamba by the Spaniards. Farming in local areas. Although, at present, it is still targeting those Ming people who cannot pay the residence permit fee, but there is no guarantee that Spain will expand the scope of recruitment in the future.”

"It is true that the Ming people in Luzon are panicking recently. There are rumors that the Spaniards will recruit them in large numbers to join the army to fight against the coming Dutch. A while ago, more than 500 people have been recruited. Joining the army will be fine, But the problem is that the Spaniards are always on guard against Ming people, and they don’t give them weapons at all. Guess what those Ming people use...all are bamboo and wooden sticks. Damn it, isn’t this sending people to death? ?” Cheng Guangyin said.

"Have you asked, is it possible for any Ming person to join the army?" He Qing's heart moved, and he turned to ask Cheng Guangyin.

"You must have a family and property before you can join the army." Cheng Guangyin said, "And you also need a joint guarantee from merchants in the city. Why, He Tou, do you want to..."

"Yes, let's see if we can think of a way to sneak in!" He Qing said calmly.If the combined forces of Hanzhou and Holland could overthrow the Spaniards earlier, not only would he be able to make meritorious service, he might even be able to return to Daming.

Could it be that Han Zhou doesn't want to send some spies in Daming?

"He Tou, not to mention that it is very difficult to get in. If we go in, it will be very dangerous if we go to war with the Dutch and our Hanzhou. The Spaniards use our Ming people as cannon fodder!" Cheng Guangyin said worriedly.

"Yes, it is possible to be beaten to death by our own people." He Qing smiled wryly, but as a spy, there is no danger anywhere. Once the Spaniards find out and catch him, he will probably die more painfully.

"He Tou, let me sneak in." Qu Shaorong said in a deep voice.

Incorporating into the Spanish army, although it is only a cannon fodder servant, may play an unexpected role in Hanzhou's attack on Luzon in the future.

"I just suggested, not ordered." He Qing looked at Qu Shaorong's resolute face, and said softly.

"I know." Qu Shaorong smiled, "If it wasn't for Hanzhou giving me a bite of food, I would have starved to death by the Grand Canal a year ago. After more than a year of my Ansheng life, I would have eaten After more than a year of full food, it's time to do something for Hanzhou. Isn't it just desperate!"

"Okay." He Qing nodded, "In the past few days, let's think about how to get you in."

The immigrants from Hanzhou have only been here for more than a year, and they are already willing to work hard for him.As for what?
-
"I heard that you have a batch of cotton cloth in your hand?" Gong Yonghuai sat on a chair with a big face, looked at the two businessmen who had just come to Luzon on the opposite side, "I will deliver it to my warehouse at the dock today."

"Shopkeeper Gong, you haven't asked the price yet?" Cheng Guangyin said with a smile.

"Price?" Gong Yonghuai looked at him with a smile, "You don't know who I am?"

"..." Cheng Guangyin and He Qing turned their heads to look at Yaren next to them. Does this Shopkeeper Gong have any background?

"This is the shopkeeper Gong Da, the largest cloth merchant in Manila." Yaren whispered in He Qing's ear, "He received the ceremony of being a Christian from the West, and he is very appreciated by the West..."

He Qing immediately understood that this person must have a very close relationship with the Spaniards, and he was taught by the Westerners, even cutting his hair.When I saw him suddenly just now, I thought he was from Hanzhou.

"Dare to ask shopkeeper Gong, how much are you going to charge for the cotton cloth?" He Qing asked cautiously.

"Six coins a horse."

When He Qing heard this, he couldn't help cursing in his heart, it's too shameless!What was brought was Songjiang cotton cloth, even if it was purchased locally, it would cost three to four renminbi.It was shipped from Daming all the way, and the freight plus customs duties, docking fees, etc., not to mention the profit, the price you gave, just covered the completion of the book, co-authored, we as businessmen are all gone for nothing?
"Shopkeeper Gong is joking." He Qing said, "The price is too low."

"Low? Hehe..." Gong Yonghuai sneered a few times, "If you think the price is too low, you can wait here for a month to see if other merchants come to collect your goods."

In fact, in the past, Gong Yonghuai was still able to purchase goods from Daming at market prices.But why did the Spanish colonial government crazily collect all kinds of taxes and fees on Chinese businessmen in Manila recently, and also ordered them, big businessmen, to donate supplies and money for free, which made him vomit a mouthful of blood.

In desperation, they could only rely on the power of the Spaniards to lose in the east and make up for it in the west.

He Qing and Cheng Guangyin looked at each other, they didn't want to sell the goods in their hands, but they were afraid of offending the Spaniards and breaking their property.

"Let's see it like this. It's not easy to see you coming to Luzon, so I'll give you an extra penny." As a Ming compatriot, the oppression is too much, after all, his face is not good-looking, Gong Yonghuai generously raised the price .

"Shopkeeper Gong, even if you give me seven qian, I'll just take a trip to Luzon in vain!" He Qing said with a mournful face.

Since the Spaniards in Luzon hardly have any commodities to trade with, the merchants of Ming Dynasty who come to Luzon usually transport some goods with relatively high value, and then load them with silver, either by going to Batavia, or Return directly to Daming.

"Why, do you think the price is low?" Gong Yonghuai was a little impatient.If the price is lowered here, the loss will be less in the future.

"Shopkeeper Gong, you must have a very close relationship with the Spaniard." He Qing asked.

"That's natural."

"Look, it's not easy for us to come to Manila. Selling the goods to you at this price really doesn't make a lot of money." He Qing said: "Since the shopkeeper Gong has a close relationship with Westerners, can you help us with it?" A return shipment. We..., we can make some money too. Don't you think so?"

Hearing this, Gong Yonghuai couldn't help hesitating for a moment. According to normal circumstances, apart from the large amount of silver brought from that distant Mexico, the Philippines has no decent commodities worth bringing back to Daming for sale.

However, in addition to normal goods, the Spaniards also had some abnormal "goods".That is to plunder the property of the small native countries in the southern archipelago.

The Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines dispatched a colonial army in March to break through Lemitan, the capital of the Sultanate of Macindanao. They then plundered for several days and seized several ships of property, and some of them have returned. Manila.

The looted gold, silver, coins, jewelry and jade were basically distributed by the colonial government officials in Manila, and the remaining copper, lead, tin and other minerals were piled up in warehouses in Manila.The colonial government is trying every means to realize it, but no businessman from Ming Dynasty is willing to buy it.

"We are willing to buy, but we need to inspect the goods first." He Qing was excited when he heard that all these goods were piled up in the inner city of Manila.

"Then wait a few days, and I'll go ask the treasury officer." Gong Yonghuai was also excited at the thought of solving the minerals that the Spaniards could not handle. This move will definitely be praised and affirmed by Spanish officials.

(End of this chapter)