1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 343 Changes in Luzon (continued)

Captain Chang Guangmin and several officers of the Hanzhou Navy climbed from the trawl net on the side of the "Xingye" to the small boat below, and then paddled towards the shore.The entire ship was inspected just now. The damaged sails have been replaced, and there are a few minor leaks at the bottom of the ship, which have been repaired and should be able to set sail.

More than 20 days ago, when the Hanzhou immigrant fleet traveled from Hanxing Island to Midway Island, it encountered a severe storm on the way. Chang Guangmin's "Xingye" was blown away from the existing route by the storm. snapped, and several sails badly damaged.In this severe stormy weather, it was difficult for them to adjust their direction for a while, so they could only be carried along by the strong southeast wind and drift westward.

Five or six days later, the "Xingye" gradually moved away from the storm area, and the weather began to clear up. Because a mast was damaged, the hull was also somewhat damaged. If the ship was headed for Midway Island against strong headwinds, the ship itself might be lost on the way. Certain risks.You know, there are more than 50 immigrants on board, as well as more than [-] tons of rice and some Songjiang cotton cloth.

Cao Daxin, the navigator on the ship, said that their location may be in the waters not far from Luzon. He suggested following the wind direction to find an island or a remote harbor, repair the ship first, and replace the sails.It is also possible to replace the mast at the front of the boat if suitable hardwoods are available on shore.Otherwise, based on the current state of their ships, they would not be able to sail back to Hanxing Island.

Chang Guangmin obeyed Cao Daxin's advice, commanded the sailors on the ship, and staggered towards Luzon.Two days later, I saw an island. After half a day of patrolling, I bypassed a small island and sailed into a harbor.Then, along the estuary of a river, carefully advanced seven or eight hundred meters, and finally stopped in the middle of a river.

After putting down two small boats and taking a dozen armed sailors to land and investigate, and found no native tribes or Spaniards, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.Therefore, a small boat was arranged to transfer all the immigrants to the shore, and a temporary camp was established for a short rest.The island they landed on is located on the northeast side of Catanduanes Island in the eastern Philippines of later generations.

In the next few days, Chang Guangmin ordered the sailors and some immigrants to help replace the sails and repair the hull, and dry the rice and cloth in the bilge.At the same time, they also organized personnel to cut down trees, burn bushes, and cleared out an open space with a radius of more than 100 meters. They also urged all immigrants to take measures to isolate mosquitoes and eat boiled hot water.

However, even after doing all this, in the following ten days, five or six people were still infected with malaria without enough attention, and were isolated in a temporary wooden house in the distance in pain, waiting for the arrival of death.In addition, dozens of people suffered from diarrhea and lay down in the camp, unable to move.

"Are there any migrants who are sick today?" Chang Guangmin asked several designated immigration leaders when he returned to the temporary camp.

"Back to the general, there was no... that malaria patient happened today." Zhang Peichang cupped his hands and said, "However, another seven people suffered from diarrhea."

"Did the person with diarrhea eat unboiled water?"

"Cut down trees to organize the camp. I think I was thirsty for a while and drank raw water." Zhang Peichang said helplessly: "In the past in Daming, I have been used to it for many years."

"It's fun for a while, it's up to them now!" Chang Guangmin said angrily: "In the future, someone will eat raw water at will and beat them with a stick! Everyone doesn't know what is good and what is bad, and the tropical island environment here is really good. ?...So, there are 50 people lying down in the camp?"

"Six people suffered from that kind of malaria, 45 people had diarrhea, 12 people had high fever, ... and eight people were bitten by snakes." Zhang Peichang said.

"In the short term, these people may not be able to travel long distances." Chang Guangmin said, "But we can't leave them here, they are all my compatriots from the Ming Dynasty."

"General, how about...we will stop here." Zhang Peichang said carefully: "There is still enough food on board for several months. I will cultivate some cultivated land here and plant some crops, and I will survive in the future."

It took more than 20 days to take a boat from Daming East to Hanxing Island, and then from Hanxing Island to Midway Island. It is said that it is less than half the distance of Hanzhou.Sailing on the sea, the wind is high and the waves are rough. This time, he was lucky enough to escape from the storm area safely and took his life.If there is a storm next time, maybe you will not be so lucky, and you will be buried in the bottom of the sea.

"You want to stay here?" Chang Guangmin asked with a frown.

"Saving me in Hanzhou is equivalent to being hungry and cold. I should go to Hanzhou with the general's big ship and work as a cow or a horse to repay my kindness." Zhang Peichang said: "But this season, the wind on the sea is against the trend, and there are many patients at present. Let's set off. Why don't we settle here temporarily, open up wasteland and cultivate land, build camps, and have the right to supply and repair by boats going to and from Hanzhou.... How about that?"

"We don't even have food and vegetable seeds on board. How do you cultivate the land?" Chang Guangmin asked.

"There are no natives here, but we may be able to find some in the interior of the island." Seeing that Chang Guangmin was a little moved, Zhang Peichang quickly said, "In the next few days, we can carry armed forces and search inland. Look for those natives to rob... borrow some food, vegetable seeds, and some farm tools."

Chang Guangmin laughed, this piece of Peichang may have read some books, but he's still so f*cking bad!Fearing the dangers of the sea, he found a reason to stay on this small island. He didn't have the tools and materials for colonization, so he suggested to ask the natives to "borrow".However, his idea is more reasonable.

Sixty-seventy people cannot make the trip, and they cannot be abandoned here at will. Their own ship and the brigade are separated, and they must not stay here for a long time. They must go to Midway Island or return to Hanxing Island.And this island seems to be in a good location, right in the middle.If it is managed well, it will definitely be a strong support for the eastern immigration route.

However, Hanzhou has never invested more than 400 people in overseas territories at one time, because once there are too many people in the initial stage, the material consumption will be a large amount, and in the early stage of construction, it is basically difficult to support itself, which will increase the difficulty of supply accordingly .If there is a delay in the transportation of ships or is artificially blocked, it is possible to be wiped out.

"Take a few people to sort out the supplies on the ship. I'll organize some immigrants to look around." Chang Guangmin said, "As you said, we Hanzhou has occupied this island!"

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Two Ming men on horseback quickly rushed to the front of Calamba City, and then shouted towards the top of the city: "Open the city gate, there is news from Manila that needs to be reported to Chief He!"

The leader of the first Ming rebel army in Kalamba City immediately ordered people to open the city gate and let the two cavalry come in.

"Are the Spaniards going to fight over?" Several Ming men asked the cavalry at the gate of the city.

"No!" said a cavalryman, "They are all huddled in the city of Manila!"

"Oh, it must be that the Spaniards are afraid of us!" A Ming man said happily: "These barbarians are really bullying! They were so vicious in the past, but now let them know that we Ming people are not easy to bully."

"Keep guarding the city gate, don't let the Spaniards sneak in!" Saying that, the two cavalry rode towards the original Calamba City Hall.

More than a month ago, Cheng Guangyin (pseudonym He Guangqing), the black-clothed guard lurking in Luzon in Hanzhou, organized more than 500 strong Ming men. When the Spaniards came to the reclamation area to collect grain, he suddenly launched an attack and attacked more than [-] Spanish soldiers and natives. The servants launched a night attack, killing dozens of people and capturing the rest.Then, thousands of people gathered together and led a team to attack Calamba City overnight, killing more than a dozen Spanish colonial officials under Neihu high-ranking officials, and then completely occupied the city.

All the Spaniards and native servants were massacred by the angry rebels, and even some Spaniards' houses were set on fire.Considering that the city will be defended in the later stage, as a base, Cheng Guangyin quickly dispatched his henchmen to stop the beatings, smashing and looting in the city.

On the second day, Cheng Guangyin led more than 2000 rebel troops who had been armed in a hurry, set up an ambush on a forest road more than ten miles north of Calamba, and successfully surrounded and annihilated more than 200 soldiers sent by San Pedro City. A large number of muskets and a dozen horses shocked the Spaniards throughout Luzon.

"You mean, the Ming people from the Eighth Company outside Manila are unwilling to cooperate with us?" Cheng Guangyin couldn't help being extremely surprised when he heard the news that the cavalry had brought back from Manila.

"Boss, the Ming people of the Eighth Company think that the Spaniards will not implicate them for no reason because of our uprising." He Tongfu also showed a helpless look on his face, "They said that although there are many Ming people in the Eighth Company, All of them have families, and they managed to accumulate some wealth. If they join forces with us, they are afraid that they will be surrounded and killed by the Western army."

"Don't they know that in the eyes of Westerners, the Ming people in our Calamba settlement and the Ming people in their eighth company are all one?" Cheng Guangyin was a little speechless.

"They said that the Westerners sent people out of the city to promise them that as long as they don't respond to our uprising, the future residence fees, various apportionment fees, and business taxes will be cancelled, and they will no longer force the Ming people to settle outside Manila. "He Tongfu said: "Even, Ming people will be allowed to travel freely in Luzon in the future, no longer restricted."

"Westerners are playing tricks to slow down the troops!" Cheng Guangyin said, "Do those Ming people in the Eighth Company believe it?"

"Although they don't fully believe it, they still have a fluke mentality."

"If we don't take advantage of the weakness of the Westerners, we will annihilate them all. When the reinforcements from the Westerners arrive in the future, with Manila as a foothold, we and the Ming people will be backlashed." Cheng Guangyin said regretfully: "Why are they like this? Taking a chance attitude, you are really confused!"

"Brother He, what should we do at this time?"

"Preparing to capture San Pedro City as an outpost of Calamba." Cheng Guangyin said: "Also, arrange for the people in our settlement area to continue farming rice, corn and other food for long-term needs. ... The Westerners at least once Within a year, it will not be able to threaten us."

"In addition, arrange some fine people to go to the port of Manila to see if there are any ships returning to Daming. We need to let some people know what happened here."

(End of this chapter)