Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 659 Manila businessman (three more)

Since the Song Dynasty, Luzon Island has been the target of frequent trade by Song Dynasty merchants. They obtained a large amount of cane sugar and some special products from here and shipped them back to Lingnan and Fujian. Over time, some merchants stayed in Luzon Island and other places to live.

Later, after the arrival of the Spaniards, they occupied the islands including Luzon Island, and ruled and taxed the residents here.At present, there are more than 2 Chinese businessmen in Luzon Island, and they even have a greater influence than the colonists.

In a mud house in Manila, more than a dozen Chinese businessmen gathered quietly.Among them, there are five 60-year-old old men, and three 40-year-olds in their prime, but without exception, they are all the most influential businessmen in the local city of Manila.

One of them, an old man in his 60s, leaned on a cane and said, "Recently, the red hair has increased our business tax. For every penny we earn, we have to pay [-]% tax, and the remaining [-]% we have to use for repairs." Ships, pay clerks’ wages, bribe customs officials to pass through, not only did not make money, but also lost money, and the business became more and more impossible to do.”

Another middle-aged businessman in his 30s said: "Isn't it true that the red-haired man has a low heart, and has always exploited our group of businessmen without caring about our feelings. He is just a hen that lays eggs. It’s all about eating and drinking well and not being treated badly.”

"And they are getting more and more excessive. A few days ago, there was an incident of forcibly abducting a civilian girl. We heard about it at the time and went to the governor's mansion together to ask for someone. In the end, the man was about to come back, but the yellow flower girl was also arrested by the governor's mansion." The beast was ruined. Yesterday, the beast sent someone to send over five taels of silver, five taels of silver."

"Did you take it in the end?"

"Five taels of silver still charged? Pooh, they thought they were the emperor's father, and they ruined our daughter at will. The family that was ruined at that time threw five taels of silver on everyone's face, telling them to get out!"

"Get out! The red hair is in power, the people are in dire straits, and thanks to the unity of our Huaxia businessmen, if it is a native of Luzon Island, I am afraid that all the kidnapped women will not come back!"

"We've had enough of the red-haired rule, why don't we rise up, take Manila down, re-establish order, and let the red-haired get out of Luzon!"

"Good, good!"

Another businessman talked about the bestiality of the local colonists, which aroused discussions among other businessmen.

The old businessman on crutches beat the ground with his cane to calm everyone down, and then he slowly said: "30 years ago, when I was young, the situation of our Chinese businessmen here was even worse than it is now. They beat us up and enslaved us, so a large-scale uprising broke out. Later, the uprising was suppressed, and more than 2 Chinese and indigenous people who participated in the uprising were killed or injured, and the corpses piled up like mountains. Such tragedies are still vivid in my mind. , otherwise we must not act recklessly, or we will only sacrifice many lives in vain."

"But Mr. Lin, the red hair is too bullying. Shall we continue to swallow our anger and let them do whatever they want?!" A young businessman almost growled.

"Everyone, do you still remember? In our Central Plains, the emerging Kyushu Army has recovered Yizhou, Guangdong and other places occupied by the red-haired people. Maybe they will come to Luzon Island to drive away the red-haired people soon. And they They have also secretly transported two hundred muskets and the corresponding paper-wrapped gunpowder to us by hiding the muskets in the merchant ship. With these two hundred muskets, we may not be able to form a broadsword team through our own Drive away the red-haired man ahead of time!" said a middle-aged businessman.

He mentioned the [-] muskets smuggled to them by the Kyushu Army. The Chinese businessmen in the house became nervous, and some people looked out the paper window for fear of being discovered by the colonial soldiers.

"That's right! We have muskets smuggled over by the Kyushu Army. It seems to be called a Dreiser rifle. It's ten times more advanced than the muskets used by the red-haired men. Don't the red-haired men rely on their firearms? We have No less than their firearms, they should be able to defeat them easily, right?"

"I support the formation of an army to revolt against the rule of the red-haired people. It is best to unite the aborigines of Luzon to fight side by side with us and drive away the enemy together."

Because of the proposal of the middle-aged businessman and the anger of the crowd, most people were extremely dissatisfied with the Spanish colonists and wanted to use the muskets supported by the Kyushu Army to form an army uprising.

However, some businessmen among them hesitated: "The Kyushu Army said that the muskets smuggled to us were for our internal and external use when they came to Manila. "

"What are you afraid of! The red-haired people are barbaric and immoral. If you keep them in Luzon Island for one more day, Luzon Island will not be safe for a day. Why don't we capture Manila City in advance before the Kyushu Army arrives, and then dedicate it to the Kyushu Army. When the time comes Maybe the Kyushu Army will give us rewards." Said the middle-aged businessman who advocated the uprising as soon as possible.

"You are messing around!" The old businessman with a stick objected, "Even the Kyushu Army secretly sent us muskets to cooperate with each other, which shows that the Kyushu Army is not fully sure that it can capture Manila with very small casualties, and you and Just like the old man, they are just a group of businessmen, and they have no experience in marching and fighting. It is true that fighting is like a child playing with mud! I am afraid that you will not remember the scene of blood flowing into rivers when you were young!"

"Old Chen, although we are not generals with thousands of households, how can anyone be born able to walk? I believe that we are united as one, and the people have suffered from the tyranny of the red-haired people for a long time. As long as we wave our hands, we will naturally respond to everyone. In the battle with the red hair, you will naturally learn how to lead troops to fight."

The middle-aged businessman was unconvinced, and he said: "And the red-haired governor of Manila went to sea a few days ago. I asked someone to bribe the servants in the governor's mansion. I learned that he was going to Batavia, and he seemed to be talking to the red-haired governor over there." People are discussing something. That is to say, the red-haired crowd has no leader. If we rise up, they will be at a loss. Everyone, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drive away the red-haired people in Manila through our own power. Do you want Do you want to let go of this opportunity? If you want to raise troops immediately and are not afraid of death, just follow me, and we will unite with the natives to overthrow the red-haired Governor's Mansion!"

The Chinese businessman in the room was silent for a while, and then thought of the oppression of the colonists and the grievances they had suffered, and couldn't help but gritted their teeth and said, "Okay, we'll do it with you!"

(End of this chapter)