Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 197 Happy Days

Binondo neighborhood in Manila

This place is located in the southeast of the royal city, not far from the royal city. Standing on several nearby streets, you can see the royal city’s towering church spires and the solid gray-brown city walls.

The neighborhood here is one of the better ones in Manila, home to some wealthy Chinese businessmen, indigenous nobles and people of higher status, as well as some white mixed-race descendants. The houses here are generally Spanish-style stone houses with towering roofs and arched doorways, and the streets are paved with flat tiles.

After a short and fierce bloody battle in Manila, the indigenous noble chiefs and white families in the city were basically destroyed, and fixed assets such as houses and shops were taken over by the provisional government.

Only Chinese houses and properties were retained. With the support of the provisional government, wealthy Chinese businessmen could purchase houses and shops of their choice and start businesses, and they only had to pay reasonable taxes.

The introduction of relevant people-friendly policies has aroused great enthusiasm among Chinese businessmen hidden in Manila, and many of them have spent huge sums of money to purchase luxury homes.

Although the luxury houses in the royal city, which were once out of reach, were now expensive, more than a dozen Chinese businessmen spent huge sums of money to purchase a residence of their choice.

Over the past two months
The provisional government introduced a series of preferential policies to treat the Chinese well. The Great Chu Kingdom, which was under preparation, advocated the establishment of a regime with the Han Chinese as its core, promoted ancient Chinese rituals, promoted education, enlightened people and established a regime of equality and freedom.

All of this has greatly excited the indigenous Chinese in Manila and stimulated great entrepreneurial enthusiasm.

Hundreds of businesses emerged like mushrooms after a rain, including shipyards, workshops, vinegar factories, distilleries, shipping companies, carriage shops, bookshops, brick kilns, and lime kilns. All kinds of businesses flourished and soon the market became prosperous again.

Wang Dali, who was on vacation, was obviously fatter than he was more than a month ago. In one hand, he was holding the Eight Treasures Flower Cake wrapped in oil paper from Wu's Pastry Shop, and in the other hand, he was holding half a roast goose wrapped in a lotus leaf. He also had a bottle of wine on his arm and was walking leisurely on the street.

I met an acquaintance on the road, and he greeted me with a smile, saying, "Da Liu, you're on vacation too, do you want to come to my place for a meal?"

"Hehehe...I'll work hard, I'll definitely work hard. By this time next year, I'll definitely be holding a big fat boy. Bro, I have a body like this, so there's absolutely no problem. Taking in two concubines is just a piece of cake."

"Hey... isn't this Sixth Brother? Where are you going?"

"Okay...see you later. I won't be joining the ship until next month. I'll be on vacation for the next month and a half."

In this Binnodo district, a small half of the residents belong to the Great Chu Navy, mainly junior officers such as captains, lieutenants, second lieutenants, and sergeants, as well as sailors like Wang Dali who have made outstanding contributions and received grace and rewards from the King of Chu.

In previous battles

There were quite a few officers and soldiers who had made outstanding contributions. Both the Army Ministry and the Navy Ministry submitted their names to the list and gave them generous rewards.

These grassroots officers and soldiers should not have any extravagant hopes for those lofty noble titles. The most practical thing is to get tangible benefits.

Wang Dali served as the former chief gunner of the ironclad ship Zhennan. He operated the 15-inch Dahlgren cannon and killed the flagship of the Spanish Royal Navy with one shot (note: this person was bragging about it, but in fact it was a brilliant achievement of the joint efforts of more than a dozen large-caliber naval guns on the ship), and made outstanding contributions.

In the subsequent bombardment of Fort Santiago, Intramuros Manila and many other battles, they also performed well.

Wang Dali's achievements were outstanding among ordinary naval gunners, and he was therefore rewarded handsomely.

His accumulated merits can be exchanged for a three-story house in Binondo Street, three indigenous women or one white woman, and he has the right of first choice.

If you move to a worse neighborhood, you can exchange it for an exclusive house covering an area of ​​about one and a half acres, surrounded by a wall, with four main rooms, two side rooms on each side, as well as stables, servants' rooms, gatehouse and other facilities.

If you do not want the above rewards, you can also exchange them for 65 acres of land in the towns outside Manila. These are all very valuable meritorious lands. You only need to pay % tax and enjoy preferential taxation for life.

Meritorious fields can be passed down to future generations, but after the death of a meritorious soldier, inheritance tax must be paid according to the number of acres of land, and these fields must be converted into ordinary civilian land, which will no longer enjoy the preferential tax treatment for meritorious fields.

Ordinary private land can be transferred, mortgaged, leased, and inherited, and is one of the important properties.

In the Kingdom of Great Chu, no matter the royal family, future nobles or aristocratic families, any of them do not enjoy special tax exemption treatment. All citizens must pay taxes regardless of the amount of land they own, and all are treated equally.

This was an ironclad rule established at the beginning of the founding of the country. Nobles and gentry paid taxes together and implemented the "One Whip Tax" system. Apart from paying grain taxes, there were no other minor taxes.

If you do not want these rewards and only want the gold and silver, you can get a reward of 835 taels of silver, settled in one lump sum.

Meritorious soldiers can choose one of three rewards, but if they choose the meritorious fields, they must retire and take off their military uniforms, which Wang Dali is really reluctant to do.

Otherwise, the fields would be left unattended and taxes would still have to be paid, which would become a heavy burden.

Wang Dali was promoted to the second-class sergeant for his merits, and his monthly fixed salary increased from one tael and five cents to three taels and two cents. According to the currency system implemented by the Great Chu, it was three silver dollars plus 200 copper coins.

Throughout the year, including sailing subsidies, combat subsidies and subsidies for outstanding service, the income was close to 50 silver dollars.

Such a high income can support a wife and a concubine in a relatively comfortable life, and there is no pressure to have three or four children.

Moreover, the soldiers of the Great Chu State were well paid and had high social status. Most of Wang Dali's comrades who retired due to injuries were assigned to county towns to at least serve as village chiefs, or as township sheriffs, tax collectors, and the like, and could earn 20 to 30 silver dollars a year.

Marry a wife, keep a concubine, farm, raise cattle and pigs, and your life will be very comfortable.

Wang Dali couldn’t even imagine such a beautiful day a year ago.

At this moment, he was full of gratitude to His Majesty the King of Chu. He thought that his health was still good, and if he could be promoted further in the army in the future, his income would be even higher.

Naturally, he was reluctant to take off his uniform, so he didn't choose the option of being granted land for his meritorious service. The Great Chu Kingdom's naval base was located in Manila, and many naval officers also settled their families there. The rewards they chose were mostly houses within the city, including Lieutenant Charlie.

Wang Dali accepted the advice and chose to settle down in the Binondo neighborhood. Now he is glad that his choice was right.

His two-story house faces the street, only forty or fifty meters away from the intersection, making it a good place to do business.

Not long after it was acquired, it was spotted by a merchant dealing in rice, flour, grain and oil, who signed a long-term lease for several years with a monthly rent of 2.5 yuan.

That is two silver dollars plus 500 copper coins, 30 silver dollars a year. He was so happy that he was smiling all day long.

"Second Master, you're back. Come into the store and have some tea and a rest."

"Oh, no, no, you're busy now. Come up and have a couple of drinks when you have time."

"Thank you very much, but I'm busy with my little business. Enjoy yourself, I'll treat you another day."

"Okay then, another day."

Wang Dali greeted the owner of the grain and oil store that rented the storefront familiarly, and then went in through the side alley where there was a small side door.

After opening the door and going in, there was a small courtyard with a row of narrow temporary warehouses built for the grain and oil store to store goods. This was something that had been agreed upon long ago.

There was only a little more than one person's width left, but Wang Dali didn't care and went up the stairs to the second floor.

Looking back
After suffering from war and disaster on the mainland, the family embarked on a journey of seeking survival with the refugees. They ate grass roots, dug tree bark, encountered many starving people who fell down and died while walking, and witnessed the darkness and extremely tragic scenes of the world.

At that time, we were poorly clothed and hungry. What kind of hardship had we not experienced?
Compared to that time, now we are living in a honey pot!

When I pushed the door open, I saw a plump white woman in the house, about thirty-four or thirty-five years old. She was the woman chosen by Wang Dali.

Maybe it’s a childhood memory, Wang Dali has liked mature women since he was a child.

This white woman has a nice butt and nice breasts, and she is also very good in bed, making Wang Dali feel like he has found a treasure.

he does not know
The white woman in the house is the former governor's wife, Sevilla. When she first came back, she was not very obedient and looked arrogant.

I can't do this, and I can't do that either.

Wang Dali didn't waste any time talking to her and just beat her up. She was so beaten that she cried for her parents. He beat her every three days and every day. In the end, all her problems disappeared.

The two of them didn't speak the same language, but after living together for more than a month, they basically understood each other's meaning just by making gestures.

Seeing Wang Dali coming back with a sumptuous meal of wine, food and pastries, Sevilla hurriedly came up to him with a smile on her face, took the food in his hand, poured him a glass of water and handed it to him.

Wang Dali sat at the table and pointed at his legs. The woman then came over gently and massaged his legs lightly.

After drinking a few sips of water, Wang Dali looked down and saw Sevilla kneeling beside his legs, leaning forward slightly. Looking through her collar, he could see the deep and dizzying ravines.

Reaching out and pinching it roughly a few times, Sevilla couldn't help but frown in pain, but didn't dare show it.

Otherwise, there will be another ruthless beating.

When she thinks back now, the present days seem like a nightmare.

Sevilla has been pampered since childhood and has been able to move freely in the aristocratic circle. Wherever she goes, she is the focus of attention. Those attentive gentlemen take good care of her and are proud to have a chance to have sex with her.

Baron Baeno Mendes, former captain and commander of the Luzon Fleet of the Spanish Royal Navy, was once a devoted lover of Sevilla, but unfortunately he had already met God.

And her husband, the governor, all the men who had appeared in her life now appeared in her mind like slide pictures, making Sevilla feel ashamed and angry.

She is now a princess in distress who has been cast down to earth and is being abused by barbarians.

"Hmm..." Sevilla couldn't help but cry out in pain, but her voice was mixed with endless temptation.

Wang Dali reacted immediately and pointed at the door, his meaning was self-evident.

Sevilla could only stand up, close the door tightly, and then walk towards the bed in the inner room with fear.

This strong man full of energy was always tossing and turning on her day and night, speaking in an oriental language that was difficult to understand, but Sevilla could probably understand what he meant.

It's just that you, a white woman, are worth three native girls. Many brothers laugh at you for not knowing the value of something, but I can't let you suffer any loss no matter what.

I have to get it back, and you have to give me a lot of sons, daughters are not allowed.

As soon as she entered the inner room, she heard the humming and smacking sounds of an old bear digging up corn, and then a violent storm came, which lasted for a long time...

(End of this chapter)