Di Ming

Chapter 148 Manila!
Zhu Yin ordered the execution of all prisoners, which further boosted the morale of the entire army.

Originally, the soldiers were resistant to accepting the surrender.

They were almost all from coastal and island communities, and they knew all too well the brutality and cunning of the foreign sailors, who were no different from Japanese pirates.

Even though the casualties from the previous battles were negligible, they did not want to take prisoners.

It wasn't until Zhu Yin took action against the prisoners that they realized it was a fake surrender.

Of course, Zhu Yin had obtained information about Manila before killing the prisoners.

Today, Luzon has at most a thousand Western soldiers left, and the main force of the fleet consists of three large galleons.

In addition, there were more than 5,000 native servants and 300-400 Japanese mercenaries.

Only a few hundred auxiliary troops were stationed in Manila; the vast majority were stationed elsewhere in Luzon, far from Manila.

After all, Spain's colony was Luzon, not just Manila. To control Luzon, the colonists couldn't just station troops in Manila.

This meant that the total number of troops stationed in Manila, including foreign soldiers, native soldiers, and Japanese mercenaries, was at most 1,700 to 1,800.

If more than a thousand enemy troops are mobilized to move north, Manila (the Spanish capital) will be left with only a few hundred troops.

In addition, there were more than two thousand Western women and children in Manila, who were the families of the colonists.

There are tens of thousands of Chinese in Manila, including businessmen and immigrants, as well as slaves who were trafficked or captured.

In addition to this information, we also obtained topographical maps and defense maps of Manila.

Manila City was not yet completed and was not yet an impregnable fortress.

The advantage is mine!

……

Ning Qingchen didn't sleep well last night, and it was already afternoon when she woke up.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes, and with unsteady little legs, she walked out of the cabin.

Ning Caiwei, with her hair in a ponytail, was practicing Qi Jiguang's "Xinyou Knife Technique" with Ding Hongying on the deck.

The Xinyou Sword Technique is a sword technique created by Qi Jiguang by combining the swordsmanship of Japanese swordsmen with the strengths of both Chinese and Japanese styles. It is both offensive and defensive, combining strength and flexibility, and is highly practical in combat.

Zhu Yin, Ning Caiwei, and others are now practicing this sword technique.

Ding Hongying had a talent for swordsmanship. She started learning the "Xinyou Sword Technique" at the age of five, which enabled her to be "unbeatable by ten men with one sword in hand".

Ning Caiwei didn't have Ding Hongying's talent for swordsmanship, but she had the advantage of being a transmigrator. In addition, she was good at summarizing and had a serious attitude, so she learned and progressed quickly.

Although she is only eleven years old, she already has the air of a female knight-errant.

Seeing her younger sister swaying over, Ning Caiwei nodded to Ding Hongying, "Hongying, you go back to shore and get busy, I'm not practicing anymore."

After Ding Hongying disembarked from the deck, Ning Caiwei returned to the cabin, wiped the sweat from her brow, and smiled at her sister, saying, "Did you get a good nap?"

Ning Qingchen tilted her head, "Where's the little tiger?"

Ning Caiwei sheathed her sword, pointed to the shore, and said, "He's arranging for craftsmen and laborers, trying to win people's hearts."

"I want to get ashore too." Ning Qingchen stretched out her little arms. "Carry me off the boat."

"Why go ashore?" Ning Caiwei shook her head. "There are too many people on the shore. Just stay on the boat."

"I want to go ashore!" Ning Qingchen said in a childish voice. "I want to ask the prisoners if they know about cinchona trees and if they brought cinchona trees to Southeast Asia."

Ning Caiwei was taken aback. "Oh. You don't need to ask anymore. We've already asked for you. They don't know. They probably haven't been taken to Southeast Asia yet."

"Really?" Ning Qingchen was a little skeptical.

Ning Caiwei nodded seriously, "Of course it's true. Why would I lie to you? We captured hundreds of people, and not one of them mentioned that there are cinchona trees in Southeast Asia. They were even curious why we asked this question."

Ning Qingchen no longer doubted it, and a look of disappointment appeared on her soft, cute face. She looked both adorable and pitiful.

“Ah. I still want to go to Luzon myself and see, just in case.” Ning Qingchen said unwillingly, “Cinchona bark is a very important medicine that can save many patients.”

Ning Caiwei patted Ning Qingchen's head a little guiltily, "We will definitely find the cinchona tree. Dr. Ning, believe me."

Ning Qingchen nodded, then suddenly asked, "What should we do with the prisoners?"

"What should we do with them?" Ning Caiwei was taken aback. "What do you mean, what should we do with them? Of course, we should disarm them and send them home. Otherwise, why should we keep them?"

"Ugh!" Ning Qingchen exclaimed angrily, "Why did you let them go home? They are colonists and pirates with a long list of crimes; they should be executed!"

"These colonial robbers committed horrific crimes against humanity in the Americas, Africa, and Asia. They were just as brutal as Japanese imperialism!"

"Moreover, they spread syphilis all over the world. Syphilis and other viruses in China were introduced by them, causing countless deaths in later generations!"

Why don't you sentence them to death after the trial?

"Do you think they'll change their ways if you let them go? They'll only retaliate more viciously!"

"Where's the little tiger? He's a silly tiger!"

Ning Caiwei blinked, and after confirming that her sister wasn't bluffing, she said with some surprise:

"Huh? Aren't you supposed to be very kind? Aren't you supposed to be a little saint? That's strange."

Ning Qingchen clenched her small, pink fists, her face filled with disdain:
"You self-righteous woman, how foolish you are! It is precisely because I am merciful that I must advocate for the severe punishment of criminal groups that harm humanity!"

"Precisely because I am the little saint you mock, I am even more eager to judge the wicked!"

"To sympathize with brutal colonial robbers is to harm justice and disregard kindness. How can one be a true saint?"

Ning Qingchen looked up at her sister with an air of superiority.

"Huh?" Ning Caiwei realized that she didn't really understand her younger sister.

She prejudicedly believed that her sister, with her personality, would oppose the killing of captured colonists.

But quite the opposite happened.

“Sigh…” Ning Qingchen shook her little head, “You are condoning colonial robbers! They will continue their colonial crimes after they go back!”

"It's too late to get them back now. I hope their ship sinks into the sea and they are punished by Mazu."

Ning Caiwei suddenly smiled.

“No need.” Her smile was a little sly. “They’re already dead. Little Tiger ordered them shot, and their bodies were thrown into the sea.”

"Huh?" Ning Qingchen opened her small mouth.

Her jewel-like eyes stared blankly at her sister's face, then turned angry.

"Ning Caiwei, why did you lie to me just now?"

"You don't trust me! You're treating me like a child!"

"You don't respect me! You didn't have an equal dialogue with me!"

"Ning Caiwei, you lied to me about something so important! You're belittling me! You're insulting me!"

She clenched her fists and yelled, her delicate, pretty face puffed up with anger.

Cute yet fierce.

"Damn it!" Ning Caiwei grabbed her and smacked her bottom. "I don't respect you! I belittle you! I don't trust you! You're just a child!"

"You've gone too far! Can't you tell the difference between the king and the prince? How dare you address me by my first name!"

"You're abusing me!" Ning Qingchen's eyes immediately welled up with tears, and she cried out in a childish voice, "Little Tiger!!"

.........

Zhu Yin was on the shore; how could he hear his sister-in-law calling out?

At this time, the more than three thousand slaves, artisans, and camp girls who had previously been controlled by the colonists were all gathered together.

A large, dark mass of people sat anxiously on the beach, unsure of their fate.

Seeing the foreign barbarians who had previously humiliated and oppressed them slaughtered, they felt an indescribable pleasure and developed a great liking for these orderly and well-trained "pirates."

They had no idea how the pirates would treat them.

In order to win over the hearts of the people, Qi Jiguang still had Zhu Yin come forward.

Zhu Yin, wearing a small mask, walked up to the crowd and slowly scanned them with his gaze.

He saw that the vast majority of people were dressed in rags, looked like swans and doves, were filthy, and had tangled hair.

However, it's clear that they were almost all young and middle-aged men. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been brought to Ithaca by the colonists to be used as laborers.

The two hundred-plus women were foreigners' concubines, and the foreigners needed their beauty, so they dressed them like human beings.

Zhu Yin held a roster in his hand, which indicated that there were more than 3,400 slaves on Itte Island.

Among them were more than three hundred skilled craftsmen, including shipwrights, blacksmiths, carpenters, leatherworkers, boiler operators, and doctors.

Then there were more than two hundred female slaves.

The remaining 2,800-plus people were all laborers.

Everyone was somewhat taken aback when they saw the pirates surrounding a masked child.

Who is this child? Could he be the son of the Pirate King?
Amidst the curious and apprehensive gazes of the crowd, Zhu Yin stood on a rock and loudly proclaimed:

"The foreign barbarians are dead, and you are free. I have led my army here today because I know you have suffered on the island."

"We are all Han Chinese, descendants of the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor. If I don't save you from your suffering, I would be unrighteous and immoral!"

Everyone was stunned when they heard his words.

Is this something a child would say? But the voice definitely sounds like a child's. Could it be something an adult taught them?

But Zhu Yin continued, "As the saying goes, 'To save a person is to help them to the end, and to send the Buddha to the Western Paradise.'"

“But we are pirates, we occupy the island and rule it as our own, we are not the imperial court, we are not the government, and we cannot send you back to your hometown and resettle you.”

"Those who are willing to come with us, our army can take you. Once we get to the island, you can farm, cultivate, and reclaim wasteland as you please. You only need to hand over 10% of your harvest; the rest will be free! You can also join the army and eat the food of pirates!"

“Craftsmen with skills can find a place to use their talents on the island; they can make a living either way.”

"Once a woman arrives on the island, she can marry freely, weave and spin yarn, and be a good wife and mother!"

“Our island may not be a paradise or a land of perfect happiness, but we can live like human beings. When the time comes, you will be one of us, sharing the same boat and making a living together.”

Hearing Zhu Yin's words, everyone looked on with a mixture of disbelief and doubt, exchanging bewildered glances.

Is this for real? Is there really such a good thing?

Zhu Yin paused for a moment, allowing everyone to process his words, before continuing:

"Of course, those who don't want to go can stay on Itte Island. For those who do want to go, I'll give you a way out and help you out."

"We can't take care of those who don't go. Whether they can escape the clutches of the foreigners and return to their hometowns to settle down depends on their luck."

“We are pirates. Even if we were willing to send you back to the mainland, the government would not dare to let us land and would send troops to kill us. You would probably not be able to live in peace even if you went back.”

Zhu Yin's words were very clear: If you're willing to follow me, you're mine, and I'll take care of you.

If you don't want to come with me, then there's nothing I can do to help you. I've already saved you, and I can't very well send you back to your hometown. You'd better pray for yourselves.

At this point, Zhu Yin said to Zhang Cha, "Brother Zhang, let them eat their fill first, and then decide whether they stay or leave."

"Whether to stay or leave is entirely up to you. Tell the brothers to be kind to them; they are all Han compatriots, blood is thicker than water, and even we thieves have our code of honor."

Zhang Cha said, "Young lord, rest assured, it's all voluntary. If you're willing to come with us, we'll give you another hand. If you don't want to leave, we won't force you."

He immediately ordered food to be prepared so that the more than three thousand freed slaves could have their fill. Hearing this, everyone was deeply moved.

Unexpectedly, it was the pirates who saved them and treated them so kindly!

This little pirate king must be a good person.

After saying these words, Zhu Yin waved to everyone and then left the scene with a flourish.

Looking at his youthful back, everyone felt an inexplicable sense of peace.

...

Inside the makeshift military tent, Qi Jiguang, Ding Huogen, and others were arranging the boats.

With an additional 3,000 people and so many supplies, we need many ships.

Fortunately, we captured a lot of ships. That's barely enough, but we need to allocate them properly.

Qi Jiguang decided to use all the foreign warships as his own. The freed-up warships would be used as transport ships.

Then, the team split in two.

Five hundred Daishan soldiers were dispatched to escort the transport fleet, which headed north under cover of night to temporarily take refuge in the Lion Ear Cape bay of Orchid Island.

The bay at Lion Ear Point is excellent for concealment. Transport fleets can hide there, making them difficult for other ships to spot.

The remaining two thousand Daishan soldiers, with the captured Santiago as their core, formed the main force heading south. They dispersed and headed south under cover of night, and reunited at Gammy Island as planned.

After all the ships were deployed, Zhang Jia entered the military tent.

"General, Commander, the vast majority of people are willing to follow us. Only a little over three hundred people are unwilling to leave."

Zhu Yin asked, "Why are those three hundred-plus people unwilling to leave?"

Zhang Jia replied, "Perhaps they hate pirates and don't trust us. What should we do? Should we forcibly take them away?"

Zhu Yin shook his head and sneered: "These are people who don't know what's good for them. If it's going to rain, it'll rain; if a mother wants to remarry, she'll remarry. Let them be."

Qi Jiguang said, "Leaving them 300 shi of grain and some other necessities to sustain their lives is the most benevolent thing we can do."

Zhu Yin said, "Yes, it is my godfather who is very thoughtful."

Zhang Cha immediately went to do it.

Who knew that Zhang Jia went away for a while and then returned to report:

"As the commander-in-chief instructed, I left them three hundred bushels of grain and some supplies. They were actually quite ashamed and said that they had overthought things and that we were truly benevolent and righteous. They hoped to come with us."

Zhu Yin was not surprised to hear this, and smiled:
“Father is truly benevolent beyond measure; a little food has dispelled their concerns. Since they still know right from wrong, let’s give them a chance to choose again and take them with us.”

After discussing for a while, Zhu Yin returned to the ship.

Upon entering his cabin, he saw Ning Qingchen sitting pitifully and aggrievedly on the couch, her face still wet with tears, her head bowed, her whole body filled with resentment.

Ning Caiwei sat in the chair, speaking with a wry smile on her face.

"So you're starting to cry and throw a tantrum? Sigh, how could I possibly have the heart to hit you? You can't even kill a mosquito..."

"But isn't it impolite to call your older sister by her first name? An older sister is like a mother, right?"

Ning Qingchen turned her little face to the side, looking at Xiao Hei next to her, ignoring her sister.

"What's wrong?" Zhu Yin closed the cabin door, squatted down in front of Ning Qingchen, and asked knowingly, "Dr. Ning, who bullied you?"

Ning Caiwei immediately rolled her eyes.

"She! The big devil!" Ning Qingchen pointed at Ning Caiwei, her lips pursed. "She hit me! She's abusive!"

After saying that, she hugged Zhu Yin, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Little Tiger, she's the one who bullied me, bullied me because I'm just a baby duck..."

Zhu Yin sighed dramatically, wiped away her tears, and turned to Ning Caiwei, saying:

“Caiwei, this is where you went wrong. Although Qingchen has the mind of an adult, she is still in the body of an infant, and her emotions are very fragile.”

"How can you expect her to behave like an adult?"

Ning Caiwei smiled resignedly, touching her forehead. "You're right, I was wrong. I always thought she wasn't a real baby, so I wanted to discipline her."

Zhu Yin patted Ning Qingchen on the back, "Look how wronged she looks, she's really pitiful."

Ning Caiwei could only play along, saying, "Little sister, I was wrong. Come here, let me give you a hug, and let's make up, okay?"

Ning Qingchen gave a soft snort, ignoring him completely, and said to Zhu Yin:

"Little tiger, I want to get off the boat and wander around to clear my head. Can you take me down?"

Zhu Yin smiled, revealing his not-yet-fully-grown teeth, "Alright, let's go!"

After saying that, he winked at Ning Caiwei, then carried Ning Qingchen out.

Little Black wagged its tail and followed.

Ning Caiwei watched Zhu Yin's retreating figure and muttered to herself:

"I'm speechless. Little Tiger, you're just spoiling her. You'll have plenty of headaches to deal with when she grows up!"

.........

That evening, the fleet split into two and set sail under the cover of darkness.

It was the eleventh day of the twelfth lunar month, late at night.

The southward-bound fleet reunited at Camiguin Island, east of the Babuyan Islands.

Meanwhile, several small reconnaissance boats also headed west towards the Babuyan Islands.

That place was the only route the main Spanish fleet had to take on its northward journey.

Unless the Spanish governor refuses to send troops to rescue the prisoners, they will definitely head north.

Zhu Yin and his group only waited five days on Gami Silver Island, on the sixteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, before the reconnaissance ship returned from the west of the archipelago.

They brought back good news: the main force of the Spanish fleet in Manila has headed north!
This morning, we passed by Khao Kawayan Island.

Upon hearing this, Qi Jiguang and the others immediately cheered.

As expected, the enemy received the message and headed north to provide assistance.

Saving lives is as urgent as putting out a fire.

From the moment the messenger "escaped" Itaewon Island to the enemy's northward advance from Manila, only seven days had passed!
According to intelligence from the reconnaissance ship, the enemy has three large warships and eight medium and small warships.

There are so many ships, probably more than a thousand people.

They are definitely the main enemy force in Manila.

"Proceed according to plan!" Qi Jiguang ordered, pointing to the map provided by Zhu Yin. "Zhihu, you and Liyang will lead 1,500 men to Manila. I will only take 500 men and land here!"

The place he was pointing to was somewhere on the east coast of Luzon, the closest piece of eastern land to Manila.

"On the eighteenth of the twelfth lunar month, let's work together, one by sea and one by land!"

.........

Zhu Yin led 1,500 men through the Papua Islands, his heart filled with complex emotions.

Because this archipelago should rightfully belong to China.

At this point, the main fleet of Manila had already headed north, and Zhu Yin stopped pretending.

They sailed south in a blatant and unreserved manner. Merchant ships nearby gave way upon seeing the fleet.

Two days later, on the morning of the 18th day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhu Yin finally saw Manila Bay.

With more and more ships passing by, the news could no longer be kept secret.

Taking advantage of the absence of the main Spanish fleet, Zhu Yin directly entered Manila Bay.

Between the Pasig River and Manila Bay stands a magnificent stone-walled city.

Manila City!

Manila City, also known as the Spanish Inland City, is the capital of the Spanish East Indies.

More than a decade ago, after Spain occupied Manila, it conscripted tens of thousands of indigenous laborers to build the city.

Because of the sheer scale of the project, it is only half completed at this point.

Zhu Yin knew that the magnificent Spanish royal city was not fully completed until around 1600.

Therefore, the city of Manila he faced was not impregnable.

The city was indeed sparsely defended. Looking at the bay port alone, there were no large warships left, only a few small warships.

Zhu Yin's fleet did not cause any panic among the enemy upon its appearance.

Because Zhu Yin's fleet included many Spanish warships, from a distance, it looked like a Spanish fleet.

It wasn't until the fleet reached the mouth of the Passi River that the city's defenders suddenly realized that the newcomers were not their own!

It's the enemy!
Instantly, the sharp sound of police sirens rang throughout Manila. A terrifying atmosphere instantly enveloped the city.

Many people saw a formidable fleet suddenly appear in the port.

There were as many as thirty warships!
Many white women even screamed.

The men cursed, and among them were the shouts of "Baka!" from Japanese mercenaries.

The white nobles in the city never expected that a powerful enemy fleet would arrive just when the city's defenses were weak!

At this time, there were only a few hundred soldiers in the city.

Merciful Lord!

Ten years have passed since the great pirate Lin Feng attacked Manila, and Manila is once again facing a huge threat from pirates!

...

On the Daishan, Zhu Yin looked at the half-finished Manila city with a gloomy expression.

Manila today openly practices a colonial code of racial oppression.

He knew very well that only white people had the right to settle in the city.

The law also stipulated that only white men could marry Indigenous women or Han Chinese women. White women were prohibited from marrying Indigenous men or Han Chinese men.

Han Chinese women and indigenous women who married white men were considered naturalized whites and could live in the city with their husbands.

Furthermore, white people did not pay taxes. Indigenous people paid one tax, and people of mixed Han and Indigenous descent paid double. Pure-blooded Han people paid four times the tax!
Their intentions were extremely sinister and malicious.

Just fifteen years later, a massacre of Chinese people occurred in this city.

More than 25,000 Chinese were massacred.

But today, he came.

Zhu Yin looked at the terrified "Spanish Royal City," a cold smile appearing on his small face, his gaze slowly turning leaden gray...

P.S.: Manila wasn't fully completed yet, making it a good opportunity to attack. For those who can post images, please post pictures of Luzon. Thank you, goodnight! Requesting monthly votes tomorrow; we'll be competing for rankings at the beginning of the month.

(End of this chapter)