The Wind Rises in 1898: Becoming a Warlord Starting in Southeast Asia

Chapter 126 Autonomy Agreement

Nonsense!

This guy just wanted to use the Free Army to cause trouble for the American forces so that Germany could take advantage of the chaos in the Far East and reap some benefits.

Compared to that old Japanese devil Aoki Nobuyuki, at least he was more straightforward in his dealings and was willing to provide loans in real money.

The Germans, on the other hand, went around in circles, offering nothing but empty promises and lacking any real sincerity.

However, this also shows that Germany's power in the Far East was far less than Japan's, and it could only rely on instigation and leveraging Japan's strength.

Chen Feng chuckled inwardly, but his face remained calm as he gently shook his head: "I wholeheartedly support normal business cooperation. But as for other political conditions, the time is not yet ripe. The Chinese Free Army will never be a pawn dependent on others."

Kruger's main purpose for this trip was to test the position and inclination of the Chinese Free Army. Now, after a series of exchanges, he has a pretty good grasp of Chen Feng's bottom line.

This person is shrewd and pragmatic, never easily taking sides, but is by no means a vassal of the US military, and only considers practical interests in everything.

Having achieved his goal, he naturally wouldn't press the matter further. Kruger immediately laughed heartily, stood up, and straightened his suit cuffs: "Alright! Chen is indeed a reliable person. We'll have many more opportunities to cooperate; there's no rush."

He extended his hand, his tone more sincere than before: "I'm entrusting the matter of the cargo transfer to you. If you need supplies, please prepare a detailed list and give it to me as soon as possible."

I'll arrange for someone to transport you to Singapore first; you'll need to find your own way to smuggle you back later. The US military is cracking down hard, and our merchant ships dare not approach the waters near Luzon; you'll have to bear the risk yourself.

"no problem!"

Chen Feng reached out and shook hands with him, but he had already made a mental note of this: the Germans are indeed stingy, they are not even willing to share the transportation risks. In the future, when we cooperate, we must push the price down to the lowest possible level!

After seeing Kruger off, Chen Feng immediately summoned Qin Yuzhou and instructed him, "Go find Wu Yangzeng and Chen Ronggui right away and have them list out the most urgent needs. Whether it's the high-precision lathe needed to build a gasoline engine or the corresponding parts, let's build a prototype according to the blueprints first, and then figure out how to overcome the material difficulties."

"Yes, General!" Qin Yuzhou responded and left.

Time flies, and it's already August 12th.

Connor appeared at the camp and, upon entering the reception room, slammed a thick English agreement onto the table: "Chen, this is the final version approved by Washington. Take a close look."

The autonomous area of ​​the Chinese Free Army is limited to Guiyantan, Malolos, and the surrounding areas, with a total area of ​​approximately 500 square kilometers. Its boundaries are based on US military mapping. It is strictly prohibited from expanding outwards in any form, nor from interfering in the affairs of other areas.

Chen Feng picked up the agreement, glanced at the first clause, and sneered inwardly.

Malolos is currently only 67 square kilometers, but the US military deliberately designated a larger area, seemingly as a concession, but in reality, they want to use this area, which is close to Hong Kong, as a pretext.

To think that half of Hong Kong's area is a cage is to trap oneself; that's a gross underestimation of one's own abilities.

"Article Two,"

Connor continued, his voice unusually firm: "The maximum strength of the Chinese Free Army is 5000 men, and its organization and weapons list must be reported to the future Governor General's Office in the Philippines. Warships are absolutely prohibited from being built, and the procurement of heavy artillery must also be approved by us."

Chen Feng's gaze lingered on the words "5000 people," and he secretly pondered: This problem is easy to solve; just recruit militia.

If we don't build warships, we'll build coast guard vessels and armed gunboats. Anyway, the agreement doesn't restrict tonnage or firepower!

Regarding immigration and trade,

Connor turned to the third clause, a forgiving smile appearing on his face. "After our country signs a peace treaty with Spain, you cannot recruit more than 5 immigrants from Qing China each year. Imports and exports are exempt from tax for three years, but after three years, taxes must be paid according to policy. Also, your minerals and agricultural products must be sold to the United States first, and you must give priority to us when purchasing materials."

Chen Feng scoffed: "Prioritize selling to the United States?"

Of course, it's sold to whoever offers the highest price.

If they sell the minerals and agricultural products to German and Japanese trading companies at high prices, will the US military still be able to inspect each ship?

"The fourth point is crucial."

Connor's tone suddenly turned serious, "You must cooperate with the US military to maintain order in Luzon, and in the future, it will be necessary to wipe out the remnants of the independence army."

"Yes. Furthermore, Chen, you need to publicly swear an oath in Manila pledging allegiance to the sovereignty of the United States of America over the Philippines—this is a prerequisite for obtaining autonomy."

Publicly swearing allegiance?

Chen Feng's heart sank; this was practically turning the Chinese Free Army into a vassal state of the US military.

If we turn against the US in the future, wouldn't we be acting without a legitimate reason?

He suppressed his displeasure and continued reading.

"Article five is a benefit for you."

Connor said, "You can decide the administration, judiciary, and taxation within your jurisdiction; we won't interfere."

The last point, however, is a blatant threat: "If you violate the territorial and military restrictions, we have the right to unilaterally terminate the agreement and intervene militarily."

After reading the agreement, Chen Feng's expression turned extremely gloomy.

The US military's calculations were too shrewd!

By exchanging 500 square kilometers of autonomy and three years of tax exemption for a compliant puppet armed force, they could both restrain the independence army, firmly lock down the development of the Chinese Free Army, and take the opportunity to plunder Luzon's resources—a triple win.

The requirement to publicly swear allegiance, in particular, is not only humiliating but also an attempt to bind oneself completely in name, creating a pretext for future rebellion.

Beauty has become without a legitimate reason.

He looked up at Connor and said calmly, "Colonel Connor, I have no objection to the other terms, but I disagree with the clause on publicly swearing allegiance."

Before he could finish speaking, Connor waved him off, warning, "Chen, these are the core terms of the agreement. If you don't swear an oath, does that mean you harbor ambitions for the entire Philippines and want to collude with the independence army?"

"Of course not!"

Chen Feng's mind raced, and he instantly came up with an idea: "It's not that I'm unwilling to take the oath, it's just that the agreement only stipulates the obligations of our Chinese Free Army, but doesn't clearly define the responsibilities of the American side."

"A public oath is acceptable, but I must add a clause to the oath stating that if the United States unilaterally reneges on the self-government agreement, or fails to fulfill its commitments regarding immigration quotas, tax exemptions, and administrative autonomy, this oath will automatically become invalid, and the Chinese Free Army will have the right to take all necessary measures to protect its rights."

Connor frowned slightly and pondered for a moment.

The US military never intended to actually fulfill the agreement in the long term; it just wanted to keep Chen Feng in check for the time being.

This premise, while seemingly constraining the US, actually has little impact on the US military.

"Can!"

Connor finally nodded, his tone firm, "We Americans are a nation of integrity, and we will never unilaterally abolish the agreement."

"Discussion."

I don't believe you for a second!

Chen Feng sneered inwardly, immediately picked up a pen, and signed his name on the agreement. The moment the pen touched the paper, he had already planned out how to break the deadlock.

After signing, he looked up and asked, "Does this agreement need your Senate's approval? When will it officially take effect?"

Connor scoffed and waved his hand dismissively: "You think this is an agreement on autonomy for the entire Philippines? It's just an arrangement for a small Chinese-populated area. General Dewey has absolute authority in the Philippines; all he needs to do is sign it. However, it won't officially take effect until we legally obtain jurisdiction from Spain."

He then changed the subject, saying, "It's one thing for the agreement to take effect, but whether you can truly gain control of Malolos depends on your abilities."

Tomorrow night, our US military will take control of Manila under cover of darkness, after which the independence army's forces around Manila will inevitably withdraw.

Your best chance to act is before their main force returns to defend Marolos. Otherwise, once they regroup, your forces won't be enough.

"I know!" Chen Feng nodded slightly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

The US military took over Manila at a time when the morale of the independence army was wavering and its forces were scattered, making this the best opportunity.

Once Connor's figure disappeared outside the camp gate, Chen Feng immediately turned around and, in a hurried yet clear tone, instructed Pang Li: "Pang Li, prepare your horses immediately and rush to the front line at the Marikina River. Inform Tian Gang: after dark tomorrow, immediately withdraw your troops from the defensive line and lead them to assemble southeast of Marolos. Be sure to conceal your movements along the way and do not reveal your position!"

"Yes, General!" Pang Li responded and turned to rush outside.

Chen Feng then turned to Qian Biao, his tone becoming more forceful: "Qian Biao, go and relay my order to have all the regimental commanders come to a meeting immediately."

Chen Feng walked to the Luzon map hanging on the wall and placed his finger heavily on the location of Malolos.

The main force of the Independent Army was on the front line of the Marikina River, and the defense of Malolos was very weak. After Tian Gang's troops withdrew, together with the existing troops in the city, the total strength was close to four thousand men. Even if most of them were new recruits, the chances of defeating the more than one thousand Independent Army soldiers left in Malolos were very high.

Second Regiment Commander Kong Yunfei was the first to barge in.

His left eye had been gouged out by a stray bullet during a previous battle with the Spanish. Now, wearing a black eyepatch, coupled with his burly physique and fleshy face, he looked exactly like a pirate.

"General!"

Kong Yunfei strode to the table and said in a loud voice, "Is there another new combat mission? I'm so bored at the camp, I'm itching for a good fight!"

Chen Feng glanced at him and laughed, "What's the rush? You'll get to do it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ren Dayong, the commander of the Third Regiment, also entered the main tent.

The wound on his shoulder was from the last battle with the Spanish. His scapula was pierced, and although it had been stitched up, it had not fully healed. When he walked, his shoulder was uneven and he was slightly unsteady.

His face was somewhat pale, but he still stood tall, walked to Kong Yunfei's side, and said in a deep voice, "General, give the orders! The brothers of the Third Regiment are eager to fight. My injury is nothing to worry about; I can still lead the charge!"

The last one to enter was Zhang Xiuwu, the commander of the Fourth Regiment.

He was thin, but his eyes were very bright. After entering the room, he first glanced at Ren Dayong's still unhealed injuries, then glanced at Kong Yunfei's eager expression, and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes.

Ren Dayong was injured, and Kong Yunfei was a reckless man, so the task of leading the attack would definitely fall to him!

Chen Feng's gaze swept over the three regimental commanders. Seeing that everyone had arrived, he immediately walked to the map and slammed it down on the location of Malolos: "At dawn the day after tomorrow, the general offensive on Malolos will begin!"

Upon hearing this, Kong Yunfei immediately patted his chest and said, "General, let my Second Regiment lead the main attack! I guarantee we'll storm the city in one fell swoop and wipe out all those independent troops!"

Ren Dayong quickly chimed in, "My injury is nothing serious, the Third Regiment can also go, I request to lead the flank attack!"

Chen Feng waved his hand to stop Zhang Xiuwu, who was about to speak: "The Third Regiment will stay behind, Tian Gang's First Regiment will attack the south of the city, the Second Regiment will attack the west of the city, and the Fourth Regiment will attack the north of the city."

"What about the east side of the city?"

Pang Li, who was observing the meeting, couldn't help but ask, "If we don't send troops to blockade the east of the city, what if the enemy escapes from there?"

Chen Feng said coldly, "Have you wasted your time studying military strategy? You don't even understand the concept of 'surrounding three sides while leaving one open.' The east side of the city is meant to be the Independent Army's escape route, to prevent them from desperately resisting and causing us heavy casualties!"

In fact, Chen Feng's main purpose was to avoid forging a deadly enmity with the Independent Army at this time. The US military was the real enemy, and there was a possibility of future cooperation with the Independent Army.

Furthermore, his attack on Malolos was therefore well-founded.

After all, Luna still hasn't given an explanation for Baldomero's sneak attack on the Chinese Free Army. This time, it's a good opportunity to settle both old and new scores at once!

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