ca-book Chapter 31 Juan's Anger
Chapter 31 Juan's Anger
Meanwhile, in Manila, news of the crushing defeat of the survivors of the Battle of Snake Kiss Gorge spread, shaking the entire city.
The atmosphere inside the Governor's Mansion was so oppressive it was almost suffocating.
The exquisite carpet still bore the marks of shattered porcelain and wine stains from his earlier outburst of rage. Governor Juan sat in his large, high-backed chair, his face ashen, his chest heaving with anger and fear.
At the emergency meeting that just ended, officers and officials were either silent or arguing and shifting blame, but could not come up with a solution that could immediately turn the tide.
What bothered him even more was that all sorts of sensational rumors had begun to circulate in the city.
Some say the Ming army in the north is an army of devils, invulnerable to swords and spears; others say they have won the support of tens of thousands of barbaric natives and are about to sweep south.
Some people said that the Chinese were secretly colluding and preparing to cooperate from within and without... Panic spread like a plague among Spanish citizens, soldiers, and even some of their dependent indigenous servants.
Market prices began to fluctuate, and some wealthy Spanish families even began to quietly pack their belongings and inquire about ships bound for Cavite or ports further afield.
"Useless! All useless!" Governor Juan cursed under his breath, whether he was cursing the defeated and dead Lopez, the incompetent subordinates, or the sudden misfortune.
He ruled the Philippines for five years, suppressing indigenous uprisings, dealing with Dutch harassment, and experiencing Chinese unrest, but he had never encountered such a difficult situation—
A well-equipped, tactically skilled, and effective-uniting enemy force cleanly and decisively wiped out the punitive force he had sent out.
"We can't panic...we absolutely can't panic!"
The governor forced himself to calm down, grabbed the cold wine on the table and took a big gulp. He knew that it was precisely at times like these that he needed to demonstrate absolute authority and determination.
"Clerk!" he suddenly stood up and shouted loudly to the worried-looking officials in the room.
The clerk trembled, quickly stepped forward, and asked, "Your Excellency the Governor?"
"Pass on my orders!" Governor Juan's voice regained its usual coldness and hardness: "First, impose martial law on the entire city immediately! Double the number of sentries, enforce a curfew at night, and arrest and severely punish anyone who spreads rumors or undermines morale, regardless of whether they are Chinese or natives!"
Second, in my name, I hereby issue a supreme mobilization order! I command the Cavite Fortress to immediately dispatch an elite company, led by the most reliable officer, to reinforce Manila at full speed, in addition to ensuring the minimum defense of the port and shipyard.
At the same time, all mobile units stationed in Zamboanga, Iligan, Iloilo, Caracas, and other areas were ordered to assemble in Manila!
As soon as he finished speaking, the officials below erupted in uproar, and one councilor couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and shout:
"Your Excellency! These outposts are frontline fortresses defending against Moro raids; their importance is paramount. How can they be easily redeployed? If the Moroes seize the opportunity to launch an attack, we will lose these crucial strongholds!"
Governor Juan sneered and cursed, "Fool! The greatest threat now comes from the north! It's that Chinese rebel army that wiped out our entire force!"
He slammed his fist on the table, glaring at the congressmen and others who disagreed: "What use are those remote fortresses if we can't even hold Manila, lose the governor's mansion and our most important port? The Moroes plunder villages and caravans, but the rebels in the north want our lives, and the rule of all of Luzon!"
His icy gaze swept across the room, and every official he looked at instinctively lowered their head: "Compared to the possibility of being attacked by the Moroes, losing control of the northern regions and allowing the rebellion to spread is the real catastrophe! We must concentrate our forces and eliminate this most pressing threat first! Issue the order: all garrisons in various regions must obey this command. Any disobedience or delay will be treated as treason!"
Everyone fell silent, and no one dared to openly oppose it anymore.
Seeing their silence, Governor Juan took a deep breath, suppressed his surging anger, and continued to issue orders:
"Third, send messengers, in the name of the King and the Church, to sternly rebuke all the chiefs and leaders of Balangai in the regions of Bampanga, Bulacan, and Lagoon, ordering them to provide the prescribed number of warriors, provisions, and laborers within fifteen days, and to personally or by sending their sons to lead them to Manila to await orders!"
Those who fail to meet the deadline or whose quantity is insufficient will be considered traitors and will be severely punished after the war, stripped of all their privileges.
Fourth, strengthen control over the Chinese communities in and around Manila. Increase the number of soldiers on patrol, implement collective punishment, and confiscate any weapons that may be hidden.
Summon the leading figures of those Chinese chambers of commerce and trade associations and give them a final warning: Keep your people in check, pay double the "special security tax," and provide reliable hostages. If any further suspected treason or rioting occurs within their communities, they will all be severely punished!
After speaking at length, the governor's throat was dry. He paused, grabbed a glass of chilled wine, and took a big gulp to moisten his parched throat.
"And another thing," he continued to the clerk, thinking of the Dutch, who had long been hostile to the Philippine colonies, and the Portuguese and British, who were fond of underhanded tactics:
"Send people to contact the British and Dutch trading representatives in Hong Kong, as well as the Portuguese missionaries, and warn them that the Spanish Kingdom's rule in Luzon is unbreakable, the army sent to quell the rebellion is about to march north, and any attempt to take advantage of the chaos or secretly support the rebels will be met with the most severe retaliation from the Spanish Kingdom and its allies!"
The orders were quickly recorded by the clerks and written on fine paper, to be carried out after being stamped with the governor's seal.
The governor's order was carried out swiftly, but it also stirred up more complex ripples, like a boulder thrown into a pond.
The Battle of Snake Kiss Gorge dealt a heavy blow to the prestige of the Spanish authorities. Although the martial law imposed in Manila and the stricter laws targeting the Chinese temporarily suppressed open rumors and unrest, they made the undercurrents even more turbulent.
Within the Chinese community, which had become a key target of surveillance, the soldiers' brutal searches and harsh reprimands made the already anxious and fearful Chinese even more miserable. Some Chinese families, unwilling to be involved in this turmoil, began to quietly sell their assets and prepare to flee to Batavia by boat.
The employer Zhang San found after entering the city was one of them.
After infiltrating Manila, he quickly found a foothold in a Chinese grocery store called Xinglonghao, thanks to his eloquent tongue.
The shop owner's surname is Chen. He is an overseas Chinese in his fifties who has been running the business in Manila for more than twenty years. His business is not large, but he has a wide network of connections and is well-informed.
Seeing that Zhang San was quick and efficient, had a sweet tongue, and was also from the same hometown as him from Nan'an, he took him in to help out at the shop counter and also look after some of the warehouse.
When news of the Battle of Snake Kiss Gorge reached Manila, Manager Chen was initially happy for the victory of his fellow Chinese compatriots, but soon his face fell as he faced the government's decree.
The doubled "safety tax" weighed heavily on his mind; if it were just a matter of losing money to avoid disaster, it would be a minor issue.
The key point is that the current situation is too similar to the great disaster of twenty years ago, and he is very worried that the Spanish sword will fall on the heads of the Chinese in Manila again.