ca-book Chapter 7 Inquiry
Chapter 7 Inquiry
The journey at sea is long and tedious, yet it passes in the blink of an eye.
Eight days later, the Hope arrived in the waters north of Luzon Island and docked for rest and recuperation in what will later be known as Braan.
Braan was originally inhabited by the Irokka people, but after the arrival of Spanish colonists, this area located at the northern tip of Luzon was brought under the jurisdiction of the Manila authorities, who levied taxes and conscripted soldiers from the local indigenous people.
As the Spanish sphere of influence gradually expanded northward, Chinese merchants also extended their reach to this area, and a few settled and operated businesses here.
When the Hope arrived in Braan, it saw a small village surrounded by a wooden fence, inhabited by only a few hundred people.
Several small fishing boats were floating on the nearshore waters. The dark-skinned indigenous people on board glanced at the approaching Hope with curiosity before turning their attention back to what they were doing.
For them, the Hope's European-style appearance was already commonplace, and whether or not it flew a flag was unimportant.
The Hope slowly sailed into the small harbor of Braan, standing out from the small fishing boats moored around it. Zhu Jiheng stood on the deck, looking down at the busy civilians, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"We've finally arrived," he murmured, the huge weight that had been hanging over his heart finally lifted. Once they reached Luzon Island, the Qing army would never be able to catch up to them again.
"Your Highness, should we disarm the infantry and seize this place?" Just then, the adjutant walked up behind Zhu Jiheng and asked him in a low voice.
Zhu Jiheng's gaze swept over the simple wooden fence, the sparse thatched huts, and the scattered fishing boats of the indigenous people on the shore. After pondering for a moment, he shook his head and said:
"This place is small and remote, and there are not many Chinese residents. There is no need to attack it for the time being. If we rashly use force, it will alert the Manila authorities and allow them to take precautions in advance."
"Our primary goal on this trip is to establish a foothold and build up our strength, rather than wasting energy on trivial matters and revealing our location."
Upon hearing this, the adjutant frowned slightly, clearly concerned about the potential threat: "Then we..."
"We only need to stay here briefly to replenish our fresh water and fruits and vegetables, and also to gather some information," Zhu Jiheng interrupted him, then turned to Lin Chen, who was waiting in ambush: "Captain Lin Chen."
"Your subordinate is here," Lin Chen replied immediately.
"You select a few capable sailors who understand Hokkien to go ashore with you, disguise them as ordinary merchants or sailors, and take some loose silver and copper coins to buy food, fresh water, vegetables and fruits from the residents on the shore."
"If there are Chinese merchants, they can try to inquire about news from Manila, the situation of the Frankish troops stationed there, and the current situation in northern Luzon, especially in areas with a large Chinese population."
"Yes, Your Highness! I understand and will act with caution." Lin Chen accepted the order and immediately turned to arrange manpower and prepare for procurement.
……
Before long, Lin Chen, along with several sailors who had changed clothes, carried a few empty wooden barrels and rowed down a sampan toward the simple dock in Braan.
The village on the shore was quiet and somewhat languid. A few dark-skinned, shirtless Irok fishermen glanced curiously at the new faces before bending down to mend their fishing nets.
In front of several thatched huts by the sea, women were cooking food in earthenware pots, with wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys, and the air filled with the smells of the sea, firewood, and the unique humidity of the tropics.
Having become accustomed to the passing ships that came to replenish supplies, Lin Chen and his group did not attract much attention after landing. They walked along the dirt road into the village, silently observing the surrounding situation.
Soon, a sharp-eyed sailor spotted the familiar Chinese characters first and whispered to Lin Chen, "Sir, there are Chinese people over there."
Upon hearing this, Lin Chen looked over and saw an elderly Han Chinese man with gray hair, wearing a gray short jacket, carrying a bamboo stool out and sitting down in front of the thatched hut.
After a moment's thought, he quickly put on a smiling face, stepped forward, and greeted the man in Mandarin with a Minnan accent, saying, "Sir, we are a crew of merchants at sea. Our ship has just docked, and we would like to ask you where we can buy some fresh water, fruits, and vegetables around here? Prices are negotiable."
The old man raised his cloudy eyes and sized up Lin Chen and his group for a moment. His gaze lingered on the headscarves that bound their hair on their foreheads before he slowly spoke in Hokkien:
"Fresh water? There's a small canal connected to the mountain stream behind the village; you can fetch it yourself. As for vegetables... not many families grow their own at this time of year; it depends on who has extra. Fish and shrimp, however, are plentiful. Is your boat big? How many do you need?"
"The boat isn't big, just enough for about a hundred people to eat and drink for a few days," Lin Chen said vaguely. He then squatted down, took a small piece of silver from his pocket, and discreetly slipped it into the old man's hand. He automatically switched to Hokkien and said with a smile, "Are you also from Fujian, sir? It's rare to meet a fellow countryman in this remote place. Are there many Chinese merchants like you in northern Luzon?"
The old man weighed the money in his hand, his expression softening considerably. He sighed, "Alas, what Chinese merchants? They're just refugees who came here years ago and opened a small grocery store, barely making ends meet. There are many like me scattered in various places, but none of them amount to anything. The truly large and successful ones are all further south, in the big cities near the Franks."
"Oh? South?" Lin Chen's eyes lit up, then he asked casually, "Are you talking about Manila, the city of the Franks? How did the Franks treat us Chinese? I heard that a few years ago..."
He deliberately left his sentence unfinished, leaving a lingering question.
The old man was indeed provoked into talking. A hint of resentment and deep fear appeared on his face. He lowered his voice and said, "Hmph! Those French barbarians, those heartless bastards! They killed countless Chinese people in that great disaster more than twenty years ago. On the surface, they want our Chinese skills and labor, but behind our backs, they treat us like thieves! They impose heavy taxes and levies, and they beat, scold, and detain us at the drop of a hat. Recently, things have gotten even more tense."
"Is things getting tense?" Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, and he pressed, "Old man, what do you mean?"
The old man looked around warily, lowering his voice even further: "I heard... I only heard that in Manila, to the south, our people are fighting with the French again. Apparently, the French have imposed some new tax, targeting us Chinese, making it unbearable for people to live. Some of the more spirited young men probably can't take it anymore."
"At this critical juncture, I fear the Franks might raise their swords again as they did twenty years ago. If you are planning to go south to Manila, you must be extremely careful."
After saying that, the old man shut his mouth and said no more.
Lin Chen knew what he meant by the great disaster twenty years ago: that it was when Lord Koxinga, Zhu Chenggong, sent a letter threatening the Manila authorities, claiming that he would send troops on a distant expedition to seize Luzon.
When the Chinese in Luzon learned that Koxinga was coming to punish them, they became restless and prepared to welcome the royal army. They organized people to attack the Spanish, but were ultimately brutally suppressed by the Spanish colonists, with thousands, if not tens of thousands, of Chinese being killed.