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Marina was imprisoned for several days in a separate bedroom above the bathroom. Everything here was quite similar to the monastery. It was a simple room, but the sheets were soft and comfortable, and the delicate gauze curtains. Although there were cast iron railings on the windows, The bright and dazzling sunlight filtering through the large glass reminded her of the Spanish sun. 【Read full text】
What made her most unbelievable was that the bedroom actually had a separate toilet: all covered with high-quality Chinese ceramic tiles, and even the toilet was made of porcelain!
I am now richer than kings, emperors, sultans and cardinals! she thought in surprise.
Her daily life is very comfortable╠╠Although she does not have a maid to serve her personally, a Chinese maid will come to make her bed every day and bring her three meals a day, all of which are simple and novel food that she has never tasted before: taste Light and delicious.
Although Marina's food in the convent was not difficult, the concepts of restraint and abstinence were always present in their education, so the food was very mediocre. The first taste of all kinds of novel and delicious food can't help but whet your appetite. In particular, she is particularly fond of a risotto made with seafood and rice. After the meal, a cup of "black tea" with lemon slices and sugar cubes is always served.
A lot of fresh fruits are delivered every day, many of which she has never seen before.
Every noon, after clearing the lunch tableware, a maid would come in and help her put down the delicate and beautiful Chinese curtain with a dark yellow shimmer to block the scorching sunlight from outside, and then bring a beautiful and white blue and white porcelain vat. There is a large piece of ice inside: crystal clear, exuding wisps of white water vapor. Then she would change into a nightgown made of soft and breathable muslin under the service of the maid. Fall asleep in the pleasant temperature and cozy dim light.
She will be woken up at four o'clock in the afternoon and then taken to take a bath by the maid╠╠This is mandatory. If she doesn't go. The strong maids would not hesitate to grab her arm and drag her to wash her. They bathed her with a soap mixed with certain essential oils, which made her very uneasy: it is said that the sultan's harem also did this. .
After taking a bath, she was taken back to the bedroom, put on clean clothes, and all the changed clothes were taken away. The clothes are not luxurious, but they are all made of very fine and comfortable materials╠╠It feels well-fitting and comfortable when worn.
If it weren't for her prisoner status, these days could be said to be the most comfortable and comfortable life in more than ten years. Her mood can even be overcome by this
Some days ago. It's been very quiet here, with very few people downstairs. But starting a few days ago, the yard began to become lively, with people often walking back and forth, and from time to time there were scoldings and cries. She could barely see something in the yard from the window. She saw many women with brown, black and blond hair waiting in the yard, all of them with disheveled hair. Her clothes were in tatters, her expression was shabby, and she was being rubbed and scolded by the Chinese maids who had "served" her. It was obvious that they were prisoners or slaves. The same process as hers was repeated in this yard.
This made her extremely worried about her fate: such preferential treatment was obviously not a simple "good intention". She could only wait for her fate in anxiety. She began to suffer from insomnia, often praying for hours on end.
On this day, Miss Mendoza finally appeared in front of her.
"You're finally here!" said Marina, who was already a little nervous due to the anxiety and waiting. "What exactly are you going to do with me?"
"Do you want to know that much?"
"I just want to know my destiny earlier." Marina held the rosary in her hand and looked up at the sky.
"We are not pirates. But you are our prisoner, so you must follow the rules for dealing with prisoners, which is to say: public auction."
The word seemed to come out of Mendoza's lips reluctantly.
"God save me!" Marina screamed, as if she was about to faint╠╠This was the thing she was most afraid of. She couldn't help but hold Mendoza's hand tightly. He said in a trembling voice: "For the sake of us being compatriots and Christians! Don't let me become a slave girl in the harem!"
Mendoza's expression gave her a glimmer of hope: "Listen to me, as long as you are willing to let me go, my fiancé will pay you a huge sum of money╠╠My fiancé will soon be the richest man in Manila He is probably the richest nobleman in the entire Philippines and even New Spain!"
Mendoza shook her head: "This is impossible. This is the decision of the Senate!" With a look of sympathy on her face: "You should have a good rest." She quickly left the room.
Doña Marina de Arellano fainted.
When she woke up, she was already lying on the bed, and a strange priest was sitting beside her bed, looking at her with an expression of love and affection.
"Father..." Marina saw a European priest and couldn't help but want to sit up.
"My child, your body is still very weak, so you'd better lie down first." The priest said in broken Spanish, "You can take a dose of medicine first, which will make you feel better."
He fed her a small glass of bitter potion.
"Father," Marina said. Although she didn't know why there was a European priest here, his appearance gave him new hope, but the other person's Spanish was too difficult to understand. So she tried to speak Italian and the other party was able to speak it.
"You're Italian!"
"Yes, I'm from Italy."
"For God's sake, please save me!" she begged, "the pirates are going to auction me off! Please don't let me become a slave to the infidels!"
As she spoke, she pulled the ring off her finger: "Please find someone and give him my letter and the ring together. He will repay you and your messenger heavily."
The priest shook his head: "My child, even if I send someone to deliver the message right away, it will be too late. The auction will be held the day after tomorrow. They plan to auction you together with the female slaves transported from Basra..."
"God!" Marina covered her face and sobbed.
"Don't worry." The priest lowered his voice and said, "I have been running for your rescue since Miss Mendoza told me your request..."
"Speak quickly." Marina's heart ignited the flame of hope again.
"You are now in Lingao, which is Australian territory. They will auction the loot the day after tomorrow. However, they do not prohibit others from buying slaves. So I plan to find a Christian to come forward and buy you..."
"If you can save me from danger, I will be grateful to you forever."
"Don't worry, we have found a suitable candidate for you." The Italian said, "He is the local consul of the Dutch..."
"A Protestant!" Marina almost screamed, this was simply more terrifying than a pagan. The Dutch had a very bad reputation in the American colonies of Spain and Portugal, and they were like fire and water.
"No, he is a true believer. His name is Leib Trini. He is my compatriot, and I sympathize with you." The priest comforted her, "He painted here for the Australians and saved a lot of money. It is enough. Pay what it costs to buy you.”
"My father and my fiancé own a lot of property in the Philippines and New Spain. Please tell that kind Christian not to panic when bidding. No matter how much the other party bids, he will definitely beat him. As long as he can get me If you buy it, I will pay double the ransom to redeem myself. But no matter what, do not let me fall into the hands of the infidels..."
"I feel relieved now!" Marina said and held his hand movedly: "Thank you, I will never forget your kindness." She suddenly remembered that she didn't know the other person's name yet, "Excuse me Your Name?"
"I am a servant of God," said the priest, "a member of the Society of Jesus. Now I must leave quickly. May God bless you."
Quark was sitting on a chair in the store, tasting the "cigar" brought by the maid, and had a premonition that he was going to make a fortune.
Just a week ago, he personally directed the brig "Lion" to Basra and finally arrived safely at Bopu, transporting 183 female slaves. These are the survivors of the 200 female slaves he bought at the Basra slave market╠╠If there had not been a storm on the road, perhaps more people would have survived. He tried to give each slave girl enough space, water and food to prevent them from losing too much on the road.
Even so, his income will be very considerable. Minister Skade promised to give him fifty stone of sugar CIF for each healthy slave girl. How much money he could earn from transporting this shipment of sugar to Persia made him laugh out of his dreams.
Slavery is a very profitable business! Quark thought with regret, if only their demand for female slaves in Basra was as high as that of Southeast Asian slaves...
While he was giggling, Minister Skade walked in with a cheerful face.
"How's it going? What's the result of the quarantine?" Quark stood up impatiently and asked.
"All the preliminary inspections have passed." Skade was in a very happy mood. He brought everyone's long-cherished "Ocean Horse" to the Senate. This alone was enough to skyrocket his popularity in the Senate╠╠Although the number of people was a bit small, but He initially went to the quarantine camp to observe the appearance and figure, and thought the quality was quite good, enough to satisfy most veterans.
"so……"
"That's right." Skade said and took out a list from his pocket. Quark knew what it was: a warehouse list from the customs warehouse. There seemed to be countless silver coins flying in front of his eyes.
"This is the price of slaves." said the department head. "As for the price of the Arabian horses you shipped with us?"
"This is my gift as a thank you for allowing me to serve the Senate." Quark bowed respectfully, "I am willing to serve the Senate."
