For Wang Jingyi, Intramuros Manila was a dream at first. Whether it was the rows of stone houses on the street or the huge glass windows in the shops, they all made her tremble. However, the light of dusk quickly faded, and the streets began to become chaotic and chaotic.
Like a frightened deer, Wang Jingyi ran along the wide main road for a while. Her grandfather told her to look for opportunities to work as a servant at the doorsteps of rich people's homes. Looking at the tall stone houses with spires in the distance, Wang Jingyi thought that must be where the rich lived.
But no. Many soldiers began to appear on the streets, blocking the main road. Wang Jingyi didn't dare to go any further. She hurriedly got into an alley and squatted down in an inconspicuous corner.
The clothes of the people passing by her were completely different from the Chinese in Binandu District on the north bank of the Passi River. Even if they were talking to each other, they seemed to be in a hurry, and no one paid attention to the little girl huddled there.
After a while, Wang Jingyi suddenly discovered a fatal problem: she did not understand the language of this city because she could not understand the words of anyone passing by in the alley.
This means that I cannot communicate with any of them. Although she had made enough preparations to face difficulties, this sudden discovery still made her heart collapse. After all, even begging would be difficult if you don’t speak the city’s language.
As the sky grew darker, the girl felt more and more helpless, and the attack of hunger made her even more panicked. The few bananas she had brought with her had been eaten long ago, leaving only the Dragon Yuan that her grandfather had blackmailed Jiang Laoya. Wang Jingyi didn't dare to take it out because the noisy alley didn't seem to be peaceful.
Night slowly fell. Wang Jingyi, who was crying, suddenly felt a light covering her, and then heard a deep voice: "Por qué lloras?" (Why are you crying?)
Wang Jingyi raised her head, and the first thing she saw was a pair of high heels, then tight stockings, a straight sword hanging from the hem of a wide blouse, and under the broad brim of a hat was the face of a foreigner with a high nose and deep eyes. This man was probably in his forties.
Not far behind him, a dark-skinned young man stood there, dressed like a servant, holding an iron and glass oil lamp in his hand.
The little girl stood up and shook her head in panic. The man frowned at first, then took the lantern from the servant's hand, placed it next to Wang Jingyi's face, and looked at her carefully.
His brows quickly widened and a smile appeared on his face. He said in Spanish: "Are you alone? Where is your family?"
Seeing that Wang Jingyi still didn't answer, he unhooked the sword from his waist, drew three stick figures, two large and one small, on the ground, and pointed at the two adults with the scabbard.
Wang Jingyi understood, and she pointed to the sky.
The man holding the sword smiled more. He stretched out his hand, took Wang Jingyi's arm, and motioned for her to follow him.
Wang Jingyi struggled hard but failed to break free. The man sensed her defensiveness and just grabbed her harder. Then he said: "Don't shout, you will die." He waved the sword in his other hand.
Wang Jingyi still didn't understand what he said, but she suddenly felt blessed and put a flattering smile on her face - just like she had met Mr. Jiang yesterday.
Perhaps in this chaotic night, staying in the streets may be more dangerous than following this person. She stopped struggling and followed him silently. The servant remained silent and just followed quietly.
Mr. Hernando Colón is the Attorney General of Manila. On the night of June 13th, he felt that today was his lucky day. The wonderful girl made his night exciting and unforgettable. It's a pity that this is a mixed-race person who doesn't understand Spanish, which slightly affects Cologne's mood.
On June 14, the morning after Wang Jingyi suffered her first major blow in her life, Mr. Cologne's bright mood completely turned sour because the Ming army's artillery spoke.
On June 16, Wang Jingyi suffered her third major injury. Mr. Colon's mood did not improve, because the forts at the port had been captured by the Ming army, and Manila fell into panic.
On June 17, Wang Jingyi was dying. Because the Ming army's artillery shells had already hit Manila, Cologne lost the mood to continue playing with her. He lay under the oil lamp and wrote furiously, preparing to put forward his suggestions to the governor.
On June 18, Cologne and Father Lopez of the Manila Cathedral proposed surrender to the Ming army at the Governor's Palace, but they met with fierce opposition from the city defense officer Moratti Fernando.
"Dear Attorney General Don Hernando Colon! The power of New Spain is unlimited! The prestige of Legaspi inspires all Spaniards in it, whether they are soldiers or farmers, priests or craftsmen! If, and I mean if, Mr. Legaspi were still alive, he would blow your head off with his musket!"
"This is the most glorious land promised to us by God. It must not fall into the hands of infidels. This is unquestionable and conclusive! The suggestion of surrender to the Chinese is shameful. Damn it, you deserve to go to hell!"
The prosecutor general in question looked at the excited red faces opposite him, but there was no expression on his dark face: "Of course I respect Mr. Legaspi, even though he has been favored by the Lord for fifteen years. Mr. We, fifteen years is just one generation. What have become of the honorable and loyal officers and soldiers led by Legaspi in the past, who used their bravery and hard work to obtain fair rewards?"
"The military pay was received in the morning, and the Chinese debt was paid off at noon. In the afternoon, they lost all their money and owed another sum. There was not a night when they were not drunk, and by the early morning, their clothes and shoes were gone! They gave up their teachings and sold out They took away their weapons, begged and stole - Dear Magistrate Fernando, you don't have to look at the icon of the Father, please look me in the eyes and answer, can they still fight now?"
"Ladies and gentlemen. The glorious New Spain has long lost its prestige in the eyes of the natives, and the Chinese regard us as wretches. The artillery on the flagship of the Ming Dynasty fleet is the sum of all the artillery in Manila, and they have already occupied the fort! Your Majesty the Governor , in the name of Heavenly Father, and for the sake of the women and children in this royal city, a dignified surrender will not bring shame on you. I personally and Father Lopez will testify for you in the military court to prove that your decision is a last resort. Lift.”
"You bastard!" Moratti Fernando couldn't bear it after being exposed. He trembled his lips and grabbed the sword at his waist with trembling hands, as if he wanted to give the Cologne Prosecutor General a white knife to go in and a red knife to go out.
There was a loud bang, and Santiago de Bella, the governor of the East of New Spain and the master of the Philippines, slammed his fist on the conference table. Moratti City Defense Officer and Cologne Prosecutor General shut up at the same time, and the eyes of the conference room focused on Santiago, who had gray hair.
Santiago stood up and pointed to the Manila coat of arms awarded by Felipe on the wall behind him, and then said solemnly: "Gentlemen, our great monarch named Manila the 'City of Eternal Loyalty and Nobility'. This city Lieutenant General will never surrender or betray. Mr. Cologne, please wait until I finish."
"The information I have received before is that the negotiations between the Ming Dynasty's envoys to Europe and His Majesty broke down. New Mexico also reminded us to beware of warships from the east - now they have arrived. Maybe we now have fewer artillery and soldiers than the other party , but there were even fewer when Legaspi took the city, he had only 230 men."
"Gentlemen, there are 670 white people in the royal city who can hold muskets, and there are 6,000 indigenous soldiers. Although the royal city is not completed, the forts have been fully repaired and equipped with artillery. To occupy this place, the Ming army must come from Passi. Ashore at the mouth of the river, as long as the wooden plank road is demolished, the mud there will become their cemetery. Gentlemen, even if we abandon our loyalty and courage, we have no reason to surrender."
(End of chapter)
