221 Manila (Chinese)

It seems that it is not that easy to enter any city in the seventeenth century, whether Chinese or foreign. Although the Intramuros of Manila is only a small fortress with an area of ​​only about one square kilometer, it is no exception.

They, a group of strangers, were rigorously interrogated at the city gate, but this had nothing to do with Bei Wei and others. Because all the questions and answers were conducted in Spanish, including paying the city entrance fee, and it was the interpreter Wang Yan who came to negotiate.

Occasionally, when Andrew, the "master", needed to speak, Lao An would always raise his nose to the sky and respond hastily with a few sentences in a very impatient tone, looking condescending.

However, the more arrogant he became, the more respectful the attitude of the Spanish guards became. Andrew is worthy of being a housekeeper in a noble family for many years. Although he doesn't speak much, his actions and actions are full of aristocratic style.

The money was all authentic Spanish silver pesos. In the end, the ordinary guards did not dare to make the decision privately, so they went to find an officer who looked like a captain to answer the question.

The officer came over and saluted first, and then talked to Andrew for a long time. During this period, he kept looking at the Chinese people here. Although there was no abnormal expression, it made several people here feel

Something is not good.

Looking for an opportunity, Bei Wei quietly asked Wang Yan:

"What's going on? Why don't you let us enter the city?"

Wang Yan helplessly spread his hands:

"We didn't bring any goods, and they were a little suspicious of our identity as merchants. In addition, they were also surprised that Lao An only hired Chinese servants... The market here is much cheaper for indigenous people than for Chinese people. And very few people hire Chinese as bodyguards, because most people

Most of the Yi people are not comfortable letting the Chinese have weapons."

Long before the reconnaissance team set off from Hainan Island, they had already thought about what they would say when entering the city - Andrew was a front-line staff member of a large Italian family and came to Luzon to explore trade routes. So there was no need to bring any goods, and there were

There are many excuses. As for certification documents, noble coats of arms, etc., they are already on the Princess. Even if they are not available, it is very simple to forge one.

Sure enough, when Lao An took out the information with a pretense of reluctance, the officer immediately changed his attitude, saluted him again, said a few words in an apologetic tone, and then turned around and walked this way.

come over.

Wang Yan only had time to explain to them: "You can go in, but all Chinese will be searched..." Then he was roughly pushed away by the guards. Looking at the group of foreign big noses surrounding him, Beiwei took a deep breath.

Holding their heads with their hands, they stood with their legs spread apart, ready to be inspected - anyway, most of their weapons were left on the ship. Except for a few daggers exposed for show, the May 4th pistol was tied to the calf, close to the face of the foot.

These days, no one should know where to look. As for grenades? These country bumpkins probably wouldn't recognize them even if they touched them.

Unexpectedly, someone suddenly kicked his leg hard from behind. Bei Wei staggered, shouted angrily, and caught a Spanish soldier's neck with his backhand. Several foreign soldiers around him immediately raised their halberds and

Yelled loudly at him.

Before Aosayan and others next to him could decide whether to draw their pistols and start fighting, Wang Yan quickly shouted again:

"Don't move, you have to kneel down when searching here..."

Seeing that he was already kneeling on the ground, Beiwei snorted. Although he let go of the prisoner in his hands, he held his head high. No matter how many foreign soldiers kicked and pushed him, his knees refused to bend even half an inch.

The Spanish soldiers shouted loudly, turned around with their halberds, and kept beating him on the back with the halberd pole. The North Latitude teeth were gritting, and they blocked him back and forth, but they refused to give in no matter what. Behind him, Ossa Yang, Pang

Yu and the two looked at each other. They were not as skilled as Beiwei, but they were not willing to be insulted. Is there going to be a war at the gate of the city?

When he was nervous, Andrew finally intervened. Lao An's current role was actually very embarrassing - he couldn't show too much concern for a group of hired Chinese "servants" in front of these Spaniards. But if he stood by and watched, he would be

Those who have personally seen shorthairs hang Dutch sailors know how arrogant these shorthairs are towards Westerners.

But the more critical moments like this, the more one can see one's experience - Andrew looked impatient, muttered a few words, and threw a money bag on the ground contemptuously. Obviously,

It's urging them to hurry up.

The officer looked at the money bag and then at Lao An's exposed noble coat of arms. He waved his hand and told the soldiers to search directly without forcing him to kneel down.

In fact, these Spanish soldiers didn't know how to search at all. The so-called inspection was just a few random slaps and then gave up. Asking them to kneel down more was just to insult. The officer stood in front of Andrew and said something to him proudly.

, and he pointed in this direction from time to time, probably to "remind" him kindly how he should treat the Chinese.

The Spanish soldiers who had choked Beiwei just now had a grudge and took advantage of the opportunity to punch him a few more times. Seeing that Beiwei's face was getting greener and greener, he didn't know when he would explode.

, these foreign soldiers finally changed their targets.

——A few more Chinese came from the city gate, including a woman, so a group of Spanish soldiers surrounded her and groped her everywhere. No one cared about it anymore. The officer finally waved to let her go, and Andrew secretly relaxed.

He took a breath and quickly motioned for everyone to follow him into the city.

Before leaving the city gate, Beiwei turned around and saw the poor Chinese woman's face turned pale, biting her lips and trying to cover her chest, but she couldn't stop four or five pairs of hairy hands from groping around her body.

Some of the Chinese companions looked sad and angry, while others looked dull, but they all knelt on the ground and did not dare to move. His teeth began to rattle again.

But Wang Yan next to him grabbed Bei Wei's arm and forcibly dragged him away.

"Let's go, Mr. Bei... It was like this thirty years ago, and it has always been like this... I'm afraid it will be like this in the future."

Beiwei, Osayan and others snorted at the same time, but they didn't say a word and just hurried on.

The group finally entered the Intramuros of Manila. To be fair, if you don’t consider the people living here, Intramuros Manila itself is still a pretty beautiful city.

As the main Spanish settlement in the Far East, the churches, monasteries, city halls and high-end residences built with bricks and stones all have a strong Spanish Castilian style; and the tall bamboo buildings interspersed among them,

The small thatched houses with palm leaf roofs and wooden workshops are the standard Southeast Asian local flavor. The combination of the two creates a quite unique cultural atmosphere.

There was no Panama Canal these days. The gold and silver that the Spaniards snatched from South America, Mexico and other places still had to go through Asia, the Indian Ocean, and around Africa before returning to the country. Luzon was the most important trade transit point on this route.

, most of the silver shipped from the Americas was exchanged here for Chinese silk, porcelain, sugar, or local spices, woodware and other luxuries, and then shipped back to Europe.

This has led to the prosperity of Manila, with people coming and going on the city streets, bustling with people. Vendors, fishermen, tailors, shoemakers, gold and silver jewelry makers, barbers, bakers, construction workers, porters...etc., all from different walks of life.

They all have different professions. They dress differently and have different races and nationalities, but they have one thing in common: they are all businessmen.

They carried various goods, tools and materials around the city. In addition to Chinese and indigenous people, there were also many black men and women walking in the city. Judging from their attire, they should all be servants, and they were all in a hurry.

Running around the streets, taking care of everything for their lazy master.

Spain's devout Catholic faith is vividly displayed here - the largest and best buildings on both sides of the street must be churches or monasteries, and many of the pedestrians on the road are priests in black robes. They are still mumbling prayers as they walk.

This scene surprised Old Andu from Italy.

"It almost tastes like Rome..."

Andrew sighed many times along the way, but unfortunately he didn't get much response - everyone's mood has become very bad now. Even if they still had some leisurely interest in coming to visit, after experiencing the scene at the city gate, they arrived

Now there is only anger left.

Now they just want to complete the mission as soon as possible and leave this "ghost" place as soon as possible - literally, a place where foreign devils stay.

According to Pang Yu's plan, the reconnaissance team, led by Wang Yan, first circled around the Royal City of Manila. North Latitude quickly drew a simple map and recorded the basic layout and roads of the city. For

Photos of barracks, forts, soldier posts and other military facilities were secretly taken with digital cameras.

After that, Northern Latitude decided to divide the army into two groups:

"Lao An, go to the business associations, taverns and other places in the city and find the businessmen to understand the situation. The focus is on the recent movements of the Spanish army. The businessmen are always very well-informed and should be able to get some news."

As he spoke, Beiwei took out a walkie-talkie from his waist and handed it to Andrew:

"...Are you able to use it? Let Ah Shui go with you and contact you immediately if there is any situation."

The three of them, together with Wang Yan, planned to visit the Chinese settlements. Wang Yan went out to do some research and came back and reported that there are now two Chinese villages near Manila, one is called Binandu (

Binando) is a Chinese settlement that believes in Catholicism. The other place is still the original Jiannei, namely "Paria", where traditional Chinese merchants, craftsmen, and fishermen live.

Beiwei quickly made a decision - it would be safer to find traditional Chinese people in Jian Nei. Those who believe in Catholicism should wait until Chen Tao comes over next time.

Once you get infected with religious belief, it's hard to say what a person will become - they have experienced great things in modern times, and they don't want to mess with it now. {Piaotian Literature thanks all the book friends for their support.
Chapter completed!