Chapter 1649
Persuade to surrender
Chapter 1649 Persuade to surrender
Although Wang Tom can speak a little Spanish and can barely carry out daily conversations, in order to facilitate communication, he still called in Simao, a Portuguese officer who can speak Chinese and Spanish, as an interpreter.
In today's combat operations, Simao also went out with the Haihan Navy. After the "San Diego" was knocked out of power, he was the one who shouted to the ship in Spanish with a tin horn.Being able to capture the commander of the Manila Fleet in this operation is an extremely dazzling record in Simao's view. Although he only assisted in persuading the surrender and taking prisoners in the process, he also felt that he was honored.When he returns to China in the future, this record will be enough for him to brag about for a long time.Of course, if he can really break through the city of Manila and drive the Spaniards out of this place, it will probably be enough for him to brag about for the rest of his life.
Being able to appear arrogantly in front of a senior Spanish military officer like Juan has greatly satisfied Simao's vanity, but there were also senior generals from Haihan present, so Simao didn't dare to steal the limelight too much, and acted honestly. translation.
The questions Wang Tom and Yan Chujie raised were very direct. They needed to know the status of military deployment in Manila and whether it was possible to persuade the defenders to surrender.If Juan is willing to cooperate with Haihan, not only can he regain his freedom after the war, but he can also choose whether to leave Manila. If he is afraid of taking responsibility and does not want to return to China, Haihan can also arrange for him in the Far East. Life in the future .
Of course, if Juan made up his mind not to cooperate with Haihan and insisted on resisting to the end, then the rest of his life might not be too easy.Wang Tom told him very bluntly that considering his status and decency, Haihan would not torture him, nor did he intend to execute him, but would send him to an undisclosed island in the South China Sea as a coolie, and possibly There will be no chance of release in the future.
"Even if your fate is good, your result will be to swallow your last breath peacefully in the wooden house where the slaves live in the plantation. If you are unlucky, you don't know when you will be digging in a mine someday. Buried alive by the landslide. Think about it, Mr. Juan, you still have a chance to make a choice, don’t make a decision that you regret.”
Simao followed Yan Chujie's instructions and tried hard to persuade the other party: "But if you are willing to cooperate with Haihan, then your life will be very easy for the rest of your life. Juan Luis, who commanded the Manila fleet in the past, has died in this naval battle. No one will know who you are, and they can make you a rich farmer somewhere else."
For a prisoner who had lost the battle and had no possibility of escape, Simao's words were undoubtedly very tempting.If he didn't cooperate, he would be hanged or shot directly, so Juan probably didn't have any idea of struggling, and he would die for the country according to the procedure, and maybe he would get some compensation for his family.
But the Haihan people did not intend to execute him, but gave him other better choices. The next best option was to be sent to work as a coolie and die silently; Nationality, go to the place arranged by Haihan to spend the rest of my life.
No matter what kind of way out, at least he can survive first, and for Juan, who originally had the desire to die, it was simply a glimmer of life that suddenly appeared in front of him.Although he has the courage to die for his country, he also has the desire to survive. It is difficult for him to choose death when he knows that he can live well.
Of course, Juan himself understands very well that once he cooperates with the Haihan people, it means treason, and treason is an unforgivable capital crime in Spain.If the truth is known in the future, it will be difficult to escape the pursuit of the empire even if they hide in the remotest corners of the earth, and he does not believe that the Haihan people will really put so much effort into protecting a traitor.
"I don't believe you." After thinking for a long time, Juan shook his head and rejected Simao's proposal.The cunning Portuguese and the brutal Haihan came together, and Juan didn't think the idea they came up with was credible.
After listening to Xi Mang's translation, Yan Chujie was not angry, but asked instead: "So your problem is that you don't believe that we will keep our promises, rather than that there is a problem with the solution we proposed? That's easy, you You can tell me what you think, if it is a reasonable request, I can make the decision and agree to you now."
For Haihan, letting go of Juan is not a big deal, especially compared to the real major event of attacking Manila City, Juan's life, and even the subsequent expenses that may be incurred due to it, are all trivial matters That's all.As long as Juan is willing to cooperate, then Yan Chujie can indeed give him some "special" care.
Juan didn't expect General Haihan to respond to his refusal in such a way, and he didn't know how to answer for a while.He didn't want to betray his country, but he really didn't want to spend the rest of his life in a mine.But this moment of hesitation was seen by old foxes like Yan Chujie, who naturally knew that this was a sign of Juan's weak will and loose defense, so he immediately signaled Simao to work harder.
Simao also knew a little about the way the Haihan army handled the prisoners, so he coaxed and threatened him, and continued to persuade Juan to accept the arrangement of the Haihan people.As a European, especially a Portuguese who has deep ties to Spain, he understands the mentality of his Spanish counterparts very well.If he died on the battlefield as a soldier, or was hanged by the enemy after the battle, Juan probably wouldn't blink his eyes, but if he were to be reduced to a slave and used as an inferior person, that would be a big problem for this kind of man. The humiliation may not be unbearable.
On the other hand, after the more than a dozen remaining ships of the defeated Manila fleet fled back to the port, the news quickly spread back to the city.Governor Aragones was actually prepared for the outcome of the defeat, but Juan was not able to safely withdraw to Manila Port in the end, which still disappointed him.Since the "San Diego" was intercepted by the Haihan Fleet outside the port, Juan's life and death were unknown in the end, and there was no more detailed and specific information fed back to Aragones. It was just a return from the sinking of the "San Diego" Judging from it, Juan is probably in danger.
Although Juan managed to save a batch of ships in the end, most of these ships were seriously damaged and the crew lost a lot. It is difficult to organize to fight Hai Han again in the short term.This also means that the Manila authorities have lost almost all of their maritime armaments, and it is difficult to resist the offensive launched by the Haihan Navy at sea.
As a seaport city, Manila lost the protection of armed forces at sea, which is tantamount to losing a solid shell, and the subsequent defense will become very passive. For the landing operations that the Haihan Army may launch, there will be fewer defenders. a powerful defense.Aragones sighed and ordered the news to be blocked temporarily, so as not to cause panic among the people in the city.
But how could such a big thing be hidden? Hundreds of crew members were killed, wounded or missing in this battle. Their relatives and friends in Manila soon discovered that something was wrong. The fleet had clearly returned to Hong Kong, but none of the crew could Depart for home.When I went to the port to inquire about news, the official only said that the fleet would continue to prepare for war, and no one was allowed to leave without authorization.However, the news that only half of the warships in the Manila fleet were barely struggling to return to the port quickly spread in the city.
Ran Tianlu also got the news at the first time. It has been several days since he sent Ran Tiancheng to report to Cavite Port.These days, he hardly closed his eyes safely, because he was very worried that Ran Tiancheng would be intercepted by the Spaniards on the way. If the secret letter was exposed, it would be a disaster for the entire Chaosheng Trading Post.However, after the news of the defeat of the Manila Fleet came, Ran Tianlu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although he didn't know whether the secret military information sent to Cavite Port had played a role, since the results of the battle between the two armies came out, Ran Tianlu must have Tian Cheng should have sent the information to the local area long ago.
Without the Manila fleet, how long can the Spaniards last?Ran Tianlu knew that the Haihan Army would surely approach the city in the near future and start attacking Manila City, so he felt a lot more relaxed at the moment, and ordered the kitchen to kill chickens and fish, and add more vegetables at night.
But before he could finish his fun, someone came to the door to inform him that Father Blanc had invited him to the church in the city to discuss matters.Ran Tianlu didn't dare to be negligent, and immediately explained the business inn, and then went into the city with the others and went to the church.
"Ran, you came so fast!" Father Blanco was very excited when he saw Ran Tianlu, took his arm enthusiastically, and led him into a living room behind the church without any explanation.
Although Ran Tianlu had a close relationship with Father Blanco, they usually communicated in the church, and this was the first time he was brought to such a private place. He couldn't help but be a little surprised at the unusual enthusiasm shown by the other party.He is a professionally trained intelligence officer, and he is extremely vigilant about his surroundings. The attitude shown by Father Blanco naturally aroused his vigilance. Could it be that his identity has been exposed, and the Spaniard specially arranged for this bureau Catch yourself in church?
However, there was no trap he was worried about in the living room, and there was no ferocious man waiting to take him. In fact, there was no third party in the room. Father Blanco even specially shunned an attendant who was staying in the corridor outside. .Ran Tianlu slowly relaxed, guessing that the other party must have something important to discuss with him.It's just that Father Blanco's status is respected in Manila, and even Governor Aragones wants to sell him a bit of face, so what else can he need the help of a businessman?
"Ran, if one day the church needs your help, what will you do?" After sitting down, Father Blanco finally introduced the topic.
Ran Tianlu didn't understand what it meant, but he still responded according to his own religious status: "If the Lord arranges, then of course we will do our best to help the church."
"Very good." Father Blanc nodded, very satisfied with Ran Tianlu's statement, and then explained to him the reason for calling him to meet.
It turns out that there are many works of art and documents collected by the church and Father Blanco in the Manila Cathedral. The priest worried that these things would be damaged in the next war, so he planned to transport them out before the Haihan people launched the siege. Outside the city, put it somewhere safer.And the storage location chosen by the priest is Ran Tianlu's store.
"You mean, you want to transport the precious property of the church to Chaosheng Store and give it to me?" Ran Tianlu couldn't believe his ears: "You just trust me like that?"
"It is only temporarily stored, and the church will take back these properties after the war." Father Blanco said seriously: "As for you, after my observation for a year, your daily generosity, kindness, and integrity, especially for The Lord's piety shows that you are a trustworthy person. It is the Lord's choice to entrust these properties to you for safekeeping."
Ran Tianlu really wanted to slander him, but he felt that doing so would be a little unworthy of the priest's trust in him, so he asked from another angle: "But you are not worried about the Haihan army attacking, the first thing to suffer is the city. Outsiders?"
"This is another important reason for choosing you." Father Blanco explained: "You are a Ming businessman, and Haihan people have always been friendly to Ming businessmen. This is a well-known thing. And your shop often There will be goods from Haihan for sale, I think, that should be an example of your trade relationship with Haihan. In any case, Haihan people should not embarrass their trading partners, right?"
Ran Tianlu did not expect that Father Blanco had figured out the cause and effect long ago, and he couldn't think of any words to refute his opinion at the moment.
Seeing his silence, Father Blanc urged, "Jan, what you just said will help the church."
"Of course. As you wish." Ran Tianlu came back to his senses and decided to agree to the other party's request first. Anyway, this matter is not collaborating with the enemy.Transport the valuable things of the church outside the city to avoid being destroyed in the flames of war, and then report to the superiors, who will make a decision. Maybe they can get more credit for it.
Father Blanc showed a gratified smile on his face, nodded and said, "I will arrange a carriage to send the things out of the city tonight, and then you will meet them outside the city."
Ran Tianlu agreed, thought for a while and said, "Father, do you think the city of Manila can't be defended anymore?"
Father Blanco replied: "It's not just me, many people think so. The Manila fleet is gone, and the Haihan army is very close to the city of Manila. Maybe the battle will start in a day or two. Ran, we have never defeated the Haihan people. No one here has the confidence to defeat them. Whether it is an officer or the governor, it is the same. The reason why they did not abandon the city is just that people still have a little unrealistic Hope."
Ran Tianlu was dumbfounded when he heard it, and thought to himself that you are really an honest person, even dare to say such a thing, if the governor hears it, you will be charged with disturbing the morale of the army and put in prison.
(End of this chapter)
Although Wang Tom can speak a little Spanish and can barely carry out daily conversations, in order to facilitate communication, he still called in Simao, a Portuguese officer who can speak Chinese and Spanish, as an interpreter.
In today's combat operations, Simao also went out with the Haihan Navy. After the "San Diego" was knocked out of power, he was the one who shouted to the ship in Spanish with a tin horn.Being able to capture the commander of the Manila Fleet in this operation is an extremely dazzling record in Simao's view. Although he only assisted in persuading the surrender and taking prisoners in the process, he also felt that he was honored.When he returns to China in the future, this record will be enough for him to brag about for a long time.Of course, if he can really break through the city of Manila and drive the Spaniards out of this place, it will probably be enough for him to brag about for the rest of his life.
Being able to appear arrogantly in front of a senior Spanish military officer like Juan has greatly satisfied Simao's vanity, but there were also senior generals from Haihan present, so Simao didn't dare to steal the limelight too much, and acted honestly. translation.
The questions Wang Tom and Yan Chujie raised were very direct. They needed to know the status of military deployment in Manila and whether it was possible to persuade the defenders to surrender.If Juan is willing to cooperate with Haihan, not only can he regain his freedom after the war, but he can also choose whether to leave Manila. If he is afraid of taking responsibility and does not want to return to China, Haihan can also arrange for him in the Far East. Life in the future .
Of course, if Juan made up his mind not to cooperate with Haihan and insisted on resisting to the end, then the rest of his life might not be too easy.Wang Tom told him very bluntly that considering his status and decency, Haihan would not torture him, nor did he intend to execute him, but would send him to an undisclosed island in the South China Sea as a coolie, and possibly There will be no chance of release in the future.
"Even if your fate is good, your result will be to swallow your last breath peacefully in the wooden house where the slaves live in the plantation. If you are unlucky, you don't know when you will be digging in a mine someday. Buried alive by the landslide. Think about it, Mr. Juan, you still have a chance to make a choice, don’t make a decision that you regret.”
Simao followed Yan Chujie's instructions and tried hard to persuade the other party: "But if you are willing to cooperate with Haihan, then your life will be very easy for the rest of your life. Juan Luis, who commanded the Manila fleet in the past, has died in this naval battle. No one will know who you are, and they can make you a rich farmer somewhere else."
For a prisoner who had lost the battle and had no possibility of escape, Simao's words were undoubtedly very tempting.If he didn't cooperate, he would be hanged or shot directly, so Juan probably didn't have any idea of struggling, and he would die for the country according to the procedure, and maybe he would get some compensation for his family.
But the Haihan people did not intend to execute him, but gave him other better choices. The next best option was to be sent to work as a coolie and die silently; Nationality, go to the place arranged by Haihan to spend the rest of my life.
No matter what kind of way out, at least he can survive first, and for Juan, who originally had the desire to die, it was simply a glimmer of life that suddenly appeared in front of him.Although he has the courage to die for his country, he also has the desire to survive. It is difficult for him to choose death when he knows that he can live well.
Of course, Juan himself understands very well that once he cooperates with the Haihan people, it means treason, and treason is an unforgivable capital crime in Spain.If the truth is known in the future, it will be difficult to escape the pursuit of the empire even if they hide in the remotest corners of the earth, and he does not believe that the Haihan people will really put so much effort into protecting a traitor.
"I don't believe you." After thinking for a long time, Juan shook his head and rejected Simao's proposal.The cunning Portuguese and the brutal Haihan came together, and Juan didn't think the idea they came up with was credible.
After listening to Xi Mang's translation, Yan Chujie was not angry, but asked instead: "So your problem is that you don't believe that we will keep our promises, rather than that there is a problem with the solution we proposed? That's easy, you You can tell me what you think, if it is a reasonable request, I can make the decision and agree to you now."
For Haihan, letting go of Juan is not a big deal, especially compared to the real major event of attacking Manila City, Juan's life, and even the subsequent expenses that may be incurred due to it, are all trivial matters That's all.As long as Juan is willing to cooperate, then Yan Chujie can indeed give him some "special" care.
Juan didn't expect General Haihan to respond to his refusal in such a way, and he didn't know how to answer for a while.He didn't want to betray his country, but he really didn't want to spend the rest of his life in a mine.But this moment of hesitation was seen by old foxes like Yan Chujie, who naturally knew that this was a sign of Juan's weak will and loose defense, so he immediately signaled Simao to work harder.
Simao also knew a little about the way the Haihan army handled the prisoners, so he coaxed and threatened him, and continued to persuade Juan to accept the arrangement of the Haihan people.As a European, especially a Portuguese who has deep ties to Spain, he understands the mentality of his Spanish counterparts very well.If he died on the battlefield as a soldier, or was hanged by the enemy after the battle, Juan probably wouldn't blink his eyes, but if he were to be reduced to a slave and used as an inferior person, that would be a big problem for this kind of man. The humiliation may not be unbearable.
On the other hand, after the more than a dozen remaining ships of the defeated Manila fleet fled back to the port, the news quickly spread back to the city.Governor Aragones was actually prepared for the outcome of the defeat, but Juan was not able to safely withdraw to Manila Port in the end, which still disappointed him.Since the "San Diego" was intercepted by the Haihan Fleet outside the port, Juan's life and death were unknown in the end, and there was no more detailed and specific information fed back to Aragones. It was just a return from the sinking of the "San Diego" Judging from it, Juan is probably in danger.
Although Juan managed to save a batch of ships in the end, most of these ships were seriously damaged and the crew lost a lot. It is difficult to organize to fight Hai Han again in the short term.This also means that the Manila authorities have lost almost all of their maritime armaments, and it is difficult to resist the offensive launched by the Haihan Navy at sea.
As a seaport city, Manila lost the protection of armed forces at sea, which is tantamount to losing a solid shell, and the subsequent defense will become very passive. For the landing operations that the Haihan Army may launch, there will be fewer defenders. a powerful defense.Aragones sighed and ordered the news to be blocked temporarily, so as not to cause panic among the people in the city.
But how could such a big thing be hidden? Hundreds of crew members were killed, wounded or missing in this battle. Their relatives and friends in Manila soon discovered that something was wrong. The fleet had clearly returned to Hong Kong, but none of the crew could Depart for home.When I went to the port to inquire about news, the official only said that the fleet would continue to prepare for war, and no one was allowed to leave without authorization.However, the news that only half of the warships in the Manila fleet were barely struggling to return to the port quickly spread in the city.
Ran Tianlu also got the news at the first time. It has been several days since he sent Ran Tiancheng to report to Cavite Port.These days, he hardly closed his eyes safely, because he was very worried that Ran Tiancheng would be intercepted by the Spaniards on the way. If the secret letter was exposed, it would be a disaster for the entire Chaosheng Trading Post.However, after the news of the defeat of the Manila Fleet came, Ran Tianlu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although he didn't know whether the secret military information sent to Cavite Port had played a role, since the results of the battle between the two armies came out, Ran Tianlu must have Tian Cheng should have sent the information to the local area long ago.
Without the Manila fleet, how long can the Spaniards last?Ran Tianlu knew that the Haihan Army would surely approach the city in the near future and start attacking Manila City, so he felt a lot more relaxed at the moment, and ordered the kitchen to kill chickens and fish, and add more vegetables at night.
But before he could finish his fun, someone came to the door to inform him that Father Blanc had invited him to the church in the city to discuss matters.Ran Tianlu didn't dare to be negligent, and immediately explained the business inn, and then went into the city with the others and went to the church.
"Ran, you came so fast!" Father Blanco was very excited when he saw Ran Tianlu, took his arm enthusiastically, and led him into a living room behind the church without any explanation.
Although Ran Tianlu had a close relationship with Father Blanco, they usually communicated in the church, and this was the first time he was brought to such a private place. He couldn't help but be a little surprised at the unusual enthusiasm shown by the other party.He is a professionally trained intelligence officer, and he is extremely vigilant about his surroundings. The attitude shown by Father Blanco naturally aroused his vigilance. Could it be that his identity has been exposed, and the Spaniard specially arranged for this bureau Catch yourself in church?
However, there was no trap he was worried about in the living room, and there was no ferocious man waiting to take him. In fact, there was no third party in the room. Father Blanco even specially shunned an attendant who was staying in the corridor outside. .Ran Tianlu slowly relaxed, guessing that the other party must have something important to discuss with him.It's just that Father Blanco's status is respected in Manila, and even Governor Aragones wants to sell him a bit of face, so what else can he need the help of a businessman?
"Ran, if one day the church needs your help, what will you do?" After sitting down, Father Blanco finally introduced the topic.
Ran Tianlu didn't understand what it meant, but he still responded according to his own religious status: "If the Lord arranges, then of course we will do our best to help the church."
"Very good." Father Blanc nodded, very satisfied with Ran Tianlu's statement, and then explained to him the reason for calling him to meet.
It turns out that there are many works of art and documents collected by the church and Father Blanco in the Manila Cathedral. The priest worried that these things would be damaged in the next war, so he planned to transport them out before the Haihan people launched the siege. Outside the city, put it somewhere safer.And the storage location chosen by the priest is Ran Tianlu's store.
"You mean, you want to transport the precious property of the church to Chaosheng Store and give it to me?" Ran Tianlu couldn't believe his ears: "You just trust me like that?"
"It is only temporarily stored, and the church will take back these properties after the war." Father Blanco said seriously: "As for you, after my observation for a year, your daily generosity, kindness, and integrity, especially for The Lord's piety shows that you are a trustworthy person. It is the Lord's choice to entrust these properties to you for safekeeping."
Ran Tianlu really wanted to slander him, but he felt that doing so would be a little unworthy of the priest's trust in him, so he asked from another angle: "But you are not worried about the Haihan army attacking, the first thing to suffer is the city. Outsiders?"
"This is another important reason for choosing you." Father Blanco explained: "You are a Ming businessman, and Haihan people have always been friendly to Ming businessmen. This is a well-known thing. And your shop often There will be goods from Haihan for sale, I think, that should be an example of your trade relationship with Haihan. In any case, Haihan people should not embarrass their trading partners, right?"
Ran Tianlu did not expect that Father Blanco had figured out the cause and effect long ago, and he couldn't think of any words to refute his opinion at the moment.
Seeing his silence, Father Blanc urged, "Jan, what you just said will help the church."
"Of course. As you wish." Ran Tianlu came back to his senses and decided to agree to the other party's request first. Anyway, this matter is not collaborating with the enemy.Transport the valuable things of the church outside the city to avoid being destroyed in the flames of war, and then report to the superiors, who will make a decision. Maybe they can get more credit for it.
Father Blanc showed a gratified smile on his face, nodded and said, "I will arrange a carriage to send the things out of the city tonight, and then you will meet them outside the city."
Ran Tianlu agreed, thought for a while and said, "Father, do you think the city of Manila can't be defended anymore?"
Father Blanco replied: "It's not just me, many people think so. The Manila fleet is gone, and the Haihan army is very close to the city of Manila. Maybe the battle will start in a day or two. Ran, we have never defeated the Haihan people. No one here has the confidence to defeat them. Whether it is an officer or the governor, it is the same. The reason why they did not abandon the city is just that people still have a little unrealistic Hope."
Ran Tianlu was dumbfounded when he heard it, and thought to himself that you are really an honest person, even dare to say such a thing, if the governor hears it, you will be charged with disturbing the morale of the army and put in prison.
(End of this chapter)