socalfunplaces Chapter 21 Manila Reaction
Chapter 21 Manila Reaction
While Zhu Jiheng was winning over the surrounding Irok tribes, news of Lingayan's fall was finally sent to Manila City by passing merchant ships a few days after the city fell.
When the news reached Manila, it was like cold water being poured into boiling oil, instantly causing an uproar among the top officials of the Spanish colonial authorities.
Inside the council chamber of the Governor's Palace in Manila.
"What?! Lin Jiayan is missing?! How is that possible?!"
Juan de Vargas Hurtado, the Spanish governor of the Philippines, abruptly stood up from his ornate armchair. His languid expression was now replaced by shock and rage, making his face appear slightly distorted.
His obese body trembled slightly with excitement, his wide robes billowing with his rapid breathing. The other senior officials and military officers in the council chamber exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with disbelief.
"Your Excellency, it is absolutely true!" the official who delivered the message said, his voice trembling.
He initially thought it was a rumor, but as more and more merchant ships from the north reported that Lingayen was under Chinese control, he had no choice but to believe the news and report it to the Governor's Office.
"Was it the Chinese in Lingayen who started the rebellion?!" Governor Juan asked through gritted teeth, instinctively assuming it was a Chinese rebellion, since such things were not uncommon.
The official hesitated before replying, "According to multiple sources, a red flag with the Chinese character 'Ming' on it has been raised atop Linggayan City. The attackers are well-equipped and highly trained, and they claim to be Ming soldiers..."
"Ming army?" The governor's eyes widened, then he let out a sneer, mocking, "How absurd! The Ming Dynasty was already forced to retreat to Formosa by the Tatars, and even the great pirates who defeated the Dutch were unable to launch a distant expedition. How could they possibly have the strength to cross the sea and conquer Lingayen now?"
After he finished speaking, he slammed his hand down hard on the heavy oak table, causing the silver inkwell and documents on the table to jump.
"This must be a trick by those damned Chinese rebels! They fabricated a ridiculous identity, waved the Ming Dynasty flag, and used it to bewitch people, just like they tried to collude with that pirate more than twenty years ago!"
A heavy silence fell over the council chamber.
More than 20 years ago, Zhu Chenggong, whom they called the great pirate, threatened Manila, triggering a riot among the Chinese in Luzon. The massacre that was eventually brutally suppressed by the authorities is still a topic that many Spanish colonists are reluctant to talk about.
"Your Excellency the Governor." Just then, a middle-aged officer in a crisp military uniform with a stern face stood up. He was Colonel Antonio Lopez, the garrison commander of Fort Santiago, and one of the few commanders in the Manila garrison with combat experience.
"Regardless of the true identity of the rebel leader, the fall of Lingayen is a fact. It was our most important port in the north, our shipbuilding center, and our source of tax revenue. We must react immediately and not allow this rebellion to spread!"
"Colonel Lopez is right!" another senator echoed. "The loss of Lingayen is not just the loss of a town; it gives the long-discontented Chinese and restless indigenous tribes 'hope' to resist us. If we don't swiftly and decisively suppress it, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
"But..." the treasurer interrupted with a worried look, "Your Excellency, gentlemen, our military strength... or rather, Manila's own defenses are already insufficient. We also have to guard against pirates in the surrounding areas and harassment from the Sulu Sultanate. If we want to organize an army strong enough to retake Lingayen, we need to draw troops from garrisons in various places, which may weaken our control over other areas, and the military expenditure..."
"Military expenses are not a problem!" Governor Juan interrupted him rudely, his fat face flushed with excitement. "We can 'borrow' money from the Chinese merchants in Manila! And from those wealthy monasteries! God will bless our cause! As for military strength..."
He looked at Colonel Lopez and asked, "Colonel, how many troops do you think are needed to quickly quell Lingayen's rebellion?"
Colonel Lopez did not answer immediately. He thought for a moment before slowly saying, "We do not yet know how many rebels are around Lingayen, but what we do know is that the four two-masted fast ships anchored in the harbor have likely been captured by the rebels. If they try to dismantle the cannons on board, then we will be facing an enemy force with at least forty 3-pounder cannons."
"Forty cannons?!" A collective gasp rippled through the council chamber. This number far exceeded their expectations, as cannons were extremely precious and powerful weapons in this era.
Colonel Lopez nodded solemnly and continued his analysis: "Even if they only dismantle a portion of them, even just twenty cannons, it would be enough to establish a strong defense in a small town like Lingayen."
The more they listened, the uglier their expressions became. At first, they had assumed that they were facing nothing more than a mob that had been hastily armed, but if there were artillery... then it would be a different story.
They wouldn't ask the rebels such a stupid question as whether they could operate artillery. Knowing those peasant gunners as they did, they knew that if a knife was held to a gunner's throat, the gunner would not hesitate to fire the shells at their former comrades.
After everyone had slowly processed the news, the colonel continued:
"To ensure victory, we must assemble a sufficiently strong force. I believe the army needs at least 1,500 soldiers, including four companies of regular infantry, an artillery detachment, two hundred cavalry or dragoons, with the remainder filled by reliable indigenous auxiliary troops and temporarily conscripted units."
"On the naval front, a squadron capable of completely suppressing Lingayen Harbor is needed. Considering that the rebels may have captured four two-masted fast ships and merchant ships in the harbor, at least one galleon equipped as a main warship is needed to bombard the port and coastal fortifications; and several two-masted fast ships to be responsible for blockade, transportation, landing support and dealing with rebel ships, and to requisition some merchant ships to transport the army for landing."
"1,500 army soldiers, a detachment..." The governor's face turned somewhat grim. This might not seem like much, but it represented nearly half of the Philippine garrison's strength after years of downsizing.
"Colonel, how long will it take to assemble such an army? And how much supplies and funds will be needed?" He paused for a moment before continuing to ask.
The colonel did some mental calculations and said in a deep voice, "If everything goes smoothly, it will take at least a month, or even longer, from the time the order is given to the completion of the assembly, the collection of supplies and ships. As for the funds..." He looked at the governor but did not continue.
After all, they needed to recruit soldiers from all over Luzon, and the indigenous auxiliary troops also needed to be recruited from the Irok tribes who were loyal to the authorities, all of which took time.