gnovel Chapter 31 Secretly Connecting with Compatriots
Chapter 31 Secretly Connecting with Compatriots
"Brother Chen, I am not the eldest young master, but only the third young master." Zheng Mingsong raised his wine glass and took a small sip.
Chen Feng keenly noticed a subtle hint of self-deprecation in his tone when he uttered those three words, and immediately made a guess in his mind.
As a powerful and influential family like the Zheng family, which has been passed down for hundreds of years, it is no surprise that there are dramatic stories like the struggle for succession and power.
The independence army is about to stir up trouble in Malolos, which will surely arouse the vigilance of the Chinese community.
Zheng Mingsong, a shrewd man, was sent to the front lines of war to gather intelligence, probably because he was not valued in his family and desperately needed a merit to secure his position.
Upon hearing the name George Dewey, this man was eager to represent the Zheng family at the meeting, his intentions obvious: to leverage the influence of the US military to elevate his status within the family.
Having considered this, Chen Feng felt more confident. He put down his wine glass and chuckled, "Brother Zheng, do you know what the Independent Army is planning lately?"
Zheng Mingsong pondered for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "According to my informant in the Independent Army, they want to take Marolos City and turn it into their base."
"At the end of this month?"
"It should be!" Zheng Mingsong nodded slightly, lowering his voice even further: "I also heard some big news, the commander-in-chief of the Independent Army is coming back."
"Emilio Aquinado?"
Chen Feng frowned slightly. He had only heard of the name, but his specific deeds were very vague.
After all, the Chinese Free Army fighters were mostly low-level laborers and tenant farmers. The news had been passed around by more than a dozen people and had long been distorted.
"It should be!" Zheng Mingsong's tone was uncertain.
Chen Feng raised his glass again, asking casually, "Brother Zheng, have you ever met this person? Do you know him?"
Emilio Aguinaldo visited my home several times, always accompanied by the staff of the Spanish governor.
Zheng Mingsong raised his glass and took a sip, then slowly began to speak, "The original leader of the Independence Army was not him. His name was Andres Punnifa, born in a Manila slum. He lost both his parents at a young age and made a living by making walking sticks and guarding warehouses. He managed to learn Spanish and English through self-study."
Two years ago, he spearheaded a rebellion in Balintawak, north of Manila, which quickly amassed 400,000 followers and formed a revolutionary organization called "Katipunan."
hiss!
Upon hearing this, Chen Feng secretly gasped.
Four hundred thousand followers?
Andres Punnis's show is truly impressive; he's practically a living embodiment of a warlord in a chaotic era.
Zheng Mingsong put down his wine glass, took out a cigarette from his pocket, took a deep drag, and then continued, "Emilio Aguinaldo is different. He was born into a landowning family in Cavite and is of mixed Spanish and indigenous descent. He used to be the mayor of Cavite and had troops and supplies under his command."
Two years ago, after Pang Nifa's rebellion, he opportunistically raised an army and expanded his power under the banner of revolution.
"I heard that Punnis was killed by Aquinas?" Chen Feng asked.
Zheng Mingsong flicked his cigarette ash and nodded, saying, "That's true. Aquinado joined the Independence Army less than a year ago, and with the support of the landlords, he climbed to the position of number two."
Last March, the Independence Army held a conference in Teheros, where the two men and their supporters completely broke off relations.
Punicio wanted to completely overthrow colonial rule and distribute land to the peasants; Aguinaldo, however, wanted to negotiate with the Spanish to protect the interests of the landowners.
In April, Aquinado played a dirty trick, sending someone to offer a feigned condolence visit, which Ponticus was completely unsuspecting of and even hosted a banquet for.
The next morning, Aquinado's men launched a surprise attack, taking advantage of the chaos to wound Ponticus's arm and kill dozens of his close associates.
But what's truly laughable is that Nifashu, standing nearby, actually stopped his men from fighting back, saying that revolution wasn't about infighting. Ultimately, his entire family was captured, and his wife was gang-raped by men sent by Aquinas.
Hearing this, Chen Feng roughly made a judgment in his mind.
Aquinado came from a good family and had served as an official. His faction consisted mainly of landlords and capitalists. He was cunning, treacherous, and extremely adept at political maneuvering.
As for the already deceased Ponticus, he had a heart full of revolutionary fervor, but he was too soft-hearted. Even when the enemy attacked, he still thought about avoiding internal strife, which led to the destruction of his family and the death of his people.
This lesson must be learned.
In the future, if anyone shows hostility, we must do everything in our power to nip the danger in the bud and never be lenient.
Zheng Mingsong tossed away the burning cigarette butt and raised his glass again: "Brother Chen, let's not talk about these things anymore. Do you know when the US military will launch a large-scale amphibious landing operation?"
Chen Feng estimated the time and whispered, "It will definitely land within two months."
"How large?" Zheng Mingsong's eyes were full of urgency.
"I don't know about that!" Chen Feng shook his head and asked in return, "Do you know the exact size of the Spanish army in Luzon?"
Without hesitation, Zheng Mingsong replied immediately: "There are about 4 people, of which about 2 are Spanish natives and the rest are indigenous and Chinese troops."
"That's not a small number!" Chen Feng's heart sank, and he asked again, "Is there really only one battalion of Spanish soldiers in Marolos?"
Zheng Mingsong nodded, his tone certain: "At most, there are about five hundred people, plus an equal number of mixed native and Chinese mercenaries guarding the four city gates."
"Can such a small number of people stop the natives?" Chen Feng frowned slightly, secretly hoping that Spain would be as tenacious as possible, and that they could thwart the independence army's plan so that the Chinese Free Army would have more time to develop.
Zheng Mingsong chuckled and said, "Of course we can't stop them. This city was captured by the Independence Army two years ago, but Aguinaldo and Ponticus had a falling out, which greatly weakened their strength, and the Spanish took it back. Now that the Independence Army has returned, the Spanish troops in the city are probably already prepared to flee."
"I see!"
Chen Feng frowned, tapping the rim of his cup lightly with his fingertips, pondering carefully in his mind whether he could find an opportunity to snatch a chestnut from the fire.
Zheng Mingsong wasn't in a hurry. He picked up his glass, took a sip, and lit another cigarette.
Qian Biao diligently poured more wine for his companion, his wary eyes constantly scanning the surroundings to prevent anyone from suddenly approaching.
As dusk approached, Chen Feng still hadn't figured things out, so he sighed and said, "Brother Zheng, thank you for your hospitality today. I'll stay at this hotel tonight."
"Brother Chen, you're too kind!" Zheng Mingsong shook his head and pondered, "The medicine you need is hard to find in Malolos. Are there any other supplies you need? I can help you find a way."
"Then thank you very much, Brother Zheng!" Chen Feng cupped his hands in thanks. "We have enough weapons, but we lack everything else."
After saying that, he gestured for Qian Biao to produce a list of supplies to be purchased.
This list was drawn up based on the needs of 1,000 people for three months. It listed daily necessities such as salt, brown rice, smoked meat, cloth, and kerosene, and was written in dozens of dense lines.
Zheng Mingsong picked up the list, glanced at it quickly, and waved his hand magnanimously, saying, "Although there are many items, it is not a problem at all for my Zheng family. I can prepare them in three days at the latest."
"Can you deliver to my door?" Chen Feng asked with a smile.
The village of Balangai is located in a remote area, and if they were to transport such a large amount of supplies themselves, they would likely be unable to avoid being plundered by the Independent Army.
Zheng Mingsong, who was just worried about not finding an opportunity to find out the truth, answered without hesitation: "No problem. In Luzon, my Zheng family still has some influence. We can sell these civilian supplies to whomever we want."
Chen Feng breathed a sigh of relief. "Brother Zheng, I'm relieved to hear that! Can you calculate the total cost? How much of a deposit do we need to pay in advance?"