Chapter 1683 Compromise

The current dilemma faced by Francis and his son is certainly not a coincidence, but a situation deliberately planned and arranged by Haihan officials. After capturing Manila and driving away the Spanish colonial authorities, Haihan seemed to have successfully taken over the area around Manila Bay.

However, in the specific governance process, it still faces many practical difficulties.

The Spanish colonists ruled here for decades, leaving a deep imprint on all aspects of social life. As a latecomer, Haihan wanted to re-formulate social systems and laws and regulations, so that this place would be consistent with Haihan's domestic

The convergence of social conditions is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Especially those Spanish immigrants who have been living here since birth are unwilling to leave the place they regard as their hometown, and they do not want to accept "foreign" rule.

Or, although they were too frightened by the force of the Haihan army to try to resist, they were also unwilling to comply with the various arrangements made by the Haihan government, which invisibly greatly slowed down the pace of local post-war reconstruction and restoration of social order.

As the current ruling body, the Manila Provisional Council can of course take some coercive measures to suppress all people who are unwilling to obey the arrangements, but the disadvantages of doing so are also obvious and will make it more difficult for Haihan to win the obedience of the people. Therefore, during the conquest

After obtaining the permission of the Executive Committee, Qiu Yuan and others proposed a new governance plan based on local public sentiment, that is, to activate some influential Spanish officials in the region and establish an interim agency to assist the Interim Management Committee to appease public sentiment and maintain

law and order.

In the opinion of the Interim Management Committee, the former Philippine Governor Aragones is actually the best person to carry out this kind of task. After all, he knows the local people's conditions best and has a relatively large influence in the minds of the people. But this is Spain.

Although the old man was a bit greedy for life and feared death, and even sold all the information he had to save his life, he didn't even have the slightest idea of ​​changing his family to serve Haihan. Moreover, Aragones had already sent his family away at the beginning of the war.

In Manila, Haihan has no conditions that can be used to blackmail him. They can only fulfill the contract and let him go after cleaning out the valuable information in his mind.

There are two first-class candidates, one is City Defense Commander Francis, and the other is Manila Fleet Commander Juan Luis. However, Juan Luis has been active at sea all year round, and his personal influence in the minds of the people in Manila is obviously not as good as Francis.

.And after a little inquiry, Haihan found out that Francis’ only son also lived locally, so the follow-up operation was much simpler.

As for the local Han family who married Francis, the Provisional Management Committee actually had no other intentions. As long as the Ding family did not take the initiative to cause trouble, the Provisional Management Committee did not intend to impose any series of punishments. After all, during the Spanish rule, these could be

Which of the prosperous Han families in Manila does not have inseparable interests with the Spanish? If they attack the Ding family because of the marriage, it will inevitably chill the hearts of the local Han gentry. This is not the case.

A situation that management would like to see.

Of course, taking this opportunity to give the Ding family a little hammering to stop them from following the Spaniards all the way to the dark side and to clarify their future stance is also a very necessary measure in the opinion of the Interim Management Committee. As for Ding's decision in this process

Whether the family will take the initiative to sever the marriage relationship with the Francis family is not a trivial matter that the interim management committee needs to worry about.

Now that Francis was selected as the target, the corresponding action plan was quickly put into effect. The Haihan Army arrested little Francis and imprisoned the father and son together, allowing them to deepen their dependence on each other in a prison environment.

In this way, when using the method of separate exile to blackmail Francis, it can have a better effect.

Just as Haihan expected, such measures did work. Francis was uncharacteristically hesitant when faced with the conditions proposed by Haihan. In a desperate and helpless state, even Francis

Such a determined soldier inevitably began to waver emotionally in the end.

Before the Francis and his son could make a decision, the guards came to inform them that Haihan officials would meet with them later and asked them to prepare first.

Although the rebellion against Francis was planned by the military earlier, all the troops have now withdrawn from Manila, and the task of establishing a security maintenance agency has also been handed over to the Interim Management Committee, under the overall management of Qiu Yuan. Qiu Yuan learned

After the progress here, I thought it was necessary to make more efforts to promote this matter, so I came to meet Francis in person.

Qiu Yuan had many matters at hand and did not want to waste too much time here, so after meeting with Francis and his son, he went straight to the point and announced his identity and purpose of visit: "I am Qiu Yuan, the current chief executive of Manila in Haihan Kingdom. I hold this position."

I am probably equivalent to the former Governor of Aragones in your country. To put it simply, I am in charge of all local affairs, including your stay and departure. The general requirements have been discussed with you before.

I will not repeat it. I will only add two points. First, if you are willing to follow our arrangements and take up the post, then after three years, you and your son can go and stay at your own convenience. Even if you have to return to Spain, we will try to arrange it.

.Second, you are not the only ones who can benefit from this, there are also thousands of Spanish immigrants living here. You can think carefully about the reason."

After Qiu Yuan finished speaking, he leaned back in his chair and told the translator he brought with him: "Tell them what I mean."

Francis and his son listened to the translation very carefully, but in fact there was nothing new in Qiu Yuan's words. Even the two supplementary points had actually been mentioned by the officer who interrogated Francis before. It was just that these words came from ordinary officers.

The impact of speaking out is naturally different from making a personal promise from a senior official like Qiu Yuan.

You can go and stay at your own leisure after three years. This is undoubtedly a very attractive condition. As long as you work for Haihan for three years, you can regain your freedom in the future. Moreover, this job is like being an official, and you can even get financial rewards.

It is much better than being exiled to an unknown place overseas to work as a coolie on a plantation or as a miner in the shadows.

As for the second point added by Qiu Yuan, Francis had never thought about it. After Haihan captured Manila, there would inevitably be many Spanish immigrants who were born and raised in the local area and would choose to stay here, but these people may not be able to cope well.

Subject to the management of the Haihan government, or according to the Haihan officer who communicated with him before, there is a lack of an intermediate institution that can act as a buffer between the Spanish people and the Haihan Provisional Management Council. The Provisional Management Council hopes to pass

Such an intermediary agency that obeys its orders calms the emotions of the local Spanish people and mobilizes them to restore production and normal social order, instead of resorting to various resistance and non-cooperation with the new rulers, or even deliberately disrupting public order and causing trouble.

"Then what will happen to you if I still choose to refuse?" Francis asked, staring at Qiu Yuan.

After listening to the translation, Qiu Yuan smiled and said: "I don't have much time to spend time with you, so if you still choose to refuse this time, then you and your son will leave here before dark, and your son will probably be sent away

Go to the front line thousands of miles away in the north, where our army is fighting the barbarian countries in the north. There is a need for young and strong men to serve as civilian husbands. If you are lucky, he may be able to live for another year or two. As for you, maybe

The tin mine that was sent to Bangka Belitung Island, it may also be the coal mine in Annan Black Earth Port, or the Shilu Iron Mine in Hainan Island... In short, be mentally prepared, because the rest of your life is likely to be in the mine.

Got through it.”

Qiu Yuan's words were not false threats. He really didn't have the patience to slowly bargain with the prisoners of war. As long as Francis rejected the proposal, he and his son would have lost their most important use value to Haihan and could only be sent away.

They went overseas to extract the last labor force. As for their life and death, Qiu Yuan was not a soft-hearted person. During his tenure in Haikou, he signed orders to execute quite a few criminals. Two more would not be too many. Not to mention these two people.

They won't be executed directly, they will just be sent to remote places to be slowly wasted to death.

There is no need to explain this truth. Qiu Yuan believes that Francis can also figure it out. If he is so stupid that he cannot even think clearly about the stakes involved, then there is no need for Haihan to use amnesty treatment in exchange for his submission.

After Qiu Yuanjian finished speaking, Francis still looked hesitant. He frowned and added: "If you can't make up your mind, I'll go see the next person. I think there are more than a dozen Spanish people locked up in this building."

Officials, it is impossible for everyone to be like you and still be so hesitant about the opportunity that comes to your door. If you don't do it, there will always be someone who is willing to do it. Even if you refuse to cooperate with us, you still can't change anything."

These words were quite heart-wrenching. Francis was indeed not sure whether the other officials imprisoned here would reject the Haihan people's proposal. In fact, he also knew that there would definitely be people who were willing to exchange it for starting from scratch.

opportunities, and he is not a special being that no one can replace. He can completely imagine that the Haihan people will even use his failure to cooperate to threaten the next target. This special organization will inevitably be established, and someone will definitely choose

Cooperating with Haihan, the outcome of their father and son will not affect the future situation in Manila at all.

If they can live well, how many people are willing to actively choose to sacrifice themselves, suffer, or even die in obscurity. Francis is more willing to be loyal to the Kingdom of Spain in his heart, but it is a pity that he is just a sinner to Spain now, even if

Even though he and his son were executed by the Haihan people, this could not change this established fact, and it was impossible to obtain forgiveness from the royal family after his death.

Since there was no way out, Francis seemed to have no choice, so he asked Qiu Yuan: "Then what are you going to do with my son?"

This sentence undoubtedly showed a compromising attitude. Qiu Yuan suppressed his secret joy and promised Francis: "As long as you are willing to stand up, he can regain his freedom immediately. If he wants to be an official, then we can also

Arrange a decent position for him, and at least ensure that you, father and son, can live in this area with dignity for a period of time in the future. Remember, if you cooperate with us, then you are ours, and we have always taken good care of our own people.

.Do you have any other questions?"

Francis turned to look at his son and saw the uncontrollable joy on his face. He was obviously excited about the coming freedom. He slowly let out a breath and said to Qiu Yuan: "Yes,

I have two requests. First, please give us another place to live, there are too many cockroaches in this damn place!"

"No problem, what about the second one?" Qiu Yuan responded immediately after hearing the translation.

"Second...please give us a decent meal. Every day is rotten fish and shrimp. I haven't had beef for about half a month." Francis complained about the food here without politeness.

Based on his living standard when he was the commander of the city defense, it was naturally difficult to tolerate the food arrangements in this prison. But in fact, this was considered preferential treatment for these special prisoners of war. Otherwise, according to the food standards of the prisoner of war camp, there would only be three meals per day.

Two bowls of vegetable porridge in the morning and one in the evening. He couldn't even hope to see oily flowers in the bowl. After three or five days, he would feel dizzy when walking. As for wanting to eat beef in it, he really thought too much.

But having said that, Francis, who is very particular about his standard of living, has been able to endure these complaints for so many days. It is probably that he has been holding back these complaints for a long time. If Qiu Yuanlai had not reached a consensus with him in interviews, then he would probably have to continue to complain every day.

His nose eats what he calls smelly fish and rotten shrimps.

Qiu Yuan almost laughed out loud after hearing this request. I dare say that what the Spanish officer is most concerned about is the quality of life. Of course, there is nothing to refuse, so he just agrees.

"Arrange it, arrange it right away." Qiu Yuan agreed without taking it seriously at all. Being able to win Francis's cooperation is worth far more than a few cows. Even if he can eat enough, there will be no problem.

Haihan was always very efficient. After the meeting between Qiu Yuan and Francis, a carriage came quickly and took Francis and his son to another manor closer to Manila. It was ready here

After providing them with hot water and a change of clothes, they enjoyed a fresh steak dinner.

"Besides not being able to leave here, try to meet their requirements." Qiu Yuan's arrangements for Francis and his son were very generous. This was also to further undermine their will. He would eat people softly and take advantage of others with short hands. When he later arranged for them to do things,

But there was no reason to refuse anymore.
Chapter completed!