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Chapter 1519 Inside the stream

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    Contrary to what many people believe, Luzon is not far from the Ming Dynasty at all.

    There is only a strait between the Luzon Islands and Taiwan Island, and its northernmost island is less than 200 miles away from Orchid Island in Taiwan.

    Starting from the Houbihu Coast Guard Base in Kenting, heading south for 700 miles, you can reach the northernmost tip of Luzon Island.

    There is also a string of islands scattered between the two, which can serve as natural navigation marks to prevent ships from getting lost.

    Therefore, since the Han Dynasty, Chinese businessmen have come to Luzon to do business.  During the Tang Dynasty, the number of people going to Southeast Asia began to increase, but at that time most of the immigrants were concentrated in the Annan-Siam area, where farming civilization was relatively developed.

    The first peak period of Han immigration to Luzon occurred at the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. A large number of Han people would rather flee to the sea than become slaves of the subjugated country. Many people came to Luzon, and Xu Chai was later appointed as the governor of Luzon.  Man, my ancestors immigrated here at that time.

    By the end of the Yuan Dynasty, there were as many as 40,000 Han people living in Luzon.

    However, Taizu of this dynasty issued a decree to attract people to return to their hometowns and settle down, which set off a wave of overseas Han people returning to the country. As a result, the number of overseas Chinese in Luzon decreased instead of increasing.

    It was not until a hundred years after the founding of the People's Republic of China that land annexation was serious, and the Fujian and Guangdong areas were mountainous and sparse, and the people had no place to stand, that they began to go to Southeast Asia again.

    But most people still go to the West. Especially after the arrival of the Portuguese, trade between the East and the West increased significantly, and there were more opportunities to make money in places like Malacca, Pattani, and Java.

    The main island of Luzon does not even produce the most scarce spices in the West, and is completely excluded from the great maritime trade.  Overseas Chinese who originally settled in Luzon have moved to the West or to spice-producing places like Mindanao to start the spice business.

    The turning point occurred nine years ago, in the forty-fourth year of Jiajing, in 1565 AD. In order to break the Portuguese monopoly on eastern trade and find the origin of spices, the Spanish finally found Magellan after decades of continuous exploration.  route, crossing the ocean and landing again on Cebu Island in the middle of the Luzon Islands.

    In June of the same year, the large sailing ship "San Pablo" was loaded with spices from Cebu to Mexico for sale, opening up the Pacific route connecting Asia and the Americas.  As shiploads of South American silver arrived in Cebu on Spanish galleons, Chinese businessmen with a keen sense of smell swarmed in. The number of overseas Chinese in Luzon began to surge, and within a few years it was the same as the peak of the year.

    Even though the Spaniards invaded Manila three years ago and have been carrying out massacres in Luzon in recent years, the number of overseas Chinese in Manila has only increased.

    ¡°When it comes to making money at the expense of life, no one can compare with these lucky guys.

    ??~~

    Luzon, Manila.

    A 100-meter-long wooden bridge spans the turbid Pasig River.

    At dusk, groups of overseas Chinese pushing carts and carrying burdens gather at the head of the bridge, waiting to cross the narrow wooden bridge.

    On the bridge, a red-haired ghost wearing boots and a short gun hanging from his waist led a team with whips and wooden sticks. He wore a straw hat and was barefoot. His appearance and body shape were similar to those of the natives of Luzon, but his hair was curly.  The Mexican soldier, who also has a higher nose, seems to be maintaining order.

    ¡°Chinese people crossing the bridge at a slightly slower speed or in a slightly crowded area will be punched and kicked by those old Mo¡¯ers.  He didn't even make any mistakes and was whipped, just for fun.

    The Chinese are unarmed and dare not speak out when they are angry.  Because anyone who dares to contradict the red-haired ghost will be executed on the spot as a rebel.  Originally, this happened only to the natives, but in the past two years, the Chinese have become increasingly unpopular. They were still killed by the Spaniards at will, and their bodies were thrown into the Pasig River without any responsibility.

    "The overseas Chinese can only comfort themselves by saying that we are here to seek money, and we will leave when we have made enough money. There is no need to lose our lives just to fight for reputation

    But not everyone is so cowardly. Several young people in the crowd stared at the red-haired ghosts and their henchmen with fire-breathing eyes.  A young man named Chen Yongquan had already put his hand into his backpack and tightly grasped a stone the size of a cantaloupe.

    Unlike the new overseas Chinese who have arrived in recent years, 18-year-old Chen Yongquan is the third generation of overseas Chinese born on Daming Street.

    His grandfather¡¯s generation came from Quanzhou to make a living, buying hardwood from the local area and trafficking it back to China.  By his father's generation, he opened a wood shop on Daming Street.  Later, when the Spaniards came, cloth and satin became a hot commodity. His father, Chen Mei, purchased cotton and silk from China and sold them, becoming one of the few wealthy people on Daming Street.  The Sultan had to address Mr. Chen respectfully and ask if he could get two batches of silk and satin on credit?

    Later, with the demise of the Sultanate, the Spanish became the masters of Manila and even the entire Luzon Island, and renamed it the Philippines.  At first, everyone was a little nervous, but seeing that the business could be followed, the Spaniards also deliberately caged the Chinese.It's because you newcomers are too cowardly that we got the red-haired ghost riding on our necks and shitting on us!  "

    After saying this, he regretted a little, because the other party was the new director of the Nanhai Commercial Center, and he was backed by the newly rising Nanhai Group.  All ships traveling to and from Daming, Ryukyu, and Japan are under his control.

    With just one word from Tang Baolu, his father's lumber business and silk and satin business would all be stopped.

    But the young man would not admit his mistake. He held his neck straight and said stubbornly: "Don't worry, a good man does what he does, and I won't hurt you!"

    "Yes, of course you can't hurt me, and you and I are not on the same side." Tang Baolu said angrily, "But you will hurt a hundred compatriots in this stream."

    After a pause, he said calmly: "The Spaniards are worried that they have no excuse to attack us. Do you really want to hand them a knife?"

    "Hmph, coward!" Chen Yongquan was speechless after being squeezed, so he snorted again, turned around and ran away.

    p.s. I¡¯ve sorted it out, let¡¯s see if I can make up for yesterday¡¯s chapter tomorrow.  No more tonight.  (Remember the website address: www.hlnovel.com
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