owlsbooks Chapter 46 Establishment
Chapter 46 Establishment
After understanding the situation, Ma Kandong was the first to stand up, placed his right hand on his chest, bowed deeply, and said:
"Your Highness's kindness is boundless; we, the tribes of Ilock, are willing to serve you as our lord and submit to you forever!"
Magbanu and the other chieftains also rose to follow suit, solemnly swearing allegiance, and the atmosphere in the hall became lively.
Just then, a messenger rushed in, knelt on one knee, and announced loudly, "Your Highness! Urgent report from Cavite Fortress!"
All eyes immediately turned to him. Zhu Jiheng remained expressionless: "Speak."
"Captain Lü of the 'Jinghai' sent a fast ship to report: Commander Mendoza of the Cavite garrison has signed the surrender document, and the garrison is gradually disarming and handing over the fortress as required by our army; all Western barbarian officers, soldiers and civilians who wish to leave will board the ship within three days and be escorted out of the country by our naval warships!"
"Excellent!" Zhu Jiheng slammed his hand on the table and laughed, "Truly a double celebration! The liberation of Manila and the surrender of Cavite mark the end of Western rule on the main island of Luzon!"
With that, he raised his glass to the entire room and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, let's drink another toast to celebrate this joyous news!"
"Your Highness is mighty! May the Great Ming be victorious!" The Chinese elders wept with joy and shouted loudly. The indigenous people did not understand at first, but after being translated and relayed, they also smiled.
The ensuing drinking and toasting went without saying. By the time Zhu Jiheng got up, clutching his aching head from the hangover, it was already broad daylight outside the window.
After a quick wash and breakfast, he went to his study to handle official business.
Manila... oh no, it should now be called Luzon.
With Luzon recently recovered, a multitude of issues piled up, leaving Zhu Jiheng no time to relax.
He first ordered someone to invite the elderly Chinese who had attended the banquet the previous night, in order to fill the number of his officials.
While waiting, he did not forget to send someone back to Lingayan to inform his queen, concubines, and children to set off for Luzon to meet him.
From now on, Luzon Prefecture will be his capital and also the temporary capital of the "Ming Dynasty's overseas government in exile".
Not long after, five elderly Chinese men entered the study under the guidance of guards. Zhu Jiheng had spoken with them the day before and was clear about the fields they each represented.
Among these five men were the president of the silk merchants' association, a rice tycoon, and an overseas Chinese leader who served as a bridge between the Chinese and the authorities during the Western occupation. Although they were old enough to be Zhu Jiheng's fathers, they all had ruddy complexions and were in good spirits, and could not hide their excitement when they bowed.
"Please rise, everyone." Zhu Jiheng raised his hand to help them sit down. "Luzon is a newly recovered land, and everything needs to be rebuilt. There are countless things to do. The Luzon Prefecture is newly established, and the system of appointed officials urgently needs to be set up."
"As a newcomer, my knowledge of the local customs, business situation, and officialdom is still limited. You are all respected leaders of the overseas Chinese community, highly valued and influential among the Chinese in the Palian district and throughout the city. I have invited you here today to rely on your talents and work together to manage affairs."
"No, no..." The group quickly waved their hands, saying they dared not.
Zhu Jiheng ignored him and continued to lay out his envisioned framework for Luzon's administration.
He plans to establish one prefecture and two districts on the main island of Luzon, namely Luzon Prefecture, which will administer Luzon District (the attached district) and Lingayen District.
Luzon County governs the entire Manila Bay coast and the fertile alluvial plains of the lower Pasig River, which is the most fertile part of central Luzon; Lingayen governs northern Luzon.
Luzon Prefecture will have one prefect, one assistant prefect, and one clerk and one assistant clerk to handle documents and criminal matters. The two counties will each have a magistrate, a county assistant, and a clerk. These officials will be selected and recommended from among the local talents.
Unfortunately, Luzon's education system is a complete mess, and the educational level of the Chinese living there varies greatly, with most being poor people forced to go to sea to make a living.
In this situation, simply adopting the imperial examination system from mainland China would be ineffective; it would be better to select talented individuals directly from among those with exceptional abilities.
After listening, the elders seemed to understand something and immediately expressed their willingness to cooperate with Zhu Jiheng in recommending talented people from the city.
After expressing their stance, one of them suddenly remembered something and mustered their courage to ask, "Your Highness, may I ask, I have heard that the Tartars previously mobilized troops to attack Taiwan. Has the Royal Army repelled the Tartars and defended Taiwan? Otherwise, how could they have divided their forces to attack Luzon?"
At this point, everyone showed expressions of curiosity and inquiry. They had all learned, to varying degrees, from the merchants from the north that the situation in the north was not good. The Zheng regime was in turmoil, and the Qing court was mobilizing troops to completely destroy the Ming-Zheng regime.
Because news spread slowly, they were unaware that the Qing court had already conquered Taiwan, so they were all very curious as to why this Prince Lu's heir was here with troops.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Jiheng knew that news of the fall of the Ming Zheng regime would eventually reach this place. If he wanted to become the leader of the anti-Qing forces in Southeast Asia, he had to truly declare his identity in Luzon.
Therefore, after a moment of contemplation, he showed grief and indignation and said in a deep voice: "The Tartars have already conquered Dongning under the leadership of the traitor Shi Lang. The Crown Prince of Yanping surrendered to the Tartars. I am unwilling to become a slave of a conquered country. I took the opportunity to escape on the way and joined up with the old troops of the late king. We then fought here, intending to use Luzon as our base to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming."
Upon hearing that Ming Zheng had been defeated, the group was struck dumb, their faces showing shock.
They initially believed that this Crown Prince Lu was a surprise force sent by the Ming-Tung government to attack Luzon, and that the Ming banner would not fall. They never imagined he was actually the last remaining force clinging to life after the fall of the Ming-Tung government.
It may not sound pleasant, but it is the truth.
The news that the Yanping Prince's faction, which had been supporting the Ming Dynasty, had surrendered and that Taiwan, a base for resisting the Qing Dynasty that had been cultivated for many years, had also fallen was like a bolt from the blue, shattering their confidence in restoring the Ming Dynasty.
They quickly realized another problem: the Qing army was so powerful that even Taiwan could not escape its attack, so how could Luzon, whose foundation was not yet secure, possibly withstand it? Wouldn't these overseas Chinese leaders and local dignitaries, who had just sworn allegiance, be implicated?
"Your Highness..." The elder who spoke first trembled, his voice filled with barely suppressed fear: "This, this... Dongning is already... then, then the Tartars..."
He didn't finish his question, but the meaning was crystal clear: would the Qing army immediately take advantage of the situation and march south to attack Luzon?
Zhu Jiheng took in the terror on everyone's face. He could understand their fear, but he couldn't ignore it.
He straightened his back, his expression solemn: "Gentlemen, though Dongning has fallen, the loyal spirit of our people will not perish. The surrender of the Prince of Yanping to the enemy was not the will of the soldiers of our Great Ming. I, Zhu Jiheng, the Prince of Lu of the Great Ming, as a descendant of the Taizu Emperor and a member of the Zhu family, swear never to surrender to the enemy!"
He looked around at each of the elders, his gaze intense:
"Heaven did not bless the Ming Dynasty, leading to the upheavals of 1844 and 1855, and the sinking of the Central Plains. However, the Yongli Emperor first fled to the southwest, extending the dynasty's lineage; later, the Emperor Guoxing established the capital at Dongning, continuing the Ming ancestral rites. Although Dongning has fallen, Heaven has not abandoned our Great Ming! I am fortunate to have the protection of my ancestors, and my soldiers have fought bravely, thus escaping the confines of the Ming, fighting across thousands of miles, and finally conquering Luzon, this powerful overseas vassal state!"
Zhu Jiheng slammed his hand on the table, his tone turning impassioned:
"Luzon is no small place! This land is fertile and prosperous, and home to tens of thousands of loyal overseas Chinese who yearn for their homeland! This is the foundation upon which Heaven has bestowed upon our Ming Dynasty's revival! This is the sacred place where our Chinese civilization has been passed down overseas!"
"The Qing barbarians are brutal and have seized control of the Central Plains, but their navy is weak and cannot reach far enough! Luzon is far on the coast of the South China Sea, protected by the waves, and our Ming navy patrols the seas. Luzon itself is already in our hands. We can advance to seize the islands of the South China Sea as our wings, or retreat and rely on our strong cities and powerful cannons to hold out for the time being. If the Qing barbarians dare to cross the sea to invade, we will make sure they never return and are swallowed by the sea!"