Chapter 158: Tan eats a pot of jelly to welcome Master Wang
A series of bad news brought Barossa unspeakable despair.
A feeling that the sky is falling suddenly arises!
It is exactly like the despair Emperor Chongzhen felt when he heard the news about Li Chuang's eastern expedition, the surrender of Datong, Xuanfu, Juyongguan and other important towns, and the intruders approaching the capital.
Disaster is coming!
At this moment, the commander guarding the city wall strode into the Governor's Mansion and spoke.
"The Governor... His Excellency the Governor, Bishop Sares and Consul Ricca were captured by the Ming army in the port of Manila."
"The Ming army sent someone to deliver a letter of persuasion to surrender written by Bishop Sares and Consul Rica..."
Upon hearing this, Barossa immediately collapsed on the sofa, as if all the bones in his body had been taken away.
Originally, when the news of the defeat of St. Jones and Lingayen came, he was determined to live or die with Manila.
However, as various bad news continued to come during this period, Barossa's mentality gradually changed.
In fact, if Barossa hadn't really wanted to lose face, he wouldn't have been able to do what Bishop Sares did, mobilizing the believers to fight the Ming army and run away on his own.
Barossa has long since run away!
"Mr. Governor, do we want to accept the persuasion to surrender?"
Manila's city defense commander asked.
The commander remains pessimistic about whether the city of Manila can be defended.
In the two battles between St. Jones and Lingayen, all 5,000 regular troops in Manila were wiped out. Now he had a group of militiamen in his hands who had hardly experienced any training.
If the Liberation Army really comes, except for those religious fanatics, they may fight desperately and fight to the last moment for God.
The remaining people will probably disperse as soon as the Ming army's artillery fires!
What the hell is this?
If he doesn't have time to think of ways to defend the city, he might as well think about the hundred ways to die if he resists to the end, or the hundred ways to surrender.
Barossa sighed and said.
"Send someone out of the city to talk to the Ming army and strive for a preferential treatment!"
Finally, Barossa made the wisest choice in the face of tremendous pressure.
…
The Ming army camped outside Manila. The Chinese people near Manila spontaneously pushed carts and carts of supplies to the outside of the Ming army's camp to eat pots of soup to welcome the king's army!
Wu Shan, who is missing a hand, is the most active among these people.
He took out all the good wine stored in the cellar of his restaurant, and also spent money to buy five chickens, three fish, and half a fan of pork, all of which were braised.
I also asked the waiter to steam the big and hot meat buns with white flowers.
Bring these foods and come to reward the troops outside the military camp!
"Master Jun, please accept it, Mr. Jun. This is all the wishes of the people of Ming Dynasty!"
"Master Wang attacked Hongmao and conquered Luzon. We ordinary people must show something."
Wu Shan said to the Liberation Army logistics officer in front of him with a sincere look.
The logistics officer of the Liberation Army shook his head vigorously and persuaded with earnest words on his face.
"Fellow, please take everything back, I really can't have it!"
"The Liberation Army is the army of the Ming Dynasty. The military laws are strict. They cannot take advantage of the people by needle or thread, freeze to death without tearing down their houses, or starve to death without looting."
"If I take something from a fellow villager today, the Governor will chop off my head when I get back!"
Wu Shan sighed in his heart, this is the king of heaven!
Scenes like this kept happening. Faced with the military supplies sent by the common people, the Liberation Army resolutely refused.
Zheng Jun, who looked aside, had picked up the buns, steamed buns and meat food sent by his fellow villagers to reward the army, and ate them in big gulps, feeling quite embarrassed.
Compared with the Liberation Army, which does not take advantage of the masses, the Ming Dynasty King's Master seems to be a little watery...
At this time, Zhu Hongyu and Ma Xin walked out of the military camp together.
Seeing the chaos outside the military camp, Zheng Jun snatching food, and the Liberation Army who were determined not to take advantage of the people, Ma Xin's face turned dark.
Originally, he thought that the Zheng army, which did not loot anything and only used the supplies sent by the people to reward the army, could be considered to have strict military discipline.
But look at the Liberation Army next to them who are drooling with greed and dare not ask for the food sent by the common people.
The contrast is too obvious!
Zhu Hongyu saw Ma Xin's embarrassment, patted him on the shoulder, and gave instructions to the logistics officer of the Liberation Army.
"Since it is the heart of the fellow villagers, just accept it!"
"Do a good job of statistics and find out how many materials the fellow villagers sent to reward the troops. We will pay according to the market price!"
Seeing this scene, Ma Xin forced his respect and gave instructions to Zheng Jun.
"Did you fucking hear that? Do a good job of statistics and pay as much as you need later. We are the King of the Ming Dynasty, and we are a team with the surname of the country. We can't eat for free!"
Zheng Jun all agreed.
Zhu Hongyu had a slight smile on his face, and an expression of seeing things through but not telling them.
Just as the two were arranging the work of the Chinese people to reward the troops, the soldiers of the Liberation Army who went to deliver a message to Manila returned to the military camp and reported to Zhu Hongyu.
"Reporting to the Grand Governor, the Spanish Governor Barossa expressed his willingness to surrender!"
"But he wants a decent treatment and we want to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of all Spaniards in Luzon will not be violated or persecuted."
“We need to allow Spaniards to freely choose whether to stay in Luzon!”
Zhu Hongyu just raised his eyebrows and said to Ma Xin beside him.
"Haha, this red-haired governor is ugly, but he thinks he is beautiful!"
Ma Xin also smiled and nodded in agreement.
Zhu Hongyu turned his head, his face quickly fell, and he said very coldly.
"Tell the red-haired governor that what I want is unconditional surrender!"
"Don't negotiate conditions with me, my patience is limited!"
"If you don't surrender, after the city is broken, all the Spaniards will be killed!"
After arranging for the envoys to continue talks with Manila, Zhu Hongyu went back and arranged for people to prepare for the siege.
Regarding the matter of persuading surrender, Zhu Hongyu's attitude was that it would be best if you surrender, and it doesn't matter if you don't.
If the enemy can surrender unconditionally, the Liberation Army can take over a complete fort defense and save the manpower and material resources needed to repair the city defense later.
This is naturally the best!
Also, it will take time to attack the city and dig tunnels anyway, and the Spaniards are unlikely to have reinforcements, so we can just talk slowly!
Of course, if the Liberation Army's tunnels for attacking the city are dug and the explosives are planted, the Spaniards will not surrender yet.
There is no need for them to surrender!
Zhu Hongyu kept his word and would send them all to see God.
…
Governor Barossa received the reply and his face was extremely ugly.
Not only did the Liberation Army refuse to give him any promises, but they demanded his unconditional surrender!
Such conditions are really too harsh!
However, he has no other choice!
If he chooses to surrender now, he may be killed.
But if he did not surrender, he would definitely be killed after the Liberation Army broke through the city.
As for holding on to Manila...
Barossa never thought about it?
What should we rely on to defend it? The group of fanatical believers who have been brainwashed and stupid by the church? Or the group of militiamen who have almost no combat experience?