Of course, in addition to cultivating officials himself and bringing political power to the countryside, Zhu Hongyu could also establish a clan.
It is true that there is no landowning gentry class on Luzon Island, but there are clans!
Many Chinese who went to Southeast Asia were based on clan groups.
If Zhu Hongyu chooses to compromise with his clan, he can temporarily gain control of the local area.
However, this is the last resort!
The priority of this choice is just before colluding with the Spanish manor owners and squeezing the Chinese together.
When it comes to clans, most people have one family, one surname, and one clan.
Especially these Chinese clans in Nanyang are generally relatively united, because they cannot survive without unity.
There are very few clans that rely on oppressing their own people and profiting from it!
In the Central Plains, there may be such involution-type clans, but in Nanyang, the clan power is called unity!
If Zhu Hongyu allows these very united clan forces to control the local population and grassroots political power, the clan may transform into an aristocratic family at any time.
It is a direct reversal of history!
Once Zhu Hongyu lets go and chooses to let the clan govern the local area, the consequences will be more terrible than giving up power to the landlords and gentry.
If possible, Zhu Hongyu still wants to bring political power to the countryside.
Allowing the Liberation Army to directly control every population and every bit of material under its rule.
In that case, he can maximize the war potential under his rule!
Whether it is against the Spaniards or a counterattack on the mainland in the future, bringing power to the countryside and firmly controlling every war resource under his rule will be his greatest asset.
…
Manila!
Governor's Office!
Governor Barossa sat behind his desk, wearing elegant clothes that made his slightly bloated figure appear taller and taller.
The study room is elegantly furnished, with huanghuali wood desks and bookshelves, and Jingdezhen high-white porcelain cups filled with fragrant coffee.
There is a thick, half-read Latin book on the desk.
In the crystal ink bottle, there is a quill pen decorated with gold tip, which looks very delicate.
However, these luxurious and exquisite furnishings could not make the governor's face soften even a little.
Barossa looked at Rogerev who was standing respectfully in front of him, frowning, and there was some disbelief in his words.
"You mean that Chinese rebel built a fortress in the mountains?"
"Rogeroff, are you kidding me? Do you know how time-consuming and laborious it is to build a bastion?"
"How long has it taken? Even if the Chinese are industrious and able to endure hardships, how can they possibly build a fortress?"
"And you, four thousand people, still suffered a big loss in front of such a temporarily built fortress?"
"Are you telling me a fairy tale?"
Rogerif wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said.
"My Lord Governor, although I don't want to admit it, this is the fact!"
"The Spanish boys were badly beaten in front of the bastion, and the light artillery we brought into the mountain couldn't hit the bastion at all."
"The Pampanga natives who followed the army into the mountains suffered even more heavy losses. In just two attacks, they were killed and injured between seven and eight hundred people."
"Colonel Robin needs heavy artillery reinforcements, reinforcements, and more supplies to wipe out the Chinese rebels."
Rogerif stated his request.
Barossa took a deep breath, thought for a long time, and then spoke.
"I know, I'll take care of the arrangements!"
After pondering for a while, Barossa spoke.
"I can transfer two 24-pound siege artillery to Robin, but there are no more!"
Manila's city defense scale is not small, and the 24-pound siege artillery is naturally not top-notch.
The thirty-six-pound and forty-eight-pound heavy artillery that goes up are not only not available, but they cannot be transported into the mountains!
In this era, the most powerful heavy artillery in the West was probably the sixty-four pounder.
Converting the units, one cannonball alone weighs more than fifty kilograms.
With such heavy artillery, even a first-class sailing battleship can only install one or two meaningless ones at most.
If you install too much, you are afraid that the recoil will shake the hull apart when firing.
The twenty-four-pound siege artillery is a type of cannon with a long barrel. The weight of the barrel alone is six to seven thousand kilograms.
Plus the gun mount, as well as supporting gun carriages, artillery pieces, artillery shells, etc.
You can imagine how heavy it is!
Even with the convenience of water transportation, transporting such a weight into the mountains is not an easy task.
This is only a twenty-four-pounder!
The weight of the more powerful thirty-six-pounder cannon and the forty-eight-pounder cannon are rolling upwards!
If the Spanish can grit their teeth and transport one or two of the 24-pound cannon into the mountains, then don't even think about the 36-pound cannon or the 48-pound cannon.
Thirty-six-pound guns and forty-eight-pound guns are all naval guns, shore defense guns, and fortress guns.
Transporting it is no ordinary hassle!
Robin wanted heavy artillery reinforcements for siege, and Barossa could only give him two twenty-four pounders at most.
In terms of military strength, Barossa was more generous.
"I will assign 500 musketeers to Robin and recruit 2,000 Pampanga natives."
"If we can't destroy that rebel, Robin won't have to come back to see me!"
Of course, not all the Five Hundred Musketeers were pure-blooded Spanish whites.
At most one-fifth of the population is pure-blooded Spanish whites, and the rest are mixed-race whites born in Manila.
However, even so, Barossa has done his best to be able to gather such a group of five hundred musketeers.
The Spanish troops in Manila are limited. Counting Robin's loss this time, the Liberation Army has killed and captured 700 to 800 troops in Manila since they launched their troops.
Among these seven or eight hundred people, most are Spanish pure-blooded people.
Although the Governor's Palace still has two to three thousand troops on hand, this refers to the total number of Spanish troops in the entire Manila.
Most of these troops cannot be mobilized at will and must guard fortresses and ports in Cebu Island, Palawan Island and other places.
Batangas, Pasay, Cabanatuan and other cities on Luzon Island.
As well as the most important Spanish Royal City, the Fort Bastion of Manila and other places.
Now, the number of mobile troops that Barossa can really mobilize at any time is only six to seven hundred men at most.
Not as many troops as Zhu Hongyu can mobilize!
Now, another hundred musketeers are transferred to Robin in one breath, and four hundred mixed bloods are recruited from the people. Manila's manpower gap is even larger. If Robin loses this battle.
Before the fleet of galleons arrived in Manila next summer, bringing certain reinforcements to Manila.
Manila will have nothing to do with the Liberation Army.
Unless Barossa can make up its mind to abandon all the achievements that the Spaniards have made in Luzon for more than a hundred years, they will gather all their forces and march into the mountains to fight with the Liberation Army.
Rogerif spoke again.
"Praise the Governor for your generosity. I think the Colonel will not let you down!"
Barossa nodded and waved for Roger to go down.
Rojef crossed himself and said.
"May God bless the Governor!"
After that, he turned and left.
Five days later, Rogerive left Manila with the heavy artillery recruited by the Governor, as well as 500 musketeers and 2,000 natives, and entered the mountains to continue to encircle and suppress the Liberation Army.