novelcrest Chapter 4712 Luzon Natives
Chapter 4712 Luzon Natives
Chapter 4712 Luzon Natives
"What kind of skills do those exploration teams rely on to always find mineral deposits everywhere? It's amazing."
After asking his personal soldiers to take away the hot pot and wine glasses on the table and pouring two cups of tea, Yang Zhou could not help but ask.
He was an old subordinate of Li Jing and had served under Su Dingfang. Due to various reasons, he wasted many years until Su Dingfang became the commander-in-chief of the navy. Only then did he transfer him to his side as a kind of care. Therefore, not much is known about Fang Jun's deeds.
Xi Junmai is Fang Jun's most trusted confidant and his most loyal supporter, so he asked this question.
Xi Junmai took a sip of tea from the cup and shook his head, saying, "I don't know either. This exploration team is extremely mysterious. Outsiders can't even tell how many people there are. Every time they go to various places for exploration, although they are escorted by the navy, they do whatever they want after arriving at their destination. No one knows what they do or how they do it. However, they can always find mineral deposits hidden in the mountains. Often, even the indigenous people who have lived in the area for hundreds or thousands of years know nothing about those mineral deposits, but they can always dig them out from under the rocks and soil."
Yang Zhou couldn't help but exclaim in admiration: "Duke Yue... is truly a god."
The reverence is beyond words.
Xi Junmai reminded: "In the navy, you have to address him as 'Marshal'."
Yang Zhou nodded repeatedly: "I am new here, so I may be a little careless. I will pay more attention in the future."
Logically speaking, the "Grand Commander" is the commander-in-chief of the navy, but no one in the navy called Su Dingfang "Grand Marshal". "Grand Marshal" is an exclusive title for Fang Jun, and it cannot be changed regardless of whether he is in the navy or not. Even Su Dingfang is called "Grand Marshal".
Because everyone in the navy knows that this force with the name of "Royal" was built from scratch by Fang Jun, and it is still controlled by him today. He is the true commander of the navy, and no one can be above him.
Organization, training, personnel, logistics, strategy formulation, overseas deployment... all are decided by Fang Jun. This is Fang Jun's army.
Xi Junmai nodded and shouted to the guards outside the door: "Order the whole army, land when the rain stops, and attack the thieves' lair!"
"Here!"
Yang Zhou was stunned. He didn't know the specific battle strategy, but didn't he just say that he would not seize the land? If he didn't want to seize the land, there was no need to reduce the number of people. Why did he use the phrase "striking the thieves' den"?
Once we reach the "den of thieves", we will definitely start a massacre...
Xi Junmai sighed helplessly: "An order has been received from Luoyang. Since the natives of Luzon dared to massacre the Tang people, they must give a strong counterattack while leasing Lingayen Bay. The life of one Tang person must be replaced by a hundred times the number of natives, in order to deter the little guys."
Yang Zhou became more and more confused: "Luoyang's order? Why not Chang'an's order?"
The navy came from two other places, one was Fang Jun and the other was Su Dingfang. Su Dingfang was more often stationed in the military port of Huating Town, while Fang Jun was far away in Chang'an. So who came up with the order from Luoyang?
Xi Junmai said: "The current manager of the 'Eastern Tang Company' is Madam Wu. The manager of the company responsible for Luzon's trade was murdered. Madam Wu will naturally not sit idly by. She wants to use the life of the 'Tagalog' to avenge her manager and pay blood debt with blood."
The Tagalogs are the largest ethnic group among the indigenous people of Luzon and now rule the entire island of Luzon...
Yang Zhou was silent.
Who in the entire Tang Dynasty doesn’t know the reputation of “Madam Wu”?
It has long been a legend that she managed the huge business of the Fang family as a concubine. She was also the object of admiration of women all over the world. It was said that not only Fang Jun doted on her, but even Fang Xuanling looked at her differently and even had to discuss any major family matters with her...
Since the navy is Fang Jun's army, and its main responsibility is to escort the "Dong Da Tang Trading Company", then Madam Wu, who is now in charge of the company, can naturally give orders to the navy.
But I didn't expect that the legendary beautiful lady Wu was so tough. When her manager was killed, she wanted the "Tagalogs" to pay back a hundred times...
Xi Junmai reminded Yang Zhou: "Whether you are in the navy or not, never be disrespectful to Madam Wu at any time. This is not only because she is the commander's concubine, but she is also a peerless figure with outstanding wisdom and extraordinary means. Don't wait until you suffer a loss and then regret it. It will be too late. Even the commander-in-chief will not plead for you in front of Madam Wu."
Yang Zhou quickly shook his head: "How could that be? I have already heard of that person and I am in awe of him. How dare I offend him?"
The Tang Dynasty had no tradition of despising women. Ever since Princess Pingyang Zhao recruited soldiers in Chang'an to respond to Emperor Gaozu who had raised an army in Jinyang, she later served in the army and made many military achievements, creating a legend of women joining the army. After her death, she was buried with military honors. The status of women in the Tang Dynasty quickly rose.
As long as one is truly capable, even a woman will be looked at differently and respected by others.
What’s more, it’s a legendary figure like Mrs. Wu?
*****
The Pasig River poured down from the upper reaches and rushed into the sea. Heavy rains and surging waves caused seawater to surge up the river mouth and flow back into the river channel. The river water surged, and the riverbanks on both sides were shaky under the beating of the raging waves. Several floating bridges on the river had already been washed away by the flood. Residents hid in the houses behind the riverbank and trembled, fearing that the riverbank would burst and the water would flow into the ocean in the next moment, and they would be buried in the belly of fish...
The wrath of heaven and earth is irresistible.
The high priest with dark skin, prominent lips and high cheekbones wore clothes made of leaves, vines, gold, gems, bird feathers, etc. He danced an unknown dance in the "palace" of the "Tagalogs" with his whole body twitching to the beat of drums. Livestock heads were piled in one place as sacrifices, praying to the supreme god "Batala" to be more tolerant and merciful, to quickly bring back the storms and forgive the people who live by the Pasig River and believe in and worship Him.
On the other side, Chief Lekum knelt devoutly in front of the shrine, allowing his wife Anniton to hold a bottle and sprinkle unknown liquid on his body, praying for the protection of the gods.
The high priest jumped, sang and danced until he was exhausted, sweating and panting. Outside, there was still thunder and lightning, and heavy rain, with no sign of stopping.
The gods seemed to be in a deep sleep today, and did not hear the prayers of their managers on earth...
There was a sound of footsteps, and the eldest son Maplon stumbled in. Before Lekum could get angry, he said quickly, "Father, something bad has happened. The Tang fleet has approached the harbor and will attack us soon!"
Lekum's face suddenly changed. He stood up and kicked the high priest to the ground, saying, "It's already this late and you're still dancing. I'm afraid that before 'Aba' appears to drive away the rain and flood, our ancestral homeland will be flattened by the Tang people's steel knives and firearms!"
"Abba" is "Batala", the supreme god of the "Tagalogs".
The high priest fell to his knees, trembling.
Lekum then asked his eldest son: "How many ships and soldiers did the Tang people bring?"
Maplon took a breath and said, "I personally drove the boat out of the harbor in the wind and rain, and saw the Tang people's ships lined up on the sea. It was hard to see clearly because of the heavy rain, but roughly estimated that there were no less than fifty ships, all of them super battleships! The wind and waves were so strong that the entire sea surface was like boiling water, but the Tang people's ships lowered their sails and dropped anchor, not afraid of the wind and waves at all!"
Luzon Island is surrounded by the sea. The indigenous people living here are most afraid of the sea. Countless people are swallowed by the sea every year. The sea god "Amanibur" who is in charge of the sea has a bad temper. Once disturbed, he will set off huge waves to swallow humans.
But even the "Omanipur" was helpless in front of the huge Tang warships...
Seeing that his father had no reaction, Ma Pulong said anxiously: "Father, please make a decision. Otherwise, once the storm subsides and the Tang army lands, it will be too late!"
Lekum's face turned pale. He touched his face, suddenly stood up, picked up a whip from the side, and whipped the high priest who was still kneeling on the ground.
"If you hadn't said that the Tang people were evil and were demons who stole our Tagalog fortune, why would I have killed the Tang merchants and cut off their heads to sacrifice to Batala? Now that we have incurred the revenge of the Tang people, we Tagalogs will become extinct because of you!"
Fear prompted him to whip the high priest madly. The high priest dared not to argue and could only curl up his body and howl continuously, struggling and twisting on the ground. After a while, his skin was torn and his flesh was covered in blood.
Lekum didn't drop the whip until he was exhausted and out of breath.
After drinking a jar of water and catching his breath, Lekum told his eldest son: "Go to the Tang people and appease them. No matter what conditions they offer, agree to them as long as they can persuade those warships at sea to retreat."
Ma Pulon was complaining in his heart, I advised you not to provoke the Tang people but you didn't listen and insisted on believing the high priest's nonsense. Now you regret it and want me to take the lead?
"Father, you should go and see for yourself. Those Tang people are guarding the rotten corpses and are determined not to bury them. They won't eat the food we sent, nor will they sit down to discuss terms. They must be waiting for the Tang army to come and complain. I am incompetent and can't persuade them!"
Lekum threw the water pitcher at his son and cursed: "If you don't go, can I, the chief, go? You useless thing!"
"Ouch!"
Maplon was caught off guard and was hit on the forehead by a jar. The ceramic jar shattered and blood gushed out. He raised his hand to cover the wound and dared not speak.
His mother, Annieton, suddenly exclaimed, "The rain has stopped!"
Push open the window.
Lekum jumped up and walked to the window in three or two steps. Sure enough, the heavy rain that had been pouring down gradually became sparse and stopped, and the rain gradually became lighter.
"No, we must quickly appease those Tang people, otherwise it will be too late when the Tang army lands!"
Lekum didn't care to be angry. He hurried out of the door, took a few guards with him and rushed to the place where the Tang people lived in the city.
It is called a "city", but in fact it is just a circle of stones surrounding a town-sized settlement. The wall is no more than four feet high, and a nimble person can jump over it. Apart from being able to resist some wild beasts, it is of no use.
On the other side is the river bank with a floating bridge connecting the two banks.