Chapter 1679: Inquire about news
Although Qin Huacheng declared that he did not want the money given by Ding Pingsheng, when he led the team to leave, Ding Pingsheng still had someone quietly give him a small bag of silver coins. Qin Huacheng weighed the matter and did not refuse pretentiously. He nodded to Ding Pingsheng and expressed his appreciation for his knowledge and interest. With Qin Huacheng's current authority, naturally he would not take this small amount of money too seriously, but the attitude shown by Ding Pingsheng gave him more confidence in future cooperation.
Although Qin Huacheng is just a small detachment leader in charge of dozens of security police outside the city and does not have a deep official background, the Qin family is also a local family that has lived in Manila for several generations. As the saying goes, shrimps have their own way, crabs have their own way. You Xidao, of course Qin Huacheng also has his own news channels. Although the Ding family has some money, they may not be able to compare with him when it comes to asking about the Haihan people. Most of the local security police recruited by the Haihan people are Han Chinese, and most of their families are from civilian backgrounds. Many of them have been Qin Huacheng's playmates since childhood. If they want to get some inside information, they can actually call on their friends after get off work. Go have a meal of wine and meat.
It just so happened that Ding Pingsheng gave him a sum of money, which also advanced the funds for the event. Qin Huacheng planned to use the money to inquire about information. It should be enough to invite those friends to a restaurant to eat and drink. As for whether the Ding family will make up their mind and come to him for help again, Qin Huacheng thinks there is no need to worry about this. It can be seen from Ding Pingsheng's attitude that he is actually already interested, but he is still undecided and needs to go back and ask the old man of the Ding family for his decision. That’s all. It is estimated that in less than half a day, the Ding family will come looking for him.
Ding Pingsheng sent Qin Huacheng away, gave a few brief explanations to his deputy, and then hurried home with Ding Ping'er. During this period, the sea ban has not yet been lifted, and the boat shop actually has nothing to do, so Ding Pingsheng does not have to guard the shop all the time. What Qin Huacheng said just now actually involves a lot, and it is not just a matter of money. Ding Pingsheng had some things that he couldn't tell Qin Huacheng too clearly, and he didn't dare to make a decision rashly, so he went back to ask his father Ding Feng for instructions.
On the way home, he encountered the recruitment station set up by Haihan Army outside the west gate. Looking at the long line of people, Ding Pingsheng couldn't help but sigh with emotion at Haihan's methods. After the Haihan Army captured Manila, they immediately began to recruit local soldiers into the army, and stipulated that as long as one person joined the army, his family could obtain fifty acres of land on the north bank of the Pasig River for farming. If you have previously served in the Spanish armed forces, this can also be used to offset the crime. If you want to apply for Haihan nationality in the future, enlisting in the army is also an extremely important reference condition.
As soon as this regulation came out, many civilians were encouraged recently and flocked to the Haihan Army registration point. The strength of the Haihan Army is best demonstrated by the war that ended not long ago. The Spaniards, who were once arrogant on Luzon Island, could hardly resist on any front for three days in front of the Haihan Army. After the war began, They retreated steadily all the way, without even a slight reversal in the battle, and the entire Manila Bay was lost in just a few days. This was completely different from what the Spanish authorities had declared before the war, "to let the blood of the Haihan people cover Manila Bay."
The strength gap between the Spanish armed forces and the Haihan army is so huge that anyone who is not blind can naturally see who is the real one worth hugging. What's more, the recruitment conditions offered by the Haihan Army were extremely generous. In the past, if ordinary civilians wanted to purchase fifty acres of land from the Spanish authorities, their whole family would have to go without food or water for at least seven or eight years to save enough money. But now as long as You can get land by joining the army, and you will receive generous military pay while serving in the army. This land is almost like giving it away for free. Who would be willing to miss such a good opportunity?
In just a few days, Haihan recruited hundreds of physically qualified soldiers from the local area. And after the news spread, more young people of working age came from the towns near Manila, hoping that in this way they could obtain a piece of farmland for their families and earn a future for themselves. There were many young people in the Ding family shipyard. They felt that this way out was better than working in the shipyard, so they resigned from Ding Pingsheng and joined the Haihan people to join the army.
Ding Pingsheng can understand this choice. The sailors who work in the shipyard only get a dozen silver coins per month. If they receive a mission to go to sea, the reward can be a little more, but with this income alone, he wants to get money from the government. Buying fifty acres of land is basically wishful thinking. The Han people have an innate desire for land. If they choose a lifestyle between owning land and wandering at sea, the vast majority of Han people will choose the former without hesitation. Very few people can hold on to the conditions set by Haihan.
As for the impact of joining the army on Haihan's naturalization in the future, the local people have not yet truly realized the importance of Haihan's nationality. Whether it is land distribution, future living arrangements, or personal futures, the gap in treatment between Haihan and non-Haihan nationals will be huge. If they knew how strict the control over naturalization was on Hainan Island, they might re-examine the Haihan Army. The conditions offered, because being allowed to join Haihan nationality is the most important condition.
Ding Pingsheng returned home and met his father. He recounted everything Qin Huacheng said when he came to visit him today. Ding Ping'er was a bystander, and with her additions, there was basically nothing missing.
After listening to this, Ding Feng commented: "Yesterday, your second brother went to the Qin family and had an unpleasant quarrel with Old Qin. I guess the second brother of the Qin family also knew about it. The second brother of the Qin family used to be a servant of the Spanish, and now he is working for the Spaniards. Haihan people are naturally very angry when they are on duty. How could you bear the tone of your second brother? He went to the boat shop today probably because he wanted to take advantage of our Ding family. But it's good that you can calmly deal with him. , as the leader of the Ding family, he should have a city like this.”
Ding Pingsheng said: "Father, what do you think of what Qin Huacheng said?"
Ding Feng muttered: "Since Qin Huacheng refuses to accept the cash you sent, but insists on using the future ship hire price as the transaction condition, what he is after is not immediate profit. He should be somewhat sure that he can find out. Only after receiving the news did such conditions come out.”
"In your opinion, can this matter be left to Qin Huacheng?" Ding Pingsheng asked.
Ding Feng said: "Let him inquire about the information first, and don't say anything more. Otherwise, if he knows too much, he will regret it. At that time, whether he refuses us or asks for an exorbitant price, it will not be appropriate."
"Then if he asks us, should we try to rescue my brother-in-law?"
"Say what needs to be said, and don't mention what shouldn't be mentioned. Do you need me to teach you?" Ding Feng suddenly became angry when he saw Ding Pingsheng's cautious look. Although his eldest son is much calmer than his second brother, he is worthy of being the head of the family. The position of Lord, but sometimes he is too cautious, and this also causes him to miss many opportunities. If the Ding family is left in his hands, it will probably be enough to maintain success in the future, but it will be insufficient to create something new.
Seeing that his father was angry, Ding Pingsheng quickly agreed. It was not that he didn't know the stakes, but he always felt that this matter made his father's decision safer. Ding has always lacked the courage to give orders as the head of the family. In terms of daring to act, his brother Ding Ping, who has a bad temper, is more open-minded.
As for the Spanish man who makes the Ding family and his son so fearful, the reason is actually not surprising at all. This man's name is Francis Jr., and he is the son of Francis, the former commander of Manila City Defense. In other words, the in-laws of the Ding family are the city defense commander Francis.
It was precisely with this protective umbrella that the Ding family received almost no direct involvement in the Battle of Manila. Even the cargo ship docked at the Manila port of the Ding family shipyard was intact. When the Manila fleet was severely damaged by the Haihan navy, Juan Luis still insisted on not touching the Ding family's ship. The reason was because Francis had given an order to give special care to the Ding family shipyard. Of course, before the Battle of Manila, the Ding family had gained even more benefits from this marriage, especially in shipping. If it hadn't been for the invasion of the Han Dynasty by the Han Dynasty, over time, the Ding family would have become the leading Han family in Manila. However, the Ding family has gained a lot of benefits, but it has not inflated too much because of this. In addition to making a lot of money in the business, the reputation in the local Han circle is pretty good, and there is no reason to worry about the marriage between the Ding family and the Spaniards. Look down on them.
But the situation changed after the war. Little Francis, the foreign son-in-law of the Ding family, was captured by the Haihan people and taken into the city. He didn't know whether he was alive or dead for several days. The Ding family didn't even have channels to get information, let alone fish for people. It's not that the Ding family didn't think of a solution, but almost all the people they were looking for were like Qin Shengyao, who avoided the Ding family for fear of being implicated. If Qin Huacheng hadn't taken the initiative, the Ding family would probably have continued to worry about this matter.
For the Ding family, there is actually another consideration that cannot be disclosed. Even the third daughter, Ding Ping'er, has been kept secret, and that is whether to save the foreign son-in-law or not. The Ding family and his son have not yet made a definite decision.
Saving little Francis, who might not be rescued, would drag the Ding family into trouble, which they had managed to stay out of, and let the Haihan authorities add the Ding family to the "pro-Spanish" list. And the consequences it will lead to may bring disaster to the Ding family who is engaged in the shipping business. The Haihan authorities don't even need to confiscate the Ding family's property. As long as the officials give a hint, no merchant will dare to maintain trade relations with the Ding family in the future.
Of course, as a husband and wife, Ding Ping'er naturally wanted to save her husband from prison. Today, she went to the boat shop to beg her eldest brother Ding Pingsheng again to see if there was any other way she could think of. For her, there is no such thing as taking the overall situation into account and dragging down the family. Her husband is her husband. If he is gone, she will be a widow in the future. The Spanish married a widow once, who should dare to marry her in the future?
However, her father and brother would definitely not care too much about Ding Ping'er's thoughts. How could the fate of a woman's family be compared with the prospects of the entire family. According to the idea of the Ding family and his son, they must first inquire about the current situation of little Francis and the Haihan authorities' true attitude towards the matter, and then make subsequent plans. No matter what, the top priority must be to protect the Ding family. As for the price to be paid and the methods required to achieve this goal, they have to be done.
Just as Qin Huacheng thought, before noon, the Ding family came to the door. Ding Pingsheng himself did not show up, but sent a subordinate to deliver a message to Qin Huacheng, asking him to have a light meal at a restaurant near the port at noon.
Qin Hua was already confident that he would win the Ding family's deal, so he naturally would not refuse and went to the appointment alone at noon. The restaurant where Ding Pingsheng was treating guests was actually a property owned by the Ding family, so he had reserved a private room here early. As soon as Qin Huacheng arrived, he ordered his servants to start serving food.
"What Brother Qin said today, I will discuss it with my father after I go back next time, and I feel that I still need to trouble Brother Qin to take action on this matter." Ding Pingsheng poured wine for Qin Huacheng and said politely: "I hope Brother Qin can help me out of kindness." .”
Qin Huacheng smiled and said: "I don't dare to be righteous, and I am not that noble. Even if I discussed the terms in the morning and Shopkeeper Ding thinks it is appropriate, then I will go to the city to inquire about the news in the afternoon. If it is quick, I can get back to you within a day or two. If you feel that it is not right That’s right, we’ll be done with it after our meal, and I’ll just pretend I’ve never heard of it.”
Ding Pingsheng said: "Since Brother Qin is so straightforward, I won't beat around the bush. If there is definite information about my brother-in-law, from now on we will follow Brother Qin's wishes. As long as the Qin family comes to hire a boat, the Ding family shipyard will provide it as promised." We will make special arrangements, but we hope that Brother Qin will keep the details of the transaction confidential so as not to disturb the market price.”
Qin Huacheng nodded and said: "Of course I don't have to worry about this. Shopkeeper Ding doesn't have to worry. But how exactly can you tell me this exact news? Do you have any requirements?"
Ding Pingsheng said: "I need to know whether he is alive or dead. If he is dead, I have to bury his body and make arrangements for his funeral. If he is still alive, I need to know how the government plans to deal with him and whether there is any improvement. ”
Qin Huacheng took a sip of wine and didn't speak for a long time. When Ding Pingsheng was uneasy and worried whether the other party would find his request too troublesome, Qin Huacheng finally spoke, and his words made Ding Pingsheng tremble with fear.
"Then your Ding family... do you want him alive or dead?"
Although Ding has a calm personality, his expression became stiff when he heard Qin Huacheng ask such a direct question: "Brother Qin is joking, how could you...want him to die?"
Qin Huacheng shook his head and said: "This is nothing unusual. As soon as the battle was over, everyone was busy setting aside ties with the Spaniards. Haven't your Ding family thought about drawing a line with this son-in-law and the in-law? ”
(End of chapter)