Chapter 1685 Western Management Bureau
Nearly a month has passed since the city of Manila changed hands. This period of time has been quite painful for the Hispanic people living in the local area. From the ruling group that used to be the masters of the local area, they suddenly became poor people who depended on others and were closely monitored by the government. This change in status and treatment was so great that many people found it difficult to adapt.
Although the new rulers did not deliberately impose any implicated punishments, many of the Spanish families that had provided money, food, and people during the Hercynian War were included in the list of post-war liquidations, and there were also many old families. A case in which Xiao was arrested and imprisoned. No matter how famous or high their status was in Manila in the past, Hispanics could only behave with their tail between their legs after the defeat of the colonial authorities. Especially in front of the rapidly rising Han ethnic group after the war, no one dared to act arrogantly. The role of a master. Any attempt to challenge the Manila Provisional Governing Council will be seen as an attempt to undermine local security and will be severely punished.
Between the Han Chinese government and Hispanic immigrants, between Han people and Hispanics, and within the Hispanic ethnic group, there are many conflicts that need to be resolved because of language, culture, customs, interests, etc., and this has also resulted in Many security issues. Now the Interim Management Committee needs to strengthen its management of affairs in this field and set up a special agency to deal with these issues.
The establishment of the Western Management Bureau is affiliated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. This is the first time in the history of Haihan's overseas colonial governance that such a specialized agency has been established. This is because the colonies occupied by Haihan overseas in the past have rarely encountered conditions like Manila. Even in places like Ambona Island that were once occupied by Western colonists, the local Han base is far better than that in Manila. , did not encounter this level of trouble in postwar governance.
For the Provisional Management Committee, restoring post-war social order as soon as possible is the top priority. To achieve this goal, it cannot be accomplished by relying solely on officials transferred from Hainan Island and personnel promoted locally. Establishment is the most effective solution at the moment.
In fact, Francis is not the only Hispanic person to be hired in this agency. As the former city defense commander of Manila, his local popularity and influence are enough to support the Western Management Bureau, so the temporary management meeting He was chosen to serve as the head of this organization. However, the real power of this agency will not be handed over to Francis, but will be directly managed by Qiu Yuan, supplemented by other civil affairs officials transferred from Hainan Island. As for the other Hispanic personnel recruited, they can only be used as front-line staff. It is unlikely that they will join the management in the near future.
The Western Management Bureau currently recruits twenty Hispanic personnel, all of whom were born and raised locally. Even their fathers and ancestors have always lived in Manila. These people are Spanish by origin and nationality, but it would not be inappropriate to call them Manilans or Luzonites. Their sense of identity with the Kingdom of Spain is not as firm as that of their ancestors. This so-called motherland only exists in official propaganda and the memories of their parents and ancestors, and its dazzling image has collapsed under the aggressive offensive of the Haihan Army.
The new rulers who replaced them could not be said to have much hatred in the eyes of these young Hispanics, because after the Haihan Army occupied Manila City, they did not let go of killing and looting, but quickly began to try to restore normal society after quelling the local armed resistance. order. The absolute strength demonstrated by Haihan's army is a real strong one in their eyes, and the law of the jungle is the law of this world. Haihan relied on force to occupy Manila, and worked with Spanish colonial forces to drive away the indigenous people and establish colonies in the Philippine Islands. There is no essential difference. To be appreciated by the new ruler is the beginning of a new life for them, and even an opportunity to leap over the dragon's gate. There is no big psychological barrier.
Four days after Francis and his son were taken away from house arrest, the opening ceremony of the Western Management Bureau was finally held in front of an official residence in Manila. This official residence was originally the location of the Agriculture Department of the Manila government, but is now requisitioned by the Interim Management Committee as the office of the Western Management Bureau.
In order to build momentum for the Western Management Bureau, Chief Executive Qiu Yuan and Military Chief Xiao Liang will attend the listing ceremony. Therefore, several street intersections nearby have been blocked by the city defense army early, prohibiting random people from entering and exiting at will. Only local gentry and representatives of other official institutions who have been invited to attend the ceremony can enter this area.
Regarding the specific situation and functions of the Western Management Bureau, in fact, most of the guests attending the ceremony were confused. They only know that this agency is used to manage the local Hispanic people. As for how to govern and who will assume the position of director, the outside world has not received any specific information.
However, most of the people who came to watch the ceremony were local Han gentry in Manila, and the Western Management Bureau had no control over them, so most of them just wanted to watch the fun, and no one could wait to find out the inside story of the Western Management Bureau. Many people were talking to each other with relaxed faces, discussing whether they should look for an opportunity to get acquainted with these two local high-ranking officials later.
But among the guests attending the ceremony, some were a little nervous, because the establishment of the Western Management Bureau may affect their family's future development in the local area. For example, the Ding family father and son who were invited to attend this event were a little nervous at this time.
Ding Pingsheng finally received the news from Qin Huacheng yesterday, saying that Francis may serve in the newly established Western Management Bureau, and that both his father and son may be released in the near future. However, Qin Huacheng refused to disclose the specific source of this news, and there was no other evidence to support the authenticity of this news. It was difficult for the Ding family and his son to judge the authenticity, but they still paid Qin Huacheng a sum of money as a reward for finding out the news.
Qin Huacheng hesitated to send news to the Ding family because he found out new information from Jin Bo at the last moment. The military sent people to Jin Bo's department, retrieved prisoner of war files, and finally took away information about Francis and his son.
Generally speaking, even if Spanish prisoners of war are exiled, imprisoned or sentenced to death, Jin Bo's department will record them in their files and will not transfer them. The above will do this, and the greatest possibility is to prepare to release or activate the father and son. Based on what he had learned about the situation of the Western Management Bureau, Jin Bo believed that the superiors had selected Francis to serve in the Western Management Bureau and transferred his files. This was obviously to transfer personnel relations from the military to the civil affairs department.
After Qin Huacheng understood the situation, his views were consistent with Jin Bo's. When Qin Huacheng got the news, invitations had already been sent to the Western Management Bureau's viewing ceremony. Anyway, even if the news was reported incorrectly, the result would be known in a day at most, and it would not cause any loss to the Ding family, but it might cause some harm. Lost the trust of the Ding family. After weighing the pros and cons, Qin Huacheng went to report the news to the Ding family. After all, the Ding family has been waiting impatiently for news, and has hinted to him several times that if there is no more definite news, the cooperation will be terminated.
The information brought by Qin Huacheng shocked the entire Ding family. They tried every means to establish a clear relationship with Francis and his son, but they did not expect that after being imprisoned for more than half a month, the father and son would be used by the Haihan people. This was their A development that was not expected in any way. But what Qin Huacheng said was so eloquent that he just patted his chest to vouch for the Ding family. He seemed to be quite credible. In the end, it was Mr. Ding Feng who made the decision. He removed the congratulatory gift that he had planned to send to the Western Management Bureau and prepared a more generous gift and a gift for the first director.
If the first director of the Western Management Bureau was not Francis, then the Ding family would just treat him as a favor and spend a few extra dollars to buy someone familiar with him. But if, as Qin Huacheng said, Francis surrendered to the Haihan people and took up the post of director, then this gift can be regarded as the Ding family's move to express their attitude to Francis. Although the Western Management Bureau cannot control the business of the Ding family shipyard, if Francis can really come back, it means that the top management of Haihan attaches great importance to him, and it will definitely be beneficial and harmless to continue to maintain the marriage relationship between the two families.
The listing ceremony of the Western Management Bureau was scheduled for nine in the morning, but the guests attending the ceremony arrived outside the official residence an hour in advance to wait. The organizer was very considerate and prepared several rows of chairs under the corridor so that the gentlemen could sit down and wait slowly without getting too tired. Ding Feng sat and slowly sipped the hot tea sent by the organizer. Ding Pingsheng stood beside him and bowed slightly, ready to obey his orders at any time. Although this posture is a bit tiring, Ding has been used to it for a long time, so he doesn't think there is anything wrong with it.
"Look in your life, the Zhao family sells rice, the Qi family sells medicine, the Gong family runs a cloth shop, Huang shopkeeper of Juxian Tower, Lao Zhang of Ruyi Winery... Hehe, this wealthy Han businessman in Manila City, seven It’s almost time to come, it’s really a big deal!” Ding Feng looked at the guests attending the ceremony and pointed out to his son: “Do you know why so many Han gentry were invited to attend the ceremony of the Western Management Bureau?”< br>
Ding Pingsheng bowed and responded: "It seems that Haihan hopes that the local gentry can express his attitude and support his method of using barbarians to control barbarians."
"This is one of them." Ding Feng nodded and said: "It is a necessary condition to establish a new yamen and get the support of the local gentry. Although the Western Management Bureau manages Hispanic people, its functions should also be related to The local Han people are closely related.”
Ding Pingsheng asked: "What about the other two?"
"Secondly, if Haihan really appoints Hispanic officials, it is to show everyone that local Hispanic people will still have a way to rise in the future and will not be treated as inferior pariahs." Ding Feng analyzed: "The government This kind of statement, verified by local Han gentry, will definitely have the best propaganda effect.”
Ding Feng raised his hand and pointed at the official residence in front of him and said: "Look at the situation today. All the senior civil and military officials will come to the management meeting later, which shows how much the higher-ups attach great importance to this new yamen. If the first director is a relative, then We can then think about how to get on this smooth sailing ship.”
Ding Pingsheng was not completely ignorant of worldly affairs. He said with a worried look on his face: "But even if the Haihan people pardoned their father-in-law and pushed him to the stage to take up the position of director, they may not really give him power. With the power of a child, See, most of them just use him as a puppet to appease the hearts of the Spanish people."
Ding Feng smiled and said: "What you can understand, can't others understand? Whether the father-in-law is a puppet or not is not really that important. As long as we can confirm that the Haihan people are willing to support him to sit in this seat, it is enough In the past, it was not easy for the Han people to make money from the Spaniards, but this situation may change in the future. With the relationship of the Director of the Western Management Bureau, it is better for our Ding family to do business with the Spaniards. It was much easier before, right?”
Ding Pingsheng suddenly said: "It turns out that this is what father planned, and the child has learned a lesson."
But Ding Feng still had half of what he said in his heart. If the director of the Western Management Bureau is not Francis but someone else, the Ding family will also try to maintain a good relationship. If they can do business with the Hispanic community in the future, , then the benefits given away today will definitely be earned back a hundred times a thousand times in the future. Of course, if this position can be filled by Francis, the negotiation process will definitely be much simpler.
Not long after, the scheduled time came, and several carriages came from a distant street and stopped at the entrance of the official residence. A group of armed guards quickly cleared a passage, and then several officials got out of the carriage. The two people surrounded in the middle are today's protagonists, Qiu Yuan and Xiao Liang.
The guests who came to watch the ceremony today have been trained before. After seeing the senior officials of Haihan, they immediately clapped and greeted them according to Haihan etiquette. Ding Pingsheng also quickly helped Ding Feng stand up, fearing that he would be accused of neglecting a senior official.
Before the Haihan officials came closer, Ding Pingsheng saw Francis and his son in Haihan attire in the crowd, and quickly reported to Ding Feng. Ding Feng secretly sighed, thinking that his father-in-law had always been stubborn. With his temperament, he would rather die in battle than betray the country easily. But now he actually changed his family and joined Haihan. This was probably because he was dragged down by his son, his son-in-law.
Little Francis also saw Ding Feng and his son from a distance, and actually raised his arms to wave to them quite excitedly. Ding Feng said in a low voice: "This guy is still the same as before, he has no formal appearance!"
There was a brief speech ceremony before the unveiling, and the person who came forward was naturally Chief Executive Qiu Yuan. Qiu Yuan didn't have any tricks. He briefly and comprehensively explained the necessity of establishing the Western Management Bureau and the general functions of this organization, and then invited the first director appointed by the Interim Management Committee.
"I believe that everyone here is familiar with Mr. Francis. As the first director of the Western Management Bureau, I think Mr. Francis should also have something to say to everyone." Qiu Yuan made an inviting gesture to Francis behind him. He came forward and said a few words.
(End of chapter)