Chapter 19 of 43

Chapter 19

15 min read3,753 words

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"Village Chief, we are from the Flying Fish Company! This is our Grand Governor, Luo Yuhua, and I am the Deputy Governor, Long Feiyu! This is our Civil Affairs Officer, Li Decheng, and our Logistics Officer, Zhao Yi. The tall and strong one on the battlefield is our Military Affairs Officer, Niu Meng!" Long Feiyu introduced with a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Governor Luo!" The old village chief, Wu Yongxing, was surprised that the leader of this group was a woman. However, his seasoned experience helped him keep his surprise in check. Deep down, he still believed that Long Feiyu was the true leader of the group.

"Village Chief, no need for formalities!" Luo Sangu said. She felt deep sympathy for the plight of the Chinese in Wu Village. Encountering such a situation upon arriving in Mindanao made her more acutely aware of the challenges ahead and increased her hatred towards the indigenous people. Although the Flying Fish Company was a pirate group, they had always tried not to harm their fellow Chinese during their raids. These damned natives, daring to attack the Chinese, deserved no mercy!

"Village Chief, we originally established ourselves in the South China Sea! However, with the increasing incursions by foreigners, the situation in the South China Sea has become increasingly dire! After much deliberation, we decided to leave the South China Sea and find a new place to establish ourselves! Mindanao has fertile soil and abundant resources, and we plan to find a piece of land here to settle down!" Long Feiyu continued.

"Ah! So that's how it is!" Wu Yongxing was greatly shocked, and a glint of excitement flashed in his eyes. Wu Village was only a medium-sized Chinese settlement on Mindanao. With the increasing attacks by the natives, their situation had become increasingly precarious. The recent attack by the Buena tribe had cost Wu Village about half of its able-bodied men. It was clear that the future would be even more challenging. He was worried about how to solve the crisis facing Wu Village, and the arrival of the Flying Fish Company seemed like a stroke of luck.

"Governor Luo, honored guests, on behalf of Wu Village, I welcome the Flying Fish Company to Mindanao. Our village is near the coast and by the Agusan River, making transportation and irrigation very convenient! There are large tracts of good farmland and land available for cultivation nearby! I hope the Flying Fish Company can establish itself here! If the Governor is not averse to it, we, the people of Wu Village, are willing to join the Flying Fish Company! The Flying Fish Company is new to the area, but our ancestors have lived here for over two hundred years, and we can provide you with all the necessary assistance!" Wu Yongxing said excitedly. After speaking, he looked anxiously at Luo Sangu and Long Feiyu, as if he feared they might refuse. For Wu Village, joining the Flying Fish Company would be the best choice. In these chaotic times, with their situation becoming increasingly difficult, having a strong military presence was essential for survival.

Long Feiyu was taken aback for a moment, then he became delighted. The people of Wu Village volunteering to join the Flying Fish Company was exactly what he had hoped for! The members of the Flying Fish Company were all former pirates who were unfamiliar with Mindanao. With local help, they could establish themselves much more quickly! Additionally, Wu Village had about 700 people, with over 200 able-bodied men who could be recruited into the military. Combined with the other pirates from the Flying Fish Company, they could form two more battalions, doubling their military strength! As for combat skills, those could be improved through training. When they captured the 'Flying Fish' warship, it was equipped with 500 Berdan rifles, enough to arm the new recruits. The only concern was the issue of leadership. While the addition of Wu Village would greatly enhance the Flying Fish Company's strength, it could also cause some internal friction.

"Village Chief, there is no problem with Wu Village joining the Flying Fish Company! However, we have one condition!" Long Feiyu said.

"Governor, please state your condition. As long as it is within our means, we will not refuse!" Wu Yongxing said frankly.

"Village Chief, let's be straightforward! Once Wu Village joins the Flying Fish Company, you will be part of our family! However, everyone who joins the Flying Fish Company must follow our orders! Any disobedience will not be tolerated!" Long Feiyu said.

The old village chief, Wu Yongxing, thought for a moment and then said, "Governor, that is not a problem! However, I hope the Flying Fish Company will treat the people of Wu Village equally!"

"Village Chief, I assure you, we will not discriminate! Overseas Chinese are one big family, and life is hard for everyone. Only by uniting can we survive better!" Long Feiyu said.

"Governor, you speak the truth!" Wu Yongxing felt relieved after receiving Long Feiyu's assurance.

Subsequently, Wu Yongxing gathered the old and young of Wu Village and announced to them that, from that day on, Wu Village would join the Flying Fish Company, and all the villagers must follow the orders of the Flying Fish Company. Anyone who opposed could leave now.

The old village chief's words caused a stir. However, most people were not opposed to joining the Flying Fish Company! The Chinese are inherently kind, and if it weren't for the Flying Fish Company's help, Wu Village would have been destroyed by the natives long ago! Moreover, joining the Flying Fish Company meant they would be protected. The Flying Fish Company's military strength was formidable, easily defeating the powerful Buena tribe. This ensured their safety. When Long Feiyu stood up and guaranteed that all who joined the Flying Fish Company would be protected and treated equally, none of the 700 people in Wu Village objected.

"Governor, can we join the Flying Fish Company's army?" Wu Yongxing's son, Wu Daniu, asked.

"Of course! We will soon expand our army, and priority will be given to the able-bodied men of Wu Village!" Long Feiyu said.

"Can we be given muskets?" someone continued to ask. The sight of the Flying Fish Company's soldiers easily slaughtering the natives with muskets had both shocked and envied the adult men of Wu Village. If they could use these muskets, they might be able to defeat the native attacks!

"Of course! Once you join the Flying Fish Company's army, muskets will be standard equipment! However, becoming a qualified musketeer is not easy and requires rigorous training! I want to warn you, the training in the Flying Fish Company's army is very intense. If you can't handle the hardship, it's better to give up now!" Long Feiyu said.

"Governor, rest assured, the people of Wu Village are not cowards! We can endure any hardship, as long as we can avenge our fallen kin by killing those natives!" Wu Daniu said with red eyes.

"Right! We are not afraid of hardship, we want to join the army and kill those natives!" the men of Wu Village shouted in unison.

Long Feiyu was very satisfied. This showed that the people were willing to support them! It seemed that the first step in establishing the Flying Fish Company on Mindanao had been successful! Although the road ahead was still rugged, Long Feiyu believed that they could overcome any difficulties!

"Governor! What about the captured natives? Why not kill all these beasts and leave them alive?" someone asked. Wu Village had suffered many casualties from the native attacks, and the villagers harbored deep resentment.

"Killing these natives outright would be too lenient! In the future, they will be used as slaves! We need a large labor force to cultivate the land, build roads and houses, and mine. Using these natives as beasts of burden will make them atone for their crimes!" Long Feiyu explained.

Although many villagers still wanted to kill all the natives to avenge their fallen kin, Long Feiyu's explanation was accepted. More importantly, the Flying Fish Company's military strength had left the villagers in awe, and they no longer dared to question.

This battle captured nearly 500 natives, all unharmed. Those who were injured, especially those with severe injuries, had already been killed. Medicines were precious, and the Flying Fish Company would not waste them on the natives. As for slaves, there were plenty on Mindanao, and they could get as many as they needed once everything was in order.

Next, the residents of Flying Fish Island also came ashore and began to clean up the battlefield, treat the wounded, and bury the dead. The captured natives were forced to work. The people of Wu Village spoke the local language, so communication with the natives was not a problem. Under the threat of guns and whips, the natives worked diligently. After a few who tried to shirk their duties were beheaded on the spot, the rest worked even harder, using all their strength.

With everyone's cooperation, by evening, the battlefield had been cleaned up. The damaged fences had been repaired. The residents of Flying Fish Island were invited to rest in the homes of the people of Wu Village. Building new houses would be a subsequent task. Wu Village had officially become the foothold for the pirates of Flying Fish Island on Mindanao!

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