Chapter 935: Troops Arrive at Manila

"What is the current governance of Banbu like?"

After learning about the rubber plantations and the plantations in Banbu, Zhao Xu asked Miao An again.

Before the Marine Corps arrived, Banbu was under the jurisdiction of the Franks.

Basically, the Franks held the greatest authority in Banbu.

Then, they selected some people from among the natives to assist them in management, forming the administrative system of Banbu and even the entirety of Luzon.

Now that they want to drive out the Franks, they naturally must establish their own administrative system.

"Replying to Your Highness, currently all officials in Banbu are filled by us Overseas Song People," Miao An said with no lack of pride.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xu frowned and said: "During wartime, this is not a problem, but if you completely drive out the Franks, you cannot continue to use this method to manage Luzon, otherwise it will easily incite conflict between the natives and you, eventually leading to mutual slaughter."

The Franks are constantly losing colonies on a global scale.

A large part of the reason is that they like to act directly as the rulers of the colonies.

They intervene directly in colonial affairs from all aspects and engage in exorbitant taxation and extortion.

According to intelligence previously sent by Dong An, the resistance of the Luzon natives against the Franks has never ceased.

Clearly, this has also led to an increase in their governance costs, which is very unwise.

Therefore, he naturally does not want to follow the old path of the Franks.

Instead, he decided to adopt his own method.

Regarding Gaoli and Dongying, he chose to support forces loyal to Great Song.

He handed over management functions to them, choosing only subtle economic and cultural infiltration.

This means the governance costs are Gaoli's and Dongying's, but the economic and cultural benefits are Great Song's.

In this way, he consumes almost no costs, yet obtains the greatest benefits.

As for these Southern Region countries like Luzon, they are somewhat special.

The Overseas Song People have deeply integrated into the local life.

Especially for the Song People whose ancestors migrated here, it is somewhat unrealistic to have them return to Great Song.

Then the most suitable method is to let these Overseas Song People maintain a blood connection with Great Song, serving Great Song economically and culturally.

And Great Song will use military force to guarantee their safety in the Southern Region countries.

As for governance, it should still be left to the natives of the Southern Region countries.

But he will use the influence of Great Song to help the Overseas Song People conduct business and gain status, subsequently entering the political centers of the Southern Region countries.

Thereby allowing the Southern Region countries to be incorporated into the Dongtu system he is building, just like Gaoli and Dongying.

Thinking of this, he spoke in detail to Miao An about his plan for the Southern Region.

Miao An did not understand at first, but gradually realized, deeply feeling the wisdom of Yan Wang.

Because this is the only way to preserve their lives and maximize the interests of the Overseas Song People.

"Many thanks for Your Highness's instruction," Miao An said gratefully.

Zhao Xu nodded; he had said everything that needed to be said.

However, besides the Overseas Song People, for the sake of the stability of the Southern Region, he had also prepared another move.

That is to support native Southern Region forces that are pro-Great Song.

Let the native forces and the Overseas Song People's forces form a balance.

Perhaps this generation of Overseas Song People is grateful to Great Song for saving them from fire and water, but after the second or third generation, it is hard to guarantee that treacherous wretches will not appear.

He does not want to have some ingrates popping up in his own backyard when the time comes.

He stayed in Banbu for another two days.

The next day, Zhou Yi arrived in Banbu.

During this period, he had been staying in the Manila sea area, containing the Franks to prevent them from launching a counterattack against Banbu and other northern cities.

Learning that Zhao Xu had arrived in Banbu, he was greatly shocked and immediately came to receive him.

"Your Highness, it is this subordinate's incompetence that I failed to annihilate the main force of the Western Lands navy." Seeing Zhao Xu, Zhou Yi looked apologetic.

Yan Wang had said he would wait until he reached Tianzhu before heading south to lead the expedition in person.

Now that he had arrived early, he only assumed it was because his own strategy had not succeeded.

"Hahaha, do not take this matter to heart. I myself was also negligent. Having fought with those people in Gaoli and Dongying for so long, I underestimated the opponent for a moment. After all, they have been traversing the oceans for three hundred years and have rich naval warfare experience," Zhao Xu said.

Then, he comforted him, "Besides, any famous general is honed on the battlefield; who hasn't fought a few shitty battles?"

"Your Highness..." Hearing this, Zhou Yi felt a warmth in his heart.

Sometimes, to them, Yan Wang is both the majestic Yan Wang.

And a kind teacher and a friendly friend.

"Alright, stop being wishy-washy. There are still battles to be fought on this sea. This time you only plucked a single hair from them. In the end, I only want one result, and that is that only my Great Song has the final say on this ocean," Zhao Xu said, chiding him as he saw Zhou Yi hesitate to speak.

"Yes, Your Highness," Zhou Yi replied loudly, his tone firm.

Nodding, Zhao Xu looked at the Marine Corps soldiers disembarking from the troop transport ship, "This is the last ship of soldiers. With thirty thousand Marines assembled, it is time to have a conclusion with the Franks."

He had once given the Franks a chance, but they did not want it.

Instead, they wanted to assassinate him.

Now, they are again determined to join the British in encircling and suppressing him.

This cannot be blamed on him.

Hearing this, Zhou Yi perked up and said: "This subordinate and Pan Zhang have discussed it. We plan to have eight thousand Marine soldiers, under the cover of the warships' naval cannons, attack Manila from the front to contain their forces, while the remaining twenty thousand-plus soldiers will set out from Banbu to attack from the flank, settling it in one battle."

Seeing Zhao Xu frown, Zhou Yi immediately guessed what Yan Wang was worried about.

He hurriedly explained, "Please rest assured, Your Highness. When landing in Banbu, this subordinate ordered a guide named Niu Qiang to lead two thousand Marine soldiers to take the cities north of Manila. Currently, all twelve northern cities are under the control of the Marine Corps and will not hinder the Marines' attack from the flank."

"Hmm, that is good." Zhao Xu looked toward Manila, "There is no time to lose; let us launch the attack on Manila tomorrow. Great Song is in great need of rubber right now. Of course, the harder you fight, the more you will contain the Westerners' forces, and thus, the pressure on Great Song's borders will be much less."

"Yes, Your Highness," Zhou Yi said.

Having settled this matter, Zhou Yi called for Pan Zhang again and had him explain the specific attack plan to Zhao Xu.

The three of them conferred further to check for omissions and fill in any gaps.

The next day.

Commander Pan Zhang led the main force of the Marine Corps, with the help of a guide, and set out from Banbu toward Manila.

The entire journey from Banbu to Manila is nearly eight hundred li.

This is equivalent to the distance from the south of Yanzhou to the north of Yanzhou, a journey that takes three days on foot.

Therefore, two days after Pan Zhang set out, Zhao Xu and Zhou Yi traveled by ship to the waters of Manila.

It took only one day for them to arrive at Manila, arriving at about the same time as Pan Zhang.

Standing on the deck, Zhao Xu held a Telescope and observed for a while, taking in the Franks' Trenches and Forts at a glance.

At this moment, their position was in the bay directly in front of Manila city.

This bay was like a fist striking toward Manila.

Manila was right on the edge of that fist.

"Attack!" Zhao Xu ordered, putting down the Telescope.

In fact, ever since the internal strife in the Great Song, the Westerners had been fighting him through the powerful clans.

Simply put, he had been enduring the other side's wild, uncoordinated flailing.

Now, it was time for him to pay them back in kind.