SWDnovel Chapter 16 Driven by Profit
Chapter 16 Driven by Profit
On Luzon Island, tens of thousands of Chinese have settled down, engaging in commerce and trade or working in handicrafts. Skilled workers can earn one peso silver coin per week.
This amount of money is not small in Luzon, a tropical climate where rice and corn are harvested more than once a year, with extremely high yields. One peso can buy about 150 kilograms of grain.
It looks pretty good. A week's work is enough to feed a family of three for a month.
In reality, apart from food, other living costs are very high.
Farmers had to pay land rent and taxes, and they also had to grow export cash crops such as sugarcane and tobacco according to the requirements of the colonial government. After a year of hard work, they could only save twenty or thirty silver coins.
Workers have even greater living expenses, including rent, taxes, dealing with gang exploitation, and purchasing necessities, leaving them with very little money at the end of the month.
Even so, compared to the harsh policies and famine under the Qing Dynasty, life in Luzon was still somewhat better, which is why countless Chinese left their homes to come here.
Vinal's thigh injury was so severe that he could no longer walk on his own and was carried by two soldiers on a makeshift stretcher.
Chen Feng pushed aside the branches and walked to his side: "Colonel, I want to ask you something."
Vinal said warily, "I will not betray the king. Don't try to extract any information from me."
Chen Feng didn't believe him, but he didn't expose him. He smiled and said, "I'm not asking you to betray the king. I just want to ask about the pay of your ordinary soldiers."
"96 silver pesos per year," Vinal replied with his eyes closed.
The pay is very good!
Eight silver pesos a month, equivalent to twice the income of an average worker.
As a soldier in the Chinese Free Army, one's rank certainly cannot be lower than this.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Feng saw that the soldiers were all a bit listless, so he waved his hand.
"What are your orders, General?" Qian Biao immediately ran over.
He was the youngest in the group and looked very thin. None of the five squad leaders chose him, so he ended up in Zhang Xiuwu's sixth squad.
Seeing that he was quite clever, Chen Feng kept him by his side as a personal guard and did not let him go with him to collect food.
"Tell everyone that our Free Army's monthly pay is eight silver pesos, paid on time at the end of each month, and this month it's double."
Qian Biao's eyes lit up instantly, his fatigue vanished, and he grinned as he turned and ran towards the back of the column, shouting as he ran, "Listen up, everyone! The general said our monthly pay is eight silver pesos, and this month we'll get double! It'll be paid at the end of the month!"
These words were like a thunderclap, instantly causing an uproar within the team.
"Eight silver pesos, really?"
"It's even better than the craftsmanship!"
"This month is still double, but unfortunately we have to wait until the end of the month."
"It sounds nice now, but don't be unable to pay later. I heard the Independent Army doesn't pay that much, and they often delay payments."
"Who cares? We have nowhere to go right now, let's just hang out with them for a few days."
......
As the crowd discussed the matter, their previously slow pace unconsciously quickened considerably.
A tall soldier couldn't contain himself any longer and rushed over to ask, "General, is what Qian Biao said true? Are we really getting eight silver pesos a month in military pay?"
"Your name is Chu Xiongxing, right?" Chen Feng remembered the name, not because the person was special, but because he clearly remembered that the Iron Army of later generations required all company commanders to clearly remember the names, hometowns, and family situations of the soldiers in their company.
He couldn't remember that many things at once, but he had been deliberately observing the conversations of the people along the way and had memorized most of their names.
"General, you...you remember me?" Chu Xiongxing's face lit up with excitement.
"You're very brave. When we encountered the venomous snake, you were the first to rush up and drive it away, protecting your comrades." Chen Feng patted his shoulder and said in a deep voice, "I originally wanted to give you a settlement allowance right away, but I didn't bring it with me. I'll definitely make it up to you by the end of the month at the latest."
"General, I believe in you!"
Chu Xiongxing nodded vigorously, feeling a pang of guilt. This important figure in front of him could remember his name; how could he have dared to question him before?
Chen Feng patted him on the shoulder again: "Do a good job! I hope that next time the army expands, you can become a squad leader and lead the brothers to charge into battle."
"I will definitely do my best!" Chu Xiongxing clenched his fists, pounding his chest loudly.
Watching his retreating figure, Chen Feng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned again.
Food is readily available in Luzon; at worst, we can raid the local tribes, and we won't let anyone go hungry.
But getting money is a bit of a hassle.
The indigenous people definitely don't have much money.
There are indeed large Chinese families, but I have no connection with them, so it's difficult to get their support.
Let's take it one step at a time and see what happens!
If you don't offer them tangible benefits first, these people all have families to support. Once the Spanish are no longer hanging over their heads, they'll eventually start clamoring to go home.
After all, if there were no other way to survive, who would risk their life to rebel?
First, try begging from the Americans; if that doesn't work, then think of other ways.
If you can't make money within this month, you deserve to fail.
As the sun rose higher and it approached noon, the crisp sound of waves crashing against the rocks drifted over on the wind.
"General, we've reached the seaside!" Tian Gang's voice came from the distant hills.
Chen Feng took a deep breath; the air was filled with a strong, salty, fishy smell.
He mustered his last bit of strength and ran quickly up the hill. His gaze passed through the trees, and a vast expanse of blue sea came into view, magnificent and boundless.
Not far from the coast, a three-masted sailing ship was quietly moored on the sea, with the Stars and Stripes flying in the sea breeze.
Several small boats were moored beside the sailboat, carrying people and slowly sailing toward the shore.
"Lucky you!"
Chen Feng kept his eyes fixed on the small boat and immediately ordered, "Tian Gang, your squad and the third squad stay here, start a fire and boil water to support Kong Yunfei behind us. Remember to make at least fifty bonfires, spread them out a bit. Don't worry about attracting the attention of the Spanish. This place is very close to the American troops, they won't dare to come."
"yes!"
"yes!"
Tian Gang and Ren Dayong immediately accepted the order and selected more than ten soldiers who were still able to move to search for firewood branches in the woods.
"Ding Junkai, Wang Liang, all of you from Class 4 and Class 5, take Vinal and come with me to find the Americans." Chen Feng looked at Vinal lying on the stretcher.
Vinal glanced at the distant Stars and Stripes, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "Oh! You actually found some Americans! But they don't understand Chinese, and these profit-driven bastards won't help you."
Chen Feng ignored his sarcasm and said in a deep voice, "I don't need their help, I just want a fair deal."
"Even if we give you five hundred guns, what good will it do? The Independent Army has tens of thousands of men, and they've only caused us a little trouble," Vinal continued to mock.
Chen Feng ignored him and walked towards the sea with a wave of his hand.
Qian Biao found Vinal's words offensive, so he simply took out the foot-binding cloth again and gagged him.