BSI Chapter 82 The Dilemma of Luna
Chapter 82 The Dilemma of Luna
"Bang!"
Chen Feng slammed his glass on the table and demanded sharply, "How could I not know America's ambitions? Manila Bay is full of their warships, and their intelligence network spans Luzon! Your independence army is a disorganized mess. The Caro people hold power, the Visayans are just trying to protect themselves, and the other ethnic groups are all harboring their own agendas. How dare you talk about resistance? They won't even give the Chinese the status they deserve. Why should I board their ship?"
Luna's face turned pale, and before she could speak, Chen Feng interrupted her rapidly, "Don't talk to me about unity; your divisions run deep!"
boom!
These words struck Luna's heart like a thunderbolt.
His body jolted violently, and his face turned from white to pale.
What Chen Feng said was a reality he had been deliberately avoiding, yet could not deny!
Over the years, he has desperately maintained the superficial unity of the independence army, but the internal divisions have long been deeply ingrained, though he is unwilling to admit it.
"But...but we can't give up!"
Luna's voice trembled slightly, yet still held an idealistic stubbornness. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes gleamed with a resentful light. "The flame of independence ignited by Mr. Penny Fashou with his life cannot be extinguished! As long as we can truly unite, as long as we can establish a genuine independent government, we will certainly have the strength to resist the American army!"
"Unity?"
Chen Feng scoffed, his tone undisguisedly sarcastic.
But when he saw the almost obsessive determination on Luna's face, his heart suddenly stirred.
This person is idealistic and capable, but too pedantic.
If they were to fall out with the US military in the future, they might be able to leverage his influence to win over some indigenous forces and strengthen the Chinese community's allies.
Chen Feng hesitated for a moment, then changed his tone, though it remained firm: "If you're truly capable of persuading Aguinaldo to give me 20 seats in parliament for Chinese people, I'll unite with you! As long as the contributions of the Chinese community are properly rewarded, I can lead the Free Army and fight alongside you for Luzon's independence with all my might!"
Upon hearing this, Luna's eyes lit up as if he had seen a ray of light in the darkness, and he asked urgently, "What...what did you say?"
"That's right, give 20 seats in parliament to Chinese people!"
Chen Feng spoke each word clearly and firmly, leaving no room for negotiation: "Furthermore, Mandarin Chinese must become one of the official languages of the future Philippine government! These two points must be written in black and white in the declaration of independence to be issued tomorrow, proclaiming them to all of Luzon, so that everyone can see that the Chinese people have an unshakeable position on this land!"
"20?!"
Luna gasped, her surprise instantly replaced by embarrassment, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
With only about 90 seats in the parliament, the Tagalog people, as the dominant ethnic group, only have 25 seats. The Chinese are asking for 20 seats, which is undoubtedly an attempt to snatch the pie from other ethnic groups!
Aguinaldo would never agree easily, and those ethnic groups that were already hostile to the Chinese would oppose it to the death. At that time, the independence army would probably fall apart on the spot!
"This...this is impossible!"
Luna shook his head repeatedly, his voice tinged with bitterness and even despair. "General Chen, you're putting me in a difficult position! Twenty spots—not only will Aquinado not agree, but even if he did, the other ethnic groups would completely turn against us, and the independence army would fall apart!"
"Falling apart?"
Chen Feng raised an eyebrow, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "If we don't disintegrate now, we'll still be completely annihilated and die without a burial place once the US military makes its move! Rather than waiting to be killed, we might as well take a gamble!"
"Give the Chinese sufficient status, and I will dedicate all my resources to helping you integrate the independence army. By incorporating those disobedient units and purging those leaders with their own agendas, perhaps there will still be a glimmer of hope to preserve General Punni Fai-hsiu's legacy!"
Luna stood frozen in place, as if the blood in his body had frozen.
The 20 spots felt like a mountain, suffocating him, but Chen Feng's words were like a ray of light, giving him a glimmer of hope.
If he could truly gain the full support of the Chinese Free Army, perhaps he could integrate the divided independence forces, confront the US military, and complete the unfinished work of the leader!
His ideals and reality were in a fierce struggle, and pain and struggle were written all over his face. Cold sweat slid down his cheeks and dripped onto his clothes, leaving a dark stain.
"Could you...could you give in another way? Fifteen!"
Luna's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping, his eyes pleading, "Fifteen! I'll fight Aquinas for them with my life on my own, even if it offends all the tribes, I'll accept it!"
He knew that 15 slots were still unrealistic, but it was also a negotiation strategy to get Chen Feng to make further concessions and then ask Aquinado to increase the number of slots. This would give him a better chance of getting the Chinese Free Army to break away from the United States and fight for the cause of Philippine independence.
"cannot!"
Chen Feng shook his head in resolute refusal.
As the two remained locked in a stalemate, a soft cough suddenly came from afar.
Connor was walking slowly towards them, a faint smile on his face.
He had hoped the two would completely break down in negotiations, but he didn't expect Chen Feng to suddenly concede and propose 20 slots.
These conditions are so demanding that they are almost impossible to achieve, and the final result will likely still be division, which is still a good thing for America.
"It seems the two of you have reached a new consensus?"
Connor feigned curiosity and walked to the dining table, pouring himself a glass of wine. "What conditions are putting General Luna in such a difficult position?"
Chen Feng shook his head and said calmly, "Mr. Connor, it's just that the Chinese are fighting for their rightful political status. We have witnessed the strength of the US military. If the Chinese can cooperate with the independence army, they naturally hope to gain the understanding and respect of the United States. There is absolutely no intention to offend them."
Connor's face was full of a fake smile: "We Americans also hope that you can unite and get rid of Spanish colonization."
Chen Feng's lips twitched into a smile. He thought to himself that if this guy could live a little longer, he might become a Hollywood movie star.
He stood up and said, "I've been soaked in the rain all morning and need to wash up first. General Luna, I'll give you one night to think it over. Tomorrow morning, I want to hear Aquinas's reply."
Luna took a deep breath and said firmly, "Okay! I'll give you an answer first thing tomorrow morning."
"That would be best!"
Chen Feng nodded slightly, not holding any hope for Aquinado's answer; he knew Aquinado didn't have that much guts.
Luna watched his departing figure, then glanced at Connor's fake smile, and made up her mind that no matter the cost, she had to bring the Free Army over, otherwise they would inevitably become the US military's accomplice in controlling the Philippines.
Connor raised his glass, offering a distant toast to Luna, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes: "General Luna, good luck."
Thank you!
Luna nodded slightly, a fake smile on his face, but he didn't raise his glass in return. He turned and walked towards the door.
Connor stared at his retreating figure, secretly plotting.
Twenty slots would be enough to throw the Independent Army into complete chaos.
Whether Aguinaldo agrees or not, the outcome will be mutually destructive, and the day when the US military takes over Luzon is drawing ever closer.
Meanwhile, in Chen Feng's room.
Pang Li and Qian Biao had been waiting impatiently, and as soon as Chen Feng opened the door, they immediately squeezed in.
Pang Li, being impatient, spoke first, asking, "Master, how did the talks go? Did that old bastard Aquinas give in?"
A complex emotion flashed in Qian Biao's eyes as he added, "Would he be willing to give us 5% of the seats in the legislature?"
"Even if he's willing to give it, people of other ethnicities wouldn't agree," Chen Feng replied calmly. He had just picked up some clean clothes from the side and was about to go to the washroom to wash up when there was a gentle knock on the door again.
"Brother Chen, open the door!" Zheng Mingsong's voice came from outside the door.
Chen Feng reluctantly put down the clothes, turned around, and opened the door.
Besides Zheng Mingsong, there was also an unfamiliar Chinese girl standing outside the door.
She looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old. Her jet-black hair was tied high in a ponytail, which made her face look small and delicate. She wore a clean light yellow shirt and skirt suit, with the sleeves casually rolled up to her forearms, revealing her slender but strong wrists. Her eyes were bright and sharp, quite different from the gentle and graceful young ladies of ordinary boudoirs.
"Brother Chen, this is Miss Shi Lingxi of the Shi family."
Zheng Mingsong quickly introduced, "Although Lingxi is a woman, she has been helping Old Master Shi manage family affairs since she was a child, and her words carry great weight in the Shi family."
Shi Lingxi stepped forward, without the usual coyness of a woman, raised her hand and nodded slightly to Chen Feng, her voice clear and melodious: "General Chen, I have long admired your name. I am Shi Lingxi, and I apologize for my unauthorized visit today."