Republic Reborn: Against the Stars and Stripes-Chapter 65: Scandalous

"You will pay for this!" Señor Grimaldo struggled against the soldiers as he and his workers were dragged through the corridors of the ground floor of the Casa Real. The officials and scribes in front of their respective offices nervously made way, whispering to each other about the scandalous sight.

The Casa Tribunal, along with other government offices, was located inside the Casa Real. And with the courtroom, there were also detention cells located at the rear of the building—two small, windowless rooms. They hadn’t found much use for a while, since crimes were not rampant in rural Marinduque, and the barrio chiefs usually dealt with petty offenses in their barangays.

"This will make noise..." Colonel Abad said to me as we watched the soldiers and the offenders disappear around a turn at the back of the Casa Real. The last time someone from the principalia was apprehended, it was a Spanish governor who ordered it.

If my enemies meant to provoke me, then they had succeeded. I could only wait and hope more were intimidated than outraged. If I had simply let it pass, then I would have undermined my own declaration. Martial law should be accompanied by an iron hand.I was about to take the stairs when Colonel Abad tapped me and pointed me in the direction of someone.

Coming from the same hallway where Señor Grimaldo and the soldiers had gone was a familiar face, waving at me.

Don Crisostomo De los Santos was an intimidating man, with his broad frame and tall stature. He also held an intimidating government position—Boac’s juez de paz, which put him second to the gobernadorcillo in the town’s administrative hierarchy.

But both his looks and his position were deceiving. He was large but very mild-mannered and non-confrontational. And his position as juez de paz was just as symbolic as my governorship initially, since criminality was not rampant in the rural town, and the petty offenses that did occur were dealt with locally by the cabezas in their barrios.

Now the position was even more irrelevant, as my military tribunal would take over judicial matters.

"Wasn’t that Señor Grimaldo?" he asked me as soon as he reached me. "What happened, Don Martin?"

"He was caught trying to export his rice through the usual means, which is a violation of the restrictions I had declared," I answered the juez de paz, amused by how he looked away as soon as I made stern eye contact. "To generate income for the war effort and requisition necessary supplies—had I not said in the meeting that all exports will go through the government?"

He swallowed before he spoke. "Yes... you did say that. But this might provoke others, Don Martin. What if they come for you?"

"With what army?" I said almost instinctively, and what I said next was half-bluff. "I am the highest authority in the province, respected by the people, in control of a sizeable army, in possession of large caches of rifles and ammunition, and..."

I grinned as I remembered something, "... and a gunboat, I might add."

"To expect me to bend is ridiculous," I continued. "And it is time for you to pick a side, Don De los Santos. I would say choosing me is the wiser choice."

---

Ricardo Grimaldo, the only son of Señor Grimaldo, arrived late that afternoon at the Casa Real. I watched him warily observe the drilling recruits in the sala. He flinched at every hurrah and looked uncomfortable at the sight of the rifles. When he was escorted to me upstairs, the already sickly-looking lad was devoid of color.

I did not know the lad that well, but already I could tell he was the opposite of Señor Grimaldo. And it was not surprising for an ill-tempered man to have a scaredy-boy. freёnovelkiss.com

He was accompanied by his uncle, who unfortunately did favor his brother’s temperament. A simpleton, all he did was threaten me, and our conversation went nowhere.

But I already had an idea how to deal with the matter.

It was very early the next morning that I decided to visit the cells. I had not specified how they should be detained, so it must have been Colonel Abad’s decision to lump all the workers in one room, and give Señor Grimaldo the other all to himself.

It must have been also his arrangement to give him comfortable beddings.

Colonel Abad was too soft-hearted for someone in his position, but I did not mind his gesture. Torturing someone is good at getting answers, but it was never effective in producing long-term cooperation.

I had the still-grumbling hacendero brought to the balcony, in sight of the recruits who were doing their exercises before their daily march. The Madrigal and Nepomuceno cadets had taken over as the platoon leaders, with the NCOs returning to my escolta, and were competently leading the routines. The harsher physical training I had them do last week had come to fruition, and I bet they were thankful for it.

Dimalanta stood in front, barking orders and instructions. He had done a great job overseeing the week’s training. Already I was seeing decent marksmanship results from the recruits.

"Is this to intimidate me, Don Lardizabal?" he said with his newly-woken hoarse voice.

"Yes... but that’s not the only reason," I told him, shifting my gaze from the recruits to him.

He still had crust in his eyes, but I guess that was the least of his concerns at the moment.

"Your son... I don’t think he will survive this kind of training," I said to him, and promptly I saw his mouth twitch. "Which is unfortunate... because I must require all men of age to join the army."

"You really think you can lord over us... because of an appointment from Manila?" he said with a chuckle.

"Yes," I said matter-of-factly. "Because I think you are excessively underestimating my authority."

"You and your brother... who came here yesterday... threatened that your friends will hear of what I did and retaliate. But how?" I shrugged, throwing my hands in the air. "Come at me with a mob of laborers armed with bolos and get cut down in the hundreds by my well-trained and well-armed men?"

"It is impossible to overthrow me... but let’s say you did..." I said, my grin widening.

"Nearby generals of the Republic, appointed by the same man who appointed me, will hear of it. One of them will come here with his army and make sure all of those responsible hang."

He looked outraged, almost about to burst, but he did not say anything.

"I will not be taking your rice for free. I will buy it—although at a sharp discount... a little sacrifice for the country," I leaned back on the handrail, glanced at the soldiers, then back at him. "And should you cooperate... I might consider exempting your son from conscription."