Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 1640 Landing on Crete
"Our Zheng He has been assigned to the 'Blockade Fleet' and is about to sail to the Aegean Sea to occupy Tenedos Island. The goal is to block the exit of the Dardanelles and prevent the Constantinople fleet from entering the Mediterranean Sea. With We also acted together with 2 ironclad ships, 16 armed galleons, and 19 galleys. The two ironclad ships are Huo Qubing and General Fubo.”

Zheng Chenggong announced the arrangement of the Admiralty to the crew of the Zheng He.

"Forefront!" The crew of Zheng He cheered.

Tenedos Island is located at the exit of the Dardanelles, and may encounter the Constantinople fleet at any time.

The Ottoman Empire had shipyards in Constantinople and the Mediterranean Sea. The goal of the blockade fleet was to keep the Dardanelles under control when the main force of the navy wiped out the Mediterranean shipyards, so as not to let the Constantinople fleet enter the Mediterranean Sea.

This means that the Zheng He still has a chance to make a contribution in participating in the blockade fleet guarding the Dardanelles!
"Don't be too happy. Although the shipbuilding technology of the Ottoman Empire is somewhat outdated, they have a lot of manpower and material resources. They can build hundreds of galleys within half a year. We must be careful to block the Dardanelles and not be greedy. meritorious service." Zheng Chenggong also wanted to make meritorious service, but reason told him that he could strive for the opportunity to make meritorious deeds, but if he was greedy for meritorious service on the battlefield, it might lead to very bad consequences.

"The quartermaster checks whether all kinds of supplies are complete, and the sail leader takes people to check the sails and rigging. This is the real battle." Zheng Chenggong mobilized everyone.

The 5 coalition infantry and sailors gathered on the island of Malta began to mobilize urgently, and the ships were ready to go.

When the kingdoms participating in the anti-Ottoman alliance realized that they could defeat the Ottoman Empire once and for all, they were motivated and eager to capture Constantinople as soon as possible.

The commanders of the blockade fleet were Sun Xu and Black, and they were further divided into four teams—Sun Xu, Black, Zheng Zhihu, and Castella led a team each.

The Zheng He was under the jurisdiction of Zheng Zhihu's team, and they still only played the role of a reserve team.

"This is your second time on the battlefield, but the scale and danger of this battle is far higher than the battle in the West Indies. It is also your first time as the captain. Don't let down the trust of the military lord." Zheng Zhihu Before departure, he had high hopes for his nephew Zheng Chenggong.

Zheng Chenggong is the target of the second generation of their Zheng family. After the three brothers Zheng Zhilong, Zheng Zhihu, and Zheng Zhibao retire, of course they hope that Zheng Chenggong can take the top.

"I will try my best to fight...if I have the chance." Zheng Chenggong replied.

The huge coalition forces began to move. Their first stop was Crete, which was besieged by [-] troops of the Ottoman Empire. The local Venetian defenders were huddled in the fortress, in danger.

The naval fleet of the coalition forces is too large, and the Ottoman Empire ships in the waters near Crete dare not block the landing operations of the coalition fleet.

Chu Yun chose to follow the Army to conduct operations in Crete, rather than follow the Navy to play cat-and-mouse games with the Ottoman fleet in the Mediterranean.

The Imperial Guards Brigade, the Far West Expedition, and the Royal Army of England successfully joined the 5000 Venetian soldiers at the Candia fortress in Crete.

"The reinforcements have finally arrived!" Conal, the defensive commander of the Candia Fortress, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the dragon flag and the Mizi flag on the island.

"The number of reinforcements seems to be a bit too much."

"Maybe 7000 people, no, 10000!"

The Venetian defenders walked to the city wall one by one, watching hundreds of ships appearing on the sea, and they were using galleys and small boats to deliver soldiers and supplies to Crete.

"Is this the strength of the anti-Ottoman alliance?" Konar saw soldiers and horses going ashore, yellow dragon flags and Mi Zi flags fluttering in the sea breeze, and steam ships billowing black smoke farther away .

There has never been such a powerful army in the Mediterranean!
"Open the gate of the fortress and welcome the reinforcements!"

The defenders of the Candia fortress cheered happily, and the gate was opened by excited Venetian soldiers.

After Chu Yun led [-] reinforcements ashore, he asked Nelson and other naval fleets to follow the scheduled plan, except that the logistics fleet remained in Crete, and the main force of the navy went to block the Dardanelles and destroy the Ottoman warships in the Mediterranean .

"We are grateful to you for your generous and selfless assistance, Konar, the defense commander of Crete in Lower Venice!" Konar was full of gratitude to these saviors.

If Chu Yun hadn't appeared with a group of reinforcements, maybe the fortress in Crete would have been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for years!
"There are 5 Ottoman troops in Crete, and their commander is Yusuf Pasha, the son-in-law of the Ottoman emperor. He brought the emperor's personal soldiers and swept across most of Crete. The Fortress of Asia and the Candia Fortress in our south were able to stand firm under the large army. They tried to blow up the gap by digging tunnels with cannon fodder and planting explosives. But every time they blasted the gap, our Venetian soldiers and civilians would quickly fill it up, and they temporarily There is no way to shake our city defense." Conal explained the current situation of Crete to Chu Yun.

"There are 50000 people outside the fortress, and we have 15000 people in the combined army, which is enough to defeat them." Chu Yun gradually became excited.

He really hasn't been to the front line for a long time, and this time he is fighting the mighty Ottoman army.

If his men had not experienced modern training and equipped with breech-loading muskets, it would not have been easy to defeat the Ottoman army when they were at a disadvantage.

However, now he has the elite Imperial Guard Brigade, two armies of the Far West Expedition, 3 English infantry regiments, 1 royal cavalry regiment, and 5000 Venetian soldiers...

"We can issue a letter of war to the opposing commander, insult them in the letter of challenge, and ask them to fight us in Crete. If they don't know our strength, we will be able to win in one battle." Ruper The Prince suggested.

Chu Yun looked at the 25-year-old young prince. Prince Rupert was Sophia's nephew in name, although their actual ages were not much different.

Prince Rupert is now the hottest presence in England other than Sofia.

"Then according to your idea, challenge Yusuf Pasha on the opposite side." Chu Yun affirmed the young man's idea.

When the Venetian guard Konar heard that he was going to provoke the Ottoman Empire, he quickly volunteered: "I will curse them with the most vicious language. When they see the letter of war, they will definitely jump their feet in anger and fight us decisively."

(End of this chapter)