Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 690 Finally Got the Information
"Cruise, what do you think of this battle plan? The Kyushu Army and the Spaniards had conflicts in Manila. As long as we let the Spaniards suppress the Chinese businessmen in Manila, the Kyushu Army will definitely respond. If the Spaniards are more ruthless, let They used bloody means to deal with the Chinese businessmen who came to Manila like decades ago. The Kyushu Army, which claims to be the protector of Nanyang, will definitely send their fleet to support the local Chinese businessmen. At that time, we will set up an ambush in the Luzon waters in advance, and use The local water potential and wind direction are very likely to cause heavy damage to their main force."

In the past few days, Putmans has been thinking about how to use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attack the forces of the Kyushu Army in Nanyang.The Kyushu Army is in Nanyang, and it is undoubtedly the Nanyang Fleet that the East India Company fears the most.The Nanyang Fleet has more than 20 large and medium-sized warships, which can be ranked well in Europe, unless all the warships and armed merchant ships of the Westerners in the Spice Islands can be combined with the Nanyang Fleet.If the Nanyang Fleet can be severely damaged, then they can restore their former hegemony over the Spice Islands.

Cruz flipped through Putmans' report to the East India Company's board of directors, and shook his head at the proposal to set up an ambush in the Luzon waters: "Instead of attracting the fleet of the Kyushu Army to the Luzon waters and annihilating them, it is better to set up an ambush in their Luzon waters." Surprise them at the door, it will be more unexpected."

"What better plan do you have?" Putmans asked.

"I heard that the fleet of the Kyushu Army has been stationed in Hoi An Port all year round. They rely on their strong ships and guns. They think they are already the most powerful fleet in Southeast Asia. They certainly would not have thought that anyone would dare to attack their base camp. They." Cruise said, "If you think about it carefully, if we send people to find out the time rules of their fleet's sailing, rest, and training, and find an appropriate time to attack Hoi An Port, they will definitely be able to severely damage their defenseless fleet. On the contrary, if we take the initiative to lure them out to ambush, they must be equipped with ammunition before going to sea, and they must have been prepared, and our ambush may not necessarily guarantee defeating them." Cruz said.

Putmans thought for a while: "What you said is not unreasonable, but there are two major difficulties. First, there are forts and infantry stationed in the port of Hoi An. We take the initiative to attack the port and attack their forts and fleet at the same time. , I am afraid that the firepower is not enough. Second, the attack on the port is an extremely confidential matter. We need to cooperate with the Spaniards and Francois in this operation at the same time, and the information is likely to be leaked. ' is."

Cruise said: "I have also considered these two points. On the day of the surprise attack, we can send a few merchant ships full of gunpowder to act as the vanguard in advance. Once they mix into Hoi An Port, they will find a way to approach and anchor in Hoi An Port. The battleship, and then ignited and detonated. When the flames are everywhere, we can lead the fleet to rush in, and the fleet of the Kyushu Army will be destroyed in the chaos. As for the intelligence issue, we can block the news in advance, and we will communicate with the crew on the day of departure. Said we were going to Luzon Island, but the actual destination was Hoi An Port."

"If the plan is thorough, this is a good plan!" Putmans was quite pleasantly surprised.

He was driven from Taiwan City to Batavia by the Kyushu Army. He wished he could save face with the Kyushu Army immediately. This time he finally had a chance.

However, Cruise's plan is based on knowing the activities of the Kyushu Army's Nanyang Fleet, and it is necessary to find someone to observe and record the activities of the Nanyang Fleet.

Putmans specially found his men and asked them to go to Hoi An Port to make arrangements in advance, and he stayed in Thang Long City to stabilize the chief secretary of Cochin.

When his subordinates arrived at Hoi An Port, they found that something was wrong, so they turned back to Thang Long City, which was delayed for many days.

Putmans was very surprised when he saw these returning men: "Didn't I ask you to go to Hoi An Port to inquire about the situation of the Kyushu Army fleet, and then send someone back to spread the word after everything settles down? Why did you come back by yourself? ?”

The subordinate said anxiously: "Mr. Putmans, we went to Hoi An Port, and we followed your instructions. However, according to the local dock workers, seven days before we arrived at Hoi An Port, there was a sudden accident in Hoi An Port. A large number of empty ships, carrying soldiers who arrived at Hoi An Port, headed south under the escort of warships. They don’t know exactly where they went.”

"What!?" Putmans and Cruise almost died on the spot. The news was like a bomb exploding in front of them, making their heads go blank!
The Nanyang Fleet, which they have been trying to destroy for the past few days, has left Hoi An Port ahead of schedule and is nowhere to be found!
Putmans could hear himself swallowing, his lips dry. "How many ships? How many soldiers?"

"At that time, many residents witnessed the unprecedented grandeur of the expedition, so it was easy to find eyewitnesses. My subordinates compared the reports of several eyewitnesses. There were almost [-] ships and [-] to [-] soldiers at that time."

"Two hundred ships, [-] soldiers..." Cruise was a little frightened by the terrifying number of words.

If you don't consider the vassal indigenous tribes, the combined influence of the Westerners in the Spice Islands doesn't know if there are so many...

The subordinate continued to say anxiously: "Not only that, we also saw the infantry camp of the Kyushu Army in Hoi An Port, and there are almost 1 soldiers stationed there. It seems to be a reserve force, and it is too late to transport it!"

When Putmans heard that there were still [-] infantrymen who hadn't moved, he slumped weakly on the grand master's chair, his eyes lost his mind: "Damn it, we were deceived. Their large-scale purchase of grain was not because of any drought in the Central Plains. But to supply the army to go out."

Cruise seemed to have ten thousand drafts in his heart, wanting to scold the Chinese businessmen for their shamelessness, so he and Putmans have been struggling with how to calculate the Kyushu Army's fleet during this time, wasting so much time in vain!
"Manila is to the east of Hoi An Port. If their fleet is going south, then their goal is Malacca or Batavia!" Thinking of this, Putmans jumped up.

Two hundred ships carrying an elite army marched to the south, certainly not for sightseeing in Nanyang. There is only one possibility, that is, the Kyushu Army has begun to sweep Nanyang on a large scale!In Putmans's view, there are only two geographical locations that are most important in the Spice Islands, one is Malacca of the Frangians, and the other is Batavia of their Dutch.No matter which stronghold is lost, it will be a huge loss to the Westerners' power in Nanyang.

(End of this chapter)