Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 719 Login
Luzon Island is located in the northern part of the Philippine Islands, with a triangular tip, generally in the shape of a south-north rear rectangle, about 740 kilometers long from north to south, about 220 kilometers wide from east to west, and a coastline of more than 5000 kilometers long. There are many excellent bays, and it is also the present The heart of the Philippine Islands.

After Spain invaded and occupied the entire Philippine Islands, they deployed their main military forces on Luzon Island.

Located in the southwest of Luzon Island, Manila Bay is an important natural harbor on the east coast of the South China Sea and an important supply point for trade between the East and the West.

The entire area of ​​Manila Bay is very large.It is more than [-] miles long from northwest to southeast, surrounded by two peninsulas from east to west, and the bay penetrates into the interior.

The north and northeast of Manila Bay are connected to the central plain, and there are tropical mangroves. The depth of the sea is not too deep, and the tidal range changes little. Therefore, the fishery resources are extremely rich, and it has become the most important fishing ground for the original Ming immigrants and local indigenous people.

The Royal City of Manila in this era is a European-style castle, and its scale is about the same as that of a larger county in Daming. However, the city walls of the Royal City are all made of giant granite, which is stronger than the brick city walls of Daming. Much stronger.

Manila King City is located in the east of Manila Bay, on the north shore of Taal Lake, and south of Pasig River, and is still some distance away from both Pasig River and Manila Bay.

In order to guard against the threat from the north, after the construction of King Manila, the Spaniards built a Fort Santiago at the mouth of the Pasig River as a barrier to the north of Manila.

The people living in the Royal City of Manila are basically the staff, businessmen, soldiers, and their families and servants of the Spanish Governor's Palace, as well as some adventurers and missionaries who can't get along in Spain, and a small number of indigenous nobles.

These indigenous aristocrats are the vested interests after the Spaniards invaded and occupied Luzon Island. They assist the Governor's Mansion to manage the indigenous tribes of the local tribes on a daily basis, and deal with various disputes and conflicts between them and the Daming immigrants in Bali'an City.

In the attacks and massacres against the Ming immigrants a few months ago, these aboriginal nobles showed their demonic side to the fullest.

It was under their instigation and bewitchment that various indigenous tribes carried out frenzied massacres against the immigrants of Ming Dynasty.

Bali'an City is located on the south side of the Royal City of Manila, and it is also the most prosperous business district in the entire Luzon Island. More than [-]% of the immigrants from the Ming Dynasty live here.

There are many shops in the original Bali'an City, and the products are also dazzling. There are not only various materials from Ming Dynasty, but also products and materials from other regions.

Many Spaniards also opened their own shops in Balian City. In addition, there are many shops from Japan, selling many commodities from Europe and Japan. Before the massacre, this place has always been the most lively and noisy place in Luzon Island. The region will also bring a lot of tax revenue to the Governor's Mansion every year.

But now, those prosperous scenes no longer exist.

During the turmoil a few months ago, Balian was severely damaged.

Those black, thin, short, bare-chested natives exploded with astonishing destructive power. In just a few days, they destroyed most of the civilization that tens of thousands of Ming immigrants had spent more than 20 years creating.

On April 14th, [-]th Chongzhen, it was the end of the early morning of Choushi, and the season had come to the beginning of summer. The sky was already pale, and in the blue sky, the bright stars were rapidly dimming.

"out!"

Low-pitched shouts sounded from the bottom cabins of the two merchant ships, and after a while, figures in black cotton armor, bamboo hat-shaped iron helmets, and red tassels on the helmets came out of the cabin in an orderly manner, and then walked along the The several springboards that had been set up began to land on the pier.

This time point is when people are sleeping soundly. Except for the sound of the waves, there is no sound from far to near. No one on Luzon Island would have dreamed that the imperial army from the far east would suddenly appear in front of them. Where it shouldn't be.

The Spaniards set up a customs office on the pier in Manila Bay, but they did not have the habit of being on duty at night. After the massacre, the number of merchant ships coming from Daming to trade decreased sharply. Immigrants and natives also disappeared, so when [-] Ming troops boarded the pier and assembled in line after a quarter of an hour, the empty pier and the surrounding area were still silent, which also made the Ming army who was originally in a state of tension I breathed a sigh of relief.

The Ming army’s plan had prepared the corresponding countermeasures after the surprise attack was discovered. Li Dingguo’s troops, as the vanguard, were also prepared to pay heavy casualties from top to bottom. It was discovered that even the shadow of the enemy was not seen, and the legendary powerful red-haired ghost was so careless.

In fact, it is not to blame the Spaniards for being too relaxed.

They have occupied for more than 80 years,

In the past hundred years, after the Spanish army carried out bloody killings of the natives on the island in the first few years, those ignorant, barbaric and backward natives quickly became docile lambs. He bowed his head and ears in front of the spear.

In the following decades, most of the indigenous people on Luzon Island believed in Catholicism and obeyed the orders of the Governor's Palace and the Archbishop.

In other words, in the past 80 years, Manila has never been invaded or threatened by foreign enemies. After staying in such a comfortable environment for a long time, even the elite army will lose its vigilance. As for the combat effectiveness of the Spanish garrison, it is even more important There is no way to say.

The Ming army assembled at the landing dock was soon divided into four teams under Li Dingguo's order, and under the guidance of Lin Canrong and other guides, they rushed towards their respective targets separately.

Two 24-pound cannons, four [-]-pound cannons, and six small [-]-pound cannons are placed on the Sacrato Fort. The huge fort is made of huge stones.

A small barracks was built not far below the fort, and a total of 42 Spanish soldiers were stationed here, including [-] gunners, and the rest were musketeers and spearmen guarding the fort. The entire fort was manned by a captain of the Spanish army. command and management.

When the sky was bright, the early birds began to chirp happily. Outside the wooden post at the gate of the barracks, a Spanish sentry was sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall and sleeping soundly. A heavy musket was leaning against the wall. It's all so harmonious and natural.

Just as the sleeping Spanish sergeant was snoring like thunder, a group of Ming soldiers approached two hundred paces away. Following Li Dingguo's gesture, two soldiers with strong crossbows quietly shot at the Spanish sentinel. They approached and stopped about twenty steps away from him. Then the two of them bent down and knelt down on one leg. They raised their crossbows and aimed at the sentinel.

(End of this chapter)