Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 724
On the top floor of a church tower a few miles outside the south gate of Manila's royal city, Zhang Wenyao held a binoculars and overlooked the layout of the royal city through a small window that opened outwards.

This city, located on the west side of Manila Bay and the north side of the Pasig River, also has a main square, and the urban layout is grid-like.

Around the main square are the most important buildings, the Supreme Court, the Tax Agency, the Governor's Palace, the City Hall, the Royal Treasury, the Armory, and the Cathedral.

There is also a small military fort in the northwest of the city, which was captured by the Spaniards from the local army. After renovation, the original wooden structure was replaced by stone buildings.

The Doge's Palace is modeled after Spanish colonial cities, with loggias in both courtyards.

Not only the governor and his family lived here, but also some officials and musketeers responsible for the governor's security.

The buildings in the Royal City of Manila are all stone, and their strength is extremely difficult to destroy with shells and explosives.

The streets in the entire royal city are very beautiful, spacious and symmetrical, just like Mexico City and Puebla built by the Spaniards in South America. Prison etc.

The local community within a radius of ten kilometers around the inner city has a spacious central square, a tall church, some Spanish-style rich houses and ordinary houses scattered everywhere. Chinese businessmen and Japanese who came to Manila The living quarters of the merchants are also spatially isolated.

Outside the Royal City of Manila is a moat. The embankment of more than ten meters wide and seven or eight meters high is covered with slippery moss. It is difficult for ordinary people to climb up after going down. Therefore, to enter and exit the castle, one must pass the bridge on the river and pass through the carved gate guarded by the guards. to enter.

The sculptures on the gate tower of the west gate have a strong, honest and low-key Roman style, and the reliefs on the carved gate describe the story of the Spanish governor Santiago.

The masonry stone bridge spanning the moat is about five steps wide (about seven meters), and can only accommodate four or five people in parallel at the same time. Six small bronze cannons are placed on the ten-meter-wide city wall. It's not big, but if a foreign enemy attacks, the shotguns fired by these guns can cause a devastating blow to the enemy.

The structure of this royal city can be said to fully demonstrate what is easy to defend but difficult to attack.

The difference between the moat here and the Daming City is that it is close to the city wall. You cannot build a ladder under the city wall after passing through the moat, but you cannot erect ladders in the river.

The city wall of the Royal City of Manila is not high, only about one foot (three meters) high. If there is no obstacle from the moat, the Ming army can take advantage of the number of people and line up hundreds of ladders to easily break through the city. Come on, the ants' tactics are impossible.

"His fuck!
This red-haired ghost really has a twisted heart!

This fucking Shizi City is really hard to beat! "

Zhang Wenyao retracted his forward leaning body, handed the binoculars to the guerrilla general Zhao Wu beside him, and then he walked down the stairs.

After staying in the narrow spire attic for a short while, Zhang Wenyao felt very tight in his chest. Compared with the vast land and sea, this oppressive feeling made him very uncomfortable.

The bishop and other Spaniards in this Catholic church immediately packed up their valuables and fled into the capital of Manila after receiving the news of the Ming army's massive attack.

They knew in their hearts that God, who was sometimes ineffective and sometimes ineffective, would have no effect on the non-religious Ming army. At a critical moment, let the holy Lord stay alone for a while.

Standing on the steps in front of the church, Zhang Wenyao watched groups of soldiers, led by their respective generals and flags, march towards the surrounding area along the direction of the Royal City of Manila, preparing to arrive at the designated location before nightfall and set up camp. He was thinking hard about how to capture the fortified city in front of him.

The information given by the Dutch was not very detailed. In their minds, they took it for granted that the Ming military should have a general understanding of the style of European-style castles. Therefore, the Dutch did not describe the shape of Manila City, but In the combat plan formulated by the Dudufu and the Ministry of War of the Five Armies, it was also believed that Hongyi's city was the same as that of Daming, so no specific guidance was given on how to attack the city.

Liu Guoneng, Zhang Wenyao, and the senior generals of the Beihai Fleet did not consider these details when discussing the battle plan. Regarding how to attack the city, the Beihai Fleet formulated several plans, such as encroaching with ants, digging tunnels, and blasting the city gates. Under such circumstances, none of these solutions will come in handy.

"Finished the investigation?
Come, come, tell me how we should capture this city with fewer deaths! "

Just when Zhang Wenyao was thinking hard, Zhao Wu, Li Sanpao, Zhou Lie and other guerrilla generals came out of the church talking.

Zhang Wenyao's personal soldiers quickly moved a few horses, and in the shade of the church, Zhang Wenyao and others formed a circle and began to discuss how to attack the city.

"Admiral, the city built by this red-haired ghost is completely different from our Daming's. From the present point of view, all of our previous arrangements are useless!
It can be seen from the telescope that the defense of Manila City and the South Gate are both regulated, and there is no other way but to attack!

From the perspective of the amount, we still use the method of night raids, wait around midnight, and send people from the four gates to blow open the city gates, that's all!
Humble job is willing to lead people to take the lead!

Guaranteed to kill the red-haired ghost to the brim in no time! "

Li Sanpao was the first to ask for a fight.

"My humble opinion thinks that the plan of three guns is wrong!

Hongyi built two brick walls on the bridge. If you want to blast the city gate, you must first demolish these two brick walls. , Our soldiers will definitely have nothing to hide, and the red barbarians who rely on and front and back will shoot and kill our army, so this strategy will only increase casualties! "

After Li Sanpao's suggestion was made, before Zhang Wenyao could express his opinion, Zhao Wu immediately retorted.

"Then how should you attack the city according to your plan?"

Zhao Wu's rebuttal was well-founded, Zhang Wenyao and Zhou Lie both nodded in agreement, and Li Sanpao asked unconvinced.

"Admiral, Sanpao, Brother Zhou, you forgot, we can open the city gate with cannonballs!"

Zhao Wu said with a slight smile, raising his arm and pointing to the south, Zhang Wenyao and others suddenly realized.

"Go!
We don't carry cannons at any time, but don't we have them on the forts of the red-haired ghosts!

As long as the cannons are transported over, set them up and bomb them, even the gates of the city cannot be opened! "

Zhang Wenyao patted his thigh and said happily.

"In order to save the soldiers' strength, I suggest that the aborigines be widely searched and driven to carry the guns!"

(End of this chapter)