Late Ming sea owl

Chapter 297 Damn it!

After listening to Zheng Tingqiu's introduction, Lin Hai felt a little headache: "Is there no other waterway?"

"No big ship should be able to sail through it." Zheng Tingqiu replied, and the stone wall next to him nodded in agreement.

At this time, Military Advisor Jiang said, "There is another waterway further east that can be used by large ships, but the first section requires the face of the wind."

Lin Hai motioned Zheng Tingqiu to hand the stick to Advisor Jiang, and then said, "Tell me what you have to say."

Military Advisor Jiang took the thin wooden stick and gestured on the sea chart: "Go in from here first, then go here, go here..."

As soon as Lin Hai saw the waterway that Military Advisor Jiang had drawn, he immediately understood that this was actually a route that went around the north of Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island to the heart of the Pearl River Estuary.

Specifically, it first went northwards against the wind from the Blue Pool Channel on the east side of Hong Kong Island, then went around Lei Yue Mun to the north of Hong Kong Island and entered what was later known as Victoria Harbour.

Go west through Victoria Harbour between Hong Kong Island and the mainland, then go around Kap Shui Mun to the north of Lantau Island. Then, sail from east to west along the Lantau North Channel to enter the hinterland of the Pearl River Estuary.

"I've been on this waterway before..." Shibi nodded in agreement, then changed the subject and said, "Are you sure big ships can sail here? As far as I know, this waterway is mainly used by Tanka boats."

"I'm sure our fleet often passes through here, and General Lin's warships can basically pass through here as well." Military Advisor Jiang paused for a moment, then continued, "The only thing is this large plywood ship Dingyuan, I'm not sure if it can pass through here."

"You can walk along this route. I've walked along it before." Lin Hai responded. He had indeed walked along this waterway, but it was four hundred years later.

Thanks to Victoria Harbour, this waterway was actually quite busy in later times, with the water depth exceeding 10 meters. For sailboats of that era, there was nothing that could not be passed.

"The strait ahead is quite narrow and needs to face the wind. What if Li Kuiqi blocks us here?"

Shibi interrupted again, pointing to the east entrance of Victoria Harbor and said, "There is also this place, I remember it was called Leiyue Gate, which is only about two or three hundred steps wide. If Li Kuiqi puts down his fireboat here, we will not be able to get through anyway."

This was actually what Lin Hai wanted to say. Military Advisor Jiang was stunned when he heard it: "This... Li Kuiqi shouldn't deploy defenses here. How did he know that we would leave from here?"

"There are only two possible routes. We know what Li Kuiqi knows, so he must be on guard against this route!"

Shibi's words were firm and decisive. After all, he had been with Lin Hai for so many years, and he was no longer like the pirates who fought blindly and unprepared battles. For regular troops, unless it was absolutely necessary, it was definitely not advisable to pin their hopes on the opponent's mistakes.

Military Advisor Jiang still had hope for this waterway. He hesitated for a moment and then said, "Liyumen is a bit far from Li Kuiqi's lair. He probably won't deploy defenses here."

Shibi was about to object when he heard Lin Hai speak up: "Military Advisor Jiang, do you know where Li Kuiqi's lair is?"

Military Advisor Jiang nodded and said, "Of course, that guy occupied our water fort."

"Where is it?" Lin Hai asked hurriedly. This was undoubtedly very important information. "It's right here, Fanguitang!" The thin wooden stick in the hand of Jiang Junshi pointed to Tai O on the west side of Lantau Island. This place was one of the strongholds built by the Portuguese during the Tuen Mun naval battle a hundred years ago, so it was called Fanguitang. The place name was used until five hundred years later.

Fanguitang is very close to the western end of Dahao Waterway, less than ten kilometers away!
When Lin Hai saw the location pointed by Jiang Junshi, he felt cold in his heart. After listening to Zheng Tingqiu's words, he originally planned to let Li Zhongguo's troops forcibly break through the Dahao waterway if it really didn't work. Now it seems that this is completely impossible!

Li Kuiqi's large army was nearby. Once Li Zhongguo's fleet of paddle boats and sampans launched an attack, they would be able to quickly come to reinforce and occupy the upper wind. What the hell was going on?

Even if the Navy Department's dozen or so Galle ships were transferred here, it would be useless! The sailing warships here would be sitting ducks for the fire ships. How could they fight against Li Kuiqi's large army with only rowing boats?

Lin Hai calmed himself down and asked, "Is there any other way?"

Everyone looked at each other, and no one could come up with a third way. Finally, Shi Bi said to Military Advisor Jiang, "Damn it, we may really have no choice but to explore the way you mentioned. If he doesn't have defenses here, we can go directly around to his lair!"

At this time, Li Zhongguo, who had been silent all this time, spoke up: "It doesn't matter even if there are defenses. It's so far away, he can't deploy a large number of troops. Li is willing to lead his troops to clear the way for the members of the meeting!"

Lin Hai shook his head: "It's difficult! It's too risky!"

The waterway from Lantang Channel to Victoria Harbour is actually quite narrow, with Lei Yue Mun being the narrowest part. If Li Kuiqi had stationed a garrison here, it would have taken a long time for Li Zhongguo's troops to completely control this waterway.

After crossing Victoria Harbour, you need to pass through Kap Shui Mun to get to the north of Lantau Island.

This place is also quite dangerous, and it is not too far from Fanguitang. After Li Kuiqi got the news, he only needed to send a large force to guard this last dangerous pass, and the fleet of Huiyou Company could only sigh in despair.

If that were all, it would be fine. But the more terrible thing was that if the fleet and Li Kuiqi's reinforcements met in Victoria Harbor and a fight broke out in this narrow waterway, it would be the fireboats and the rowing boats that would dominate.

Taking into account the need for headwinds in the Lantang Strait, Huiyou Company's fleet can only move forward at a snail's pace. This possibility is actually quite high, so Lin Hai said it was too risky.

Lin Hai stood up and walked to the sea chart, took the thin wooden stick from Military Advisor Jiang, and told him his concerns in detail. Everyone present looked at each other, and even Li Zhongguo, who had just vowed to be the pioneer, was speechless.

"Fuck him! Are we really blocked outside by that guy and unable to get in?" Shibi slammed his fist on the table. He didn't care whether he hit Li Kuiqi or not, but he wanted to skin Ma Xuansheng and Xu Guixiang, his former brothers who stabbed him in the back, alive!
"Don't lose heart! We must fight Li Kuiqi this time no matter what!" Since Lin Hai had already promised He Rubin to send troops, he naturally could not go back on his word.

If all else fails, pull all the Calais ships over, and then offer huge rewards to the leaders of the Zhangzhou and Quanzhou fishing gangs of Xu Kejun, and lure them all over, plus the Guangdong officers and soldiers under He Rubin...

Just use rowing boats to fight Li Kuiqi. Lin Hai has plenty of small wrought iron cannons like the Portuguese cannon and heavy matchlock guns. Who is afraid of who?

Even when it comes to light firearms, Huiyou Company still has the advantage. Li Kuiqi does not have as many men under his command as Zheng Zhilong did back then. Damn it!

(End of this chapter)