Hurtado de Cocuye, the Spanish governor in Luzon, was not much surprised by Simond's secret arrival.
Governor Cocuera is very clear that he is not willing to attack Taiwan. He has very happy trade relations with Taiwan.
It is hard to say whether the outcome of this attack on Taiwan will be successful. If we win, then we can say anything. But what if we fail? Then maybe Taiwan will cut off all trade with Luzon.
But the suggestion put forward by Anthony Van Diemen is still quite tempting and tempting...
After deciding to send troops, Governor Cocuera was convinced that the Taiwanese man named Ding Yunyi would come to him. Obviously, he now had a bargaining chip in his hand, and it would depend on which side offered a higher price...
You are very young, Mr. Simond. Isabel Rafal." Governor Cocuera poured two glasses of wine and handed one to Simond: "Let's get straight to the point, Simond. Ding Yunyi asked you to bring it to me.
What’s coming?”
"Open trade rights." Simond no longer concealed anything: "From now on, when your fleet reaches Taiwan, Penghu, and Fujian, it will not be intercepted by the Huben Navy. Mr. Governor, do you think this suggestion is tempting?
Strength?"
"Yes." Cocuera also acted very frankly: "But it is not enough. You must know that Taiwan seems to be difficult to hold now. When we obtain Taiwan, the rewards I will receive will far exceed these."
"Do you really think so?" Although Simond is young, his sophistication is surprising: "Mr. Governor, you have never fought against the Ming Dynasty's army, so you don't know their strength. I went to Taiwan
I didn’t last long, but I have studied everything about them carefully. In the naval battle of Liaoluo Bay, the fleet of the Dutch and the pirate Liu Xiang suffered an almost devastating blow from the Ming Dynasty. I think you can
You must have heard of it, right?”
Governor Cocuera nodded, and Simond then continued: "They have such power, and do you know how many warships the Ming Dynasty had in Fujian? According to my investigation, just the commander of Fujian, His Excellency Zheng Zhilong.
He has more than 3,000 warships. In addition to warships, he also has more than 200,000 troops... Cocuyera took a breath. Although he had known it before, when the news came from Simond's mouth,
Confirmed. This huge number is still shocking.
Three thousand warships? God, more than all the warships in Spain combined...
Of course, among these three thousand warships, there are warships actually used for combat, as well as a large number of merchant ships and even fishing boats. However, this number is enough to make people feel thrilling.
Zheng Zhilong roamed the sea and forced all ships to pay an annual protection fee of three thousand taels of silver according to his rules. This was also due to this huge fleet.
Even the Dutch had to lower their arrogant heads in front of him...
Cocuera was a little reluctant: "But I have also heard that there is a conflict between Zheng Zhilong and Ding Yunyi. Ding Yunyi also took away Zheng Zhilong's interests in Taiwan. Do you think that when we attack Taiwan, Zheng Zhilong will
Give him the necessary help?"
"Maybe, maybe not." Simond shrugged: "But what I can be sure of is that even if Zheng Zhilong stands by, you will pay a heavy price if you want to seize Taiwan. By that time, you have worked so hard to defeat
Ding Yunyi's fleet, and when Zheng Zhilong's huge fleet suddenly appeared. Governor, what do you think will happen?"
Cocuera fell silent, which is indeed worrying.
"Zheng Zhilong will do this." Simmond told His Excellency the Governor: "He is a very cunning person. Perhaps, I can think that there is a tacit understanding between him and the Dutch...tacit understanding? What tacit understanding?" Cocuye
Pull it and be alert.
Simond's face was calm: "You can imagine that when the Dutch occupied Damo, they maintained a strange tacit understanding with Zheng Zhilong. With Zheng Zhilong's power, they did not attack the city of Relanja. What I'm worried about is
What is true is that you may be able to capture Taiwan, but in the end it will be the Dutch who will benefit. In Batavia, the Dutch defeated the British. Of course, they also defeated you Spanish and Portuguese many times. If you give up again
If they gain Taiwan, the Dutch power in the East will expand without limit. Do you think you can still restrain them?"
Kocuyela's brows knitted together.
Although what Simond said did not sound good, he and the Spanish officers had also had such worries before. Now that Simond said it from his mouth, this worry has deepened a few levels.
"There is no need to mess with the Dutch." Simond raised the wine glass in his hand and took a sip: "Instead of betting on an uncertain future, it is better to focus on more affordable places. With Taiwan, Penghu, and Fujian, the free
Don’t you find the right to trade tempting? One more thing, I have to remind you, Ding Yunyi also asked me to bring you a sentence. He asked me to tell you that if you and your fleet insist on launching an attack on Taiwan
If you attack, even if his Tiger Guard Navy is defeated, he will lead the remaining defeated soldiers and join the pirates. From then on, he will attack your Luzon and all Spanish fleets day and night. No ship can reach Luzon.
There is not a single ship in Song Dynasty that can sail."
"Is he threatening me?" Cocuera was a little angry.
"Yes, we can regard him as a threat, but please believe that he has such power." Simond said very sincerely: "I am even worried that you will not be able to protect Luzon."
"What do you mean?" Cocuyera frowned.
Simond's face was solemn: "How many troops have you left in Luzon? When you set sail, the big pirates Yithu and Puff of Smoke had already led all their ships and sailed to Luzon at full speed, preparing to launch an attack on Luzon.
attack."
Cocuera was shocked.
In order to attack Taiwan this time, almost all the Spanish ships and soldiers in Luzon were dispatched, leaving only a few troops in Luzon. If the pirates took this opportunity to make a sneak attack, Luzon would definitely not be saved.
Although his Spanish fleet was capable of recapturing Luzon from the pirates, what kind of damage would be caused by the pirates who burned, killed and plundered Luzon after they came ashore? And the Spaniards who stayed in Luzon
what to do?
God, my wife and family are still there... It's too late to return now." Simond said slowly: "But you can rest assured that a tree and a puff of smoke will obey Ding Yunyi's orders tomorrow.
They will not attack under his orders. But do you know what this means? It’s the same as what you just said, a threat. A naked threat. Ding Yunyi clearly wants to convey a message to you, or become his friend.
, or become his enemy. If you choose the latter, then I firmly believe that he can do anything."
Kocuyela swallowed hard.
It's really too late to return now...
When Ding Yunyi's friend obtains trade rights; when he becomes his enemy, he risks losing Lu Song and his family... There are only these two paths, and there will be no other path for him to choose...
...I would not want Taiwan to launch an attack." Cocuera quickly made his decision: "But in return, Luzon cannot suffer any damage."
"I promise." Simond's answer was very certain: "What Ding Yunyi has to deal with now will be the Dutch, Portuguese, and British. He has no intention of becoming your opponent. Of course, he will not embarrass you. The Spanish Fleet
We can still reach Taiwan with the combined fleet, but after the war breaks out, I hope your fleet can remain neutral...I am sure I will do so." Cocuera no longer hesitated: "I will not order me
The fleet will join the attack. At the same time, I am the commander-in-chief of all the Spanish fleets participating in the battle, including the Spanish warships coming from Java, and I will also order them not to join the battle."
"Sir, you will become a friend of Taiwan." Simond also breathed a sigh of relief. He finally completed the task assigned to him by Ding Yunyi. Then, the heavy reward Ding Yunyi promised him can be fulfilled when the war is over.
.
He had no doubt that Ding Yunyi could win. In his opinion, the four-nation combined fleet had begun to split.
And he will stay in the Spanish fleet and with Governor Cocuera until the end of the war... After Simond and Cocuera reached a secret agreement, the commander-in-chief of the four-nation combined fleet, Lo Ai,
Dadan was completely kept in the dark and had no idea what was going on with the Spaniards.
He did not take the Easterners seriously at all, even though Governor Anthony repeatedly told him before he went on the expedition that the Ming Dynasty people were very powerful. They had won many victories in battles with the East India Company, from Penghu to
Liaoluowan, then to Taiwan.
Moreover, Anthony also warned him that in the Taiwan area, not only Ding Yunyi's army, but also a man named Zheng Zhilong also owned a formidable fleet. Governor Anthony had secretly sent people to contact Zheng Zhilong, hoping that he could remain neutral after the war broke out.
Don't affect the "friendship" between the Zheng family and the Netherlands. When the war is over, the Netherlands will definitely give him generous rewards.
Friendship? What kind of friendship exists with Dongfang? Ada Dan dismissed it.
The powerful Dutch fleet was invincible and the Easterners were vulnerable to a single blow. As for the previous failures of the East India Company, he had carefully studied them, especially the Battle of Liaoluo Bay and the Battle of Jelanja City.
In the previous battle, the Ming Dynasty army used fire ship tactics, which caught the Dutch fleet off guard and resulted in heavy losses. Now, Aidan has a way to deal with this fire ship tactics.
As for the last battle of Relanje City? That is even less worth mentioning. The Ming Dynasty only used sneak attack tactics, and the Dutch warships in Relanje City did not have time to exert their due power.
If there was a head-on confrontation at sea, Aidadan firmly believed that he would be able to completely defeat the enemy in the shortest time and at the lowest cost.
Then, the one named Zheng Zhilong? It would be best if he is willing to cooperate with the East India Company, but if he is unwilling to cooperate, then he will become his next target.
Adadan's self-confidence has reached its peak, and he is not even willing to listen to the advice of Sumter, the assistant sent to him by Governor Anthony.
Sumter repeatedly reminded him that although Governor Anthony had sent a letter to Zheng Zhilong, it was hard to say what attitude Zheng Zhilong would take towards the upcoming four-nation combined fleet. And Zheng Zhilong's power was beyond the imagination of Aidan. of.
"The Ming Dynasty was a very huge country." Sumter tried his best to describe: "She had a huge population and a huge army. They could easily form an army of more than 100,000 people... This is simply too big. It's an exaggeration." Edadan didn't believe it at all. Just like the Dutch people who had never been to the Ming Dynasty, they thought it was just an extremely ridiculous statement: "Sumter, I can understand your worries, but I don't. Which country can easily raise an army of 100,000 people? I even doubt that the entire Ming Dynasty had an army of 100,000 people?"
He was too arrogant. He did not understand the hugeness of the Ming Dynasty at all. Sumter's heart was filled with deep worries: "You have to believe what I say. We also thought so before, including Governor Putmans, but we We have suffered a lot in this regard. Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, you bear the heavy responsibility of the East India Company. Any mistakes will cause us to bear an unbearable price, and may even cause a series of negative consequences."
"I know my responsibilities, so there will be no failure." Aidaan said arrogantly: "When the war officially breaks out, I can solve the battle within an hour, and then board the big ship that is originally suitable for us. Member. By the way, what name did those Ming Dynasty people change the city of Relanja to?"
"Golden Eagle City."
"Ah, Golden Eagle City, I like this name." Aidaan was a little excited: "Of course, I will not use this name again. As for Relanja City? It is a symbol of failure, and I will not use it again. Or It's called Lo Ada Dan City? Mr. Sumter, what do you think of this name?"
Sumter smiled bitterly and was speechless. The war had not yet begun, but the Commander-in-Chief was already fantasizing about the victory of the war. He was very worried about how this war would end.
As he said himself, the Netherlands could no longer afford another defeat, which would shake the Netherlands' colonization in the East and make many enemies who were ready to take action perceive the opportunity.
For example, Spain is around us, and of course there are the Portuguese and the British! (To be continued)