1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 626
Of course, the goods transported by these two ships were not only living supplies distributed to Qian Tiandun, but also more than 20 tons of various military supplies to replenish the needs of the Haihan militia's local garrison in Fujian.

As for the personnel going to Fujian, besides the personal guard Gao Qiaonan and the guard platoon, Qian Tiandun saw Luo Wudan dragging a suitcase on the pier.She has accepted the appointment of the Ministry of Information Industry and will go to Fujian as a special correspondent.

However, there is no official public publication in the Haihan control area, so the title of this reporter is somewhat misplaced.The so-called news reports are only provided to more than 400 traversers for internal reading, and the audience is very limited—of course, to put it nicely, they can be regarded as the Queen's Reporter of the Executive Committee.

Because the news department made some small mistakes in the early days of time travel, the executive committee has never given too much authority to the Ministry of Information Industry. The news department is more like an intelligence agency that accepts the vertical management of the executive committee. What is needed is the image data taken from the front line by a few part-time reporters. As for their written reports, it is obvious that they have not received more trust and attention.For example, this time the Ministry of Information Industry sent Luo Wudan to Fujian. All she could do was to assist the militia garrison and record some key scenes with a camera.

Of course, as for what kind of work you will do after you go to Fujian, or other things other than work, the Ministry of Information Industry is actually out of control.When Luo Wudan was in Annan, he spent several times more time working part-time at the immigration office than as a journalist.

"So in the next period of time, we will be partners again?" Qian Tiandun saw that Luo Wudan's mood was a little complicated, and he asked her after a while of silence.

"If you don't want to see me, then I don't have to go to Fujian." Luo Wudan was proud.

"I don't have such an idea..." Qian Tiandun suddenly felt that his explanation was a little weak in the middle of speaking, and turned his head and waved to Gao Qiaonan: "The best arrangement is to send Miss Luo's luggage to the ship." to her."

"Yes!" Takahashi Nanmian replied expressionlessly, then went to Luo Wudan and took her suitcase.

After saying goodbye to Qian Tiandun, a group of military personnel had already witnessed this scene, and almost everyone would wink and make fun of Qian Tiandun, making him dumbfounded.

On June 1631, 6, the Haihan Military Advisory Group led by Qian Tiandun left Shengli Port for Fujian.At this time, the Annante battalion assigned to his command had also departed by boat from the Tushan Peninsula in the north of Annan, and headed for Fuguang through the Beibu Gulf and Qiongzhou Strait.The two fleets will rendezvous on Hong Kong Island and have a short rest before proceeding to Fujian together.After this military advisory group arrives there, the Haihan Mission, which is still stationed in Fujian, will leave for Hainan Island.

At the same time, on Ambuna Island far away in the South China Sea, the Haihan Militia Army stationed on the island just captured the first prize of war this month, a Dutch merchant ship returning from Dayuan Port on Taiwan Island to the south of Batavia.At the same time, this is also the fifth Dutch ship that has thrown itself into the net after the Haihan militia captured the Ambuna Islands in April.

Like the previous unlucky ships, this Dutch merchant ship also drove into the port by itself and docked at the wharf unprepared.When the sailors went ashore happily, ready to go to a nearby town to have a drink and then find a prostitute to satisfy their physical needs, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by a silent musketeer team.There was hardly any effective resistance, and all 53 people on board were easily taken down.They will spend half a month of disease observation in the temporary prison on the island, and then they will be re-shipped and transported to Changhua or the black soil port in Annan, where they will be used as cheap labor.

Li Dagui, who has been promoted to the director of the port of Ambuna Island, is reporting to Mu Xiabai the spoils copied from the ship this time with a list: "The items seized from this ship are as follows: 320 buckskins and 210 seven cow hides , 150 and nine pieces of furs and furs of various other wild animals, 470 dans of raw silk, 37 pieces of various fabrics produced in Fujian, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, 740 pieces of porcelain of various sizes, and a large number of medicinal materials. According to identification, there are [-] medicinal materials. A total of [-] catties..."

"Wait, why are there so many medicines? The Dutch would use these medicines?" Mu Xiabo asked in surprise.

Li Dagui responded: "According to the captain's account, this is the goods purchased for a local Chinese businessman in Batavia, presumably to open a pharmacy."

Mu Xiabai nodded and said, "Go ahead."

Li Dagui responded, and then reported: "In addition, there are three boxes of matches produced by Haihan, two boxes of soap, twenty glass mirrors, two sets of complete ceramic sanitary ware including water pipes, and a small one. hot water boiler."

"Is this also bought by a Chinese businessman?" Mu Xiabo couldn't help but asked again.

"That's not true. It is said that they purchased it for the governor of Batavia." Li Dagui couldn't help but look a little proud: "This Dutch barbarian knows what to buy, and he knows how to buy the most high-end good things in the market."

In the high-end consumer goods market in Fuzhou and Guangxi, the products produced by Haihan have made a name for themselves. The technical monopoly makes Haihan products have almost no real competitors. This uniqueness keeps it at a high level. Low prices and extremely high profit margins have faintly become a symbol of luxury in this era.

Under the conscious guidance and propaganda of the Haihan Ministry of Commerce year after year, the rich and powerful households in the coastal areas of the two southeastern provinces have used Haihan products as a symbol of status, and this trend has obviously affected more people. Even the Dutch in the South China Sea were not immune and followed suit by buying so many Haihan products.

"There are also some rice, bacon, and various foods, and more than four hundred taels of silver. Eight matchlock guns, five catties of gunpowder, and some lead bullets... These are basically the valuable seizures." After Li Dagui finished speaking, he respectfully Respectfully put the list on the desk in front of Mu Xiabo.

"Have you checked the identities of these people on board? Is there anything special?" Mu Xiabo did not rush to get the list, but continued to ask Li Dagui.

Li Dagui shook his head and said: "The ship is full of employees of the East India Company, and there are no other passengers. The 53 people are all men, the oldest is 52 years old, and the youngest is 19 years old. There are [-] Dutchmen, [-] Han Chinese, and the rest They are all natives of the South China Sea and black. There is one person who claims to be a doctor, but after talking with him, Du Rong thinks that he is just an ignorant liar, and there is no other treatment method except bloodletting."

"Then do it according to the old rules. Lock them up first, and then bring them back when the traffic ship arrives at the end of the month." After listening to Li Dagui's report, Mu Xiabo felt that there was nothing missing, so he signed on the list. word, and then archive it.

"By the way, inform the logistics department to provide extra meals for all the soldiers at night!" Mu Xiabo did not forget to reward his subordinates.

Although the Haihan militia stationed here are all disguised as pirates, they will not directly divide up the captured spoils like pirates.After the statistics were collected, except for those foods that were not easy to store for a long time, they would be left to digest by themselves, and other things would basically be shipped back.Of course, after discounting and calculating the value, the relevant departments will record meritorious service and award rewards to the troops according to the standard.

After dismissing Li Dagui, the smile on Mu Xiabo's face gradually faded.Although there are such good things happening in the sky, it doesn't mean that the situation on Abunna Island will continue to be calm.

According to the confession obtained from the local Dutch civil officer after the island was seized in April, at least two to three Dutch merchant ships traveling between Batavia and Taiwan Island will stop at Ambuna Island every month.And these ships that choose Abunna Island as a midway supply point, without exception, will be detained by the troops stationed on the island as trophies, including people and ships, so as to ensure that the ownership of Abuna Island will not be changed too quickly. The Dutch in Batavia noticed.

However, from April to now, it has been almost two months since the Haihan militia conquered here, causing five Dutch ships to disappear during the voyage, and Ambuna Island, which is [-] nautical miles away from Batavia, has also disappeared. Two months without any news, if this has not aroused suspicion in the Dutch obviously unlikely.The only question is when the Dutch will take appropriate action, such as sending out an armed fleet to clear the route and find the missing ship.

According to the plan of the Military Commission, after capturing Ambuna Island, the port here will be remodeled so that it can dock large warships, and a certain scale of coastal fire fortifications will be built to allow the local militias to The army has sufficient defense capabilities.

However, even if a large project such as repairing a fort is placed in the base camp, it is not a task that can be completed in a short time.The construction time available on Abunna Island is very limited. It is definitely too late to build a coastal defense battery of the size of Victory Port, and it is probably difficult to implement such a large-scale project due to local conditions, so we can only adapt measures to local conditions and keep it simple from fast.

The Ministry of Construction specially designed a relatively simple coastal defense fortification for the small port of Ambuna Island. Instead of using concrete and covered top defense structures, some stone buildings on the island were directly demolished and used The base of the turret is relatively high built of masonry, and only one cannon is erected on each turret, which exists as a separate turret.This kind of fort is definitely not as efficient as the regular Haihan-style fort in terms of power, supply, and command convenience. However, the number of coastal defense guns equipped locally is relatively limited, and the port is relatively flat. It is more useful.Of course, the main reason is that the construction of such a single fort is less difficult and costly, and it can complete the project in a shorter time and form combat effectiveness.

After the Haihan militia captured Anbuna Island, Mu Xiabai had commanded hundreds of migrant workers recruited on the spot to build 12 such independent forts in a row, basically covering the area near the shore where it was easy to launch a landing.The range advantage of coastal defense guns is enough to allow Dutch armed merchant ships to fire at least four to five rounds before sailing into a threatening distance. Fire is enough to paralyze the sailing ships of this era.

If an opponent can withstand such shelling and forcefully land, then there will be a second layer of heavy fire defense line combined with the Musketeers waiting for them.But this layer of defense is the main force, if they can't fight anymore, Mu Xiabo can only organize people to retreat to the only castle on the island, and at the same time send a telegram for help to the far north.

Of course, this is already an extreme situation. The Military Commission believes that it is unlikely to happen. First, because the island itself does not have many products and good port conditions. Too many resources are invested in this place, and it is even irrational to fight a big battle over the ownership of this place.Secondly, the main opponents of the Dutch in the Far East are still the Portuguese and the Spaniards. For a group of armed pirates who have seized the island, they may not be willing to pay too much to eliminate this opponent.

The Military Commission believes that the most likely situation is that the Dutch sent an armed fleet to clear the channel after discovering something was wrong, and finally discovered the abnormality of Abuna Island.When the Dutch who don't know the truth suffer a big loss here, they should probably give up the fight here for the time being, because for the Dutch, even if they can regain this place, the price they will pay will be far more than this. The small port itself is worth it.

However, this is just the wishful thinking of the Military Commission. For Mu Xiabo and the hundreds of soldiers stationed on Abunna Island, the risk of war here always exists.No one knew whether it was a bewildered Dutch merchant ship that sailed into the harbor the next moment, or an armed fleet ordered to encircle and suppress pirates.

After it took two months to basically complete the fort fortifications and fort defenses, the people who originally lived on the island had been shipped away in batches, while the newly transported here were a group of people selected from the labor camp. come out staff.These people have not completed their sentences, but their crimes are relatively minor, so they are sent here to be used as laborers, and they have also been promised that the time they serve here will be doubled, and they can settle down on the spot after serving their sentences.If you are willing to join the logistics and transportation department as a reserve force for the troops stationed on the island, the sentence can be further shortened.

After making the preparations that should be done, all Mu Xiabo can do now is to urge the garrison on the island not to slack off, to carry out drills non-stop every day, and wait for the day when the Dutch take the initiative to find the police.Although he didn't know when such a situation would happen, Mu Xiabo hoped that this day would come sooner.

(End of this chapter)