1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 638
On October 1649, 10, Guangning Fort in the northwest of Java Island (now Cilegon City in the northwest of Java Island, Indonesia)

Commander Wang Zhongyi of Fort Guangning and Deputy Company Commander Yue Zhongwu of the Ninth Marine Corps inspected Fort Guangning, which had already begun to take shape. By the way, they also conducted a comprehensive inspection and supervision of the construction of the entire city defense facilities.

Since the state of Qi acquired this land from the Kingdom of Banten Sultan through a lease in November last year, it immediately dispatched dozens of construction craftsmen and township soldiers from China to come here, and hired hundreds of local natives. This construction castle and related ancillary defense facilities.

In December, after the fortress walls were roughly built, more than 12 marines were transferred from Jianye City to station here, and the fortification of the place continued.

In February this year, after the war with the Dutch East India Company, more than 130 township soldiers were stationed again from Xinxiang Town (now Suai Town, East Timor) and Dog Island (now Christmas Island, Australia) on Timor Island to strengthen the defense here. Strength, to deal with the Dutch attack at any time.

Guangning Fort is located on the northwest coast of Java Island, separated by the Sunda Strait on the west, and Batavia is more than 100 kilometers away to the east. Its location is extremely important.

The Qi State firmly occupies this place, not only can guard the narrow Sunda Strait, preventing the fleet of the Dutch East India Company from passing through here at will to Hanzhou mainland, but also can use this as an attack base to directly threaten Batavia. It is equivalent to a knife directly hitting the back of the Dutchman's neck.

If the Dutch find out that the Qi State has set up a stronghold here, they will definitely do their best to remove it, so as to prevent this threat from appearing around them.Therefore, Wang Zhongyi, the commander of Guangning Fort, always has a sense of insecurity.He constantly urged the artisans and native coolies responsible for building the city defenses to work overtime to improve the city defense facilities in the area.

The entire Guangning Fort is built in a canyon more than 400 meters away from the sea, surrounded by mountains on three sides, the terrain is dangerous, and a small river flows outside the city, forming a natural moat.

Wang Zhongyi originally planned to build several forts on the top of the mountains on both sides. Not only can they rely on the condescending terrain to defend the city, but they can also protect the coast and prevent the enemy from landing easily.

However, several craftsmen in charge of the construction inspected the terrain of the mountain, and then shook their heads vigorously, saying that with their current technology, it was impossible to build a fort on such a steep mountain.Even if you can build a fort, the problem is how do you transport such a heavy artillery?Unless it takes a few years to build a road up the mountain.

Wang Zhongyi experienced the tragic Yangzhou massacre in Daming a few years ago. As a survivor of the Jiannu knife, he is unusually sensitive and concerned about safety.He didn't know if Guangning Fort was breached by the Dutch, would there be a massacre of the city? He didn't dare to place all his hopes on the enemy's kindness and soft-heartedness.Then, all that can be done is to continue to build the city, build the city, build the city again, and make Guangning Fort into a fortress that will never fall.

"Although our fortress is small, it is extremely strong and has complete defensive facilities. Even if the Dutch come with two to three thousand people, they may not be able to move us." Yue Zhongwu climbed up the tower and looked into the distance "Moreover, we have the Kingdom of Banten behind us to rely on, and we are not afraid of being besieged by the Dutch. In addition, there are many artillery on the top of the city, and the officers and soldiers dare to fight. It can be said to be as solid as gold, and it can be called a fortress!"

"The natives may not be reliable." Wang Zhongyi said: "It is said that the natives on Java Island have been defeated by the Dutch for decades, and they may have been frightened by them. In case, the Dutch promised to give the Kingdom of Wandan some The good thing is that if you ask for an excuse to come over, and then attack Guangning Fort from both sides by sea, maybe we will be attacked from the back and the back, and it will be difficult for us to parry."

"If the Dutch wanted to attack our Fort Guangning from the east, the Kingdom of Banten would probably not dare to let them come." Yue Zhongwu said with a smile: "You must know that the way to Fort Guangning must be from their royal city. Passed by. Isn’t the local king of Banten afraid that the Dutch will take the opportunity to take away their nest and destroy their kingdom?”

"Who can guarantee that the natives will not lose their minds and make such a choice?" Wang Zhongyi shook his head and said, "In my opinion, we should urge the craftsmen and native coolies to work on the narrow coastal plain two miles to the south. Build another small fortress and station more than ten people there to protect the rear of Guangning Fort."

Hearing this, Yue Zhongwu didn't take it seriously. Although the small road between Wandan King City and Guangning Fort could pass through the army, there was no way for the artillery to move forward at all.Even if more than a thousand enemies attacked from the side and rear, without the cover of artillery, they would not pose the slightest threat to the defenders.However, Wang Zhongyi is a local government official. As a military garrison, it is not good for him to interfere too much.Furthermore, the defense of Guangning Fort was built more tightly, which is also beneficial to the garrison's defense of the place.
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"Your Excellency, it is reported that the secret stronghold set up by the Hanzhou people on Java Island is on the northwest side of the island, near the Sunda Strait, only 4-5 leagues (about 3.18 nautical miles, 5.556 kilometers) away from the capital of the Kingdom of Banten. Davia is also only 20 leagues." Major Sibel Todd gestured with one hand on the map on the table, and reported in detail the news they had recently discovered from the Kingdom of Banten to Governor Cornelis Van. Delin.

"It is known from the population of Banten that the Hanzhou people obtained this land from the Kingdom of Banten in the form of lease in November last year, and built a fort within a few months. In this stronghold How many Hanzhou soldiers were stationed here? The data we got from various parties is very inconsistent. But according to our assessment, based on the mobilization ability of the Hanzhou people, they should station no less than 11 soldiers here.”

"The Hanzhou people pointed a sharp long sword directly at our throat!" Governor Delin said with a sullen face, shocked in his heart, "Are they planning to attack us from Batavia by land?"

"We think that the Hanzhou people probably have this plan." Major Siebel Todd nodded and said: "They have this strength and the ability to launch a battle to land on Java Island. Moreover, they may encourage Banten at that time The Kingdom and the Kingdom of Mataland attack us together."

"...how many people do we need to mobilize to unplug this stronghold?"

"It may be necessary to mobilize [-] to [-] soldiers." Major Siebel Todd said cautiously: "Of course, this is only a preliminary estimate of the military mobilization force. Because we have not yet conducted a substantive investigation on this stronghold, All the information comes from merchants and tribal leaders in the Banten Kingdom."

There are more than 700 mercenary soldiers in the city of Batavia, but they need to garrison more than a dozen outlying fortresses nearby, and maintain law and order in the entire city. Business bases in various situations to respond to emergencies.

You must know that the East India Company is an operating company, and all behaviors are oriented towards profit.All human resources, including armed mercenaries, have been carefully calculated and budgeted. It is impossible to mobilize and recruit more soldiers at any time to serve several battlefields like a country.

In the past, when the East India Company had wars with other forces, it often took several months to prepare for this. In addition to accumulating combat supplies and mobilizing a large number of armed merchant ships, it also needed to continuously mobilize mercenaries from various trading bases in Asia, and finally slowly gathered into one An army that can be used for real combat.

Previously, because the East India Company had incomparable maritime superiority, although it took a long time to prepare for war, it could rely on its powerful sea power to isolate the enemy and prevent the opponent from receiving foreign aid. mode, defeat one enemy after another.

But in the face of the powerful local power of Hanzhou, the East India Company immediately felt very difficult.

A few months ago, the 1000 mercenaries who aided Timor Island and the [-] native soldiers who borrowed from the Sultan of Cirebon were wiped out.And a month ago, Major General Gris Coppett went on an expedition to the mainland of Hanzhou, and recruited more than [-] mercenaries, more than [-] native servants, and [-] Chinese volunteers.Today, if the East India Company wants to remove the Hanzhou stronghold on the northwest side of Java Island and mobilize and recruit combat personnel, it will become somewhat difficult.

Unless, the defense force of the entire Batavia is reduced, some combatants are squeezed out, and the risk is to attack the Hanzhou stronghold.However, Governor De Lin was worried that the army would not be able to conquer that stronghold with fewer troops. You must know that any fortress defended by the Han people is always so difficult to conquer.

In addition, if Batavia's defense is weakened, will the kingdoms of Mataran and Banten on the surrounding side have some unreasonable thoughts?Since the Dutch occupied Batavia in 1619, they have been besieged three times on a large scale by the surrounding natives, which once put the Dutch in danger of destroying the city.

Therefore, for decades, the East India Company has continuously strengthened Batavia's city defense construction, and at the same time sent mercenaries and native servants to attack the Kingdom of Banten and Mataland year after year to expand Batavia's outer defenses.In the entire Asian region, the East India Company's largest armed forces and combat material reserves are concentrated here.Of course, there is also countless wealth and a large amount of gold and silver gathered here. This is the core business center, cargo distribution center and political center of the entire East Indies, and no mistakes are allowed.

"I hope that Mr. Jimenez can make some progress in the peace negotiations in Hanzhou." Governor Delin sighed, "We seem to have picked the wrong target for the war from the beginning.... At this time, it is time to restore peace. "

Major Siebel Todd felt relieved, but fortunately the governor was not over-the-top and forced them to attack the Hanzhou stronghold.As an old mercenary with ten years of service, he knows that the fortress of the Hanzhou people is not so easy to conquer.Since the other party dared to set up this stronghold under the eyes of the East India Company, they would inevitably build this fortress into an invincible fortress in a short period of time.If he stationed some well-trained, heroic standing troops, he didn't think his side would have a chance to break through that stronghold.

Oh god bless, hope the company can restore peace with the difficult Hanju sooner rather than later.

(End of this chapter)