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Chapter 1227 Rumors
"As you wish, Your Excellency the Governor, please allow me to personally escort you off the ship! Captain Nicholas, prepare to set sail, heading for the Galapagos Islands."

Colonel Mendoza bowed politely and walked with the Governor to the side of the ship, turning to give orders to the captain.

Like all Spanish fleet commanders, he was an army officer and served as a naval commander. However, the captain of the navy, or the operating captain, was the one who could really drive a large sailing ship to sea.

Soon, more than 40 sailboats of all sizes raised their sails one after another, followed the two flagships, left the anchorage, and slowly formed two oblique lines heading due west.

"Colonel Mendoza, have you ever heard of the Battle of the Cape of Good Hope?"

Out of gratitude for the strong support of the Governor of New Spain, Colonel Mendoza deliberately chose the New Spain as his flagship. As soon as the course and speed were stabilized, the operating captain Nicholas came over.

"That's just a story made up by the Portuguese. These guys are more shameless than the Dutch in slandering Spain!" Colonel Mendoza had obviously heard of this naval battle, but did not believe it. He classified it as a rumor and pointed out the fabricator and the spreader.

"Maybe not this time... Would you be interested in hearing me talk about it?"

Nicholas was a typical old sailor, bald, dark-skinned, with a messy beard and burnt teeth. He would spit into the sea every few words, and his whole body exuded a strong sense of vulgarity.

But this time he didn't shout at the top of his voice, but spoke softly, with an indescribable expression on his face, very anxious.

"...Come sit in the captain's room."

Army generals are usually quite arrogant, and they still look superior even on the ship. But Mendoza is not one of them. He knows the character of these navy officers well after years of living at sea. Being vulgar does not mean that they are untrustworthy.

"The Governor should have told you why Mr. Gonzalez returned to his homeland, but I want to tell you another version of the explanation. He was not sick and was in good health. The reason he suddenly returned to his homeland was entirely because of a naval battle that took place at the Cape of Good Hope.

Please be sure to listen to what I have to say before you make a decision... Just three months ago, a pirate ship encountered a storm and ran aground near the port of San Juan. Most of the pirates on the ship were captured, and several of them were sent to the port of Veracruz.

Mr. Gonzalez interrogated them and found that one of the pirates was from Spain and had been the captain of the Duke of Gutierrez. He was captured in the Battle of the Cape of Good Hope, was sent to Manila for a time, and was later sent to Batavia to be handed over to the Dutch, and was released six months later.

Along with him, hundreds of officers and sailors were sent back to Seville by the Dutch merchant ship. However, what greeted them was not honor but imprisonment. Although they were not imprisoned, they could not leave the country and were not allowed to board any ship.

But he still had family in Cuba, and with the help of his friends, he boarded a Portuguese merchant ship to Brazil, and it took him several months to get home. But the same misfortune was waiting for him, as his house and land were all confiscated, and he didn't even know where his wife and children were.

All this happened because the Duke of Gutierrez and his fleet were claimed to have been lost or sunk in a storm, leaving no one alive. He was even arrested and signed a contract because he revealed his identity, becoming a white slave, so he had to escape and become a pirate. The main thing was not him, but the naval battle. At that time, the fleet led by the Duke of Gutierrez and Lieutenant Colonel Black of England failed to attack the Port of Enbird at the Cape of Good Hope, and instead built a port hundreds of kilometers away in an attempt to break the Ming Empire's control over the Asian shipping routes.

But they were soon attacked by the Ming Navy warships. The enemy's ships were not numerous, but their cannons were very sharp and their speed was very fast. Not long after the battle, the fleet led by Duke Gutierrez suffered a great loss and had to choose to evacuate, but they were still caught up.

In order to cover the escape of several other warships, Duke Gutierrez used his ship as bait to charge at the enemy ships. Unfortunately, the ship was sunk, and more than half of the crew disappeared in the sea. Only a few were rescued by the Ming Navy.

Mr. Gonzalez once asked him a question: if the Ming Empire Navy fleet arrived at the west coast, how many warships would we need to defeat them? The answer was very disappointing. Unless the enemy generals went crazy and rushed into the port with warships for boarding, no matter how many warships we had, we would not be able to defeat them.

After that, Mr. Gonzalez sent people back to the mainland to look for the survivors of the naval battle. Within a month, he returned to the mainland on the grounds of being seriously ill. But I know very well that he is not sick, absolutely not. Everyone on this ship can testify to this and swear to God! "

In the empty captain's room, Nicholas seemed to be a different person, telling a story he had personally experienced in a very organized manner. The content was not too bizarre, and any link could be easily verified. The ending was not too exciting, and it was a bit depressing.

But the issues arising from this are too unusual. In addition to Luzon Island, Spain actually had a formal battle with the Ming Empire at sea, and it joined forces with its arch-rival, the English Navy, and lost completely. It sounds like a lie fabricated by the enemy.

But the whole story came from the mouth of a Spanish captain; the time, place, and people were all clear and irrefutable.

"Where is this pirate now?" Colonel Mendoza's face turned pale. The Duke of Gutierrez's fleet specializes in escorting silver ships back to the mainland. Although it is stationed in the Caribbean Sea, it is well-known.

The naval commanders who were capable of such work were experienced in many battles and were deeply trusted by the royal family and ministers. They were considered the backbone of the Spanish navy. If, as Nicholas said, the British and Spanish fleets were outnumbered and still suffered a defeat, then the strength of the Ming navy must be re-evaluated.

However, according to official news, Duke Gutierrez's fleet disappeared in a storm while escorting a silver ship back to Cuba. It is necessary to confirm whether one party is lying.

"He died in the cell that night. It was said that he committed suicide." Nicholas shrugged helplessly, his expression clearly showing disbelief. However, given his position, he really couldn't ask about such things, and could only guess based on his experience.

"Keep this story to yourself and don't tell anyone else. If I find out... I will formally file a complaint with Mr. de Almanza for inciting the army!"

Hearing this answer, Captain Mendoza's frown relaxed a little. Rumors spread quickly among sailors, and some of them were fabricated by them. There was nothing he could do. Life at sea was too boring. If he didn't find opportunities to talk more and use his brain more, he would go crazy.

(End of this chapter)