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Chapter 1336 Silver Fleet 3
"At least, if there are more gold and gems, the value will be higher! Gao Dusi, although we work well together, brothers should settle accounts clearly. If we encounter a silver ship, we must decide in advance how to distribute the spoils after capturing it."

Seeing Gao Budong's expression, Wu Bing immediately became worried. He was not afraid of not being able to deal with the enemy, but worried that the navy and the army would have a dispute over the ownership of the spoils later, so he simply made things clear to put his mind at ease.

"Captain Wu, you're worrying too much. This trip was suggested and implemented by the navy. We're just here to assist. It's enough for us to get a share of the pie." After hearing the distribution ratio, the light in Gao Budong's eyes obviously dimmed a lot.

The matter is obvious. From the proposal to the execution, the navy has been the main force in this battle. The army did not even need the help of the army to defeat the enemy's warships. At this time, the army had no right to make demands and could only watch the great achievement go to others.

"Sir Gao, what you said is wrong! Since it is a joint operation between the navy and the army, there is no question of who is in charge and who is in charge. If there is no army following, I would not dare to attack the enemy's port even if I have ten times the courage.

In this way, whether the silver is on the ship or in the port, we will share it equally in the end. But if there is no silver here, but only Spanish officials, the credit must also be shared equally, how about that? "

If Settle was there, he would never ask for an equal share, and he would say that it must be divided according to the contribution, and he would think it was natural. But Wu Bing did not do that. This was a difference in character. He did not seek to become rich and powerful, nor did he have any great ambitions. He would take some when he could, as long as he was not bullied.

Of course, he also had a cunning side. Since he was not sure whether there was silver here, he wanted to ensure a good harvest regardless of drought or flood.

"As long as the brothers in the navy don't mind being at a disadvantage, what's wrong with that? This time, Gao owes you a big favor, and I will definitely make it up when I have the chance in the future!"

Gao Budong is not the kind of person who can only take advantage and not suffer any loss, and who is also petty and calculative. Since the navy is so generous, he cannot pretend to be ignorant. He should at least express his gratitude verbally.

"Let's do it! Captain, fly three-quarters of the sail; Navigator, keep a distance out of sight from the enemy ship. Captain Gao, say hello to your brothers in the army, eat and sleep, and get enough rest. Don't let down your guard tomorrow!"

Seeing that Gao Budong was easy to talk to, Wu Bing felt relieved. He immediately gave new orders to the fleet and estimated the time for the battle.

"Captain Wu, why don't you intercept them now?"

As a result, Gao Budong was confused. His side had only warships, and although the enemy had one more ship, none of them could be considered a pure warship. They were simply incomparable in terms of maneuverability and firepower.

Why didn't they take advantage of this great opportunity to rush forward and wipe them out in one fell swoop, but instead followed from a distance and had to wait until tomorrow to start the battle? Could it be that they felt unbalanced because they saw the army was doing nothing and sharing the credit?

"I'm afraid that Commander Gao has forgotten the silver! The battleships are hard to control, and if a shell hits the gunpowder magazine, it will blow the ship apart in an instant, and then all our silver will be sunk.

Moreover, these large sailing ships are thick-skinned and very durable, and this place is not far from the port. Once the people on the shore know we are coming, they will probably hide their valuables and then scatter.

This is what I planned. I will not take action yet. I will send someone to check the situation at night and make sure there is no silver before making any plans. Those Spanish officials should feel more at ease when they see the large sailing ships from their homeland. They may even take a ship back home. They are trapped in a jar!"

Wu Bing's ambitions were not big, but he had many bad ideas and was very careful. He was afraid that launching an attack at sea would alarm the people on the shore and affect the spoils. He wanted to find out everything before deciding what to do to gain both money and people and maximize the benefits.

"...Tsk, you are a waste of talent to be a navy officer. You should go to the staff department to manage logistics. You are full of abacus beads. Okay, let's do it. I will arrange for people to go ashore for reconnaissance after dark." After listening to Wu Bing's clear and logical reasoning, Gao Budong also thought it was reasonable. However, he still had some opinions. He was too meticulous, not like an officer but more like a businessman, calculating every penny.

Iquique is just a small fishing village, located on a small flat land by the sea, where a small river flows into the Pacific Ocean. After more than half a year of expansion, it still cannot be called a port, at least there is no pier for large sailing ships to dock, but there is a military camp and a few small warehouses.

Rossi's silver fleet and the governor's sailboats were all anchored in the bay, and the personnel went ashore in small boats. After hearing about the situation in Lima, Rossi gave the order to load the ships overnight without hesitation.

He didn't want to stay here for another minute. As long as all the silver and gold stored in the warehouse were delivered to the cabin, he would set sail immediately no matter what Governor de Cabrera thought.

"I completely agree with your decision on this issue, but can you stay one more day? Just one day! In addition to my own family, there are also families of several nobles rushing here from the Potosí mining area. They can see the king frequently, which will have a great impact on your future."

After hearing the order, Governor de Cabrera did not make any radical remarks. Instead, he found an opportunity to have a private chat with the commander of the fleet, fully affirming the correctness of the other party's decision. He also proposed a compromise and the necessity of doing so.

"...If we just stay for one more day, I think it's okay." After thinking for a long time, Captain Rossi finally bowed to reality.

The governor was right in reminding him that he could not abandon the families of these nobles and sail away alone. If he did so, even if he transported all the silver belonging to the king back without any loss, he might not be rewarded, but instead be accused of various crimes.

"Please rest assured. I guarantee on my personal honor that by this time tomorrow, no matter who fails to arrive on time, the fleet will set sail as scheduled."

Governor de Cabrera was already very satisfied that the fleet commander agreed to stay for one more day. In fact, he didn't want to stay for even a minute longer, and wanted to set sail immediately without even loading the silver. But if he wanted to return to his homeland and continue to live, he had to make a gesture.

"It seems that the amount of silver and silver coins stored here is far beyond the estimate. Is there any special reason?" Although they reached an agreement on the docking time, Rossi was still not relieved.

It was not clear how much silver coins were stored in the warehouse, but judging from the information sent back by the boatswain, it was much more than expected. At this time, we had to exercise our rights and find out the origin of the goods.

If it belongs to the kingdom or the royal family, it must be on board. If it belongs to someone else, then it has to be discussed. The Silver Fleet can bring colonial governors and officials, including their families, back to the mainland for free, but it is not obligated to transport their property together unless there is a benefit.

"That's all the silver that belonged to the king. Some of it wasn't even minted into silver coins. The situation in the colony was very bad. For safety reasons, the mined silver never had the chance to be shipped to Panama City. It's all here.

As for the other part of personal property, I suggest you increase the normal freight rate by 20%, and no one should object."

Governor de Cabrera completely understood the hidden meaning of Captain Rossi's words. As the saying goes, one has to bow his head under the eaves. There was no other way but to spend money to avoid disaster, and he had to take the lead in increasing his share of the benefits.

(End of this chapter)