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Chapter 1427 Reinforcements have arrived!

"Hehehe, Cohen, I'm not some newbie. I've heard a bit about the rules back in your hometown. Don't worry, no one would risk their life without being 90% sure." Xiao Si laughed off Cohen's warning, completely ignoring it.

"What if... I mean, what if Enbird Port is occupied by the Allied Forces and Asian merchant ships are not allowed to pass through, or if they are charged very high taxes?"

No matter how concerned he was about the country and its people, Cohen was still a businessman at heart. As soon as he heard about doing business, especially the ocean trade he was most familiar with, he immediately became as excited as if he had been injected with chicken blood, and put the negotiations to the back of his mind to talk about business first!

"I don't like what you're saying. Come, come, let me take a look through my binoculars. What do the European coalition have to take over Enbird Port? I have plenty of food, water, and ammunition here. I dare not say more, but at the current intensity, we can easily take on another half a year."

Can they hold out at sea for six months? There's no food production or major cities here; surely tens of thousands of you can't survive entirely on hunting? Transporting supplies from Europe is absurd; I'm part of the navy, I can calculate transportation costs. Let alone you, we can't afford it either.

"There's no need for 'what ifs,' and there are no 'what ifs.' Enbird Port won't fall into our hands. Commander Xiao just said that after you go back, you'd better stay far away from them. If possible, move the ship westward. If fighting breaks out here, raise the sails and run without hesitation. Don't become their casualties."

Zhu Neng hadn't intended to interrupt, but he couldn't hold back any longer. He grabbed his binoculars, shoved them into Cohen's arms, and dragged him toward the observation post. "Look around as you please, you can even see the gun emplacements! That's how arrogant we are!"

Don't you have any idea what the situation is? The European coalition has played all its cards, yet they haven't even encountered the port garrison, and have been locked in a stalemate with the militia for days. With this much capability, they expect to capture Enbird Port? They're seriously underestimating us!

"Hey, Commander Zhu, don't be anxious. We're talking about business, not war. But the logic is right: Europeans can't take Enbird Port, and even if they do, they can't hold it. But His Majesty the Emperor won't send troops to Europe either, for the same reason: it's too far, and there's no practical point in taking it."

Therefore, after the war, both sides will have to sit down and negotiate. As the defeated party, the European countries will most likely have to make some concessions on their interests, and allowing Ming merchant ships to dock will definitely be the top priority.

You'll be worth a fortune then, and those Portuguese in Macau will definitely be snapped up by numerous merchants willing to travel long distances. After all, Europe is still quite unfamiliar to Ming Dynasty merchants, and having acquaintances to help them when they first arrive will be much more convenient.

Speaking of security, you mentioned factors other than piracy earlier, I guess it's privateers, right? Don't worry, the first few merchant ships heading to Europe certainly wouldn't be going it alone.

I'd really like to see which would prevail when a fleet of merchant ships, equipped with a large number of naval guns and operated by retired naval personnel, clashed with privateers from various European countries.

Seeing this, Xiao Si quickly stood up to stop him and steered the conversation back on track. He genuinely wanted to consult Cohen in person about some issues; asking the European sailors about these details might not be reliable. Many of those men couldn't even write, let alone have the insight of a high-level business talent like the Governor of Batavia of the East India Company.

"...It seems His Majesty is determined to succeed. Your idea is quite good, if..." This time, Cohen didn't immediately express his opinion. He stroked his chin and thought carefully before slowly nodding in partial approval of Xiao Si's concept. But it wasn't entirely true. Just as he was about to offer his opinion, a rapid bronze bell suddenly rang out from above.

"Report..." The door was then pushed open forcefully. The young soldier, seeing an outsider in the room, didn't speak immediately but instead used his eyes to ask his superior if he could continue reporting. "Go ahead, it's alright!" Xiao Si spoke first. Seeing this, Zhu Neng simply turned his face towards the observation port, pretending not to hear.

"Lookout on hot air balloon No. 1 has spotted the support fleet, bearing 66, distance 18 kilometers, heading 240, speed 7 knots. Currently visible are 6 Han-class and 9 Qin-class ships. If the heading and weather remain unchanged, we will be within signal range in another hour!"

"Well, Mr. Cohen, now you can't go back. It's not that we're being heartless, it's just that the sea is too dangerous. You heard it too, our reinforcements are here, and judging from the course, they're heading towards the fleet covering the landing. Once the fighting starts, who will care about your little boat? You'd better stay here and wait."

But this is the command tower, and according to regulations, outsiders are not allowed to stay here during wartime, so I have to lock you and the two sailors who brought you here up in jail.

This is for your own good. When you get back to your country, they'll be able to testify that they weren't forced to surrender. Don't worry, I'll send someone to interrogate you when it's time to eat. Come out, eat and drink your fill, then go back to sleep. Just bear with it; I estimate we'll see the outcome in a day or two at most.”

With the support fleet arriving, the port garrison, in addition to cooperating, may also have to counterattack the landing European coalition forces, so Cohen is no longer suitable to stay here.

Xiao Si had thought things through even more thoroughly, considering the issue of his reputation after the war. He beckoned, and two soldiers entered, each taking one of Cohen away without a word.

"Are you really going to hire him?" Zhu Neng turned around after Cohen left, his face full of gossip as he asked in a low voice.

“He’s not a soldier, so why can’t I hire him? If I detain him, he won’t have a chance to be taken prisoner. He’s only here to negotiate because he’s forced into it, so he’ll be easier to pass the screening. Don’t look at me like that. I don’t have any deeper personal relationship with him. At worst, I’ll just write a report for the statistics department, and then there won’t be any mistakes.”

Xiao Si had already considered whether Cohen was friend or foe, and had multiple contingency plans for different outcomes. As long as he followed the plan step by step, even if Cohen himself admitted to being a spy, he wouldn't bear any responsibility.

"Signal! Advance at full speed in column formation, prepare to engage the enemy on starboard, and follow the flagship to fire!"

Meanwhile, on the sea southeast of Enbird Port, a weary fleet was speeding southwest with full sails. Wang Tiemao, Chief of Staff of the Indian Ocean Fleet, stood with his hands behind his back, behind the helmsman, listening to the data reported by the navigator and looking at the route marked on the chart by the first mate, before issuing the combat order without hesitation.

In order to reach Enbird Port in time, after receiving the battle report, all ships that could sail in the Seychelles naval base immediately formed two rescue fleets. After a short resupply, the first fleet had sailed out of the port area 4 hours later.

This fleet consisted entirely of warships, and its main mission was to clear the area, drive away all enemy ships threatening Enniu Port, and ensure that the Marines transported by the Second Squadron could land smoothly.

(End of this chapter)