Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 1309 Cannon
The Batavia civil war broke out under these circumstances in a bizarre way. One side was the governor, and the other side was three directors representing the board of directors, all of whom were high-ranking members of the East India Company.

Moreover, the war broke out without warning, at least in the eyes of ordinary people. In addition, the Governor's army's siege of the Board of Directors' residence had not been able to break the deadlock, which made some people start to watch from the sidelines. Most people are not stupid. Such a high-level struggle is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Furthermore, General Capelen, as the highest military commander, has not clearly stated which side he is on. Even the main force of Batavia's troops is standing by and watching. Everyone seems to be waiting for the outcome to be decided, to see who will ultimately win the war. It's not too late to place your bets then.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and Colonel Cohen still hadn't captured the board's residence. Instead, his men suffered heavy casualties due to repeated assaults.

The defending side was in no better shape. Although they had a geographical advantage, they were outnumbered by Colonel Cohen's forces. Furthermore, they were surrounded and lost the initiative. Of their 260-plus men, more than 30 were killed or wounded after two days of fierce fighting. Even Jacob, who was on the front lines, was almost shot in the head. Luckily, he dodged quickly, and the bullet grazed his scalp and hit his hat. Otherwise, he would not have survived.
"Sir, we need to think of a way. If this continues, it's only a matter of time before we are breached." After another fierce battle, the attacking side retreated, and the defending side got a brief respite. At this moment, Major Falkner approached Director Jacob and said this.

The handsome Major Falknir looked completely different from usual. Not only was he covered in grime, but he also had a thick stubble on half of his face from not shaving for several days. Coupled with his sunken eyes due to lack of rest, he looked almost like a wild man who had emerged from the mountains.

"How much longer can we hold out?" Director Jacob asked, pursing his lips.

"I can't be sure about that either. If the attack intensity continues, we should be able to hold out for another ten days without any problem. But the problem is that our morale is constantly dropping. Due to limited resources, the wounded can't get medical treatment and can only die in agony. This situation is getting worse and worse. If this continues, even the soldiers can't take it, let alone the others who have been temporarily assembled."

"Furthermore, the enemy has us surrounded here, and we have no way to get out. Once the entire military camp is deployed to the enemy, the intensity of their subsequent attack will be something we cannot withstand. I think you are aware of this as well."

"Can't we think of a way? Let someone risk their life to break out. As long as we get the support of the military camp and General Capelen, we will be the victors!"

“I’ve tried, but it’s impossible.” Major Falknir shook his head and said, “The enemy has a tight blockade. Unless we concentrate our forces to break through, sending just a few or even a dozen people won’t be enough to get out.”

"Can't we just send more people?" Director Jacob blurted out, but he knew the problem with his words as soon as they left his mouth. They only had a little over 260 people in total, and now more than 30 had been killed or wounded, leaving only a little over 200 people.

Of these people, apart from the three directors and the cooks and maids at the residence who had no fighting ability, there were only about 180 people who could actually fight. Moreover, only half of them were guards, and the rest were men who were temporarily recruited. It is conceivable how strong their fighting ability was.

Defending alone, relying on the terrain and buildings, is barely enough. However, if a breakout is desired, it can only be achieved with the help of the guards. But once most of these soldiers leave, the remaining troops will be unable to hold off the enemy, which would be suicidal.

"Your Excellency, I suggest that we break out as soon as possible while we still have the ability. If we can get to the military camp, it is still possible to gain the support of the military camp with your status and the board's decision. Moreover, General Capelen is currently observing from the sidelines. As long as you can take control of the military camp, I think the general will make a wise choice."

“This…” Director Jacob hesitated. He knew in his heart that Major Falknir’s suggestion was correct. There was still a chance to break through. If they continued to hold out here, the longer it went on, the more disadvantageous it would be for them.

But Jacob was also worried about the risks of breaking out. If they broke out, they would have to leave their base, and once they left, they would lose their terrain advantage and have to fight their way through the enemy. Moreover, the distance from here to the military camp was not short; it would take at least half an hour to run there. In fact, the enemy would not only pursue them but also block their way. What if they died on the way?
Director Jacob was not a soldier; he was merely a merchant of low-ranking noble birth, and he couldn't make a decision about such a risky undertaking immediately. After careful consideration, he told Major Falknir that he would seriously consider the other party's suggestion, and that this matter also needed to be discussed with Directors James and Otto; it wasn't something he could decide alone.

Major Falkner expressed his understanding but reminded Director Jacob that a decision must be made quickly. If things dragged on, it would be too late if circumstances changed. Just then, someone nearby called out to Major Falkner, saying the enemy was launching another attack. Major Falkner responded, ending his conversation with Director Jacob, and ran off. After he left, Director Jacob pondered for a long time before deciding to discuss the matter with the other two directors and reach a decision as soon as possible.

"This is too risky! I object!" Director Otto objected without hesitation after hearing Director Jacob's suggestion.

“Sir Otto, if we continue to hold our position, no one can guarantee what will happen next. The Major is right; only by breaking out and reaching the camp as soon as possible can we possibly turn the tide,” Director Jacob said earnestly. “Break out? Is breaking out that easy?” Director Otto shook his head. “By staying here, at least that bastard Reinice can't break in for the time being. Perhaps in a few days, General Capelen might even side with us. But breaking out would be extremely risky. Once we leave the camp, how easy is it for us to escape?”

At this point, Director Otto pointed to himself and said with a wry smile, "Even if breaking through is feasible, look at my physique. Do you think I could escape looking like this? For me, breaking through would be suicide!"

Upon hearing this, Director Jacob was speechless. Compared to himself and Director James, Director Otto was a large, obese man weighing over 200 pounds. He couldn't even walk fast without being out of breath, let alone run. Asking him to break through was indeed asking too much of him. With his size and poor physical condition, he would probably become a target for the enemy as soon as he ran out.

“I have a suggestion!” James, who had been silent until now, spoke up: “It is indeed too difficult for Lord Otto to break through, but what Director Jacob and the Major said is not without reason. Continuing to hold out is extremely disadvantageous for us. If we cannot get the support of the military camp and General Capelen, our defeat is only a matter of time.”

“You mean…?” Director Jacob asked.

Director James said, "My suggestion is to still break out, but with Mr. Jacob and me leading the main force. After breaking out, we should try to gain the support of the military camp and General Capelen. Director Otto can continue to stay here. Although we take the main force with us, we will still leave some people for Director Otto. These people can hold out for a short time with the defenses here. If they can hold out until our counterattack and rescue, then it will not be a problem at all."

"But what if we can't hold on?" Director Otto asked urgently.

“Surrender!” Director James spread his hands and shrugged. “Put down your weapons and surrender to our esteemed Governor. Even if you become his prisoner, he won’t do anything to you for the time being, given your status. Especially before we’ve dealt with Mr. Jacob, your safety is guaranteed.”

“James is right! That is indeed a solution. Reinice’s purpose in launching the coup is to eliminate the three of us, but if he only captures you, he will definitely not make a move against you immediately. As long as we have a chance to turn the tide, then you are a bargaining chip in Reinice’s hands, and your safety will not be a problem.”

"This..." Director Otto was at a loss for words. Reason told him that what the other party said was right, but his heart resisted this outcome. The problem was that he himself could not break through with everyone, and staying behind would only mean facing this situation.

Just as Director Otto was in a dilemma, unsure of what to do, Major Falknir rushed over, sweating profusely. Upon seeing the three of them, he hurriedly said, "Something terrible has happened! The enemy... the enemy has brought two cannons and is already preparing. Once the cannons open fire, the garrison will be completely unable to withstand them! Gentlemen! We must break out! If we don't break out now, we're all doomed!"

"what!"

The three were instantly shocked. That bastard Reinice had actually brought cannons? Where did he get cannons? Could it be that the military camp had already defected to the enemy? This... this is impossible!

The major spoke with absolute certainty, and it was definitely not something that could be easily dismissed. Whether the other side had brought artillery or not could be determined simply by going to the front and taking a look; there was no way to hide it from the public.

Director Jacob and the others felt their hearts sink instantly. Reinnis with cannons and Reinnis without cannons were two completely different things. The fortress's defenses could hold off the Reinnis Guard's attack, but they absolutely couldn't withstand the bombardment of cannons. Once the defenses were breached, none of them would be able to escape.

At this point, there was no time for further hesitation. Director Jacob made a swift decision: break out of the encirclement immediately and escape from the camp. They absolutely could not foolishly stay there and endure the artillery bombardment. Director James agreed, but Director Otto's face turned ashen. He knew his physical strength was insufficient for a breakout; he could only hold the position. Yet, facing the cannons, the fat on Director Otto's face twitched involuntarily, as if he could already see the cannons firing, the walls being breached, and him even being blasted into mincemeat.

(End of this chapter)