Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 17 Plot
"How well defended are the Mexican coasts?"

When Harvey was led by Lin Afu into the wooden house where the chief lived, he found that there were already eight or nine Chinese people inside, some standing and some sitting, filling the spacious hall.

At the same time, he also saw the helmsman and lookout of the "St. Louis" in the corner, and thought they were summoned for questioning just like him.

In the middle of the room were two clay pots filled with firewood. A bonfire was blazing brightly. On top of each pot was a sheet iron pot, which might be stewing broth. The aroma was so strong that Harvey, whose stomach was empty, couldn't help but swallow subconsciously.

The two Chinese leaders sitting in the middle were kind and spoke a few words gently. They also had someone serve him a bowl of hot broth with two bones in it.

Not caring about the burn, Harvey blew on the bones in the bowl and slurped them up, then drank the broth in one gulp at an extremely fast speed.

At the end, he licked his lips with a feeling of being unsatisfied.

Comfortable, really comfortable!

My stomach and body felt warm, as if all my pores were open, and I felt very comfortable.

Well, it would be nice if I could have another bowl.

Harvey handed the bowl in his hand to the Chinese man next to him reluctantly and with great anticipation.

But to his disappointment, the other party didn't seem to want to give him another bowl of broth. After taking the bowl, he put it directly on the simple and rough table.

When everyone in the room turned their eyes to him, he immediately understood that the Chinese must have something to ask him, so he stood respectfully and waited for the next question.

The burly Chinese leader looked him up and down and didn't say anything for a long time, but his sharp eyes made him feel inexplicably nervous and fearful.

But when he opened his mouth to ask, the first sentence alone left him stunned.

What do you mean?
He inquired about the defenses of the Mexican coast, what was to be done?
Could it be that they want to attack Mexico?

Just these few dozen people?
This is really overestimating one's own abilities!

Our Kingdom of Spain has colonized Mexico and even the entire Americas for more than a hundred years. We have built countless towns and mines, opened countless plantations, and stationed tens of thousands of governors, generals, judges, and soldiers. The number of immigrants from the Peninsula, native whites, and mixed-race populations exceeds 1600 (in 25, the population of Spanish America was about ).

What about you Chinese people?

One fortress, more than fifty people, and one ship. Oh, no, you captured the "St. Louis" and now you have two ships.

But with this little force, it's probably not enough to attack the coastal areas of Mexico, right?

Tell me, with such a huge gap in power, where do you Chinese people get the courage and guts to provoke the powerful Kingdom of Spain?!

"Dear gentlemen, in Mexico, and even throughout the Pacific coast of America, we...Spaniards have a huge advantage and unparalleled military power. We will not be easily...offended."

"Offensive?" Luo Zhenhui said with a playful expression after listening to Chen Rui's translation. "As for whether it offends you Spaniards, that's not your concern. Now, you need to briefly tell me about the defense situation along the Mexican coast. Um, in other words, are there many garrisons? ... Do all the coastal towns have artillery batteries? ... Also, do you Spaniards have naval warships or armed merchant ships deployed in the area?"

"..." Harvey was even more horrified after hearing this. Judging from what they said, they really were planning to attack the coastal areas of Mexico!

"Our captain is asking you a question!...Answer quickly." Looking at the Spaniard in front of him standing there in a daze without saying a word, Chen Rui reached out and pushed him.

"Oh, oh..." Harvey hurriedly bowed and said with a smile, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. ... The major kingdom armies in Mexico are stationed in important inland cities, such as Mexico City, Zacatecas, and Guanajuato. The larger coastal ports and towns also have a certain degree of defense, even built with sturdy artillery batteries and a large number of armed militias. For example, the port of Acapulco has two artillery batteries with more than a dozen cannons, and there is also a squadron of kingdom soldiers in the city, numbering over 200 people. ... Our Kingdom of Spain has not yet deployed a naval fleet in the Pacific, but merchant ships plying the routes are equipped with a certain level of force to deal with attacks by small pirate groups."

"So not all coastal towns in Mexico are like Acapulco, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes... Acapulco is a key port for trade with the Philippines. Its importance goes without saying, and its defenses are naturally strong. Other coastal towns in Mexico are either remote or sparsely populated, so they likely don't have such strong defenses and have to rely solely on mobilizing militia forces."

"...In fact, as early as fifty or sixty years ago, our Kingdom of Spain had absolute control over the Pacific coast, virtually monopolizing and controlling navigation rights there. Ships from other countries never entered these waters. Therefore, during that period, almost all ports and towns were unarmed. However, with the unexpected incursion of English pirates into the Pacific, they attacked ports like Valparaiso, Callao, and Panama, even capturing several treasure ships. This shook the entire Spanish Kingdom and its American colonies."

"So, from that time on, to protect themselves from the despicable and brutal English pirates, some important ports and towns began to strengthen their armaments, built coastal defense batteries, and even stationed royal troops. Under these circumstances, I believe... that a rash attack on Mexico would be extremely irrational and extremely dangerous."

"How do you know we are going to attack Mexico?" Li Xianqing, the political commissar of the Breaking Waves, asked with a smile.

"Ah?..." Harvey stared at the other person in a daze, with a twitch on his lips.

You called me here specifically to ask about the defense of the Mexican coastal areas. Aren't you planning to launch an attack on it?

"Then let me ask you again, besides Acapulco, what other ports and towns have you visited along the Mexican coast?"

“…Teao (now the southeastern Mexican city of Merida), Veracruz, and Tampico.”

"We are asking about the ports and towns along the Pacific coast!" Captain Luo Zhenhui glared at him and reminded him sternly.

"Oh, oh..." Harvey nodded hurriedly. "Oh, I know, I know. Besides Acapulco, I've only been to Banderas Valley (now Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) on the Pacific coast. There's a fishing port there, and we stopped there briefly to stock up on food and drinks. It's a small place, and some of the food is much cheaper than in Acapulco."

"Restock food and drinks?" Luo Zhenhui instantly grasped the key point in Harvey's words. "In other words, there must be some stored food in that place called Banderas Valley?"

"Yes, sir. There are over 200 residents there, who primarily grow corn and grain, providing essential food, meat, poultry, and vegetables for a nearby mine and several plantations. Oh, and of course, they also go fishing during the slack season to earn extra income. However, it's neither a trading port nor a concentrated town, and the population is sparse, so there's nothing worth looting. If you want to... go to Acapulco, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it's not a good option either."

"Then can you provide us with a better option?" Li Xianqing looked at him with a smile.

"..." Harvey was speechless when he heard this.

You actually let a Spaniard give you advice and point out the most suitable target for attack in the coastal areas of Spanish Mexico!

This seems a bit inconsistent, doesn't it?

"Xavi, tell all the Spaniards when you get back." Li Xianqing stared into his eyes and said word by word, "In a few days, we will go to Mexico to attack a coastal port. At that time, we will select twenty of you to accompany us. As long as you obey orders and work diligently according to our arrangements, you will be pardoned and become free men when you return. So, you can collect their willingness to sign up in advance. The number of places is limited, and it's on a first-come, first-served basis. Okay, you go back first! We'll contact you if there's anything else."

"..." Harvey looked at them with a complicated expression, bowed, and then was taken out of the room by Lin Afu.

(End of this chapter)