open sea

Chapter 1170 Tiankeng
In the first ten days of August in the tenth year of Wanli, the Dabai Mountain Camp stationed in Bordeaux conveyed a piece of intelligence from the northern waters of France to Bilbao, Spain.

A fleet that used to be called the 'Sea Beggars' and now became a regular navy with the independence of the Netherlands is docked in St. Malo. It has 32 small and medium-sized offshore armed merchant ships. Weapons of various origins, but the limited number of guns on board are well made.

They were warmly received by Catherine, Queen Mother of France.

This piece of information meant that the Spanish Duke of Palma's siege and interception of the Netherlands failed again, and the Spanish traitors regrouped and continued to fight against the suzerain.

No one doubted the authenticity of the information, and it didn't take long for the same news to come back from Philip's army in the Low Countries. The Dutch's intention to join Antonio in fighting for Portugal's coalition forces was known to everyone.

This news made Spain very nervous. Using a new method learned from his aide, Friar Acosta, Philip offered rewards to 42 shipyards in Lisbon and Seville, prompting the six ships that were supposed to be sold in three months. The completed warship worked overtime to deliver it to the navy before October.

The dark clouds of war overwhelmed the European continent, but the Atlantic shipping trade was extremely prosperous before the war. Since August, at least [-] merchant ships from all over Europe have docked at the port of Lisbon every day. Cargo is also moved into the cabin at this moment as the price of unwillingness to sail with an empty cabin during the long voyage.

Merchant ships brought mercenaries who smelled the smell of war and wanted to find work, as well as spies from the pope or the kings of the Mediterranean, as well as merchants and intelligence brokers who returned from France, England or the Netherlands. All kinds of true or false information are flying in the sea, making everyone in it undecided.

It is said today that the Hawkins of England had sixty armed merchantmen for the expedition, tomorrow that number might be fifty or seventy, and it has even been argued that there were only ten ships in all of England.

France indeed "mobilized" Philip. In early October, information flew into the Lisbon Palace like snowflakes. The Bay of Skye culled from the south, so King Philip quickly signed a transfer order, ordering the Marquis of Santa Cruz, Bazin, to lead the Naples fleet to intercept the sea, so that the battle could start in the offshore.

As a result, the French fleet just circled the sea, and returned to Morbihan in despair after half a month.

More than 44 pieces of information on the situation in various countries were compiled in Lisbon, and [-] pieces of reliable information were finally selected according to the intelligence sources, which proved that the situation was indeed mixed for the Spaniards.

The bad thing is that the size of the fleet assembled by Britain, France, and the Netherlands for the puppet king of Portugal, Antonio, has far exceeded the estimated number of Spain no matter from which intelligence channel, and the scale of the war has been virtually expanded.

Philip attributed the root cause of this situation to Chen Mu, the commander-in-chief of the Ming army, who was self-defeating.

You sent a reinforcement, and it was settled in the Azores. Nothing happened, just waiting for the Portuguese to attack, and the two armies joined forces to kill them. They were caught off guard; but why did Chen Mu send two troops, one into the Azores? The Sores, another fleet stationed in Lisbon?
Nominally, this fleet is going north, but Fu Yuan's goal is so big, and the whole of Europe knows that a powerful Ming army fleet is staying in Lisbon. How can others dare to send troops?

The good side is naturally the same, because Fu Yuan is stationed in Lisbon, the fleet of the three countries dare not go south, and the military budget is constantly increasing.

Competing for national strength, Spain has never been persuaded!

Except in front of Daming.

Philip felt cheated by Chen Mu again.

Seeing that Acosta sent an official document to pay yuan to urge the payment of food, Philip in the Lisbon court was itchy with anger: "Tell him, I only give him the rations of the garrison, and the military salary is owed first, so that he can stay in Lisbon with peace of mind, where? Don't go there, I have sent a letter to General Chen to explain."

Philip tore open a pack of Makino cigarettes, touched his smooth hairline worriedly, frowned and asked Acosta, "Did Chen Mu do it on purpose?"

Two months ago, Fu Yuan asked him for food and supplies for a fleet of 1 people to sail for 30 days. Except for the gunpowder that the Ming army wanted, he did not have all the supplies. Lead the army to leave.

At that time, he wanted the Ming army to leave Lisbon, but Fu Yuan was unwilling to leave.

A month ago, Lisbon received news that the Ming army that landed in the Azores occupied the westernmost two small islands of Flores and Corvo, drove away the defeated Portuguese troops that originally occupied them, and set up camp on the islands While building fortifications in the village, they turned a deaf ear to the warnings from the Spanish fleet trying to make them leave, and took out the official document that Philip asked Li Dan to hand over to Chen Mu, saying that they were the reinforcements invited by Spain and they would continue to be stationed here.

At the same time, the development of the situation exceeded Spain's expectations. Philip's confidant and admiral, the Marquis of Santa Cruz, the admiral of the navy, was worried that the size of the assembled fleet of the three countries would exceed that of the Spanish navy;

This powerful fleet stays in Lisbon, which can ensure the Spanish navy's advantage against the three countries to the greatest extent.

Fu Yuan's flag army had taken turns to rest on the shore, breathed their breath, and prepared to face the battle with full energy, but Philip didn't want him to leave.

This is just in line with Fu Yuan's judgment on the situation. He believes that the best time for the fleet to go north is after the outbreak of the naval battle. The more the French invest in ships for Portugal, the more empty the coastal defense will be. As far as the army is concerned, winter ebbs and flows, and offense is most beneficial to him.

Therefore, on the one hand, the Eastern Expeditionary Army sent back news about the changes in the situation to the New World, and on the other hand negotiated with Philip that Spain would pay the military salaries, food and grass, and they would temporarily defend the ports and coasts for Spain.

All this looks good, but Yang Ce also sent someone to the Lisbon court to ask Philip to pay his subordinates' military pay, water and food, and all the materials needed to repair the warship, because the two islands could not satisfy Yang Ce's tens of thousands of troops and Normal replenishment of the fleet.

Before the battle started, Philip had to bear the expensive supplies of an extra [-] troops, but he did so voluntarily.

"Money can't be spent in vain." In the Lisbon royal palace, the little bald man tapped his fingers on the table and said viciously to the monk: "If they don't attack this winter, I will let Bazin take Alva and Fu Yuan to fight against France next spring." ! Into Paris!"

　Good morning!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)