Beyond the Strait of Gibraltar in the Mediterranean Sea.
A large, three-masted, square-sailed, broad-bodied ship with a slow speed, a small deck, and a fat hull, which was specially built for tax evasion and had little armed capability, was the favorite of Dutch sea coachmen. Beyond the Strait of Gibraltar.
Far away from the ship, in the narrowest strait of a few nautical miles between the Port of Seville and the Port of Ceuta, hundreds of Spanish warships were visible to the naked eye, gathering and cruising across the sea. above, and conducts brutal checks on all ships that want to pass through the Strait of Gibraltar.
At this time, there were many merchant ships or warships from various countries gathered inside and outside the Strait of Gibraltar. However, most people only dared to be angry and dare not speak out about the Spanish's barbaric behavior, or they waited in line and insisted on passing through in turn. , or you can only leave far away in frustration.
But that large three-masted square-sailed broad-body ship, the kind of large cargo ship that the Dutch built to take advantage of the current tax regulations in various ports based on deck width, did not line up, nor did it leave, it was just so far away. Moored on the distant sea, observing the situation in the Strait of Gibraltar.
"oops!"
"Something bad happened!"
"It seems that the rumors are indeed true. The admiral of the Li Huamei Chamber of Commerce's squadron is really a bastard. He even dares to provoke the Spanish. Now look, there are at least hundreds of warships here, right?"
"my God!"
"What on earth did they do? How could they make the matter such a big deal?"
"Camille, look at it! Look at the Spanish people's desperate attitude. If they don't sink their ship, they will catch all their crew members and hang them on the dock of Seville." You will never give up until you die, right?"
On the narrow deck of this large three-masted square-sailed ship, Lilu Agote, the leader of the Dutch private chamber of commerce, has a cheerful personality, optimistic thinking, can understand the pain in other people's hearts, can also do business, and has a long history. The young and beautiful female leader of the Chamber of Commerce and fleet admiral saw what the Spanish fleet did and the formation in the distance, and she couldn't help but comment and exclaim.
They had heard about what another fleet of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce was doing in the Spicy Islands, the Indian Ocean, Africa and the Mediterranean in the North Sea. She found it a bit unbelievable, so she personally set out from Amsterdam in the North Sea and drove this A large three-masted square-sailed ship, loaded with a shipload of woolen goods, came here pretending to be doing business in the Mediterranean.
And then, as expected, she discovered that things seemed to be more serious than what was rumored?
Anyway, before coming to the Strait of Gibraltar, they went to Lisbon Port to dock and replenish. Then, there they learned that the Grand Admiral of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce, Anne Hasta, and five giant warships from the Ming Dynasty led by the other party were at the Lisbon Port. What I have done in Madeira and Seville, and not long ago I saw with my own eyes the current situation of the Port of Seville!
"It's over now!"
"The Li Chamber of Commerce, Huamei Li and others will definitely be severely attacked by the Spanish. I wonder if they will be arrested by Esconte in the New World?"
"Really..."
"It's not good for them to provoke anyone, but they chose to provoke the Spaniards. Don't they know that the most powerful fleet in Europe now is the Spaniards and their invincible fleet?"
Looking at the forest-like battleship masts and densely packed white sails on the inner sea of the strait in the distance, Lilu Agot didn't know what to say.
"It's over, it's over..."
"Camille, they are really dead this time!"
"They will definitely be hanged in the port by the Spaniards!!"
To be honest, Li Lu was really worried about those ignorant and fearless people from the Li Family Chamber of Commerce.
She could already begin to imagine that perhaps, after the events in the Mediterranean were spread to the New World by merchant ships or messengers, Huamei Li and the others, who were exploring the New World at this time, would definitely be cruelly attacked by the lower-level nobles who were also Spanish. The conquistador, Diogo de Esconte, was captured and escorted back to the Mediterranean, where she would see a few months later, tortured and hanged on a rock in the port of Seville. It was displayed to the public and allowed to be eaten by seagulls and crows.
After a year, maybe there will only be some charred, smelly and moldy corpses left on those gallows?
Presumably, it must be like that, right?
"alright."
"Lilu, it's useless for you to be anxious. The opponent is the Spanish Armada. We can't help..."
"Our Agote Chamber of Commerce has less than ten ships in total, and there are only two armed merchant ships. Most of the others are large three-masted square-sailed wide-body ships. But now the Spanish Armada has gathered here in the Strait of Gibraltar. The number is probably over a hundred, so what can we do?"
"besides!"
"You must not tell people that we have friendship with the Li family merchants, that we have business dealings with them, and that we want to order ships for them!"
After walking to the edge of the ship and looking at the grand scene of the Strait of Gibraltar in the distance, Camille Marinus Ofenesi, the childhood sweetheart who grew up with Lilu, sighed and patted Lilu's scent. Shoulder, while comforting, he also did not forget to warn.
"hateful!"
"The Spanish actually blocked the strait directly. As a result, the people of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce will have no way to escape except abandoning the ship and going ashore, right?"
"I hope they know that Alexandria is the closest place to the Red Sea. If they abandon the ship and take the land route from there, they can reach the Red Sea in less than two months, and then spend some money to buy a ship or two to go to the Persian Gulf, Then go to the Indian Ocean, or even go back to the Ming Empire in the far east?"
As she talked, Lilu Agot suddenly felt that it was an excellent idea.
"Hello!"
"Camille, how about we send people to the Mediterranean to find them and explain the situation to them? Then we lead our fleet to the Gulf of Suez to wait for them and then send them directly back to the East?"
"When the time comes..."
"Let's ship back several shiploads of tea, silk and porcelain from the East. Then we will make a fortune!"
"what do you think?"
"Just right!"
"The civilian battleship ordered by their chamber of commerce is almost completed. Why don't we just send it to them together and at the same time open up trade routes in the Far East and break the Portuguese monopoly?"
Lilu, who has a cheerful personality and an optimistic mind, thinks more and more that it is feasible, and firmly believes that it will be a mutually beneficial thing for her to take action again and help the Li Family Chamber of Commerce develop the fleet, and it will definitely make her another windfall. .
Especially after providing help to the people of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce, they will definitely be able to use this as an excuse to enter the Eastern market in one fell swoop, expand the business of their Agot Chamber of Commerce to the distant and ancient Eastern Ming Empire, and obtain those who are the most powerful in Europe. In-demand, most popular items!
"this……"
"Lilu, I advise you to stop meddling in other people's business."
"If we really do this, once the Spaniards get the news, our Agote Chamber of Commerce, and even the entire Netherlands, will be in great trouble!"
"Don't do this nonsense!!"
Kamil frowned and thought for a while, then looked at the huge Armada in the distance that was on tight guard in the Strait of Gibraltar, and then thought about the situation of the Governor of Java in Jakarta, the East India Company and the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in the Cape of Good Hope, and finally he After a pause, he still firmly stopped him.
In his opinion, the Li Family Chamber of Commerce, especially the Li Family's pioneering fleet with five giant warships, is undoubtedly the most powerful competitor of their Agote Chamber of Commerce and even the entire Netherlands. Now they choose to watch and let the Spanish Maybe it is the best choice for the Dutch to give the other party a profound lesson first and let them give up the boring idea of dominating the oceans and even the world as soon as possible?
"That's right!"
"Miss Agot, we'd better just take a look at this matter, but we must not get involved!"
At this time, Hedram Joachim Bergstrom of the Swedish Navy also walked over from the side.
However, he is no longer the admiral of the Swedish Navy, because he cooperated with the Malay Governor Doalate Lopez de Preila in the Java Islands to fight against the Li family fleet of the Ming Dynasty, which resulted in the complete annihilation of the fleet. After losing all the naval ships, he was convicted and imprisoned as soon as he returned to Sweden and was deprived of his position as naval admiral.
Later, after investigating the cause of the matter and learning about the great achievements of the Li family's pioneering fleet in Java, the Indian Ocean, Africa, and the Mediterranean, the Swedish Navy Headquarters seemed to feel that the responsibility should be entirely placed on him. Joachim Bergstrom seems a bit unreasonable?
Then, with the mediation and lobbying of his teacher, he was reluctantly released.
However, although he was released, he is no longer a member of the Swedish Navy. He was expelled from the rank of naval admiral and became an ordinary person. He changed his profession and established a Bergstone Chamber of Commerce. Now For the time being, he only trades in Stockholm and Riga in Northern Europe, and soon got acquainted with the Agote Chamber of Commerce, which also trades in Northern Europe. Then, after hearing that Lilu planned to come to the Mediterranean to check out the situation, he shamelessly followed. Look at the excitement.
And this is the main reason why he appears on this ship.
"??"
"Why?"
"Mr. Bergstone, do you, like Camille, think what I just did was wrong?"
Seeing that her childhood sweetheart and respected Admiral Bergstrom were both opposed to the brilliant idea she just thought of, Lilu Agot couldn't help but feel a little angry.
"Yes!"
"Lilu, we'd better stay neutral on this matter!"
"otherwise……"
"Once the Spanish know that you and I are involved, I'm afraid things will not end well."
"At that time, maybe it will trigger a war between the Netherlands and Spain?"
"And once a war breaks out, the Spanish will definitely block the Mediterranean and the New World. By then, the shipping routes will be cut off, and it will be extremely difficult for us North Sea countries to trade with the New World, Africa or Java."
"Perhaps it will be another bloody and chaotic privateering war at sea?"
"So, you must think carefully!"
Hedram Joachim Bergstone said quietly, trying his best to use the possible serious consequences to persuade the ignorant and fearless young navigator in front of him to give up the unrealistic idea as soon as possible. thoughts.
"Besides..."
"In my opinion, the Li family's pioneering fleet, that devil admiral Anne Hastur, they may not necessarily need your help?"
"Maybe your idea is just wishful thinking?"
As he was talking, Hedram Joachim Bergstone thought of something and couldn't help but support the boat. While looking at the arrogant Spanish Armada in the distance, he smiled helplessly. He sighed.
"!!"
"What's the meaning?"
"etc!"
"Mr. Bergstone, are you saying..."
"The pioneering fleet of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce, that devil admiral Anne Hastur, they can defeat the Spanish Armada and rush out of the Strait of Gibraltar. Do they not need us to meddle in their own business?"
"Is that so?"
With her big green eyes wide open, no matter how cheerful her personality and optimistic her thoughts were, Lilu Agot could not imagine that such a thing would be possible.
In her opinion, the second fleet of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce, that is, the pioneering fleet led by the devil admiral, only has five ships. Even though their ships are giant battleships with high speed and long range cannons, However, how could a mere five ships defeat the Spanish Armada, which was said to have thousands of warships, and rush out of the Strait of Gibraltar, where nearly two hundred large and medium-sized Spanish square-rigged warships (Gallen type) were gathered at this time?
In short, she couldn't imagine that kind of thing.
"..."
Hedram did not speak, but recalled.
I think back then, when he was in Guava and the Spicy Islands, he and the Malay Governor of Portugal, Doulate Lopez de Preila, aggressively led ten warships and dozens of armed ships. A large fleet of merchant ships went to attack the second fleet of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce, and encountered the five giant warships of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce in the southern waters east of Brunei, in the open waters around the northern latitude of the spice route. .
But the result...
Hedram experienced it all himself!
The two fleets, consisting of a total of sixty-seven warships, barely managed to engage in a formal battle with the warships of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce. Eighteen ships were sunk, and twenty-two ships were wounded and captured. They were defeated and fled on the spot.
Thinking about that terrible battle scene and that feeling of powerlessness under the overwhelming shells, it still woke him up from time to time in his sleep.
"Lilu..."
"Sorry, I don't know if they can break out, but I only know that the rumored information that the Ming Empire has begun to decline is probably wrong. They Easterners still retain the most advanced shipbuilding technology and cannon production in the world. technology!"
"And whoever can get it, perhaps, can rule and dominate this world?"
I think of those giant Li family battleships that are obviously very big, but are more resistant to wind and waves and can run faster and more stably. Their range is at least double or even further than the range of the heavy cannons or iron cannons commonly used in Europe. Naval gun, Hedram felt that his heart could not help but speed up a few beats.
He also wanted to get those things and improve Swedish shipbuilding and gun-making technology, but he also knew that that was impossible. The reason why the Spaniards are so vigorous and eyeing now is obviously self-evident, and it will definitely not be possible. The Swedes have the slightest chance!
Of course, there is definitely no chance for the Portuguese, Dutch or British, because now the Spanish Armada has blocked the Li family's second fleet and the devil admiral and her fleet directly in the Mediterranean Sea.
"??"
"Rule the world?"
Blinking, Lilu Agot seemed to be digesting the information Hedram said, but soon she started laughing.
"Aha!"
"impossible!"
"Mr. Hedram, I have seen Huamei Li and the others, and I have also seen their large and medium-sized ships. Those ships look average, and some of the cannons are even worse than ours. Otherwise, she Then she won’t try her best to entrust my Agote Chamber of Commerce to help her get a civilian battleship at a high price."
"It is absolutely impossible for their second fleet to break out of the Strait of Gibraltar!"
"That must not be..."
boom! boom! boom!
boom! boom!
"?!"
However, before Lilu Agot finished speaking, she was shocked to find that in the distance, a series of cannon firings were heard, and then, were the cannonballs falling on the sea and causing water columns?
"!!"
"That is……"
"The Li family's second fleet?!"
Hedram Joachim Bergstone immediately picked up his telescope and looked into the Strait of Gibraltar. Then he quickly saw that at the sea level on the east side of the strait, there was indeed Five huge ships appeared, sailing down the wind. They were clearly the five warships of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce!
At this time, they were heading towards the Strait of Gibraltar at high speed, while firing in groups of twos and threes from a distance on the sea, as if they were provoking the Spanish Armada that was blocking the strait?
soon!
In response, the Spanish Armada, which was originally moored and cruising on the sea, slowly moved under the angry orders. They began to pull up the sails with Spanish flags and emblems on each side, pulled up the anchor, and He no longer bothered to check the passing merchant ships.
Seeing that the Spaniards were no longer making things difficult, the ships that were queuing up at the mouth of the strait and waiting to pass through saw that the naval battle was about to start here, they all dispersed and quickly headed towards a place they thought was safe.
"No way?"
"It seems to be the flag of the Li Family Chamber of Commerce..."
At this time, Lilu Agot also saw the five giant ships through the telescope and the flags hanging on the masts that she was already very familiar with.
"But……"
"Are they crazy?"
"How dare they?!"
Therefore, she had seen that the five ships were really rushing towards the strait desperately. After seeing that the Spanish Armada had begun to move in sequence and began to form at the chaotic mouth of the strait, she could not help but be a little stunned. exclaimed.
Of course, it was just a exclamation, because now, she had no choice at all.
…
At this time, at the sea level on the east side of the strait, on the flagship of the "Xiang Feihu", a worried little girl was also using a telescope to look at the slightly chaotic mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar.
"..."
(°ー°〃)
"cut!"
(ˉ▽￣~)Cut~~
"Are there quite a lot of ships?"
()??°
"First mate, give the order: rush up and hit them with a few rounds of cannonballs from a distance, then we turn around and run back, leading their large fleet to the fleet gathering place of that bad old man and that muscular man at the back!"
?(?^o^?)?
After taking a look at the densely packed Spanish Armada in formation, and then at the more warships rushing out of the ports of Ceuta and Seville, Anne first curled her lips in disdain, and then objected to the The first mate ordered as he rushed directly towards the Strait of Gibraltar.
"!!"
"Admiral, do you want to..."
"yes!"
"Yes!!"
The first mate was startled, and then he quickly understood the specific intention of their chief admiral, so he stood at attention and responded loudly, and then ran to his post to give orders.
"Annie?"
"Do you want to lead the Spanish fleet to the gathering point of the fleets of Pasha and Hayreddin behind and let them fight?"
"But……"
"What if they don't fall for the trick and don't fight?"
At this time, Song Yifeng on the side obviously knew what Anne was planning, so she hurriedly asked after the first mate left.
"If you don't want to be fooled, then you won't be fooled. Anyway, we run fast. If they want to fight or not, we will fight ourselves if they don't want to. After fighting, we will run away!"
(?￣?￣?) Hehe!
There were really too many Spanish warships. Anne had just counted them at random. It was estimated that there were at least two to three hundred ships. And among so many ships, they only had five. The Mediterranean was so small. If you were not careful, They might be completely blocked, which would be a disaster.
Therefore, she planned to let the Ottoman Navy and Hayreddin's fleet, which were following far behind, fight the Spanish head-on, block the Spanish warships and engage the enemy head-on, while she and her fleet would only stay within the enemy's range. Just carry out shelling from a distance.
Of course, she didn't know whether it would succeed or not. It didn't matter if it didn't succeed anyway. After all, the Spanish had too many ships. This battle wouldn't end in three or five days. She had plenty of time to play with them slowly!
"That's good!"
"I just thought you would rush out regardless..."
Song Yifeng patted his small chest with some fear, nodded, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"How can someone be so stupid?"
!!!∑(?Д?ノ)ノ
"You underestimate me!"
o(′^｀)o
"Just wait, we will conquer this Mediterranean Sea soon!"
(????-)?
"ah?"
"Conquer this place? Just rely on our five ships?"
Song Yifeng obviously couldn't believe it.
"certainly!"
o(*ˉ︶ˉ*)o
"..."
In the distance, the female pirate Azisha Nulianahar was standing silently on the bow of the ship, looking at the busy sailors on the spacious deck and the two little girls playing on the stern command platform.
She heard Annie's order and the conversation between Annie and Song Yifeng. At this time, she didn't want to run away for the time being, because she wanted to see if they could really reach that level and directly defeat the powerful Europeans. people?
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(?ω?)
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