After Chen Xiaotian said this, everyone present was silent: after so many years of repeated propaganda and education by Zhu Youdong, everyone's thinking has gradually changed - every Han Chinese is valuable. This is what everyone has thought in recent years.

New concepts gradually established here.

But after this new concept was established, when faced with nearly 20,000 "hostages", all the attendees felt a little pain in their foreheads.

"Everyone." Sun Chuanting stood up: "Because of this matter, I wrote to the Ministry of Rites a few days ago. With the approval of the Ministry of Rites, I have sent officials from Taiwan to Manila to warn the Spaniards there. The general meaning is that the two countries

Fighting is a matter for soldiers and has nothing to do with ordinary people. If the Westerners dare to massacre my Han Chinese living in Manila during this war, then I will not win unless I win. If I win, I will definitely kill all the Westerners in Manila.

Of course, we also promise to take the initiative to enter the urban areas where Han people live in Manila to carry out propaganda. When the war breaks out, the Han people there do not need to be internal agents for the Ming Dynasty. They can just stay at home quietly..."

"Yes." The generals in the meeting nodded with relief: "Prefect Sun did a good job."

"Okay." Cao Wenzhao stood up: "Let's stop talking about this for now. Well, Chen Baihu, please continue."

"Yes." Chen Xiaotian asked two small flags in the venue to come over and take down the first overall map of Taiwan and Luzon and replace it with a map of only Manila Bay.

"Everyone, based on the early intelligence from Jinyiwei and recent adventurous inquiries, we can currently confirm that the Spaniards on Luzon Island have realized that their troops are insufficient, so they have given up the defense at the entrance of Manila Bay. All combat forces have been hedged.

They are gathered in the city of Manila. This city has been completely fortified. The city wall on the seaside is seven meters high and is all newly poured with reinforced concrete. The density of cannons on the city fort is very high. How many are specific? I am sorry that I am unable to investigate.

, I didn’t get the exact number. But if you look at it from a distance, it can’t be less than fifty gates. On the north and south sides of the city, the Westerners have dug long trenches in advance. The trenches are connected to the city. Whether from

It is very convenient for the city to send troops into the trenches to defend, or to pour kerosene into the trenches. As for the east side of the city, there are large rice fields and orchards, which used to be the inhabited areas of the local Han people. But now the Han people in these places have been completely

They were forced to move into the city and fortress, and trenches were dug in these places by the Westerners...

As for the Western fleet, we confirmed in April that all of them were docked in Manila Bay. However, the latest inspection in late July this year showed that we have lost traces of the opponent's fleet... Everyone, the above is what Jinyiwei obtained.

Relevant enemy information received.”

"Thank you Chen Baihu." Cao Wenzhao said: "Now I would like to ask General Liu Zhaosun to introduce to you the deployment of our army's strength in this battle."

After receiving the imperial edict from Cao Cao, Liu Zhaosun stood up and said, "With the permission of the emperor, the Privy Council has coordinated with many parties. For this expedition to Luzon, our Ming Dynasty mobilized a total of six divisions, including the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 11th, as well as the navy.

Marine Corps and above, a total of 93,000 people. In addition to the Army and Marine Corps, the Navy has invested a total of one ironclad ship, 40 first-class battleships, 60 second-class battleships, and more than 500 transport ships of various types.

On more than 600 ships, the navy has invested a total of more than 40,000 soldiers of various types. It can be said that even if the number of sailors on the Western fleet is estimated at 10,000, the newly formed army of the Westerners is also included.

In this battle, our army is also 133,000 against 35,000. In terms of troop strength, our army has an absolute advantage."

Although saying this, the participating generals were not at all relaxed: such a fortress would have been difficult to defeat. It also involved the lives of more than 20,000 compatriots in the city, not to mention that our side set out from Taiwan for an expedition.

.

"Everyone." After Liu Zhaosun sat down, Cao Wenzhao stood up: "The straight-line distance from Taipei Port to Manila is more than a thousand kilometers. If all our troops were to move, with the speed of the transport ship of three to five knots, I am afraid that we would

It will take more than ten days on the road. Therefore, the first point of this battle is that we must first find a place to land on Luzon Island and put all the army and supplies there, and then we can talk about the issue of siege."

"Commander, you have learned what you have learned."

"Of course the landing site must be as close as possible to the Manila Fortress. Because the road conditions on Luzon Island are very bad. It can be said that many places are virgin forests. There are no roads at all and they are completely unable to carry our cannons. So...

...." Cao Wenzhao also walked to the map and raised his baton: "After discussions between this general and the navy's Li Guozhu and Yan Siqi, the two fleet commanders, we are going to set the landing site at two places, one far away from Manila.

The tidal flats are five kilometers north and south of the city fortress. These two tidal flats currently have no names. We will temporarily name them Zhengtan and Hetan. At that time, Zhaosun and I will each lead three divisions, one in the north and one in the south.

Landing. After that, they will advance from north to south and besiege Manila."

"Zhengtan, Hetan? What a good name! Ambassador Zheng during the reign of Emperor Chengzu arrived in Luzon much earlier than these Spaniards."

"Yes." After nodding lightly, Cao Wenzhao continued: "It is August 5th now. According to the sea conditions recorded by the navy stationed in Nanyang over the years, after September, the wind and waves in Nanyang began to gradually decrease.

Therefore, after I requested the order, the Emperor has allowed us to select a day to set out based on the sea conditions around September 10th this year. During this month, everyone must perform their duties and lead the troops. In addition to completing daily tasks,

In addition to training, the main purpose is to take all the soldiers to the transport ship to shake and vomit. Especially for Anyuan Hou, your 11th Division has 70% new soldiers. It is said that after you were established in Beijing, on the way south, there were many soldiers.

Some soldiers are so vomiting that they want to be deserters...and they should get on the ship more often to practice."

"Yes, I will obey your orders."

"Well, in addition to the commanders, the most important task is the logistics officers of each division. Although our navy can definitely defeat the Western fleet stationed in Luzon, but only Qian Ri is a thief.

There is no way to guard against thieves for a thousand days. Therefore, this batch of landings, ammunition, food, medicine, etc. must be prepared for at least two months. Officers from various transport camps can now organize their manpower to start loading onto the cargo ships.

Moving things."

"Yes, I will obey your orders."

"Okay, that's all for today's discussion. Let's adjourn the meeting."

...

When the military conference organized by Cao Wenzhao was held in Taipei, the Spanish fleet departing from the mainland had already arrived at the southern tip of the African continent.

"Your Excellency, we have seen the Cape of Good Hope."

"Sea! How many people have been misled by this name! If you ask me, its former name, Storm Cape, best embodies its essence."

After all, Luzon is a colony that Spain has operated for many years and is the core of Spain's layout in the Far East. Therefore, although he knew it was impossible, Philip still spent a lot of money: this support fleet has a total of two ironclads and thirty, 600 1,200-ton battleships.

There are thirty ton-class warships and more than one hundred transport ships.

The huge transport fleet ensured the supplies of this fleet, but it also seriously slowed down the speed of the entire fleet. So much so that after setting off in mid-June, almost two months later, they had just arrived at the Cape of Good Hope.

The Cape of Good Hope is actually famous for its many storms. Today, the Spanish fleet encountered a Category 7 storm with a wave height of only three to five meters, which was basically considered gentle.

"Has the Casti's engine been repaired?"

"Not yet, we can only move forward by sail. The speed is only three knots."

"Sea! Where is the Aragon?"

"There are no big problems so far, but there are more and more barnacles on the bottom of the boat, and the speed has dropped to nine knots."

"I..." The Duke of Alva of this generation is a middle-aged man in his forties. He was originally known for his gentleness, elegance and courtesy. In his early years, he led a large fleet between America and Spain.

It is common to go back and forth many times. But now, because the two armored ships accompanying him along the way always have problems, the Duke has long lost all grace and etiquette.

"Where is the closest port to us now?"

"Your Excellency, after crossing the Cape of Good Hope, twenty kilometers north of the break line, you will find the colony just opened by the British, Mitchell. There is a port there and the simplest dock."

"...Okay, give the order to the entire fleet to move north. Let's go to the British to have a rest. By the way, we can drive the ship into the dock and at least scrape the bottom of the ship."

"Sir, our time?"

"Idiot, if we don't take good care of the Casti, he will continue to slow us down along the way. It will look like we are rushing all the way, but in fact we are extremely slow!"
Chapter completed!