The next day, Su Chen returned to the fleet with a group of Persians and officials from the Shipping Department.
Li Chengqian is still staying in Panyu.
After returning home, Su Chen carefully inquired with the officials of the Municipal Shipping Department. It was true that only three Persian merchant ships had arrived this year, and they had all left early.
The two Persians were indeed left over from last year.
To Su Chen's disappointment, these Persians didn't have much information about their hometown to provide Su Chen.
When most of them left Persia, the war between the Great Ogres and the Persian Sassanids had just begun, and the Persians still had the upper hand.
When they left Guangzhou in the fall and returned to their hometown, they met fellow compatriots who had fled on the way. Only then did they realize that their motherland had perished when they were out doing business!
But Su Chen also figured out why no Persian merchant ships came to Guangzhou this year.
The great cannibal robbed all the Persian ships!
At that time, it was winter when the Persians were returning to the Persian Gulf from Guangzhou, so the big cannibal was waiting in the Persian Gulf, and went back to catch one ship after another.
The Persian merchants did not know that their country had been subjugated, so they rushed home excitedly.
The great cannibal sealed the Persian Gulf, and very few Persians escaped!
And Su Chen also got an important piece of information: The Great Eater can also build ships!
The Persian businessman told Su Chen: The Great Eater had seized some galleys from Greece and Byzantium a few years ago, and also arrested many craftsmen, and he could already build some galleys for sailing in the Mediterranean.
It’s just that the galleys of the Great Cannibal are all in the Mediterranean, and there are almost none in the Persian Gulf, because the shipyards of the Great Cannibal are all along the Mediterranean coast.
The Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea are still separate.
But that was before. Su Chen estimated that when he arrived in the Persian Gulf, there would be countless master warships waiting for him there.
Su Chen spent a day questioning these Persians and collecting information.
After Li Chengqian came back on the third day, the navy's sailing fleet also arrived in Guangzhou. Su Chen called everyone for a meeting!
"Commander, this big cannibal is running around strangely. Someone must have tipped them off in advance."
Su Chen glared at Sun Renshi: "Does this need to be said?"
"But the problem shouldn't be with Guangzhou. It's impossible for them to know the purpose and itinerary of our trip."
"The person who reported the news to the big cannibal should be the remnants of the noble families in the north."
Li Chengqian frowned and asked, "Teacher, are you saying that the problem lies in Chang'an?
Not many people in Chang'an know our purpose!"
Su Chen nodded: "The remaining power of the aristocratic clans is still quite large. They have penetrated into every corner of the Tang Dynasty. Who knows how they got the information."
"Do you still remember the two pirate ships mentioned by Governor Yuan in Suzhou? I feel it's a bit too coincidental!"
Master Sun Ren said: "Those big cannibals fled in a hurry a few hours before the general arrived. The general has been staring at the mouth of the Pearl River since then, and no ship has left."
"The person who tipped off the information may still be in Guangzhou. Even if it's hard to find him, he should be looking for a boat..."
"That's bullshit! The corpse has been destroyed and all traces have been wiped out!"
Su Chen directly interrupted Sun Renshi.
"This matter is over now. The big cannibals ran away. We just know that someone may report to them."
Li Chengqian said at this time: "This big cannibal has sealed the Persian Gulf so tightly?
There are only a few Persians in Guangzhou, and there are a bunch of Persian nobles and Zoroastrians who fled from the Silk Road to the Tang Dynasty in Chang'an!"
Su Chen explained: "In order to avoid typhoons and take advantage of ocean currents and monsoons, the Persians' routes and times are fixed,"
"Starting in the spring, arriving in Guanzhou in the early summer, returning home in the autumn, and returning to the Persian Gulf in the winter."
"When these Persians left home last spring, the war between Persia and Dashi had just begun, and Persia still had the upper hand. How could they have imagined that their country would be subjugated when they returned home."
"When Persia fell, I felt that most of the merchant ships were heading home!"
"Besides, the Great Eclipse confiscated all the Persian ships. It must have been a big plan. It is normal to spend great efforts to seal the Persian Gulf to prevent the news from leaking."
Li Chengqian said: "When you say your plan is huge, you are referring to us, right?"
Su Chen sighed: "It should be!"
"And since the big eater escaped this time, they must have gone back to report the news."
"Our advantage of sneak attack on Dashi from the sea is gone!"
Liu Rengui: "That means the Great Cannibal will be waiting for us in the Persian Gulf!"
"What are their naval combat capabilities?"
Su Chen thought for a while: "The shipbuilding ability will not improve much in a short period of time, it will only be at the level of the Persians."
"Our galley is stronger than it even if its cannons are removed."
The description of the sailboat that Su Chen exchanged from the system clearly states that it is an enhanced version of the Calais battleship.
The Calais battleship is the most advanced version of the Mediterranean galley!
After hearing this, everyone relaxed a little.
Su Chen then analyzed: "They must have obtained the gunpowder through the Linghu family, as well as the artillery casting technology."
"As for how powerful the artillery can be made, it's hard to say."
"You can't learn naval gunfire, but you can definitely learn coastal defense artillery!"
"And even without artillery, that trebuchet can still throw gunpowder bombs very far!"
Everyone felt depressed. The combat effectiveness with and without gunpowder was not at the same level at all.
These damn Pan country thieves should all be cut into pieces and the nine tribes destroyed!
"The most troublesome thing is that we only have dozens of ships. It's hard to say how many will be left when we reach the Persian Gulf, but who the hell knows how many cannibals there are!"
"When the time comes, it won't be impossible for people to produce hundreds or even thousands of ships with just one click."
"In the Persian Gulf, if we get too close to the coastline, our main fleet, which relies solely on wind power, will suffer a lot!"
"So everyone, keep your spirits up, the enemies in the future will still be very powerful!"
Su Chen glanced at several senior officers of the naval fleet and continued:
"The reason why you were able to win in Wuhuhai last time was entirely because those pirates didn't know that there were artillery pieces on the warships."
"If they had been prepared and led you to the waters of Salman Island, you wouldn't have been so relaxed!"
"In the future, everyone will have their artillery prepared, and it will be impossible to fight such a stupid battle again!"
"The navy's navigation technology and combat skills still need to be greatly improved!"
Li Rengui cupped his fists and said: "Commander, I know that the commander-in-chief is not satisfied with the current situation of the navy."
"But please be considerate, Commander-in-Chief. After all, our navy has only been established for half a year. There is no precedent for these new warships and artillery tactics. We have to rely on our own exploration. This improvement in combat effectiveness is a bit slow, and there is nothing we can do about it."
Su Chen glanced at Liu Rengui: "I know all this, so in order to improve the navy's combat capabilities, I plan to conduct combat training in the waters of Guangzhou for another month and a half!"
