Two days later, on a dark, moonless, rainy night, two wooden sailboats quietly left the Port of Coulombo and sailed into the vast sea.
The next morning, an even grander expedition ceremony was held at the port of Colombo. Six armored warships of the Ming Dynasty's Invincible Fleet, three super supply ships, and more than a dozen large and small wooden ships set sail on the dock.
King Keled, along with the civil and military officials of Ceylon and the nobles and princes, came to see him off. Tens of thousands of people gathered on the pier, and the scene was very lively and grand.
For the people of Ceylon, although they have very complicated feelings, after all, the Ming Dynasty soldiers and horses ruthlessly massacred them not long ago, making them feel hatred. However, now they are tied to the same rope as the Ming Dynasty people.
.Especially King Kled, after killing Munilla, Santos and other generals of the Franco Kingdom, he actually had no way out.
Therefore, this time when Zhang Yanling asked the Ceylon Kingdom to send several large ships and some soldiers to assist their attack, Kled did not hesitate at all. They sent the only three medium-sized wooden sailing ships in the country and more than ten
Small ships. In addition, more than 500 capable Kingdom Guards were dispatched to assist the Ming Dynasty troops in attacking the Francois in the ports of the South Asian continent.
King Kelei still had confidence in the Ming Dynasty's troops and horses, because he had seen the strength of the Ming Dynasty's troops and horses, and besides, he had no choice. But some people in Ceylon didn't think so. When the Invincible Fleet had just sailed out
After the harbor, five or six ravens and sea eagles flew into the sky from all corners of the city, heading toward Guri Port in the northwest.
On the Star, Zhang Yanling was sitting in the cabin drinking tea. Catherine sat next to him with a calm face. There was a crested hairpin on Catherine's bun. The exquisite gold hairpin shone brightly, with gems and gems on it.
The pearl pendant swayed slightly. A Western blond woman had an exquisite oriental ornament inserted into her bun, giving people a very unique sense of beauty.
"Catherine, this golden hairpin was given to you by Qingyi?" Zhang Yanling asked with a smile.
"Yes, isn't it beautiful?" Catherine smiled.
"Of course it's beautiful. It seems you two have become good friends." Zhang Yanling said with a smile.
"Not only are we good friends, but we are also good friends who talk about everything. She told me all the stories that happened between you and her in Ningxia. This gave me a lot more material for my book. Dear Duke, no
Thinking that the internal battles in your Ming Dynasty are also so fierce. A royal and noble woman like Miss Qingyi has to suffer so much. It seems that there is no paradise anywhere, and there is indispensable struggle for power and killing." Catherine said.
Zhang Yanling rolled her eyes and said solemnly: "Those things are secrets, you'd better not write them in."
Catherine smiled and said: "I understand. You are not married yet? You have a wife, so you can't marry her? I understand. You have some rules in the Ming Dynasty. These rules, even your seemingly arrogant Duke,
Even adults don’t dare to violate it, right?”
Zhang Yanling smiled earnestly and said: "I actually don't have any rules here that I need to abide by. It's just that I don't want to break the overall rules of society easily. Otherwise, it will cause turmoil. It will cause unnecessary turmoil."
Catherine said: "I understand, especially a person with the status of the Duke, it is even more important to maintain such an order. You are the person who least wants to break these rules, because you are the one who gains power."
Zhang Yanling chuckled and said: "You know too much, but you are also a bit smart. The rules must be maintained, but they are not unbreakable. I just need to have enough strength and confidence to break it. Otherwise, wouldn't I have let down the Qing Dynasty?"
Yi. I need to exchange something."
Catherine nodded slightly, but she didn't really understand.
"Does the Duke have confidence in this battle?" Catherine changed the subject.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Why do you ask this?"
Catherine said: "You asked Princess Qingyi's ship to leave the Port of Coulombo and go to the Port of Managa, is it because you have no confidence in this battle and are worried that if it fails, the French warships will counterattack Coulombo?
"
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Catherine, you are getting smarter and smarter. I suspect that you are thinking about my behavior every day and your motives are not pure."
Catherine said angrily: "If someone wants to write your biography, they will naturally want to study you and speculate on your psychological activities. What is my motive? Do you suspect that I am unfaithful to you?"
Zhang Yanling laughed and said: "It's just a joke. Catherine, you have to understand that Qingyi gave birth to a son for me. My son cannot live without a mother. Therefore, I cannot let her experience danger. This does not mean that I have
I have no confidence in this battle."
Catherine nodded and said: "I understand. No wonder she wanted to come, but you refused."
Zhang Yanling looked at Catherine and said: "You can also go to Malacca Harbor to take refuge. If you want, I will have someone take you away."
Catherine shook her head and said: "I won't leave, I want to witness the death of Alfonso, the thief. I have full confidence in you. The Duke will definitely defeat them. I firmly believe in this."
Zhang Yanling reached over and pinched Catherine's pink cheeks.
"Catherine, relax, your spirit is too tense. Sometimes you are just too persistent. Having these stubborn things in your character will make you uncomfortable and put pressure on others."
Catherine sighed, lowered her head and said nothing. After a while, she whispered: "I'm not as good as Helena, I know. I can't replace her position in your heart. Helena is indeed much better than me."
Zhang Yanling frowned and said, "Why are you talking about this again?"
Catherine whispered: "Dear Lord Duke, I know that you have been avoiding talking about Helena's life and death, and I have been cooperating with you not to talk about these things. However, so much time has passed, and there is no news about Helena. You and I
We all know what will happen, why deceive ourselves? Sometimes you take it alone
Staring at Helena's cross, do you think I don't know? I just don't want to disturb you. My lord, please forget about her. I hope you throw away the cross, or give it to me and I will keep it for you.
To prevent you from missing things and feeling uneasy. And I don’t want to be Helena’s substitute.”
Zhang Yanling looked at Catherine blankly. Indeed, since Helena left, there has been no news for several months, which is an ominous sign. At first, Zhang Yanling often talked about Helena, but then she stopped talking about it.
Catherine also cooperated and stopped talking about Helena. Regarding Helena, both of them consciously avoided the name.
However, Zhang Yanling did have great regrets in her heart. If she had known that this would be the result, Zhang Yanling would never have let her leave. In this matter, Zhang Yanling admitted that she might have made a miscalculation. Helena and her daughter returned to Buddha
Lang Jiguo did not succeed. The cruelty of the power struggle is self-evident. Something unexpected might have happened to their father and daughter.
To a certain extent, Zhang Yanling did regard Catherine as Helena's substitute. Always at some inadvertent moment, Zhang Yanling mistook Catherine for Helena. This was obviously not intentional, but Catherine must have felt it, so she felt something in her heart.
dissatisfied.
"You are right, Catherine, I should forget her. Although I feel in my heart that she is not dead, and there may be hope. But my reason tells me that this is probably my wishful thinking. Catherine, I do not think of her as Helena.
, it’s just that sometimes when I see her shadow in you, I automatically think of her. I apologize to you." Zhang Yanling said slowly.
Catherine whispered: "I'm not angry, I just don't want you to be immersed in memories. That was Helena's own choice, and you don't need to blame yourself or feel regretful."
Zhang Yanling breathed a sigh of relief, reached out and took off the golden cross from his chest and handed it to Catherine: "This is for you. You can throw it away or keep it, it's up to you to do with it."
Catherine stretched out her hand to take it and said with a smile: "I will keep it for you. After all, this is Helena's thing. It is a memorial to you and me."
…
The strait between South Asia and Ceylon is called the Palk Strait. The northeast of this strait is the Bay of Bengal and the southwest is the Gulf of Mannar. The strait is not wide and the water depth is not deep. The narrowest part of the bay is only
There are hundreds of miles.
A series of islands extending from the South Asian continent to the south and from Ceylon to the north form a chain, shortening the distance between the two places.
Among them, the distance between the two islands in the middle is more than a hundred miles wide and has become the only waterway through the strait. The water channel in the middle of the waterway is more than ten miles wide and has a water depth of eighty or nine meters, which can pass large ships. However, the water depth in other places is only two or three meters.
Moreover, the reefs are densely covered, making it impassable for even larger ships.
It is precisely because of this unique topography that the Palk Strait is like a narrow mountain pass, forming an extremely narrow defensive waterway, almost forming a natural narrow entrance. Once firepower is gathered at the entrance to block it, passage on the narrow channel
It has simply become an impossible task. The defender will form a powerful firepower on the waterway more than ten miles wide, making it impossible for the opponent to break through.
The Guri Port, located on the northwest side of the strait, actually has the greatest strategic role in facing the Bay of Bengal to the north and controlling a large area of sea on the north side of the strait. It serves as an important port to consolidate colonies in South Asia. It and the Port of Goa form two control ports.
The ports in the large seas and land in southeastern South Asia have become the most powerful military stronghold of the Francois on the South Asian continent.
After Alfonso retreated to Guri Port, he made up his mind to fully manage the seaport to defend the South Asian continent. This is because of its unique geographical advantages and the defense system that the Franco Kingdom has operated here for many years.
Of course, this is also the last colonial stronghold of the Folangji Kingdom facing the east. If this place is lost, then the years of management and expansion of the Folanji people will be completely wiped out. This is also the last bottom line that the Eastern Fleet needs to adhere to with all its strength.
One day after the Ming Dynasty's Invincible Fleet departed from the Port of Colombo, ravens and sea eagles delivered the news of the Ming Dynasty's fleet's departure to Guri Port. The first thing Alfonso did after receiving the news was to order the troops on the Palk Strait channel to
More than a dozen fishing boats were all dug into the sea. In addition, dozens of pontoons built with wooden frames were also sunk into the water, forming an underwater barrier several miles wide.
In this way, the deep-water channel, which was originally only a dozen miles long, is now less than six miles wide. It has truly become a terrain where one man can block the passage and no one can open it.
Of course, what Alfonso most wanted to see was not the Ming fleet attacking Guri Port, but what he most wanted to see was them attacking Goa Port. That was the step he most wanted to see in his plan.