Although Li Xuan also knew that the navy was weak and would probably not be able to defeat the Fo Lang robots head-on, he still hoped that the navy could find a way, even if it was just a trick!
We do not insist that the Navy be able to completely defeat the Fo Lang Robot Navy, but we must at least find fighters to achieve one or two tactical victories so that the Fo Lang Robot people know that although the Tang Navy is weak, it is still capable of defeating them.
Caused losses, and used this to make the Folangji people fearful.
But now it seems that if the war really breaks out, the navy may not be able to count on it, because Bao Yifen has said that the navy is now weak and does not even have a regular warship, even those converted from civilian ships.
Armed merchant ships cannot be equipped with too many artillery pieces because of the congenital defects of Guangzhou, Shachuan and Fuchuan.
The Tang Navy was established just over a year ago, and it only really came into contact with the sea in the last year. In addition, during the Qiongzhou Campaign, a naval battle in the Qiongzhou Strait nearly wiped out the entire Second Fleet.
Although the Tang Dynasty's navy has recovered somewhat, it is still weak. There are only five armed merchant ships of more than 200 tons and more than a dozen armed merchant ships of between 100 and 200 tons. The largest artillery is still
Nine pounds of artillery.
However, the number of nine-pound artillery is extremely rare. The only ones are purchased from foreigners. Only merchant ships with more than 200 tons of supplies will carry two. As for the main naval guns, the Tang Dynasty can mass-produce them independently.
Seven-pound and five-pound artillery pieces as well as three-pound and two-pound shotguns.
In addition to having few ships and artillery, there is also an extreme shortage of qualified sailors. Although the Tang Navy has tried its best to recruit sailors from the private sector, there is still a big difference between ordinary sailors and naval officers, and qualified naval officers are even more scarce.
The naval officers and soldiers who survived the naval battle in the Qiongzhou Strait, because of their valuable war experience, are now dispersed throughout the entire army as the seed officers and soldiers of the entire Datang Navy. The officers all took turns to serve as instructors in the newly established Haixuetang.
There are few ships, few artillery, and low quality of the personnel. This is the current situation of the Tang Navy.
What's more, the main enemy of the Tang Navy today is the Ming Navy, which is constantly fighting with the Ming Navy entrenched on the coast of Guangdong, especially at the Pearl River Estuary. Some time ago, the Datang Navy spent a lot of money
With his own strength, he cooperated with the army to regain Hong Kong Island, drove out the Ming Navy entrenched around Hong Kong Island, and established a new naval base here to continue fighting against the Ming Navy.
But now, the Ming Navy still occupies Daxi Mountain (Lantau Island) and many islands near the Pearl River Estuary, and is constantly trying to attack the Tang Navy and even Guangzhou.
Today's Tang Dynasty Navy is already very reluctant to deal with the Ming Navy. If a war breaks out with the Folangji early, there will be no ability to mobilize forces to participate in the war.
However, compared to the navy's powerlessness, the army's attitude made Li Xuan very satisfied!
Zeng Ziwen first despised the navy's cowardice, and then said to Li Xuan with a solemn look: "Your Majesty, according to the intelligence, there are only a few hundred people stationed in Haojing by the Folangji people, and these people are all
Not all of them are armies. A real army can only have a hundred people at most. The army only needs to send out one team to defeat an enemy of this size!"
Li Xuandao: "What if the enemy deploys troops to land in a large scale?"
Zeng Ziwen said: "The army will drive all enemy troops who dare to land into the sea!"
Zeng Ziwen said this with confidence. The establishment of the Tang Dynasty basically relied on the hard work and heroic achievements of the army. The continuous victory of the Army of the Tang Dynasty allowed the Tang Dynasty to occupy the three provinces and advance the front.
to Huguang area.
The combat effectiveness of the Tang Army was the basis for the Tang Dynasty to strive for world hegemony.
In the words of some army generals, the army is definitely worthy of the annual military expenditures, especially the military expenditures of nearly 10 million in the three years of Xuanping!
The Datang Army has a good combat effectiveness, and there are also many troops in the coastal areas of Guangdong. The Pearl River Delta has always been a key defense area for the Datang Army. An entire Sixth Infantry Division is stationed. In addition, in the western part of Guangdong, that is,
The Second Mixed Regiment is stationed in Lianzhou, Leizhou and Qiongzhou along the Beibu Gulf, and this mixed regiment is also a full mixed regiment of the regular army, with a total of four thousand people.
In addition, in the eastern part of Guangdong, the first mixed regiment is deployed!
In addition to the three main forces mentioned above, in fact, the Fifth Infantry Division has not yet completely entered Jiangxi. There is also an infantry regiment stationed in the northeastern part of Guangdong.
Then there is the First Supplementary Brigade over there in Shaozhou Prefecture!
In addition, there are several forts specially responsible for coastal defense and river defense, including Humen Fort, Changzhou Fort, Shamian Fort, Antelope Gorge Fort, etc. In addition to a large number of artillery, these forts will also deploy some infantry troops to protect the forts.
.
In addition to the above-mentioned troops, one thing to note is that there is also a Guards in Zhaoqing!
Among the entire areas controlled by the Tang Dynasty, Guangdong had the highest density of troops. The number of field troops reached nearly 30,000. These troops firmly controlled Guangdong, the core base camp of the Tang Dynasty.
If the Folangji people wanted to land in large numbers, according to the Army, if there were less than 5,000 people, then the Army would drive them into the sea in minutes.
If it is a scale of 5,000 to 10,000 people, then there will be some trouble!
If there are more than 20,000 people, it will be more difficult!
This is mainly because the enemy has maritime superiority. They can choose to land and fight anywhere. If they fail to win, they will be able to retreat from the sea immediately, which will easily make the Tang Army exhausted.
This statement made Li Xuan feel relieved. As long as the army was confident that it could defeat thousands of Portuguese, it would be enough. As for more Portuguese, it was basically impossible.
With the current size of the Portuguese, it is difficult to say whether they can mobilize thousands of land troops in the Far East. If it is more than 10,000 people, what a joke. If the Portuguese have the strength to invest tens of thousands of land troops in the Far East,
, they have already dominated the entire earth!
Although the mid-16th century was almost the peak period of the Portuguese colonial era, one thing limited them, that is, their population was too large. Their native population was only over one million, and their army was also small.
Limited, and this also reflects some of the strategies they adopted in the colonial process, which were to establish strongholds and set up trading stations, but they were not interested in completely ruling the vast and populous colonies, or they were unable to do so.
Spain, the pinnacle colonial country of this era, was able to build a large professional army because of its relatively large population. During this period, Spain's total army strength on the mainland exceeded 150,000. If the Armada is included,
And the troops in overseas colonies easily exceed 200,000 or more.
By the end of the 16th century, the total number of Spanish professional troops exceeded 300,000!
Only a large population base and strong financial resources can support a large army, and a large enough army can conquer and rule those colonies with vast territories and large populations.
Let’s not talk about the Spaniards, but the natural flaw of Portugal’s sparse population has destined them to be unable to invest a large number of troops in the Far East, or in any place!
As for the use of colonial troops, you can't expect these uncivilized natives to pick up guns and fight!
Li Xuan knew this, so he still insisted on maintaining a tough attitude even though he knew that the weak navy could not defeat the Fo Langji navy.
In addition, these days, the Portuguese and the Spanish are at loggerheads almost all over the world, and the same is true in the Southeast Asia region. The Spanish tried several times to establish colonies in the Philippines, but they were all disrupted by the Portuguese.
And the contradiction between these two countries can also be exploited!
After summoning the ministers of the cabinet, the navy and the army generals, the Tang Dynasty quickly set a policy against the Folangji people, that is, it is okay to do business. Not only is it possible, but they are also very welcoming, but you Folangji people
If you want to seize territory by stealth and abduction, then there is nothing to say but one word: fight!
Soon, a team of imperial envoys from Zhaoqing arrived in Guangzhou by boat, and the first thing they did was to dismiss all relevant Guangzhou government officials involved in the Fo Langji incident and investigate.
As for how to deal with Guangzhou's government affairs after killing most of the officials in the Guangzhou government, this is simple. Today's Tang Dynasty officials have quite a lot of experience in establishing a local government agency from scratch.
Among the people who went to Guangzhou with the imperial envoy were newly appointed officials from Guangzhou Prefecture, including prefects, co-prefects, and other high-level and middle-level officials. It was almost like a new prefecture-level leadership team was sent here.
Immediately, the deputy envoy of the imperial envoy, a senior official from the Inspectorate, began to examine the case. However, the imperial envoy, Mr. Zhao Chengang, the director of the newly established European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, went directly to Haojing to prepare for an interview with Fo Langji.
Carry out relevant discussions.
Because he had already received the news before that the Folangji people had refused to withdraw from Haojing for various reasons, and argued that their possession of Haojing was legal and reasonable, and that they had signed a sacred treaty with Tang Dynasty officials.
.
This matter has obviously exceeded the ability of his subordinates to handle it, and he needs to go there in person!
Of course, it was impossible for him to go alone, or even with just a few accompanying officials. He planned to bring an entire battalion of the army with him!
If these Portuguese people are not willing to get out by then, then they must be shown the powerful fighting power of the Tang Dynasty soldiers!