"Admiral Francisco, don't come unharmed."

The Ebius Radiance slowly docked at the Golden Horn. There are also several main battleships of the Phoenix fleet that are slowly approaching. Perhaps to the Genoese on the other side of the river, this was just a monthly return to port for the huge fleet, but apparently Constantine XI was not that idea.

Fransco and Vasika Evgeny, who had been temporarily transferred to command the siege of Galata, had just arrived at the palace when a highly confidential royal council began. Unlike in the past, Agrippa, Kinchi and others, who were also chief ministers, did not attend the meeting, and the participants at the parliamentary table this time were all commanders of the navy and army. It's not that Constantine XI didn't allow them to participate, it's just that there is a secret mission waiting for them.

It is a matter of whether the complete encirclement of the Balkans can be completed in half a year.

As soon as the people arrived, Constantine XI sat down on the Holy Throne and said: "Galata is only a few hundred meters away from Constantinople on the Golden Horn, and we can take it by surprise and settle the war while Galata's city defense is not assembled." ”

The commander of the Holy See Guard in Constantinople, Publius, had secured the Genoese fort of Galata, which was now full of holes for the Empire, and for now it was only a matter of discussing a way to minimize the damage.

The current Admiral of the First Fleet of the Empire suggested: "The sea wall of Galata is similar to that of Constantinople, and is actually very strong, and even if it is bombarded with the broadside guns of the Ebius Radiance, it will be difficult to destroy it in a short time. This would give Galata's army plenty of time to react. It shouldn't be the best way to do it. ”

In order to ensure that Galata can be taken 100%, almost all the remaining spies that the empire can mobilize in Constantinople are dispatched on all fronts, and even in order to collect intelligence, the empire continues to buy some Genoese officials in Galata at a high price in exchange for accurate defense and military situation.

"Within the city walls, there were only about 500 Genoese in the battle sequence, and the nearest reinforcement to them was also in the Crimea on the other side of the Black Sea. There are currently only four warships stationed at the port of Galata. Tonight is undoubtedly the most opportune time to attack Galata and we have to take advantage of it. "The Holy See Guard can dispatch at least half of its strength, and in addition, with the sailors of the Phoenix Fleet and the First Fleet of the Empire, we have a tenfold superiority in strength, and we can even launch a fierce assault on the city walls as a last resort." ”

Hearing this, Vasika shook her head: "General Publius, we have limited troops. I have just come from Epirus, and His Majesty John has not yet been able to completely solve the problem of lack of manpower in Epirus, and the Holy See Guard in Constantinople is more precious, and reducing losses is the fundamental task, but there is no concern at all about whether Galata will be recovered, it is only a matter of time. ”

"Reducing losses is a priority, but time is just as valuable. I can't allow anything to happen. With Venice's trade orientation already moving closer to the Empire, the Genoese still unleashed goodwill towards the Ottoman Empire, and we cannot guarantee that Mehmed II would not have sent troops to reinforce Galata. This is not the first time for Westerners. ”

"Indeed, we are going to capture Galata before dawn, this is the last reassurance to the Hungarian nobility."

"Agrippa?!"

Constantine XI almost stood up from the Holy Seat: "How are things? ”

"The meeting of the Hungarian upper parliament to elect the regent will be held next week, and General Hunyadi has already won more than half of the support, because the core goal of General Hunyadi is to form an alliance with the empire against the Austrians and the Ottomans, so the empire must win a stronger victory in the Balkans to secure the eventual election of General Hunyadi as regent." Agrippa took the handkerchief from the hand of the attendant and wiped his sweat, "For the Ottomans, it will be infinitely more difficult to storm Constantinople head-on after the fall of Galata, and I am afraid that in Muhammad's heart, it is better to give Galata to the Genoese than to return it to the Empire." ”

"If it is about the covenant with Hungary...... It is indeed necessary to take Galata as soon as possible. The quickest and easiest way is to attack the Galata Sea Wall. Publius suddenly looked at Francisco, "Admiral Francisco, can you still install heavy artillery on the Ebius Radiance?" ”

"Heavy artillery?" Francisco looked at Publius with some strange eyes, "Of course there is a place for the heavy artillery, but I don't think the broadside guns are dense enough." But is there still enough artillery in Constantinople for the flagship of the Phoenix fleet? ”

"Oh, you don't think the broadside guns are dense enough, and I don't think you're Ebius-Brilliant enough! Let's go, go to the Golden Horn! ”

At first, Francisco thought Publius was whimsical, but when the soldiers launched two folding guns and two urban heavy guns from the warehouses in the port of the Golden Horn, he really began to worry about the stability of the flagship.

Four salvos of large-caliber artillery of this magnitude, replaced by an ordinary galley battleship, would definitely be overturned by recoil. But if the Ebius-Radiance can be used as a launch platform to bombard the sea wall of Galata, it will probably take at most two salvos to destroy the sea wall.

At this point, this raid war is a foregone conclusion. Although the Urban Heavy Artillery was intended to be a surprise for the Ottomans, it didn't hurt to make some changes at the critical moment.

In the middle of the night, the four guns were loaded, and in order to ensure the stability of the hull, Francisco also removed the overtime side guns on the right side and reinforced the bottom compartment to ensure that the waterline did not rise to dangerous heights. After all, a large warship like the Ebius Radiance will have a sharp drop in mobility in the Golden Horn, and if the ship is seriously injured or even sunk due to an accident, it will be a loss that the Empire cannot afford.

The other capital ships of the Phoenix fleet temporarily acted as transport ships, responsible for quickly sending sailors and land forces to the gap to launch an attack after the sea wall was broken, with the aim of completing the blitzkrieg between the Genoese grouping.

After making preparations, the Ebius Radiance sped off towards Galata.

"Admiral, General Publius, the main cannon has been loaded......"

"Okay, let the sailors hold on to whatever they can hold on to, and don't be knocked down by the recoil. The main gun is ready to ......"

"Fire!"