What's next?

This is the question that Zhang Chai Lao is thinking about.

The crescent moon hangs in the sky, reflecting a faint shimmer on the sea, and the huge silhouette of the target is already in view from the narrow strait between the east and mainland of Labuan Island to the south, bypassing the most urgent undercurrent.

Hidden in the shadow of the Spaniard's huge ship, Zhang Chai Lao's heart was filled with a trace of unease, the loudspeaker-like opening of the port was already within reach, and the huge architectural projection on the skyline that was still recognizable to the naked eye made his breath rapid.

More than 60 large and small ships following Zhang Chai Lao crossed the strait one after another, and then bypassed a small island, and followed the slowing tide towards the southeast port, where the ships had been assembled for half an hour, and finally arranged the queue. Among the more than 60 boats, only more than half of the Zhang family gathered, and a small half were small gangs gathered from nearby, and there were also Sulu people who came to fight the autumn wind.

I don't know who first released the news to stir it up, but as the bandits gathered in one place, all kinds of rumors about the Song people on Labuan Island were also stamped with undoubted seals.

The goods that have been flowing out of merchants everywhere will not lie, not to mention that this patchwork 'fleet' can be regarded as strong, with the cover of Hongfan's naval artillery fire, no matter how strong his port is, it can be easily captured.

I have long heard that Labuan Island has never been approached for more than a month, although the short hair on the island is said to never hurt people, but there is still no merchant willing to carry a ship full of goods to try their luck, so it seems that it is the first time that the boat has been driven to a distance of less than ten miles without being harassed by the clippers on the island.

Don't think too much about it, as in the past the ports that were looted in Java and Sriwijaya.

A few years ago, when he helped Panenba Khan, the lord of Matalan, capture Surabaya City, several of his own warships were at the forefront. Think about the past, the king Zhang who crossed the sea in his twenties, and the king Zhang who took the order of the king of a country in his thirties to capture the capital of another country, even though the sea breeze has carved mottled lines on his face, the name he has broken through for many years is not in vain, the largest sea lord in the north of Borneo, how can this name be given to another?

Torches were lit on the boat, one, two...... Dozens, gradually forming a ribbon of light, floated on the inky sea, heading towards the port.

…………

What's next?

That's what Gonzalez was thinking about.

The St. Anthony's tall hull blocked out the moonlight, making the junk ships in front of it even more small and helpless in their shadows, much to Gonzalez's heart. These Eastern savages were greedy and unfaithless in the face of wealth, and he would not have intended to be in the company of these 'monkey' pariahs if he had not wanted to use them to tempt his opponents on the island.

It was all out of curiosity and adventure, and for several days the story of how the Song people's wealth had piled up, and how lax their defenses, had been played up over and over again, and Gonzalez knew that these were nothing more than exaggerated embellishments, and that the rumored numbers were always inflating at a rate of several times each time, both in the East and in the West, to prove the authority of the people who carried them.

The captain in his forties, with curly brown hair, always maintained an elegant posture and a proper attire, no matter how arduous the voyage was.

I can still remember that I was a small gunner's assistant, and I could only do some menial work such as carrying gunpowder and carrying shells. In the powder compartment on the lower deck, the dangerous powder filled with the cartridge was taken out through the fireproof wet curtain, and carefully climbed several floors to hand it over to the gun chief. At that time, a glimpse of the fierce battle outside through the porthole could immediately dissipate the fatigue of climbing several layers of gun decks in a row, but now it is no longer possible.

It's really interesting to think about it, this ship of his own, plus the arrangement on the stern, has only twenty guns in total, which is not half of the guns of an ordinary fourth-class warship in the Invincible Armada, but this group of Eastern barbarians now really needs to support the façade for them, or it can be called courage.

"Would you like a drink?"

Father Alfonso, who was with him on the ship, stood behind Gonzalez and asked in a suffical voice, because he had been close to Boroni, had conquered Labuan, and had divided the treasure, so he could go to the capital of Bo Ni to replenish his supplies, so in the evening the captain specially ordered a lamb to be slaughtered, which was specially made according to the flavor of his hometown, and Pastor Alfonso, as the only clergyman on the ship, had the privilege of enjoying this rare meal for a month.

"No, I've always felt a little uneasy, I've never felt like this before. You know, I've fought in Lisbon and the English Channel, but I've never felt that way before. ”

"Rest assured, Captain Francisco has always been trustworthy, and he must have ordered all the ropes holding the gun doors to be removed."

"I've always been reassured of my soldiers and officers, but I just feel that this port smells indescribable."

"Dear Fidel, you must understand that this is all the guidance of the Lord, and since we have come to this wild land, we are obliged to bring the gospel to these savages." Father Alfonso called Captain González by his Christian name, and the dinner arranged by the supply officer pleased the middle-aged man from Seville, so much so that he once again had more optimistic expectations for the voyage ahead.

Perhaps deep down the thirst for adventure and wealth was greater than piety, Gonzalez still felt that it was a good choice to justify his actions, and took the glass from the priest, the red wine in which had taken on a noticeable sour taste after a long journey, but the captain drank it down in one gulp, and began his arrangement.

"I order Mr. Rodriguez to land with three rowboats and fifty soldiers, and if it goes well, light the signal."

…………

What's next?

This is still the question that the traversers are pondering.

The princes of the eastern and western provinces gathered in the command center of the base, and the hall was filled with soothing and soft music and a faint aroma of coffee, all of which were idyllic and lazy.

"The rabbit is finally here, but it's a pity that Lao Xu has been guarding the strains in the mullah field for so long, and if you wait a few more days, it is estimated that they will soon sprout."

Someone started up, and the topic was naturally brought out.

"Aren't the Spaniards in the Philippines and Makassar? Knowing the news so quickly? What a dog's nose. ”

"I'm afraid it's just a coincidence, only one ship came, and strictly speaking, it can't be said to be a pure warship."

"I have to say hello to Lao Zhu again, take it easy, don't let people drown, and the boat can't be fine."

"Don't worry, I've already explained, put it ashore for good raw food, and I will never get out of one."

"Spanish galleons don't go ashore."

"The sea has already been arranged."

Luo Keli, Zhou Taige, Ma Qianzhuo, Wen Desi, Ping Qiusheng, Wang Feng, Xie Ming, Li Hou, and the deacons gathered together, except for Xu Xuance, the governor of the council who commanded in the mullah land, and Zhu Dazhao, the privy deputy envoy who was waiting for rabbits in the port area, the personnel arrived neatly tonight, and even Mei Kathy, who rarely liked to join in the fun, was also sitting in the hall.

The results of all the calculations that have been made since D-Day are finally about to be seen, and although the people of all parts of the island do not have to take part in the military operation, they are all ready to fight at any time.

Ma Qianzhuo suppressed his ups and downs and said his analysis: "The pacification of Brunei is just the first step in the long march of thousands of miles, and now it seems that it is nothing. In the past few days, I have been consulting the information, and combined with the information collected from merchants and people everywhere in the past month or so, I can basically judge that the population of Borneo and its surroundings at this time should be 30,000 or 40,000, and because of the war in recent years, there have been many escapes, and the population of North Borneo is around 160,000. ”

Zhou Taige said: "It's a pity that there are too few Han people. ”

Ping Qiusheng said: "If you enter the Yi, you will be Yi, and if you enter the summer, you will be Xia, as long as you learn my education, you are Han people, and there is no need to be so clear." ”

Mei Casey also agreed: "The idea of seeking saints is indeed the correct solution, as long as you agree with Chinese culture, you are all my Great Song people, but what you said is not bad, after all, the ready-made Han people have the same language, and they are better to cultivate, but now the immigrants from Liangguang and Fujian are mostly in the Malay Peninsula and the Philippines, Borneo is already less populated, and it is not the main channel for maritime trade, even in Nanyang, it is a deserted place." ”

Roclery listened to a lot of people and concluded: "What you said is reasonable, we still have to pay attention to construction at the moment, but in the east to Luzon, west to Java and Malacca, there must be a strategic center of gravity in the next step, and the conditions here are limited, after all, it is not a long-term development plan." ”

"In my opinion, it is better to go forward with both roads, and I am willing to be responsible for the east road." Ping Qiusheng had already planned it, and now it was just the right time to say it, Wang Feng and Xie Ming also supported it randomly, and were willing to go east together.

"But you said it's two ways to go hand in hand."

"It seems that I am the only one who has worked hard to go west." Zhou Taige on the side spoke reluctantly, but a few people present did not know that he was a representative of the arbitrary faction, and the call for the Portuguese to take Malacca as soon as possible was not a day or two, and he just made a gesture.

Luo Keli comforted him disapprovingly: "Old Zhou, don't complain, Ma and Wen are going to work hard with you." ”

Hearing this, Ma Qianzhu and Wen Deji nodded slightly at Luo Keli and Zhou Taige, with a smile on the corner of their mouths.

"Of course, whether this strategy is successful or not will still fall into the hands of Sun Jun." Li Hou, who had been silent, finally spoke, but as soon as the words fell, everyone turned their attention to Sun Liangyu, who was playing a game in the corner.

Sun Jun raised his head and glanced at everyone, and his eyes widened.

"See what I do? I'm just a tech nerd, no matter how fast I sharpen my knife, I still have to be held by you to cut people. ”

[Note: According to the statistics of Western scholars de Sande, at the end of the sixteenth century, especially after the war with Spain in 1579 (in which Spain claimed to have captured 4,000-5,000 Brunei), the population of northern Borneo fled in large numbers, and its population of China once fell to about 18,000, and by 1590, the registered population of Dasmarinas recovered to 32,000, and the number of water tankers was about 2,000-3,000. This figure was confirmed in statistics around 1608, when the population of the capital hovered between 20,000 and 30,000 for 10 years. Based on the current population of Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei Darussalam for the first time, the total population of the capital city in 1617 is 30,000 to 40,000. 】

[The vast sea, all are journeys, the traverser is finally going to make a move, I want to know what will happen next, and listen to the next decomposition, ask for red tickets, ask for support]