Even if it is besieged but not attacked, it is a kind of torment for the Spanish colonists in the Manila castle.

After all, their Western-style castles cost too much material resources, and with the financial and material resources of the Spaniards, even in the central area of Luzon in the South Seas, the Spaniards have been operating for decades, and the controllable scope of their main castles is still not large.

This is also the reason why Li Tian was able to besiege the city with more than 2,000 people and a group of rabble of the Ming people.

Due to the limitations of the castle's scope, the materials and food that can be stored in the Manila castle are limited, and there is no problem in feeding more than 3,000 people for a while, but they have no spare strength to provide for a long time.

With the reserves of the Spaniards, at most they can rely on the materials stored in the castle to guard the castle for about three months, which is naturally no problem in the past, but at this moment, the Spanish naval fleet was directly disabled by the Hongmen, and the Portuguese in Xiangshanao After learning the news of their defeat, it is already a question whether they dare to send troops to rescue again, and the Spaniards in the Manila Castle can be said to be basically people who have no way out.

Even if the troops were transferred from the Kingdom of Spain at this time, under the fatigue of the Zhou Division, at least half a year's long journey, I am afraid that the Kingdom Sailors would still reach India, and the manpower in their Manila castle would have been starved to death.

The Governor of Salamanca has been in a very bad mood these days, and even his wife, who is as beautiful as a flower, can't make him smile.

Colonel Diego, as the military commander of the castle, routinely reported to the governor on movements outside the city and the soldiers in the castle every day.

"Are the Hongmen people preparing to attack the city?"

The Governor of Salamanca, who was sitting behind the bar table, asked weakly as his fat body leaned limply against the chair behind him.

"Depending on the situation, it should be in the next two days, and when the time comes, please ask the Governor and his wife to take refuge in the bunker, so as not to be accidentally injured by the bombing shells!"

Diego also came because of this incident, and the situation outside the castle, he could see clearly with the castle's walls more than two feet high.

"How long are you sure you'll be able to hold out?"

"Please rest assured, with our manpower and ammunition reserves, we will definitely be able to support more than a month, and the Portuguese fleet of Xiangshan Ao should arrive at that time!"

Diego replied confidently, in fact, he knew that the Portuguese fleet he was talking about would probably not dare to come, because at this moment their Manila castle had been besieged for more than ten days, if the Portuguese really sent the fleet, it would have already arrived, and it would not have been silent until now, but seeing the helpless look of the governor in front of him, Colonel Diego could only pick some nice words to say to let him regain his fighting spirit.

"Portuguese? Hum! ”

The Governor of Salamanca was not a stupid man, and with his political acumen, although he did not necessarily know anything about military affairs, he could only anticipate the possible choices of the Portuguese from the point of view of the interests and stakes.

"Have you ever wondered where we go from here?"

After sneering, Salamanca suddenly asked the question, and without even waiting for Diego to answer, he once again said something pessimistic that shocked Diego: "You say, if we surrender, will the Hongmen let us go?" ”

"Your Excellency the Governor!!"

Diego hurriedly interrupted Salamanca's negative language and replied in a heavy tone: "I am a soldier, you are the governor, and everyone has one and only one responsibility, and that is to protect the safety of my Spanish colony of Manila!" ”

Colonel Diego was a soldier, but he was not a complete soldier, and his family was a noble family in the Kingdom of Spain, and he knew very well what the colony of Manila meant to their Kingdom of Spain.

At this time in Europe, their Spanish kingdom sailors were actually in decline, being chased by emerging maritime powers such as Britain and the Netherlands, and they wanted to challenge the status of the Spaniards all the time.

Although they still had a rich colony on the American continent, the Far East had more important goods for the kingdom and the countries of Europe: porcelain, tea, raw silk, spices, and so on.

Originally, the Kingdom of Spain was limited in material output due to its small territory, and in order to maintain the kingdom's strong dominance on the sea, most of the annual income was invested in the construction of sailors.

Even with the economic assistance of many colonies, the Far East is still the most important economic source of the kingdom, and if their Manila colony is buried in the hands of themselves and others at this time, it can be said to be a very heavy blow to the kingdom.

As the guardian of the Manila colony of the kingdom, he and the governor of Salamanca and others, even if they are lucky enough to escape back to the kingdom, what awaits them will inevitably be the destruction of their reputation, the loss of their status, and even the endangerment of their respective families.

Therefore, Colonel Diego would not allow the Manila colony to be lost from his hands unless he had to do so.

"Hahaha, I'm just thinking about it, do you really think I'm going to surrender like this?"

Seeing Diego's serious expression, the governor of Salamanca knew that it seemed that it was not time to make a proposal at this time, and if it was not for the military head of the colony to agree, it would not be easy for him to surrender, so he hurriedly said haha.

"But then I'm going to have to work hard for you, Colonel!"

"Where is the duty!"

Diego saluted, turned and stepped back with a blank face.

Colonel Diego was not perfunctory by Salamanca, and he was keenly aware that the Governor of Salamanca was more inclined to surrender and save his life, so he gradually began to have a suspicion of the Governor of Salaminaca.

At this moment, in the port of Xiangshanao, thousands of miles away, the Portuguese fleet, which was regarded by the Spaniards as the only lifeline, has not been traced until now, but because their fleet has not left the port.

The reason for not leaving the port is very simple, because in the waters outside Xiangshan Ao, dozens of 400 warships of the Hongmen Fleet and the Penghu Naval Division, as well as more than a dozen "Yang Fan-style" warships, are cruising day and night.

Originally, their Portuguese fleet had reached the halfway point, but with Li Tianyang sending back the news from Nanyang and transferring the fleet south, although most of the Hongmen fleet could not go south, they were not without help for Li Tianyang in Nanyang.

It was only the siege of Xiangshanao, and the Portuguese had to transfer back the fleet that originally supported the Spanish compatriots for their own interests, and watched with amazement as the huge Hongmen fleet around them showed off their might in front of their own side.

(End of chapter)