Thanks to the West Gate for the breezy monthly pass!

……

In the evening, Wang Mengxiong specially met with the captain of the best squadron today, "Admiral Zhong, your squadron is the best fleet today, and I will ask Your Majesty for a reward." ”

"General Xie!" General Zhong Shen bowed and said.

"The Fujian Navy Division has only been established for a few years, and now it is in urgent need of talents, what talents can Zhong Shen recommend?" Wang Mengxiong asked. General Zhong is Wang Mengxiong's old subordinate, he is very familiar with General Zhong's ability, he doesn't believe that General Zhong has suddenly opened his mind and can use the tactics of the battle line so well.

"The last general has a nephew who serves in the army, and he is currently the commander-in-chief, and he has contributed a lot to the big victory this time." General Zhong Shen took the initiative to say.

"Zhong Xianyun, you and I have known each other for eight years, you have been serving under this general, has this general ever treated you badly?" Wang Mengxiong asked.

"The general has always been gracious to the general...... Zhong Xianyun said with trepidation.

"I will go to Leng Zhou on the orders of His Majesty, this trip is not only to expand the territory, but also to defend Leng Zhou, Leng Zhou is close to the sea, to hold Leng Zhou, you need a capable sailor general, do you understand?" Wang Mengxiong interrupted Zhong Xianyun's words and said.

"The last general understands that there is indeed an extremely capable subordinate on the last general's warship, but he is from a pariah's background, and he is embarrassed to be of great use." Wang Mengxiong's words were all said to this, and Zhong Xianyun didn't dare to hide it anymore.

"Tanto?" Wang Mengxiong asked. Tanhu is a general term for the water dwellers in China's coastal areas, mainly in the provinces of Fuzhou, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan. Since Zhu Youxiao abolished his lowly status, the Fujian Navy Division recruited hundreds of new troops from the Tanhu. Having grown up on ships since he was a child, Tando has been engaged in manual labor for a long time, and his body is generally very strong, and he is very water-based, making him the best sailor.

"Yes." Zhong Xianyun replied.

"It doesn't matter, Your Majesty personally decreed the abolition of the untouchable, and from then on the people of the empire will not be distinguished between the noble and the low. You let him come to see the general. Wang Mengxiong said.

"No."

……

The person Zhong Xianyun said was still on the warship at this time, but Wang Mengxiong couldn't wait to meet this person. Zhong Xianyun had to recruit this person immediately.

"What's your name? Any current position? Wang Mengxiong asked.

"Little Pu Yishui, the current captain." Pu Yishui said respectfully.

"You commanded the battle today?" Wang Mengxiong asked.

Pu Yishui didn't dare to answer Wang Mengxiong's question when he heard it, but looked at Zhong Xianyun.

"Just answer truthfully." Zhong Xianyun said with a red face.

"Yes." Pu Yishui replied.

"Why are you able to master the methods of battle on the battle line so quickly?" Wang Mengxiong asked again.

"This ......" Pu Yishui really didn't know how to answer Wang Mengxiong's question, he thought about it and said, "The little one grew up on the boat since he was a child, and he followed the adults to the sea since he was a child, and he will operate the boat since he was a child." Lord Wang trusts the small ones, let the small ones command, and the small ones can sink the enemy ships. ”

Regarding Pu Yishui's answer, Wang Mengxiong didn't care too much, "Are you literate?" ”

"After the little one joined the army, he learned some words from the teacher in the army." Pu Yishui replied.

"Do you like to read?" Wang Mengxiong asked.

"I read it occasionally, and Lord Wang often borrows books for the little ones to read." Pu Yishui replied.

"Fernando? Can you read Oliveira's "The Art of Fighting at Sea"? Wang Mengxiong asked.

"I've seen it, this is a must-read book for sailors designated by His Majesty himself." Pu Yishui replied.

"It's a good habit to read books, and there are a lot of books here that you can read at any time." Wang Mengxiong said with a smile.

"Master Xie." Pu Yishui said happily. Pu Yishui really likes to read.

"From tomorrow, you will first serve as a guard under the general, responsible for training the battle line tactics of the sailors, and as for your position, you will ask the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion for instructions, and it should not be lower than the position of the commander of Qian." Wang Mengxiong said.

"This ......" Pu Yishui was also stunned when he heard it. was directly promoted from the captain to the president of Qian, and there were many levels in between.

"Don't hurry up and thank you." Zhong Xianyun said.

"Little thank you for your grace." Pu Yishui said respectfully.

……

Wang Mengxiong's siege began at dawn the next day, and his first day's attack was to use warships to bombard Manila City from the beginning, although Manila's heavy artillery could also attack the Ming warships, but the number of artillery was far inferior to the Ming warships, and the Ming warships poured more than 9,000 shells in Manila in one day, with an average of more than 200 shells on a warship.

Pu Yishui recorded this war in his memoirs, "General Wang took advantage of the artillery advantage of the warships and fired countless artillery fire in one day, in the artillery fire, Manila City suffered heavy losses, several broken city walls were collapsed, and we were not damaged, this is a new naval warfare model, and our army has used the ...... many times in the back"

Under the indiscriminate bombardment of the sailors, the city of Manila was breached after only one day. By evening, Wang Mengxiong led a large army into the city of Manila.

Although the expeditionary force entered the city of Manila, the battle was not over. Hurtado ordered not to surrender, and the Ming army engaged in street fighting with the Spanish army.

"The Spaniards have not only built fortifications in the city of Manila, but have also taken advantage of the terrain to hold back our army, and now the progress is slow, and it is expected that the city will not be completely taken until tomorrow evening." The spies reported back.

Sebastian? Hurtado was a general who had been in many battles, and when he saw that he could not stop the Ming army by relying on the city wall, he immediately ordered the construction of fortifications in the city of Manila, wanting to rely on the terrain advantage to drag the Ming army and wait for reinforcements. While Sebastian? Hurtado knew that reinforcements would most likely not arrive, but he at least hoped to use the city's fortifications to win negotiations for himself.

"The Tiger Squat Cannon can effectively strike at the enemy after the fortifications, and the order was given to Huang Hua to pull all ten Tiger Squat Cannons into the city." Wang Mengxiong said. Although there is a gap between the Ming Navy and the Spaniards, there is no gap between the army and the Spaniards, and there is even an advantage in weapons. The gap between the improved Tiger Squat Gun and the mortars of later generations in the firing angle and ballistic arc is not so big, and this is also the first time that mortars have been put into actual combat.

For the first time, the Spaniards fought with such a tiger squat artillery, apparently unaware that the artillery of the Ming army could directly bombard the defenders behind the fortifications. The Spanish army in Manila consisted of only 1,000 men, and the rest were all troops formed by the locals. The Spaniards were all stunned by the tiger squat artillery, and the combat effectiveness of the troops formed by the locals can be imagined.

(End of chapter)