Since the Nanyang Fleet fought a vicious battle in Edo, Japan, it has not been a happy battle for nearly a year, and it was only a five-shot shot, and the two fleets have staggered, one by one, they are holding back their strength, ready to kill one of them fiercely, but unexpectedly, when the battleship turned around, the Portuguese patrol fleet raised the white flag one after another, and one by one suddenly felt depressed.

Lin Wei also felt depressed in his heart, with his thoughts, it was the most trouble-free and time-saving to send these Portuguese to the bottom of the sea happily, but he knew that he couldn't be so capricious, this was Europe, and there were allies of Spain next to him, if he openly killed prisoners, the reputation of the Qing Kingdom would be stinky in Europe.

Seeing that several officers were waiting for him to speak, Lin Wei said angrily: "What are you looking at?" There's a big war right away, wouldn't it be better to save some ammunition? As he spoke, he glanced at the two fourth-class ships, and secretly felt heartache in his heart, but it was a pity for these two fourth-class ships, he had known that Portugal liked to surrender so much, so it was necessary to be so ruthless.

After a slight pause, he then ordered: "In half an hour, the Grand Fleet of Portugal will arrive, and order the prisoners to sit in small boats or jump into the water and the undamaged merchant ships, and in a quarter of an hour they will sink those ships." ”

When several officers heard that they were going to sink these battleships, they couldn't help but feel a pain in their flesh, how much silver were these battleships worth, and wouldn't it be a pity to sink them? However, they didn't dare to say much in front of the heralds, and the heralds turned around and took the order, and the guerrilla Song Caide sighed lightly: "Two fourth-class ships, it's a bit of a pity." ”

"What's the pity?" Lin Wei said disapprerovingly: "These battleships must have entered the bottom bilge, otherwise they would not have surrendered, and you still expect to run away with these battleships?" Stay, that's also the Portuguese, it's just sinking, out of sight and out of mind, besides, we don't have time to receive battleships, right? ”

Listening to the orders of the South Sea Fleet, the Spaniards were also in pain. However, what was even more annoyed was the Portuguese, all of them hated itchy, and the Qing people were so deceitful that they would sink their warships if they surrendered. But their lieutenant colonel Adamer was not indignant. At this point, indignation will only kill everyone, besides, it will be him. He will also sink these battleships that cannot be taken away, he didn't say anything, just took the lead in lowering the boat, and then the first to board the boat, these Qing people are now racing against time. He didn't dare test their patience.

The commander of the Royal Portuguese Navy fleet, Fausto, received an urgent report from the merchant frigate and the Maritime Patrol almost at the same time to rob the Portuguese gold ship in the bay outside the port of Lisbon, which was tantamount to a resounding slap in the face of the Portuguese fleet, and it was a slap in the face of the whole of Europe, which was an indelible shame for the Portuguese fleet, which had just been restored to the first-class navy in Europe.

What made Fausto even more annoyed was that the Coast Guard's report made it clear that the other side was not a pirate at all. It was a regular navy, and more than thirty robbed ships were cruisers, and there is no need to think about it, this must have been done by the Spaniards, except for Spain. No one in Europe was going to provoke the Portuguese fleet.

"Damn bandits." Fausto gritted his teeth and cursed in a low voice, and then ordered in a deep voice: "Order the First Squadron to go to the rescue immediately, but not to chase too far." He had a vague hunch that things were not so simple, given the strength of the Spanish navy. It is impossible to dare to provoke them so blatantly, there must be the shadow of the Qing people behind this.

Because it involves a gold ship. Fausto did not dare to slack off, and immediately got up and rushed to the palace of Seento to meet King João V, Portugal has been declining over the years, overseas trade has also shrunk significantly, and the continuous shipment of gold from colonial Brazil is not only the economic lifeblood of Portugal, but also the only hope for Portugal's prosperity.

João V is only twenty-five years old this year, about the same age as Emperor Zhenwu, he ascended the throne and was crowned at the age of seventeen, and as soon as he came to power, he firmly controlled the military and political power, and was a rare powerful and autocratic monarch in Portugal, and the senior generals of the Portuguese fleet were promoted by him, and Fausto was no exception.

Hearing Fausto's report, João V's heart couldn't help but sink, 2,000 pounds of gold is not a large amount, and he lost it, the question is why did Spain dare to provoke so deliberately? Needless to say, behind this matter, the Qing people must have a share, and with Spain not having the strength and courage, this matter is a bit tricky.

Spain and Qing this move is tantamount to an open declaration of war on Portugal, although Portugal and Britain signed an offensive and defensive alliance, but now the British are busy competing for the crown prince, the doppelganger is weak, there is no mind to carry out a large-scale war, only with the Portuguese fleet to compete with Spain and the Qing fleet, even if it can be defeated, the strength will be greatly damaged, this kind of lose-lose situation, he does not want to see, must pull the British in! Forced Britain to let go of the crown prince dispute and declare war on the Qing State!

With a slight groan, João V spoke: "How did you deal with this?" ”

"Your Majesty." Fausto replied respectfully: "I have ordered the First Squadron to go to the rescue. ”

The Portuguese fleet was divided into three fleets, the first fleet was the weakest, but there were also ten third-class battleships, and after glancing at Fausto, Joao V asked, "Do you think there is something strange about this?" ”

"Your Majesty is wise." Fausto said in a deep voice: "The Spaniards do not have the strength to provoke our Portugal, there must be the support of the Qing people behind this matter, the other party openly robbed the Brazilian gold ship near Lisbon, naturally they want to provoke us, I am afraid that there are traps behind it." ”

"Since it is a door-to-door provocation, it is naturally full of certainty." João V nodded slightly and said, "Since they want to fish, let's give him a big fish and choke them to death as he wishes." ”

What do you mean? Fausto listened to the confusion and choked them to death? The strength of the Qing fleet is not weak, if it is really a trap, I am afraid that the first squadron alone will not choke them.

After a slight groan, João V said in a deep voice: "Send a clipper ship to give an order immediately, ordering the First Squadron to stand by in Port Arzhes, and pursue it together after joining the British fleet in Lisbon." ”

Your Majesty is going to pull the British fleet in? Fausto couldn't help but be slightly stunned, and soon realized João V's intentions, and was about to flatter him, João V had already said with a smile: "Tell the commander of the British fleet in Lisbon that the eight thousand pounds of gold that were going to reward them were robbed by pirates at the gate, and I think they would be interested in pursuing pirates." ”

Fausto raised his eyebrows when he heard this, and four thousand pounds turned into eight thousand pounds, eight thousand pounds of gold, and those British would definitely be crazy about it, and he hurriedly bowed down and said, "Your Majesty is wise, the British will definitely be more active than us." After a slight pause, he continued: "Your Majesty, we don't know the combat power of the Qing fleet, should we let the British try the details of the Qing fleet first?" ”

João V shook his head slightly, and said: "The strength of the Qing fleet is not weak, the British have lost too much, and we are not easy to explain, don't forget, the Qing fleet once captured the Spanish Luzon fleet with more than twenty cruisers." ”

"Your Majesty, the British Navy is not comparable to the third-rate goods of the Spanish Luzon fleet." Fausto said disapprehantly: "With such a large fleet dispatched, the Qing Kingdom and Spain may be frightened and flee without a fight. ”

The Spanish navy has long been reduced to a second-rate level, and it is indeed impossible to compare with Britain and Portugal, and a motley fleet like the Luzon fleet is called a third-rate commodity that is nothing to be compared, listen to this. João V couldn't help but smile slightly, if the Qing Kingdom and Spain did not dare to fight, it would be in vain, and after a little hesitation, he said: "Then leave four third-class battleships and fourth-class battleships." ”

"Your Majesty is wise." Fausto bowed and said, "I hope that the Qing Kingdom and Spain will not let us down." After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Since the fleets of the two countries are fighting jointly, who will command this fleet?" ”

Of course, it was commanded by the British, and even if there was gold, the British would not hand over the fleet to us for command, João V groaned for a while, and then said: "Wells, the commander of the British fleet, has a lot of experience, so he will be the commander of the fleet." ”

Looking at the back of Fausto turning away, João V couldn't help but show a smug smile slightly, I wonder how the British would react when they learned that the fleet stationed in Lisbon and the Qing fleet were fighting? It is not a loss to use 4,000 pounds of gold to pull Britain in, there are 12 third-class battleships and 20 fourth-class ships, which can be regarded as giving enough face to the Qing people, and I hope that the Qing people will not be vulnerable, and it is the most ideal to be able to lose both.

Waiting on the battlefield was undoubtedly a kind of torment, Lin Wei was uncomfortable at this time, they finished moving the gold on the merchant ships as quickly as possible, scooped up the prisoners, sank the warships, and arranged for five warships to escort the prisoner ships and the warships loaded with gold to evacuate first according to the original retreat route.

After finishing all this, he waited for half an hour, but he still didn't see the shadow of the Portuguese fleet, Lin Wei couldn't help but be puzzled, the reaction speed of the Portuguese fleet was also a little slower, from Lisbon to the mouth of the Tagus River, but more than ten miles of sailing, half an hour is enough, even if the fleet is slow to assemble, it should be time to arrive? It would have been a pity to know that Portugal was moving so slowly, and that the two fourth-tier battleships should not have been sunk.

Just when Lin Wei and others were about to see through, the Portuguese fleet finally appeared at the mouth of the Tagus River, and when he heard the report from the lookout post, Lin Wei couldn't help but lift his spirits, and quickly raised his binoculars to watch, and the warships with full sails were pouring out of the Tagus River in a steady stream.

"It's still out." Lin Wei chuckled, paused slightly, and then ordered: "Burn these merchant ships, and then head south, full sails and full speed." ”

The merchant ships, which had already been poured with oil, were ignited at one point, and the fire was soon burned into a piece by the wind, and the thick smoke rolled up was extremely conspicuous on the sea, and the commander of the Anglo-Portuguese combined fleet, Wells, as soon as he came out of the Tagus River, saw the pirate fleet that was sailing away, and could not help but be overjoyed, and immediately ordered a full speed pursuit.