In 1565, Cebu Island was occupied by a group of Spaniards from Mexico, and after more than half a century of operation, Cebu Island has become the largest stronghold of Spanish colonists in the East.

Up to now, this island with an area of more than 4,600 kilometers has been stationed more than 30 large and small warships, more than 3,600 soldiers, and more than 6,000 Spanish civilians and merchants, most of whom live in Fort San Petro, which is located next to the port of Cebu Island.

As Spain's largest colony in the East, Luzon provided Spain with at least 300,000 dobloons (gold coins) every year, which is why Spain had a large number of troops here.

Today's weather is very fine, and several Spanish soldiers stationed in the harbor are wearing gray and white military uniforms, red pumpkin pants and leather shoes, and gray wide-brimmed soft hats on their heads, lazily leaning against the wall next to the pier with arquebuses on their backs, chatting without the slightest vigilance.

But it's no wonder that since the Spanish occupation of Cebu Island, after more than half a century of rule, almost all the natives of the entire Luzon region have been tamed, and no one dares to provoke here, but anyone who doesn't open their eyes has long been shot, so the Spanish soldiers on Cebu Island have also begun to relax.

When it was noon, a clipper ship flying red and yellow with a crown flag in the center was speeding from afar, and soon docked in the harbor.

It wasn't long before Castro saw Baron Fidel, the Spanish governor in Luzon, in a study in Fort San Petro.

Governor Fidel, who was forty-three years old this year, was in the prime of life, and with two beautiful beards, he was fair-skinned, and he always spoke with a gentle appearance, plus

He knows how to be a man very well, he rarely beats and scolds his subordinates on weekdays, and often gives some small favors to his subordinates, so his prestige among the army and civilians is very high, but now his face is very ugly.

"That's what the Marquis of the Ming Kingdom really said?"

Castro nodded: "Yes, Your Excellency the Marquis, the Marquis of the Ming Kingdom told us that he only gave us one month, and if we don't withdraw from the South Seas in a month, he will go to war against us!" ”

Looking at Castro and the other three, Fidel then asked: "Colonel Castro, you are the person who has dealt with the Ming people the most, and you have also seen their battles with your own eyes, do you have any evaluation of the combat effectiveness of the Ming army?" If we really fight with Mingguo, what are our chances of winning? ”

Castro pondered for a moment before replying, "Your Excellency, it is difficult for me to answer your question, for I have only seen the Mongol army fighting in Apari, and if we were to fight the Mongol cavalry, we would have at least a six-to-seventy-percent chance of victory with the support of the fleet. ”

Hearing this, a smile appeared on Fidel's face, but then he listened to Castro again: "But this is in the case that the opponent's fleet has not participated in the war, and if the opponent's fleet also participates in the war, it will be difficult to say, I can only say that it is five or five."

A few days ago, I had the good fortune to see the main force of His Excellency the Marquis of Mingguo, and found that the main force under his command was all equipped with flintlock muskets, and judging from their words and deeds, this was a well-disciplined and well-trained army, although I had not seen them fight, but I think that if we fought with them in the field, it would be really difficult to say whether we would win or lose, and more importantly, their forces were far above us, which was what I was most worried about. ”

Fidel was silent for a moment before he said, "Castro, are you too worried?" You know, we have the bravest warriors in the world, and our Spanish phalanx is also world-famous, can't we beat these natives of the East? ”

Speaking of the Spanish phalanx, Fidel's face can't help but show a trace of pride, the Spanish phalanx has made great achievements for the rise of Spain since the day of its birth, it used the powerful power of firearms and pikemen left stabbing tactics to send the traditional cold weapon era army into the dustbin of history, but also became the object of imitation by other Western countries.

Although the Spanish Army was no longer an invincible army in the 17th century, the prestige of the Spanish phalanx was still engraved in the hearts of all Spaniards, and this was the reason why Governor Fidel asked so much.

Castro and Mitchell glanced at each other, and finally said: "Your Excellency Governor, although our Spanish phalanx is incomparably powerful, you must know that our number is far less than that of the Ming army, so I think the safest way is to shrink our forces into the castle, and use the strong castle and the artillery on the castle to destroy the living force of the Ming army, which is the wisest way." ”

Field didn't speak, and looked at the three Castro quietly. Facing Field's gaze, the three Castro kept beating drums in their hearts.

Don't look at Field's usual good temper, but whoever thinks he is a harmless rubber stamp would be wrong, Castro will never forget that two years ago, a tribe in Luzon prided himself to be powerful and killed a tax collector sent by Field.

After hearing the news, Field personally led all his troops to surround the tribe, and then surrounded it with artillery and infantry, killing the tribe in a river of blood.

In the end, the chief of the tribe had to come out and surrender himself, and Field accepted his surrender with a smile, but when everyone in the tribe came out of hiding, he immediately turned his face and ordered everyone in the tribe to be killed, even the children who were still nursing.

It was from this incident that Field's prestige immediately spread throughout Luzon, and even the king of Luzon trembled when he saw Field.

But now Field didn't get angry, but nodded with satisfaction, and he patted Castro on the shoulder: "Castro, it's good that you can think so."

Now our Admiral Antonio is leading our main fleet to prepare for a decisive battle with the Dutch, and when we have defeated the Dutch, I will ask His Majesty the King to send another fleet to the east, and then we only need to defeat the Ming fleet, let alone Luzon, and even the Ming is not impossible.

So what we have to do now is not to fight a decisive battle with the Ming people, but to wait for reinforcements, as long as the reinforcements arrive is victory, of course, if the Ming people really want to attack Cebu Island without knowing how to do it, then they will definitely suffer under our fleet and the strong walls of Fort San Petro! ”

Field said this with confidence, but he didn't know that at the same time as he said this, a fleet of Ming Kingdom was heading in the direction of Cebu Island.