Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 461 Seeing an Opportunity
March 27, 1641, Black Shark Island (now Guadalupe Island, Mexico).

Lou Wenhe, senior executive of the Americas Trading Company and head of Black Shark Island, repeatedly looked through the intelligence in the sealed bag three times. The soft edges of the paper were already roughened by his fingers.

He stood on the second-floor terrace of the government office, looking at the "Santoca" merchant ship loading cargo in the harbor, his brows furrowed.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, blew against his face, ruffling his cotton shirt.

"Ah Qi, prepare the boat!" Lou Wenhe turned around, his leather boots making a heavy sound on the wooden floor. "I need the fastest clipper boat. I want to go to Yuzhou myself."

He Xiaoqi brought in freshly brewed strong tea, but upon hearing this, her hand trembled, and the scalding tea splashed onto the blue-and-white porcelain tray: "Sir, you just returned from inspecting the southern part of the island yesterday, and there are many matters to attend to on the island right now..."

"We have to go, no matter how complicated it is!" Lou Wenhe interrupted him, slamming the intelligence report onto the pine wood table. The papers scattered, revealing densely packed, tiny characters. "Urgent report from Acapulco Port: the Western barbarians are making a big move!"

"A big move? Wasn't the news from Mexico just two weeks ago that the Westerners only sent troops to San Diego Bay to expel our exploration team stranded there?" He Xiaoqi looked at him in confusion. "By now, they should have received our warning and should have made preparations. Why should you risk it again, sir, by personally taking the liaison ship?"

“This time the situation is different!” Lou Wenhe took a deep breath. “Because the Westerners may take risks, not only to mobilize the exploration team in San Diego Bay, but also to gather the troops of the two governorates and head straight for Yongning Bay.”

"No way?" He Xiaoqi looked surprised.

"It is said that the chief inspector from Spain is very interested in the gold mine in Yongning Bay." Lou Wenhe turned to look at a map of the Americas hanging on the wall and pointed to the Peru region. "He has already gone to Lima and is preparing to persuade the governor of Peru to send two to three thousand soldiers to support him. They are expected to arrive at the port of Acapulco in a few months."

"San Diego Bay is just bait; their real targets are Yongning Bay and that gold mine!"

He suddenly stopped what he was doing and turned to look at He Xiaoqi: "Xiaoqi, it seems that our Black Shark Island is located on the way from Mexico to Yongning Bay."

He Xiaoqi was stunned for a moment: "Does Your Excellency mean..."

"Kill two birds with one stone!" Lou Wenhe slammed his hand on the wall. "If the Western barbarians want to attack Yongning Bay, they will inevitably take the opportunity to attack our Black Shark Island on their way here! ...Go, summon Sun Dabiao!"

"Yes, sir!" He Xiaoqi put down the tray, turned around and ran outside.

"Damn it, have the Westerners gone mad?" Lou Wenhe sat back in his chair, picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup of tea, sipping it slowly as he waited for Sun Dabiao, the captain of the Black Shark Island guards, to arrive.

About fifteen minutes later, Sun Dabiao came running over.

"My lord..." He took a breath and cupped his hands in greeting to Lou Wenhe: "My lord, is it about the conquest of the Western Barbarians?"

"Hmm." Lou Wenhe poured the other person a cup of tea. "Black Shark Island is not only Xinhua's smuggling center in Mexico, but also the most important supply station in the Eastern Pacific. If the Western barbarians want to attack Xinhua, this island will definitely be attacked. Therefore, we need to plan ahead and make preparations in advance to deal with the attack from the Western barbarians."

“My lord, news came from Acapulco Port half a month ago that the Western barbarians intended to send troops to San Diego Bay. Our Black Shark Island has urgently purchased a large amount of food, medicine, sugar, wine and other supplies from Mexico. Combined with our previous reserves, we should be able to hold out for more than half a year,” Sun Dabiao replied calmly.

"What about gunpowder and weapons?"

“My lord, there is no need to worry. We have plenty of weapons and gunpowder, enough to make the attacking Spanish bleed dry,” Sun Dabiao said confidently. “In addition, in the past ten days or so, I have organized manpower to build two new water storage pools in the fortress, which are now full of water and can guarantee the daily drinking water for more than 300 people in the fortress.”

"Very good!" Lou Wenhe smiled with satisfaction. "Later, I will take the fast liaison ship to Yongning Bay to report the latest military plans and deployments of the Western Barbarians to Commissioner Han. After I leave, you will be in full charge of the daily management of Black Shark Island and must ensure the island's safety."

"Yes, sir!" Sun Dabiao gave him a deep look, then bowed and replied.

"Alright, from now on, Black Shark Island is on high alert. A curfew will be imposed inside the fortress at night. No one may give orders or move around at will." Lou Wenhe looked slightly embarrassed, but still maintained an authoritative demeanor.

"Sir..." Sun Dabiao hesitated for a moment, "Now that the island has declared a state of war, should the dock be sealed off?"

"Uh, once the last merchant ship has finished loading, immediately seal off the dock and refuse entry to any foreign vessels. Even merchant ships belonging to the Garza family are prohibited from docking!"

"Yes, my lord."
-
The sails of "Flying Arrow-3" billowed with the help of a slight crosswind, like a seabird spreading its wings and skimming across the sea.

Lou Wenhe stood at the stern, watching the outline of Black Shark Island gradually shrink until the lighthouse's light became a speck of dust, before he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, wafted towards him, but he found it much more pleasant than the gunpowder smell on the island. He subconsciously touched the amulet in his pocket, which his wife had asked someone to bring him last year, to protect him and ensure his safe return home soon.

"Sir, the wind is strong at the bow. Would you like to go into the cabin to take shelter?" the captain asked obsequiously as he approached.

"How many days will it take to reach Yongning Bay?" He looked up at the vast sea and asked softly.

The boat rocked violently in the waves, the sails rustling in the wind, and seabirds circled in the distance, chasing the spray from the stern. This sight of freedom eased his tense nerves slightly.

"Sir, our journey to Yongning Bay will be against the wind and current, so it may take longer than expected." The captain replied, "Based on past sailing experience, we should be able to reach Yuzhou in about 4-5 days."

"Could you go even faster and try to get to Yuzhou Port within four days?" Lou Wenhe asked.

"Well, it's a bit difficult, but not impossible." The captain thought for a moment and said, "If you need to hurry, we can go a little further off the coast so that we can maintain a high speed at night and arrive at Yuzhou Port ahead of time. However, there may be some risks during the voyage."

“No problem!” Lou Wenhe hesitated for a moment, then immediately made a decision: “We need to get there as quickly as possible and report the Western barbarians’ intention to attack to our homeland.”

"Yes, sir." Upon hearing this, the captain immediately ordered the helmsman and sailman to change course and steer the ship away from the coast.

"May God bless me and allow me to arrive in Yuzhou safely, and may our Xinhua defeat the Western Barbarians smoothly." After entering the cabin, Lou Wenhe put his hands together and bowed to the void.

He rummaged through his suitcase and pulled out a silk jacket to change into, replacing his cotton shirt, which was soaked with sweat and sea fog.

The person reflected in the glass mirror had a rosy complexion, and although there were fine lines at the corners of their eyes, they exuded the composure of someone who had lived a life of luxury and held a high position.

If this were in the Ming Dynasty, a man like him would never have such honor. He would probably be pale and sickly, his whole body tormented by hunger and disease, resembling a grotesque skeleton.

Now, as a senior manager of the Americas Trading Company, he earns a monthly salary of 25 yuan and an annual income of over 300 yuan, which is definitely considered high income in Xinhua.

He bought a large house and shops in Dongping County, and had a gentle and virtuous wife and four lovely and obedient children, living a good life that everyone envied.

It's worth noting that more than a decade ago, he almost became one of the countless starving people on the streets of Guangzhou. If he hadn't fought so hard to climb onto Xinhua's immigration ship, he wouldn't have the wonderful life he has today.

He never imagined that one day he would become a high-ranking official in charge of a region, able to decide on deals worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver with a single word.

"I can't die!" he muttered to himself in the mirror, his fingertips tracing the patterns on the edge of the mirror. "If I die, I'll lose everything! All my efforts will be in vain."

Yes, when he received the intelligence message that had just come from the port of Acapulco, although he maintained his composure on the surface, he was already panicking deep down.

The Spanish are actually mobilizing the military forces of two viceroyalties to launch a surprise attack on Xinhua, hoping to seize the Yongning Bay colony and capture the supposedly rich gold mine. This is absolutely insane!
Eight years ago, the Spanish launched their first expedition against Xinhua, but ended up suffering heavy losses and returning defeated.

Unexpectedly, after many years, instead of learning from their previous mistakes, they actually wanted to launch another attack.

Could they possibly think that the Yongning Bay settlement is like the countless immigrant villages in their Mexican territory, without walls, defenses, or armed forces, so that when a large army comes, they have almost no power to fight back?

Or perhaps they thought that the Yongning Bay settlement area was part of Xinhua's border region and that there were hardly any people there.
Well, before June of last year, there weren't many immigrants there, only about 2,800 people, and only eight or nine fortified outposts, making their strength seem very weak.

However, after the central government passed the "Southward Expansion Plan", the Immigration and Colonization Department sent more than 5,000 immigrants to Yongning Bay in July and August of last year, and also mobilized an army force of several hundred people to be stationed there.

How many troops are the Spanish prepared to mobilize to take over Yongning Bay?

In recent years, he has stayed at Yuzhou Fort for a short time several times on his way to and from the headquarters on Qiming Island.

Although this small city is not large in scale, with a city wall circumference of only three kilometers, its defense strength is of the highest level. Key positions are built with large blocks of stone and reinforced with cement. Even if bombarded by heavy artillery, it would not be able to shake it in the slightest for at least a month.

Not to mention, the city walls had numerous ramparts and ramparts, leaving virtually no blind spots for fire, and were equipped with no fewer than forty or fifty cannons. For the Spanish to breach them would be an impossible task.

If the Spanish could not capture Yuzhou Fort, they would be unable to penetrate deep into Yongning Bay, let alone reach the Sandaogou gold mine located inland.

Therefore, compared to Yuzhou Fortress, Black Shark Island is somewhat dangerous.

After so many years of smuggling activities, the Spanish American colonial authorities must have known about the existence of this small island, and could even have learned about the island's personnel and defense situation through some merchants and sailors who landed on the island.

When they are deploying troops to attack Yongning Bay, they will inevitably take it along the way.

Although Black Shark Island had been under construction for many years, with a sturdy castle and a large stockpile of food, weapons and other supplies, it could hold out for at least six months under the siege of the Spanish. However, it was ultimately "sparsely populated and lacked troops and generals," and could be easily captured by the Spanish army if it was not careful.

As the saying goes, "A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall." After receiving the urgent report from Acapulco Port, Lou Wenhe immediately decided to leave Black Shark Island and seek refuge in the safer Yongning Bay.

Although this move was suspected of being desertion, he still made this choice without hesitation.

Yes, he was very afraid of dying.

If this had happened a decade or two ago, he would never have been so afraid of death.

Back then, I was just a worthless person, fearless in the face of any danger. I would give my life for you as long as you gave me food.

Eight years ago, when I was stationed on the island with Lin Quanwu, the first person in charge of Black Shark Island, I thought that if the Western barbarians attacked, we would fight them to the death. Killing one would be enough, and killing two would be a bonus.

But things are different now. He has a beautiful house on Qiming Island, his youngest son has just learned to walk, and there are more than a dozen bank deposit slips locked in the bedroom closet, giving him a net worth of several thousand yuan.

War is dangerous and risky; it's not worth risking our lives fighting the Western barbarians. It's safest to stay in the fortress in Yongning Bay.

Meanwhile, Black Shark Island was shrouded in a tense atmosphere of preparation for war.

After seeing off "Flying Arrow-3", the guard captain Sun Dabiao turned around and summoned the squad leaders. He slapped his rough hands on the sand table and said, "Lord Lou entrusted the entire Black Shark Island to us, so we must guard it well!"

"Now, let's assign tasks. Kong Laizi will be in charge of the earthen mound fort, Li Laozhuang will be in charge of the port fort, and I will lead the rest of the guards to patrol the city walls and the Suijing Village."

"Hey, Sun, we need to fire a few shots to practice. Otherwise, when the Western barbarians come, we won't even know where the cannonballs are going!" Kong Laizi suggested.

“Sure!” Sun Dabiao waved his hand. “I remember both gun emplacements have been marked with firing data. Fire a few rounds according to the procedures. Don’t worry about wasting ammunition.”

"Head Sun, what should we do with those hired natives in the village?" He Xiaoqi asked. "Since Black Shark Island has declared a wartime curfew, no foreign merchant ships are allowed to enter the port. Those natives have no work to do, so they're useless on the island. Should we..."

"Has that merchant ship 'Santoca' finished loading its cargo?" Sun Dabiao asked.

"I estimate it will be finished in another hour."

“Go and talk to the captain and take as many native laborers as you can from the island,” Sun Dabiao said. “When you get them on the ship, comfort them and make sure they don’t cause any trouble. Tell them there’s going to be a war here and people will die. At least if they hide on the mainland, they can save their lives.”

“Okay, I’ll go tell them right away,” He Xiaoqi nodded in agreement.

"Alright, everyone get moving, check the weapons, and prepare for battle!" Sun Dabiao shouted. "After the last merchant ship leaves, seal off the dock immediately, and tighten all the chains! Also, Old Wang, you take a few brothers to check the armory again and make sure every musket is usable."

"Tomorrow morning, the guards and all able-bodied men in the village will begin live-fire training. No one is allowed to slack off!"

As night fell, a strict curfew was imposed on Black Shark Island.

The patrol team walked through the streets carrying torches, their footsteps mingling with the sound of the waves.

Sun Dabiao pressed his palm against the cold crenellations of the stockade wall, the calluses on his palms rubbing against the rough stone.

The moonlight, like molten silver, spread across the sea, outlining the silhouette of Black Shark Island with a cold, silvery edge. In the distance, waves crashed against the reefs, shimmering with fleeting white light.

"Sun Tou, when do you think the Western barbarians will arrive?" Kong Laizi asked softly.

"If they move quickly, it will take a month. But if the Westerners dawdle, it could take three to five months."

"Then Lord Lou..." Kong Laizi hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

"Don't think nonsense!" Sun Dabiao turned his head and glared at him. "Lord Lou intends to report the military activities of the Western Barbarians that he has discovered to the mainland."

"That's unnecessary, Lord Lou..."

"Shut up!" Sun Dabiao kicked him angrily.

"..." Kong Laizi dared not speak.

However, he couldn't help but have some doubts in his heart.

The officials in Xinhua seem to be no different from those in the Ming Dynasty!
-
(End of this chapter)