Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 550 The Movements of the Caribbean Fleet
The atmosphere in the Acapulco city hall meeting was a complex mix of gunpowder smoke, the salty sea breeze, and the decadent air of old Spanish nobility.

Several nautical charts and topographical maps of the Mexican region were spread out on a huge oak table. More than a dozen operations staff officers were gathered in twos and threes, discussing in hushed tones the city's defenses and the inventory of supplies.

The door was pushed open, and Mo Tianhai and Zhou Weifeng, still carrying the sweltering heat of the outdoors, strode in. Their military boots clicked crisply on the smooth marble floor, breaking the hushed conversation in the hall.

The two had just finished inspecting the troops entering the city. Although there was a hint of fatigue between their brows, their excitement and joy were even more undisguised.

Acapulco surrendered without a fight, allowing the Xinhua Army to easily capture this most important port on the Mexican coast without a bitter battle.

Of course, the Spanish in the city surrendered and gave up resistance, and in return they received a safety promise from the new Chinese army—that they would not massacre the city's residents or plunder the Spanish's wealth.

"report!"

An intelligence agent stood at attention and reported: "Commander, Chief of Staff, I have an important person here who needs to see you!"

"What important person?" Mo Tianhai took off his military cap, casually dusted it off, and asked nonchalantly.

“It’s someone from the Garza family…” The scout stepped forward and said in a low voice, “He has some very important information to report, which is of great importance to our army’s next move.”

Mo Tianhai and Zhou Weifeng exchanged a glance.

The Garza family?
This Mexican landowner and smuggling tycoon, who had maintained close trade ties with Xinhua before the war but disappeared without a trace after the outbreak of war, suddenly reappears?

"Bring him in," Mo Tianhai said in a deep voice, while waving his hand to signal the staff to temporarily retreat to the side hall.

A moment later, a middle-aged Spanish man wearing a slightly wrinkled but well-made dark coat, with a look of fear and caution on his face, was brought in.

He quickly scanned the familiar hall, now occupied by a different master, his gaze lingering on the cold faces of Mo Tianhai and Zhou Weifeng for a moment before he subconsciously swallowed.

“Respected Generals…” Quasimodo del Garza bowed slightly and spoke in somewhat broken Chinese, “I am Quasimodo del Garza. Entrusted by my uncle, I manage the trading post in Acapulco and have established a very close relationship with you Xinhua merchants.”

"I apologize for disturbing you at this time, but on behalf of my family, I would like to extend my congratulations to the great Xinhua Army on... uh, congratulations on your victory once again." He carefully chose his words, trying to find a balance between flattery and maintaining dignity.

Upon hearing this, Mo Tianhai's fierce battlefield aura subsided slightly, replaced by a somewhat rough but still gentle smile.

He casually placed his military cap on the table, leaned forward slightly, and said, "Mr. Garza, Xinhua and your Garza family are old friends, there's no need for such formalities."

“Although we are soldiers, we have heard a lot about your family’s reputation. They are trustworthy and loyal partners. You were willing to do business with us before, which means you are friends. Although the situation has changed, I, Mo Tianhai, have always believed in one principle: we, the Xinhua Army, will never treat our friends unfairly.”

He paused, his gaze seemingly casual yet weighty as he looked at the other man's face, and continued, "The fact that you came to us at this time speaks volumes about your attitude. Speak frankly. As long as it benefits both sides, I, Mo, and Chief of Staff Zhou are willing to listen."

His words weren't particularly enthusiastic, but they carried a military-style directness and implication, giving the other party a way out while also drawing a clear line that was "beneficial to both sides."

Quasimodo smiled, took out a clean white handkerchief to wipe non-existent sweat from his forehead, took a deep breath, and said in a low voice, "General, I have indeed brought you some information that may be of great importance to your army. Well, it concerns... the movements of the Spanish fleet."

"The fleet's movements?" Zhou Weifeng raised an eyebrow, glanced at Mo Tianhai, and a serious expression appeared on his face. "Please tell me in detail, Mr. Garza."

“Yes, Chief of Staff.” Quasimodo took a slight breath and quickened his pace. “According to reliable information we received from the port of Veracruz, in the middle of last month, the Caribbean Fleet urgently requisitioned ten of its best armed merchant ships, which, together with their own five main warships and several supply transport ships, formed a sizable task force.”

"It is understood that this fleet is about to depart from the Havana base, planning to sail south, cross the Strait of Magellan, enter the Pacific Ocean, and come to Mexico to seek a naval battle with your fleet."

His Spanish accent was heavy, and his Chinese was somewhat broken, but everyone present understood the key information: a powerful Spanish fleet was approaching.

The room was silent, with only the faint sound of the waves outside the window.

Mo Tianhai and Zhou Weifeng exchanged another glance, both seeing shock and solemnity in each other's eyes.

This news is extremely important!

Zhou Weifeng pondered for a moment, then asked in a deep voice, "Do you have information on the commander of this fleet? Also, what are their ship types, their exact departure time, expected route, and arrival time? Most importantly, will they rendezvous with the Peruvian squadron first?"

If this formidable fleet successfully joins up with the Peruvian squadron (which typically consists of four to six specialized warships), the Spanish will instantly possess a powerful force of over twenty ships on the eastern Pacific coast.

This would be an extremely severe challenge, and possibly even a catastrophic one, for Wei Yingbin's raiding fleet, which consists of only a dozen or so ships—five of which are "Haiyan" class cruisers and the rest are converted merchant ships.

Even though the Spanish ships were older, their sheer number made up for any lack of quality.

A head-on confrontation would be a losing proposition. Although the army and navy had disagreements and debates about the next phase of operations, and were even more divided on military budgets, they were ultimately comrades-in-arms sharing the same food. How could they stand by and watch the navy suffer a setback, as was the case with the "little life" of later generations?

"The commander of this fleet is Admiral Don Gaspar Velasco, commander of the Caribbean Fleet, a naval commander with extensive combat experience." Quasimodo pulled out a piece of paper, which was densely covered with Spanish writing. "The fleet's ship types and names are here, along with the names of more than a dozen captains."

"I hope this information will be of some use to you. As for when this fleet will depart and its route, we have no way of knowing. Uh, whether they will rendezvous with the Peruvian squadron and then head north together to the Mexican coast, I think..."

Quasimodo lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Based on my understanding of those officials in Lima, I'm afraid it will be difficult for them to unite and head north together to engage in a decisive battle with your Xinhua Navy."

"Why?" Mo Tianhai asked.

“Yes, because the primary mission of the Peruvian detachment is to protect the Callao naval base and the treasure ship route to Panama,” Quasimodo said. “You know, Callao is very close to Lima, and if it falls, the capital will inevitably be in danger.”

"The governor of Peru is a very cautious man, one might even say... cowardly. He would never agree to let the precious warships leave Callao, abandoning the escort of the treasure ships, to go to the distant waters of Mexico for a decisive battle with an uncertain outcome. For him, choosing to hold the line would be an extremely wise decision."

Hearing this analysis, Mo Tianhai and Zhou Weifeng relaxed their tense nerves a little.

If the Peruvian squadron dares not deploy, then Wei Yingbin will be facing the exhausted Caribbean fleet that has come from afar, and the chances of defeating them one by one will be much greater.

“This news is very important, Mr. Garza.” Mo Tianhai’s tone softened somewhat. “Your family has once again proven the value of friendship when Xinhua needed it most.”

His words carried a hint of a promise of reward later.

Quasimodo smiled with relief: "It is our honor to serve the General. Your Excellency, Mexico is in a state of panic since the defeat at Guadalajara. The Governor ordered a full mobilization, but with little effect. Localities are required to conscript militia, but the expenses are being 'advanced' by wealthy merchants and plantation owners, who promise to repay them later..."

He gave a wry smile: "Oh, this is all terrible. Our Garza family has been asked to donate 100,000 pesos, but we haven't received anything in return. Ha... Nobody will believe such an empty promise."

"As far as I know, many people, like us, are unwilling to 'voluntarily' donate to the war effort; there's no hope. Ah, without real money, who would be willing to leave their homeland and livelihood to face your army's guns and cannons?"

"Yes, loyalty and faith can't put food on the table. In my opinion, it would be a miracle if Mexico City could gather three or four thousand soldiers within six months."

He also provided some scattered information about Mexico City's defenses and the unrest in various places, further corroborating the current weakness and chaos of the Spanish colonial authorities.

The conversation seemed to be drawing to a close, and the atmosphere was no longer as tense as it had been at the beginning.

“Mr. Garza…” Mo Tianhai’s voice became very calm, as if he were just asking casually, “I heard… the silver mine in Taxco is of exceptional quality?”

Quasimodo paused, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic to silver mines, and instinctively replied, "Yes...yes, Your Excellency. The Taxco silver mine was the first developed in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and one of the most important sources of wealth for the royal family. Although its output isn't as high as the Zacatecas silver mine, it still produces six or seven hundred thousand pesos annually..."

"Oh, how's the defense there?" Mo Tianhai asked. "Are there regular troops stationed there? Or rather, how strong is the defense force?"

"The defenses of the Taxco silver mine?" Quasimodo was stunned. A terrible thought arose in his mind, and his eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly.

Oh God, are the new Chinese planning to attack the Taxco silver mine?!

This silver mine is less than 100 kilometers from Mexico City!
These new Chinese... their ambitions extended far beyond the coastal ports, and they were not content with occupying Acapulco.

They're actually eyeing the Taxco silver mine!

This move is nothing short of a direct threat to the heart of New Spain!
“Mr. Garza…” Mo Tianhai looked over inquiringly.

“Oh, the Taxco silver mine…” Quasimodo’s lips twitched, and he stammered, “There… there… as far as I know, there isn’t a regular colonial army stationed there. Usually… usually there are only a hundred or so armed guards hired by the mine owners and royal treasurers. Their main duty… is mainly to supervise the Indian miners and prevent them from rioting or stealing ore… To be honest, there’s hardly any real military defense there…”

Having said that, unable to contain his shock and curiosity, he cautiously probed, "General... forgive my intrusion, but does your army... perhaps intend to... attack Mexico City?"

Mo Tianhai revealed a mysterious smile, a smile that contained too many possibilities and was impossible to fathom.

He neither admitted nor denied it, but simply said, "Mr. Garza, we are friends. The Xinhua Army has always been generous to its friends. As for the next military operation, that is top secret and cannot be disclosed at this time. Thank you for the information you brought today; it is very valuable."

He winked at the intelligence agent who was listening in, and the man immediately understood, stepping forward and gesturing for Quasimodo to enter: "Mr. Garza, please come with me. We'll arrange for someone to escort you safely. Later, we'll discuss the handling of the supplies requisitioned by Acapulco..."

Quasimodo followed the scout outside in a daze, his mind still buzzing with the words "Tasco" and "Mexico City" echoing repeatedly.

He realized that the information he brought about by the fleet might be important, but the possible strategic intentions of the Xinhua Army that he had inadvertently gleaned were probably the truly earth-shattering news.

This war has far exceeded everyone's expectations.
-
(End of this chapter)