The fleet sailed faster than Chen Mu imagined.

The south wind is much gentler than the north wind. Chen Mu has been busy picking up ropes for several days since his departure.

He asked the ship in front to tie the ropes and use a tape measure to measure a rope two miles long and wrapped it in a jar of kimchi floating on the sea. Behind him, someone took his pocket watch to pick up the ropes on a boat to measure their speed.

It's not accurate, but it can make him have some estimates in his mind.

Their speed was nearly twenty-four miles per hour, but if it were Western, it would be a little more than four knots per hour. This was particularly rare in the case of small headwinds and large fleets. If it weren't for the headwinds that they had to change their course to maintain their speed, even if they were slightly downwinds, it would only take six or seven days to sail from Hong Kong to Manila.

But this time it obviously took them nearly half a month.

When going to sea and voyage, there are three issues that Westerners need to worry about: naval battles, shipwrecks, and scurvy; while Chinese people only need to worry about the first two issues when going to sea, scurvy does not exist.

In fact, it was a mistake. Although Chinese kimchi will destroy a certain degree of vitamins, it can still retain part of it, even if it is a slightest, it can save lives; on the other hand, Chinese people have tea.

Chen Shuai's tea in Nanyang was exclusively sponsored by his brother-in-law Yang Yinglong. Each of the 10,000 expeditionary troops was given 4 taels of green tea per month, and 120 dans of tea a year. Considering the subsequent battle situation, Chen Mu asked Yang Yinglong for 400 dans of tea a year.

It's not for free, so Chen Mu will certainly not give it money, but if he wins this battle, he will pull Yang out the next step.

So Chen Shuai didn't worry about anything, he only cared about the supply line and the following typhoon season.

It was precisely because of the typhoon that he chose to attack Manila in June.

Manila is a good place, and almost all typhoons will affect Luzon. The typhoon season is from May to October, and no one can tell when it will come. Therefore, at this time, Spanish ships will rush to leave port, and most of their ships will not stay in Manila whether they go to Japan or Mexico.

Even the May he said was normal to be imputed to five months.

At this time, the enemy is the weakest, and they have always been so strong.

“The situation is not good…”

Outside the General's Room at Chihai, Chen Mu supported the railings of the aisle and frowned slightly. Zhao Shizhen, Ni Shangzhong and others standing on the left and right were puzzled. Xu Wei asked, "Why did the general say this?"

"Which Clark was captured and handed over to General Chen?"

Following Chen Mu raised his hand and pointed at the direction, not far from them, a shark ship formation was dragging two Clark sailboats with broken masts on the quilt, which were their captive ships. They handed over to the Fu Ship to haul, and when they arrived in Manila, they unloaded the baggage, and then sent the fleet back to Nanyang Port.

"The closer we are to Luzon, the more likely we encounter Western barbarian ships. Whether it is a merchant ship or a pirate, there are no less than ten large ships alone. Most of them can be sunk when they encounter small boats, and it is difficult to escape. But Clark captured one when they meet one, and captured two when they meet two, and captured more than a dozen, only one when they sink."

Chen Mu frowned and shook his head slowly.

“The situation is not good.”

Those who can serve as soldiers or staff members on the Chihai are smart people, and no one can understand them. They change their colors as Chen Mu's words.

Zhao Shizhen narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "General, do we mean that our cannons will not destroy their ships?"

"It's not that it can't be broken, it's that General Zhenshuo can't penetrate its waterline. Look at the captive Clark's forecastle and masts, which are like a man chopped off with an axe; the hull was broken and leaking everywhere, but it won't work any further down." The sunny sea surface was boundless, and Chen Mu was still dissatisfied: "Clark is not the largest ship in the Western Yi."

During the southern journey, Chen Mu understood why Western warships and artillery developed rapidly during this period, while the Ming Dynasty not only did not make progress but retreated.

Naval warfare is not land warfare. It has sufficient terrain on land and various types of weapons to allow generals to display their outstanding talents. However, naval warfare is different. Although it also requires dispatching troops and excellent generals, all ships are ships and guns are all guns. Although the result of the battle is not absolute, it increases the decisiveness to a certain extent.

Can the ten large lucky ships bear full loads of soldiers defeat Chihai?

Maybe, maybe not.

But a lucky ship is absolutely impossible to beat Chihai.

When Chen Mu found out that the small shark boat or even the General Zhenshuo gun on the 500-feed shark boat could not penetrate the waterline of the Clark sailing ship, what was the first thought in his head?

He wants bigger ships and larger cannons to equip the army, and there will be demand and then development.

"Jianjun Chen, if the battle behind the sea requires the Red Sea artillery battle, please stay in the cabin and don't go to the deck."

After Chen Mu said that, Chen Ju was blocked by him before he could speak, and said, "I know you are not happy. What's the matter with the military supervisor in the cabin? I also know you are not afraid of death, but Chen is afraid of death - going to the ocean to fight in different north, you cannot afford to lose money. Chen's two wives are still in Nanyang!"

He planned to take his wife over when he was liberated by Manila, so as not to affect him in the future.

"The same goes for you guys. You will be able to arrive in Luzon in a few days. When you land, Chihai will definitely go to bomb the fortress. At that time, except Toshiho, you will get out of the cabin and stay."

Chen Mu's eyes swept over Ni Shangzhong, Ma Gui, Xu Wei and others. These guys are treasures he has collected, so there must be no mistakes.

At this moment, his light swept to the sea and a centipede ship left the fleet and rushed forward quickly. This earliest main warship under Chen Mu has now become a communication ship that communicates with the fleets, using its unparalleled speed at sea to convey the orders between the various fleets.

When Chen Mu saw this ship, he knew that something happened before.

And it seems that the centipede ship is coming urgently and quickly, a big deal.

"Put the boat to pick up people on board."

The centipede boat waterman was very fast in the sailing speed. Soon after, a messenger boarded the ship and ran quickly across the wide deck. He whispered loudly down the stern stairs: "Report to the Grand Marshal, Shi Qianhu and Huang Qianhu met the Western Yi fleet, and there was a big ship!"

"Big ship?" Shiqi and Huang Dexiang had two fleets of twelve ships. It was necessary to panic in just one large ship. "What big ship, how many fleets are there in total?"

"More than ten ships, seven small boats, three gunships, two large merchant ships, and one large ship... bigger than General Chihai! Shi Qianhu asked the general to send General Deng's ship to help!"

Bigger than Chihai!

Chen Mu glared at him and asked, "The enemy ship was intercepted while sailing eastward?"

After receiving a positive answer, Chen Mu took a deep breath and punched the railing. This was not a big fish, but a giant beast on the sea!

Three Calavells, two old-style Clarks, and one, probably that was a Garen ship headed by the word "Saint".

In June, from Manila to the east, the Spanish royal family had full trade routes, and Chen Mu already knew what he had met.

A fleet of Spanish treasure ships, from Manila to Mexico, commonly known as Manila sailing ship.

"Then the whole army continues to sail, and the speed slows down; tell Deng Wuqiao to let him go with me, and the two escort fleets follow, the Chihai turns the rudder, beat drums and prepare for artillery battle, and the centipede ship!"
Chapter completed!