Zheng Xing's follow-up troops arrived at the city of Malacca and joined Liang Yong. At that time, half of the soldiers of the Fifth Marine Division on the transport ship had logged in, and the two marine divisions completed the encirclement of the city of Malacca.
The Marines did not attack the city immediately. They were waiting for Zheng Zhilong's latest order. Anyway, the Portuguese soldiers huddled in the city and would not dare to break through for a while.
Zheng Zhilong went ashore with the last group of soldiers on the transport ship, and he would personally direct the siege of the city.
The soldiers of the Marine Corps landed from the port of Malacca and completed the encirclement of the city of Malacca. This was the second step of his plan. Then he had to achieve his third step of landing the Portuguese soldiers in the city.
The Ming army had a huge advantage in numbers and completely controlled the Malacca waterway. If Zheng Zhilong wanted to attack the city, he could completely break the city. It was only a matter of time.
However, the Portuguese soldiers in the city all have muskets, and there are artillery at the front of the city. If you really want to attack, the Ming army will definitely pay the price of casualties. It has become the consensus of the South China Sea Fleet to use the smallest price in exchange for the greatest victory.
Moreover, the order Zhu Youjian gave him was to occupy and control the Malacca waterways, not to destroy the Portuguese soldiers. There will be commercial contacts between Daming and Portugal in the future.
If the Portuguese governor Manotti surrenders, Zheng Zhilong will definitely accept it. Although there is no convention to protect the prisoners of war, Zheng Zhilong guarantees his personality that as long as the Portuguese soldiers surrender, he will guarantee the safety of these prisoners. After the war is over, he will unconditionally release these prisoners of war. .
As for the property in the city, all of it must be confiscated. That is the spoils of the Ming army, which will be used as compensation for the casualties of the soldiers and the consumption of ammunition.
After dinner, Zheng Zhilong summoned Zheng Xing and Yang Geng.
"Two commanders, tell me, how do you break the city next?" Zheng Zhilong believes that the current Portuguese soldiers have become the turtles in the urn. The Ming army's victory is in sight. The rest is the Ming army's cost of casualties. The final is victory.
"Strikes, our army has a huge number of advantages. Within two days, the city of Malacca will belong to us." Yang Geng had just landed ashore. He has been nesting on the transport ship. Up to now, he has not done anything yet. He is eager to land. Fighting the Fifth Division has the opportunity to make merit.
"Commander, you can dismantle the naval gun, or move the shore artillery to the city, but the shore artillery can only fire solid rounds, which is far less powerful than solid rounds." Zheng Xing used this tactic when he attacked Taiwan. , The effect is not bad.
"You all think you want to attack the city?" Zheng Zhilong laughed, "That's why I want to personally direct the battle on the battlefield. You show me a good idea. I don't need to attack the city. I can also make Manuo Di yield and eventually occupy the city of Malacca. "
"Commander..."
"Commander..."
Zheng Zhilong waved his hand to end this brief military meeting, "You guard the gates, and don't let the Portuguese go."
"Commander, rest assured, we can definitely stop the Portuguese in the city." Although Zheng Xing does not know Zheng Zhilong's strategy, Zheng Zhilong's self-confidence has infected him. "Furthermore, the Portuguese have now lost all their ships, and they are breaking through. I can’t find my way home even when I’m out of the city."
"Nevertheless, don't take it lightly."
"Yes, Commander."
Two marine divisions, more than 20,000 elite soldiers, surrounded the Malacca city and regiment, and in the Malacca waterway, the ships of the South China Sea Fleet had completely controlled the Malacca waterway.
But Zheng Zhilong did not attack this isolated city.
The city of Malacca is the center of Portuguese rule in Southeast Asia. Although the city is not large, the city wall is made of stones and is relatively thick. There are artillery defenses on all sides. It should be a strong city.
It's not that Zheng Zhilong didn't have the confidence to break through the city. The Ming army did not lack artillery. His goal was to attack the heart.
The city of Malacca was besieged by the Ming army for three days. Zheng Zhilong was just a Ming army inspecting the besieged city from all sides. There was no appearance of attacking the city at all. The Portuguese in the city were confused. What did the Ming army do
Zheng Zhilong leisurely inspected all the city gates. He doesn't have to worry at all. When the war began, he was a little worried about whether the Dutch ships would take the opportunity to make trouble. Now he is relieved. Everyone in the grapes is at the end of the road. Will the Dutch save them
Moreover, it was only soldiers from the Marine Corps who were besieging the city. The main ships of the South China Sea Fleet were stationed at Temasek, firmly guarding the entrance of the Malacca Waterway. Even if the Dutch sent ships, they could not break through Temasek.
After the sky was getting dark, Zheng Zhilong returned to the military tent and launched a map with his own soldiers. This is a map of the Portuguese army's defenses drawn by Daming detectives who entered the city of Malacca. The map is very detailed, including the barracks, ammunition depot, commerce bureau, and residential areas. At a glance, it is clear that some of the residents of Malacca City are Han, and even the Governor’s Mansion has Hans serving in it. It is easy for the investigators to mix in with the Han people and interrogate the enemy.
Although the investigators were unable to obtain the real "Portuguese Army Defense Map", the map drawn through field observation was relatively accurate.
Zheng Zhilong punched the case table, "These investigations are really not vegetarian. With this defense plan, Manuo Di can't think of not surrendering."
An hour later, ten lanterns slowly rose from the military camp of the Ming army. The lanterns were wrapped in black cloth, so the light was not conspicuous, and no one would notice these small fire spots flying in the air.
After the fire rose to a high altitude, following the east wind, it drifted slowly westward from the head of the defender at the east gate. The Portuguese defender on the top of the city was watching the Ming army outside the city closely. Fire is serious.
The city is dark. Both the soldiers and the people have already fallen asleep. Only the defenders on the city and the soldiers patrolling along the city wall are still holding their posts. They don’t know if the Ming army will use the darkness to suddenly launch Sneak attack.
In several corners of the city, piles of faint bonfires suddenly appeared. Due to the obstruction of various buildings, standing in the city, even on the top of the city, it is difficult to find these bonfires.
If you cross these buildings and look down from above, these bonfires will be unobstructed.
Although the bonfires are very weak, but in this dark night, they just point out the direction for the nightcrawlers.
The small fires in mid-air began to spread out after receiving instructions from the ground. After a while, the small fires had floated over the various bonfires just now.
The black cloth covering the flames was removed one by one, one, two, three... When ten huge fireballs suddenly appeared in the air, this was their predetermined signal, and when the black cloth was opened, it was time to drop the bomb.
Ten "Ten Thousand Enemies" weighing 40 kilograms were lit one after another. One of their tails was burning, but the burning fireworks were too small and completely covered by lights. Not to mention the ground, they were the Ming soldiers who ignited them. It is also unrealistic.
When the tail was less than one arm long, the "Enemies of Thousands of People" left the tail hook and were thrown down in midair.
The soldiers and civilians in the city are all asleep. During this flaring war, there are absolutely no idlers who wake up in the middle of the night to count the stars.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
The ten explosions that occurred in succession disturbed the dreams of the soldiers and civilians in the city, especially the soldiers in the city. The explosions happened near them, even on the bedside where they slept.
In this quiet night where there are no bugs, the huge explosion sound is too appalling.
The explosion sound was mainly in the military camp and the Portuguese army's ammunition depot, and then there were several louder explosions. It turned out that the Portuguese ammunition depot was detonated and a second explosion occurred.
The governor’s mansion, military barracks, and ammunition depots seemed to have been blown up, especially in the military barracks. The screams of wounded soldiers almost continued the explosion of the "ten thousand enemies", which was more alarming than the explosion.
The uninjured soldiers were awakened from their sleep. Under the tremendous pressure of the Ming army besieging but not attacking for several days, they directly attributed the injuries of their companions to the Ming army’s offensive. Since the explosion was in the barracks, it indicated that the Ming army had already Into the city.
The Portuguese soldiers were looking for a gun in a panic, as long as they found a musket, regardless of whether the musket was their own, in the dark night, use it first.
People flickered outside, and the infantrymen of the Ming army who should have entered the city, damn it, why didn't the Ming army enter the city in an open manner? Choosing such a night is a good time to sleep.
"Bang, bang, bang..."
The Portuguese soldiers who grabbed the guns fired. As long as there are people outside, they will be shot by the soldiers. In the chaotic period of the night, if you don’t shoot at others, they will shoot you. Only a place with one person is safe. .
But where can such a vacuum zone be found for a while
The Governor’s Mansion was also patronized by a "ten thousand enemies". Governor Manotti was lucky enough to be unscathed. Hearing the intensive gunfire in the city, he would rather fall into this huge explosion if he could die without pain. In the hands of the Ming army, it might not be a relief.
Manuo drew a bowl of cold water and poured it on his head, which completely dispelled the drowsiness. He calmed down and found that the gunfire came from the barracks. "Did the Ming army attack the barracks?"
"No, Lord Governor, why didn't you hear the guns of the Ming army attacking the city? I didn't see the defenders of the city gates reporting the Ming army's entry into the city."
"Huh? Is it the soldiers bombing the camp?" Manuo Di was shocked. Now the soldiers are under a lot of pressure. In this dark night, if the soldiers bomb the camp, it will be troublesome. He just heard about the soldiers bombing the camp. At that time, the soldiers would fall into a state of madness, and it would be useless to persuade them until they killed each other.
"Explosion camp? No? I heard a violent explosion just now. It seems that there was also an explosion near the Governor's Mansion. It is very likely that a small group of Ming troops entered the city as a sneak attack."
If this is the case, Manotti doesn't have to worry. As long as the Ming army is shot and killed, the riots in the city will naturally be subdued. "Send people immediately to find out if a large number of Ming troops have entered the city."
"Yes, Lord Governor."
"Light up all the soldiers in the Governor's Mansion, and follow me to the barracks to check and see what the explosions and gunfire are all about."
"Yes, Lord Governor, the soldiers have already gotten up, as long as the whole team is enough."
"Then you are not hurrying to form a team?" Manuo Di Qi did not fight out, when is it now, and there is still time to delay? If the military camp is broken by the Ming army, then the entire Malacca city will be over. Without soldiers, who will stop the Ming army from attacking the city