Episode 737: Dagger (7)
Themander of the allied forces stationed in Suez was busy every day.
This was because the situation waspletely different from what was expected when the deployment to Suez was first ordered.
-The Mamluks and Spain are also in a state of disarray, so think of them as going on vacation.
As the high-ranking people said, in the early days, it almost felt like a vacation. However, it was not a position of demotion. Even though it was a relief, the Mamluk cavalry asionally caused disturbances, and bandits from desert tribes also had to be careful.
Therefore, the evaluation of Suez among alliedmanders deployed in the Suez area was as follows.
-The best ce to increase your ransom if you y moderately and pay a little attention.
However, the ‘honey time’ of thesemanders disappeared when the empire built a fortress.
Seeing the imperial fortress taking shape, the alliedmanders contemted a method of destruction while also acknowledging the usefulness of the imperial fortress.
-This is a world where cannons have already be the center of war. The existing wall is like a barn door in front of the cannon.
– If you repair your home country’s fortresses in this way, their defensive capabilities will be strengthened.
The alliedmanders who made this judgment sent a long report back home without the knowledge of othermanders, along with relevant sketches and other information and their own judgment.
And the reply from the home country arrived faster than expected.
– Obtain as much detailed information as possible and submit it.
-Check the reactions of other allies and report them.
The alliedmanders who received the orders from the home country sighed.
“Whoa. The good days are gone.”
* * *
The home countries of the alliance were not just sitting idle either.
“It must be acknowledged that it is definitely excellent at defense.”
“We must rebuild as many castles and fortresses that must be protected as possible in that way.”
The allies who came to this conclusion began to busily renovate their castles and fortresses.
This was an obvious choice.
France fought the ‘100 Years’ War’ with Britain and is now in an uneasy rtionship with Spain.
Likewise, Portugal is snarling with Spain.
Florence is experiencingrge and small armed conflicts against other city-states.
The Ottomans are zealously expanding their territory, but the need for castles is also increasing.
All of the alliance countries were in need of excellent base defense facilities.
Therefore, the Allies began to renovate castles based on reports and sketches sent by Suezmanders.
France rebuilt the Paris Castle and Bastille fortress, Portugal rebuilt Lisboa, the capital and central trading port, Florence rebuilt the city walls divided into left and right sides by the Arno River, and the Ottomans rebuilt the walls of Edirne in a simr style to the imperial style. it started.
* * *
As the allies remodeled the fortresses and castles of their capitals and major bases in an imperial style, neighboring countries also began to react.
“Why them?”
“Doing those things at the same time? Why?”
All neighboring countries who saw the movements of their allies simultaneously building or renovating new castles began to wonder, ‘Why?’
“What do they have inmon?”
Neighboring countries, who searched and analyzed the situation of neighboring countries and various information to solve their questions, soon found the answer.
-They are all allied countries.
-All of those allies have deep ties to the empire.
-The imperial fortress being built in Suez looks very simr to the one being built by the allies. If you look at the time period, the allies made it ording to the style of the empire.
In addition, militarymanders from neighboring countries reported this to their masters.
“It is difficult to attack with the means we have now!”
Eventually, as if the wave was spreading, neighboring allied countries also began building new styles of castles and fortresses modeled after the empire’s style.
It was the beginning of the ‘imperial fortress’ trend that marked a milestone in European architectural history.
* * *
Whether at home or not, the Alliedmanders stationed in Suez were concerned about how to destroy the fortress built by the imperial army.
“I think it would be difficult to even make a scratch with the cannons we have now.”
Other alliedmanders also nodded at the words of the Ottomanmander.
“If you were ordered to attack that Osae, what do you think would be the most appropriate tactic?”
In response to the Frenchmander’s question, othermanders responded simultaneously.
“Istion.”
“blockade.”
“blockade.”
All of themanders expressed the same opinion, but their expressions were not bright.
“Blockade is the most correct answer, but the problem is that this fortress was built with that in mind.”
* * *
When the Imperial Military Joint Construction Team decided on a site to build a fortress, they spent the most time trying to find a site that satisfied two prerequisites.
– Sufficient water source
– Must be close to the military dock to be built at the same time.
To satisfy these conditions, engineers from the joint construction team scoured the entire Gulf of Suez and drilled holes for tube wells in dozens of locations.
The result was a fortress that was slowly entering its final stages.
* * *
“There is no answer to that problem since it supplies its own drinking water, and the only correct answer would be to seize the wharf connected to the fortress, cut off the supply route, and then dry it out.”
The Portuguesemander, who nodded at the words of the Florentinemander, continued.
“The problem will be the imperial battleships. Only by blocking those battleships can the supply route be cut off.”
“I agree.”
“We don’t know much about ships, so let’s call the captains and ask them.”
The othermanders all nodded at the Portuguesemander’s suggestion.
Soon after, the captains of Portuguese trading ships arrived, invited by themanders.
The captains who had been invited to a gathering under the pretense of a banquet changed their expressions when asked questions from the alliedmanders.
“Did you ask whether you could sink the Empire’s battleships?”
“That’s right.”
The captains who heard the confirmation all had simr expressions.
‘Why are there all these idiots?’
The alliedmanders, who read that expression, suppressed their emotions and asked the question again.
“Did we get something wrong?”
“Isn’t that why you suddenly asked if you could sink an imperial battleship? We are getting along well at best, so why did you sink it?”
“Isn’t there such a thing as ‘what if’?”
The captains’ expressions also became serious as they heard the Portuguesemander’s words.
After gathering their thoughts for a moment, the captains began to open their mouths one by one.
“Defeat with regr attack methods.”
“I agree. The Empire’s battleships have incredible firepower, but their defense capabilities are even greater.”
“That much?”
The captains nodded to the Frenchmander’s question.
“Why would we wait for the imperial warships and merchant ships to set sail and move together?”
“At first nce, I counted them, but they are crazy people carrying more than 50 cannons.
More than 50 cannons on one ship! Have you ever seen those cannons spitting fire all at once? Just looking at them makes you want to urinate.”
Theplexions of the alliedmanders turned dark at the captains’ words.
The captains drove a wedge into suchmanders.
“Do you think it is the grace of the Lord that a railway has beenid from Suez to the Mediterranean? If the waterway had been opened, the ownership of the Mediterranean would have changed.”
“Cancer! Cancer! I’m already so distraught that the Imperial Navy has been asking about Africa these days!”
At that moment, the captain’sst words caught the attention of those around him.
“Did you say that the Flower Country or the Imperial Navy was asking about Africa?”
“That’s right. ording to what I heard, the people next to the Empire once went to Africa, so the Empire will also try it. I think that’s probably why.”
As soon as I finished speaking, the other captains also pretended to know.
“Ah! I heard that story too. A eunuch who served the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty led a fleet to the east coast of Africa, right?”
“Wasn’t that a rumor?”
“I don’t think it’s a rumor. I stopped by Myeong briefly and heard there was a record of it.”
“Hmm… If the Ming did it, there’s a good chance the Empire will do it too.”
“And if it is an empire, it will be more fully prepared.”
While the captains were chatting about the ‘Imperial Expedition to Africa’, the alliedmanders – especially the Portuguesemanders – were deep in thought with serious faces.
‘Empire in Africa? The possibility is certainly high. ‘It’s not like the empire doesn’t know Africa.’
‘How should I respond if I bypass Africa and head north? ‘Should we open our colonial cities?’
‘No, why more than that? If you’re going to trade, there’s no need to go through the trouble of going around, right? ‘Why on earth?’
The alliedmanders became even more confused as they heard unexpected information.
But the final conclusion was all the same.
‘I guess I’ll have to tell my country.’
* * *
While the minds of the Alliedmanders were bing confused, the firearms to be deployed in the fortress, which was in the final stage, arrived in Suez.
The alliedmanders, who were watching the guns with their barrels wrapped in thick packaging, were unloaded, looked full of envy.
“As expected, these are cannons made of iron.”
“It’s an iron cannon… We’re still a bronze cannon.”
“I heard that Ennd is trying to make cannons out of cast iron. Does anyone know?”
“I heard they are trying hard, but there are no rumors that a good one has emerged yet.”
While discussing rumors rted to cannons, themanders’ eyes were fixed on the weapons and soldiers being unloaded from the ship.
Themanders who were observing the firearms being unloaded soon noticed something strange.
“Huh? Something strange?”
“Did you notice that too?”
“You?”
Themanders inspected the unloaded cargo with faces full of doubt.
Over the next few months, the Imperial Navy brought weapons and soldiers to be stationed at the fortress.
Every time a ship of the Imperial Navy arrived, alliedmanders came to the dock to inspect the unloaded cargo and watch the soldiers.
And themanders all came to the same conclusion.
‘There are no freight cars!’
‘You’re pulling out a freight car! ‘What is the Empire thinking?’
The Eul-style freight cars, brought in half a year after the war over Suez, left a strong impression on the Alliedmanders.
The Eulsik hwacha was a more useful item than a cannon to deal with the approaching enemies.
But soon the alliedmanders learned why there were no freight cars.
It would be nice to have a freight car. This was because a weapon I had never seen before was ced where I wanted to be.
“what?”
“It’s much smaller than a freight car…”
Themanders who were curious about the identity of the new weapon immediately found the answer when familiar cartridges were ced next to the mysterious weapon.
‘The Empire has improved its freight cars!’
That very day, all the globes flew into the sky of Suez.
And within a few days, the allies dispatched messengers to Suez.
And the monarchs of the allies who sent the messengers ced their hands on their foreheads.
“A new freight car! You crazy imperial bastards!”
Messengers were sent to ignite the military, but the monarchs were able to roughly understand the answer.
If the Empire had pushed out the existing freight cars and deployed them, the superior performance was clear even without looking.
Then, it was certain that the military would insist on its introduction, and it was certain that this would be a political and economic burden.