Several flute-shaped transport ships flying east coast flags entered the port of Flisinen, located at the mouth of the Scheld River, the most prosperous commercial port and fishing port under the jurisdiction of Zeland. Marco, of the Tripp family, came to the dock in person, picked up an East Coast lieutenant who had come off the merchant ship, and then drove to the outskirts of the city.

From the dock to somewhere in the outskirts of Flissinen, the Netherlands has laid a short wooden railroad track of only three kilometers long, with about seven or eight horse-drawn track cars imported from the east coast. Marco Tripp proudly introduced to the East Coast officer Wu Yiqun that this was a small horse-drawn track invested and built by their family. It was very fast and stable, with a considerable load or passenger capacity, which has attracted the attention of Flissinen residents.

Finally, Marco Tripp emphasized that in Amsterdam, this route of Flissinen is the only one of the entire seven-provincial alliance. This is the pride of Flissinen's citizens and also the pride of Zeland Province. They finally have another place that surpasses the Dutch.

The destination soon arrived, a farmhouse located on the banks of the Schelder River in the eastern suburb of Flisinen. The farmhouse is large in area, and the surrounding woods and fields can accommodate a large number of people. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Marco Tripp brought Lieutenant Wu Yiqun here. It is obvious that this can be used as a temporary garrison after the army lands.

Wu Yiqun arrived here in advance with the merchant ship this time to find an initial landing point for the troops who arrived later. The Dutch gave this manor in the suburbs of Flissinen, which could accommodate about 1,000 people. Wu Yiqun felt satisfied after taking a closer look. It was enough to have food and accommodation. What else should I pay attention to when fighting abroad?

"This manor was originally a local farm. Indigo was planted, and belonged to a family of Flisingen who had been doing business for generations." After getting off the carriage, Marco Tripp explained to the young Wu Yiqun: "Later, the dye market has risen and fallen, and the family also suffered a lot of losses in other investments. It was necessary to sell the manor. After a few moves, it finally fell into our family. By the way, dyes are no longer grown here. Indigo from British North American colonies poured into Union Province like a tide. It is no longer profitable to plant this kind of economic crop, so it is better to open it to import it. Ah, I forgot to say that the high-end blue and green dyes from your country are also one of the reasons for the shrinking of the local indigo planting area, but the commodity from your country is of high value and less impact."

Wu Yiqun nodded when he heard this. The original indigo field of the manor had disappeared, replaced by large rye fields. Of course, the harvest would have been completed, leaving only empty farmland. Little Tripp promised him that they could set up camps on this field with confidence and conduct daily training. It seemed that they had given up next year's planting and harvest. In the Netherlands, where food needs to be imported, this is not an income that can be ignored at will. However, considering the unclear relationship between the family and the United Provincial Government, the Republicans, and Speaker Devit, it is not difficult to understand that they will definitely receive compensation from other places.

Of course, as a business family that is well versed in betting on both ends, the Tripp family has a close relationship with the Orange faction. Marco Tripp's cousin, Louis Tripp, whose daughter married the son of Giles Falcana, who had been active in Amsterdam and The Hague in order to appoint William III as the son of Gilles Falcana, who was in power in the United Provinces. In history, in 1672, the Dewit brothers were killed by a mob incited by the mob and after the Orange faction came to power, Louis Tripp was appointed as the local sheriff, and in 1674 he was further appointed as the mayor of the key city of Amsterdam, which shows how powerful the family is.

"After your men arrive here, you can set up temporary camps here and wait for further dispatch. Well, it is an order from the Army Department of Zelan Province. Once the war breaks out, you may need to move upstream of the Schelder River to guard against enemies coming from Antwerp." Marco Tripp said with a serious face. After speaking, perhaps because he was worried that Wu Yiqun's Dutch was not good enough, he spoke again at a slower speed to make sure he understood.

"Antwerp? Are you worried that the French will march from the South Netherlands?" Lieutenant Wu Yiqun nodded and said, "I understand. According to our East Coast dialect, it is just to prevent problems before they happen. The enemy may indeed march from here because the distance is closest and most of all, the products along the way are also rich. Whether it is to grab or buy, it is easy to obtain sufficient supplies. We will follow the orders. After all, you are the employers, the upper reaches of the Scheld River, Antwerp, I will go there for a staff trip in the next few days. I hope you can send someone to cooperate."

"No problem." Marco Tripp nodded, and then asked, "So, when will your troops arrive? I'm really going to be sooner. I heard that the French are already funding Archbishop of Munster and Archbishop of Cologne, asking them to hire troops in Germany, stockpile supplies, and prepare for war. Although no one has officially declared war on us so far, as long as people with normal thinking and judgment can foresee this war that will inevitably occur. Although our envoys are still making final diplomatic efforts in Paris, most people are not optimistic about the outcome."

"So this is the most direct reason why Prince Orange came out to take over the overall situation and became increasingly louder and louder?" Wu Yiqun took off the white gloves on his hand, and while observing the scenery around the manor, he casually said: "He is just a young man in his twenties. Even if he is born wise, what can he do if he lacks experience? Of course, there are a large number of military and land nobles around him and his family. These people have very rich experience. Although they may not be accurate and advanced, they are at least stronger than the militias in each province and city."

Before leaving, Wu Yiqun read some file materials about the Dutch armed forces. In the description of the Dutch land armed forces, he almost laughed out loud as he looked at it. He was deeply impressed by the "hardness" of the Dutch militia. At the same time, he deeply realized that relying solely on the Netherlands itself was indeed unable to resist the French army. They could not even stop the 30,000 mercenaries of the Bishop of Münster, let alone the more than 100,000 experienced French troops. The degree of corruption and depravity of the Dutch militia and the weak combat power can be seen from this.

Therefore, in his opinion, the Orange family is better than not coming out of the mountain. Although their role may be limited, at least they can improve the morale of the Dutch military and civilians spiritually, which is something that Speaker Dwayte cannot give. Who makes his ancestors more awesome? It makes a 20-year-old boy wear a halo and becomes the Dutch savior, and he feels the joy of "If you don't come out, what will the people do?"

Marco Tripp wisely did not answer the topic about Prince Orange. After he asked the housekeeper in the manor a few more words, he hurriedly bid farewell to Wu Yiqun and returned to the city of Flisingen. About a week after Tripp left, Li Qing, the East Coast plenipotentiary envoy to Europe, who received the news in Amsterdam, also arrived in Flisingen in a carriage and talked with Wu Yiqun, who was temporarily in charge of all matters in the farm barracks.

"The plan I made before is a bit inappropriate and needs to be changed." Li Qing said this, "It turns out that I wanted to wait until France officially declared war on the United Provinces before letting your army members come from Cape Verde, but the more I think it's not very suitable. You should hurry up and come over." Li Qing took a bench and sat under an old elm tree outside the farm. Looking at a group of young army officers or non-commissioned officers, including Wu Yiqun, said: "The French may send it at any time.

When war is launched, their naval strength should not be underestimated now. Moreover, the British are now in ambiguous attitude, so they may also go to France. By then, even if Druittel and others can defeat the British-French joint fleet at sea, it will not be a matter of time. Moreover, they may not be able to obtain complete control of the sea. This will be a threat to our fleet that transports military supplies and personnel. Therefore, we must take action before the two countries have started war, so as to avoid trouble in the future."

Li Qing is a veteran with a high position and a powerful position. What he said is far from what small officers like Wu Yiqun can refute. Therefore, they can only be submissive and nodded, saying that they will immediately send two capable personnel to the Cape Verde Islands on a quick contact ship to inform the main force still stranded there, and pack up their shapes as soon as possible to go to the United Provinces.

Li Qing looked better after hearing what they said, and then continued to remind them: "The ship is parked in Amsterdam at the commercial station, and there is no other task now. Hurry up, I expect the war will most likely start after the spring of next year (1673). We don't have much time left."

In fact, it makes sense for Li Qing to predict the outbreak of the war in this way. Before March next year, the sea conditions on the entire North Sea were not very ideal, with storms and huge waves raging. In such weather, it is not suitable for large-scale naval battles. To fight the Netherlands, the sea is also an extremely important battlefield. Therefore, Li Qing boldly judged that Britain and France would not launch substantial attacks on the Netherlands before March next year. It may be possible to declare war, but the fight was not so early. Therefore, this would be an excellent gap for the East Coast generals, soldiers, equipment, and military funds.

After explaining the matter here, Li Qing hurried back to Amsterdam, where he still had a large business to deal with. About a month after he left, Conrad van Boyningen, the special envoy sent to Paris in United Province, also returned to The Hague in anger and told Speaker Dwight to prepare for the war, and the final peace efforts have failed.

According to Van Boyningen, the ministers of King Louis XIV of France made hints to him in a roundabout way, demanding that: 1. The Union Province ceded several cities, including Nijmegen on the other side of the Rhine, to France; 2. Giving huge "economic aid" to the Kingdom of France; 3. The Union Province shall not station troops on any major transportation route in the country and open all ports to the Kingdom of France; 4. All tariffs on French ships can be exempted from transport and trafficking of any goods; 5. Establishing Catholic churches in every city in the Union Province; 6. The Union Province sends missions to Paris every year and sends a gold medal to King Louis XIV of France, which must be engraved with "The freedom of the Netherlands is obtained from Louis XIV" and other Ziyang; 7. The United Provinces have previously given British kings and German princes, and they must also be given to France...

Such harsh conditions that were almost insulting were naturally unwilling to agree to by the Dutch. In particular, Van Boyningen, who was on a mission to France, directly suggested that the third-level parliament give up all fantasies and break with the French until they gave up their attempt to annex the Union Province. In this regard, both the Republicans and the Orange Party members had reached a consensus after being subjected to this unprecedented insult and mockery. The last possible possibility of peace has been shattered, and the only thing left is war!

In early February 1673, a quick contact ship departing from Amsterdam arrived at Henghai Port in the Eastern Cape Verde Islands, and conveyed the latest request of Li Qing's special envoy to the hands of Major Yang Liang, the officer of the commander of the commander. After verifying the authenticity of the order, Yang Liang immediately ordered the Baoguo Army Infantry Battalion, Zhongguo Army Infantry Battalion, the two Black Eight Banners Infantry Battalion and the Third Mixed Battalion of the Main Force to mobilize. The entire army began to pack bags, equipment, and military funds, and then collected some food and grass on the island, boarded three troop transport ships and two large flying cargo ships. At the same time, two merchant ships docked and replenished here, allowing them to squeeze out some cabins to transport equipment for them.

However, even so, Major Yang found that he could not complete the transportation in one go. There was no way, so he could only divide it into two batches, first let the third mixed battalion, and the Zhongguo * Army infantry battalion boarded the ship to the United Provinces. As for the remaining Baoguo * Army and the two Black Eight Banner infantry battalions, the left-behind personnel would find a way themselves, or wait for their ships to return to transport them before they could do anything. Who would have thought that the situation changed so quickly? Who knew that Li Qing suddenly wanted everyone to gather?
Chapter completed!