"Thank you for the reminder, Captain Barbosa!" Li Qingyuan sat in his chair, listening to Boris's report. He then gestured to his butler to give the two men a few gold coins as a reward.
He had known about the impending arrival of the British fleet for a while. But, as Barbosa had predicted, regardless of whether the messenger was useful or not, he should acknowledge the favor.
Ignoring the overjoyed Boris and Pinter, who were happy to receive the money, Li Qingyuan instructed his men to summon everyone.
Although Boris's Eye Patch was the token of the Caspian Sea Pirate Lord, the proof of becoming one of the Nine Pirate Lords, he had no interest in it.
Since he had already decided to become the financial emperor of this world, the so-called Pirate Lord tokens were completely useless to him.
However, it seemed that the divine power of Goddess Calypso was sealed within the nine tokens. Perhaps he could consider taking a few back as collectibles when he returned?
"My Lord Marquis!"
Soon, several people quickly arrived at the meeting hall and saluted him.
These people were Colonel Vincent, in charge of managing the soldiers on the island; Lamuel, the artillery commander in charge of the coastal defense cannons; and the great pirate Bellamy, in charge of managing the pirates who had surrendered.
Bellamy was a truly iconic pirate, with a Golden Hook on his left hand and an Eye Patch on his right eye, perfectly fitting your image of a pirate.
This guy possessed two Armed Pirate Ships and more than four hundred subordinates. Over the years, he had gained immense prestige in the Caribbean Sea, second only in fame to the ghost captain, Barbosa.
And, as a mascot, the former Governor of Port Royal, Weatherby Swann, came to listen in!
"Fifty British warships have entered the Caribbean Sea and will arrive at the latest the day after tomorrow. What are your thoughts on this?"
After taking a sip of coffee, Li Qingyuan slowly spoke.
"Your Excellency, let's retreat first!"
"The Cayman Islands are strategically difficult; the British fleet likely wouldn't dare go there."
Vincent and Bellamy immediately stood up to reply. It seemed these two had definitely strategized many times in private about what to do if the British fleet really attacked.
Fifty warships were currently invincible in the Caribbean Sea. Although the Spanish could muster that many ships if they tried, Spain was now declining. They were barely able to maintain their existing colonies and had neither the ability nor the inclination to concern themselves with the British's affairs.
"Governor Swann, what's your opinion?" Li Qingyuan slightly turned his head and asked Governor Swann, who had been pretending to be invisible.
"I… um… I…"
Governor Swann hesitated, not knowing what to say.
From a national perspective, he naturally hoped the fleet would directly attack Port Royal and execute this detestable Oriental!
However, the other party had held a grand wedding on the island a few days ago. Even though Elizabeth had been bound throughout, everyone now knew that this Oriental was his son-in-law, Elizabeth's legal husband.
So, no matter how he explained it, once the British fleet returned to Port Royal, he and Elizabeth would definitely be hanged!
"The fleet commander should be Cutler Beckett. Governor Swann should know this guy!"
"Beckett? Isn't that guy in India? How did he get to the Caribbean!"
Hearing that the visitor was actually his political enemy, Governor Swann was momentarily stunned. However, he was, after all, an old fox who had been in politics for many years. After a moment's thought, Governor Swann immediately understood the whole story.
It stood to reason that as the Governor of the British Caribbean, even if the homeland sent a fleet to expand its colonies, they should have dispatched a more agreeable commander, rather than transferring his political enemy, Beckett, from India.
Political struggles are divided into factions, and the factional struggle is even more brutal than the war between races!
It seemed that he had been Governor in the Caribbean for ten years, and someone must have been dissatisfied and was stirring up trouble!
Thinking of this, Governor Swann broke out in a cold sweat.
If that Beckett fellow brought his people into the Caribbean Sea, it was a sure thing he'd make trouble for me.
He could even arrange for my demise, no problem!
Li Qingyuan glanced at Governor Swann, whose eyes were vacant, lost in thought. He figured the old man would eventually figure things out for himself.
As long as he controlled Elizabeth Swann, this doting father would be firmly on his side.
There was no other way, it was just too difficult to find someone competent these days. To turn Port Royal into the economic and transportation hub of the West, he needed someone like Governor Swann.
As for the fact that Miss Swann was still resisting?
No big deal!
Just a few more nights in bed, and she'd come around.
"How are the new cannons coming along?" Li Qingyuan asked Lamuel, not missing a beat, as he was internally planning how to deal with Elizabeth Swann tonight and make her behave.
"The current accuracy has risen to forty percent! Your subordinate is confident in taking out all those damned British!" Lamuel stood up proudly, puffing out his chest.
Wait, aren't you British yourself?
Li Qingyuan certainly hadn't been idle these past two months. Besides planning for Port Royal's future development and incorporating a bunch of ragtags, he spent the rest of his time every day modifying the coastal defense cannons!
Although he wasn't familiar with these old-fashioned cannons, the title of 'Demolition Expert' meant he didn't need to understand the construction principles to directly modify them.
Of course, due to various considerations and the scarcity of raw materials, he had only modified one coastal defense cannon these days, but it should be enough to deal with the British!
Only Lamuel, as the gunner, understood the power of the new cannon in all of Port Royal, so he was now brimming with confidence, feeling that with one cannon, he could absolutely destroy a city and conquer a nation.
Vincent and Bellamy both stared at Lamuel with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot. Was this guy's brain broken?
Fifty warships were coming, not five!
Admittedly, Port Royal's defenses were strong and formidable. They could probably hold their own even against a dozen warships.
But fifty was a number that would definitely cause a qualitative change!
Li Qingyuan and Barbosa wanted to persuade the Marquis to abandon the city and flee, but when they met his gaze, they swallowed the words they were about to say.
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