However, there was a strange rule in Spain at the time: anything shipped from South America had to be inspected in Seville first.
The rigid Spanish authorities dared not disobey orders to unload the treasures from the ship. However, under the special order of Queen Marie de Sava, a small portion of the King and Queen's gold and silver jewels was unloaded and transported overland to Madrid.
After a month-long siege of the Spanish fleet, a combined British and Dutch force of about 30,000 men, under the command of Admiral Luke, launched a fierce attack on Vigo Bay. The bombardment of 3,115 heavy cannons destroyed the fortifications and barricades, and the Spanish defenders collapsed. Excited by the countless treasures before them, the allied forces advanced rapidly, and the harbor soon fell.
At this point, Velasco, the commander-in-chief of the "Gold Fleet," was in despair. He ordered the ships carrying gold and silver to be burned. In an instant, Vigo Bay became a sea of fire. Except for a few sailing ships that were captured in time by the British and Dutch allied forces, the vast majority of them were buried at sea.
After the war ended, people turned their attention to the treasures on these ships.
According to the captured Spanish admiral Cacón's estimate, approximately four to five thousand carriages of gold and jewels on the seventeen galleons sank to the bottom of the sea. This figure drove the British and Dutch into a frenzy.
What's strange is that despite the British's numerous daring dives into the sea, they only managed to retrieve a small amount of loot. As a result, this treasure has strongly attracted countless treasure hunters.
From then on, groups of adventurers appeared on the seabed nearly 1,000 nautical miles deep. Some salvaged empty shipwrecks, while others obtained precious gems and jade such as emeralds, amethysts, pearls, and black amber. Some continued their search using modern technology and tools.
As time has passed, the wind, waves, and tides have covered the treasure with a thick layer of silt, and numerous rumors have added to its mystery, undoubtedly bringing too much trouble to the adventurer.
Chapter 1281 Analysis
"Boss, is our target this time that golden fleet?"
After explaining the origins of the gold fleet to Peng Fei, Captain Clyde's dark face suddenly glowed red, clearly showing his high hopes for the salvage operation.
Clyde's excitement stemmed from Zhuang Rui's influence; both the salvage of the Song Dynasty shipwreck and the re-salvage of the "Awa Maru" after decades were ultimately inspiring.
So although Clyde didn't know much about Zhuang Rui's other amazing abilities, those two moves alone gave him complete confidence in Zhuang Rui.
Zhuang Rui nodded upon hearing this and said, "That's right. Back then, a total of seventeen large sailing ships loaded with treasure sank to the bottom of the sea. There were at least a hundred cabins filled with gold alone."
However, according to records, only two shipwrecks have been salvaged over the centuries, which means that there are more than a dozen shipwrecks full of gold and silver treasures on the seabed.
If we can successfully salvage a few shipwrecks, then I think this salvage operation could become one of the major events that will shock the 21st century…
“That’s right, boss. Our names will definitely be recorded in maritime history. This will be a great salvage operation…”
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Captain Clyde clenched his fists as if the sunken ship had been found and the gold had been salvaged. He didn't look like an old captain who had lived at sea for decades.
"Cough cough, Clyde, I'm sure of it, I'm confident..."
Zhuang Rui coughed several times after being talked to by the bearded captain. This foreigner was too easily brainwashed! Even Zhuang Rui himself didn't really know the specifics of the shipwreck.
Zhuang Rui first noticed this shipwreck treasure when he traveled from Africa to "Xuanrui Island". However, since the route was still far from Vigo Bay at the time, Zhuang Rui only vaguely sensed that there was a strong spiritual energy in that sea area.
Zhuang Rui, who was in a hurry to return to "Xuanrui Island", did not pay much attention to it and did not know that it was the treasure left behind by the naval battle in the 17th century.
But after having that conversation with Huangfu Yun and realizing that he was so poor he was almost starving, Zhuang Rui wondered if he should try to extract wealth from the sea.
Recalling the treasures of several Pacific shipwrecks he remembered, Zhuang Rui realized that those shipwrecks contained little gold; most of them were cargo ships. After hundreds of years, even if the goods inside hadn't decayed, they probably wouldn't fetch much of a price.
After much deliberation, Zhuang Rui remembered the coordinates he had noted down in the Atlantic Ocean. He then found a map and carefully examined the coordinates, discovering that the area was only about 100 nautical miles from where the 17th-century gold fleet sank.
Compared to the several shipwreck treasures Zhuang Rui recorded in the Pacific Ocean, the rumors of the golden fleet were obviously more attractive. Therefore, Zhuang Rui made that "nautical chart" overnight, which made Clyde as excited as a gorilla in heat.
Seeing Zhuang Rui and Clyde discussing so enthusiastically, Peng Fei, who was sitting to the side, couldn't help but point to the map and ask, "Brother Zhuang, which country do these coordinates on the map belong to?"
"During the Age of Exploration, Vigo Bay belonged to Spain, but now it should belong to Portugal, because not far from here is the Azores, which is Portuguese territory..."
To be honest, Zhuang Rui couldn't tell which country's territorial waters that area belonged to either, so he turned his attention to Clyde.
"That's right. After Spain's defeat, its naval power was greatly reduced, and many of its colonies were later divided up by Britain, the Netherlands, and Portugal..."
Clyde nodded; as a European, he knew more about this history than Zhuang Rui did.
"Ahem, Brother Zhuang, since that's Portuguese territorial waters, do you think they'll let you go salvage the shipwreck so openly? I think it would be a big problem if they sent warships to drive us away..."
Upon hearing Clyde's words, Peng Fei looked puzzled. These European countries were not like small countries like Congo. Openly going to someone else's territory to search for treasure was definitely not that easy.
“Peng Fei, you don’t understand. First, this coordinate point may not be within Portuguese territorial waters; it could be on the high seas. Second, even if it is within Portuguese territorial waters, they won’t interfere with our treasure hunt…”
Upon hearing Peng Fei's question, Zhuang Rui laughed. Seeing Peng Fei's still bewildered expression, he continued, "Foreign laws are quite different from ours. They encourage private treasure hunting and exploration, and the government even provides some assistance..."
Zhuang Rui was telling the truth. Many European countries probably made their fortunes through maritime plunder during the Middle Ages, and even in modern times, they still retain an adventurous spirit in their bones.
Therefore, many European countries, including the UK, have laws that allow private individuals to conduct exploration and archaeological excavations.
As long as you register with the relevant local authorities, you can carry a shovel and dig on non-privately owned land. Moreover, everything you dig up belongs to the private owner, and you don't have to pay a single penny of tax.
Of course, such excavation is subject to many restrictions. It cannot be carried out on the premise of damaging public facilities and the surrounding environment. If you dig up the city hall, you will definitely be charged with vandalism.
There's a retired old man in the UK who spends his days wandering around with a shovel. Over the past ten years, he's unearthed antique artworks worth millions of pounds. If this happened in China, he'd be a multi-millionaire!
"Such a thing actually exists? If China allowed this to happen, there probably wouldn't even be a single tile left in Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum..."
Peng Fei listened with amazement, but it was clear that this situation was absolutely unsuitable for China. Otherwise, given China's large population and its eagerness to get rich, if everyone took a shovel, there probably wouldn't be a single intact piece of land left except for the cities.
Zhuang Rui curled his lip upon hearing this and said, "The national conditions of each country are different. Many European countries have a short history and not many cultural relics or tombs underground, which is why they can pass this law. Try digging in countries like Egypt and Greece, for example. You'd be arrested and thrown into prison immediately..."
It's important to understand that China isn't the only ancient civilization on this planet. Many Western countries have civilizations that are not much later than China's, and the term "tomb raider" applies equally to those countries.
"By the way, Captain Clyde, could you please inform the relevant countries that we will be conducting a search and salvage operation in the area where the gold fleet sank in Vigo Bay? We would appreciate their cooperation..."
After explaining to Peng Fei, Zhuang Rui turned to look at Clyde. He wasn't sure if the place where the shipwreck was found was in international waters. If not, he would have to coordinate with the country in the area, since territorial waters, like national territory, are sacred and inviolable.
"Okay, boss, don't worry, leave these things to me..."
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Clyde nodded repeatedly. In some European countries, applying for an expedition permit is just like a ship docking at a port; it's not a very complicated matter.
After nearly five days at sea, the "Xuanrui" finally arrived at the waters near the Azores.
Zhuang Rui did not send the Xuanrui directly to the coordinates on the nautical chart. Instead, it circled the area around Vigo Bay for nearly 800 nautical miles, which took another two days.
Others may not know what Zhuang Rui means by this, but in the past two days, Zhuang Rui has thoroughly explored this nearly thousand-nautical-mile-long sea area, and has also found the exact locations of those shipwrecks.
What puzzled Zhuang Rui was that these shipwrecks were not in Vigo Bay, but were located almost 300 nautical miles away, piled up around a protrusion that resembled an underwater volcano.
What puzzled Zhuang Rui even more was that, unlike some other underwater volcanoes where a large number of organisms live around them, there were very few marine organisms in this area, and even plankton were rarely seen.
However, Zhuang Rui didn't pay much attention to this. The ocean is far more mysterious and complex than land; perhaps the water quality in this area isn't suitable for marine life. ...
"Clyde, has the nature of the sea area at this coordinate point been determined?"
Sitting in the spacious captain's cabin of the Clyde, Zhuang Rui could clearly see the sea ahead through the glass window in front of him. He was staring at a nautical chart spread out on the table, with a red mark on one of the coordinates.
Clyde didn't know why Zhuang Rui had marked a symbol on the map; the symbol seemed to deviate considerably from the nautical chart Zhuang Rui had shown him. Nevertheless, he honestly replied, "Boss, that's international waters, it doesn't belong to any country. However, 120 nautical miles to the north is Portuguese territorial waters..."
"Records from centuries ago may not be true..."
Zhuang Rui looked at the bewildered bearded captain and said, "According to the Spanish admiral's account, all the ships sank in Vigo Bay. However, I think perhaps he deliberately misled the Anglo-Dutch forces? Otherwise, how could only two shipwrecks have been found in Vigo Bay? Therefore, I judge that most of the gold fleet's ships rushed out of the water, but due to severe damage, they sank elsewhere..."
To be honest, Zhuang Rui was also puzzled by the location of those shipwrecks. They were clearly sunk in Vigo Bay, so why would they appear more than 300 nautical miles away?
However, for the sake of this salvage operation, Zhuang Rui could only make things up, and he didn't expect Clyde to believe him.
Chapter 1282 Devil's Sea
"Beep beep, beep beep..."
While Zhuang Rui and Captain Clyde were chatting, a small red light lit up on the electronic screen in the captain's cabin, accompanied by a "beep beep" sound.
The first mate, standing beside the electronic control console, checked the situation and then turned back to say, "Captain, it's a Portuguese patrol vessel requesting to speak..."
The "Xuanrui" is currently within Portuguese territorial waters. Although several countries in the relevant waters had been notified in advance, routine inspections still need to be carried out.
Upon hearing this, Clyde stood up and said, "Boss, I can handle this. Why don't you wait here for a bit?"
Normally, inspections like this could be handled by the first or second mate, but Clyde knew that his ship had many defensive and offensive weapons that shouldn't be found on a cruise ship, so it was safer for him to handle it himself.
"Let's go for a walk..."
Zhuang Rui was also bored in the captain's cabin, so he stood up and followed Clyde out.
After entering the elevator, Zhuang Rui asked the bearded captain beside him with some concern, "Captain Clyde, will there be any problems?"
Previously, when docked at foreign ports, security checks were conducted by the port's foreign affairs personnel. This was the first time Zhuang Rui had encountered being inspected by a patrol ship, so he was somewhat worried, as he knew that his "cruise ship" possessed powerful firepower.
Clyde laughed upon hearing this and said, "Boss, it's alright. I have a good relationship with General Lasco of Portugal. I spoke to him before coming. It's just a formality..."
When he was young, Clyde studied at the Royal Naval College in the UK. Many of his classmates now hold important positions in the naval departments of various European countries. General Lasker, whom he mentioned, was one of his classmates.
Hearing Clyde's words, Zhuang Rui felt relieved and said with a smile, "That's good, Captain Clyde. I prepared some small gifts on the ship; you might want to take them to your classmates..."
As the saying goes, it's never wrong to be polite. Zhuang Rui now has many friends all over the world, so he prepared many of Xu Guoqing's ruined porcelain works on the ship as gifts for some foreign friends.
Of course, after being "exquisitely packaged" in gift boxes worth tens of dollars, these discarded items appear before customers as exquisite works of art made by master craftsmen.
About 500 meters away from the "Xuanrui", a patrol ship was anchored on the sea. Although it was not comparable in size to the "Xuanrui", the two dark cannon muzzles still showed the difference between a warship and a cruise ship.
A speedboat was launched from the patrol ship, and several soldiers boarded it and came to the bottom of the cruise ship. A few minutes later, they took an elevator to the deck.
"Oh, old classmate, I didn't expect you to come in person. You look so handsome in your military uniform..."
Upon seeing the leading soldier, Clyde laughed and went to greet him, giving him a very warm hug. The soldier also smiled and spoke to Clyde in hushed tones in English.
"Boss, this is my old classmate, Admiral Lasco of the Royal Portuguese Navy. He's two years younger than me and is already a major general..."
After hugging Lasco, Clyde introduced him to Zhuang Rui. However, out of politeness, Clyde pronounced Lasco's full name, which was more than thirty syllables long, making Zhuang Rui almost collapse.
Portuguese names are often composed of the parents' names, the godparents' names, and sometimes the grandparents' names, before finally the person's own name, making it arguably the most unique in the world.
"Hehe, boss, just call him Lassco..."
When he saw Zhuang Rui's embarrassed expression, Clyde laughed. He himself had specifically reviewed Lasco's name yesterday. Otherwise, who would remember the names of all their relatives when remembering a friend's name?
"Mr. Zhuang, it's a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to beautiful Portugal..."
When shaking hands with Zhuang Rui, Lasco was noticeably more reserved, naturally uttering diplomatic phrases, but his attitude was still quite warm, much better than the foreign affairs personnel when the port was docked in the past.
As expected, having connections in high places makes things easier. After boarding the cruise ship, Clyde and Zhuang Rui took Lasco on a tour of the deck and introduced him to the modified deep-sea salvage equipment.
The salvage platform on the "Xuanrui" is arguably the most advanced deep-sea salvage facility in the world. Lasco was very interested in it and kept asking questions. As for the inspection, he simply glanced at the crew registration list and that was it.
After the "inspection" was completed, it was nearly noon. Zhuang Rui invited Lasco and his group to the restaurant on the cruise ship, where they enjoyed several exquisite Chinese "works of art".
After the offering was made, the relationship between the two parties became increasingly harmonious.
“Mr. Zhuang, every year many explorers from all over the world come to this area to salvage shipwrecks, and some do indeed salvage some gold and jewelry… But to be honest, the amount of gold and jewelry is not very large, and I personally think that such salvage is not worthwhile…”
Because he was classmates with Clyde and had received a gift from Zhuang Rui, Lasco spoke frankly about his opinion after a conversation.
Although Portuguese law allows explorers to enter the relevant waters for exploration activities, they must do so under their supervision. Therefore, over the years, Lascaux has seen countless adventurers come full of enthusiasm but leave disappointed.