Chapter 433 Dwarf Winter Melon

Such a big movement outside the city naturally alarmed the Dutch people in the city.

The most nervous of them all, the supreme commander of the Red Castle, was Commander Ding, who was now looking grim and was patrolling the Harlem Round Castle, which was defended by the Japanese ronin......

The Zheng army's fleet had just appeared in the open sea, and before it entered the Luermen, Major Ding reacted quickly.

First of all, his first act was, of course, to immediately send someone to the governor of the city of Geranza for help; Secondly, the preparation work for the difficult battle is also very efficient.

On the one hand, he ordered the downsizing of the forces, and all the company soldiers and missionaries returned to the main city to strengthen the defenses of the main body of the fortress and the various round forts.

At the same time, he also ordered the fortified walls to clear the wilderness, emptied all the goods in the shops and warehouses outside the city, drove all the Han people away, and instigated the Japanese to set fire to the houses and clear the fire boundary of the artillery and muskets at the head of the city.

In addition, he even had a lot of mines planted on the river beach of Heliao Harbor - although he knew that this thing was not very powerful, and it would soon be cleared by the Ming army......

In fact, as early as when Fairburg issued the order to prepare for battle, although he didn't think that the Ming army would attack him first, he still made a lot of small moves in advance in line with the truth that his lips were cold.

For example, he sent many Japanese ronins to some nearby Han and indigenous villages to spread terror everywhere, claiming that anyone who dared to help the invading Ming army would settle accounts after the war.

For this reason, he also secretly took several Han leaders as hostages in advance.

……

At this moment, after checking the city's defenses, he came to Haarlem Round Castle.

As the only firepower point that is free from the main city and forms an angle with the main city, this three-storey round fort is very large, and the circumference of the ground floor is about ten zhang.

Each floor of the fortress has a long passage connecting it to the main city, the stone ground floor has no windows, the second and third floors have many shooting holes, and the roof is a gun emplacement, which is equipped with more than a dozen cannons.

After much deliberation, he handed over the responsibility of defending Haarlem Round Fort to 300 Japanese ronins who had been temporarily recruited, and an additional 50 musketeers were sent to supervise the battle.

There was no way, he had too few men, and there were only about 400 musketeers in the city.

Moreover, these Japanese have not won the trust of the depiction, he doesn't want these people with dark psychology to mix in the city, or let them be at the forefront, it is more affordable to be cannon fodder.

In his heart, he looked down on these short, crooked-looking, and obscene Japanese.

In his eyes, these semi-civilized people who like to be shirtless, barefoot, and wear only a piece of crotch cloth are far less noble than the Chinese peasants from the mainland.

Usually, like the Chinese Yankees, he called them Waren.

Perhaps it was because there must be brave men under the heavy reward, or it could be because these Japanese people were also very hostile to the Chinese, at least on the surface, they were very loyal and highly motivated to fight.

Not only did they complete the task of setting fires well, but when the Ming army sent a team of people to climb the mound to put out the fire, they immediately opened artillery to drive them away......

The leader of this group of Japanese people is a samurai named Kuroda.

This person has a small head but not a tall body, no, not not tall, very short! Very short!

As he walked, the comical scene of him moving his two short legs at a rapid pace made him laugh secretly, and it looked like a winter melon with long legs.

However, people can't look good, but this dwarf winter melon is very strange and has a good martial arts, especially the sword in his hand is very threatening.

I have seen him dance with a knife, and he is extremely fast and skillful.

He spent several years as a coward in the coastal areas of Chinese mainland before being driven back to Japan and exiled for his unsuccessful participation in the religious rebellion.

Most of these Japanese were Kuroda's fellow villagers, and many of them were inferior in status compared to Kuroda, and many of them did not even have surnames, so they all obeyed him willingly.

Although the governor was responsible for the remuneration for employing more than 1,000 Japanese ronin, after these 300 people were distributed to him, he privately rewarded Kuroda with 300 lace silver dollars—although it made him feel distressed for several days.

Not only that, but he knew very well that these Japanese people were not only greedy for money, but also very vain, and they wanted to save face when they died, so he gave Kuroda the title of "General" as soon as he came up, and usually called him "General Kuroda" very politely.

Obviously, it's a very funny thing.

In Japan, shogun is a very respected position, and there is only one real shogun - "shogun", even if you add the daimyo who dares to call himself a shogun in private, there are only a few in the country.

Not to mention that there are only 300 people under Kuroda, even if it is difficult to describe himself, he is only a major from a civilian background, and he does not even have a knighthood.

However, Kuroda was very useful, and since then he has obeyed his words, and every day he looks like a confidant dies......

At this moment, Kuroda was nodding and bowing to accompany the depiction, patrolling around the round castle......

"Zheng Sen's attack just now was beaten back by us,"

As he walked, he flattered his work, "I guess they are angry and want to make a desperate bet." ”

"Well, you're doing well, General,"

He nodded approvingly, "So I give you the front one because I have the greatest trust in you." ”

"Hello!"

Kuroda raised his face and exclaimed, "Thank you for your cultivation!" ”

"Good job,"

He waved his hand and admonished, "Don't be afraid of other directions, you are the most important here, don't live up to my expectations......"

"Hello, my lord,"

Kuroda mechanically straightened his waist again, and then said with some panic, "This is their big camp, and it's the first ...... to bear the brunt."

Hearing his tone, he stopped, turned around and said coldly, "You and I are people who have no way out, only to hold the city and wait for reinforcements to arrive, they will be helpless, they can't hold it, Zheng Sen will kill you." ”

"Uh...... Hello! ”

"You don't have to worry too much,"

He narrowed his eyes and comforted, "Just hold on until the Governor's reinforcements arrive." ”

"Hello, my lord,"

Kuroda plucked up his courage and took the opportunity to show his loyalty, "Don't worry, my lord, if I fight with him, even if the city is broken and he dies, I will never let Zheng Sen feel better!" ”

He glanced at him and said angrily: "What nonsense!" I'm asking you to defend the round castle, not to let you die with him, there are still my people in the inner city to back you up, what are you afraid of. ”

When Kuroda saw it, he hurriedly changed his words: "Don't worry, my lord, I will definitely defend my humble position." ”

"That's right,"

He nodded with satisfaction, "If Zheng Sen really fights to attack, I will immediately send someone to reinforce you." ”

"Hello!"

……

"My lord, the Ming army is going to attack ......"

At this moment, a small man ran to report in a panic.

"Panic what!"

His face sank, and he scolded, "Let's go, take a look!" ”

After speaking, he straightened his waist and strode to the roof of the building with his command knife.

Kuroda and the little man hurriedly followed, shook off their two short legs, and trotted all the way up in hot pursuit......

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(End of chapter)