"We'll talk about that later. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 info" Zheng Zhilong changed the topic, "I want to ask Brother Zeng next, how to do the joint exercise?" ”

"The exercise is simple." Zeng Guangxian said with a smile, "We have a confrontation with the Westerners, and ask General Zheng to allocate 6 warships and our Pearl to form a fleet." Let the Westerners also allocate a few warships, and let's do it at sea, and the Westerners will immediately understand what we mean. ”

"But Brother Zeng." Zheng Zhihu said with a smile, "If it's really a real fight, wouldn't that be tantamount to directly turning against them?" ”

"Don't worry, Brother Zheng, it won't." Zeng Guangxian explained, "We are just fighting, using empty cannons and shooting live ammunition at target ships. ”

Zeng Guangxian saw that Zheng Zhihu didn't understand much, and he didn't explain too much: "I will hand over the plan for this exercise to General Zheng, and ask General Zheng to send someone to inform the Westerners." ”

In the evening, Zheng Zhihu sent out all the contacts, and when he returned to the general's mansion, he saw his brother sitting in the hall with a sad face.

"Big brother, I sent everyone out."

"Hmm." Zheng Zhilong agreed in a depressed mood.

"Big brother, why are you unhappy." Zheng Zhihu didn't understand why his brother's emotions were like this, "Yulinwan promised to cede Taiwan and Dongying to us, and also promised to sell us new warships and artillery, what else are you unhappy about?" ”

"Zhihu, why should you give us what is in someone's bag; They can sell us 500-ton warships, so what kind of warships will we have ourselves? ”

"Big brother." Zheng Zhihu scratched his head, "I don't understand what you said." ”

"I can't figure it out either, and I'm not reconciled." Zheng Zhilong sighed, "The current situation is that we can't buy it, and we can't buy it." The warships sold to Westerners in Yulin Bay are better than ours, and the price is cheaper. If we don't buy it, then we can't fight against the Westerners; But if we buy it, we will need at least 5 million taels of silver. With this silver, Yulin Bay can build bigger warships and artillery that can fight farther, so what's the use of us buying it? ”

"Yes." Zheng Zhihu felt that what his brother said was very reasonable, "It would be nice if we could build such a good warship." ”

Zheng Zhihu's words suddenly reminded Zheng Zhilong: "Zhihu, you have also been to Yulin Bay a few times, what is your impression of their academy and that military school?" ”

"Big brother, you know I'm not interested in these things at all." Zheng Zhihu replied, "But according to our people in Yulin Bay, many of the things taught in their schools and military schools are not available in the entire Ming Dynasty. They also hired a lot of Westerners to be in charge of teaching, there were those who specialized in teaching shipbuilding and cannon building in the academy, and there was also a naval department in the military academy, that is, a naval division. ”

Zheng Zhilong thought for a while: "Then do you think that if we send a group of people to study, can Yulinwan agree?" ”

"I'm afraid it's impossible." Zheng Zhihu replied, "At the beginning, we also sent a group of craftsmen, but they didn't learn anything, and Yulin Bay still kept it a secret from us. ”

"It's not okay to send craftsmen, but let's send a group of children, just go to their academy and military academy, Fusong is already 12 years old."

"Big brother." Zheng Zhihu looked at his brother in surprise, "Do you want Fusong to go to Yulin Bay?" ”

Zheng Zhilong did not answer his younger brother: "There is one thing that I have always been very strange, since I took Fusong with me when I first went to Yulin Bay, they seem to be very interested in Fusong. Whether they come to Taiwan or our people go to Yulin Bay, they always have to ask about Fusong's situation, how can a child arouse their great interest. ”

"Big brother, the more this happens, the more you can't let Fusong go, what if they take Fusong hostage?"

"This won't." Zheng Zhilong waved his hand, "This is my strange second thing, even if Fu Song is really loved, he is a child after all." But when the people of Yulin Bay talked about Fusong, they were always so respectful, as if this child was their benefactor or ancestor. ”

"Don't talk about it, big brother." Zheng Zhihu touched his head, "It seems like this." ”

"Zhihu, remember this." Zheng Zhilong instructed, "Find an opportunity to mention it to Yulinwan and see how they react." If we can really send a group of children to Yulin Bay, then we will be able to build warships and artillery like theirs in a few years. ”

"Okay, big brother, I'll go talk to Zeng Guangxian tomorrow."

"Don't be in a hurry yet, wait until the end of this joint exercise." Zheng Zhilong smiled, "I really want to see how powerful their ship is." ”

Zheng Zhihu looked at his brother a little strangely: "Big brother, you don't have any other ideas, do you?" ”

"Zhihu, you remember." Zheng Zhilong suddenly said very seriously, "Yulin Bay's power is getting bigger and bigger now, and we are almost unable to fight against them. If their Pearl is really as powerful as I imagined, it is also providential, and we can only rely on Yulin Bay. But if it's a vain, we can unite with the Westerners once. ”

"Okay, big brother, I remember, let's finish this drill first."

Ten days later, ten Westerner warships arrived in Taichung. The Spaniards came six battleships, the commander of the fleet, Flores; The Dutch came four ships, and the commander was Van Rude.

Zeng Guangxian pointed to the map in front of him in the general's mansion and said: "Generals, the purpose of this joint exercise has been clearly explained to you, in order to be able to capture Dongying, which is also an agreement we have reached a long time ago. Our Pearl will form a side with General Zheng's 6 warships, and you in the Netherlands and Spain will form a side, and we will conduct confrontation exercises, mainly at sea, supplemented by beach and landing. ”

Neither Westerner could understand Zeng Guangxian's series of modern words, and Flores asked, "Your Excellency, are you saying that you and General Zheng's seven warships are going to fight against our ten warships?" ”

"Yes, that's what I meant." Zeng Guangxian said with a smile, "Moreover, General Zheng's battleships and I only fire empty cannons, and will not shoot live ammunition at you." But you can shoot live at the Pearl, but only on the Pearl. ”

Zeng Guangxian's words surprised everyone present, including Zheng Zhilong, and Zheng Zhilong pulled Zeng Guangxian: "Brother Zeng, what do you mean?" ”

Zeng Guangxian looked at it with a smile, and finally said to Zheng Zhilong: "Please rest assured General Zheng, they can't beat us." ”

Van Rude asked: "Dear General Zeng, I guess you haven't seen our warships yet, two of our warships this time are the latest warships that have just been launched from the Netherlands, and the power of the cannons has also increased compared to before." ”