Chapter 137: The Bombardment of the Port of Marseille Sweeps the Italian Coast

The port of Marseille is almost two thousand years old. This ancient seaport is not only the eastern gateway of France, but also the largest port on the Mediterranean. Mu Yi and Zheng Zhilong chose to start here, in Zheng Zhilong's words, we just want to grab a handful of French eggs. It's a bit vulgar, but it's very accurate. The port of Marseille could not be more important to the French. A lot of goods going in and out of France pass through here.

Such an important port was naturally a key fortification place for the French. However, the intelligence work of the Yaogang people has done a good job, Mu Yi and they have long known the general facilities of the port, plus the introduction of the two Portuguese navigators, as well as Zheng Zhilong's interrogation of the French prisoners, Mu Yi and Zheng Zhilong already know the general situation of the port of Marseille.

At dawn, the mist on the Mediterranean clears and the blazing sun fills the sea. Ifu Island and Ifu Castle on the island are clearly visible in front of the Tarzan on the right.

It is a small island only two kilometers from the port of Marseille, which is only 300 meters long and 180 meters wide. At first, the island was uninhabited, but in 1516, King Francis I, fully aware of its defensive value, ordered the construction of a fortress on the island, the city of Efu. The French considered it an impregnable fortification. But Mu Yi and Zheng Zhilong took it as an appetizer (unbeknownst to them, of course, that 200 years later, the castle was turned into a prison in Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo). Maybe there won't be this children's book. ）。

Many of the French warships that participated in the siege and annihilation of the Ming Dynasty fleet set off from the port of Marseille, because the port of Marseille is a natural deep-water harbor, with no reefs and rapids, and the harbor is wide and deep. However, the French warships that had escaped the catastrophe had not yet returned. In the port of Marseille, there are only the hard-working fishermen who trade their hard-earned catches on the docks. There were no ships at sea yet, and no one noticed that a group of warships had come from outside the port of Marseille that wanted to tear her apart.

The city of Ifu in front of him can be seen clearly without binoculars, and no one on the castle seems to have noticed that the kiln warship has pointed at it with its cannon. Maybe someone found out too late.

There are five triple 304-mm turrets on the Tarzan with a total of fifteen cannons. However, Mu Yi and Zheng Zhilong never let these giant cannons fire, because it was really unnecessary to bombard wooden ships with such shells. As Zheng Zhilong said, many wooden ships are not worth the price of cannonballs. But the gunners were suffocated one by one. Today, Zheng Zhilong let them eat this appetizing snack. However, Zheng Zhilong's order was that only one shot was allowed to be fired from each cannon. And it was fired in two rounds. In fact, against such a small castle, it is already a bit excessive to use fifteen rounds of 304 mm shells, and the very important reason for this is that Zheng Zhilong is taking care of the emotions of the gunners. No one wants to be on the sidelines and watch someone fire a cannon without their own business.

The Château d'Ife has three cylindrical towers with wide shooting holes. The towers, the blue Mediterranean Sea and the Marseille sky are beautiful in the morning sun. Mu Yi said to Zheng Zhilong: "It's so beautiful! It's a bit of a sin for us to fire like this today! ”

"Haha! When did Commander Mu learn to be so emotional! They never relented when they came to us to burn and slaughter. I know why Mr. Zhang sent a telegram that didn't let us be soft! After speaking, Zheng Zhilong said again, "The brothers are ready, let's start early?" ”

Mu Yi said: "There are a lot of things to do today, let's start!" ”

"Knock knock!" As the Tarzan ship trembled, the sound of the first round of nine shells was heard around the quiet Mediterranean. Then Ifu Castle on the island of Ifuku Island flew out in all directions in a puff of smoke. The entire Mediterranean Sea and the port of Marseille trembled. Nine shells basically blew up the little city of Efu, and then six more shells smashed it, completely destroying the city of Efu (but there is "The Count of Monte Cristo"). Even the top of the hill where Ifu City is located has been blown out of several large craters.

Mu Yi saw that the shells had hit, and said, "It's okay!" ”

"Haha!" Zheng Zhilong listened to Mu Yi and said, "It's okay!" "Amusement," Commander Mu pointed to his head and stopped here to bombard stationary targets, if they missed the target. I think it's time to jump into the sea! ”

"Huh! Let's get to work! I guess it's time for all the friends in the port of Marseille to get up! ”

"If there are still people who can't wake up with such cannon sounds, it is estimated that they will not be able to wake up!" Zheng Zhilong was very satisfied with the hors d'oeuvres in front of him and was in a good mood.

The sound of the explosion woke up the Maasai who were obsessed with nightlife. The fishermen on the docks and the early traders who had risen to trade were stunned by the explosions and billowing smoke from the Ifushima legend, unaware that an enemy was coming at them. But as the Yaogang fleet approached, they saw the black smoke of the warship approaching, they had long heard that the Orientals used steam to drive ships, they had always disbelieved it, and now they came to the front of them not to believe it, and at the same time one reaction was to run quickly. Because a few days ago, the French warships were dispatched to fight with the Spaniards and Italians to destroy the Ming Dynasty fleet that came to the Mediterranean, and when they set off from the port of Marseille, a grand departure ceremony was held. Now the French warship has not returned, and the Ming Dynasty ship with black smoke has come. They all understand that there is more luck than luck. The explosion must have come from the Ming Dynasty fleet, and the smoke on Ifu Island probably means that Ifu City is even more auspicious. The people on the dock immediately fled in all directions.

However, at the entrance to the port of Marseille, there is a castle on the left and right sides to guard the port of Marseille, with the castle of Saint-John on the left and the castle of Nicolas on the right. The officers and soldiers in the castle were awakened by the sound of the explosion and came to their positions, although they did not know what was happening, but the duty of the soldiers made them run to their positions. The officers and soldiers on the castle soon discovered that a large area of black smoke had come from the black pressure on the sea. Needless to say, the officers in the two castles understood that this was a French warship that had not fought anyone, but had led them to the port of Marseille. The officers immediately ordered the artillery charge. But it was too late. Since they usually put ** in a safe place at the bottom of the castle when they are fine, they will go to take the delay now.

For military facilities like castles, Mu Yi and Zheng Zhilong are absolutely unrelenting. They concentrated all their artillery fire, first of all against the castle of Nicholas on the right bank. Fifteen 304-caliber cannons and thirty-six 130-caliber cannons were taken part in the shelling of the Tarzan, plus fourteen 203-caliber cannons on other ships, and forty-two 130-caliber cannons. The cannons opened fire at the same time, and the sea was suddenly covered in smoke, and after a few rounds of firing, Nicholas Castle wanted to open a pot. Castles made of boulders that normally looked impregnable have become littered with pieces. Then there was the heat of the explosion that ignited everything that could burn. The officers and soldiers in the castle were not killed by the bombing, but they were all burned to death.

Originally, the soldiers on St. John's Castle had already moved the ** up, but when they saw the tragic situation of Nicholas Castle opposite, they knew that the castle below was their own, and their minds were a little calm. When the officers saw that the soldiers could not stop them, they all ran away. Their bodies can't withstand the shell bombardment, and the shells of the Ming Dynasty are simply terrifying.

When the Kiln Gang fleet bombed St. John's Castle, there were no French officers and soldiers in the castle, but many of the prisoners held in the basement were shocked to death.

When St. John's Castle was reduced to a pile of burning ruins, the Kiln Gang warships began to fire freely. There are also many armed merchant ships and warships in the port of Marseille that have become their targets. Soon, there were explosions in the port of Marseille, and smoke and flames were raging.

After a burst of shooting, there were no more intact ships in the port of Marseille. Zheng Zhilong summoned several French prisoners, one of whom was a captain. Zheng Zhilong said to him, "I will let you go ashore now, but you must send a message to your king." You have united against us, and we demand that he compensate us for our losses. Otherwise we will flatten all the docks and buildings along the French coast. We're going to Rome now. I hope that when we return, your king will send someone who has the final say to wait for us here. Otherwise, we will have no choice but to act by force. ”

Several of the captives said yes in quick succession.

Mu Yi asked them to give them a small boat and let them go. Then the entire fleet retreated to Marseille and carried out two rounds of indiscriminate bombardment into the city, Zheng Zhilong and Mu Yi knew that such a bombardment would have a greater psychological blow to the entire Marseille. The pressure on the French was even greater. Although there will be some civilian casualties, and several churches have been damaged, there is no way. When the French warships went out to bully the weaker countries, they never took into account the casualties of civilians.

Zheng Zhilong quickly found that although the officers and soldiers did not miss the artillery, they were not very excited, but they just had the feeling that they had completed the task.

Mu Yi also saw it and said to Zheng Zhilong: "No way, we Chinese just can't do it for those who don't have the power to fight back." ”

"Humph! Xiyi people are never soft on bullying honest people! They think that you should be bullied even more if you are incompetent! Zheng Zhilong said.

"Let's turn east, let's go over there and see the Italians!" Mu Yi said.

After the fall of the glorious Roman Empire, most of Italy was under the rule of the Austrian Habsburgs, with only a few coastal areas barely existing. Their strength cannot be compared with France and Spain. However, due to the glory of the Roman Empire, they sent all their warships out when the Spaniards wanted to unite with them against the Ming Dynasty. He had thought that would undo some of the impact. But I didn't expect to be sunk by the Ming Dynasty fleet.

However, Italy has not been able to hear this news anytime soon.

Mu Yi and Zheng Zhilong commanded the fleet, leaving Marseille and heading east, to the Ligurian Sea, first outside the port of Gena, without waiting for the people in the port to react. All the cannons of the Yaogang fleet were aimed at the harbor, and there was a burst of bombardment. Almost the entire port was destroyed with ships and docks. Then he released a few Italian captives and asked them to inform them that Caesar had to pay for the attack on the Ming fleet and that our Ming ships would return. Then, along the western coast of the Apennine Peninsula, all the ports along the route were attacked with different degrees of lightness, which was regarded as a retaliation for sending troops to Italy to attack the Ming fleet. But this time, Mu Yi and Zheng Zhilong both knew that it would take time to wait for the Italians to react. And they can't wait too long. So they went back the way they came, and from the north of Corsica to the west, they went straight to the port of Marseille.

After the disembarkation of the port of Marseille, several French prisoners released by the Yaogang people did not care to see the miserable situation of the port of Marseille, and immediately went to a military camp and demanded that the general here give them a carriage, and that they should rush to Paris at once, and that they had something important to report to the king.

But a small captain could not attract the attention of the general at all, and now the port of Marseille was beaten everywhere with broken bricks and stones, and there were fires burning everywhere, and the general did not have the heart to listen to what they had to say. It's going to get people out of these messy guys. The captain was really anxious, and he knew that if the information was not sent to Paris, and the kiln people returned to the port of Marseille without giving a satisfactory answer, the port of Marseille and all the ports would probably be worse than the current port of Marseille.

In desperation, the captain rushed back, put a knife on the neck of the general in charge of the security of the port of Marseille, and said to him: "All our French warships have been sunk by the Ming Dynasty. I was captured by the Ming Dynasty and released to deliver a letter to Your Majesty. If the news is not delivered, the Ming Dynasty fleet will come back, and the whole of Marseille will be flattened. Do you know how serious this is? ”

"Good! I know! You take the knife away! "This general knows that he is not in a real hurry, this guy who calls himself the captain will not force himself with a knife.

When the captain removed the knife, the general thought for a moment, and immediately ordered to find him the best carriage, and then sent another detachment of cavalry to escort him to Paris.

The captain was so weak that he could no longer ride a horse before he asked for a car.

Their group, without a moment's delay, rushed towards Paris.

Thanks to the guards and passes sent by the general, they went directly to the Château de Fontainebleau, on the left bank of the Seine, outside Paris. It's still 60 kilometres from Paris. But Queen Anna lives here now.

Queen Anne had been thinking about the French fleet on the expedition, and when she heard that news of the fleet had been sent back from Marseilles, she hastily finished her dinner and summoned her.

When Queen Anna saw that it was a ragged man, she thought it strange. I just wanted to ask what was going on, but I was so stinking that I almost fainted.

The captain of the ship who delivered the letter immediately fell to his knees and said, "The queen forgives her sins!" My warship was sunk, I was fished up from the sea by the Ming Dynasty, and I have been imprisoned at the bottom of the Ming Dynasty warship, I haven't bathed for a long time, I went ashore from the port of Marseille, and rushed here without stopping. Please forgive me, Queen! ”

Queen Anna was very upset when she heard this, and felt guilty for her gaffe, "Oops! I'm sorry, come and sit! ”

The captain said, "Queen, don't be polite, because it's too dirty, so you won't sit down." ”

"If you don't sit, no one in this country should sit!" Queen Anna was a little excited.

The captain had to sit in the chair that the servant had brought to him.

Queen Anna asked, "Tell me, how is our fleet?" ”

"Queen, our fleet is completely destroyed!" The captain said, "There are not many ships left that can escape." My warship only hit a shell of the Ming Dynasty navy, and the whole ship was blown to pieces. I was swept into the sea by the air waves, hugged a mast, and persisted until the end of the naval battle, and was fished on board by the Ming Dynasty navy. Most of the officers and soldiers died! ”

When Queen Anna heard this, her body shook twice, and she almost didn't spread out on her chair, "What did you say?" Could it be that hundreds of our warships were sunk by the Ming Dynasty naval army? ”

"Yes! Our warships have no way to confront the Ming Dynasty naval army, and no matter how many ships there are, it is useless. The Spaniards had more ships than we and the Italians combined, but they were all sunk by the Ming Dynasty navy. ”

"What? So many ships of the Spaniards were also sunk? Could it be that the Ming Dynasty Navy will not be able to magic? "Queen Anna really can't accept this fact.

"The artillery fire of the Ming Dynasty naval army has a long range, but the hit is extremely high, and the cannonball is extremely powerful. We were only beaten at sea, and we were powerless to fight back. It's just that people don't beat us, their ships are all made of good steel, and many of our ships are sunk by them. I've never seen a ship as big as them, and they're all steam-powered! Queen, we can't fight hard with others! ”

At this time, an official came to the queen's side and whispered a few words.

The queen's face became more solemn, and she asked, "When you left Marseille, were you attacked there?" ”

"Yes! The Ming Dynasty fleet let us go ashore after bombarding the port of Marseille! ”

"What? What are they letting you ashore? Queen Anna was furious.

"The queen is angry, they are from the Ming Dynasty and asked us to bring a letter to the king. They said that if they did not compensate for the damage caused to him, they would come back and immediately flatten it with artillery fire, and they would also flatten all the ports of our coast. When I came, I had already seen that the castle of Ifu, the castle of Nicholas, and the castle of St. John on the island of Ifu had been bombarded into ruins by the cannons of the Ming Dynasty's naval army. There are no full-fledged ships left in the entire port of Marseille. ”

"What? All of them have been bombed into ruins? Anna knew that these three castles were so strong that she couldn't imagine how they had been ravaged after they had been bombed into ruins. If it weren't for the army sending someone to report the situation, the queen would never have believed it.

Queen Anna, who had calmed down a little, immediately said: "Hurry up and inform Cardinal Mazarin!" ”