Chapter 55 The Naval Battle Defeats the Red Hair Fan, and the Zheng family watched the battle with tears in their eyes

The Dutch drove out the Spaniards, and after occupying Taiwan, they coveted the mainland's trade, and fought with Zheng Zhilong several times, but did not take advantage. There is no way to reach an agreement with Zheng Zhilong for reciprocal trade. Although Zheng Zhilong won more and lost less, he won a crushing victory every time. Zheng Zhilong had no choice but to compromise with the Dutch. This time, when the Dutch heard that there were still forces called Yaogang people, they also wanted to intervene in the Taiwan Strait and maritime trade, and they felt that they could not tolerate anyone else coming to get a piece of the pie, and readily agreed to deal with outsiders with Zheng Zhilong.

When the Yaogang fleet and Zheng Zhibao's fleet were engaged in a naval battle off the coast of Mawei, it happened that a merchant ship bound for Taiwan passed through the warring waters. This merchant ship was afraid of harming itself, and like another passing merchant ship, it hung up its full sails and ran wildly, and ran a long way before turning the bow and heading for Taiwan. When they arrived in Taiwan, they told the Dutch about what they had encountered at sea.

The Dutch governor Coeette was overjoyed to hear the news, because now two new Dutch ironclad ships were also docked at the port of Jilong (Keelung), with more than a dozen large and small warships. The Governor thought to himself that it would be a good time for the yellow monkeys to see. Especially show Zheng Zhilong, who has always been unconvinced of himself, that this is an invincible warship on the sea.

The Dutch governor Corette didn't believe what the merchant ships said at all, and the new smoking fleet soon wiped out Zheng Zhilong's fleet at sea, and the whole ship was shattered. Corette heard from someone sent by Zheng Zhilong that those ridiculous Chinese could actually use steam to drive ships. But those are ships that can only play in the ditches of Chinese mainland, and they also want to be on the sea, to get a piece of the maritime trade, it's a joke. However, Keyett will not miss the opportunity to teach the Chinese a lesson, not to mention that this time it is a joint operation with Zheng Zhilong, and if he wins, he can further strive for greater benefits from Zheng Zhilong.

Therefore, Corette sent a fleet of twelve warships, including two ironclads, with the "Hector" as the flagship, to go straight to the vicinity of Quanzhou Harbor to find and destroy the new fleet. They also had the idea that it would be better to get back a steam-powered warship and see what strange tricks the Chinese had to make steam-powered warships.

On this day, as soon as their fleet approached Quanzhou Bay, the lookout post on the mast spotted several pillars of smoke on the sea in the distance. The captain of the flotilla's flagship ship, who did not expect to find the ship's flotilla so quickly, immediately hung the flag and notified the flotilla to prepare for the battle.

As they got closer, the first thing they found were two huge ships of fortune. Unlike the other ships, both ships emit black smoke and have only three masts on their huge hulls. When they got closer, they spotted five low, smoky boats lined up and approaching their fleet.

At this time, Zheng Zhilong, who was on Hongze Lake, had clearly seen the Dutch fleet rushing in front, Zheng Zhilong held the telescope and said to Li Jing: "The one in the middle on the opposite side is the Dutchman's 'Hector', on his left and right are 'S. Graffran', 'Wynke', and 'Mary', and the other two should be the sail ironclad ships that have just arrived, and I can't see the others clearly." Tell your people, don't be careless, the red-haired fan is good at naval warfare, and they are skilled in the use of naval artillery, so they can't be underestimated. ”

Li Jing told Mu Yi Zheng Zhilong's words on the radio, and Mu Yi said: "Thank you Mr. Zheng in advance!" I have seen clearly that there are five large ships of 2,000 tons, the others are more than 1,000 tons, and the flagship 'Hector' is more than 600 tons. They look arrogant, and I'm ready to leave them behind on all twelve ships. ”

When Zheng Zhilong saw Li Jing on the boat, he was able to talk to the other boat, and said admiringly: "Oops! If I had such a thing on my ship, I would have kicked the red-haired fan out a long time ago. ”

Li Jing asked, "Is Hongmaofan's hair really red?" ”

"Actually, the real red-haired hair is not red at all, most of it is gray and yellow. They have few red-haired people, and there are more than 15,000 ships in the small country, and there are not enough people at all, and many of their crews are Irish. The Irish had red hair. Zheng Zhilong explained.

"Oops! It seems that Mr. Zheng knows a lot about the red hair? Li Jing was surprised.

"That's right! I was the first to be a general for the red hair, and I know too much about them. After Zheng Zhilong finished speaking, he said to Li Jing again, "General Li, we are too far apart, I want to see how you defeat these damn red-haired fans!" ”

"Huh! I'm a little strange, these red-haired fans are here to help you fight, why do you want to see how we defeat them? Don't you want to watch the red-haired fan defeat us? Li Jing didn't understand.

"Oops! I originally wanted to use the power of the red hair to deal with you, but now it's different. Zheng Zhilong said, "You don't know, General Li. This red-haired fan is really not a fucking thing. They formed the East India Company and plundered untold wealth in Ryukyu (Taiwan), and a Dutch governor said, 'Ryukyu (Taiwan) is really a good cow for the company'. Of the twenty-five trading houses of the East India Company in the East, the Ryukyus Shoko Interests ranked second, accounting for a quarter of the total profits. An average of 400,000 guilders, equivalent to 80,000 taels of gold, were shipped back to the Netherlands each year. ”

"What? Eighty thousand taels of gold? Li Jing was startled when she heard this.

"Yes! Damn the red-haired fan, he doesn't treat our people as human beings at all. There was a guy named Constantine Nobel, who called the Chinese "pigs" and "barbarians", and he was murderous, and he personally killed more than a hundred Chinese. Deerskins were the main export material of the Ryukyus, and at the peak, 150,000 deerskins were exported from the Ryukyus to Japan alone. Hongmaofan stipulates that Chinese are not allowed to trade and buy in the market without permission. The deer skins caught by the Gaoshan people were only allowed to be sold to the red-haired fan, and the Han Chinese had to buy them at the places designated by the Dutch authorities if they wanted to use the deer skins to pay taxes. This one is bought and sold, and a deerskin Dutchman can scrape away two dollars and one profit. If they sell it in Japan, they can make a fifty-fold profit. That's not all, the annual poll tax is the same as that of Hongmaofan, and the income is as high as more than 30,000 taels of silver. What is even more hateful is that a large number of Ryukyu people were sold to Southeast Asia as slaves. They often slaughtered the people. and those who do not believe in their religion will be killed. I can't say enough about it! ”

After listening to what Zheng Zhilong said, Li Jing's eyes turned a little red, and asked, "How many people are there in total?" ”

"There are about 3,000 people in the Ryukyus!" Zheng Zhilong replied.

"Humph! There are more than 3,000 people, and you are embarrassed to talk about it here. I don't think you're fucking men, and I shouldn't have kept you like this in the first place. Li Jing got up angrily and spun around.

"If you don't come to Fujian, I'm also accumulating strength to meet the Dutch. In the past, we fought with the Dutch and won every time, and our officials served for three years, and they did not want to cause trouble. So, if we play like this with the Dutch, we can do our best. If it weren't for us, it would be even more complete to rely on the imperial court. Zheng Zhilong lowered his head, unable to accept Li Jing's opinion.

Li Jing said to the captain: "Let's not get too far away, I want to see if these red-haired fans are three heads and six arms or what?" ”

At this time, the sea was already murderous. The fleets of both sides were in a horizontal line, advancing head-on. Mu Yi was also very disgusted with these red-haired fans, and ordered, don't be stingy with shells, and the 203mm cannons also opened their armor and loaded them to aim.

This time, Mu Yi still wanted to take advantage of the opponent to be unable to do it to himself, and wanted to get close and shoot suddenly. In the process of marching, each ship was assigned tasks, each ship was assigned two enemy ships, and two were left, and whoever completed the task first was handed over.

At this time, the Dutch fleet was even more confident, they saw that the big ship of the Yaogang people pulled up the sails and fled, and the five black and low warships that rushed over did not look big, and the Dutch were confident that they could easily deal with these novices who had just arrived at sea by relying on their own warships, not to mention that they were now more than two dozen and one.

But the Dutch did not expect that the distance between the two sides was not yet a thousand meters, and the opponent opened fire.

Hearing the sound of cannons and the smoke from the firing of artillery from the opponent's ship, the officers and men of the Dutch ship burst into laughter. These are some cowards who have no experience in naval warfare, and they are cowardly firing from afar. But their smiles fell, and the two ironclad sailboats suddenly exploded violently, and with the violent explosion, the two most advanced ironclad sailboats in the world today, the mast and sails, together with the ironclad on the ship, flew into the air in pieces, and the wooden ship was directly shattered.

Although the wooden ship was covered with iron armor, it could withstand the simultaneous bombardment of a 203-mm shell and a 130-shell, and the crew of the ship did not react at all, and almost without any pain, it flew away along the deck. The Dutch flagship 'Hector', which had been taken special care of by the kiln people, was also blown to pieces, but the majesty of their explosion was hidden in the spectacular scene of the explosion of the two ironclad ships, and it did not attract much attention. Because the 230-mm shells fired at this 'Hector' did not hit it, only a 130-shell hit it. However, the 600-ton wooden ship was hit by a 130 shell, and the result of being crushed was also doomed. In addition to the two Ironclad ships and the Hector that were hit and shattered, two other Dutch warships were also hit, but they were only heavily damaged, not immediately shattered.

Due to the fact that the two flotillas were moving in opposite directions, the Yaogang warships could only attack the Dutch fleet with one 203-mm cannon and two 130-mm cannons on the foredeck.

In the first round of shooting, so far away, their own fleet was hit hard, and the Dutch were stunned at once. How could a naval battle be fought like this, and the kiln people were too unruly. The flagship was sunk in one fell swoop, and the two ironclad ships that were originally going to rely on were also scattered and floating garbage. The rest of the Dutch ships, although they still couldn't figure out how the opposing ships could hit their own ships so far away, they understood that if they didn't go, their big ships would be smashed to pieces. The panicked Dutch warship, without hesitation, thought of walking quickly. They knew that there was no way to fight.

But just as they turned, the hull turned sideways, revealing a larger surface of the shell. The second round of shooting by the kiln gang began.

The effect of this round of firing was even better, and at the same time five Dutch ships were shattered, polluting a large area of seawater.

When the fire was fired again, the flotillas of both sides were closer, and the remaining four Dutch ships did not know how many shells they had hit, and they also turned into piles of floating debris on the sea.

Of course, the sailors on the Yaogang warship cheered happily. But compared to the Zheng family on Hongze Lake, their excitement was inferior.

The first time the Yaogang warship fired cannons, Zheng Zhilong didn't expect it, because the two sides were too far away. Zheng Zhilong was still a little contemptuous in his heart at that time, and said that you are inexperienced after all! But seeing the shooting effect, Zheng Zhilong was so happy that he almost jumped up. Several naval battles with the Dutch cost a lot of casualties in exchange for victory. But the Yaogang people were so far away that they could blow up the Hongmaofan warship at once, and it was not a leak and a sink, nor a fire, but a pile of waste.

Hearing the sound of cannons, Zheng Zhilong's brother Zheng Zhifeng and his two sons Zheng Chenggong and Zheng Shiji also ran to the top of the ship. Li Jing asked people to bring over a few more binoculars, and this naval battle lasted very short. After the fight, the Zheng family didn't seem to react. Or Zheng Zhilong's eyes were suddenly full of tears, Li Jing said: "General Li, just rely on you to fight this naval battle." I, Zheng Zhilong, am completely convinced. You are ashamed of us Han Chinese. ”

Zheng Chenggong also came over and said: "General Li, we have fought with Hongmaofan several times, and the combined results are not as good as your efforts for so long. We quickly turned around and went straight to Taiwan, and we were able to kill all the red-haired ghosts in Taiwan. ”

Zheng Zhifeng also said with tears in his eyes: "General Li, fight Hongmaofan, our grandfather is willing to take the lead!" ”

Li Jing could see that it was not fake that the Zheng family hated Hongmaofan. Just now they saw the expression of the red-haired fanren who won the big victory, and they couldn't pretend to be it.

"Huh!" Li Jing said with a smile, "We have a plan to recover Taiwan, not overnight." It's not a rush to clean up the red hair. Not only are we going to destroy all the red-haired fans that come to our doorstep. In the future, we will also sail the warship to the door of Hongmaofan's house, and we will also clean them up. ”

"That's right! Let's also come to their door to greet their queen! Zheng Zhilong said with relief.

Seeing that the Yaogang people were fine, yes, and formed a fleet to continue driving, Zheng Zhilong said: "You Yaogang people fought a battle as if they had played once. That's it? ”

"It's no different from training?" Li Jing said.

Zheng Shixi said: "Did you beat my fourth uncle's fleet like this? ”

Zheng's hereditary words made everyone stunned. Li Jing said with a smile: "It's almost, but the 203mm cannon is not used." The power of the 130 gun is, of course, inferior to that of the 203-mm cannon. However, it is almost useless against wooden boats. ”

"The power of the 203-mm cannon is too great, and the walls of our Ping'an Town can be blasted open, and all the ships will be finished with one shot." Zheng Zhilong said, "What's even more terrifying is that you can hit so accurately from such a distance!" ”

"Let me tell you! Mr. Zheng, our guns can shoot more than ten kilometers, and the accuracy is even higher than that of your ship. Li Jing said.

Li Jing's words were beyond the comprehension of the Zheng brothers. They didn't say anything more.

"Even if the main warships of the Red Hair Fan in the East are almost wiped out, I estimate that the Governor of the Red Hair Fan will redeploy other ships over. But they wouldn't believe that their fleet was so easily gone. Zheng Zhilong said.

"Now we can't take care of them, and when we stabilize things in Fujian. Let's go and take back the Ryukyus. Li Jing said.

"Alas! It would be nice to be able to take back the Ryukyus, I spent a lot of money to immigrate there, but now I am occupied by the red hair, and I hold my breath when I think about it! Zheng Zhilong said indignantly.

Mu Yi lightly understated that he would fight a battle with Hongmaofan at sea, and the news that he would sink twelve warships of Hongmaofan at one time was notified to the Yaogang command center by telegram.

When Zhang Zhimu heard these news, he immediately sent a telegram to Emperor Chongzhen, who knew that such news might free Emperor Chongzhen from the loss of Zheng Zhilong's capture. At the same time, Zhang Zhimu also told Emperor Chongzhen that at the right time, we will take back Ryukyu (Taiwan).

When Emperor Chongzhen received this telegram, his brows widened, and he said in his heart, the kiln people are really powerful. Our navy has won a few battles with Hongmaofan, and I don't know how much water is in those results. This time, the people of Yaogang actually sank all the twelve warships of those hateful red-haired fans with a single face, which is simply too powerful.

Emperor Chongzhen would immediately send a telegram of congratulations and ask Zhang Zhimu to reward the meritorious soldiers.

That night, the Yaogang Radio Station reported the news that the Yaogang Navy had taken over Fujian's defense, and at the same time broadcast the news of a complete victory at sea, and even broadcast the news that the emperor was going to reward the soldiers. This makes all the gossip that has been circulating in the kiln useless. The kiln people have another reason to get drunk.

This news also inspired those students who came to Yaogang to enter the examination room. They knew that as long as they were admitted this time, they would join the team of Yaogang. Maybe you will have the opportunity to participate in such a big event that everyone in the world is excited about.

Zheng Zhilong and his big boat took them all the way to the mouth of the new channel of the Yellow River, and changed to the Yaogang passenger boat that had been waiting for a long time. Since the wharf is still under construction, the passenger ships of the Hongzehu and Yaogang are parked in a sheltered bay near the shore. A gangway was lowered on the Hongzehu and landed on the deck above the passenger ship. The Zheng family descended the gangway to the passenger boat. To Li Jing's surprise, the Zheng family did not feel uncomfortable with changing ships like this. Because they have always grown up by the sea, they have encountered more difficult things than this.

However, the change to the passenger ship in Yaogang opened the eyes of the Zheng family again. They want to think that their house in Ping'an Town is no worse than the palace. But when they entered the cabin of the passenger ship, they knew that the gap was too great. On the Hongze Lake, I thought that the cabin with cold wind was terrible. But when I entered the cabin of the passenger ship, I realized that it was even different. What refrigerators refrigerate sodas, telephones, record players, multi-band radios and so on. Once in the cabin, it took a long time for the waiter to figure out what those things were for.

In particular, the movie that was shown to everyone after dinner was an eye-opener for everyone. Slowly, the Zheng family felt that the Yaogang people would not harm themselves. Because if the kiln people wanted to harm themselves, they would not entertain them with such a good thing.

The gold and silver loaded on the Hongze Lake were also sent to the barge of the tugboat by a crane on the Hongze Lake. However, these barges were escorted by Li Jing's special forces.

Zheng Zhilong heard Li Jing say that it was very fun to take the train, and they got off the boat when they arrived at Fenglingdu, and changed to the train to go to Yaogang.

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Mt. Fuji erupted, Japan was earthquaked. --Progress of "Memories of the Southern Song Dynasty".