At the height of the Sulu state, their territory included North Borneo, which stretched northwest from Basilan and the Sulu Islands to Palawan, and to the north they controlled the Zamboanga Peninsula in Mindanao.

In this way, the Sulu people controlled the route from Makassar to Manila, from Ternate to Manila, from Ternate to Brunei, and then south to the Malay Peninsula. They could also threaten the eastern route from the Malay Peninsula to Manila-China-Japan via Borneo to the west. Before the Spanish conquest of Manila, goods from China and the Spice Islands were traded within the territory of the State of Sulu. During the Yongle period, the Sultan of Sulu went to Beijing to make a pilgrimage to Zhu Di.

Chen Shouxu lit his pipe and paced back and forth in front of the Sultan's wooden court. Alimoud has gone in to report to the Sudan. Not long ago, Chen Shouxu received a manuscript of "Sending the Wind to the Wind: Guide to the Correct Method" from Cai Yuanding, which recorded the route from Manila to Zamboanga. The description of the route near Zamboanga is that "there are many preventable fans". Some people say that Fanzi in the book refers to the Spaniards, and some say that it refers to the Sulu pirates. Chen Shouxu prefers the latter.

Chen Shouxu knew that he was making a dangerous deal with a pirate nation that had been established for hundreds of years. For now, the Sultan will certainly have the power to help him recover. However, he may not be able to control all the people who cruise in the Sulu Sea. The governor of Sulu and the local princes all had strong independent power. Before leaving the fleet, he told Marmont to beware of the Sulu pirates' offshore galleys.

It took only a short time for Alimoud to walk out of the Sultan's court. With him came out a Sulu and a European in Muslim attire.

The Muslims laughed with the Europeans and left the court. When passing by Chen Shouxu, the Europeans and Chen Shouxu looked at each other carefully. However, there was no time for them to talk, so Alimoud invited Chen Shouxu, "The Sultan invites you in." ”

Chen Shouxu extinguished his pipe and walked into the Sultan's court.

In front of the gate of the palace, a white-faced bearded man walked up to Chen Shouxu with a plate, "Sir, please hand over your weapon." ”

Chen Shouxu looked at Alimoud.

Alimoud: "It's just normal procedure. ”

Chen Shouxu's face was expressionless, and he pulled out the two pistols he carried with him and put them on the plate.

"And the sword, sir."

Chen Shouxu's face changed, "Eunuch, go and tell your Sultan that I led a powerful fleet to stop not far away. As their commander, I will not untie my sword. ”

Fine beads of sweat oozed from the eunuch's face, "This is our rule, sir." Anyone must comply. ”

Chen Shouxu sneered, "I'm here with three hundred cannons. Whether I abide by your rules or not, the decision is mine, not yours. ”

"Sir, sir, please lower your voice a little ......". The facilities of this temporary palace are very rudimentary, the rooms are not large, and the soundproofing is poor. It is a reflection of the situation of the Sultan of Sulu, who is now being hunted by the Spaniards.

Chen Shouxu didn't bother to take care of this eunuch, he stood outside the door with the hilt of his sword in his hand.

The gates of the palace opened, and a richly dressed man stepped out.

The eunuch was shocked and immediately knelt down. Alimoud also touched his chest with his right hand, and his waist bent deeply.

"I am the Sultan of Sulu Bensu. Friends from afar, Sulu welcomes you. In my house, of course, you can carry your own saber. ”

Chen Shouxu's face looked better, and he also gave a slight salute. "Thank you, Sultan, for your understanding."

"Please come in."

They were all sultans, and the difference between a monarch on a small island like Sulu and an Ottoman sultan who ruled Constantinople was 108,000 miles. Chen Shouxu ignored his pomp and walked in directly.

There are seats in the room, and the guests and hosts are seated.

Sultan of Bensu: "I heard from my servant Alimud that Your Excellency has a fleet no less powerful than the Spaniards. ”

Chen Shouxu: "Dear Sultan, I want to correct it. Your servant sees only appearances, and my fleet has swept across the coast of America, the home of the Spaniards in the Philippines. So my soldiers are not inferior to the Spaniards, but much stronger than them. ”

Bensu Sultan: "That's great. My friend, since you are also an enemy of Spain. I think we have a basis for cooperation. ”

No one is a fool, and the Sultan of Bensu now clearly needed everything that could help him defeat the Spaniards. And Chen Shouxu took the initiative to come to the door, which also showed that he had a need. Therefore, both parties have a certain understanding of each other's intentions, and what needs to be discussed is the price.

Chen Shouxu is actually not very good at this kind of bargaining negotiation. If he wants to gain a more active position and more abundant gains, then it is better to show the fleet in front of the Sulu people and wait for the Sulu people to come to his door. But this would have two drawbacks, one would be to show the strength of his fleet to everyone too soon, and the other would make Zamboanga's Spanish fleet notice. In addition, Chen Shouxuan did not want to waste time in Sulu. Time is more precious to him. So he chooses this way of coming directly to the door, sometimes, the scheme will only make things more complicated, Chen Shouxu still prefers a simpler and more direct way.

Chen Shouxu: "Honorable Sultan. I know you've lost your capital city and the island's excellent trading port. You must always want to take back the capital and take revenge on the Spanish invaders. That's what I'm here for, and I can help you defeat the Spanish fleet in Zamboanga. ”

Bensu Sultan: "Mr. Captain, you should have seen the fleet in our port. We still have a lot of power. ”

Chen Shouxuan was not polite at all, "If you want to raid the coast of Luzon Island, or attack merchant ships in the Philippine inland sea, I admit that the fleet in the port is a very powerful force. But IMHO, honorable Sultan. If you want to blockade Zamboanga Port with those ships, it's a fantasy. Three Galen ships would have sent them all to the bottom of the sea. I think you know that very well. Now that you have lost your capital, it means that your sea power is powerless against the Spanish fleet. ”

The Portuguese taught the Muslim navy how to behave in India many times, and they were able to defeat more than 100 Muslim dhows and galleys with a few clarks.

The Indian Muslim fleet was easily wiped out by the Portuguese, but not all Muslim navies were scrappy, although most of them were. North Africa has one of the wonders of the Muslim navy, the Barbary pirates. They could now even threaten the coastline of England and cause headaches for the European powers. The countries of the Mediterranean had to pay protection money to the Barbary pirates in exchange for the passage of merchant ships. Later, the stunned young man with bad rules in the United States did not want to pay protection money, so he dispatched a fleet to subdue the Barbary pirates.

However, the Sulu people certainly did not have this fighting power, and they did not even have much artillery. They are qualified pirates, but they are not qualified navy.

Sultan Bensu's face was red and white for a while when Chen Shouxu told him, that is, the current form is stronger than others, so he can't do anything about Chen Shouxu's repeated presumptuousness.

Sultan of Pensu: "Mr. Captain, we have a lot of brave warriors. ”

Chen Shouxu: "I saw it, it's really good, but the honorable Sultan, you can't let them land on Hele Island on a shield." ”

Most of the Sulu Tausu soldiers were armed with spears and shields, and a few had iron armor. There are some, but not many, firearms. Chen Shouxu didn't know what Hele Island was like, but the camp in front of him obviously did not have the conditions to produce hot weapons and munitions.

Bensu Sultan: "Well, Mr. Captain, you're right, we need the aid of a fleet. Mr. Captain, what do you want from me? ”

Chen Shouxu: "Money, rice, vegetables."

Bensu Sultan: "There is no problem with rice and vegetables, how much do you want." ”

Chen Shouxu: "Sultan, I have to know how difficult this battle is before I can give a price." Tell us more about what you know. ”

Sultan Bensu: "The Spanish garrison on Hole Island is not very numerous, and the information I have is that the garrison of Hole Harbor has 140 Spaniards and 300 Bisayans. ”

The Pisayans, who are located on the islands of Mindoro and Pisayán, are a people who are subject to Spain and are one of the most important sources of troops for the Spanish army. In the past, Sulu pirates entered and plundered Cebu and Mindoro, taking many of the Bisayans as slaves. So there is a deep hatred between these two peoples. In order to defeat Sulu, the Spaniards used a large number of Bisayans as soldiers, and it should be said that the effect was very good. Fighting the pirates of Sulu, the Bisayans have a combat power bonus.

Chen Shouxu: "Sultan, I won't let my people fight a land war, so Hele Island depends on yourselves." ”

Bensu Sultan: "That's fine. I just need the help of your fleet, and the land battle can be solved by ourselves. ”

Chen Shouxu: "What is the strength of the Spaniards in Zamboanga? ”

Bensu Sultan: "The fortress of Pilar had three hundred Spaniards and a thousand Bisayans to defend it. ”

When it comes to this powerful fortress in Zamboanga Port, the Sultan of Bensu has a headache. The construction of the fortress of Pilar by the Spaniards was a clever move. The fortress itself, together with the garrison fleet, jammed the Basilan Strait, which was a very important shipping lane. All at once, Sulu's fiscal revenue was greatly affected.

After designing the fortress in the rear, the Spaniards cut all the stones, took the adhesive materials and went straight to Zamboanga Port, completing the construction of the fortress in a very short time, catching the two sultans of Majin and Sulu by surprise.

How important is Fort Pilar? The younger brother of the Sultan of Majinda, Grand Governor Tagar was a warrior in the fight against Spain. He returned home with a fleet that had plundered the islands of Pisayan and Calamian, and underestimated the Spaniards of Zamboanga. At night, he sailed a fleet full of Christian slaves into the Basilan Strait, intending to slip through. The Spaniards quickly dispatched six warships to annihilate the Muslim fleet and cut off Tagar's head.

It was a great naval battle for Christians in the Philippines. The Spaniards saved them from the tragic prospect of being reduced to Muslim slavery.

For the Moro Muslims in the southern Philippines, this is a great tragedy. Originally threatened by the Spaniards on trade routes, the plundering of slaves was one of the main sources of income for Sulu and Macinda.

Chen Shouxu had no intention of attacking the fortress of Pilar, and more than 1,000 people were stationed in the big fortress, and he fought it. Chen's plan was to block the port with a fleet until the Sultan of Sulu landed on Hole Island with his soldiers.

Philippine Governor Urtado. Morality. Coquela, after a great victory over the two sultanates and the capture of their capitals, returned to Manila to enjoy his triumphal and Moro-Moro plays. The main force of the Spanish fleet also returned to Manila to recuperate.

Having an understanding of the enemy, Chen Shouxu also wanted to know how much strength his side had.

Chen Shouxu: "Sultan, I would like to know how many friends from our side will participate. ”

Sultan Bensu: "The Sultan of Makassar has provided me with a reinforcement, and I believe that Mr. Captain has seen it on the way here. ”

Chen Shouxu nodded. Makassar has always been an important trading port in Sulawesi and is quite wealthy.

Sultan of Bensu: "The monarch of Brunei provided me with food, and the Dutch. Batavia presented me with a shipment of arms. ”

The Dutch are what Chen Shouxu cares about the most. Makassar and Brunei can only be the icing on the cake, and the attitude of the Dutch is decisive.

Chen Shouxu: "Dear Sultan, I hope we can be open and honest. Can you tell me, please, will Batavia send a fleet to help you? "A little munitions is not a big deal, the fleet is the key.

Bensu Sultan was a little helpless, "Mr. Captain." Frankly, the Dutch will not send a fleet this time. You know, the United Dutch East India Company has always been an ally of mine, but recently their head seat Anthony . Fan. Dimon wrote to me that he could not send a battleship to help me. He wanted me to stick with it and write to him if I needed anything. As long as the company's warships can be drawn, he will send them to help me. ”

Hearing that the fleet of the Dutch East India Company would not come, Chen Shouxu was relieved. This means that his fleet is irreplaceable, which makes it convenient for him to ask for a sky-high price. Chen Shouxuan didn't bother to care who was more righteous in this war, Catholics and Muslims, and he was most concerned about money.

Chen Shouxu patted his chest: "It doesn't matter if the Dutch don't come, I'll beat it at sea." You just have to press ten battleships and 2000 soldiers, and get the money ready. I'll give you a base price, and then depending on the intensity of the battle and the level of casualties among my soldiers, I will determine a floating yield. ”

Chen Shouxu mentioned the money, and the Sultan of Bensu was suddenly embarrassed, and he coughed a few times, "Ahem, Mr. Captain, I don't think I can take out so much money for the time being... ”

Chen Shouxu rushed to his head in a breath, and he suppressed the fire, "Sultan, why didn't you say it earlier." Wasted our time for so long. ”

The Sultan could not hide his lonely look, "Don't be angry, captain. Listen to me. When we control the shipping routes, we collect the shipping tax on the ships that travel to and from the merchant ships. Spice Islands and Chinese merchant ships would also come to my port to trade, and I would also earn a lot of income. But when the Spaniards came, this source of wealth shrank greatly. Originally, I also had some savings, so at least I had no problem hiring your fleet. But most of that silver was lost in Hele Harbor. ”

Chen Shouxu almost slapped the table, "Sultan, I sympathize with your plight, and I also regret that your wife and children were captured by the Spaniards. But my personal emotional inclinations do not influence the fleet's choice of battle. So, you'd better think of something else, or I'll have to get out of here and go to the Spaniards to get what I need. ”

Alimoud interjected, "Mr. Captain, you wait first. Then he took out a huge pearl and handed it to Chen Shouxu, "Mr. Captain, we can pay the bill with pearls." ”

The Dutch fleet did not come, and Chen Shouxuan could be said to be the only hope for the restoration of Sulu. Alimoud didn't expect his Sultan to really fall in love with the pirates. Most people in Sulu are still counting on Dutch allies to help.

Chen Shouxu took the pearl and looked at it carefully. He did hear that there were many pearl pools in the Sulu Islands, and that selling pearls to the Chinese was also a major source of income for Sulu. His tone was reluctant, "I prefer silver to pearls." I hope you understand that I can't use pearls to pay soldiers. It's better than nothing. What else do you have besides pearls? ”

Sultan Bensu: "What about slaves?" I can pay slaves. ”

Chen Shouxu resolutely disagreed this time, "Sultan, I am not a slave trader. I will never accept slaves as a form of payment. ”

Now the Sulu people can't do anything, they don't have anything else.

Chen Shouxu thought for a moment and made another suggestion, "That's it, Sultan. If you really don't have the money, you can pay the pearl as a deposit. After you retake the island of Horaku, I want you to send an army to help me fight a city. ”

Bensu Sultan: "Where to fight?" I declare to you that I will not attack my allies. ”

Chen Shouxu decided to spread the matter out, "It is also a Muslim city, and it has no alliance with you. Before I tell you the location, I want you to swear a secret. ”

The Sultan of Pensu and Alimoud looked at each other and swore an oath.

Chen Shouxu: "Pattani." Sudan: I would like to stress that I do not accept any other means of payment. ”

Sultan: "You're going to plunder Pattani?" ”

Chen Shouxu: "Sort of." ”

Sultan: "Mr. Captain, I myself have no contact with the Queen of Pattani. But I'll not hide it from you, there is now a guest from Pattani on the island. He is your kindred, Chinese. I'm not going to betray my friends, it's better that you can come to an agreement. ”