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1642, the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, was the most difficult year for the Ming Empire. (Please search, the novel is better and faster!) All the pressures that had accumulated over the past few decades exploded like powder kegs of martyrdom as we entered the New Year.

The first powder keg was the Battle of Matsuyama, which ended at the end of February. Most of the military forces painstakingly managed by the Ming Empire in the north were wiped out in the Battle of Songshan, which lasted for more than half a year, and the elite of the Ming army that Emperor Chongzhen sent out of the country was almost completely wiped out.

The 130,000 Ming army, which had the advantage of powerful firearms, almost crushed Huang Taiji in the early stage of the campaign, and a large number of Chinese and American military weapons defeated the main force of the Manchu Qing Dynasty completely out of proportion. It's a pity that Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, originally set the strategic policy of taking every step of the camp and oppressing at all points, but it was shattered by the confused intervention of Emperor Chongzhen.

Emperor Chongzhen, who was so happy, seemed to have a rare chance of catching the awesome cards of the two kings and the four twos, and even issued four edicts, ordering the Liaodong Theater to launch a full-scale attack. Hong Chengchou, who knew the advantages and disadvantages of the Ming army, was forced to attack after crying bitterly, and then the Ming army was unsurprisingly cut off by the Qing army that seized the opportunity.

In the first battle of Songshan, the Ming army died, surrendered, drowned in the sea, and dispersed more than 100,000, and a group of generals such as Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen were trapped in Songshan City for several months, and almost all the troops were martyred, only Wu Sangui's troops basically remained intact and returned to Shanhaiguan.

"130,000 soldiers died on the same day, and the muddy river increased and the blood rushed turbulently." 1. "Songshan Lamentation", it is really difficult to return.

The Ming army was defeated in Songshan, Jinzhou, Xingshan, Tashan and other fortresses outside the Guanguan fell one after another, and Shanhaiguan became the front line. A large number of Liao officials, including Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao, surrendered, and the Qing army fully grasped the strategic initiative to attack the Ming Empire.

There are many historical controversies about whether Emperor Chongzhen really sent four edicts to urge Hong Chengchou to go to war, and how much the dispute between the governors and governors had an impact. However, considering the many historical shortcomings of the late Ming Dynasty, the Battle of Songshan is undoubtedly the largest coffin board that led to the final collapse of the Ming Empire. After this battle, the elite main force of the Ming army in the north was almost not one in ten, whether it was to resist the Manchu invasion or to face the surging peasant army in the Guannai, Chongzhen had no cards to play.

And in this new historical time and space. Although the outcome of the Battle of Matsuyama remained unchanged, the local battles were more brilliant and tragic than those of the same period in history.

When he learned that the back road had been cut off, that habitual sense of fear once again permeated the whole army. Wang Puxian, the commander of Datong, led the army to flee, and the armies were in chaos. Immediately followed by Tang Tong, the general soldier of Miyun, the general soldier of Shanhai Ma Ke, the general soldier of Ningyuan, Wu Sangui, the general soldier of Shanxi, Li Fuming, and the general soldier of the reinforcement and suppression, Bai Guangen, also broke and fled one after another, and then were ambushed by the Qing soldiers all the way, with tens of thousands of dead and wounded. A large number of weapons and equipment were abandoned.

Only Cao Bianjiao, the chief soldier of the Eastern Association, and Wang Tingchen, the general soldier of Liaodong, held on in the chaos of the whole army, and then rushed alone to aid Hong Chengchou, the governor of Jiliao in Songshan, and then was besieged by the main force of the Qing army.

With a total of more than 5,000 Huamei 21B flint rifles and more than 20 Huamei 12-pounder cannons, the two Ming armies of Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen, and the elite of the Eight Banners of the Qing Army surrounded by them fought fiercely for several months, repeatedly defeating their opponents and overpowering the Hongyi cannons captured or imitated by Huang Taiji for many years. It's a pity that the other fronts were defeated. The adjutant general Xia Chengde should surrender to the enemy, and Huang Taiji also pulled the gorgeous flint guns, 12-pounder cannons and gunners captured in the previous stage to the siege front, and finally Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen ran out of ammunition and died in a bloody battle.

What is even more tragic is that the vast majority of the nearly 30,000 Huamei flint guns and hundreds of Huamei cannons purchased by the Ming Empire from various channels fell into the hands of the Qing army in the Battle of Songshan, once again refreshing the latest record of "transport captain".

In this bloody battle. The Manchus also paid a heavy price in tens of thousands of casualties, but compared to their losses, the gains were far greater than history.

……

Monday, March 3, 1642. Southeast Asia, southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia, Temasek.

On the edge of a dense rainforest, in the wildly growing wetland meadows, under the cover of 8-pounder field guns. Hundreds of infantrymen wearing black summer short-sleeved combat uniforms, short-brimmed cloth hats, holding Type 34A rear-loading flint rifles, and carrying military equipment bags, were marching slowly and cautiously northward in twisted and twisted columns, and many large dogs could be faintly seen in the queues.

The armbands of these black-uniformed infantrymen are embroidered with two roses, one black and one white, which at first glance are the marks of the armed mercenaries of the Huamei Blackwater Security Company. Not far behind them. It was also closely followed by thousands of pirates wrapped in sailors' headscarves and dressed in Ming costumes, each armed with knives and guns, or armed with firearms. He looked around nervously.

The shelling had not stopped, and small flowering shells fired from 8-pounder field guns continued to kick up patches of smoke and dust in the forest ahead. The closer they got to the woods, the slower the pace of the Blackwater mercenaries became, and several European men dressed as commanders raised their hands, signaling the troops to be more vigilant.

The sound of artillery was incessant, the military dogs barked wildly, and the battle line continued to advance towards the rainforest in the distance.

Suddenly, a cloud of yellow smoke emerged from the forest, followed by a barrage of exclamations and gunshots. As soon as the 8-pounder field guns controlled by pirates in the rear saw the yellow smoke, they adjusted their muzzles and angles, and then a series of shells were discharged.

The explosions in the depths of the woods came one after another, accompanied by faint cries, and soon there was movement at the edge of the woods, and several soldiers wearing the camouflage uniforms of the Huamei 6th Army ran out with their waists, and one by one they ran to a place only a few dozen meters away from the Blackwater mercenary brigade and lay down one after another.

The sound of wah-wah sounded, and dozens of ragged native soldiers of the Sultanate of Johor rushed out of the woods brandishing tattered weapons, all with red eyes and hideous expressions.

"Shoot!"

The Blackwater mercenaries stopped one after another, squatting in the front row, stepping forward in the back row, and then two rows of firelight and smoke erupted. The Johor aborigines who rushed out of the woods were shot one after another, and their running bodies fell to the ground in various movements in the rain of bullets.

In less than ten seconds, the Blackwater mercenaries were reloaded after the shot, and the ammunition reloading efficiency of the improved Type 34A flint was significantly improved. As long as it is not too strong battlefield interference, completing the reloading action in ten seconds is an indicator that most people can achieve.

"Get on the bayonet! Keep moving! ”

The native skirmishers who rushed out of the woods were all killed, and the European bearded commander drew his saber and pointed at the forest, and all the Blackwater mercenaries took their bayonets from their waists, stuck them in the muzzle bayonet mount, and strode forward.

"Big boss, these gorgeous black sailors really have a way, but it's only a month. This Temasek Johor army fell apart. Our brothers are getting more and more familiar, and it seems that the occupation of the whole island is just around the corner! Haha, congratulations, congratulations! ”

In the South China Sea Volunteer Team following behind the Blackwater Mercenary Brigade, the rat-whiskered dog-headed military division began to slap Liu Xiang's ears again, and the pirates surrounding him even raised their swords and guns in their hands and shouted exaggeratedly.

"Damn, don't embarrass Lao Tzu just yet. Keep up! ”

Liu Xiang scolded and grinned in his mouth, but when he saw that the territory he had worked hard for several years was finally close at hand, his heart was also happy.

"This gorgeous Blackwater Security Company is really not bad, it can train the crooked melons and cracked dates under Li Guo's assistant into such elite soldiers......

Looking at the black figure that had entered the woods hundreds of meters in front of him, Liu Xiang secretly sighed why he had lost the good fortune of the Huamei Master's eyes, and also let his pirates be trained by the Blackwater Security Company.

……

From 1637 onwards. In 6 years, the sons and daughters of Chinese descent selected by the Chinese businessmen in Luzon joined the Chinese Foreign Legion to serve in the Chinese American Foreign Legion and became the future military backbone of the Luzon independence forces that Huamei secretly supported and prepared.

But this kind of preparation is obviously very slow, and the scale cannot be increased, so when Liu Yun's Blackwater Security Company was established, Fan Li decisively proposed another plan to Li Guozhu and other Chinese businessmen in Luzon, that is, to select Chinese children to enter the Blackwater Security Company to "work for training".

I have to say that Fan Li's idea is in place, not only the Chinese power in Luzon is cultivated faster. Moreover, Liu Xiang's attack on Temasek has been troubled. Under Fan Li's recommendation, Liu Xiang gritted her teeth and spent a lot of money to hire the armed mercenary team of the Blackwater Security Company to work for herself.

With the help of infiltration and reconnaissance by the special forces of the Chinese and American regular army, it was only a few small and medium-sized operations, and Temasek's Johor Bumiputera turned on their backs. The only thing that made Liu Xiang hurt was that whether it was to invite the Huamei 6th Army Special Combat Team to come out or to pay the commission of the Blackwater Security Company, the money was as painful as running water.

You can get excellent mercenary cannon fodder. He also earned a lot of commissions for Liu Xiang's war, and Liu Yun also smiled from ear to ear. Although China is doing everything possible to guard against and suppress the Blackwater Security Company, under the banner of training troops for friends in the Far East, there are no taboos on the use of Blackwater mercenaries in Southeast Asia.

In just a few years, Liu Yun's Blackwater Security Company has already had two armed mercenary brigades, with a total number of more than 7oo. One of the main brigades, made up of nationals, worked for the OUCC on the island of Madagascar. At present, this armed mercenary brigade of nearly 4oo people is composed entirely of Luzon Chinese children, and is helping Liu Xiang to "reunify Temasek by force".

In the face of Liu Xiangkong's ambitions, whether it was the Portuguese governor of Malacca, or the representative of the Dutch East India Company in Batavia. There have been many strong dissatisfactions, but Liu Xiangcai didn't care about 3721, scolding and claiming that this is a borderless land.

Do you have the ability to bite me? Not only does Liu Xiang feel that he is strong, but he also relies on the secret support of the beautiful old man behind him, and he has no good face towards the Portuguese or the Dutch.

Although it is extremely expensive to hire armed mercenaries from Blackwater Security Company, they are countless times better than their own timid pirates. Compared with the benefits she can get in this natural location in the future, Liu Xiang feels that everything is worth it.

What's more, Huamei's Master Fan said that this Temasek will be the home of the Nanhai Volunteers in the future, and Huamei will recognize Liu Xiang's local rule at the right time! Even the name of the beautiful old man has been thought of, and it is called "Lanfang Free Territory".

It doesn't really matter what it's called, anyway, I don't know a few big words. The current South China Sea Volunteers have thousands of minions and pirate families, and there are many Chinese in the Malay Peninsula in the past hundred years. His grandmother's, this is a great blessing for the establishment of overseas frontiers!

The ancestor said well, there is nothing to do with that! Thinking that there would be a day in his life that he would be able to "add a yellow robe", Liu Xiang couldn't sleep all night long, and would hold his favorite concubine and giggle until dawn every day.

Of course, the closer you get to Huamei, the thicker your skin will be, and the more sincerity you have to pay. The children of Liu Xiang and other pirate leaders will be recommended by the Oriental Union Group to study in Huamei, and during the previous period of wandering, for the safety of their families and their loyalty, Liu Xiang and others have placed their children on Pearl Island to study.

For this kind of "benefit", Liu Xiang and others, who don't know a few words, are, of course, and must greet each other with a smile.

When people join the gang to show their loyalty, they have to vote for their names. Now it's just sending some children to be "hostages" in the past, and it's not too much to talk about it according to the rules of the road. However, what makes Liu Xiang entangled is not the question of who to choose among her children, but the fact that she was sent to be a "hostage" this time, and the Oriental Union Group still has to calculate the money, which is called tuition and miscellaneous expenses, which is really embarrassing.

……

A week later. As Temasek's guns faded out, Liu Xiang's South China Sea Volunteers, with the help of Blackwater Security's armed mercenary brigade, conquered the last Johor indigenous village on Temasek Island, which was used by a large number of captured Johor natives to build a local port stronghold.

In the office of the Far Eastern Affairs Department of the Chinese and American Foreign Ministries, a few gorgeously dressed European-American businessmen were blowing their beards and glaring. Even Li Guozhu, who was hiding next door and eavesdropping, had a very rich expression on his face.

"This ...... This is not in line with the spirit of cooperation between the Kingdom of Portugal and you, dear Mr. Fan! Temasek there...... There should have been ours from the beginning! The Portuguese delegate from Malacca looked very nervous, clutching a diplomatic document that had not yet been unfolded.

"We also have reservations about the Temasek occupation led by Liew to undermine the common interest." Representatives of the Dutch East India Company also fanned the flames on the side.

"I regret that Liu Xiang is not a national of our country, he is just an ordinary trading partner of our government in the Far East. Stand on the standpoint of jointly maintaining regional stability. My government is also very concerned about Liew Heung's military operations in Temasek, but there is no accurate feedback yet, so we need to be patient. ”

Fan Li drank his coffee unhurriedly, on the one hand, he put his gorgeous position high, and on the other hand, he replied with a slight mockery at the obvious jealousy of the Portuguese: "As for Temasek's original position, I think it has always been the territory of the Sultan of Johor, right?" The Portuguese Friends have had no real leadership or influence there for the past 100 years. ”

"But we've been trying...... "The Portuguese knew they were too self-righteous, but the thought of such an important place being easily taken by a group of Ming pirates. I was extremely unhappy in my heart. You must know that for more than 100 years, Portugal has paid a very high price for invading the Sultan of Johor.

"In that case, I can see it as a fair game." Fan Li immediately picked up, which was a fluke that blocked the Portuguese.

"How can your country protect our legitimate interests? If Commander Lau adopts an overly selfish policy of domination over Temasek, it will be unfair to all his friends in the Far East. Although the Dutch East India Company was trying to sow discord, in its rhetoric, it was clearly a disguised recognition of Liu Xiang's occupation of Temasek.

As soon as the words of the representative of the Dutch East India Company came out. The Portuguese feel that something is wrong, didn't they say that they would put pressure together, why did you admit that Temasek belonged to Liu Xiang first?

"Two gentlemen, in fact, there is a more important problem that needs to be solved together." The Dutch East India Company smiled at Fan Li and his Portuguese counterpart. took out a document from his bosom and unfolded it, only to see crooked words written on it, and a few Chinese characters interspersed in the middle.

"Japan?"

Fan Li frowned, probably understanding the true intentions of the Dutch. The Portuguese, on the other hand, seemed to have touched some old wounds, and even more looked uncomfortable.

By 1641, the Japanese shogunate had issued the fifth successive lockdown decree, from the initial ban on Portuguese missionaries to board 6, and now even Dutch merchant ships are prohibited from calling at ports. In addition to the harsh terms of trade that are limited to a limited number of times per year, Japan's trade is essentially only monopolized by Zheng Zhilong's family.

In order to reopen the trade joint, Portugal sent several groups of envoys from Macao and Malacca, but the Japanese Tokugawa shogunate did not let up at all, and brutally executed as many as 61 Portuguese merchants and diplomatic envoys, and a large number of Japanese-born mixed-race and ordinary religious families were expelled.

Then, during the Dutch trade in the previous years, the Tokugawa shogunate acquired a lot of cannons, so it added the classic historical "Wujinian Withdrawal Order" (foreign ship withdrawal order). It was announced that only a very small number of Dutch merchant ships would be allowed to enter Nagasaki from July to October each year, and there were a large number of rules restricting the contents of the trade, and any unauthorized foreign merchant ships that dared to approach the Japanese coastal towns would be shelled, a history that was extremely exaggerated by a hundred years.

Despite its small size and lack of natural resources, Japan was one of the world's leading producers of silver and gold during this era. At the beginning of the 17th century, precious metals worth more than 2 million taels of silver flowed to the outside world through the Nagasaki trading port of Guò. It was so closed that it naturally made Portuguese and Dutch merchants extremely anxious.

Japan's ordinary civilian market is not large, and most of the Japanese people at the bottom cannot even eat a mouthful of rice in their lives, but it is also the fifth largest export market in the Far East for gorgeous goods such as sugar, leather, refined salt, raw silk, matches, edible oil, and cotton cloth, and there are relatively cheap refined copper resources. Therefore, Japan's lockdown order has also had some impact on Huamei's commodity exports in the Far East.

"Hmm...... What do you mean? Fan Li looked at the wind direction at the scene, and involuntarily lowered his voice.

"We should unite and get the Japanese shogunate to reconsider open free trade, which is the most important issue we need to address right now. The East India Company was willing to cede a share of its trade in the future when it reopened trade. ”

The representative of the Dutch East India Company, with a sly smile, was frequently seductive. In the Treaty of Manila more than ten years ago, in addition to Zheng Zhilong's unshakable position, the Dutch East India Company's Japanese trade activities were also very active, and Portugal had long lost its traditional advantage in Japanese trade because of missionary issues.

The Netherlands is more concerned about the profits of Japanese trade than Temasek, and during the same period of history, almost half of the annual trade profits of the Dutch East India Company from Japan were almost half of the profits from the spice trade. As for the Temasek Strait, which would conflict with the Portuguese routes, the Netherlands did not care, after all, most of the routes between Dutch East India merchant ships and the Indian Ocean took the Sunda Strait west of the island of Java.

The implication is that as long as Huamei, who is Liu Xiang's backstage, is willing to participate in the "Japanese trade switch negotiations", then the Dutch East India Company fully supports Liu Xiang, who Huamei secretly supports!

"As long as Liu Xiang does not change the status quo of trade in the Far East, I am sure that His Excellency the two governors of Malacca and Macao will also understand...... But how can we get that Japanese general to give up his hostility? ”

The Portuguese representative finally couldn't help but change his position, and his eyes flashed with greed. The Portuguese were more aware of the high profits of Japan's trade than the Dutch East India Company, which came later.

"I'll go out to the country for advice, it will take the right time, but it won't be these two years...... But gentlemen, I personally believe that the truth is only within the range of the cannon, and if they are too stubborn, then we should choose a better 'sincerity' to impress them......"

The three people in the office all understood, and they all laughed out loud at this time, leaving Li Guozhu and the others hiding next door stunned.

"This ...... This Mr. Huamei Fan and Xiyi are really domineering, so aggressive and strong......" Li Guozhu said with a wry smile to a Chinese businessman in Luzon who was also sweating next to him.