Out of Shipu Port, sailing north 30 nautical miles, is Liuheng Island. Although the average speed www.biquge.info of sailing ships in this era was only in the single digits, such a distance was still quite close at sea, and Xu Ke's fishing and cargo sailing ship could reach the local area in only half a day under the condition of smooth sailing. Even if the coalition fleet had blocked the access channel to the east of the harbor, the turmoil that occurred in Shipu Port would still reach Liuheng Island within a few days, which was one of the reasons why Shi Diwen urged him to act quickly, so as not to make the armed forces on the island prepare in advance.

Although Xu Ke had been with the coalition forces for a few days, he had been with Xu Yuzhuo most of the time, and this was the first time he had gone out on a mission alone with the Haihan people. Originally, Xu Ke was still a little uneasy about this, but Xu Yuzhuo was full of confidence, and before leaving, he comforted him that he didn't have to worry that the Haihan people who were traveling with him would show their feet, and he didn't need to ask them about their tasks, and the itinerary would follow the normal supply process of entering the port.

The ship also took time to carry out fishing operations on the way to ensure that there were seven or eight hundred catties of fresh catch on board, so that when it arrived at Liuheng Island, it could behave more like it and avoid arousing the suspicion of the people on the island.

In order to ensure that the news will not leak, all the people on the ship except Xu Ke have been replaced by Haihan, and the captain who took the lead is named Zhao Cheng, who is dark and strong, and his appearance is not eye-catching, but he is very expert in navigation, and he is the captain of the ship when he goes to Liuheng Island this time. Although he had not operated the ship Xu Ke before, Zhao Cheng and his men were very quick to get started after boarding the ship, and they looked like veterans who had been active at sea all year round.

"Boss Xu, this boat is good!" After setting off, Zhao Cheng was tinkering around the boat, and it wasn't until he sailed for more than an hour that he came out to the deck to chat with Xu Ke: "This should be a new ship that has been in the water for a few years, right?"

"The ship was launched the year before last. Xu Ke nodded and admitted Zhao Cheng's guess: "I specially found a familiar shipyard in Ningbo Mansion to customize, and the ship materials were also selected by myself, and the cost was thirty percent higher than that of ordinary sailboats on the market." ”

Zhao Cheng asked: "Does a fishing business like Boss Xu in the East China Sea also need to pay road fees to the pirates in the East China Sea?"

"That's what you want. When Xu Ke talked about this issue, he slowly began to open up the conversation: "If you don't give money, you can't do it! The fishing grounds near Zhoushan are the best fishing places in the East China Sea, Shengshan, Langgang, Huangze, Daiqu, Yang'an, Jintang...... These big fishing grounds are all in the sea areas controlled by the pirates, and if they don't hang the command flags they give, they will detain the boats and people if they are caught, and the extra money will go out when the time comes. A few fishing boats under my hands, in terms of size, have to hand over at least 2,000 taels of silver every year, and in Xiangshan County alone, there are at least twenty or thirty boat owners like me, and if you think about the entire Ningbo Mansion, the silver that fishermen hand over to the pirates of the East China Sea every year is at least tens of thousands of taels. ”

"Then presumably, there is still a lot of this silver that will flow into the pockets of officials, right?" Zhao Cheng asked sharply.

"That's nature. Xu Ke responded: "The local government has been conniving at these pirates all year round, not because it has benefited enough from them. If you want to file a pirate case in Ningbo Mansion, you will never be able to submit a pleading. If they want to resist, they can only lose their lives in vain, and if they don't do it, they will even involve relatives and friends. As time passed, everyone dared to be angry and did not dare to speak. ”

Zhao Cheng was silent for a long time before responding: "This matter of doing the right thing for heaven will fall on my Haihan army!"

Xu Ke was very curious about the strength of the Haihan army, and couldn't help but ask: "I heard that your army swept through Shibazhi in Fujian last year, I don't know how many soldiers and horses were dispatched?"

Zhao Cheng glanced at Xu Ke, Xu Ke was stared at by him, and his heart trembled, and he quickly explained: "I didn't inquire about the secrets of your army, if there is any inconvenience, I should treat it as if I didn't ask." ”

Zhao Cheng shook his head and said: "Our army's actions in Fujian last year are not a secret, everyone in Zhangquan and Zhangquan Prefecture knows about it, as long as you have the heart to inquire, it is not difficult to know how many soldiers and horses were dispatched." Last year, the navy was the main force in Penghu, as you can see, the Haihan fleet was put into two teams to participate in the war at that time, and another 1,000 people of the army were responsible for the operation of seizing the island. In addition, the Fujian Ming army also sent thousands of people, and the two armies must have a total of seven or eight thousand people. Although there are many people on the ship, compared with our army, the equipment and tactics are too backward, and they can only be beaten passively in the battle at sea, and they have little power to fight back. And the bandit leader Zheng Zhilong knew that compared with the navy, the gap in combat power on land was greater, so he didn't plan to stick to Penghu at all, but sent several groups of people to intercept our army at sea, but he ran away with a thin softness. ”

Of course, in fact, Zheng Zhilong took away not only fine and soft, but also some of the elites of Eighteen Zhi and many pirate families, although they were broken, but they still preserved a glimmer of hope for a comeback. However, after the war, the propaganda of the Fujian government and Haihan to the outside world was very unified, saying that only a very small number of people such as Zheng Zhilong, the leader of the Eighteen Zhizhi, had escaped, and the main force had been wiped out by the coalition forces.

Xu Ke sighed: "Back then, the head of the family was persecuted by Shibazhi, so he sent us to Zhejiang to hide, hoping that we could keep a bloodline for the Xu family. I never thought that after only a few years, the situation had been completely reversed, and I would finally be able to return to my hometown. But if it weren't for your army's action, I'm afraid that this moment would have been several years late. ”

Zhao Chengxin said in his heart If I, Haihan, didn't interfere in Fujian affairs, your Xu family would probably have been wiped out by Zheng Zhilong a long time ago, where would I be able to survive the day of turning the tables. Although the situation has been reversed now, Xu Xinsu's move at the beginning was not wrong, at least it can be used in some practical ways now, if there is no Xu Ke, the leading party, the coalition army's action in Ningbo Mansion will probably be slower than the current progress.

Zhao Cheng didn't want to talk too much about Eighteen Zhi in front of Xu Ke, so he took the initiative to turn the topic to the Liuheng Island that he was about to go to: "Boss Xu, what do we need to pay attention to in the territory of the Haisha Gang that we are going to next?"

Xu Ke thought for a while and said: "The three leaders of the Haisha Gang are all rough people, but they are easy to deal with, as long as you don't make too much of a show when you enter the port, just wait for the boats of the Haisha Gang to bring in." In addition, the weapons of the military masters must be well hidden, maybe the people of the Haisha Gang will board the ship to inspect it, and if something that should not be found will be a lot of fun. Although you are all good men, it is not easy to get out of the robber's den when you enter it. Those pirates are all vulgar people, and many of them are overseas barbarians, and they don't know any etiquette, so Zhao Ye don't want to lose his temper because of some trivial things. General Shi also said that this trip was just to inquire about the news, check the environment, and wait for us to go back and report. ”

Zhao Cheng nodded and responded: "I naturally know this, the chief said, when I get to the ground, I will listen to your command, and we will do what you say." ”

Xu Ke waved his hand again and again: "How dare you work for all the military masters, you should try your best to cooperate." ”

The group set off in the morning, and it took more than two hours to catch the net on the way, and when they saw the outline of Liuheng Island on the sea level, it was already dinner time, but at this time, they could still see at least a dozen fishing boats on the sea outside Liuheng Island.

"Ahead are the ships of the Sea Sand Gang. Xu Ke saw that Zhao Cheng was looking in the direction of Liuheng Island, so he took the initiative to help him explain his doubts: "Put a sentry on the sea to warn, and by the way, also fish for food on the island." ”

Zhao Cheng nodded and did not make a sound, similar practices are not only for pirates in the East China Sea, but also for pirates in Fuguang and Fuguang in the past. Zhao Cheng was a veteran who had enlisted in the army since 1628, and had participated in several battles between the Haihan and the Han Dynasty to exterminate pirates in Fuguang and Guangzhou, so he was naturally clear about these tricks. However, the Haihan militia often launched an attack on the pirate den, and it would not leave the other side a chance to struggle at all, even if this kind of maritime warning method could provide the other party with an hour or two of preparation time, it was impossible to change the difference in strength between the two sides and the final outcome of the battle.

When it was still four or five miles away from the southern tip of Liuheng Island, a fishing boat with a Li Ziqi came straight up, and according to Xu Ke, this was a subordinate of Li Luotou, one of the three leaders of the Haisha Gang.

The boat was still seven or eight feet away, so Xu Ke took the initiative to stand on the side of the boat and waved. As soon as the other party got closer, Xu Ke loudly informed himself of his request to enter the port to replenish fresh water and food. After a few gestures, the other party began to turn around and sail towards the port to the north. Xu Ke told Zhao Cheng that the other party wanted to lead the way into the port, just follow behind.

At the southern end of Liuheng Island, there are four islands and reefs that extend into the sea in parallel to the south, forming two large and one small three-door shaped harbor, which are lined up side by side from east to west, the two ports on the east side are trade ports for foreign development, and the small ports on the west side are dedicated to the sea sand gang, and ships outside are forbidden to enter. However, to enter the two ports on the east side, they also need to be piloted by the small boats of the Sea Sand Gang, otherwise it will be considered a hostile act and may be attacked before entering the port.

"I'm quite wary. Zhao Cheng commented on the behavior of the Haisha Gang.

"In the first two years, other gangs pretended to be merchant ships and went in and set fire to them, and although they didn't cause a big mess, the Haisha gang still learned their lesson, and then they strictly checked the ships entering the port. Xu Ke explained: "But after coming down here a few times, they all know me, and they are easy to talk to." ”

Zhao Cheng reminded: "After entering the port, you must remember not to call it the wrong name." ”

Xu Ke shouted "Zhao Ye Zhao Ye" along the way, if this shouting is heard after entering the port, it may attract suspicion. Xu Ke nodded and said, "I remember this, don't worry." ”

Zhao Cheng asked his men to lower the sails and slow down, and followed the small boat of the Haisha Gang into the Cangdongao Harbor in the middle. The bay is about a kilometre wide and has a longitudinal depth of about two kilometres, and the wharf for foreign ships is located in the deepest part of the harbour. Zhao Cheng noticed that there was a small bay on the left and right of the entrance to the harbor, with several sailing ships docked and a few houses on the shore. Xu Ke said that this was a precautionary measure set up by the Haisha Gang at the entrance and exit of the channel, and that the ships could block the channel as quickly as possible if something happened. Of course, this blockade is aimed at ordinary sailing ships, and as for the gunboats of the Haihan Navy, they can only be classified separately.

The ship that led the ship did not dock, but circled near the shore, shouted a few words to the people on the shore, and then turned out again. The people on the pier then gestured to the boat that followed them, signaling them to dock at the designated pier.

After landing, Zhao Cheng asked his subordinates to set up a springboard, but he was not in a hurry to go ashore. This is also a detail that Xu Ke asked him to pay special attention to, after docking, he had to wait for the signal of the Haisha Gang before leaving the ship.

The people on the boat did not go down, but the people on the shore came up first. A thin black man in his thirties got on the boat, his eyes swept over everyone, and he quickly locked on Xu Ke's side: "Boss Xu, I haven't seen you for a long time, and you have made a fortune at sea again?"

Xu Ke clenched his fists and responded: "Seventh brother has always been good! I can't talk about getting rich, so I just eat with my mouth." I didn't catch anything good on this trip, and I passed by Liuheng Island, so I came by to replenish some fresh water and food. ”

The little leader known as the Seventh Brother asked noncommittally: "Boss Xu has always had several boats when he goes to sea, why did he act alone today?"

Regarding this kind of detail, Xu Ke and Zhao Cheng have already discussed the countermeasures. Xu Keying said: "Originally, there was no need to come alone to replenish supplies, but it was really unlucky, only a few days after going to sea, I found that two rats were drowned in the water tank of the ship, and they were already soaked." Now I can only put all the water and find another place to replenish it. The other ships have gone north first, and I will go to meet them when my ship is ready. ”

The seventh brother laughed dryly twice, and then asked, "It seems that the brothers on this boat are not the same people who followed you before?"

Xu Ke responded: "The previous boat boss has quit and left with his brothers." I specially invited this Zhao boss from Wenzhou to come over to help...... Lao Zhao, say hello to Brother Qi!"

Zhao Cheng responded: "Villain Zhao Cheng, I've seen Brother Seven!"

Xu Ke's fishing boats, which had been collected by the coalition forces, were currently parked in Shipu Harbor. And the gang under his command will not leave Shipu Port for the time being, and they don't have to worry about this simple pretense being exposed.

The seventh brother looked Zhao Cheng up and down, and saw that he was dark-skinned and standing barefoot on the boat, which was indeed an old fur dog's style, so he nodded slightly and said hello. However, his focus was not on Zhao Cheng's side, and he continued to say to Xu Ke: "Then what does Boss Xu want to do, make a list, and I will ask someone to manipulate it." ”

Xu Ke said: "Then Lao Zhao should take a trip to see what is missing, everything has been done here, and by the way, I will rest here for one night today." Seventh brother, if you want anything else, I'll do it later, and have a light meal together. ”

The seventh brother pretended to excuse a few words, and finally agreed. Zhao Cheng took two people and followed the people arranged by Seventh Brother to buy supplies.