The Hongyan rushed to the front, war is the best time for a young man like Guo Xu to establish meritorious service, he knows that Li Zhaoji has never been stingy with rewards for meritorious heroes, so when he saw an enemy ship, Guo Xu's whole person became excited.

He stood at the bow of the ship, the Hongyan did not have a bow tower, it was just higher than the open-air deck, and a short and thick iron cannon was arranged there, Guo Xu saw the gunner load two large bags of shotguns into it, Guo Xu personally commanded the gallop of the Hongyan, and ordered the cannon to be fired at a distance of less than 100 meters.

The rain of bullets from the cannon swept across the water, covering the Castelliku in the middle, and Guo Xu saw with his own eyes a large number of Dutch sailors fall from the masts and static support cables, and turn into red mud on the deck.

"Turn, parallel to the enemy ship."

Guo Xu gave the order, aimed the port side at the enemy, and then continued to bombard the enemy ship with the six-pounder gun on the open deck.

These six-pounder guns were purchased from the Bugarao Foundry and were more suitable for heavier-sensitive merchant ships like the Hongyan, as the guns were precious, but that was for training.

Now that the battle was underway, no one would consider the damage to the breech from firing chain shells and other special ammunition, and under Guo Xu's order, three six-pounder guns aimed at the Castelliku's sail rope system to attack, and the Egret immediately arrived and did the same thing.

Lee Siu-kee's order was not only to win the battle, but also to capture all the enemy ships and personnel, and destroy the sail rope system that was used as the power of the ship, so as to complete the task perfectly.

The Castellku was an adventure ship, not as powerful as the Wild Goose and the Egret in terms of firepower and staffing, and slowed down as the canvas was shredded and the ropes were cut.

In the end, the ship stopped on the surface of the sea like a dead fish, and Guo Xu immediately ordered the Hongyan to stick to it.

"Come closer, and I'll rush up with the armor." Instead of wearing armor, Haruki and his men were eager to try their hand with round rattan plates and short-handled weapons.

Guo Xu said: "Now I'm in command, you shut up." ”

Restraining Haruki's impulse, Guo Xu stood on the side of the ship to take a closer look, and found that there was not a single person standing on the upper deck of the Castelliku, only the wounded moaning there. Guo Xu said to Haruki, "Their sailors must be hiding in the lower cabin, waiting for us to rush up and then fight us hand-to-hand." ”

"What then?" Haruki asked.

He is no longer the ignorant Kaidagran boy, he knows very well that although the group of Kaidagran warriors under his command are fierce and dare to fight, in the narrow area of the battleship, a bullet from a musket can kill several people, although he also wants to make a contribution, but he does not want his own people to die tastelessly.

"Swap for solid bullets, make a few holes in the hull, and find a few bamboo poles." Guo Xu beckoned to his men.

Immediately, the artillery opened fire, making several big holes in the hull, Guo Xu beckoned his subordinates, tied the grenade to the bamboo pole, lit it, and poked it through the big hole.

The sailors complied, and as several grenades exploded inside, the dead silence of the Castellku erupted again into a bustle.

"We surrender." Someone came out of the hole in the hull and shouted.

"Get all of you out of the cabin and onto the deck." Guo Xu shouted, he patted Chunshu and said, "Brother Chunshu, it's up to you, hurry up, fight for us to capture this ship." ”

Haruki immediately led people to jump on the stern of the enemy ship, and then the Dutch made a fuss in the cabin for a while before coming out in batches, and everyone, even the corpses, was carried out.

"Who's Fries?" Haruki asked.

An older water pointed to the half-cut body lying on the ground and said, "This is Lord Fries." ”

Haruki doesn't know Dutch, and only the pronunciation of the name Fries can make the other party understand.

At this time, Guo Xu also boarded the ship, and Chunshu beckoned the armor soldiers to go down to the open deck, and the two of them each selected a gorgeously dressed crew member, put it in front, and entered the hull to search.

Guo Xu grew up in Dayuan and knew Dutch, and asked, "How did Fries die?" ”

"When your ship rushed over, shotguns were fired, and Lord Fries died in the first attack." Said the old sailor.

Guo Xu remembered that the commander of the foreigner had a characteristic, when he commanded the fleet to fight, he would stand on the open deck in full costume, and he would like a peacock to show his fearlessness in front of the sailors, so as to inspire the sailors to fight.

Apparently the same was true of Freese, but he lost his life because of it.

"What about the rest of the commanders?"

The old sailor said, "Your Excellency Albert is not here on the Rose, and this is Lord Fries's aide-de-camp, Gonsas." ”

Guo Xu saw a person trapped on a long bench, he was almost tied into a zongzi, his mouth was also plugged, and he was glaring angrily and whining.

Haruki walked out of the cabin at this time and said, "Guo Xu, there is no one in the ship, I have searched all the corners, and my people have controlled the powder magazine." But the bilge is leaking, and it's best if you let your people clean it up. ”

Guo Xu nodded and beckoned his deputy to plug the leak, while Haruki asked about the situation, and Guo Xu told him truthfully.

"Ask him where the money is hidden, there are so many people here, and if the soldiers find it, there will be chaos." Haruki said.

Guo Xu remembered that there was such a thing, and he immediately asked.

The old sailor said, "I don't know, maybe you should ask Master Gonzas." ”

As he spoke, he was about to pick up the rags sealed by Gang Sas, but Guo Xu stopped him, but asked the bookkeeper on the ship, and finally found the cabinet full of gold and silver coins.

The captives were taken aboard the Hongyan and the Egret, and Guo Xu took Haruki to the Egret to meet with the fleet commander and discuss how to drive the ship back.

On the dinghy, Haruki asked, "Guo Xu, why don't you just ask that Gangsas." ”

Guo Xu said: "What do you think? ”

"I don't know."

Guo Xu said with a smile: "He was tied up because he wanted to resist, but the sailors wanted to surrender." The person who still wants to resist in the face of inevitable defeat is a warrior, and such a person, once the sealed rag is removed, will definitely ask for a decent death. ”

"How to die? Got your head shattered by a gun? Haruki asked with a smile.

Guo Xu said: "According to the tradition of Yangyi, he would ask for a duel, which could be fought with a knife or a musket. And on the battlefield, only you and I can match his identity and duel him. But you see, he is a strong man, he smells of blood and fire all over his body, this kind of person is an experienced warrior, and neither you nor I are necessarily his opponents.

And if we let him make a request, and we refuse, we will lose the face of the trading company, so it is better not to give him a chance to speak. He's going to die anyway. ”

Haruki was puzzled: "How do you know that he is bound to die?" You said, he was the deputy of this fleet, and Fries was dead, and if you wanted to know the secret, you had to ask him. ”

Guo Xu smiled: "Because he is a warrior, he will endure humiliation and burden, but he will not really surrender."

Do you know Aaron, who pretends to be a foreign captain? ”

"Yes, a timid Yangyi, to be honest, I used to think that Yangyi were all man-eating beasts, but I didn't expect Aaron to be more gentle than a fawn." Haruki laughed and mocked Aaron.

Guo Xu said: "I heard from the entourage next to the big shopkeeper that when the big shopkeeper was in Guangzhou, the leader of the English people surrendered with Aaron, but the big shopkeeper only wanted Aaron and killed the other one. Gangsas is very similar to the other one, if he is not killed, he will pretend to surrender, and then do everything he can to sabotage, and in the future he will lead the Dutch sailors to cause chaos.

And in order to solve the trouble in advance, you can only kill him, such a person will not provide any important information. ”

The Castelliku losses were not serious, there were only a few leaks, and after a few large holes in the hull and repaired sail lines, it was able to sail, but the Rose was dangerous.

By the time the Vostok returned from pursuit, the ship had run aground.

"The big shopkeeper, the son of the Zheng family sent someone to deliver a letter, saying that he invited you to come ashore to entertain you in the evening, look there, the Zheng family has begun to light a bonfire and prepare to eat." Chen Huaiyu pointed to the bonfire on the edge of the forest in the distance and said.

Li Zhaoji nodded: "Brother Chen, you go over first, we have to go to the top of the line." Look at these people under my hands, they are all good at killing people and firing guns, and if you want to deal with the Zheng family, you have to rely on you. ”

Chen Huaiyu has a good face, and he likes others to compliment him the most, especially Li Zhaoji, who is high-minded, Li Zhaoji said this, Chen Huaiyu didn't feel hard, and immediately took a small boat.

"Call Aaron." Li Zhaoji said to Tang Mu.

Aaron appeared next to Li Zhaoji, and by this time he had already changed into his gorgeous costume and was dressed like the clerk of the trading company.

Since being brought to Tamsui by Li Zhaoji, Aaron studied Chinese hard, and after mastering it, he has been engaged in the work of a bookkeeper and a bookkeeper in a trading company.

If it weren't for his identity, he would already be the clerk next to Liu Mingde.

"Aaron, do you think the Rose is still worth salvaging?" Lee asked Aaron.

Aaron shook his head and said in fluent Chinese, "You know, I don't know much about this, so I don't know very well. But...... In my modest experience, it should be so, and when I was in London, I saw a large Galen ship, which was so burned that almost all of its hull above the surface was burned out, but it was still repaired and continued to be used, and was later drafted into the navy to take part in the blockade of Portugal.

The Rose is just flooded and should be able to be repaired, but it will take time. ”

"Actually, you're quite right, I've asked a few people and they've said the same. But I'm going to give you this task. Li Zhaoji said.

Aaron nodded: "Yes, but I need the help of some skilled sailors." ”

"As ever, all the people of England, accept your send." Lee Siu Kee said.

Aaron smiled: "If that's the case, then there's no problem, I'm sure I can get this boat up and let her serve you." ”

"Yes, this ship is there to serve me, but the Castellku can serve you." Lee Siu Kee said.

Aaron said, "You don't want me to be a captain, maybe I can do it, but I need to learn first." ”

Li Zhaoji smiled and asked, "Mr. Aaron, do you want to be a clerk in my trading company for the rest of your life, have you forgotten the scenery when you were in London, your authority in the East India region, and your duty to come to the East?" ”

Aaron was dumbfounded, he didn't know why Li Zhaoji said this, because everything he said was gone forever, and the culprit who caused this ending was him Li Zhaoji.

Seeing that Aaron did not dare to speak, Li Zhaoji took the initiative to say: "Aaron, you English have enslaved me and my compatriots, so I have used all means to deal with you. William and Johnson, they all died for it, but you English people also contributed greatly to my trading company.

It is because of your three ships that I have everything I have now, and those experienced sailors have done a lot for me.

All sins should be passed from here, and we in the future may not necessarily be hostile, cooperation is the real future of you and me. ”