Huailiang's messenger took advantage of the night to leave the city and crossed the mountains to the territory of the Matsuura family.

The Matsuura family immediately sent a ship to the sea to the waters of Iki Island to find the Kyushu naval army and pass on the decree of the shogun Seishi.

In the end, the messenger successfully met with the commander of the Kyushu Naval Army, Utsunomiya Sadahisa.

Utsunomiya Sadahisa read the letter brought by the messenger and immediately summoned the leaders of the Shimazu family, the Otomo family, and the Matsuura family.

There are so many Kyushu naval forces that are dominated by these three families, and the Goto naval army is also subordinate to the Matsuura family. However, the original overlord of Kyushu, Shao Erjia, did not care about running the sea, and did not have a naval army.

Soon the Shimazu family Shimazu lasted for a long time, the Otomo family name of the Otomo family, and the Matsuura Heinobu of the Matsuura family received the news and gathered on the Sekibun ship of Utsunomiya.

The so-called Sekibune means Maritime Sekisho, and it was a large ship in the Japanese Navy in this era, with a tall upper box-type building built on the low side of the ship, which looked quite bluffing.

The boat ride in Utsunomiya is even more gorgeously decorated, and there are many flags, showing his noble and extraordinary status.

The three naval commanders met Utsunomiya Sadahisa at the top of the castle tower.

Utsunomiya didn't talk nonsense with them, and directly conveyed Prince Huailiang's non-negotiable order to the three people: "Ladies and gentlemen, Your Highness orders that within three days, your majesty must hear the victory of the naval army." ”

The three of them looked embarrassed when they heard this, and Shimazu said for a long time: "Your Excellency, according to the plan, you should first harass the Ming army for more than half a month, and then launch a surprise attack when it is tired and numb." ”

"Yes, it's only been a few days, and if there is not enough time, the combat effectiveness of the Ming army will not drop much." Otomo's name also echoed.

"They're still very vigilant." Matsuura also didn't want to attack so quickly. "From the contact during this time, it can be seen that the Ming army is very cautious, and it is difficult for us to catch them off guard."

"We have 2,000 warships and 40,000 sailors, while the Ming army only has more than 100 warships, and the navy army is no more than 10,000. The advantage is mine! Utsunomiya waved his arms and cheered up the three of them: "What if you fight to the death in a dignified and righteous duel?" ”

"Alas, Your Excellency does not understand the terrible navy of the Ming Dynasty." The three of them are not as optimistic as him, his three naval forces are the main force harassing the Ming coast, and they know far more about the gap with the Ming Dynasty navy than the people on land.

"Especially in the past few years, after they established the Maritime Affairs Yamen, the strength of the navy has increased by leaps and bounds. A dozen of us had a small morning boat, and we encountered one of their warships, and we still had to escape. Matsuura Pingxin said gloomily: "Only a surprise sneak attack can catch them off guard and create a miracle." ”

"That's true." Two others also seconded. Otomo asked tentatively, "Can you ask Your Highness for a few more days?" ”

"At least wait for the northwest wind." Shimazu said: "With the help of the wind, the odds of winning can be higher." ”

"You are mistaken, I am not discussing with you, but conveying the decree of General Zhengxi!" Utsunomiya Sadahisa was an army general in the Western Prefecture, and he couldn't understand their fear of war at all. He only knew that his Highness was under great pressure and urgently needed victory in this naval battle.

His stern gaze swept over the three people: "What's more, this is also the hope of your lord...... It is said that His Excellency Young Second has already disregarded his dignity and humility and forced His Highness to fight! As retainers, you still dare to fight?! ”

"Don't dare!" The three of them hurriedly leaned over.

"Let's go back and prepare." Utsunomiya waved his hand and said, "Tomorrow night at the latest, we must fight." Judge yourselves later than tomorrow night. ”

"Hi ......" The three of them reluctantly took the order, and Matsuura Heinobu sighed in the dinghy on the back.

"We have been able to deal with the Ming Navy so far, all by being mobile and flexible, and never fighting hard. Now Your Excellency has made us hard, this time I'm afraid that it will be more auspicious......"

"It's just an egg." Shimazu said with a dark face: "If we fight hard to the end, we will have to settle all the accounts." ”

"But we can't disobey orders, otherwise Utsunomiya will really kill us." Otomo's name said depressedly.

"Yes, we must go to war," Matsuura Heinobu said in a low voice: "But you must stay alert, and when you see that the situation is not good, you must quickly withdraw your troops, and you must not fight hard." ”

"That's right!" Otomo's own name and Shimazu nodded in agreement: "If we can cause some damage to the Ming army and snatch one or two of their warships, we will be able to explain the past." ”

"That's it, Utsunomiya is an army red deer, and he knows what naval warfare is, and it's not what we say about how he listens. You remember, if you exaggerate your results tenfold, and if you kill one Ming army, you will say that you have killed ten, and he will never demolish us. Seeing the response of the two, Matsuura Heixin became more and more presumptuous:

"Maybe it's going to be ten times more exaggerated in our battle report!"

"Hahaha!" The three of them looked at each other and laughed, and it was decided.

~~

It was a calm night, and the three commanders of the navy unanimously decided to fight tonight.

Utsunomiya Sadahisa still thinks it's strange, and people ask if they have to wait for the northwest wind?

Of course, the three of them could not tell him, because the northwest wind was conducive to attack, not to escape.

They replied to Utsunomiya that our army relies on sails and oars for combat sailing, and its dependence on the wind is not as great as that of the Ming army, so tonight we can give full play to our advantages of flexibility and mobility.

Utsunomiya didn't understand, but he was very happy, and felt that he had finally stimulated the fighting spirit of the three 'water army red deer', so he asked people to send sake to the three of them, and said that they would definitely be rewarded after the victory.

As soon as it was dark, the three sailors took up the anchor and paddled and sailed away from the waters of Iki Island.

On the third watch, they arrived outside Hakata Bay, and the red light at the mouth of the bay was the red lantern hung on the bow and stern of the Ming warship in order to prevent collision.

When they harassed them a few nights ago, they knew that the Ming army had sent a detachment of troops to patrol the mouth of the bay to prevent them from sneaking up.

Their target tonight was this alert fleet, to concentrate their absolutely superior forces, to besiege the Ming warships at the mouth of the bay, and not to enter Hakata Bay at all.

Before the main reinforcements of the Ming army in the bay, they withdrew from the battlefield...... This makes the safety factor much higher.

This is called having a policy at the top and a countermeasure at the bottom.

The three sailors unanimously accelerated their rowing, swarmed up like wolves, and prepared to lean directly on it for a broadside battle!

At least at this point, they have a surprise advantage.

The Japanese sailors rowed desperately with their oars, rowing the Kohaya boat like an arrow from a string, straight towards the red lanterns!

The two sides are twenty zhang, ten zhang, five zhang, and one zhang apart......

Seeing that it was about to hit the side of the enemy ship, the Japanese sailors grabbed the side of the ship one after another, their whole bodies tensed, gritted their teeth and closed their eyes, ready to accept the violent impact!

However, until they crossed the cordon, leaving the red lanterns behind, they did not hear a single collision.

Everyone suddenly turned around, only to see that the red lanterns were still lit up behind them. Could it be that the Ming army's vigilant fleet is like a ghost and has no substance?

(End of chapter)