Late Ming Dynasty: Conquering the world starting from riding and cutting

[Recite the URL silently three times. Do you remember it? If you don’t remember, I’ll ask again in the next chapter. It’s best to share it on Facebook for me]

"Penghu is the gateway to Zhangzhou and Quan, and Beigang (Taiwan Island) is the lip and teeth of Penghu. If Beigang is lost, the lip will die and the teeth will be cold. Not only Penghu can be worried, but Zhang and Quan can also be worried."

As a transit base connecting the two places, Penghu’s location is crucial.

When Qin Hao took a boat to go north along the coast, he happened to encounter this place on the way and wanted to land on the island to have a look.

But as soon as the ship was only four or five miles away from the main island of Penghu, it was bombarded by the Penghu Navy. More than a dozen shore defense artillery fired at the same time, and suddenly bursts of white smoke were set off on the sea surface, and rumbles of thunder were heard.

The solid cannonballs flew a thousand meters like seagulls and landed in front of the fleet.

The meaning of the Penghu Navy was already clear: the Dutch are not welcome here.

Only then did Qin Hao remember the Dutch navy flag that he had flown to avoid encountering the Dutch when he set out, and the contradiction between the two.

He patted his forehead, feeling a burst of regret, and thought to himself: The order to divert was given too hastily, and I forgot to change the flag.

"Forget it, we can't go up now even if we change the flag. Let's go north instead." Qin Hao was disappointed for a while, but he didn't expect that a small mistake would cause the plan to land on the island to be unexpectedly aborted.

"The Dutch are gone"

The officers and soldiers on the island looked at the fleet and let out a burst of cheers. Their faces stained with black ash after the bombardment were filled with joy of surviving the disaster.

As a barrier on the southeastern coast of the Ming Dynasty, the glory of the Fujian Navy was no longer there, and it had to treat Qin Hao's three or four ships seriously.

The thrilling water battle four years ago is still vivid in our minds and deeply rooted in the hearts of Navy officers and soldiers.

In the second year of the Apocalypse, the commander of the Dutch East India Company's fleet, Rayerson, led a well-prepared Dutch fleet to march towards the Ming Dynasty.

This fleet consists of 15 large and small warships and more than 1,000 elite soldiers.

In fact, strictly speaking, it should be considered a combined fleet, because this fleet also included two British warships that had just emerged at that time and were bent on pleasing the Netherlands.

Such a large formation is still rare in the history of European colonization.

Because whether it is in Java or Malacca, as soon as such a large fleet arrives, the locals will surrender obediently, so how can there be any resistance?

Their estimate was quite right. As soon as the war started, they really defeated the Ming army who came after hearing the news.

At the same time, the Netherlands sent a fleet to the sea of ​​Zhangzhou to block the gateway to Zhangzhou, in an attempt to use force to threaten the Ming Dynasty's trade with the Netherlands.

The situation at that time was described in "The Voyage to the East India" written by the Dutch captain Wey Bonteku:

On October 18, our troops "burned as many as sixty or seventy Chinese junks" in Zhangzhou, and landed and looted them;

On February 10th, we "set fire to two villages";

On May 1, a Ming Dynasty merchant ship was intercepted, "with as many as 250 people on board."

As for the captives of the Ming Dynasty, the Dutch first concentrated them on Penghu Island and forced them to build a city. According to records, there were more than 1,150 captives in total, 571 of whom died in prison, and the remaining 579 were sent to Batavia and then sold. To other areas as slaves...

After gaining a foothold here, and having enough confidence to speak, when Fujian Navy Commander Chen Shiying came to negotiate, the Dutch side made three demands:

First, the Dutch were allowed to trade with each other along the coast of the Ming Dynasty;

Second, cede Penghu to the Dutch;

Third, the Ming Dynasty was prohibited from trading with Portugal and Spain.

After putting forward the above three conditions, he threatened with force: "If the market (referring to trade) is not allowed, war will begin."

The meaning is obvious. The Dutch want to dominate the entire Ming Dynasty market and do not want any more business contacts between the Ming Dynasty and the Spanish.

The emperor and ministers of the Ming Dynasty were dumbfounded when they received the news that business could still be done like this.

After several days of discussion, the emperor and his ministers unexpectedly came to an agreement, and then an imperial edict was passed to the Fujian Navy: The southern barbarians are so rampant that they are so rampant that not killing them is not enough to rely on the people's anger.

Faced with the whole work of the Dutch, one will be killed and one will be buried.

In the first month of the fourth year of the Apocalypse, Nan Juyi, the governor of Fujian, personally sailed to Kinmen and ordered the Ming fleet to cross the sea and recapture Penghu by force. This expedition consisted of 200 warships and more than 1,000 men.

Fujian General Yu Zigao and garrison Wang Mengxiong led the warships to Penghu and landed on Baisha Island. They first engaged the Dutch army. However, the Dutch army relied on strong fortifications and fought against the warships, and Penghu could not be captured for a long time.

The situation in the naval battle was even worse. Although the Ming Dynasty navy mobilized all its assets this time, they were all pitiful small and medium-sized warships. Compared with the huge Dutch warships, they were simply insignificant.

The governor was supervising the battle from behind, but the front line did not dare to relax. If it could not be defeated at once, it would be better to take it slowly, so attacks were launched almost every day.

Later, they changed their tactics. Since the bunker was so strong, they would not attack by force. Under the Dutch artillery fire, the Ming army used their ingenuity to resist the Dutch artillery fire with chariots piled with sand and rocks, and gradually completed the encirclement of the Dutch.

While completing the encirclement on land, they also blocked the sea route and cut off the Dutch's foreign aid.

When the war lasted until July, Nan Juyi attacked while trying to persuade him to surrender. However, the Dutch did not appreciate this and killed the envoy who persuaded them to surrender.

When two countries are at war, they should not kill each other. This has been the truth for thousands of years!

Nan Juyi was completely angered by this arrogant behavior of the Dutch, and issued a death order to the frontline generals: If you can't conquer Penghu again, come and see us!

On the third day of July, the Ming army attacked in three directions. On the eleventh day of July, the Dutch surrendered.

After seven months of fierce fighting between the two sides and more than 300,000 taels of military resources, the Ming army captured alive the Dutch guard general Kobenloet and 12 other people. The remaining Dutch soldiers fled to the south of Taiwan in a hurry, licking their wounds and not daring to advance. .

At this point, the Ming army finally fulfilled its mission and won the Battle of Penghu. Later, Nan Juyi, the governor of Fujian, presented prisoners to Beijing. Emperor Tianqi ordered them all to be beheaded and sent to the nine sides as a warning!

This battle defended the majesty of the Ming Dynasty and shocked the southern barbarians.

"Shameful and hateful!"

Chen Shiying punched the stone bricks of the fort hard and gritted his teeth. Even the blood flowing from his hands could not eliminate the resentment in his heart.

The grand scene of capturing the Xiyi prisoners is still vivid in my mind, but now only three or four years ago, the Fujian Navy has fallen to this.

In the past few years, Chen Shiying watched the Dutch fleet crossing the sea and getting stronger and stronger, but they had to huddle in the harbor and rely on the forts to find shelter.

"Sir, there has been another mutiny in the barracks, and it can hardly be stopped." A soldier hurried over to report.

This was already the third time this month. At this moment, Chen Shiying was ready to die. He sighed heavily and hurried back to the barracks with his men.

It's all because of money!

When Governor Nan Juyi was in office, they could still get 5 taels of silver a month. Although it was half less than Junxiang, it was good enough to support the family, and the family would not go hungry, even if they were killed in battle to kill the enemy. 50 taels of pension.

But the newly arrived governor Xiong Wencan set fire to the Penghu Navy as soon as he took office, and the first thing he burned was the Penghu Navy. He said that the court wanted to recruit the pirate Zheng Zhilong, but there was no money, so he had to withhold the Penghu Navy's military pay first.

Zheng Zhilong's fleet was paid and pensioned, but many of their pirates were killed by the Penghu Navy.

As soon as the recruitment news was announced, Penghu Navy Commander-in-Chief Chen Shiying took the lead in mutiny and demanded that the governor take back his order.

But it was of no use. Soon the Penghu Navy's money was withheld. It was really unbearable. Chen Shiying had to go to Xiong Wencan to beg for mercy. Some money came out, but he couldn't even get in, so he was coaxed by the concierge. come out.

This so-called official rank is overwhelming, let alone a governor, a provincial high-ranking official, more than three or four ranks higher. Chen Shiying, a thousand-year-old general, did not look down upon him at all.

Without money, the officers and soldiers under them had no income and could not support their families, so they all went back to their hometowns.

Secondly, the navy fleet needs to be renovated every month, which is another sum of money, and the ships are more valuable than people. It has not been repaired for half a year, and the bottom of the ship is covered with seaweed and clams, and the wood is rotten. It is parked in the port and is out of service. Don't go.

"Sir, forget it, we can't defeat Xiong Wencan." On the way back, a formerly brave team officer under Chen Shiying advised.

Chen Shiying turned to look at him. If he hadn't seen him rush to the front every time he fought, and he was not afraid of death, he would have been killed with a knife. He angrily said: "What the hell is Zheng Zhilong? He is a pirate. Why did you recruit him?" Governor Your Excellency doesn’t know what’s going on, but I don’t accept the idea of ​​recruiting him. Look at the good things he has done over the years.”

At this time, Zheng Zhilong had followed many people along the coast of the Ming Dynasty, including Li Dan, the Portuguese, and the Dutch. He was a speculator who would follow anyone, and he often led people to loot maritime merchants and burn down villages and towns. He had a bad reputation.

Only when he supported Emperor Yongli to rebel against the Qing Dynasty could he be truly cleared. But then he became confused again, defected to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and had his head killed, which was closely related to his early maritime speculation experience.

"Even if I starve to death, I will not take refuge in him." Chen Shiying said with hatred. President Qian had often fought with him over the years. She knew him well and knew that he was profitable, so she chose to recruit him. .

He must not be allowed to succeed, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous.

But Chen Shiying also knew in his heart that without money, the officers and soldiers could not last long. Many soldiers had secretly gone to Fujian and joined the newly established Fujian Navy under Zheng Zhilong. If he hadn't been in charge, the Fujian Navy would have really It became Zheng Zhilong’s alone.

[At the beginning of the chapter, I asked you to read it silently three times. Do you remember? Share on Facebook and there may be surprises]