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

The crew had dinner and after a short entertainment time, except for those who were on duty, everyone returned to their simple bunks to rest. These men who had been bumpy at sea for a day almost fell asleep as soon as their heads touched the pillows. On fire.

Soon there was a sound of snoring on the boat, which was enough to drown out the sound of the waves on the sea.

The fleet's mast raised a night navigation light made of copper wire and glass (actually a small stone lantern), and entered the state of night navigation.

Several sailors were chatting quietly at their respective posts to relieve the boredom and loneliness of this night sail.

On the deck in the distance, the hatch was opened, and two soldiers on night duty accompanied Qin Hao on a night inspection.

"My lord, the young men on board the Wansheng are all descendants of sailors recruited from all over the world. They have been running on the deck since they were children, accompanying the wind and waves. They have also been trained by the naval school and trained in the fleet. From then on, Select the best from the middle to get to the Wansheng!" It was the voice of Captain Duan Daxin!

Hearing the captain's words, several sailors immediately straightened their backs and their hand movements became more refined.

As a newly launched ship, the Wansheng has three gun decks and more than 50 artillery pieces of different sizes. If you like, you can install another 20 artillery pieces on the spare gun positions to make it a complete one. The standard of a second-level battleship, but after thinking about it, I still reluctantly gave up.

"Distribute good gunners to as many ships as possible!"

There is an old Chinese saying: Good steel is used on the blade;

There is a famous saying in Japan: "If you have one hundred taels of silver, don't buy yourself a precious sword that costs one hundred taels. Instead, buy a common sword with one hundred taels of silver!"

Qin Hao still knows how to choose!

Slapping the railing of the ship and looking at the dark sea, Qin Hao couldn't help but think of the famous Song of the Seven Sons. When he took back Monte Carlo from the East, Qin Hao also read this long poem carefully.

The nine cut-off lands from south to north from Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Weihaiwei, Guangzhou Bay, Kowloon, and Luda (Lushun-Dalian) are all natural harbors and coastal defense outposts.

Although Ryukyu, the destination of this trip, is not included in the Song of the Seven Sons, it has had a profound impact on Chinese history.

Starting from the thirty-fourth year of Wanli, the Shimazu family began to invade and rule Ryukyu. Prior to this, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's monkey invasion of Korea led to the Ming Dynasty's trade blockade against Japan.

The luxuries needed by the nobles such as the public and samurai families in Japan became priceless and unmarketable, and the demand far exceeded the supply. Seeing huge profits to be made, the Satsuma clan took advantage of its geographical location to launch trade with Ryukyu. Seafood and some luxury goods were transported back from Southeast Asia, and the needed supplies were obtained from the trade between Ryukyu and the Ming Dynasty.

However, after all, trade is about seeking profits from capital, how can it be as simple as directly grabbing it?

As a result, the cross flag of the Shimazu family of Satsuma Domain began to fly over Ryukyu. Ryukyu not only had to pay tribute to its suzerain state, the Ming Dynasty and later the Manchu Qing Dynasty, but also paid tribute to its nearby evil neighbor and actual controller, the Satsuma Domain.

During the entire period of the Tokugawa shogunate's seclusion, only the Shimazu family of the Satsuma domain in Kyushu used this form of trade to accumulate wealth for themselves for hundreds of years. This was what was later called "respecting the emperor and rejecting the barbarians", During the Meiji Restoration, there was the so-called Army of Choshu and the Navy of Satsuma.

This group of beasts created many diplomatic incidents such as the Peony Society and Ryukyu, and gradually enriched themselves, turning the Ryukyu Kingdom into the so-called Okinawa Prefecture!

But, will this kind of thing happen again?

"Da Heizi." He called Duan Daxin's nickname, "Do you want a bigger ship with more cannons on it? Can it sail farther? Can you go directly to Beijing and Liaodong from Keelung?"

"Can there be a ship bigger than the Wan Sheng and the Bloodthirsty Wolf?"

As the largest second-level battleship in the Navy, its role at sea is unquestionable.

Duan Daxin almost thought that he heard wrongly. He listened carefully and found that apart from the sound of the wind on the sea and the sound of the flag being torn apart, it was the lord talking to him.

After all, compared with Zhao Chang and Amorim, Duan Daxin was born with insufficient naval awareness. His ability to take on the Wansheng this time was also due to his previous achievements in the East China Sea battle, so Qin Hao gave him extra lessons whenever he had time.

"Of course! Moreover, our army has always relied on agriculture to seek stability, work to seek wealth, and business to seek wealth. For us, the ocean is our lifeblood. Without the ocean, our people would not be able to travel anywhere. , the raw materials for making things are nowhere to be found, and our finished products cannot be shipped. What should we do?”

"So my lord wants to build a large navy, occupy islands everywhere, survey routes, and build ports."

Qin Hao smiled happily. It seemed that his efforts these days were not in vain. Duan Daxin still learned a lot and was considered a good student who studied hard.

"As long as you can train enough navy, I will let the shipyard build more and bigger ships for you. That kind of big ship with five masts, the main mast is more than ten meters high from the waterline, and you can install a Hundreds of guns, three gun decks.”

Unknowingly, Qin Hao described the outline of the most classic battleship in his mind, the most powerful British sailing battleship Victory.

"On this ship alone, I am afraid it will require nearly a thousand people to serve as sailors and gunners, and store dozens of tons of gunpowder to ensure the firing of the cannon." Duan Daxin exclaimed.

"After we finish the Ryukyu matter and return home, we will let Li Chun do the design. In addition, the issue you mentioned before, that it is difficult for the gunners to aim and shoot when the waves are bumpy and undulating, will probably be solved. method."

According to the isochronic principle of the pendulum, naval soldiers can complete loading between the ups and downs of the waves, aim at the trough, prepare at the top of the wave, and shoot at the next trough.

According to the isochronic principle of the pendulum, no matter whether the swing amplitude (when the swing angle is less than 5°) is larger or smaller, the time to complete one swing is the same, and the navy can clearly grasp the time interval between two ups and downs.

"Da Heizi. Remember, in order for our lives to be better, we must sell our things at the highest possible price, and then buy everything we need at the lowest possible price.

In this way, our lives can get better and better. But for this goal, we must have a powerful navy that can cruise around the seas and protect our merchant ships and interests. "

At present, there are only three companies that can be considered strong on the East Asian sea. The Dutch one, the Spanish one, Zheng Zhilong and the Keelung Navy merged into one company. Originally, Zheng Zhilong’s former maritime business group could almost be considered one company, but after the East China Sea naval war, they suffered heavy losses. , now it can only be counted as half.

However, in terms of nature, the Zheng Zhilong Group, the Dutch East India Company, and the Spanish Philippine Company. They all belong to logistics companies and traders. Only Keelung Jun has three roles: manufacturer, logistics company and trader.

Although the four families say that they are now going their own way and making their own fortunes. Moreover, there are also good trade activities between each other. However, there can only be one Dragon King in a sea. What are three Dragon Kings?

In the words of the classic epic gangster film "The Godfather," "Free competition is wasteful, monopoly is effective."

In order to monopolize the sea of ​​gold and silver flowing in East Asia, the four companies will have a battle sooner or later.

The Malacca War between Spain and the Netherlands, and the East China Sea battle between Qin Hao and Zheng Zhilong all prove this point!

Today's peace is just preparation before the next storm!

"Da Heizi, therefore, for our trade routes, we cannot just rely on the Jiangnan provided by the Zuo family. We must also open up new routes of our own."

"My subordinates understand! Ryukyu is the most critical point on this route!"

I walked around the nearly 200-meter-long deck of the Wansheng, greeted the sailors and gunners on duty at various battle positions, and looked at the sailors who were shivering in the late night wind. Everyone, Qin Hao told Duan Daxin,

"When I get back, I will write a report and give it to all the navy soldiers. As long as they are on the ship, they should go to the Hsinchu Quilt Factory to buy woolen cloth to make a large cloak. When the weather is cold, they can put it on to keep out the cold."

This move immediately greatly moved the sailors on duty. After getting off the sentry posts, many of them wrote letters to their families in the cabins under the dim and wavering lights, telling them about their experiences at sea.

"The Lord came to our post at night and saw that we were a little cold at sea due to the night wind, so he told Mr. Duan to spend a lot of money to order woolen cloaks for us naval soldiers. How can we repay such deep kindness? The only way is to risk our lives. Just fighting!"

When a red sun jumped out from the distant skyline, the fleet of seven large ships was instantly dyed with the color of morning glow, and the white sails were coated with a light blush. The cannon on the deck shines with lovely light in the sun, making people forget that it is a weapon that can tear apart mountains, split rocks, kill people and destroy ships.

The big bell hanging in the cabin and on the deck was struck hard by the boatswain on duty. People stood up from their bunks one after another, went to the corner of the cabin to get their own washbasins, walked out of the cabin and went outside to wash up. .

"Where are we now?"

A sailor held a toothpick in his mouth, his mouth full of foam, and vaguely asked his companions about the current location of the fleet.

"I'm not particularly sure. Ask the brother on duty above."

"No need to ask! I just asked the lookout when I came up!"

From the mast above people's heads, a voice floated down.

"Quick! Look! Island!"

Following this shout of surprise, more than a dozen seabirds chirping in mid-air crashed into people's eyes.

Everyone knows that on the sea, where there are birds, there are islands.

Therefore, during the long voyage, encountering seabirds flying overhead is a pleasant thing for both body and mind.

"The seagull is an auspicious bird. When it comes to that fleet, it will protect the safety of the ship. Like dolphins, they are auspicious sea creatures." Senior sailors are spreading various knowledge about the sea to young sailors.

"Does that mean you can't fight?"

"Fight? Are you looking for death!? How do you write the word island? There is a bird on the top, and a mountain below. If there are birds, if there are mountains, it is an island!" The old sailor rolled his eyes and took out a leftover from last night's meal from his pocket. Steamed buns, break the dry steamed buns into pieces and throw them into the air. The tempting seagulls will fly up, down, left and right in the fleet.

In the cabin, several young naval officers were busy working on the charts, marking the locations of islands and calculating the distance of the route. Look for the name of this island in Keelung Navy information.

"Found it!"

An officer excitedly held up a chart to show off to his colleagues around him.

"Yonaguni Island!"

"No, it's Ryukyu near Hong Kong Island." Someone reminded from the side.

Yonaguni Island was named after Japan, while Ryukyu Island near Hong Kong was its original name, so naturally it should be called the latter.

In an instant, the cabin became noisy, arguing over the name.

"Lord, we have entered the waters of Ryukyu Kingdom!"

At the Wansheng officer's breakfast table, as the commander of the fleet, Duan Daxin reported the news to Qin Hao on behalf of all naval officers and soldiers.

Yonaguni Island? Ryukyu is close to Hong Kong Island! Long time admirer!

Qin Hao muttered something silently in his heart.

"How big is the island?"

"It's not big. It's about twenty-four to five miles long from east to west and about eight miles from south to south. The coastline is less than sixty miles long. The radius is only twenty or thirty miles. The island is mountainous, has many small rivers, and has plenty of fresh water. There are only three villages. The population is less than a few hundred.

The three villages are Zuna in the north, Kubeliang in the west, and Hikawa in the south. The three villages are built on the mountains of the island. in these three villages. Zuna, located in the north, is considered the leader of these three villages. "

"Send a boat over, get a group of people down, and tell the people on the island. This island will be under the jurisdiction of our Keelung Army in the future! Anyone who dares to resist will be killed!"

The officers gathered around the dining table were a little surprised. They were not the kind of rookies who had never seen anyone killed with blood. On the contrary, each of them was "blood-debted". The massacre of villages and villages during the war was not the case. have never done it.

However, most of the villages that were hostile to the Keelung Army suffered this fate. How could Qin Hao, the commander-in-chief of the Keelung Army, who had more than 100,000 men under his command, treat an island solitary in the East Ocean? in this way?

Will they all be exterminated if they don't accept the jurisdiction?

Everyone was filled with doubts and confusion, and did not dare to ask any more questions. They had no choice but to lower their heads and destroy their own breakfast. Duan Daxin called the star officer on duty and ordered him to pass on Qin Hao's order.

The sailor on the mast waved the small red and yellow flag in his hand and made contact with a nearby ship. Soon, a flag message came from the ship, "Follow the order! If anyone disobeys, they will be killed."

Watching the boat sail out of the group, heading towards Yonaguni Island. When it approached the island, they lowered the boat and a group of soldiers rowed hard towards Yonaguni Island.

"Don't blame me for being cruel. You won't understand my painstaking efforts."

Through the monocular, Qin Hao watched the team officer leading the team, after landing on the shore, struggling to place the navy blue sky flag and the Qin-character army flag on the beach, and gestured with the natives who came. What are you wearing?

"Leave it to them here and pick them up when we come back from Ryukyu."

"If you know that someone has set up a military base on this island, set up a radar base, dispatched troops, and drawn a so-called air defense identification zone here, established the first island chain, and used fighter jets taking off here to threaten, Occupy your territorial waters and territory, and I believe you will also control this island in your own hands!

Moreover, this island is so close to Taiwan Island, like a springboard, with Taiwan Island to the west and Ryukyu to the east. The status of this island is naturally self-evident. "

There were faint sounds of roaring firecrackers on the island, and then in people's sight, soldiers began to use their swords and guns to chase down the fleeing islanders.

Obviously, there was a verbal conflict between the soldiers who went to the island and the residents on the island. The soldiers carried out Qin Hao's orders very well.

Everyone on the fleet saw the billowing black smoke rising from the island, but no one dared to ask why, why the people on this island made the lord so angry.

"Things that don't open your eyes! If the master wants to take you in, he will naturally give you household registration, and then there will be countless benefits. How many people have worked hard for years to get things. You only need to nod your head. This is what you have learned in your previous life. How many blessings have you received from Muyu Xiu! How damn!”

The old sailor who fed the seabirds with dry steamed buns spat into the sea and angrily cursed the island residents for not knowing current affairs.

Along the nearby Hong Kong Island and the Yaeyama Islands, across the Miyako Waterway, through a piece of blue water, the destination of this trip, Ryukyu, has appeared in front of us.

"My lord, should we go to Kume Island to anchor first or go straight to Naha Port?"

Yan Yi, the interpreter and liaison person for this trip, stood beside Qin Hao and asked him in a low voice.

Qin Hao handed the telescope in his hand to the soldier standing by, "Yan Yi, let me ask you, when you came to trade in the past, did you go to Kume Island first, or went directly to Naha Port?"

"My lord, we brought rice to trade sugar cane with them. We are their food and clothing parents, but why did we go to Kume Island? We only go to Kume Island after the trade is over, when we go to our respective homes to maintain friendship."

"Then why do we go to Kume Island first this time?"

Listening to Qin Hao's words, which seemed to have no warmth at all, Yan Yi suddenly realized that he seemed to have made a poor mistake.

"When my subordinates came, they were businessmen. My lord is so majestic. If I don't send someone to contact them in advance, I'm afraid there will be misunderstandings." He explained to himself while wiping the beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Haha! How many soldiers and horses does Ryukyu have?"

"Reporting to my lord, as far as my subordinates know, the country is engaged in martial arts and culture. Several generations ago, the kings issued the so-called sword hunt order to collect the country's weapons. Today, the total number of soldiers and horses in the country is only a few thousand, and they are scattered in various places.

In the past, the Shimazu family captured Shuri Castle, the royal capital, and when they captured the Ryukyu King, their arsenal contained only 500 bows, 300 factory guns, 300 collars of armor, and several knives and spears. "Duan Daxin, who was standing aside, shouted loudly, exposing Ryukyu's old foundation.

"The Shimazu family, a mere Japanese daimyo, can destroy their country and kidnap their king. Why should I go to Kume Island first instead of going to their royal city? Send the order! All ships go straight to Naha Port!"

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