Ming Zuo

Chapter 652 Interception
Zheng Zhilong has worked as a translator for the Dutch, and the cooperation and business between Zheng and the Dutch has never been interrupted.

Therefore, the Zheng family has a very clear understanding of the temperament of the Dutch people.

When a warship left the fleet and headed northeast, Zheng Zhihu immediately guessed that the ship was going to Japan for trade.

Because of the Japanese pirates' rebellion during the Jiajing period, and the fact that the Tokugawa shogunate is now closed to the country, the economic exchanges between China and Japan have apparently been cut off.

But the demand for Chinese goods in Japan is huge.

This is also the reason why Matsudaira Masaosuna dared to violate Tokugawa Iemitsu's seclusion order.

So in this day and age, selling Chinese goods to Japan is maddeningly lucrative.

The main reason for the conflict between the Dutch and Zheng Zhilong was also to compete for this route and dominate the trade rights with Japan.

In the previous battle, Zheng's clumsy performance made Zheng Zhihu feel ashamed, and made Zuo Hua laugh at him.

Zheng Zhihu had long wanted to get back to this place.

So when he learned that there was a Dutch warship heading to Japan, Zheng Zhihu decided to try Zuo Hua's fineness.

He originally thought that when Zuo Hua was timid and refused, he could ride on Zuo Hua's head and mock at will.

But unexpectedly, Zuo Hua, a rookie in the sea, had no fear, and just asked Hong Xu for support.

Zuo Hua only had more than a hundred horsemen and one ship, so he could not be an opponent of the Dutch warship anyway, so it was natural to ask for support.

Zheng Zhihu stared at this young man who was radiating evil spirits from the bottom of his heart, and for the first time he felt serious in his heart.

"Okay, General Zuo's courage is commendable, how can Zheng not help?"

He called Hong Xu over.

"This time you go out with General Zuo, and you must obey General Zuo's orders in everything you do. Fight hard, don't lose the face of an official."

Hong Xu's scalp was numb, and he knew that he had fallen into the fighting spirit of the two big bosses.

But being able to fight against the Dutch is also very happy for him, a young man.

That night, Zuo Hua and Hong Xu led eight warships out of the port and into the vast sea.

"General Zuo, where should we go?"

Hong Xu got the order to obey Zuo Hua in everything.

Zuo Hua didn't speak immediately, but watched the staff members work on the map.

"How fast is the Dutchman's ship?"

A staff officer immediately said: "It is night now, and the speed of the Dutch warships will not exceed five knots."

Zuo Hua stared at the map and quickly made a decision.

"Tomorrow morning, we will be able to reach the Wan'an Station, and then enter the deep sea from here to intercept the Dutch warship."

The place where they set off was Chongwusuo, far east of Kinmen Island where the Dutch warships set off.

Although Fuchuan's speed was slower, but because it was always ahead, according to Zuo Hua's design, it would definitely be able to intercept the Dutch merchant ship.

The only problem now is how to find the Dutch warship in the vast sea?

Zuo Hua also has a way.

"We have eight warships, in groups of two and two. After arriving at the Wan'an Office, we spread out in a straight line in the direction of Dazuo. No matter who finds the Dutchman, he must entangle them tightly to provide time for the other warships to encircle. .”

A fierce light flashed in his one eye.

"On the battlefield, the military order is like a mountain. If anyone is timid and retreats, don't blame me for being ungrateful. Although you are members of the Zheng family, General Zheng Zhihu has entrusted you to me, so you must obey my orders. Whoever dares to disobey orders, I will kill it."

Hong Xu and the others felt cold all over, and they didn't know if he really dared to attack.

But Hongxu was also arrogant.

Looking around at the people on our side, he pointedly said: "Since the beginning of the war, we have lost more than we have won. If you don't know, you think I have no one in the Zheng family. Today we have eight ships fighting one ship. If we lose again, I don't think we should go back, just jump into the sea and feed the fish."

Everyone in the Zheng family woke up suddenly, only then did they realize the deep meaning behind it.

This is not a matter of life and death, but a matter of Zheng's honor and disgrace.

If they do not fight well enough to embarrass the Zheng family, then they might as well just die.

The battle plan was formulated, and the fleet dispersed in twos and twos in the vast night.

Although there were only eight ships, after maintaining a certain distance, a not-so-strict interception line was established in the Taiwan Strait.

Zuo Hua stayed up all night, and his spirit was always in a state of excitement.

When the eastern sun jumped out of the water, he hastily ate two steamed buns, and never put down the telescope in his hand.

It's a pity that the scenery above the sea is monotonous, and there is nothing but the undulating sea waves.

Another ship was ten miles ahead on the left, and only through a telescope could I vaguely see some outlines.

There is no way.

The Taiwan Strait is more than [-] miles wide. In this era when only naked eyes can be used to search, if only eight ships do not keep the distance as far as possible, they may really be sneaked by Dutch warships.

For one morning, the sea was calm and nothing happened.

But when it was time to eat lunch, the sentry on the mast suddenly shouted: "Dutch found, southwest."

Zuo Hua jumped up, picked up the binoculars and looked.

He did not see the Dutch warship, but he saw that another ship in his group was already sailing south-west with full sail while raising the flag.

Obviously, the companion warship got the exact news.

"Signal for all warships to support."

Soon, the artillery on the ship roared, and at the same time turned the bow and went straight to the battlefield.

On the vast sea, the sound of artillery is obviously farther than the eyes can see.

In the north of Zuo Hua's ship, several other ships heard the sound of the cannon, and all of them moved closer and searched towards the southwest.

At this time, Hong Xu had already fought with the Dutch in the waters near Da Yuan.

The Dutch also knew that they were fighting against the Zheng family, and they didn't dare to approach the coast of China when they went to Japan.I deliberately made a detour, intending to cross the Taiwan Strait along the coast of Dayuan.

Unexpectedly, even so, they were blocked by Zheng's people.

The Dutch warship bound for Japan was the Venlo.

Captain Bapu Dewei is in his forties and has been adventuring in the Far East for more than twenty years.

He had accumulated enough wealth, and he planned to work for a while before returning to Holland to enjoy his happiness and spend his old age in peace.

This trip to Japan for trade was also at his own request.

Because after the transaction, he will get a [-]% share.

With this income, he must be a rich man when he returns to the Netherlands, and his life is worry-free.

But I didn't expect to encounter Zheng's interception.

Seeing the two Chinese Junk ships approaching, Bapu Dewei was not flustered.

"Go up and sink them."

Although the Venlo is a Tier [-] warship with only [-] sailors, [-] soldiers, and [-] cannons, based on his experience, it is only natural to win against a Chinese junk ship with only four cannons. .

(End of this chapter)