Dragon Sea Empire

Yaogang—"Taipei Port", in addition to the two largest combat ships: Feilong and Xinxing, more than 50 sailboats of all sizes are moored.Among them, there is the second ship built by Yin Feng, Xinsheng; this is the unfinished ship before Yin Feng went to Manila; it is about the same size as Xinxing, and it is built with European full-equipped sailing style, combining Chinese and Western soft and hard Type horizontal sail, plus the bow stay jib, the top mast sail is also hung with moon sail and stay sail, and there are outriggers on both sides of the ship, the so-called wing sail bar, which can hang wing sails, The speed is obviously faster than the general Fuchuan type Chinese sailboat.

The Xinsheng has just returned from Malacca, bringing back a large number of Western curiosities, and of course, more tons of silver.The trip to Nanyang on the Xinsheng ship alone has earned 120 million taels of silver for the China United Company, as well as Western chime clocks worth several 10 taels of silver.

However, although the Xinsheng also carried two cannons, and the crew also carried muskets for self-defense, it was only designed to be used as a merchant ship and had no naval combat capabilities, so it was only used as a troop carrier this time.Some of the other more than 50 sailing ships are auxiliary ships of the battle fleet, and some are "part-time" pirate ships of the Jinghai Gang.

Yin Feng boarded the Feilong, and the cannon at the bow let out a loud bang. The entire fleet was arranged in a three-way column, with the Feilong and Xinxing at the head, guarding the Xinsheng in the middle, and the three big ships followed by more than 50 ships. Large and small sailing boats set off from Hong Kong in a mighty way and headed for the Penghu Islands.

Yin Feng brought along Brother Baradas and Chinese Jesuit monk You Wenhui, who had been left hanging in Taiwan for almost a month.He negotiated with Baradas about the ownership of the black Magaro. Baradas generously transferred Magaro to Yin Feng without any price. Yin Feng immediately wrote a document to release the black slave. Magaro is a free man.Since Yin Feng is working as a nominal clerk in Macau, his documents only need to go through a legal procedure with the Macau Municipal Government and stamp them to take effect.Magaro immediately knelt down to Yin Feng, weeping uncontrollably.

Baradas really wanted to communicate more with Yin Feng, and Yin Feng also felt that dealing with the Dutch would be useful if he brought along a white Christian monk of the same clan as the Dutch—there were quite a few Portuguese mercenaries who went with them , but they are enemies with the Dutch.So Baradas and You Wenhui boarded the Flying Dragon and followed them to Penghu.

When this fleet set off for Penghu, a large number of pirate ships, fishing boats and small merchant ships along the coast of Fujian were converging in the direction of Penghu.

Such a big move alarmed Shen Yourong, the general in charge of the Wuyu water village.As soon as he commanded the warship back to the water village dock, he received a report from the patrolling officers and soldiers.Looking at the report, he felt more and more abnormal.Some time ago, the Dutch red-haired barbarian suddenly appeared along the coast of Fujian, killing and looting all kinds of crimes. For a period of time, he followed the Dutch day and night.The Dutch had gone east a few days ago, and he had just breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this report: a large number of fishing boats and small merchant ships went out to sea together, heading towards Penghu.

What the hell happened?The fishing season has passed, and now there is no need to go deep sea fishing, and it is not the season for large-scale business trips. Why do these people along the coast go to Penghu?Is it going to Dongfan?

He felt faintly uneasy. When he was in a daze in the room, a soldier broke in and said out of breath, "Brother Guo is back,..."

The Guo family brothers are fishermen Guo Yi and Guo Yan brothers. They used to go to Dongfan (Taiwan) to investigate the situation for Shen Yourong's conquest of Japanese pirates.Shen Yourong hurried out of the door, the two brothers had already knelt down to salute him at the door.Shen Yourong smiled and pulled them up: "Okay, don't need this empty ceremony. How about it? Have you found out the whereabouts of Hong Maoyi?"

His elder brother Guo Yi clasped his hands and said, "I found out that Hongmaoyi has already gone to Penghu, and it is said that he is going to live on the island. The Tang Rentong on the Hongmaoyi boat told us that the Hongmaoyi came to open the sea and trade, saying that he has already acquired Fujian. With the consent of the government, the trade in Penghu will be occupied."

Shen Yourong shook his head: "This must be nonsense, how could the government agree to such absurd request!"

He remembered what he was thinking just now, and quickly asked: "Since this morning, a large number of fishing boats and small single-masted merchant ships have set out to sea in various ports along the coast of Quanzhou. There are so many people and concentrated operations. I don't know why?"

The Guo brothers looked at each other, as if they were troubled.Shen Yourong was a little strange: "What's wrong? What happened?"

Guo Yi sighed, bowed his head and said: "The general treats my brothers with deep affection, and I shouldn't have said it, but since the general has already asked the question, we don't care about both of you!"

Shen Yourong was really very strange; usually he treated the two brothers very well, rewarded them with a lot of money, and even helped the two brothers settle some disputes with the tax collectors at the Hebo Office.Generally speaking, the two brothers knew everything about him and talked endlessly.Who is it and what is it that requires the Guo brothers to "put a knife in their ribs" to tell them?

"Does General Shen know about the China United Company?" asked his older brother Guo Yi, and his younger brother Guo Yan stabbed him in the back, signaling him to be careful, but Guo Yi ignored him and continued, "This Zhonghua Company has another name. It's called Huaxing United Firm, also known as Huaxing United Company."

Shen Yourong thought for a while: "Oh, about half a month ago, the officers and soldiers of my water village renewed the warship. The anchors, cables and other equipment on the ship seemed to be supplied by the shipyard under the name of Huaxing Lian."

In fact, Huaxing Lianhao was mainly adopted for the convenience of doing business on the mainland. Yin Feng stipulated that all foreign businesses should be called China United Company, and those doing business in the interior should be called Huaxing Lianhao.Now the person who uses this name the most is Xu Xinsu, who is in charge of business in Fujian province.

Guo Yi continued: "This Dongfan area is now the territory of the China United Company, and it has been renamed Taiwan. Today, there are nearly 100 large and small merchant ships in the coastal area of ​​Fujian that are under the jurisdiction of the United Company. In recent days, the Huaxing United The coast of Fujian buys dilapidated fishing boats and old merchant ships, regardless of the cost. When we returned to Wuyu Island today, we also encountered these boats. The fellows on the boat told us that they had received an order from the United Company to gather in Penghu, saying It's related to the Hongmaoyi."

The more Shen Yourong listened, the more gloomy his face became, his brows were furrowed.

Although the Guo brothers do not need to do smuggling to supplement their living, many of their relatives, friends and family members are engaged in "smuggling".Sea trafficking and smuggling activities based on Anhai Port, an important branch port of Quanzhou Port, that is, "smuggling trade" are rampant;

Due to the sea ban of the Ming Dynasty, the government strictly prohibited overseas merchants from landing and trading, so that the international status of Quanzhou's "people from the market and ten continents" in the Song and Yuan dynasties has completely declined, and the trade between merchant thieves active at sea and overseas merchants has also become difficult. It can only be done in a "smuggling" way.In fact, the small moon port can't accommodate so many sea trade needs, so the smuggling trade is still flooding everywhere after Longqing opened the sea. Fujian officials really can't control it, and basically turn a blind eye to it. Eye.

Many of the smuggling businesses run by the relatives and friends of the Guo family were done with the China United Company. Therefore, the Guo brothers were somewhat psychologically pressured and entangled in moral and family ties when disclosing some information about the company to the government insiders.

"It has something to do with the Hongmaoyi? Could it be to provide food and grass for the Hongmaoyi? Could it be..." Shen Yourong was puzzled, and suddenly thought of a question: "Brothers, you must know how I am, Shen Yourong. If it is in my ears, no one will know that it was you who said it. Let me ask a few more questions: Is the joint company really ordering these ships to go to Penghu? Also, who is the leader of this company? By the way, at the beginning of the year, someone recruited farmers in Quanzhou and Fuzhou to cultivate land in Dongfan, is the person in charge the Chinese company?"

Guo Yi and his younger brother looked at each other again, turned around and said, "Actually, our ship was going to Penghu. The Zhonghua Company bought our broken ship at a high price. We can use the money to build a new one. Go to sea. Moreover, the convener said that if we go to Penghu by boat, we can still get food and wages. Therefore, those who sold the boat to the Chinese company are very willing to go to Penghu; what does the Chinese company want to use our boats for? , we don’t know.”

"As for the leader of the company, General Shen actually knows him as well."

Shen Yourong was amazed by the Chinese company's social mobilization and control ability at the moment, and exclaimed after hearing this: "What are you talking about? People I know? Who?"

"The Zhonghua Company, or the owner of the Huaxing Lianhe, is Yin Feng, the owner of Captain Yin, who rescued 3000 Ming people from Luzon Island. You met him in Taiwan a few years ago."

The outline of the Xinxing Ship appeared in Shen Yourong's mind; that time when she was chasing the Xining Ship at sea, she was finally thrown off by the Xining Ship and escaped easily.He was shocked and said: "So it was him?"

Shen Yourong called his own soldiers and ordered: "Get the boat ready immediately, I'm going to Fuzhou Governor's Yamen for a visit."

……

At the same time, thirteen or fourteen boats had converged at the exit of Penghu Bay.They are all ships of the Jinghai Gang.

Li Dan's pirate apprentices Yuan Jin, Li Zhong and others have probably already left the army, each holding a boat.Li Zhong came to Yuan Jin's boat, and the two were discussing whether to break into Penghu Bay immediately.

"The carrier pigeon of the ship owner ordered us to gather at the mouth of the bay and not enter the mouth of the bay to fight with the Hongmaoyi." Li Zhong persuaded him kindly.

Yuan Jin said loudly: "Fart, this Captain Yin has never done rough work at sea, so he knows nothing about war."

"Brother, be careful what you say, he is the savior of the eldest lady!" Li Zhong hurriedly looked around.

"What are you afraid of? These brothers all followed me earlier, and I'm not afraid that Yin Feng will come to me. The person I admire the most in my life is Brother Li, this Yin..."

"Brother, shut up!" Li Zhong covered his mouth, but he pushed it away again.

Starling, namely Yuan Jin, also called Yuan Balao, from Tong'an, Quanzhou, was nicknamed "Mynah" because he ranked eighth.

At that moment, Yuan Jin desperately brought his boat straight into Penghu Bay. Li Zhong was a loyal man who had been with Yuan Jin for many years, so he had no choice but to command the boat to follow.