nashuaworldcup Chapter 289 Entering Fujian
Chapter 289 Entering Fujian
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Liu Ye's eyes lit up; this was an unexpected opportunity. He said to Zhou Guoxin, "You'll come with me to Fujian this time. Ask around among the Imperial Guards there to see if they have any other leverage over Zheng Hongkui. Then, use his dissatisfaction with Zheng Zhilong to coerce and entice him, employing both methods to bring him under our control."
Zhou Guoxin asked in confusion, "General, I heard that we are going to exterminate the entire Zheng family. What's the point of leaving only Zheng Hongkui alive?"
Liu Ye smiled slyly: "Hehe, Zheng Zhilong must die, and the other members of the Zheng clan cannot be spared either. However, we are unfamiliar with Fujian. Even if we storm into Anping Town, it is difficult to ensure that we can wipe out the entire Zheng family. If an inside agent of the Zheng family steps forward and identifies them one by one, then not even a maid in the Zheng family's old mansion will escape."
Zhou Guoxin suddenly realized: "I see, I understand now. I will go back and make preparations, and then go to Fujian with the general."
After Zhou Guoxin left, Yan Guang asked, "General, after Zheng Hongkui has used him, will he be spared his life?"
"That depends on his attitude. If he's pragmatic, we can spare his life and even give him a fortune," Liu Ye said leisurely. "After defeating Zheng Zhilong, the Qiongzhou Camp will be the sole hegemon from Japan to Southeast Asia. At that time, we won't just have to do maritime trade ourselves to make money. We can collect taxes from all merchant ships at sea and make money effortlessly. Qiongzhou Prefecture can control the merchant ships in Guangdong and the fleets going to Southeast Asia, but we can't reach the fleets from Fujian and Jiangsu to Japan. We can consider finding an agent who is familiar with the local situation."
Yan Guang understood his meaning: "So Zheng Hongkui is a suitable candidate who has come to our doorstep? But what if he develops rebellious intentions in the future? Even if all the members of the Zheng clan are killed, there will definitely be some of Zheng's subordinates who escape. At that time, Zheng Hongkui, as the sole heir of the Zheng family, can rise up and rally his old subordinates. Even if he can't cause a big storm, it will still be a disruption to the general's plans in Fujian..."
“What you said makes sense, but I’ve also considered this possibility. After we take Anping, we can have Zheng Hongkui publicly identify his own clansmen, revealing his traitorous identity to the world. You know, Zheng Zhilong has always used chivalry to win over his subordinates. In that case, what face will Zheng Hongkui have left in front of his old followers? Not to mention, he can raise his voice and get everyone to respond.”
Yan Guang smiled and gave a thumbs up: "General, that was a brilliant move!"
A few days later, the expeditionary force's massive fleet departed from Bopu Port and set sail.
The previous two operations, the sneak attack on Zhongzuosuo and the participation in the Battle of Liaoluo Bay, were conducted covertly in the former and were merely symbolic in the latter. This expedition, however, was fought for the Qiongzhou Camp itself, mobilizing all its armed forces, a complete and utter effort without any reservations.
With the continuous launch of new warships and the addition of manpower from the remnants of Liu Xiang's forces and Dutch mercenaries, the fleet's size and strength were significantly enhanced compared to the Battle of Liaoluo Bay. The fleet, composed of two 1000-ton Yongle-class warships, twelve 500-ton Wuyi-class warships, and sixteen 280-ton Wuxiang-class patrol vessels, far surpassed the Dutch forces of just a few months prior in size and combat power. Coupled with numerous troop transport ships carrying nearly three thousand soldiers and support personnel, the fleet stretched for miles across the sea outside Bofu Harbor, its sails obscuring the sky and creating an awe-inspiring sight.
On the flagship "Guangdong," Liu Ye, surrounded by a crowd of stars, remarked with deep emotion: "Since its inception, the Qiongzhou Camp has fought numerous major battles, always outnumbered and outmatched, almost always walking a tightrope, where defeat meant certain death. This expedition to Fujian has finally brought us to the top. While the Qiongzhou Camp's fleet still cannot match Zheng Zhilong's in terms of sheer numbers, its overall strength is undeniably superior."
Having transformed from a prisoner to the captain of East Asia's most powerful warship, Van Bommel was deeply moved by these words. He sighed, "If we had 30 warships instead of 9, and possessed giant cannons capable of firing 59-pound explosive shells, the outcome of that war would have been different..."
Liu Ye laughed and said, "It's not too late now. After you switch sides, you'll have the opportunity to rewrite the outcome of the war."
Van Bommel, upon hearing this, was eager to try: "You're right, General. I wish I could blow Zheng Zhilong's head off with an explosive bomb right now to wash away the humiliation he gave me before."
Gao Jie put down his binoculars and asked, "General, we're approaching the Fujian waters. Should we follow the usual practice and temporarily set up camp and rest on Nan'ao Island?"
Liu Ye nodded and said, "It is a major taboo in warfare to launch an attack with an exhausted army. Although a voyage of more than ten days is not too far, it will still reduce the soldiers' combat effectiveness due to fatigue, especially the army, which is not used to sailing. Let's rest on Nan'ao Island, let the soldiers get a good rest, and then launch a general offensive in one fell swoop."
Tang Baicai, the deputy commander of Nan'ao Island, was already quite adept at "receiving" the Qiongzhou garrison. After the massive fleet docked, he not only actively arranged for barracks to be cleared for accommodation but also proactively sent men to drive away any merchant ships that were temporarily moored. Although he didn't know whether such a large-scale operation needed to be kept secret, with so many people involved, it was always better to have fewer people know.
Since he was so sensible and understanding, Liu Ye wouldn't treat him unfairly. He gave him enough silver to buy food, and the rest was considered a reward for his hard work. Tang Baicai did a rough calculation and found that even if the money was enough to feed several thousand people, there would still be several hundred taels left over. He couldn't help but smile broadly; these people were truly the benefactors of Nan'ao Island.
After the army settled in, Zhou Guoxin didn't sit idle. He took two of his men and sailed out of Anping Town first.
That evening, Zheng Hongkui was in his study at the old mansion, checking and verifying the accounts for the silver and materials spent on building the residence. Although the accountant had already checked them, such a large mansion had cost a fortune, and he wouldn't feel at ease without personally verifying them, lest his subordinates try to tamper with the property. He had already been marginalized, and he couldn't afford to give anyone any grounds for criticism or incriminating evidence.
Although the accounts were dazzling, Zheng Hongkui had been trading with Japan for many years and was used to dealing with accounts, so he could handle it. As he was flipping through the ledger recording the day's expenses, there was a knock on the door outside the study.
Zheng Hongkui was somewhat surprised. Who would come looking for him so late? He got up suspiciously, walked over and opened the door. The person standing outside surprised him.
"Wang Qinian, is that you? What brings you here so late?"
Wang Qinian scurried into the room without any hesitation, showing no intention of asking for permission.
"We came to see Fourth Master tonight to point him in the right direction. Let's see if he'll take it or not."