Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

"The Ming army came all the way from Luzon and Manila, spanning five thousand miles across the sea. It is estimated that they encountered another storm a few days ago. The losses must be considerable. I am afraid that there are not many supplies left. According to the old saying, a powerful crossbow cannot wear Lu Tao. I The army has geographical advantages, is familiar with the nearby hydrology, and is even more proficient in water warfare. With proper planning, it may not be impossible to defeat it."

"If we can defeat this Ming fleet, not only will the Ming Dynasty be unable to control us in the future, but the thousands of miles of Southeast Asia will also become our world!"

From a military point of view, Chen Zuyi's plan is not only not unreasonable, but also quite feasible, because the terrain of the bay in front of Palembang is superior to that of Manila Bay.

Viewed from the sky, it's as if God had embedded a rectangle diagonally into the land, creating a long, flat bay. It's simply a miraculous workmanship.

The old harbor is large enough to completely park a huge fleet, but it also means that if it is hidden properly, it is easy to close the door and attack the dog. You only need to use the fleet to cut off the entrance of the bay, and you can completely block the enemy inside. role.

"But this matter must be kept secret!"

Chen Zuyi looked at his subordinates with cold eyes and ordered word for word: "Remember, no one is allowed to reveal even a word! If anyone leaks the information, he will be killed without mercy!"

"Follow the order!"

At this time, Liang Daoming recruited his confidant Shi Jinqing in the simple "Royal Palace" in Old Port.

"What are you going to do, Your Highness?" Shi Jinqing was about forty years old. He was wearing a Confucian robe and looked majestic. However, the stubble on both sides of his cheeks made him less elegant than a scribe, and instead he looked a bit rough and bold.

Liang Daoming pondered for a moment and said: "According to Chen Zuyi's suggestion, let's talk to the Ming army first. If we can surrender, it would be best. But if we can't reach an agreement, we will have to fight to the death."

"Your Highness is wise." Shi Jinqing praised with clasped fists.

Liang Daoming smiled bitterly: "I don't have any reputation. I just want to solve the trouble in Old Port as soon as possible. I don't want to delay it any longer! It's not like you don't know that I feel like I'm being roasted on a fire every day. Yes, he has a king in his name, but he can’t even be the master of this three-thirds of an acre of Old Port.”

Shi Jinqing nodded silently after hearing the words. They all walked together. He knew very well what Liang Daoming was thinking. If he were Liang Daoming, the Srivijaya Kingdom would not be able to control it now, and it would have to face the huge military pressure from the Majapahit Empire. Old Port There is also Chen Zuyi, the pirate king, who is not willing to continue to be constrained by Old Port and walk such a tightrope. This kind of balance is not something ordinary people can play, and if you are not careful, you will be shattered to pieces.

"Don't you want to insist anymore? Today's situation is not easy either."

Shi Jinqing finally advised: "If we really surrender to the Ming Dynasty, we will not be as prosperous in the future."

Liang Daoming was also open-minded and said frankly: "What are you insisting on? It is not my intention to become king, but it is forced by the current situation."

"Jin Qing."

Liang Daoming said sincerely: "For me, go with Chen Zuyi's people tomorrow to see the Ming Dynasty's envoy. If we can reach an agreement, we can also take this opportunity to reach an agreement with the Ming Dynasty. If we can bring in the power of the Ming Dynasty, We are now protected from being invaded by Chen Zuyi, so we must seize this golden opportunity!"

Shi Jinqing nodded, said goodbye and turned to leave.

When he returned home, Shi Jinqing summoned his confidants to discuss the matter, but he stood in front of the window facing the sea and fell into deep thought while watching the bustling crowds in the old port.

He always felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't put it into words.

When Liang Daoming was hurriedly summoned into the palace just now, there was always an information gap. In other words, Liang Daoming simply told him that both parties planned to negotiate a surrender with the Ming army, and did not say anything else.

So it wasn't until his daughter Shi Erjie and his son Shi Jisun came to see their children who had been unconvinced with each other that Shi Jinqing said a few words before he came back to his senses. Chen Zuyi's reaction was not quite right.

"Chen Zuyi is probably delaying the attack."

Shi Jisun was stunned, and then said: "Then won't father report it to the king?"

Second Sister Shi sneered: "Idiot, do you think the king doesn't understand? Since it is Chen Zuyi's delaying strategy, why can't this also be the king's delaying strategy? If the king doesn't make it clear to his father, he just lets his father do it in a confused way. This messenger, because of the power of our Shi family, has threatened the king, do you understand?"

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Shi Jinqing interrupted his daughter with a scolding, and the room fell into embarrassment.

But after being reminded by his daughter, suspicion inevitably arose in Shi Jinqing's heart.

Liang Daoming has indeed always trusted him very much, and the Shi family is his important supporter. However, since he became Liang Daoming's deputy and his power has grown stronger, this trust has begun to change slightly.

But at least so far, Liang Daoming has not taken any action against him, and even his attitude is the same as before.

Shi Jinqing is very sure that Liang Daoming is not a very ambitious person, but equally, since he can be king, even if he is half-promoted and half-dressed with a yellow robe, Liang Daoming is definitely not an incompetent person, otherwise he would have been killed by Chen Zuyi, a cruel man who travels across Southeast Asia. The pirate leader finished his meal.

Since he could sense that something was wrong, and his smart daughter Shi Erjie said it clearly, Liang Daoming must have sensed it a long time ago. I am afraid that when Liang Daoming talked to Chen Zuyi just now, he had already made a decision and just saw through it. It's just not a big deal.

So in this situation, if I try to be clever and tell Liang Daoming, I'm afraid it will have the opposite effect.

"His Highness didn't tell me clearly, he just asked me to negotiate. Does he not want me to know, or does he want to harm me?" Shi Jinqing felt a little uneasy.

But in front of a pair of children, it is difficult to say these words that are not conducive to the internal unity of Old Port.

Shi Jinqing just paused, narrowed his eyes, and said in a deep voice: "Our Shi family and Jiugang have a mutually prosperous and mutually destructive relationship. After so many years of hard work, we must not abandon this foundation. If not, His Highness would not treat it like this." Leave important matters to me and let me negotiate. Now is also an opportunity to break the situation. The Ming army's expedition not only consumed a lot of supplies, but may even lack fresh water. At this time, we show our kindness, which is to provide help in times of need. The situation in Old Port is also the same. You can change, you know?”

After that, Shi Jinqing explained a few more words to his children. Shi Jisun followed the order and left, but his daughter, Second Sister Shi, stood still.

She whispered: "Father, this may not be an opportunity for our Shi family to replace the king."

Shi Jinqing's heart moved, but he was still scolding.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

It's just that this time the scolding didn't have any harshness at all.

Rejection is either absolute or not. Second Sister Shi, who was wearing leather armor and had a dark complexion, naturally understood and continued.

"I am afraid that the king has also made two preparations. When negotiating with the Ming army, he must have had the intention of bringing in the Ming army to destroy Chen Zuyi's forces. If the king's appetite is bigger, he may have the idea of ​​​​fighting with the snipe and the clam for the fisherman's profit. The Shi family has a small body and a small appetite, so they can’t be greedy.”

Shi Jinqing closed the door curtains and curtains, looked at his invisible daughter, and whispered: "If you have any concerns, please tell me and tell your father."

"The king said that it would be better to return to the Ming Dynasty and live out the rest of his life as a rich man, but he just listened to it. With such power, even if it is precarious power, who wouldn't be greedy? The king's plan is probably It was to negotiate with the Ming army and then join forces to annihilate Chen Zuyi. The purpose was to maintain the current independent status and kill the competitors. Therefore, since my father went with Chen Zuyi's men, they were probably the negotiating team on the surface, but just for perfunctory purposes. It's over. The king will definitely send another confidant to discuss the real terms with the Ming army in private."

"The conditions are probably to grant some benefits to the Ming army. They can surrender in name, but in fact they have to maintain their current independence. This should be the bottom line."

Second Sister Shi analyzed deeply: "But our Shi family is different from the king. Our Shi family has never coveted the king's position, so we have much more room to give up than the king. In other words, We can cut more meat for the Ming army than the king."

"So?" Shi Jinqing looked solemn, having already guessed something in his mind.

Second Sister Shi said decisively: "Bring more good hands. When we get to the Ming army fleet, make sure that the king's confidants have arrived. Then kill Chen Zuyi's men first, and then negotiate with the Ming army. No matter how the king's confidants make concessions, we will make one more concession." Even in two steps, the Ming army will choose us, and if we vote for the Ming army, we will never lose the position of Xuan Fu envoy or Xuan comfort envoy in the old port. With the support of the Ming army, our Shi family can become the new masters of the old port. Just like Xu Chai in Manila.”

After Shi Jinqing heard this, he whispered to his daughter for a long time before letting her go.

The next day, Shi Jinqing left his son to guard the house and embarked on a mission trip with his daughter Shi Erjie and other confidants.

The ship next to them was the men sent by Chen Zuyi as an envoy.

Behind them, there was also a row of supply ships, filled with fresh water, fruits and vegetables.

Chen Zuyi has been entrenched in Nanyang and has been a pirate for more than ten years. At its peak, the size of the pirate gang even exceeded 10,000 people. Now it has 6,000 or 7,000 people and hundreds of warships. It reaches the Ming Dynasty, Japan, Korea, and Ryukyu in the north, and Sanfo in the south. Qi, Temasek, and thousands of miles of sea territory are his hunting grounds. Not only has he robbed tens of thousands of ships, he has also gone ashore to attack more than fifty coastal towns in various countries. He has a fierce reputation.

The most famous thing is that Chen Zuyi's gift was the five thousand guan that Lao Zhu personally approved during his lifetime. Lao Zhu was very stingy, and anyone who wanted to get 50 guan from him would have to take advantage of him. You can imagine the weight of 5,000 guan. .

And this pirate gang, which is currently the largest in the world, naturally has all kinds of talents.

The hills of the old port.

The scenery here is pleasant, like spring all year round, with birds singing and flowers fragrant everywhere, making people feel like they are in a fairyland.

In a pavilion, Chen Zuyi was leisurely drinking tea with an old man who was nearly fifty years old. The old man was wearing a blue gown, his eyes were half closed, and he looked particularly elegant.

Suddenly, one of his men hurried into the pavilion, knelt down in front of him, and said, "Report to the general, Shi Jinqing and our people each drove a ship and have left the port with a supply ship."

Chen Zuyi stood up and looked at the ship starting to sail from a distance. With a trace of ridicule on his lips, he said, "I'm afraid I will be used as a scapegoat."

Another leader beside him couldn't help but said: "This person seems a little unusual?"

Chen Zuyi said lightly: "Well, the head of the Shi family, this person is wild and untamed, but he is flexible and flexible, and knows how to judge the situation. He is more difficult to deal with than Liang Daoming. No wonder Liang Daoming wants to support him. It's a pity that we are not like Liang Daoming at the moment. Only by dealing with him can they unite together, otherwise the two of them will be in the same bed sooner or later, and Liang Daoming may have been wary of him secretly. "

At this time, his "strategist" sighed and said: "Liang Daoming has been operating in Old Port for many years and has already been deeply entrenched. We can't shake his position. The arrival of the Ming army will be a breakthrough."

The leader asked: "What is the meaning of this statement?"

The military advisor explained: "If we really want to start fighting again after we have negotiated, the war will definitely start in the old port. Do you think the Ming army will separate our two families? They will definitely fight together."

"At that time, Liang Daoming and Shi Jinqing will become our cannon fodder."

Chen Zuyi said cheerfully: "Even if they don't want to board our warship, the Ming army will not agree to it. Without the Ming army's retreat, they can only be coerced by us. If they don't understand, they will be killed after a while." They gnawed away the flesh and bones."

——————

On the flagship off the old port, Zheng He personally received this group of envoys from the Srivijaya Kingdom.

There is no need for an interpreter, both parties communicate in Chinese.

Shi Jinqing looked at Zheng He who was sitting in front of him, with a smile on his face, and said: "Eunuch Three Treasures, I have heard for a long time that you are wise and brave, and when I see you today, you are indeed worthy of your reputation!"

"Haha! That's ridiculous."

Zheng He smiled faintly, then pointed to the seat and said: "Sit down, I wonder why you came here this time?"

Shi Jinqing smiled slightly, pointed to the seat next to him, and asked Chen Zuyi's men to sit down first. Then he sat down and said, "The Tomorrow's Army is here. I will come to greet you and bring some fruits, vegetables and fresh water for supply." Used by the heavenly host.”

Seeing that Shi Jinqing never mentioned anything else, Zheng He seemed to smile but said, "General Shi, do you know the purpose of my visit?"

Shi Jinqing shook his head and pretended to be stupid at first and replied blankly: "I'm not sure."

"Everything in the world is the land of the king, and the shores of the land are all the ministers of the king."

Zheng He stood up, dusted off his official robes, saluted northward and spoke slowly: "We are here under the emperor's order to proclaim the kingship of Mu to the world, wipe out the Japanese pirates and pirates in Nanyang along the way, and clear the trade routes. To eliminate harm for the world.”

Before the cronies sent by Chen Zuyi could get angry, Wang Jinghong, who was next to him, added: "As for who are Japanese pirates and pirates and who are not, we need to carefully screen them."

Shi Jinqing pressed the sleeves of the people next to him and said with a smile: "Sir, please rest assured that we in Sri Lanka will never hide Japanese pirates. The old port is full of law-abiding merchants."

Chen Zuyi's cronies were stunned for a moment, then fell silent.

This man is also a smart man. He was arranged by Chen Zuyi to deliberately paralyze the Ming army. He wanted to get angry just now, just to maintain a normal reaction and not reveal his flaws. In fact, he had an indifferent attitude towards this negotiation. He could talk to Shi Jinqing as he wanted, and he would give some Just react as normal as you should, and the final result doesn't count anyway.

The two groups who came to negotiate had their own agendas. Chen Zuyi's men only wanted to mean things, but Shi Jinqing knew that he could not do it accurately and was preparing to make peace with the Ming army alone. Therefore, his position was very vague, neither negotiating with Zheng He nor negotiating with the Ming Dynasty. It collapsed, but he was pushing Tai Chi back and forth.

When Zheng He saw this, he also knew that there might be something fishy here.

Either the people in Jiugang are planning to make a false compromise with the Ming army to buy time for military preparations for war; or there are internal conflicts between the two groups, and they will have to talk separately later.

But Zheng He slightly underestimated the degree of internal strife in the old port.

After the two groups of people were arranged to stay, someone from the guard ship outside the fleet came to report that there was a secret envoy from King Liang Daoming of Srivijaya.

Zheng He received Liang Daoming's emissary again. After proving his identity, this time the emissary stopped talking in circles and started negotiations with the Ming army in earnest.

But as they talked, the secret envoy felt that it was a bit difficult to talk, so he had to return to Old Port to ask Liang Daoming with the conditions of the Ming army.

But Zheng He was not anxious at all.

Zhu Youxuan, the king of Runan County, asked in confusion: "Changes will happen later. Why is the Three Treasures eunuch so calm and composed?"

Zheng He smiled slightly and said.

"The Imperial Master has already made arrangements."

Zhu Youhuang was surprised for a moment and asked incomprehensibly: "The imperial master has already made arrangements? Is it possible that there is a clever plan in his bag?"

"Hahahaha! I made you guess. The Imperial Master asked me to take it apart before arriving at the old port."

Zheng He laughed and opened a box. He had already opened this box and just showed it to Zhu Youyao.

It was Jiang Xinghuo's handwriting on the letter paper.

Jiang Xinghuo not only mentioned the local snake named Shi, but also said that Chen Zuyi would fake a surrender and that he could deal with it calmly as long as he was careful.

To put it bluntly, Jiang Xinghuo had seen something like "Did you know? The Ming Dynasty's land has reached the southern hemisphere" while browsing short videos before, and he generally remembered that a person named Shi was the old port ambassador appointed by the Ming Dynasty. , and in the process of conquering the old port, the famous pirate Chen Zuyi once pretended to surrender to Zheng He and was discovered, so he wrote these down and gave them to Zheng He.

As for the name of the person named Shi, Jiang Xinghuo had long forgotten it.

However, after some inquiring, Zheng He was very sure that it was the envoy in front of him, Shi Jinqing.

As for Chen Zuyi's false surrender, Zheng He and Wang Jinghong had already guessed it without Jiang Xinghuo's warning, but now that Jiang Xinghuo had predicted it, they could be completely sure.

"The ability of the national master is really unpredictable!"

Zhu Youyi admired sincerely.

"That's natural. The Imperial Preceptor is a god-like figure who can see thousands of miles away without leaving home. This kind of foresight is just trivial to the Imperial Preceptor." Zheng He also said with a smile.

Now that Chen Zuyi's conspiracy has been confirmed and Liang Daoming's negotiating attitude and bottom line have been basically ascertained, things will be much easier to handle.

"Come here, summon Shi Jinqing."

Shi Jinqing was still thinking about how to kill Chen Zuyi's men, so he was "invited" over.

Zheng He simply handed Jiang Xinghuo's letter to him.

"Ah this."

The way Shi Jinqing looked at the paper, it didn't look like it was a forgery.

Moreover, even though he was thousands of miles away, he had heard a little bit about the deeds of this national advisor who advocated the policy of opening up the sea. He was indeed a man of extraordinary ability, and according to legend, he was the reincarnation of an immortal.

This made Shi Jinqing even more uncertain.

Shi Jinqing said tentatively: "Does Eunuch Sanbao want me to help Ming Dynasty manage Old Port?"

Shi Jinqing's heart was beating uncontrollably.

Although this was originally the purpose of his trip, when this purpose seemed to be right in front of him, it made Shi Jinqing a little unbelievable, or it was difficult to accept that there was really a chosen person.

At this time, Shi Jinqing felt as if he was stepping on the clouds, a little dizzy and dazed, just waiting for someone to come and help him.

But Shi Jinqing also understood at this time that the opportunity to change his destiny was right in front of him, and he must not lose his mind at this time.

Zheng He laughed loudly and said: "General Shi, you are overthinking. For Ming Dynasty, it will be the same no matter who you replace, but you are the one selected by the Imperial Guard and the first to come into contact with us. You Don’t take this letter too seriously, the most important thing is how you make a decision and what you do.”

Zheng He's words were full of inducements, as if he wanted to take the opportunity to explain something, and his plan did succeed, because Shi Jinqing quickly understood the hidden meaning of Zheng He's words, and quickly said: "Three Treasures Eunuch said that Extremely, I, the Shi family, are willing to do our best to help the Ming Dynasty!"

At this time, Zhu Youyi, who had been sitting next to him with his sword in hand, had a smile on his lips. He stood up, cupped his fists and said, "General Shi understands righteousness. It is really a blessing for Old Port!"

Shi Jinqing also stood up quickly and said humbly: "Your Highness, you are so polite."

After complimenting each other for a while, Shi Jinqing suddenly said: "But I am a little worried. What should happen if Chen Zuyi really cuts off the old port?"

What he means is that once the Ming army enters the sea of ​​​​Jiugang, they should not invest the main force, but should take advantage of the current sea control, hide the main force under the sea level, and wait until the battle breaks out before entering the battlefield. Anyway, as long as the messenger is controlled, the people of Jiugang I don’t know whether the Ming army is real or not.

In fact, even now, what Shi Jinqing saw was only part of the Ming fleet.

Everything he could think of, Zheng He had naturally thought of already.

But Zheng He remained unafraid and just asked: "How many cannons does Chen Zuyi's ship have? What is the defense and hydrology of the old port? General Shi might as well come with them one by one."

Shi Jinqing also understood that this was to ask him to submit a certificate.

As a senior manager of Old Port, Shi Jinqing was still aware of these things. He gritted his teeth and spoke out like beans on bamboo slips.

Zheng He nodded and said: "You pretend not to know. When Liang Daoming's envoy comes next time, you will lead someone to kill Chen Zuyi's envoy and then come back with his head. From now on, Liang Daoming's The secret envoy is naturally helpless, but Chen Zuyi definitely does not dare to fall out at this time, and will just enter the old port with great fanfare. As for how to win, just keep your heart in your stomach. "

Zhu Youyi, who was next to him, also said: "Chen Zuyi is just a clown. With his tactics, if he wants to seize the ship, he will have to fight hand-to-hand or burn the ship. Naturally, our Ming Dynasty has a countermeasure. We can definitely defeat him in a naval battle. And As long as you can successfully land in Old Port, I can guarantee that under the protection of the Ming Dynasty, you can all sit back and relax, and you will be more prosperous and wealthy than before."

Hearing this, Shi Jinqing fell into silence.

He had already made his decision and had nothing to hesitate about. He was just thinking about it.

Zheng He and others did not rush and drank tea quietly.

As long as there is no storm, this 2,000-material-level treasure ship is very stable. When anchored on the sea, the people in the ship will not feel much discomfort, and even the water in the tea cup will not shake much.

After a while, Shi Jinqing finally raised his head and said, "I still have something to ask for."

"Um?"

A trace of doubt flashed in Zheng He's eyes.

Shi Jinqing said calmly: "Liang Daoming is the king we jointly elected and my benefactor. He is not bad in nature, gentle and not murderous. He has managed the old port for many years and everyone respects him. Whether it is for the future rule of the Ming Dynasty, Personally, I hope Daming can treat him and his family well. Liang Daoming may be greedy for power, but in fact he should be tired of such a tiring life, but we have been alone overseas with no way out. It can be said, so no matter what the outcome of this battle is, it will be a good thing for Liang Daoming."

Shi Jinqing finally gritted his teeth and said, "Please also ask Sanbao eunuch to agree."

Whether Shi Jinqing performed intentionally to leave a good impression of love and justice, or whether he really had feelings for Liang Daoming, it actually didn't matter to Daming.

"We'll consider it."

Zheng He did not say anything, but replied: "If Liang Daoming can cooperate with me in the Ming Dynasty to wipe out the pirates in one fell swoop and return a clear sea to the South Sea, then of course we can report to your majesty. A reward is certain, and we will return to the Ming Dynasty." It’s not impossible to be an official.”

Zheng He's meaning is obvious. The Ming Dynasty needs Jiugang, an important overseas base, so Liang Daoming, as the king of the Srivijaya Kingdom, is definitely not suitable to continue to stay here.

Shi Jinqing was stunned for a moment, and then he raised his hands and said, "In this case, I would like to express my gratitude to the great country for its grace on behalf of Liang Daoming."

Shi Jinqing quickly returned to his ship, but their ships were surrounded by the Ming army's fleet. In fact, it was surveillance and imprisonment in disguise. They would definitely not be able to escape at this time.

Shi Jinqing told several close family members about what happened, but someone sighed and said: "This matter seems a bit confusing. I always feel that it is because of uneasy intentions."

When the other person heard this, his brows suddenly wrinkled and he said, "Does Ming want to deceive us? He wants to catch us all in one go."

Shi Jinqing's daughter, Second Sister Shi, waved her hand and said, "Don't think so much. We are already riding a tiger and it's impossible to refuse even if we want to."

They migrated to Nanyang relatively early and have a long history, so the family is also affected by the local culture of "women wear women but not men". Compared with ordinary women, Sister Shi has more say, especially She is capable of strategy and bravery, and can be called a heroine among women.

Shi Jinqing nodded and said, "That's right."

Seeing that Shi Jinqing had made up his mind, the others no longer objected. It was obvious that Shi Jinqing had a very high status in their hearts.

In fact, if it were not for Shi Jinqing's leadership, many of them would not be alive today. Their loyalty to Shi Jinqing has brought them wealth, power, and status. Now that they can rely on the giant ship of the Ming Dynasty, they They also realize that it is very likely that their class will be further advanced.

Therefore, the person who objected just now changed the topic and said: "But do we really want to join the Ming Dynasty?"

"Do we have any choice?"

Shi Jinqing explained with a wry smile: "Majuboyi and Srivijaya are hostile countries, and we also have conflicts with Chen Zuyi. Now that the threat from Majapahit has just subsided, Chen Zuyi can no longer hold back. If there is no Ming army, Without intervention, with our strength, how can we defeat Chen Zuyi? It is nothing more than being swallowed by a whale or cannibalized. "

The man thought for a moment and said: "But if we surrender to the Ming Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty is defeated, I'm afraid."

Shi Jinqing glanced at him and said: "The Ming army that came this time was the one that almost destroyed Luzon. Luzon had 50,000 troops, and Old Port only had 10,000 troops in total. Who do you think it belongs to?" Is there a good chance of winning?"

Seeing that there were still people who wanted to ask, Second Sister Shi simply said: "Since the bet is on the table, let's not ask mother-in-law or mother. Father has made the decision, so we will just follow it."

Second Sister Shi looked at Shi Jinqing and asked, "What does father mean?"

Shi Jinqing sighed and said: "Our purpose for this mission is to use the power of the Ming army to defeat Chen Zuyi. There is nothing to say. We just try our best to cooperate with the Ming army. But tomorrow we have to kill Chen Zuyi's men on the ship next to him. There must be no mistakes. If the news leaks out and Chen Zuyi knows about it, he will definitely become angry and our family members on the shore will be killed."

Although it was such a long distance and the attack was carried out in the formation of the Ming army fleet, Shi Jinqing did not think that any pirate could swim back to report the news, but for this kind of thing, it is not afraid of ten thousand, but afraid of the worst. There are some pirates who can hold their breath for a long time. There are many good swimmers, and if one of them is missed, their family members on the shore will be in danger.

Shi Jinqing's expression became serious and he said: "Chen Zuyi has a ruthless personality. If he wants to take revenge, we will definitely not be able to resist him, so we will not be able to survive tomorrow. Do you understand?"

After Sister Shi was silent for a long time, she slowly said: "Father is right. Going to the Ming Dynasty is the best choice for us from all aspects. Otherwise, even if we resist stubbornly, it depends on the Ming Dynasty fleet. Due to the scale, I am afraid that Old Port will become our burial place. We can only agree to what Ming Dynasty wants us to do tomorrow, but cannot refuse."

After saying that, Second Sister Shi took out the dagger and stabbed it hard on the table.

Looking at the trembling dagger, everyone nodded in unison and became cruel.

The next day, in front of the envoy Liang Daoming who came to reply, everyone in the Shi family raided Chen Zuyi's ship by jumping on swings and building planks. No one among the thirty-five pirates on the ship was spared!

Afterwards, Sister Shi took a small boat and set off first, taking a detour back to the old port to report the news and prepare.

However, Liang Daoming's secret envoy had no choice but to agree to the Ming army's conditions, and was coerced by the Ming army's huge fleet to fight towards the old port.

On the sentry tower on the island outside the old port, the sentry guard has put on a blanket, but he still feels cold, because although there is the sun, the sea breeze outside is too strong, and the sentry tower is too high.

The sun began to grow gloomy.

Such an environment made the sentries feel heavy, and they could only pass the time by listening to the sound of waves coming from the distance. Gradually, they became a little drowsy.

Such weather is not uncommon for them, but what happened today must be something they have rarely seen in their lives.

This port, whose history can even be traced back to the Han Dynasty in China, has gone through countless winds and rains and is still standing tall today.

But what is certain is that the scale of the fleet that sailed into the old port this time is not necessarily the same as that of the past, but it must be the same as the ancients.

"What kind of bird is this? No, it's not a bird, a Kongming Lantern?"

At first, the sentry thought he was dazzled.

But when he seriously looked up into the distance, he realized that he was right. It was several oversized Kongming lanterns floating in the wind.

At the same time, a black line appeared on the sea in the distance.

After another while, the sentries finally confirmed.

The dark sea in the distance is nothing but a group of "black clouds" composed of various ships!

Those ships were approaching the Old Port Bay at an extremely fast speed with the wind, and at the same time that the watchtower discovered them, they had already completed their formation preparations.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The sentry on the sentry tower banged the broken gong desperately, and the harsh sound was transmitted instantly.

At the same time, the Eagle Watch observers aboard the three remaining hot air balloons of Zheng He's fleet also clearly saw the pirate fleet ambushing several small bays in the huge rectangular Old Port Bay.

At sea level, due to the obstruction of the mountain peaks and rocks at the entrance of the small bay, it is impossible for these hidden pirate fleets to be detected by the naked eye.

Chen Zuyi's plan was to use the terrain to hide his own fleet, and then wait until the Ming army entered the bay. Taking advantage of the Ming army's hedgehogs gathering together and the ship turning unfavorably, he would directly attack from the two wings behind him, so that the Ming army could not look at each other. Completely defeated the Ming army.

Chen Zuyi's expectations can even be said to be quite "low". He does not expect to directly annihilate most of the Ming army. Instead, as long as he defeats the Ming army and plunders some Ming army warships, he is confident that he will be completely overwhelmed in terms of maritime power. Ming army.

After all, in Chen Zuyi's view, although the Ming Army had many ships, a considerable part of them were inland river ships. While the Ming Army's ocean-going navy had a large number of ships, most of them were marine troops, personnel who were truly proficient in naval warfare. , not that much.

In comparison, our own pirate gang has been traversing the Southeast Asia for more than ten years and has fought at least hundreds of naval battles. In terms of experience, it is definitely better than that of the Ming army. In terms of numbers, it is also more naval than the Ming army. It's not much worse. The ships are slightly inferior, but they can be made up for by the number and terrain.

Unfortunately, what Chen Zuyi didn't know was that his plan went bankrupt from the beginning, and the Eagle Guard hot air balloon at high altitude began to record his entire fleet formation in detail.