Chapter 1155 The Audacious Englishmen
As Zheng Zhilong’s fleet sailed towards Guangzhou, a small boat approached them halfway through their journey, bringing new intelligence.
John Weddell’s four large English ships, disregarding the Ming court's warnings and expulsion orders, were still anchored off Tiger Island, outside Humen Fortress, acting with extreme arrogance.
The Guangdong officials could not, of course, simply stand by and allow themselves to be so brazenly humiliated. They adopted the suggestion of Commander Li Yanqing and others to use fire attack tactics. They ordered sub-commander Chen Bangji and Wu Yifeng to “recruit forty Fujian soldiers skilled in fire tactics, including Zhang Qi, prepare incendiary materials and firewood, and select five old warships to serve as fire ships.” These ships were then connected by iron chains. Under the cover of darkness, they sailed towards the English ships. As they approached, the sailors concealed within immediately set them ablaze, then leaped into the river. Instantly, flames shot skyward.
When the English ships spotted the fire vessels, the burning ships were practically upon them. But the English sailors were incredibly well-trained, and in an instant, they maneuvered their ships far away.
The fire ships burned to no avail...
After this engagement, the Guangdong navy was also startled. They hadn't expected the English, despite their massive ships, to react with such agility.
The fire attack failed, and instead, they lost five of their own old ships, along with a significant amount of fuel.
Following this engagement, Weddell decided to act more aggressively. He attacked the Ming navy sailing on the Pearl River. The Ming navy comprised a fleet of 21 vessels, but after offering no resistance against the English assault, the English burned three of their gunboats and two regular sailing warships. They also set fire to a village, and took thirty pigs. The remaining "16 warships" fled in disarray.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Zhilong's expression soured.
Zheng Sen protested, “That’s not quite right. We are also considered part of the Ming navy, aren’t we?”
Shi Lang pondered, “Hmm? You have a point. If we count ourselves as part of the Ming navy, then there’s still a fight to be had, eh?”
Zheng Sen urged, “Let’s hurry! We’ll go teach that son of a bitch a lesson!”—
At Humen Fortress, on the river surface, a Ming naval sailing ship was engulfed in furious flames.
Just moments before, Weddell had intercepted another Ming naval ship on the Pearl River. After seizing it, he deliberately sailed it below Humen Fortress and set it ablaze.
The strategic importance of Humen Fortress was self-evident. To set fire to a Ming warship right on the river here was an act of supreme insolence.
Weddell, smug with satisfaction, smiled at his subordinates on deck, saying, “We’ve established our authority here. From now on, when we come to trade, these little dwarves will meekly do whatever we command, won't they? They'll have to do exactly as we want, just like those Africans and Southeast Asian natives.”
His subordinates all laughed.
Weddell apparently felt that merely burning one ship wasn't enough. His gaze shifted to the nearby Humen Fortress...
The dozens of cannons in the fortress had already been plundered by him. Now, only an empty shell of the ramparts remained.
Weddell chuckled twice. “Bring up some gunpowder and blow up this dilapidated fortress. Let's make a grand noise for these little dwarves to hear.”
The sailors promptly got to work. They carried three large barrels of explosives ashore, stuffing them into the crevices of Humen Fortress's walls, and ignited them...
“Boom! Boom-boom!”
Explosions echoed, and the walls of Humen Fortress completely collapsed.
The Ming officials, hiding in the distance, were all trembling with rage, yet utterly helpless.
Kai Long, an official from the Ministry of Rites’ Bureau of Receptions, cried out to the heavens, “Why is our navy so utterly incompetent? How can our Great Ming be subjected to such humiliation?!”
As he was wailing, a messenger rushed over and quickly reported, “Master Kai, General Zheng Zhilong’s fleet has arrived.”
Kai Long was overjoyed. “Oh?”
However, his joy was fleeting. He immediately grew despondent. “Even Zheng Zhilong might not be able to defeat these ‘red-haired barbarians’... These four ‘red-haired barbarian’ ships are the most formidable pirates this official has ever witnessed. Far more powerful than the Portuguese, the Dutch, or the Arabs. I only hope Zheng Zhilong can overcome them.”
Just as Kai Long received the news, A light sailing ship approached Weddell's warship, bringing Weddell a message: “More than ten large Ming naval ships are heading our way.”
“Large ships?” Weddell scoffed. “How large could these little dwarves’ ships possibly be? I’ve never seen a single respectable vessel from them.”
“Very big!” The reporting soldier stammered anxiously. “They’re truly massive, significantly larger than our own ships.”
Weddell challenged, “Larger than your light sailing ship, perhaps?”
“No, sir, they are larger than your flagship.”
“What?!” Weddell was incredulous. “How could they be larger than our ships? We are regular warships of the Royal Navy of the British Empire. We even defeated the Spanish Armada. Our ships are the best in the world.”
The messenger sailor, his face filled with alarm, said, “They really are enormous, sir. You’ll see them very soon.”
Weddell said, “Very well. Your light sailing ship will also join my battle formation.”
Weddell now commanded a total of five ships—three English three-masted galleons and two slightly smaller light sailing ships. They positioned themselves brazenly across the mouth of the Pearl River, quietly awaiting the Ming Dynasty’s “large ships.”
His face showed utter disdain. He simply couldn't believe this country possessed any remarkable shipbuilding technology.
However, the Portuguese man serving as his translator leaned closer and whispered, “Admiral, do not underestimate them. The Ming Dynasty was once capable of building enormous ships. It is said they were called Zheng He’s treasure ships, impossibly vast, like floating fortresses.”
Weddell snorted, “Hmph! Those officials writing history must have just made it up, right? I’ve heard before that their chroniclers often fabricate things.”
The translator murmured, “Those ships once sailed to the Southern Seas, visiting many countries in Southeast Asia. It shouldn’t be a fabrication.”
Weddell scoffed, “Southeast Asia is full of savage kingdoms. They don’t even keep their own historical records. Of course, the Ming chroniclers can write whatever nonsense they please.”
As he spoke, the silhouettes of ships appeared on the distant horizon.
Leading the way was a 20-meter-long junk commanded by Zheng Zhihu. A flag of the Fujian navy fluttered from its mast.
Weddell saw the ship and laughed. “See? They call them ‘large ships,’ but isn’t that just a medium-sized vessel? Such a dilapidated ship might carry two to five cannons at most. It has no real combat power whatsoever.”
Amidst his laughter, Zheng Zhihu’s junk approached from a distance, soon arriving not far from Weddell’s position.
Our dynasty always adhered to the principle of ‘courtesy before force.’ Although Zheng Zhihu was a hothead, he still respected the unspoken rules of the jianghu. Upon arrival, he wasn't in a hurry to fight. He dispatched a subordinate in a small boat, who rowed over.
Once aboard Weddell’s ship, the subordinate declared loudly, “We are the Fujian Navy of the Great Ming Dynasty. We now order you to immediately cease your acts of aggression against our Great Ming, compensate for the damaged fortress, the burnt ships, and the losses incurred by the village, return the cannons and valuables you stole, and then get as far away as you possibly can. Otherwise, do not blame our cannons for being merciless.”
Comments