Chapter 358: The end of 1485 AD, the so-called redemption
In late November 1485, at the mouth of the Congo River, a fishing village near the sea was ruled by the indigenous chief Soyo.
The raging Congo River rushes into the Atlantic Ocean here. Instead of forming a common seaport delta, it washes out a deep valley along the coast. Relying on the rich fishery resources at the river mouth, the tribesmen settled here, forming a peaceful place.
Fishing Village. On normal days, the village is full of life with children running around and women busy.
At this time, the sun was setting, and three caravel sailboats were docked on the river bank. There was a dead silence in the indigenous fishing village, and the smell of blood was everywhere. The carnival of massacres had just ended, and the venting of animal desires was temporarily satisfied. And one or two hundred fresh bodies
The corpses, regardless of gender, old or young, were piled on the altar in the center of the village, with a large thatch covering them.
"Haha! Killing the pagans means saving their souls! Haha! Then take away their belongings, which are given to us by the Lord!"
Boatswain Diego laughed heartily, shouted heartily, and used the torch in his hand to light the thatch in the altar himself. More than 20 sailors around him also looked satisfied and lit the indigenous huts. Behind the sailors were large bags of looted property.
Seven or eight young dark-skinned women, naked and strung up with hemp ropes, were kneeling in front of the burning village, crying desperately.
The raging fire quickly rose, destroying all the evidence. Then, the sailors divided up the looted property, carried bags of food, and dragged the staggering woman to the boat on the river.
The food on board the exploration fleet was insufficient. Taking advantage of the opportunity to land for supplies, Boatswain Diego summoned nearly thirty sailors from three ships, gathered five pairs of breastplates, and three matchlock guns, and attacked this group of one or two hundred people.
fishing village.
Facing this group of fierce sailors, ordinary indigenous villages had no resistance. The sailors first knocked down three indigenous warriors with matchlock guns, and then the armored sailors took the lead in killing Ding Zhuang, and the other sailors surrounded and killed them from all sides. However,
Within a few minutes, the peaceful village turned into a hell of killing. The sailors wielded their scimitars and skillfully slaughtered the villagers, leaving no one alive to avoid attracting the warriors of the indigenous chiefs.
Of course, Diego was not worried about the indigenous warriors. The fleet would soon sail into the Atlantic Ocean and embark on a long journey home. Even if the indigenous warriors came to chase them, they would not be able to catch up. Thinking of this, he laughed and asked the other two
shouted the sailor on the boat.
"Foda-se! It's so exciting today! But there isn't much indigenous gold here. When we get to the Gold Coast, we'll go out and do it twice more!"
"Okay! Boss Diego, I listen to you!"
"Foda-se! It's great to follow Boss Diego!"
"Not bad! The guys finally came out of the devil's land alive, and they even killed people with ease!"
"Ha ha!"
Hearing the compliments from the sailors on each ship, Diego laughed with satisfaction. Then he pointed at the indigenous women next to him.
"Here, take two for each boat, take them back and have a good time!"
Hearing this, the sailors on the other two ships looked at each other. They had some intentions, but no one dared to accept them. In the Age of Discovery, the rules on ocean-going sailing ships were very strict. In order to boost the morale of the sailors, captains from various countries would acquiesce in allowing the sailors to go ashore.
They would never allow a woman to be on board a ship during robbery. In fact, even a ruthless pirate captain would never allow a woman to be on board as long as he did not degenerate to a certain extent.
"No. Boss Diego, you should keep the woman! It's getting late, we have to quickly bring our belongings back to the ship."
The sailors on the two ships hesitated for a moment, but decided to refuse. They said hello and hurriedly boarded the sampan to return.
"Foda-se! These courageous hyenas!"
Diego cursed in a low voice. If he were not in a desperate situation, it would not be so easy to encourage the sailors to rebel. It seemed that he would have to contact him a few more times before killing all the nobles on the ship. Thinking of this, he left
He curled his lips, waved his dagger fiercely, and shouted at the sailors he trusted.
"Foda-se! Let's go! Take the woman with you, we have the final say on the flagship now!"
More than a dozen sailors were laughing and joking, first throwing their belongings and food onto the sampan, then dragging the woman to another sampan, and then rowing to the flagship together.
As a light exploration sailboat, the side of the Caravel sailboat is not high. Seeing the sampan approaching, the flagship dropped a three-meter-long climbing rope ladder.
Diego raised his head, grabbed the rope ladder, and climbed onto the boat first. As he climbed, he shouted in confusion.
"Mattim, why are you standing on the deck with so many sailors?"
Quartermaster Mattim looked stiff and the corners of his mouth twitched. He paused for a while and then replied loudly.
"Guys can't wait to see the harvest of your plunder!"
"Foda-se! As agreed in advance, the food will be returned to the warehouse on the ship, and the property will not be your share! As for the women, we can have fun together!"
When he heard that there was a woman, the corners of Mattim's mouth twitched even more fiercely. He remained silent and waited for Diego to board the boat.
"Haha! Guys on the boat, as long as you follow me Diego, you will have food, drink and..."
Diego boarded the boat excitedly and was about to continue shouting, but his words paused for an instant. His face turned pale in an instant, and even his fingers started to tremble.
"Mattim, you..."
Mattim lowered his eyes and sighed quietly.
Two steps behind him, five musketeers squatted in a row, holding loaded matchlocks in their hands, all aiming at Diego, who had just boarded the ship. The fire door covers on the matchlocks had already been
Open it, and the lit match rope hangs on the metal faucet, burning slowly with uncertain light and dark. Just a few steps away, as long as the musketeer gently pulls the trigger, the deadly lead bullet will shoot out and penetrate Diego's gun.
The breastplate shot out an exploding blood hole. On both sides of the musketeer, there were ten elite soldiers, each wearing breastplates or leather armor, holding sharp scimitars in their hands, ready to go.
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Mattim, my brother! Let's talk! What do you want? I will give you all the property looted along the way! You will also be the head of the ship!"
... Guys on the ship, I, Boatswain Diego, have never been sorry to you!..."
Diego was shaking all over and raised his hands in fear. He shouted as hard as he could, trying to persuade everyone on the boat. Behind him, four of his cronies were forced to raise their hands and surrender as soon as they boarded the boat. The rest of the sailors stayed in the sampan.
On the board, he fearfully watched the situation on the ship.
"well!"
Quartermaster Mattim sighed. He slowly turned around, revealing a familiar face behind him. Only then did Diego, the boatswain, see the noble knight Bruno holding a short knife and pressing against Mattim.
Mu’s back thoughts.
"Foda-se! Bruno! It's you!"
Diego was stunned for a moment, then his eyes were split and he roared angrily.
"Foda-se! Fuck you to death! I should have chopped you into pieces in the cabin that night!..."
Bruno's eyes were cold and he glanced at Diego with contempt, as if he was looking at a barking defeated dog. He waved fiercely at the armored elite soldiers and gave a stern order.
"The captain has an order! Boatswain Diego launched a rebellion and betrayed the kingdom! They are evil people who believe in the devil! Take them down!"
Hearing this, ten elite soldiers all looked towards the captain's cabin at the stern of the ship. Captain Diogo looked solemn and sat calmly at the door of the captain's cabin, nodding to the people on the deck. The soldiers rushed up from both sides, ready to capture
Boatswain Diego and his cronies.
"Foda-se! You are the guards on the other two ships! Foda-se! Diogo, you dead dog with diarrhea!"
Seeing the captain appear, Diego screamed in despair. He roared and waved the scimitar in his hand fiercely.
"shooting!"
"Bang! Bang!"
Under Bruno's order, the two musketeers directly pulled the triggers, and a stream of white smoke was ejected from the tail end of the matchlock. Two lead bullets shot out rapidly, and one hit Diego's knee, shattering the fragile
One hit his patella joint on his arm, turning his thick upper arm into a bloody mess.
"ah!!"
Diego screamed miserably, and huge kinetic energy exploded in his body. He fell to the ground covered in blood. The elite soldiers swung the iron handles of their daggers, knocking down the sailors behind them, then took out the tough hemp rope and tied Diego down.
Ge and the sailors were tightly tied.
Seeing this scene, Mattim could no longer stand steadily. He knelt down on the deck with a "pop" and hugged Bruno's calf.
"Brother Bruno, I have never treated you badly! You are a noble knight, just spare my life! From now on, I will be your dog and I will obey you in everything!..."
Bruno frowned, raised his kick, and kicked Mattim to the ground.
"Get out! It's the captain who makes the decision now! Mattim, if you want to live, crawl to the captain and beg him!"
Then, Bruno couldn't wait to take two steps forward and walked up to Diego, who was wailing and writhing. He looked down at the other man's miserable state and laughed.
"Haha! Diego, how are you? How does it feel to be hit by a musket? Come on, let me check you out!"
With that said, Bruno stepped on Diego's knee, causing the other man to curl up in pain, like a cooked red shrimp.
"Tsk, tsk, my knee is broken! Oops, my arm is broken too!... He's in so much pain that he doesn't even cry, he's such a tough guy!"
Bruno had a winner's smile on his face. Then, with a fierce look in his eyes, he raised his foot, aimed it at Diego's lower body, and stepped down hard with all his strength!
"Foda-se! Make you think about my wife!"
"Ahhhh!!"
An extremely shrill scream was squeezed out of Diego's mouth, making people shiver all over. Nearly ten steps away, the head chef Haroldo shivered deeply, as if he heard some kind of egg breaking sound.
On the other side, Quartermaster Mattim was trembling all over. He crawled to the captain's cabin with difficulty, and a few steps away, he lay on the ground and begged the captain.
"Dear captain! Noble royal knight! Please, for the sake of my loyal following of you for more than ten years, please spare my life! Even if it means being a coolie sailor..."
"Oh? Mattim, how long have you been following me?"
Diogo looked calm and had deep eyes. He stretched out his hand to stop the guards around him and stared at Mattim at his feet.
"I... I have been with you for thirteen years... starting as a sailor's apprentice..."
Mattim lay on the ground, his voice trembling.
"Yes, thirteen years and six months. That was the 1472nd year since the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. At that time, I had just become a captain. We followed the respected navigator Joao Santarém in the Gulf of Guinea.
The islands of Annobon and Príncipe were discovered..."
Diogo lowered his eyes and fell into long memories.
That year, the European continent was generally peaceful. The Portuguese in the west explored the Gulf of Guinea and the Gold Coast; the Grand Duke of Moscow in the east married Sophia, the conquered princess of Byzantium. And in the unknown Eastern Celestial Dynasty, an unprecedented master had just
When he was born, his name was Wang Shouren.
After a while, Diogo smiled calmly, his expression changed.
"Mattim, the Lord has said not to use time to test the loyalty of humans, but to give them a chance for redemption. Now, let the Almighty Lord decide your fate!"
As he spoke, Diogo took out a newly minted Portuguese Cruzado gold coin. On the front of the gold coin was the crowned Portuguese coat of arms, and on the back was the sacred cross pattern. He said gently to Matim.
"Mattim, I will throw this gold coin and let the Lord judge you. If the royal emblem is facing up, then I will hang you without blood according to the laws of the kingdom and hang you on the mast of the bow of the ship.
.If the holy cross faces upward, I will follow the Lord’s teachings, forgive your previous sins, and give you a chance for redemption. How about that, fair?”
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "....Captain, very, very fair..."
Looking at the gold coins in the captain's hand, Mattim's face turned pale and he responded tremblingly.
"Then, I say one, two, three, and the trial will officially begin."
A Virgin-like smile appeared on Diogo's face.
"Come, pray to the Lord devoutly!"
"one,"
"two,"
"three!"
Diogo threw the gold coin high with his left hand. Mattim's eyes followed the gold coin, spinning up and down, just like his rapidly beating heart. Then, Diogo's left hand suddenly stretched out, and then he covered it with his right hand, and the gold coin suddenly
Disappeared from the sky.
Mattim's knees were shaking and his forehead was covered with sweat. He knelt on the ground and prayed devoutly while trying to raise his head and look at the surface of the gold coin. However, the gold coin was tightly covered by the captain's big hand and nothing could be seen.
.
Diogo retracted his left hand and slightly raised his covered right hand. He glanced at the gold coins on the back of his hand, and a mysterious smile appeared on his melancholy face.
"Tchau!"
Mattim's knees suddenly softened and he almost collapsed to the ground. In Portuguese at this time, Tchau has both meanings of greeting and farewell, which is equivalent to "hello" plus "goodbye" in Chinese.
"Ha ha!"
Diogo rarely smiled happily. Then, with a solemn expression, he said to Mattim solemnly.
"Congratulations, Mattim! The cross is up, you survived. As the Lord testifies, I forgive you for all your previous sins!"
"Ah! Thank you, I really appreciate your kindness! Dear Captain, I am your eternal servant!..."
Mattim's eyes filled with excitement, and he lay limply on the deck. The sailor uniform on his body was completely soaked. He hugged the captain's calf and couldn't help but feel grateful.
Diogo shook his head gently. He looked at Mattim seriously.
"Don't thank me, thank our Lord! It is the merciful Lord who heard your prayer and gave you the opportunity for redemption! From now on, you must devoutly believe in our Lord and redeem your past sins!"
"Yes, yes! Praise the Lord, He is the light of the world. I follow His guidance and do not walk in darkness. I will gain the light of life..."
Matim was incoherent, praying so devoutly for the first time. Diogo listened quietly, with a smile on his face. After the other party finished praying, he calmly gave instructions.
"Martim, my old friend. Go! Execute Diego and his cronies for me, and redeem your sins with your own hands."
"Yes, follow your will, my master!"
Mattim knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily. Then he turned his head, stood up, and walked to Diego with a fierce expression.
Bruno raised his brows when he saw Mattim striding forward. The quartermaster only talked to the captain for a short moment, but he seemed to have become completely different. He took a step back and watched the quartermaster's behavior.
Mattim remained silent and took a tough hemp rope from the hands of the sailors around him.
"Foda-se! Mattim, you, what are you doing!"
Boatswain Diego, covered in blood, was lying on the deck. He watched helplessly as Mattim came holding the rope, and howled in terror.
"Mattim!! I'll kill you!...Uh! Uh! Ho!..."
Bruno's heart trembled. He watched Mattim kneel down indifferently, put a rope around Diego's neck, pressed his knees against the opponent's spine, and then suddenly exerted force with his arms!
Boatswain Diego struggled desperately, beating his legs vigorously. But Mattim didn't move at all and showed no mercy. There was even a redemptive smile on his face. Within two or three minutes, Diego's face was covered with bruises and his eyes were bruised.
Staring out, he stuck out his long tongue, then became soft and motionless.
Mattim stretched out his hand to feel Diego's breath and nodded with satisfaction. Then, he continued to hold the rope with gritted teeth and strangled the other four Diego's cronies one by one. Then, he relaxed and went to report back to the captain.
.
The dying wail echoed on the ship, shocking the hearts of all the sailors. Diogo looked calm and glanced at the people on the deck. Everyone lowered their heads in awe and saluted the respected captain. The lion had come out of the cage and was once again in charge of the ship.
The jungle controls everyone's life and death.
Diogo's gaze lingered on Bruno's face. The noble knight bowed his head in awe and saluted. His gaze then shifted and fell on the fat face of the chef Haroldo. Haroldo knelt down, and then the carpenter Ivo...
After Diogo glanced around, the boat was as quiet as if there was no one around. He spoke calmly, and his voice fell into everyone's ears.
"Previously, there was a rebellion on the ship in order to persuade me to return."
Hearing this, many people's hearts tightened. Bruno held his breath and quietly touched his dagger.
"The mastermind of the rebellion is Boatswain Diego and his cronies. The other participants are all coerced. The merciful Lord grants salvation to everyone, and I will forgive everyone else, including those who robbed without authorization.
sailor!"
"Praise...praise the Lord! Praise the captain!"
Heavy breathing sounded on the deck, followed by chaotic prayers. The devout captain swore by the Lord that he would not be held responsible for the rebellion, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Because they believed that the respected Captain Diogo would never
would violate a sacred oath.
Under the gaze of everyone, Diogo stretched out his left hand, made a cross on his forehead and chest, and prayed for a moment. Then, he said firmly.
"The Almighty Lord has given me a revelation! The route to the East is not far away, as long as we go around the south of the African continent! There is the powerful country of Elder John, rich India, and Silis, which is full of silk! As long as we discover the Eastern Route
, the generous king will reward each of you! Your names will also be passed to the ears of the holy pope, and you will reserve a place in heaven! This is your only chance for redemption!"
Upon hearing this, the sailors' expressions changed. They had a vague premonition. Sure enough, the next moment, Captain Diogo stood up slowly and gave an order that could not be disobeyed.
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "Stow the sampan, raise the sail, and hang the rebel's body on the three masts! Adjust the course, send out the flag, and tell the entire fleet! We continue to explore and turn
Head south! Our Lady protects us!"
"...Our Lady protects us!"
The deck was quiet for a few breaths. Then, low voices of prayer came from the sailors. Everyone obeyed the captain's order and became busy again. Bruno exhaled silently, lowered his head and walked to the side of the ship. He stared at the sampan.
The anxious sailors on board shouted.
"The Lord is my witness! The captain has forgiven your sins! Bring food and belongings and get on the ship quickly. No women are allowed!"
The eight or nine sailors on the sampan looked at each other for a while and nodded. In the wild tropical jungle, in the land of the devil, leaving the fleet means death! They did not hesitate to pull out their scimitars and cut off
The throat of an indigenous woman, and then kicked into the Congo River. The rolling river carries red waves and merges into the vast ocean, just like the eternal jungle.
After a brief period of busyness, the three caravel sailboats slowly turned around, driven by the northeast monsoon in the rainy season, and headed south with difficulty against the cold Benguela current.
Everything was under control. Diogo slowly turned around, walked into the dim captain's cabin, and closed the cabin door silently. His face finally showed the exhaustion of illness. Then, he smiled lightly and relaxed.
Opening the tightly clasped right hand, the Cruzado gold coin was finally revealed from the back of the left hand, facing upward, was the royal emblem.
"Praise the Lord!...for He has done wonderful things. With His right hand and His holy arm He works salvation...Amen."
Diogo chanted softly, this is the psalm of praise, the Lord's salvation, Cantate Domino.
