The huge warships, towering like city walls, slowly sailed across the river one by one, dwarfing the ships along the way.
People along the coast also came to the river one after another, vying to see the majesty of these giant warships conquering Japan. The pride of the proud people of the country arose spontaneously. They set up incense burners to pray for the fleet and wish them a safe and triumphant return.
Not only in Zhenjiang, Nanjing, where Boss Zhu started, but also in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the people in Changzhou, Suzhou, and Nantong were even more enthusiastic. They approached the fleet in small boats one after another, carrying baskets of roasted chicken, bacon, soju, brown sugar, etc. on bamboo poles.
Labor supplies were given to the officers and soldiers on the deck.
In the Jiangnan area, which has tense relations with the imperial court, such a scene is rare. The people are full of complaints against Boss Zhu. It would be great if you don't throw rotten eggs, but will you give you labor?
But this time was different. For half a year of preparations, the people of Jiangnan had long known that this time it was their Royal Highness the King of Chu who led the king's division to fight against the Japanese pirates and avenge them.
Since the Yuan Dynasty, the people in the south of the Yangtze River have been suffering from Japanese invasion. However, after two failed campaigns against Japan, the Yuan Dynasty suffered heavy losses. In the end, the Yuan Dynasty could no longer think of attacking Japan. Moreover, the Yuan Dynasty was rapidly corrupting and did not care about the life and death of the Han people.
?Sitting back and watching the Japanese pirates burning, killing and looting, completely indifferent.
It was not until this dynasty that the situation improved. With the protection of the Ming army, the people in the south of the Yangtze River could live a peaceful life. But if you can only be a thief for a thousand days, how can you prevent a thief for a thousand days? The Ming army adopted an offshore defense strategy. No matter how tight the defense was, it would still be
From time to time, Japanese pirates would take advantage of the opportunity and take advantage of it.
Therefore, the officials and people in Jiangnan have always been calling for an attack on Japan and an end to the Japanese invasion. However, the ministers have always used the lessons of the Yuan Dynasty as a reason to dissuade Emperor Hongwu from attacking Japan. The people in Jiangnan waited until the fourteenth year of Hongwu's reign before finally waiting for this day.
The enthusiasm can be imagined.
I am full of high hopes for His Royal Highness the King of Chu, whom I have not seen for many years. Banners wishing His Highness a triumphant victory are everywhere along the river...
This made Zhu, the general who conquered Japan, who was standing on the stern of the flagship, feel extremely stressed.
"If we don't win this battle well, we won't be able to see Jiang Dong anymore." Lao Liu sighed and said to the two marquises on the side: "It all depends on you two."
"Your Highness, don't worry." Marquis Yu Tongyuan of Nan'an, who has not appeared for a long time, has grown three strands of long beard and is standing beside His Highness. He is completely different from when Lao Liu first saw him. He is full of confidence.
road:
"The Beiwa Navy has been transformed over the years. The soldiers have been holding back their energy over the years. They just want to take the initiative and wreak havoc on the Japanese soil, completely losing the name of the 'bedding navy'."
head."
"Bedding Navy?" Wang Bi had just been transferred back from the northwest and had never heard of this term.
"In the past, the imperial court only allowed offshore defense and was not allowed to pursue overseas pursuits." Yu Tongyuan explained: "So once the Japanese pirates escaped, we could only look at the sea and sigh, and there was no way. The common people laughed at us, saying that we were not the navy to prepare for Japanese pirates.
But they are the 'quilt warriors' who dare not leave the hot bed."
"My cousin has always opposed the attack on Japan." Lao Liu said calmly: "This time, it took me a lot of effort to convince him."
"Li Taibao has been in charge of the Governor's Office for many years and is extremely cautious about combat. He is afraid that something will go wrong and he will not be able to explain it to the emperor." Wang Bi said softly: "Now that it is divided into five military governor's offices, he will not be under so much pressure."
"By the way, how did His Highness convince him?" Wang Bi asked curiously. He knew that Li Wenzhong seemed gentle, but in fact he was an extremely stubborn person. Once he was sure of something, even the emperor would be very stubborn, let alone the sixth person.
It's hard to convince him.
"Physical persuasion." Lao Liu patted the railing of the giant ship beneath him: "I invited him to see our newly built treasure ship, and then invited him on board to watch a drill, but he said nothing."
"That's it." Wang Bi couldn't help but smile. He could fully understand Li Wenzhong's mood, because when he saw the twelve treasure ships with two thousand materials and the twenty-four treasure ships with one thousand five hundred materials in the Japanese expedition fleet,
, I was so shocked that I didn’t come back to my senses even after drinking some tea.
Imagine how terrifying the scene would be when the Japanese pirates driving a single-masted rowing boat saw dozens of giant ships of 40 to 50 meters long approaching.
What's even more terrifying is that under His Highness the Sea King's firm doctrine of giant ships and heavy artillery, all newly built warships made of more than a thousand materials have been redesigned.
In order to obtain better control, the new warship has a more streamlined shape, and the height of the poop and forecastle is also greatly reduced. The height of the deck is greatly increased, and the cabins on the lower deck are completely opened, so that the warship has double
deck.
Artillery pieces were installed on both the upper and lower decks. This brought the number of artillery pieces to a staggering fifty for a two-thousand-material treasure ship.
There are also forty-two cannons on the 1,500-material treasure ship. Even the 1,000-material battleship has 30 cannons. Its firepower is completely different from the original battle on Flower and Bird Island.
Of course, the cost of building these giant ships and heavy artillery is also extremely terrifying. In recent years, 90% of the huge revenue of the Prime Minister's Maritime Administration has been spent on it.
This was because a large amount of timber could be purchased by oneself, and merchants from Jiangnan actively subscribed for shipping bonds, which kept the Hai Zheng Yamen's finances from going bankrupt.
Now is the time to verify whether Lao Liu’s huge investment is worth it!
~~
Two days later, the fleet arrived at Chongming Island, where it completed the final supplies, bringing the warship to full load, and then sailed into the ocean.
A few days after the fleet sailed eastward, the color of the sea water became obviously darker. Yu Tongyuan reported to the King of Chu that the fleet had entered the Blackwater Ocean and could reach Japan in five days following the current.
"Is it so close?" Marquis Dingyuan said in disbelief: "It takes less than ten days to reach Japan? In such a short time, the army cannot leave the province on land."
"You can't be wrong. This route has been used for hundreds of years. You can reach Japan without maneuvering the boat." Yu Tongyuan said firmly: "It's still a north wind. If it's a southerly day and a single boat has smooth wind and current, it can take three days at the fastest.
I can go to Japan.”
"This ship does not stop day and night, and does not require physical strength. It is not comparable to the army that stays overnight in Xiaoxing." Lao Liu said with a smile: "So once you get on the ship from horseback, you will find that the world is many times bigger than before.
"
"Really?" Wang Bi looked around and saw vast expanse of water in all directions. If it were him, he would be scared to death.
"That's right." Lao Liu nodded and said, "So the worries of you and those uncles are unnecessary. There are endless worlds waiting for us to conquer!"
"The front is our first stop." He looked ahead firmly and declared in a deep voice: "We must conquer them and eliminate Japanese plagues for China forever!"
