September 8th.
The first mixed fleet of officials and merchants in the Ming Dynasty set out from the Port of Shanghai in Songjiang Prefecture, South Zhili.
The entire fleet consists of thirty merchant ships, ten large warships, fifty small and medium-sized warships, and ten service ships (reconnaissance, supply, and transportation).
Before leaving the coastal waters, Zheng Chenggong ordered the supply ship to replenish supplies to each ship.
Then he ordered the thirty small warships and a supply ship that had almost used up all its supplies to stop accompanying him.
The larger the ocean-going ship, the safer it is. Although small boats have the advantage of speed, the risk of capsizing and sinking is also high.
Zheng Chenggong didn't want to cause more casualties.
These small warships near the coast did not return to the port shore, but wandered in the offshore area.
If they encountered small or medium-sized warships of the Jiannu, they would attack them in groups.
If they encountered large warships of the Jiannu, they would immediately report to the Nanzhili Navy and ask them to take on the main force in defending against the enemy.
After entering the deep sea area, Zheng Chenggong and Zheng Hongkui discussed: "Second Uncle, we have to change our formation."
"How to change it?" Zheng Hongkui asked.
"The current formation is too chaotic. If we encounter pirates, we will be caught off guard. I suggest you split the warship into two and sail with them!"
"Let me think about it..." Zheng Hongkui hesitated.
After arriving in Nanzhili, their mission suddenly changed from suppressing bandits to escorting.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't care.
But it won’t work this time, because this time the escort will encounter “pirates.”
The pirates were none other than Shi Fu and Shi Lang.
Fortunately, before setting out from Quanzhou, Zheng Zhilong agreed on a method to identify the enemy and ourselves in order to prevent a sudden encounter and internecine fighting between the two sides.
In the entire escort team, he was the only one who knew this method, and he was also the only one who knew that they would encounter pirates.
If the troops were divided, Zheng Chenggong, without his restraint, would likely accidentally injure Shi Fu's uncle and nephew.
Looking at the hesitant Zheng Hongkui, Zheng Chenggong began to doubt, "Second Uncle, are you hiding something from me?"
"No...no!" Zheng Hongkui, who was usually experienced, suddenly began to stutter when he spoke.
"There must be something wrong!" Zheng Chenggong said firmly.
"Really not!" Zheng Hongkui began to sweat on his back, "I'm your second uncle, there's no need to hide it from you."
"Then why is Second Uncle hesitating?" Zheng Chenggong locked his eyes with Zheng Hongkui. "You have been on the sea for half your life. Dividing troops for escort is the most basic common sense. There is no reason to hesitate!"
Although Zheng Hongkui was a little panicked after being caught by the pigtail, he quickly regained his composure. He swallowed his saliva and said, "I... I was thinking about who will go in front and who will go in the back after we divide our forces!"
"Is there any difference?" Zheng Chenggong asked.
"Of course there is a difference!" Zheng Hongkui began to talk nonsense in a serious tone, "You have no experience in leading troops for the first time. If you rush to the front, you may be ambushed by the enemy. If you change to Second Uncle, there will be no problem, because Second Uncle is an old hand and will not fall into the trap!"
"That's not right, second uncle!" Zheng Chenggong pointed at the long line of ships in front of him. "Our fleet is sailing from west to east, arranged in a long snake formation. If we put the warships in front and behind the fleet, it will be too long to provide timely support when encountering pirates, causing the merchant ships in the middle to be attacked."
"The normal way is to divide into two groups on the north and south sides of the fleet and sail together! If there is an enemy coming from the south, the warships on the south will defend against the enemy. If there is an enemy coming from the north, the warships on the north will defend against the enemy. If there is an enemy coming from the front or back, the north and south will attack together!" Zheng Chenggong analyzed seriously.
"That's good, kid!" Zheng Hongkui, who was exposed, did not panic. He smiled and said, "Congratulations on passing the test of your second uncle!"
Zheng Chenggong looked at Zheng Hongkui suspiciously for a while, but could not find any other flaws.
Zheng Hongkui patted Zheng Chenggong on the shoulder and said, "From now on, divide the troops. You lead half of the warships to escort the fleet on the north side, and I will lead the other half to escort the fleet on the south side."
"Okay!" Zheng Chenggong bowed and said goodbye to Zheng Hongkui, then stopped the boat and switched to another large warship.
The fleet set sail again and challenged the endless deep sea.
......
Jeju Island, North Korea.
At the dock, a burly man was directing the laborers to carry supplies onto the warship.
"The hold where the gunpowder is stored must be fireproof and moisture-proof. After moving it, use a dry cloth to wipe off all the sweat that falls on the wooden boards, otherwise I will chop off your heads!"
"Yes...yes sir." The laborers nodded and bowed.
This man was named Shang Kexi. He was originally the deputy general of Guanglu Island in the Ming Dynasty. Later, he surrendered to the Jiannu and was named King Zhishun.
Shang Kexi was not born into a military family in Liaodong. His father, Shang Xueli, moved to Liaodong from Hengshui County, Zhending Prefecture, Northern Zhili.
In the third year of Wanli, Shang Xueli moved to Liaodong to join the governor Wang Huazhen, and was granted the position of Qianzong.
Shang Xueli was arranged by Wang Huazhen to serve under Mao Wenlong. After winning a great victory in Zhenjiang with Mao Wenlong, he made many military achievements and was promoted to the rank of commander of the central army.
In March of the fourth year of the Tianqi reign, Shang Xueli encountered the main force of the Eight Banners Army of the Jiannu while on patrol and died in battle. In the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, the Ming court posthumously awarded him the title of Guerrilla General.
In July of the sixth year of Chongzhen, Kong Youde and Geng Jingzhong, who had surrendered to the Jiannu, led the Eight Banners Army to capture Lushun. Hundreds of Shang Kexi's family members all jumped into the water and died.
Logically speaking, my father and family members died at the hands of the Eight Banners soldiers, so I should have been irreconcilable with them.
But Shang Kexi didn't.
In the sixth year of Chongzhen, Shen Shikui, then general of Dongjiang Town, wanted to kill Shang Kexi by imitating Yuan Chonghuan's method of killing Mao Wenlong, but Shang Kexi found out about it in advance.
He did not seek support, nor did he explain himself to the court.
Instead, on the first day of the first lunar month two months later, they took more than 10,000 soldiers and civilians from the four islands near Guanglu Island and countless supplies and equipment, and crossed the sea by boat to join the Jiannu.
If his father Shang Xueli were still alive, he would probably be angry to death.
At the dock of Jeju Island, laborers carrying supplies were constantly coming and going.
Seeing that the cargo was almost ready, a personal soldier came up to Shang Kexi and asked, "My Lord, what flag should we fly when we go south to plunder?"
Shang Kexi asked back, "What flag did you fly when you sent out the troops last time?"
"The last time we set out, the warships were flying the blue flag," the guard replied.
(Shang Kexi belonged to the Bordered Blue Banner)
"We will still fly the blue-bordered flag this time, but we will change it to the Ming Army's flag after we leave the coastal waters."
"Ah?" The guard opened his mouth wide. "Why did the prince fly the flag of the Ming army? If they encounter friendly forces, they might be injured by mistake."
Shang Kexi snorted coldly, "Accidental injury, what the hell! Kong Youde and Geng Jingzhong are being held back by the Ming navy in southern Liaoning and can't move. We are the only ones who can launch a surprise attack on the Ming coast."
"Besides, the Ming army must have been prepared. We can hang up the Ming army's flag, and when we encounter them, we can launch a sudden attack and catch them off guard!"
"This is called making the fake look real, hahaha!" Shang Kexi laughed happily.
"Your Majesty is very resourceful, I admire you!" The personal soldiers flattered him immediately.
Shang Kexi shook his head with great enjoyment and continued, "Prepare a few Ming national flags and yellow flags. I'm going to pretend to be Huang Fei to rob and kill people!"
"Yes, sir!"
After everything was arranged, Shang Kexi set off with 25 medium and large warships.
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