Chapter 784

Zhao Tieshan without hesitation: "All fire tubes aimed at enemy ships! No need to slow down, ram them for me!"

"Yes!"

At the moment several small boats were capsized, the sailors who fell into the water let out piercing cries for help.

The soldiers on the warships seemed to have heard, and all turned to look this way.

But it was already too late.

Zhao Tieshan shouted: "Light the fire!"

The soldiers lit torches, forcefully pressed the handles, and dozens of blazing fire columns spewed simultaneously from the bronze nozzles of the fire tubes.

Like dozens of fire dragons roaring as they lunged toward that sleeping floating city.

The ship's sails were first ignited; flames licked down the mast, and in the blink of an eye the whole vessel was engulfed in fire.

Again!

Again dozens of fire dragons spewed out.

The flames, following the wind, leapt from one ship to another,

Over a thousand warships were densely anchored, separated only by narrow waterways; once the fire spread, it became like a prairie wildfire, impossible to extinguish.

The entire anchorage turned into a sea of fire, flames shooting skyward, lighting the night as bright as day.

The sailors aboard the ships woke from sleep, rushed out of the cabins, wailing as they jumped into the sea.

Some tried to untie the mooring ropes, some grabbed wooden planks and jumped into the sea, but many more found their escape routes blocked by burning ships, unable to advance or retreat.

They could only watch as flames curled from all sides onto themselves.

The whole anchorage descended into chaos, with no counterattack, only mournful howls.

Zhao Tieshan coldly ordered: "Release the arrows."

The Goryeo sailors simultaneously drew back several hundred strong bows, arrows pouring down like a rainstorm onto the anchorage.

All the Eastern Ying remnants who jumped into the water trying to escape were killed.

The fire burned all night long.

At dawn, only burning wreckage remained on the sea surface, scattered floating corpses and choking gunpowder smoke.

Several thousand red battle flags rose proudly in the morning light.

The warships rolled over the wreckage still belching black smoke and continued forward.

Zheng Wucheng stood at the bow, silent for a long time.

The Goryeo sailors, though they had fought all night, refused to leave the deck.

Finally able to avenge their dead kin and friends with their own hands, many could not help but tear up.

Xiao Ningxun walked up beside Zheng Wucheng, standing shoulder to shoulder, gazing at the horizon where sea meets sky: "General Zheng, we have taken the strait; ahead lies Eastern Ying."

Zheng Wucheng drew a deep breath and firmly nodded.

When sunlight flooded the deck, Tuan Tuan ran to the rail: "Daddy! The sea is so beautiful!"

Xiao Yuanhang smiled.

Last night the navy did not fully mobilize, letting my daughter sleep soundly; that's good.

Xiao Ningchen scooped up his sister: "Come on, Second Brother will take you up the mast for a better view!"

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up: "Great! I've never climbed before!"

Xiao Ningxun hurriedly interjected: "Second Brother! Be careful, don't drop her again!"

Xiao Ningchen's feet didn't pause: "Don't worry, even if I fall I won't drop her!"

Xiao Feifei rolled after them.

Tuan Tuan lay on Second Brother's shoulder, shouting: "Uncle Second, Uncle Seven! Please watch over Xiao Feifei for me!"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi nodded with smiles, following behind Xiao Feifei.

Feng Zhou said nonchalantly: "Princess, you little fox spirit, who needs anyone to watch you?"

"'It's like a ball!' Tuan Tuan pouted: 'I keep worrying that if the ship rocks, it'll roll off.'"

"'Who knows,' Xiao Ran said with a mischievous tone, 'who made you feed it into this state?'"

Tuan Tuan objected, waving her tiny fists: "Ninth Brother is really bad!"

Chu Yuan laughed beside them, shaking his head.

Chen Hao watched Tuan Tuan's back: "She ought to be carefree like that."

Zhang Wu'an nodded: "Exactly."

Everyone silently nodded.

Though they had not planned it beforehand, they all unconsciously avoided mentioning last night's surprise attack to Tuan Tuan.

After half a day's rest, everyone gathered again in Xiao Yuanhang's cabin.

Xiao Yuanhang asked: "How much longer until we reach Eastern Ying?"

Zheng Wucheng replied: "Just one more day and we'll arrive."

Xiao Ningxun asked: "General Zheng, where is the best place to land?"

Zheng Wucheng walked to the table, raised his hand and pointed: "This spot is best."

Xiao Ningxun also came over, took a look: "Why?"

Zheng Wucheng pointed at the mark on the map: "Here is Eastern Ying's official road."

His fingertip traced a straight line on the map: "Landing here, the official road leads straight into the interior; the army can advance at full speed, giving them no chance to catch their breath."

He moved his finger to the sides: "The northern route is all cliffs and forests; the southern route is tidal flats and marshes."

"'The other few places where one could land,' Zheng Wucheng added, tapping several spots on the map, 'are too small.'"

"'Only a hundred or so can pass at a time; the army couldn't deploy, and going up would make us their target.'"

Xiao Ningchen hummed, "In that case, the Japanese would have set up defenses here, so it won't be easy to get up."

Zhao Tieshan said, "Right, given their methods, there must be sharpened wooden stakes underwater."

"There will also be cavalry and crossbowmen on the shore."

Lu Qi hummed, "Those are all the tricks they have; we aren't without experience dealing with them."

Xiao Ningxun shook his head, "We must not underestimate them."

"They've only just arrived in Korea, yet they've already built the coastal defenses so interlocked."

"This is their home territory, cultivated for years; I'm afraid they may have some insidious tactics we can't imagine."

Xiao Ran, disdainful of the Japanese ways, said, "So what? This time, could they still use their own common folk as a human shield?"

Xiao Yuanhang looked at the group, "No problem; landing will be a fierce battle, it can't be taken in one stroke like last night."

"Although last night, to avoid startling the enemy, we didn't fire the cannons."

"But for a whole day, no one crossed the strait, so it's very possible they already learned of our approach in advance."

"We just counter their moves as they come."

Zhang Wu'an grinned, "Right!"

The others all nodded.

At noon the next day, the outline of Japan gradually appeared in the Thousand-mile mirror.

Zhao Tieshan cried out, "Prince! Look quickly! What is on the coast?"