Chapter 364: Schemes of Darkness and Schemes of Light

During the days of the siege, the Company fleet was not idle—every time they tried to break through to Ancol Island for water, or when the Great Xia fleet bombarded and harassed them, the Dutch recorded the Great Xia fleet's firepower configuration.

After all, the outer anchorage was more than twenty li from the walls of Batavia—a full five nautical miles—and at that distance, they could not even count the exact number of enemy vessels. This was also the reason Lucas Son chose to defend.

But as of now, Lucas Son had figured out about thirty percent of the Great Xia fleet's situation; given another month or two, he would have complete mastery of their fleet's disposition.

At that point, whether he chose to sally forth or continue holding fast, he would act with far greater purpose.

Thinking this, Lucas Son put away the report and walked into the Governor-General's residence.

In the days that followed, real and fake fifth-rate ships took turns in combined formations, bombarding and harassing outside the walls of Batavia.

The Dutch, meanwhile, would occasionally send out sloops to patrol the harbor, or use small numbers of warships for fire reconnaissance.

Judging that the Dutch had probably grasped the fleet's situation well enough, Lin Qian summoned Jiang Wei of the Foreign Affairs Bureau and said: "Tomorrow you will sail with the fleet to Surabaya Harbor, and visit the Sultanate of Mataram on behalf of Great Xia."

Surabaya Harbor lay on the eastern side of Java Island, roughly seven hundred kilometers from Batavia. It had originally been the capital of the Sultanate of Surabaya, and after being conquered by Mataram, it became Mataram's largest port.

Jiang Wei accepted the order: "Your subject understands. Your subject will endure humiliation and bear the burden, and return safely."

Lin Qian said: "Who told you to endure humiliation and bear burdens? On this journey, you must project the bearing of a Great Xia envoy."

Jiang Wei was slightly surprised at this, then his gaze gradually grew firm, and he smiled: "This, your subject is good at."

Seeing this, Lin Qian felt a twinge of unease, and added an explicit requirement: "Your purpose on this trip is not to provoke war, but to stabilize Mataram—when we attack Batavia, do not let them interfere.

Once Batavia falls, Great Xia only wants the inner city and the harbor; the vast lands of the outer city can all be left to the Mataram people.

Even if the Mataram people do not agree, at the very least make them stay neutral—they must not lean toward the Dutch side.

Bearing is bearing, but you cannot botch this mission."

Jiang Wei clasped his hands: "Your subject understands."

Lin Qian then said to Zheng Zhilong: "Yiguan, take five Shark ships, ten Whale ships, and another ten Sea Wolf vessels with you. After delivering the envoy to Surabaya Harbor, do not let the main fleet linger—sail east along the island chain of Bali, Lombok, and Sumbawa until you anchor in the open seas off the Banda Islands." Zheng Zhilong rose and clasped his hands: "Orders received!"

The vessels Lin Qian allocated to Zheng Zhilong were all transports; the soldiers and supplies on these ships had already been moved to a deserted island in the Thousand Islands, and the ships were loaded with large quantities of stone to maintain their draft unchanged.

Once a decisive fleet battle came, these transports would be no help—worse, they would be a drag on the fleet—so sending them along with Zheng Zhilong as a feint was perfect. With the unceasing harassment from the real and fake fifth-rate ships these past days, once the five Shark ships sailed away, the Dutch would surely believe Lin Qian had split off a detached force; with the fleet besieging Batavia thus weakened, the Dutch would see their chance for a decisive engagement.

And Lin Qian had deliberately arranged for the fleet to show itself at Surabaya Harbor, then continue sailing east along the island chain—an obvious course for the Banda Islands. The fleet also carried five fake fifth-rate ships, specifically to deal with armed merchantmen, plus transports specifically for amphibious landings. With such a fleet sailing toward the Dutch crown jewel, could the Dutch possibly stand it?

Even if the Dutch saw through Lin Qian's feint, they would never dare to gamble!

This was Lin Qian's strategy to force the Dutch into battle—at once a scheme of darkness, and a scheme of light.

Given the merchant's shortsightedness, greed, and readiness to compromise, Lin Qian did not believe the Dutch would fail to take the bait.

That night, the sound of bombardment against Batavia weakened considerably.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Zheng Zhilong's feint fleet set sail.

The fleet numbered twenty-five vessels of various sizes, accounting for a quarter of the total fleet—the anchorage suddenly opened up a vast empty space.

This change, even across twenty li, could be clearly seen from the walls of Batavia.

News quickly reached the Governor-General's residence, where the councilors who had originally favored peace now all excitedly demanded the fleet sally forth.

Because the prolonged siege had also affected trade with Batavia, and now that Great Xia had divided its forces and weakened its fleet, this was the perfect moment to attack. Additionally, according to the Dutch soldiers holding the city, the Great Xia fleet had sailed off to the northeast.

Palembang and Malacca both lay to the northwest of Batavia—if they were resupplying, they should have sailed northwest. What was to the northeast?

The Banda Islands!

Though there was no further evidence proving Great Xia intended to move against the Banda Islands, the councilors dared not take the risk.

Compared to losing the Banda Islands, the loss of ships was a trifling matter.

At the council meeting, Lucas Son calmly reassured the councilors, repeatedly insisting that this was merely a Great Xia feint.

The Minister of Justice, meanwhile, was sitting on pins and needles. More than the councilors, he also knew that Great Xia had inquired about the defenses of the Banda Islands—in his view, Great Xia dividing its forces to attack the Banda Islands was already a foregone conclusion.

At the meeting, the Minister of Justice tried several times to speak, but was each time stopped by a look from Lucas Son.

In the end, Lucas Son yielded a step, agreeing to send a small number of vessels on a probing attack, thereby calming the councilors' emotions.

Over the following ten-odd days, Dutch warships frequently left harbor for fire reconnaissance, each time withdrawing after only brief exchanges.

Hampered by the shore batteries, the Great Xia fleet did not pursue deeply.

That evening, the Dutch fourth-rate ship Zeeland, once again under pursuit by the Tianyuan and Zheng He, fled back into harbor in a panic.

The engagement report was soon delivered by dispatch boat to the harbor, then carried by the Zeeland's first mate to the Governor-General's residence.

In his office, Lucas Son took the engagement report, his brow slightly furrowed: "Still only two Spanish ships sallying out?"

Because they did not know the names of the Great Xia navy's vessels, the Dutch used characteristics and numbers to designate their ships.

The Tianyuan and Zheng He had both been seized from the Spanish, and clearly bore carrack characteristics, so they were called "Spanish ships." "Yes, sir, but..." The Zeeland's first mate hesitated a moment, then said, "Today we braved their cannon fire and closed in on the enemy's rear fleet group."

"And what was the result?" Lucas Son's speech unconsciously quickened.

The Great Xia fleet was moored across three positions—the anchorage, the main channel, and Ancol Island—with its warships all arrayed in front, and its supply ships and transports placed behind. They were simply too far away, and their flanks were screened by the front-line fleet, which made it all seem highly suspicious.

Lucas Son's experience told him the Great Xia were extremely cunning, and very likely had hidden ambush forces among the rear fleet group.

But the Zeeland's first mate said: "They are all transports, sir...

We closed to within two nautical miles and carefully examined the flanks of every vessel—not a single gunport.

Those large junks, and the big ships resembling their flagship in appearance, were all clumsy, slow transports, without exception. Further out on the sea, behind the various islands, no other warships were hidden either."

Lucas Son's brow knitted tightly at this. Combined with his observations over these days, he had now completely fathomed Great Xia.

Not counting the transports and Sea Wolf ships, Great Xia's actual warships numbered only one flagship, two Spanish ships, three privateer vessels (fifth-rate ships), and eleven yachts.

Seventeen ships in total, with roughly five hundred cannon.

Whether in tonnage, numbers, or firepower, they were far inferior to the Company fleet.

A surge of anger welled up in Lucas Son's heart. Under such an unfavorable situation, Huo Jianren still dared to recklessly divide his forces—was he taking his caution for cowardice? Just then, hurried footsteps came running, and a guard, not even bothering to knock, burst straight in, thrusting a document before the Governor-General.

"Forgive me, sir—urgent dispatch from Surabaya Harbor!"

The guard was gasping for breath, having run all the way.

Lucas Son took the document, broke the seal, and read it through—his face instantly turned as dark as it could be.

At that moment, only one thought occupied his mind: "Fallen for Huo Jianren's trick! Their true target is the Banda Islands!"

Lucas Son had not yet given the order when another burst of hurried footsteps came rushing up. A guard ran to the doorway, gripped the doorframe, and gasped: "Your Excellency the Governor-General, the councilors demand to see you — now!"

"Understood." Lucas Son rose to his feet, smoothing the creases on his linen shirt, then walked unhurriedly toward the meeting room. Before he even entered, he could hear the councilors raging inside.

"... Damn it all! You will hang from the gallows for this!"

"... You actually dared to conceal this from the Council — this is naked betrayal, this is treason! Who gave you the authority to do such a thing..." "This matter will definitely be reported to the Board of Directors!"

Lucas Son pushed open the door and entered. The Minister of Justice stood with his head lowered in the corner of the meeting room, while the councilors, faces flushed red and eyes bulging wide, pounded the table with fury.

Seeing the Governor-General enter, the councilors fell silent in an instant, their gazes shooting toward him as if they wished they could devour him alive.

One councilor demanded: "The Minister of Justice says that Onrust Island released seven informers — what is the meaning of this? Why was no report made?" Another hurled the Surabaya port documents onto the table and roared: "Great Xia joining hands with Mataram — this will be the most terrifying enemy since the founding of Batavia! Don't tell me you have no preparations!"

One hot-tempered councilor cursed outright: "Concealing the enemy's greedy designs on the Banda Islands — what is that? Damned coward! To avoid battle, you would betray your own nation!"

Another councilor threatened: "Your Excellency the Governor-General, how important the Banda Islands are to the Company — I need not elaborate!

I tell you, if the Banda Islands suffer the slightest harm — even if Huo Jianren merely carried out a single nutmeg sapling — you and your family are finished. Not even God can absolve you of your sins."

Lucas Son stood quietly, his expression dark and gloomy, accepting the councilors' accusations.

After a long while, when the councilors had vented their fury and finally fallen silent, Lucas Son coldly announced: "Three days from now, the fleet will leave port for the decisive battle. I myself will stand on the stern deck of the Hercules, fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Dutch sailors..."

Having said this, Lucas Son paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire meeting room, his voice hoarse: "I will kill every Huo Jianren on the seas — every single one!"

With that, he smoothed the creases on the side of his clothes and departed amid the councilors' astonished stares.

At dawn three days later, the three Lingcang ships completed their routine harassing bombardment and were preparing to turn about and return to the anchorage.

Suddenly, the first mate of the Lingcang spotted something wrong and called out urgently: "Enemy ships in pursuit!"

During the month-long siege of Batavia, it was common for the Dutch, provoked by the cannon fire, to sortie out of port in pursuit — the sailors aboard had grown accustomed to it. But when everyone glanced toward the side, they froze at once: through the hazy morning mist, dozens of enormous ship silhouettes were moving.

The lookout on the mainmast shouted: "Due south — enemy fleet — five hundred paces!"

The captain of the Lingcang ordered: "Course due north — signal the fleet!"

The helmsman bellowed: "Port helm! Wind from the northwest — port tack! Full sail — sound the horn!"

A dull, muffled conch-horn note echoed across the sea.

Soon, seven-gun sloops burst out of the mist. These sloops had weak firepower and small tonnage, and dared not approach within range of a fifth-rate ship on their own. But with the entire Company fleet behind them as support, the sloops grew arrogant. Relying on their superior speed, they swung around the fifth-rate ships' broadsides, sailed to directly astern of the three ships, and fired their stern three-pounder cannons at the Lingcang's starboard side.

One three-pounder shot struck the captain's cabin, blasting a large hole in the window as the frame fragments kept tumbling into the sea.

The Lingcang, however, dared not linger for even a moment and continued turning north.

Sailing ships had poor rudder response at low speed, making the turn agonizingly slow. In the blink of an eye, the stern took three more hits — the damage was minor, but the humiliation was extreme. "Enemy fleet — due south — four hundred paces!" The lookout's voice grew ever more urgent.

By now the mist had gradually dispersed, revealing the Dutch fleet's formation — roughly thirty ships in total. After leaving port, they had merged into three columns in line, the fleet nearly as wide as the city of Batavia itself, radiating an overwhelming pressure.

The ship at the very front was extremely tall, its sterncastle flying a red-white-blue tricolor flag bearing the letters VOC — it was the flagship, the Hercules. "Three hundred paces!" the mainmast lookout shouted again.

"How much longer for the turn?" the helmsman called out urgently.

"Almost done!" the boatswain shouted back.

A moment later, the Lingcang finally completed its turn and sailed due north. Its speed was faster than the average Dutch warship, but not as nimble as the sloops. Five seven-gun sloops dogged the heels of the three fifth-rate ships, gnawing at them and punching several holes through their hulls.

Meanwhile, the Great Xia fleet at the distant anchorage also reacted, turning about as one and fleeing due north.

The citizens of Batavia, hearing the commotion at the docks, scrambled up to high places to watch the battle. Seeing the Great Xia fleet in flight, they could not help but cheer. Having been besieged from all sides for nearly a month, this was the first time the Dutch fleet had chased the Great Xia fleet — a tremendous boost to morale.

On the bastion walls, the councilors' taut expressions relaxed slightly.

"I told you these Huo Jianren were just putting on a show! Before the Company fleet, these savages will all feed the sharks!"

"Now we only need to finish off this fleet quickly, then return to defend the Banda Islands, and the Huo Jianren threat is eliminated. Damn it — these heretics who deserve to burn in hell have cost us a full month of profits!"

Councilor Van der Meer said: "We'll simply have to raise taxes. You have no objections, do you, Soe?"

The one called Soe was Batavia's Chinese Kapitan, whose full name was Soe Minggang. Ever since the Great Xia fleet had besieged the city, he had been held as a hostage in the Governor-General's residence.

Now the councilors said they wanted to raise taxes and specifically asked for his opinion — the meaning could not be more obvious.

Since it was the Han Chinese siege that had caused the loss of revenue, then heavy taxes should be levied on the Han Chinese to make up the profits.

At this point, Soe Minggang had no right to refuse — he could only humiliatedly acquiesce.

While the councilors and the Minister of Finance discussed the tax increase ratio, the Dutch fleet had already sailed more than twenty li out, reclaiming the main channel and the outer anchorage without expending the slightest effort.

Councilor Van der Meer laughed at the sight: "Hahaha... they've abandoned Onrust Island! The Huo Jianren fleet has left their own people on Onrust Island to their fate! Soe, what do you make of it?"

The Han Chinese of Batavia were not united — when it came to harming their own kind, they could sometimes be crueler than outsiders. That was why the councilor asked the question.

"These sea bandits are heretics who do not believe in God. This is the victory of civilization over barbarism, the victory of the faithful over the heretics." Soe Minggang bowed and answered in Dutch.

The councilors heaped praise upon his answer, and one ordered a servant to fetch wine to celebrate this sweet victory.

Amid the clinking of cups, the Great Xia fleet fled madly northward and soon vanished beyond the horizon.

The Dutch fleet, too, had sailed so far it was nearly out of sight.

The Minister of Finance felt a slight unease and, raising his crystal goblet, asked: "What if we can't catch them?"

Van der Meer said: "Don't worry, Minister. The Huo Jianren fleet carries a large number of transport ships — these vessels sit too deep in the water; they cannot get away." The Minister of Finance relaxed, clinked glasses with the councilors, took a sip of the fine wine, and admired the glass in his hand.

Just then, someone said: "Look — what are those junks doing?"

Everyone looked up together and saw a dozen or so Sea Wolf ships emerging from the direction of Onrust Island, sailing toward the main channel north of the anchorage.

Those Sea Wolf ships paid no attention to formation whatsoever — they were scattered chaotically across the sea.

"Haha, just a panicked, directionless flight," said one councilor.

With both main fleets now vanished from the sea, the councilors settled in to enjoy the Sea Wolf ships' clumsy escape while drinking and making merry.

"Ha! They can't even tell which way is north!" someone mocked.

Batavia was a semi-enclosed structure — landlocked on the east, west, and south, with only a northward course offering escape.

"I'll wager a hundred florins that some junk will blunder straight into the range of the shore batteries," Van der Meer said with a smile.

"I'll take that bet!"

Out on the sea, several Sea Wolf ships sailed into the main channel, then lashed their bows and sterns together with Manila hemp rope. These Sea Wolf ships sat extremely deep in the water, for their holds had been pre-filled with sand and earth, and the Folangji cannons on their decks had long since been removed.

Afterward, the Sea Wolf ships sailed to both sides of the main channel, dropped anchor, lowered sail, and fixed their rudders hard to starboard.

After all this was done, the crew members gathered their personal belongings and boarded the waiting ship, everything proceeding in an orderly manner.

In total, nine Sea Wolf ships had been expended to lay three river-blocking chains across the main shipping lane.

Surely the elder who invented the river-blocking chain never imagined that river defense wisdom would one day find application at sea.

On the bastion walls, the councilors' wine was gradually being drunk more slowly.

Someone asked: "What are those junks doing?"

"It seems... it seems they are laying river-blocking chains..."

Europe had invented river-blocking chains as early as the Roman era; European navies were no strangers to this tactic.

But the question was, why were the Daxia people laying river-blocking chains?

Why wait until the entire Dutch fleet had left port before laying the chains?

The councilors exchanged glances, each seeing fear written on the others' faces.

Fifty nautical miles north of Batavia, on the surface of the Java Sea.

The lookout on the mainmast of the Hercules shouted: "Enemy fleet, quarter nautical mile!"

A sailor loudly mocked: "Haha, look! Huo Jianren has exposed his 'belly'!"

The sailors around him burst into laughter together.

From Lucaszon's position, the Daxia fleet was arranged in two rows—the front row all warships, fleeing at full sail, while the rear row were all transport ships, simply rigged, deep-drafted, and slow, naturally lagging behind.

The first mate laughed: "Huo Jianren wants to use those transports as shields!"

Lucaszon put away his telescope and said calmly: "Do not get entangled with the transports—head straight for the enemy flagship!"

"Yes, sir!"

Just then, the wind at sea shifted, becoming a northeast wind, and the sail handlers on the Hercules all adjusted the direction of the sails together.

Meanwhile, in the distant Daxia fleet, a red signal flare shot into the sky and burst with a bang, and then all the ships successively turned hard to port.

At this moment every ship was at maximum speed with excellent rudder response, and even the transports in the rear partially turned around, quickly forming a wall across the sea, resembling a line of battle.

But the transports had no cannons—what was the point of forming a line of battle?

On the Hercules, crew members shouted: "Haha, Huo Jianren can't take the pressure anymore, he's about to show his claws!"

Everyone was roaring with laughter, except Lucaszon, whose brow furrowed tighter and tighter as he stared fixedly at the Daxia fleet.

The Daxia transports numbered sixteen in total—ten continued fleeing forward, six turned their broadsides toward the enemy and lowered sail halfway, while the warships in front also moved toward the rear.

Clearly they intended to form a complete line of battle, but why did those six transports also need to form a line of battle?

The mainmast lookout shouted: "Enemy fleet, one-eighth nautical mile!"

At the same moment, a terrible thought flashed through Lucaszon's mind, and breaking his usual composure he shouted: "Form a line of battle! Broadside to the enemy, broadside to the enemy!"

As the Hercules was turning, the broadsides of the six transports were seen opening in perfect unison, revealing pitch-black gunports. Each transport had two decks of gun batteries on its broadside, twenty-five gunports in total!

Brown bronze cannons were pushed out through the gunports.

The six transports' broadsides held a total of one hundred and fifty cannons, holding the weather gauge and seizing the T-cross.

The Dutch fleet was still in pursuit formation, every advantage now seized by the Daxia warships.

Lucaszon felt his heart stop—from releasing the informer to the feint against the Banda Islands, every scheme suddenly became clear in an instant. The next moment, the broadsides of the six Ming-class fourth-rate ships opened fire in succession, their muzzle flashes linking into one continuous sheet, like a wall of fire stretching six hundred meters. The dense thunder of cannon fire piled together, pressing on the chests and ringing in the ears—for an instant no sound could be heard at all, only cannon fire remaining between heaven and earth. One hundred and fifty solid iron shot screamed through the air, a dozen or more columns of water rising simultaneously on both sides of the Hercules, seawater falling like a torrential rain. Then from the bow of the Hercules came the sharp crack of splintering wood, screams erupted from the gun deck, and the ship's right forequarter took a hit, blasting up a cloud of yellowish-brown wood splinters.

Fine splinters scattered on the wind, drifting across the entire deck.

That was the second shot, the third shot... The Hercules took eight hits in succession, its right forequarter battered into a complete mess.

One cannonball struck the stern galley dead-on, blasting the brick stove into fragments, rubble flying in all directions—a gunner took a shard square in his left eye and collapsed to the ground with a piercing scream.

Another man was cut clean in half by a cannonball, his body flying backward over a dozen paces before slamming into the hull and stopping, his entire abdomen reduced to pulp, splattering across a large stretch of the bulkhead.

Thanks to the timely turn, the Hercules avoided the tragedy of being pierced straight through by a single shot.

The Hoorn, leading the right-wing column, fared far worse—taking thirteen hits in one breath, cannonballs entering through the stern and running all the way through to the bow. One shot flew right over the heads of the starboard gun crew on the upper deck, exploding three heads in a single pass.

As if three watermelons had been smashed in one blow by a giant hammer, blood sprayed across the entire compartment.

By the time the gun crew came to their senses, a sticky mess of red and white flesh was hanging from their clothes, the deck, and the cannons, dripping downward.

Several gunners immediately vomited, while others collapsed limp with terror, sobbing in utter breakdown.

At the same time, the Zhulong, leading the Tianyuan, the Zheng He, and eleven yacht ships in a line of battle, sailed out from the stern of the Jingming. Lin Qian stood on the quarterdeck of the Zhulong, hearing Bailangzai shout: "Open fire!"

Yahei

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