Chapter 458

"Uh..."

Zheng Zhilong very much wanted to say the odds of victory were not high, but he dared not.

The Dutch warships were tall and sturdy, equipped with many and fierce cannons.

By comparison, the Great Ming Navy's warships were small; one should say very small.

Ever since Zheng He went to the Western Oceans and the maritime ban was reinstated, Great Ming vessels had actually become smaller and smaller, and each ship was equipped with only two cannons, one at the front and one at the back!

Adding more would make them impossible to fit, or the load-bearing capacity for personnel would not meet the standard.

One can imagine how weak they must be when compared to the Dutch's massive galleon warships.

Although Zheng Zhilong had only recently entered officialdom, he was a shrewd man.

Great Ming officials were always willing to hear flattering words, believing themselves to be the Celestial Empire, immensely powerful, and so on.

If one spoke too bluntly about Great Ming's disadvantages, it would easily offend people.

So after much deliberation, he finally spoke: "Although the Great Ming Navy has some disadvantages compared to the Dutch, our Great Ming is vast in territory and rich in resources, with personnel and supplies flowing endlessly. Conversely, the Dutch are exhausted from travel, having journeyed a thousand li, their supplies are inconvenient, and their losses are too heavy to bear. Therefore, this humble official believes that Great Ming will surely win!"

Look at how that was said!

It makes so damn much sense!

Yet it requires Great Ming soldiers and officers to fill the gaps with the lives of common people.

It was just like when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded China, where the Qing army charged against enemy gunfire, intending to exhaust ammunition with their flesh and blood.

Su Qiao's expression immediately became unpleasant.

Sensing Su Qiao's change in mood, Zheng Zhilong quickly made amends: "My lord, there is no way around it. The Fujian Navy's warships are all small with few cannons. Conversely, the Dutch warships are taller and sturdier than ours, and they are directly equipped with dozens of cannons. This gap is quite large, but if we hold on, we can still fight!"

Su Qiao knew he had been somewhat misunderstood, so he shook his head and said: "General Zheng need not be anxious. The gap between the Dutch and the Great Ming Navy is something this official understands very well; the difference is indeed large. But if the Great Ming Navy's warships were to become tall and sturdy as well, not inferior to the Dutch, and if the number and range of their cannons were no less than theirs, then what would the odds of victory be?"

Hearing Su Qiao's words, Zheng Zhilong felt a sigh of relief in his heart, yet he was also somewhat confused.

Nevertheless, he immediately said: "My lord, if the Great Ming Navy's warships and cannons could compare to the Dutch, or even surpass them, then this humble official can guarantee that annihilating them would be as easy as blowing dust!"

"Good! General Zheng, remember your words. After this, you will be the main commander of this operation!"

"This humble official... this general accepts the order!"

313, drinking and boasting!

Su Qiao was left to dine at Zheng Fu, and the topic of naval warfare and the Dutch was never mentioned again.

Instead, he began telling Su Qiao about foreign customs and people.

As a result, he discovered that Su Qiao knew no less than he did, and even more.

Including details about Europe, South America, Australia, and other places, he knew everything very thoroughly.

Originally, Zheng Zhilong was speaking to Su Qiao, but later it became Su Qiao speaking, while Zheng Zhilong and the others listened with great interest like elementary school students.

They felt it was very fresh and astonishing.

Liu Rushi, separated by a curtain, dined at the same table as Zheng Zhilong's wife, Lady Tagawa.

She could also hear Su Qiao and the others speaking and see their situation through the curtain.

It was just that men and women did not sit at the same table.

Seeing Su Qiao so learned, the proud smile on Liu Rushi's face could not be concealed at all.

This caused Lady Tagawa to whisper a few teasing remarks, instantly making her pretty face turn red.

Su Qiao could be said to have conversed very happily with Zheng Zhilong.

The relationship between the two also drew much closer.

At the banquet, Su Qiao inadvertently revealed to him that Great Ming's new-style warships and artillery had already been successfully developed, and many finished products had emerged.

This naval battle might mobilize them to catch the Dutch off guard!

717

After Su Qiao finished speaking, Zheng Zhilong sobered up by thirty percent.

Although he had been prepared for this in his heart, he had not expected the Great Ming court to be so fast.

Yes, the court was already different from before.

In the past, whether it was Your Majesty the Emperor or those official masters in the court, they were all dragging their feet, lacking any boldness or ambition.

But suddenly Your Majesty became wise and divine, and the court officials below also suddenly exerted themselves, directly resolving the Jianzhou Jurchens and Tatars that had plagued Great Ming for so long.

Now the maritime ban has been lifted.

What is the development of new-style warships and artillery compared to that?

After Zheng Zhilong realized this, he repeatedly patted his thigh and said: "Good news, good news! If we have new-style warships and artillery, this humble official... this general, will absolutely sweep away those blue-eyed ones! If I fail, I will bring my head to see you!"

"Good! This official will bear witness!"

"Huh?!"

Zheng Zhilong and his several brothers were all somewhat dazed.

Or rather, they did not expect Su Qiao to really take up that thread of conversation.

Originally, everyone had drunk quite a bit and were in a somewhat dazed state.

Zheng Zhilong was also intentionally trying to draw closer to Su Qiao, to show his loyalty and ability, just boasting a bit, right?

Who hasn't boasted a bit while drunk at a banquet?

Ridiculous opening the door for ridiculous, it was ridiculous to the extreme!

Su Qiao actually slapped the table, forcibly turning the boastful words into a military pledge.

Can one just set such flags at will?!

If it succeeds, it is fine, but what if something unexpected happens?

This left even Zheng Zheng Chenggong and the others at a loss.

Fortunately, Zheng Zhilong's younger brother, Zheng Zhikui, was the first to react. Now that opposing it with a shake of the head was no longer possible, they could only brace themselves and agree.

He hurriedly gave his own elder brother a reminder.

Although Zheng Zhilong had drunk quite a bit and his head was rather muddled,

his thinking still maintained a certain clarity.

Reminded by his own younger brother Zheng Zhikui, he immediately reacted, slapped his chest, and agreed to it.

"Lord Su, you can rest assured. This general will absolutely not let you down!" Having been pushed to the front, Zheng Zhilong had no choice but to continue speaking boldly.

Su Qiao burst into laughter. "Not bad, not bad. The court needs capable men like General Zheng, men who are loyal to the sovereign and patriotic! Someone come!"

"Mr. Su!"

Sun Youxu rushed ahead of Ma Kui and strode in.

"General Zheng is wholeheartedly devoted to the country and has even set down a military pledge. Bring brush, ink, paper, and inkstone at once, and let General Zheng write it down. In the future, all of this will be merit! The nation will not forget you!"

Su Qiao said, opening his mouth to Sun Youxu.

Zheng Zhilong and his several younger brothers turned green in the face upon hearing this.

This freaking thing is a military pledge now?

Is it that casual?

Does it have to be this shameless?

However, Zheng Zhilong's bold and heroic words had already been shouted out, and there was no taking them back.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard even brought over the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

This was simply too much.

The only reason was that Su Qiao was still here and his identity was that of an imperial envoy; otherwise, Zheng Zhilong's several younger brothers could very easily have lashed out at Su Qiao.

Pinned against the wall with no way down, Zheng Zhilong furrowed his brow, steeled his heart, picked up the brush, and finished it in one flourish!

Mm, and stamp it with a seal!

This military pledge was thus casually settled.

Su Qiao then had Sun Youxu pack up this military pledge properly and take it away, and his face also restored its previously beaming and smiling appearance.

Only after the banquet was over did Su Qiao and the others take their leave.

This Zheng Zhilong could be said to have received a round of complaints from his own brothers.

"I say, big brother, why on earth did you suddenly blurt out that line? The result was that the imperial envoy pushed you up and you couldn't get down. Who can guarantee a hundred percent sure victory in this matter?"

Zheng Zhikui said, sitting on a chair with a face full of gloom.

Zheng Zhilong: "..."

Before he could say anything, Zheng Zhibao also spoke up: "Right, Fourth Brother is right. Usually when drinking, big brother, you're quite calm. How did you lose your head today?"