Chapter 500

There was no way to escape, nor any way to block the warships of the Great Ming Navy.

In a short time, they were either blasted into fragments or simply surrendered outright.

Only Liu Xiang, Li Guozhu, and other pirate chieftains managed to find a small boat and flee quickly.

This was because the ships of the allied pirates and the damaged Dutch main fleet ships caused delays in between.

The gap between the Great Ming Navy and the Dutch ships retreating quickly widened once again.

However, Zheng Zhilong had previously ordered that no enemy be allowed to escape, so even though the distance was relatively far, the pursuit continued relentlessly.

Putmans knew the Chinese were following closely behind in pursuit, and his face looked very grim.

On the ship, he even flew into a rage!

The losses were simply too great!

The defeat was also too swift.

The warships of Liu Xiang, Li Guozhu, and other allied pirates' subordinates were basically all wrecked.

Of the more than a thousand warships, those that managed to escape, the remainder, were estimated to be only around a hundred or so.

It was almost a complete annihilation!

Even now, the Great Ming Navy continues to pursue; who knows how many will remain in the end.

Furthermore, let us speak of the Dutch main fleet.

After fighting the Great Ming Navy main force for one and a half double-hours, eight ships were sunk and thirteen were damaged.

Those that escaped now left only fifty-two warships remaining.

The rest were either holding the rear to block the Great Ming Navy along the way, or were directly sunk and sank into the sea.

Although looking at the numbers now, it seems the Dutch and the Great Ming Navy still have the capacity to fight.

However, Putmans was clear that he was simply decisive in ordering the retreat.

Otherwise, they would all have been sunk by the Great Ming's long-range cannons, and the losses would have been even greater.

Just as they continued to withdraw, the Great Ming Navy fleet slowly caught up.

From previously being able to see only the sails, now the hulls themselves were visible.

Previously, a spyglass was needed to see clearly; now, the naked eye was sufficient.

The distance grew closer; if another one or two double-hours passed, they could catch up completely.

The Dutch fleet also noticed that the Chinese were catching up.

They were each in great panic and immediately raised flag signals to ask Putmans for instructions.

"General, the Great Ming warships are pursuing. In a few more hours, they will catch up completely. What shall we do?"

A subordinate hurriedly knocked open Putmans's room and reported to him.

Putmans's face was gloomy; after pondering for a moment, he said, "There is no other way. We can only turn back and teach the Chinese a lesson, so they dare not pursue so recklessly!"

"How many warships are pursuing from behind?"

Putmans asked his subordinate sailors.

"Currently, we see only five, but there are definitely more. Should we fight them here?"

"We must fight. Otherwise, they will keep chasing us, catch up soon, and then we will still have to fight!"

Putmans had considered this decision.

Originally, the Great Ming Navy's main warships were not as numerous as their allied fleet.

Several naval battles had been fought, and there was interference from the allied pirate warships, and so on.

Definitely, a portion of the Great Ming main warships would not have caught up.

So, if calculated this way, the number of Great Ming Navy warships that caught up was definitely not large.

If they risked a clash, although they would suffer some losses, they could crush the morale of the Great Ming Navy and eliminate a portion of it.

That is why he made this decision!

Afterwards, he ordered the messenger to give orders to the other warships.

Find a suitable place ahead and prepare to meet the enemy.

Zheng Zhilong's flagship, along with Gao Yingyue, Zhang Yongchan, and Wang Shangzhong, all caught up.

Immediately, they discovered that the fleeing Dutch fleet ahead had changed course.

Were they preparing to engage?

Zheng Zhilong's expression remained calm; he turned his head and asked Zheng Zhihu beside him, "How many warships have caught up with us now?"

"Thirty-seven. The other ships were too slow, or were delayed midway and need time to catch up; some cannot make it in time!"

"Hmm. Since that is the case, then let us wait a while."

"Wait a while?"

Zheng Zhihu was somewhat puzzled; he had originally thought Zheng Zhilong would order an immediate engagement.

Now, instead, they had to wait; so they were just watching the Dutch?

Seeming to read Zheng Zhihu's thoughts, Zheng Zhilong rolled his eyes impatiently and said, "What's the rush? You have your battles to fight. Right now, it is the Dutch red-haired devils who are anxious! The longer they delay in their escape, the more of our warships will catch up!"

"Oh, oh. Still, Big Brother, you are cunning and experienced!"

"Hm?"

"Ah, pfft, pfft, pfft! No, I mean, Big Brother, you are shrewd and calculating!"

"If you cannot speak properly, then shut your mouth!"

"Yes!"

……

The Dutch stopped moving, turned their ships sideways, and prepared to meet the enemy.

The Great Ming naval fleet also halted beyond the range of the Dutch guns.

Huh, now the Dutch are in an awkward position!

If they charge, they will surely be targeted by the Great Ming navy.

If they do not charge, more and more Great Ming warships will arrive, and the gap will grow wider.

"No! Since the Great Ming people have stopped, we must charge immediately! We must teach the Great Ming people a lesson!"

354, a great victory!

The Dutch charged fiercely toward the Great Ming fleet, meeting the cannon fire head-on.

Zheng Zhilong did not have many Great Ming capital ships nearby at the moment; once entangled with the Dutch warships, they would surely suffer heavy losses.

After all, at that time, there were only twenty-odd ships.

In contrast, Putmans's Dutch fleet now had over fifty ships.

Their numbers were nearly double.

Zheng Zhilong neither wanted the Great Ming navy to suffer too many losses nor wanted the Dutch to escape.

Thus, he could only order the other ships to fight independently, to entangle the Dutch but not to draw too close.

Although Zheng Zhilong issued the order in time, accidents of one kind or another still occurred in the melee.

Losses were inevitable.

After all, the Dutch were not fools; if they truly could not get close, they naturally would not linger to become targets.

This required Great Ming ships to close in, like suicide squads, to engage the Dutch amidst their cannon fire.

In just a single double-hour of renewed combat.

The Great Ming navy had four capital ships sunk.

Seven capital ships were damaged.

Conversely, the Dutch losses were even more severe.

A full eight capital ships were sunk, and thirteen were damaged.

Most of the damaged ships could no longer move; although they had not sunk, they could not escape and had become living targets.

Zheng Zhilong did not wish to end the war in one decisive battle, but Putmans was somewhat difficult to deal with.

As soon as he sensed something was wrong, he decisively fled.

The good news now is that the numerical gap between the Great Ming warships and the Dutch warships has gradually narrowed.

Now, even if Putmans turned around and threw everything into a desperate fight, entangling the Great Ming warships, the Great Ming navy would still be certain of victory!

Putmans's previous attempt had failed.

Or rather, the idea of a desperate gamble had collapsed.