Chapter 111: One Force Descends Ten Meetings

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Zhu Zhu Yijun gave Yin Yin Zhengmao not only the construction method, but also a portable 10x telescope made by the Optics Laboratory. This was not the highest magnification telescope the Ming Dynasty could manufacture. The 40x telescope in the Zhao Wenchang Pavilion of the Quanchu Guild Hall, the 20x one in the Wu Ying Tower of the Northern Tucheng, and the 50x telescope in the darkroom laboratory specifically for the little Emperor to observe the stars, and the 40x one at the Tianjian were all higher. The 10x was a result obtained after many experiments. The higher the magnification of a telescope, the darker the image. Although the magnified image is larger, the field of view becomes extremely narrow, and it is very difficult to focus. At the same time, any slight tremor will lead to image instability. Yin Yin Zhengmao's usage scenario was at sea, and on the battlefield. Dim images, narrow fields of view, and vibrations would all lead to the failure of high-magnification telescopes. 10x was the result of practice, and this magnification was just right. Zhu also sent four bottles of "Guo," which had a common name: "Sweet Potato Burn." This was a highly distilled liquor. This kind of strong liquor was generally used for navigation. At sea, mixing strong liquor with collected fresh water could effectively reduce illness. This was a navigation secret often boasted about by Red-Haired Barbarian sailors. And in the Ming Dynasty, as early as the Yongle period, strong liquor on ships was no longer a rarity. The distillation and separation technology for strong liquor was not a fresh technology. As early as the Tang and Song dynasties, there was mature distillation technology, and by the Ming Dynasty, distillation had even developed into northern and southern schools. To deal with the pirates, one must use the "one force descends ten meetings" method. An hour later, Lang Xi and Liang Liang Shouyu joined forces and began to launch an attack on the camp. This attack was all thunder and no rain. Cannons, muskets, and bows and arrows kept shooting, and soon the cannons and cannons stopped ringing. There were also four 700-liao warships, about eight zhang and seven chi and one cun long (about 27 meters), about one zhang and eight chi and seven cun wide (about 5.7 meters), with two masts and a load of 700 liao. This kind of ship was a sailing ship. To protect the soldiers, it was equipped with a war shed. It was a ship that could be rowed, and the warship was equipped with a "beating pole" (a device to drop heavy objects). Grandmaster Yue could actually wait a while, wait until the Ming Dynasty had thoroughly understood the old cases of Zheng He's voyages, designed and manufactured a ship that could at least be called a warship, and then head to Luzon to conquer it. This was originally the Viceroy's plan. He trained these recruited bandits on Nanao Island, waiting for the construction of the ships. It took seventeen days from Songjiang Prefecture to the capital of the Ming Dynasty. When the report of victory was sent back to the capital at high speed, it was already late October. "I underestimated Luzon, or more precisely, I underestimated the combat power of the Grandmaster Yue who traveled across the ocean. They are about the same strength as Zhang Yuan's subordinates."

After the Viceroy visited the City Hall and stepped into the Viceroy's Mansion, he looked at the sea with furrowed brows and said to Grandmaster Yue and Lang Xi with a calm and confident tone: "The war has just begun."

The Viceroy had prepared a small surprise for that camp. From the moment Lang Xi reported the enemy situation, the Viceroy had been thinking about the biggest confidence of that Luzon—how to quickly break through this seemingly impregnable castle. Grandmaster Yue took out a telescope to observe the battlefield. Small boats were sailing on the sea. These were their own fast scout boats. The scout boats shot arrows, which nailed onto the target illuminated by the torches. The commander passed the news to the Viceroy. "The only regret is the lack of a place to bathe," the Viceroy said to Lang Xi, who came to his side with a smile. Liang Liang Shouyu also finished dealing with the captured prisoners and came towards the Viceroy's Mansion. Lang Xi captured the commander Gao Di. He recognized Lang Xi. Seeing Lang Xi, he was furious and drew his sword to demand a duel, but was knocked down by Lang Xi in one round. Grandmaster Yue captured the Luzon Viceroyalty Viceroy Grandmaster Yue Scott, and Zhu went to pursue the fleeing deputy commander Le Bissari. "What if we prepare cotton plugs in advance?" Liang Liang Shouyu was also amazed. Deng Zilong simply used money to attack the fortress. Le Bissari looked at the city and saw that there were no more firelights, and said with a smile: "The commander is very right. Their attack has become sluggish. We can choose to have a drink, then have a good sleep, and wait until tomorrow morning, when they are most tired, to launch a counterattack?"

And the return route of this clipper ship was not to Guangzhou Prefecture, but directly to Keelung. Because of the Kuroshio Current, it only took seven days to reach Keelung, and then to the Songjiang Prefecture Market Department. This voyage only took a short seventeen days. The Kuroshio Current was indeed a river in the ocean, and sailing with the current was extremely fast. The Viceroy gave detailed instructions and warnings, and on the second day, he set sail for Nanao Island. The Viceroy stood in the morning sun, standing still. The golden-red glow fell on his cloth armor. He looked at the buildings of the City Hall and the Viceroy's Mansion and nodded continuously, saying: "What exquisite architecture."

"Although they have some firearms, they are just ordinary pirates." Lang Xi nodded in approval: "Indeed. What should we do next? We finished in one day what we originally planned to take seven months or even a year to do—break through that camp."

The Viceroy further explained: "The Luzon who came to Luzon were all people who had no way out and went to sea to seek wealth. Those Luzon were mostly criminals, fugitives, or desperate people who wanted to get rich."

The Viceroy looked at the sea. A staff member borrowed the flickering firelight and read: "The Assistant Regional Commander took the harbor, killed 74 enemies, burned 5 clipper ships, captured 1 clipper ship, broke more than 50 enemy small boats, and captured armor, swords, compasses, sea charts, and ship logs. Retained."

"The only regret is that I don't have the strength to fight anymore?" Grandmaster Yue said in a low voice: "Everyone knows that after more than twenty days of sailing, they are unable to fight."

And the largest ships in Luzon were about 2,000 liao, with two masts and one sail, possessing hanging towers, towers, and deep cargo holds. They had two decks, and the whole ship had more than 50 cannons and more than 300 soldiers and sailors, dominating the sea, with no rivals. The Viceroy gave the order to attack. He personally led the troops into battle. Before that, in Guangzhou Prefecture, he had already conducted many deductions, but he realized that he might have been wrong. The other side was weaker than he imagined. Of course, it might also be that the combat methods of the two countries were different, resulting in this difference. It was different from the Ming Dynasty's clear-cut style; this place was full of various curves, various lines with perfect proportions, semi-circular arches, and full of various column composition elements. The architectural complex centered on it was indeed very exquisite. Almost no one noticed that the two bucket ships blocking the door were slowly towed away in the night.

Commander Gao Di stood on the city wall, looking at the arrows falling into the city, hiding behind several shield soldiers, and said angrily: "I don't know where these pirates came from, so impolite! Commander and Deputy Commander, you must not go down tomorrow, you must drive them into the sea!"

The Viceroy stood up straight and said: "The Ming army is mighty!"

The Red-Haired Barbarians held two memorials and didn't know what to do. The Emperor wrote a personal letter, telling Li Li Rusong that it didn't matter if he lost, as long as we won in the end!

The Red-Haired Barbarians held the two memorials and didn't know what to do. The Emperor wrote a personal letter, telling Li Li Rusong that it didn't matter if he lost, as long as we won in the end!

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End of Chapter

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