Chapter 159: The Final Confrontation

Hongwu Year 7, June 3.

After a few days of rest at Hayabusa City, the fleet from Hakata Port finally arrived.

Thirty warships moored in Hayabusa Bay, led by the newly launched "Zhenwo," the second propeller warship built by the Ministry of Works from a steamship blueprint, larger than the "Hongwu," carrying eight hundred soldiers and equipped with twenty cannons.

Li Wenzhong and Zhu Yong boarded the Zhenwo; its captain was a man in his forties named Chen, a veteran of the Chao Lake navy who had fought alongside Zhu Yuanzhang at the Battle of Poyang Lake.

"Captain Chen, how long does it take to go from here to Yakushima?" Li Wenzhong asked.

Captain Chen pointed to the sea chart and said, "Lord Cao, with a following wind it can be reached in one day; against the wind it takes two days. There is a pier on the southwest of Yakushima, but the remnants of the Southern Court will surely have defenses, and a direct landing may encounter an ambush."

"Then where is a safe place to land?"

Captain Chen pointed to the northwest side of Yakushima and said, "Here is a shallow shoal; at low tide troops can walk ashore, but the ships can only anchor two li away, using small boats to ferry the soldiers."

Li Wenzhong looked, nodded, and said, "We will land from this spot. Send the order: all troops board, and we set out tomorrow at Chen Hour."

"Understood!"

……

June 20, Chen Hour.

Thirty warships sailed out of Hayabusa Bay, heading southeast.

The sea was calm, the east wind was perfect, and the sails were fully inflated.

Zhu Yong stood at the bow of the Zhenwo, gazing at the vast ocean.

It was his first time crossing the sea by ship, and he felt a certain novelty.

"Cousin, this ship is really steady," he said.

Li Wenzhong stood nearby and said lightly, "The new ships built by the Ministry of Works are indeed fine, much faster than the old-fashioned sailing vessels."

He pointed to the propeller on the side of the ship and said, "When that thing turns, the ship moves; it doesn't need the wind."

Zhu Yong watched the propeller curiously as spray flew, propelling the hull forward.

After half a day of sailing, in the afternoon, the outline of an island appeared on the distant horizon.

"That is Yakushima," Captain Chen said.

Li Wenzhong raised the Thousand-mile Mirror and examined carefully.

Yakushima's terrain was steep, its forests dense, its coastline winding—truly easy to defend and hard to attack.

"How many defenders are stationed at the island's highest point?" he asked.

The intelligence officer beside him replied, "According to the captives, the remnants of the Southern Court number about five thousand, led by Juchi Wuzheng's brother Juchi Wuguang.

They have been operating on the island for years, having built three forts and one pier, with Grain and Fodder plentiful enough to sustain for half a year."

"Half a year… we don't have time to waste with them," Li Wenzhong sneered.

Immediately, he ordered, "Send the order to all ships: anchor two li outside the northwest shoal, use small boats to land, the first wave of three thousand troops to seize the beachhead."

"Understood!"

The fleet turned and rounded to the northwest side of Yakushima.

Outside the shoal, the water was crystal clear, revealing the sand and stones on the seabed.

The thirty warships dropped anchor and lowered the small boats.

The first wave of landing troops began boarding; each boat carried twenty men, a total of one hundred fifty small boats.

Zhu Yong also tried to board, but Li Wenzhong stopped him and said, "Cousin, you are Prince Wu; you cannot be in the first landing batch."

"Why? I can fight," Zhu Yong asked, puzzled.

"Precisely because you can fight, you must not take unnecessary risks; if the beachhead is ambushed and you fall, morale will crumble. Wait until the first batch secures a foothold, then you may go."

Li Wenzhong said gravely.

Zhu Yong scratched his head; though reluctant, he obeyed.

Seeing the expression on his cousin's face, he knew his cousin would never let him go.

One hundred fifty small boats rowed toward the shoal.

The sea remained calm, only the sounds of oars and waves.

On shore, the forest was silent, revealing no sign of people.

The first batch of small boats reached the shoal; soldiers leapt out and waded ashore.

One thousand, two thousand, three thousand…

The beachhead positions were being established rapidly.

At that moment, an unexpected change erupted.

"Swoosh swoosh swoosh..."

Arrows shot out from the forest!

"Ambush!" a Ming officer shouted.

A large force of Japanese troops surged from the woods, brandishing bows, arrows, spears, and katana swords, charging at the Ming troops on the beachhead.

"Form ranks! Meet the enemy!" the Ming troops quickly formed, and the Flintlock Gun units raised their guns to fire.

But the beachhead terrain was narrow, the Ming formation could not expand, while the Japanese attacked from three sides with superior numbers.

The melee was brutal.

On the Zhenwo, Li Wenzhong's face darkened.

"As expected, an ambush. Send the order: prepare the second landing wave and rush to support!" he said coldly.

"Understood!"

The second wave of small boats began to launch.

Zhu Yong looked at the battlefield, became frantic, and couldn't help but say, "Cousin, let me go!"

Li Wenzhong surveyed the situation; the Ming troops on the beachhead were already in a hard fight, with casualties rising.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, you take the Personal Guard Unit up; you must open the situation!"

"Yes!"

Zhu Yong, with Zhang Wu, Chen Heng and two hundred Imperial Troops, boarded a small boat and rushed toward the shallow beach.

The small boat docked, and Zhu Yong was the first to jump out, splashing water everywhere.

He lifted the Double Hammers and charged toward the battlefield.

At the beachhead, a chaotic melee raged, Ming troops and Japanese troops locked in a deadly grapple, blades flashing, blood staining the sand.

Zhu Yong caught sight of a commander‑like figure among the Japanese troops, directing the battle.

"Zhang Wu, Chen Heng, charge with me!" Zhu Yong bellowed, rushing toward that Japanese commander.

The Japanese commander also saw Zhu Yong; he recognized those paired drum‑jar Jin hammers.

"Ghost King… it's the Ming troops' Ghost King! Release the Arrow! Shoot him dead!" the Japanese commander shouted in surprise, then immediately snarled.

Dozens of Japanese archers changed direction, and Arrows rained down on Zhu Yong.

Zhu Yong neither dodged nor evaded; the Double Hammers whirled, deflecting the Arrows away.

He moved with extreme speed, reaching the front of the Japanese Formation within a few breaths.

"Anyone who blocks me shall die!" Zhu Yong roared, sweeping a hammer horizontally.

Three Japanese soldiers were smashed away, their sternums shattered.

Zhu Yong instantly charged into the enemy ranks, like a ferocious tiger storming a flock of sheep.

With the Double Hammers swinging in his hands, wherever they passed, flesh and blood flew sideways; no one could stand in the way.

The Japanese troops, terrified, fell back, and the Formation began to loosen.

Seeing this, the Japanese commander gritted his teeth and suddenly drew his sword, charging toward Zhu Yong.

"Ghost King, meet your death!" he bellowed, rallying himself, the blade flashing sharply as it swung down at Zhu Yong.

Yet Zhu Yong didn't even glance, delivering a hammer strike straight down.

"Bang!"

The Japanese Long Sword broke, his men were directly …

The Japanese commander was smashed into mush.

The chief commander fell in battle, and the Japanese troops' morale plummeted.

Zhu Yong seized the momentum, charging forward, the Personal Guard Unit close behind, forcefully tearing a gap in the Japanese encirclement.

The Ming troops at the beachhead, seeing this, had their morale surge and fought back vigorously.

At this moment, a second wave of landing forces arrived on the battlefield, three thousand fresh troops joining the fight.

The tide of battle began to turn.

Though the Japanese troops were numerous, their equipment was inferior, and having lost command, they gradually faltered.

Half an hour later, the Japanese troops were routed, and some Japanese fled into the hills.

The beachhead position finally steadied.

Zhu Yong was drenched in blood, standing on the sand, the Double Hammers dripping blood.

"Prince, are you all right?" Zhang Wu asked with some worry.

"I'm fine; it's all Japanese blood," Zhu Yong said with a goofy grin.