Chapter 410: Ambition

Send the order: rest in Falu for two days, then head north and take Lisbon directly.

Yes…

The Longxiang Army set up camp in Falu.

The soldiers pitched tents, built fires, and cooked.

Zhu Yong sat on a large Stone, watching the distant sea.

The setting sun sank in the west, dyeing the whole sea surface a golden yellow.

The sea breeze blew in, carrying a salty, fishy scent and also the foul stench from the town of Falu.

Zhu Qiongjiong squatted beside him, holding a piece of Dry Rations, took two bites, then set it down.

"Father, why is this place so stinky that I can't even eat a meal?"

Zhu Yong glanced at his son and said lightly, "Just get used to it; Europeans are like that, never bathe, never clean, living in latrines."

Zhu Qiongjiong pursed his lips and shoved the Dry Rations back into his chest.

"Father, when will we go home?"

Zhu Yong was silent for a moment, then said, "Soon, after we finish this battle."

Zhu Qiongjiong nodded and asked no more.

In the distance, Zhu Gang and Zhu Di were squatting by the Fire Pit, grilling fish.

The fish had just been hauled from the sea, very fresh, but the grilled flavor mixed with Falu's stench, making anyone lose their appetite.

Zhu Gang brought the grilled fish to his nose, sniffed, then put it back.

"Damn, even the fish here are foul."

Zhu Di said nothing, tossed the fish into the Fire Pit, and refused to eat.

Zhu Shuang walked out of the town, holding a map.

"Second Prince, this was retrieved from the town; it's a map of southern Portugal, marking the locations of towns and troop deployments."

Zhu Yong took the map and unfolded it.

The map was drawn roughly, but the general outline was discernible.

Lisbon lies to the northwest, by the sea, a port city.

There are several small towns around, each with few troops.

"Third brother, how do you think we should fight this battle?" he handed the map back.

Zhu Shuang took it, thought for a moment and said, "Second Prince, I think we should split the forces into two routes, one marching north over land, the other sailing north over sea, advancing by water and land together, and take Lisbon directly."

Zhu Yong nodded.

This kid hasn't wasted his time in Australia these years.

"Alright, we'll do as you say: you lead ten thousand men north over land, I lead ten thousand men north over sea, fourth brother and fifth brother stay here, awaiting our news."

Zhu Shuang clasped his fists and said, "Yes!"

Zhu Gang rose from the Fire Pit, walked over and said, "Second Prince, I also want to go."

"Stay here and behave, don't follow us. You need to watch over fifth brother, keep the sanitation here clean, otherwise we won't have food, and before we capture it we might die of disease."

Zhu Gang opened his mouth, wanted to say something, then swallowed it back.

Zhu Di said nothing, merely nodded.

He doesn't speak much, but he knows what's going on.

Early the next day, the fleet continued north.

Zhu Shuang led ten thousand men from land, marching north along the coastline.

Zhu Yong led ten thousand men from sea, the steamship steaming at full speed.

After three days, a great city appeared ahead.

The city walls were high, crowds thronged the gate, and dozens of large ships were docked in the harbor.

"Prince, ahead is Lisbon," Wang Gui stepped out of the cabin, pointing at the distant city.

Zhu Yong squinted, watched for a while, then said, "Send the order, prepare to assault the city."

The Command was relayed, and one hundred twenty steamships began to change formation.

The vanguard docked, flanked by two wings of guard, the central army behind the pavilion.

The Portuguese on shore clearly hadn't expected a fleet of this scale to attack.

They froze for a moment, then fled chaotically into the city.

Zhu Yong stood on the prow, watching the panicked Portuguese, a slight smile curling his lips.

"Fire the cannons."

Three hundred muzzle-loading cannons fired simultaneously.

Flowering shells ripped the dawn, trailing long tails, striking Lisbon's city walls.

Explosions rose and fell, bricks and stones shattered, smoke and dust billowed skyward.

One round of bombardment brought down a large section of the wall.

The Portuguese fled the city, scrambling inland in panic.

"Land," Zhu Yong led the charge, stepping down from the gangplank.

Both feet sank into the soft sand, half a foot immersed.

He looked up at the wall, blown to ruin, then at the ragged fleeing Portuguese.

"Pursue."

Ten thousand Longxiang Army surged from the ships, Flintlock Guns loaded, bayonets unsheathed.

They chased the Portuguese inland.

Ran for about half an hour, and a royal palace appeared ahead.

The palace wasn't large, but looked grand, built of Stone and whitewashed outside.

A few guards stood at the gate; seeing the Great Ming troops charge, they dropped their weapons and fled in fright.

Zhu Yong led his men into the palace; inside it was empty and desolate, with no one inside.

The king had fled.

"Search…" he said lightly.

Longxiang Army surged into each room, searching room by room.

In less than half an hour, the entire palace was under control.

They captured several ministers and palace maids who hadn't had time to run, and seized some Gold and Silver jewelry and documents.

Zhu Yong sat on the palace throne, looking at the Portuguese ministers crouching on the ground.

Their hair was a mess, their faces covered in grime, their clothes were lavish but wrinkled, and they exuded a foul odor.

If Zhu Gang were here, he would definitely be covering his nose and cursing.

"Wang Gui, ask them where the king ran to."

Wang Gui walked over and asked in Portuguese.

He spoke back and forth with those ministers.

After listening, Wang Gui returned and said, "Prince, they say the king fled north to Porto, where there are ships and one can set sail."

Zhu Yong nodded.

Porto, a port city in northern Portugal.

Hundreds of li from Lisbon.

"Send orders, rest for two days, then head north and take Porto directly."

"Yes!"

By the time the news that Lisbon had fallen reached Falu, it was already two days later.

Zhu Gang and Zhu Di were waiting for news in Falu's camp.

Hearing that Lisbon had fallen and the king had fled, Zhu Gang slapped his thigh and laughed, "I knew the Second Prince could do it."

Zhu Di said nothing, but a smile tugged at his mouth.

Zhu Gang stood up, walked to the map, and looked at the terrain of northern Portugal.

"Fifth brother, where do you think the Second Prince will strike next?"

Zhu Di walked over, glanced at the map, then said, "Porto, the king ran that way."

Zhu Gang nodded and asked, "After Portugal, what then?"

"Attack Spain, after Spain attack France, after France attack the Holy Roman Empire, keep marching until all of Europe submits to Great Ming."

Zhu Gang opened his mouth to say something, then swallowed it back.

He knew the Fifth brother was right; the Second Prince's ambition wasn't just Portugal.

It was all of Europe.

Zhu Gang also began gathering those European natives to start handling the waste.

Of course, there were still some who ignored Great Ming's orders and tried to resist; they were eventually cleared out by Zhu Di with his men.