1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 282 First Line

Standing at the top of the city, Xu Chuanxing watched as Qi Dalu disappeared into the dense forest outside the southern city of Dili with more than two hundred marines and soldiers.

In the past ten days or so, they have gone deep into the forest three times and found some wild animals such as wild deer, parrots, wild pigeons, etc., but the food they got was far from enough to satisfy the appetite of nearly 700 people in the city.As for the native tribes that were expected to be found, there was no sign of them at all, presumably they were expelled from a place within ten miles of Dili by the former Portuguese.

A few days ago, the search team found many crocodiles in a shallow river more than ten miles away, which made everyone ecstatic.Shooting with muskets and chopping with swords, more than ten pieces were captured.But because the team at that time only carried muskets and swords, they couldn't drag too much.This time, Qi Dalu expanded the search team to more than 200 people, and also prepared many dragging tools, hoping to bring back more crocodile meat.

A group of more than 200 people walked in the jungle with their bodies wrapped tightly. No one spoke, but their eyes kept a close watch on the movements of their feet and heads from time to time to prevent certain snakes from jumping up and hurting people.

At noon, the team had traveled seven or eight miles, and when they were about to reach the small river, the team suddenly stopped.When Qi Dalu saw the Marine Corps soldiers who were exploring the way in front of him walking over lightly, his face was full of joy.

"Captain, the natives are found ahead!"

"Huh?" Qi Dalu was also overjoyed. Since there are natives, following these people, you can find their tribal camp, and maybe you can grab some food back. "How many people are there?"

"There are more than 100 people." The soldier said, "However, they carry weapons, and they are iron swords. At this time, they are gathering on a slope, and they should be resting temporarily."

"Continue to stare at them." Qi Dalu ordered the soldier who was looking for the way to return, and then immediately summoned several platoon leaders to prepare for the encirclement and annihilation plan.

On a slope with sparse forests, more than 100 natives sat around in twos and threes, drinking water and eating dry food.By the looks of it, it's been a long way.

These more than 100 natives are a team of soldiers sent by the defected general Natatuka of the Weihali Kingdom in response to the strong request of Qiao Bensheng, the black guard of Hanzhou.They will enter the city of Dili to support the Hanzhou army and jointly fight against the Dutch attack.However, the leader of the team was also instructed by Natatuka not to rush into the front line of the battle as a last resort, and to preserve his strength as much as possible.

If the Dutch have captured Dili City, they will quickly return to the nearest tribe, wait for orders, and send people back to report the news, so that the forces controlled by Natatuka can prepare contingency countermeasures.

Suddenly, a few natives seemed to have heard something. They grabbed the short knives on the ground, stood up, and looked at the opposite mountain forest vigilantly.The natives next to him seemed to be aware of it, and they also stood up one after another, looking around.

After a while, more than 200 soldiers in black military uniforms walked out of the woods on three sides, holding muskets, and slowly pushed forward.

The more than 100 natives suddenly panicked. Obviously, the armed soldiers who surrounded them were ready to attack them.

One of the natives seemed to have thought of something, he happily shouted to the Hanzhou Marine Corps, and quickly walked up to them.

"Bump! Bump! Bump!..." The marine soldiers in the first row fired their muskets and knocked down the brave native and some nearby natives to the ground.

Desperate and angry, the natives waved their weapons and rushed towards the Marine soldiers who surrounded them on three sides.

"Let go!" Following the orders of the officers of each platoon, the soldiers in three rows fired their muskets one after another, then drew out their short knives and stood on guard, waiting for the teammates' platoon guns to finish firing before launching an attack.

After the three rows of muskets were fired, only fifty of the more than 100 natives on Banpo were left, and the marines rushed over with their short knives.

Some of the natives who were blinded by the volley of guns continued to rush forward, and some ran back screaming, and they were all in a mess.

"Don't kill them all, keep a few alive!" Several Marine Corps officers shouted loudly. Seeing that the soldiers were about to kill all the rebel natives, they hurriedly stopped them and expected to pass through these natives. Their tribal camp, collecting food that may be accumulated.

Seeing the dozen or so natives fleeing, Qi Dalu immediately left a group of soldiers to clean up the battlefield, and chased after them with the rest.

After chasing for three or four miles, they killed and captured four or five natives one after another, and the rest disappeared into the dense forest without a trace.Qi Dalu immediately ordered the two captured natives to be interrogated, asking where their camp was with pictures.

Facing the questioning of the Marine Corps officer, the two natives yelled so loudly that it was impossible to understand what they were talking about.In desperation, someone took a knife and stabbed one of the natives in the arm.

Qi Dalu was very anxious at this time, if the escaped native returned to the camp, packed up his things and ran away, it would be a waste of time.

He pushed away the questioning officer and pointed a dagger at a native.

"Where is your camp?" As he said, Qi Dalu made a gesture of eating with his other hand.

Seeing this, the native opened his mouth wide with a mournful face.

um, what do you mean?Qi Dalu looked at the soldiers beside him.

"Captain, his appearance probably means that he has finished eating." A soldier suppressed a smile and said, "Should I ask where he sleeps?"

As he spoke, the soldier made a sleeping posture with his head resting on the back of his hand, and then stretched out his hand to point into the depths of the jungle.

The native was startled for a moment, then shook his head and said something.

"This guy understands!" The soldier said in surprise, "Let's press him again and let him lead the way."

Hearing this, Qi Dalu put the dagger in his hand on the native's neck, and motioned to the soldier with his eyes.

The soldier swung a knife and slashed at the other arm of the injured native next to him, letting him scream in pain, then turned his head to stare at the native who understood what they were asking.

The native flinched back in fright, but was blocked by a marine officer.

Seeing that he still didn't want to speak, the soldier stabbed the wounded native's leg again.

On Qi Dalu's side, the short knife in his hand also lightly scratched the native's face, cutting a bloody mouth with more than an inch.

The two natives cried out in pain together.

"Kill him!" Qi Dalu ordered.

The soldier cut the neck of the screaming native on the ground with a backhand knife.

Seeing that his companion was killed on the spot, the native showed a look of fear in his eyes, stopped shouting, and nodded repeatedly at the officers and soldiers of the Marine Corps.

When Qi Dalu saw him, he couldn't help but heaved a sigh of relief, with a relieved smile on his face.

"Come on, let's get some food!"

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Major Manfred Eigen, commander of the squadron of the Dutch East India Company that blocked Dili Port, waited for more than ten days, but did not see any message from the Governor of Kupang. The Dutch captives responded with the utmost sympathy.Dili Port is less than three days away from Tubang's trip. Even if the governor of Kupang needs to gather people for discussion, he will send back clear instructions within a week.

But more than ten days have passed, and there is no message from Gubang, which means that the Dutch captives in Dili City have been abandoned.In order to annihilate Hanzhou's troops stationed in Dili City, the Dutch colonial government did everything they could.

In the past ten days, the Hanzhou soldiers in Dili City would drag several Dutch prisoners to the pier every day and discard them in the sea.

When the fleet put down the boat and rushed over, some of the captives picked up had all died, perhaps starved to death, or weak and drowned in sea water.From the natives at the beginning to the Dutch mercenaries who gradually increased, more than 50 people have been thrown into the sea by Hanzhou soldiers in more than ten days.

The officers and sailors of the blockade fleet were extremely angry at this matter.They all said that if Dili City was captured, all Hanzhou officers and soldiers would be tortured to death in order to avenge their evil deeds.

Major Manfred Eigen believed that the Hanzhou officers and soldiers in Dili City would not surrender easily.They will try their best to support until the last moment.Perhaps, the Dutch may capture the city of Dili, but the city must be a dead city.

At the last moment of despair, the Hanzhou people will definitely destroy Dili City frantically, and they will definitely not leave an intact city for the Dutch.

So, is the Han-Dutch War triggered by this Dili City worth it?
Such attacks before and after have caused a lot of losses in personnel and materials, but they have not been able to capture Dili City.However, Ambon in the Spice Islands was attacked by the Hanzhou Navy. It is said that the entire city was looted and most of the buildings were severely damaged.The Tubang Kingdom near Batavia is also ready to attack the Dutch.

The Portuguese, who controlled the Strait of Malacca, increasingly tracked and intercepted the single Dutch merchant ships without scruple, posing a certain threat to the trade channels of the East India Company to and from Europe.

An official of the Ming Dynasty, Nicholas (Zheng Zhilong), heard that he sent a large number of ships to intercept and attack Dutch merchant ships in the Annan and Cambodian waters, and seemed to want to cut off the trade between the East India Company and Japan and Korea.

But our East India Company spent a lot of manpower and material resources in a war with Hanzhou.Even if we defeat them, what can we gain?
Major Manfred Eigen was shaken and suspicious of the decision of Governor Batavia in his heart.

Not to mention Dili City, even if we occupy the entire Timor Island, it seems that we will not get much economic benefit.There are no spices, no gold and silver mines on this island, and the natives are also poor, and there are only endless trees.However, the most indispensable thing on the many islands of the East Indies is trees.

If Hanzhou does not surrender, will we continue the blockade?I heard that the people in Hanzhou are all hungry people from the Ming Dynasty. As long as they have a full stomach, they will ask for nothing.Does the blockade really work?

But our East India Company came here to earn benefits from the East Indies.It seems a little uneconomical to fight and kill just for the potential threat that may exist!

(End of this chapter)