1635 Han style rises again

Chapter 303 The Unwillingness of All Parties

Guangnan King Ruan Fulan stared at the few courtiers with a gloomy expression, hoping that they would come up with a definite rules of conduct.But to his disappointment, these ministers of Guangnan Kingdom were arguing fiercely, who should bear the responsibility for the defeat of more than [-] troops on a small island.

Uncle Wang Ruan Shaoqing pointedly accused the navy commander Huang Yuantao and the Minister of War Ruan Jingsi for not checking the enemy's situation and sending troops without authorization, and the troops they sent were lax in their military equipment, so that they were defeated on the island for no reason, which greatly damaged the prestige of Guangnan.

Ruan Jingsi, Shangshu of the Ministry of War, accused the general Ruan Shaolong of underestimating the enemy, mistakenly caught the enemy in an ambush, and caused the army to be defeated.At the same time, he insisted that sending troops to attack the small island was not a big mistake. Not only could he try the tactics of attacking the enemy by sea, but he could also form a pincer attack on Champa and Cambodia.

Generally speaking, the strategy is excellent, but what is wrong is that the executor has a problem.

The commander of the navy, Huang Yuantao, gave Ruan Jingsi a bitter look. What does this old guy mean by saying this?Although Ruan Shaolong is the deputy commander of the navy, how can he manage a family member of the Ruan family with a general with a foreign surname.He directly asked the king for orders to lead the army, without being assigned by our navy.I'm innocent too, okay?

But Huang Yuantao did not dare to directly blame Guangnan King Ruan Fulan. He could only blame the Dutch for failing to provide due cooperation and assistance based on the defeat of the army. lead to the collapse of the whole army.

At the end of the quarrel, several people even started talking about how to seek justice from the Dutch.Said that they did not rescue Annan's defeated army in time, and also intentionally misled them, thinking that there were only a thousand refugees from Daming who had fled here on that small island.The defeated army reported that the small island actually had more than 4000 well-equipped troops.

Seeing the increasingly gloomy face of Guangnan King Ruan Fulan on the throne, some courtiers who were eager to shut their mouths wisely.Gradually, the noise of quarreling in the hall became quieter, and finally returned to silence.

"Advance underestimated the enemy, leading to the defeat of the army, humiliating the prestige of the country and the army, and ordered all the leading soldiers to be dismissed and charged with crimes." Ruan Fulan, King of Guangnan, said slowly: "Officials from the Ministry of Rites went to the Dutch business hall to admonish them for their betrayal and dishonesty. responsibility."

Then, he looked coldly at the many courtiers in the hall, and said decisively: "Order the Ministry of War to recruit three thousand soldiers from the north to Fuchun (now Hue, Vietnam) to stand by, and one thousand imperial guards to prepare for the battle. The boat can turn back to the Fuchun Water Village from the vicinity of Yipu Liango (near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) to stand by."

"Your Majesty, do you want to attack that small island again?" Ruan Shaoqing asked in surprise.

"What objection does Uncle Wang have?" Guangnan Wang Ruan Fulan asked in a deep voice.

"Return from the defeated army. The small island has a strong city, and it cannot be conquered in a short time. There is a risk of accidents across thousands of miles!" Ruan Shaoqing said: "And we don't know the Hanzhou to which the small island belongs. Again It's unknown if you attack it rashly, or make a strong enemy!"

"According to the Dutch people, Hanzhou is thousands of miles away from Guangnan, and the people in the country are all refugees from the Ming Dynasty, with a population of only tens of thousands. What is a strong enemy?" Ruan Fulan, king of Guangnan, said loudly: "I am in Guangnan. With a territory of thousands of miles, millions of people, and tens of thousands of elite soldiers, is it possible that such a small country cannot be defeated? This time, when we attack the small island again, more than [-] battle-hardened soldiers will carry several artillery pieces. Destroy the city on that small island, and bind the recalcitrant bandits in Fuchun."

"What if our army is unable to attack, or even loses again?" Ruan Shaoqing asked.

"My Guangnan soldiers are sharp, how can I lose again with the strike of thunder?" Ruan Fulan, the king of Guangnan, said displeasedly: "Uncle Wang, if there is nothing to do on weekdays, it is better to take care of your health in the mansion!" With a snort, he walked away.

"Although Hanzhou is a small country thousands of miles away, if it dares to occupy the small island in front of Cambodia and Champa, its strength must not be underestimated." Ruan Shaoqing said in a low voice: "The Dutch people's ships are strong and powerful, and they dare not Attacking it with the Lu division, our Guangnan Kingdom shouldn't lose our strength for a little bit of morale!"

The ministers of the Annan Ruan family just shook their heads and walked out of the hall together.Since Your Majesty intends to attack the small island, we, the courtiers, naturally have to support it with all our strength and make reasonable arrangements for the deployment of troops and materials.No matter how powerful that so-called small country of Hanzhou is, it still poses a threat to our Guangnan country because it travels thousands of miles away?

In this area, only the Daming in the north and the Zheng family in Shenglong City pose a certain threat to our Guangnan Kingdom, and the rest are not to be feared.Your Majesty uses the north to defend the powerful soldiers of the Zheng family and the guards of the royal city. I am afraid that in addition to capturing the small island, he will probably point his sword at Champa. Based on Priango, the north and south will squeeze and invade the little remaining land in Zhancheng. And eventually annexed this small southern country.

Lost to thousands of Ming people in exile on that small island, don't say that the king can't swallow this breath. As the subjects of Guangnan Kingdom, they are also very unwilling. If there is no further conquest, how can Guangnan Kingdom become a powerful country here.

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And when the Guangnan Kingdom gathered officials to discuss how to attack Xinsheng Island again and revive the country's prestige and military prestige, on the remote northern island, in the Governor's Mansion of Zeelandia, Formosa, the Governor of the Dutch East India Company in Formosa Van der Bolger was also quietly listening to the colonial officials below discussing the resolution of war or peace without saying a word, but his entire face was pale.

Zheng Zhilong's army captured Chikan City more than ten days ago, and is now besieging Zelanja City.The five rescued warships were driven back by Zheng Zhilong's navy. Now, Zheng's landing force has dragged two 18-pound heavy artillery to the city, and built two strong temporary forts to bombard the city wall day and night. Trying to break a hole.

Zheng Jun has sent messengers to the city three times in a row, each time with tougher words, declaring that if the resistance continues to the end, after the city is broken, there will be an indiscriminate massacre of the city.

Facing the siege of Zheng Zhilong's thousands of troops, coupled with the fact that the rescue fleet retreated without any follow-up news, most of the Dutch colonial officials had the intention to surrender.

Hearing the heavy artillery bombardment of the Zheng army outside the city every day, the hearts of all colonial officials and soldiers would beat a few times, and they were always worried that with round after round of heavy artillery bombardment, the city walls of Zeelandia would collapse and be damaged. , and then the swarming Zheng Jun will break into the city and kill them all.

Although they repelled Zheng Jun's two full-scale attacks and killed hundreds of enemies, they also lost dozens of people.But don't forget that there are thousands of Zheng Jun outside the city.If they want, they can even capture Zeelandia at a greater exchange rate.But does everyone in the city have the belief that they must die to stick to the castle?

"Gentlemen, there is no need to deny that we seem to be in a desperate situation now." Governor Van der Burg said in a low voice: "There are only two options before us, one is to heroically defend this castle, and then By God's call, follow him. In addition, it is to agree to the request of the army of Nicholas Yiguan (Zheng Zhilong's Christian name) outside the city, and surrender to them in a very shameful way."

After finishing speaking, he looked at the few colonial officials sitting there, and everyone's expressions darkened.Everyone doesn't want to die, but how can the treatment after surrender be any better?Smash order?Or a labor camp?
"Then, gentlemen, let us... vote." Governor Van der Bolger said bitterly: "We vote to determine our future. Those who are willing to surrender, please raise your right hand."

Several Dutch colonial officials could not help cursing Governor Van der Burg in their hearts. As the Governor of Formosa, you have the power to decide everything, but when you are facing life and death, you actually ask everyone to vote to decide whether to stick to it and surrender!

But under the gaze of Governor Bolger, they raised their right hands one by one.Just as Governor Van der Borge announced the final decision, Formosa Magistrate Captain Sten Coruben suddenly stood up and said decisively: "Everyone, we should not make a decision so early. There are still 80 people in the city. Many soldiers, more than 200 native servants are still obeying our orders, and we still have a lot of food and ammunition reserves. We should persevere, Batavia will not give up on us!"

"However, those mercenaries have lost the courage to continue fighting." A colonial official seemed a little uncomfortable with the sudden appearance of the brave, "They may have long wanted to surrender."

"No, gentlemen," said Captain Sten Coruben, "they are mercenaries, and we need to motivate them to fight bravely. I think we can stimulate them with more generous property and stick to this city." Castle. Don't forget that our federal republic gained independence under the brutal Spanish rule because our countless soldiers and people always believed that we would win and won our independence by relying on a long and continuous struggle. For humiliation Are you willing to fail?"

Governor Bolger looked helplessly at this passionate sheriff, a fanatical supporter of the Orange family, and a staunch royalist soldier.However, in this desperate situation, can we really defend the city of Zeelandia with our blood?

Losing Formosa, as the governor, was naturally extremely unwilling.But what is it compared to losing your life and suffering some humiliation?Some things really don't need life to maintain.Perhaps, when Nicholas is weak, our East India Company can take it back again.

On April 1639, 4, the governor of the Dutch East India Company in Formosa, Van der Bolger, led all the colonial officials and soldiers of Zeelandia, opened the city gate, and formally sent a letter to Zheng Jun on behalf of General Yang Geng of Quanzhou, Fujian. surrender.

Counting from the Dutch occupation of Taiwan in 1624, it took a total of 15 years. Compared with the period of Zheng Chenggong (also known as Zheng Sen), the son of Zheng Zhilong in history, the colonization of Taiwan ended 23 years earlier. .

(End of this chapter)