I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 867 You poor bastards, stop bragging!
The time soon came to around six o'clock in the evening. The sun was only an elbow away from the line between land and sky in the west. The sunset dyed the lush green mountains and forests of Jumang County into orange.

The entire Chunmu Harbor was slowly shrouded by a veil of orange light. In the evening mist, it gradually became quiet from the hustle and bustle.

The sea surface outside Chunmu Port also faded from its colorful glory and was slowly dyed into deep blue.

The sea water grew deeper and colder, from lively to quiet.

But the waves continued to rise and fall, only half visible and half hidden in the light twilight.

The clear and melodious sound of the flute rang out, like the wind blowing over the fields of my hometown, carrying the fragrance of rice and wheat, like a complaint and a cry.

"Why bamboo flute complain willow, spring is not degree Pass."

Zhu Jingfa held the railing on the stern deck and sighed.

"The Han and Tang dynasties were once powerful and omnipotent, spanning thousands of miles and leaving their names in history.

The territory of our Ming Dynasty extends far beyond thousands of miles. The transverse flute is played by the soldiers and civilians of our Ming Dynasty in Shangzhou Jumang County, and the sound of the flute floats in this Rushou Sea.

The setting sun and bright moon are still the same as those in the Han and Tang dynasties, but in this world, the Ming Dynasty has taken on a new look. "

He turned to his adjutant and asked, "Do you miss home when you hear this flute?"

"I miss home, but I don't want to go home."

"You kid, your words are ambiguous, what do you mean?"

"Captain, when I hear this flute, I must be thinking of my hometown, my parents, my wife and children. But Mr. Dongpo said, 'Wherever my heart is at peace is my hometown.'

We have brought glory to the Great Ming Dynasty and expanded its territory. This vast fertile land covering tens of thousands of miles will bring blessings to our Great Ming Dynasty for thousands of generations, including my descendants.

This makes my heart not only peaceful but also warm, so I don’t miss home that much.”

Zhu Jingfa looked at his adjutant's young face, which was shining brightly in the setting sun, and his heart was moved.

“Yes, everything is different in the new world.

In the past, not only you, but also I, a former member of the royal family, lived in a muddle, as if we were born just to eat, to wear clothes, and to have children.

It’s different now. The emperor pushed open a door, pointed to a new world and said to us, look, this is the new era, this is the new world. Let’s work hard to create it.

We have been given a historical mission and are no longer idle like cattle and horses.

We set sail on the waves, conquer and gain power, and expand thousands of miles of territory.

Our names and deeds will be recorded in history books, and future generations will remember our stories when they enjoy peace and happiness.

The setting sun and the bright moon remain the same for thousands of years, but we have finally created a new history and written a new chapter.”

The adjutant's face was full of admiration. "Captain, what you said is very good. It's the same as what the instructors and counselors said."

Zhu Jingfa's eyes flickered.

Political instructor and counselor.

Just as the army battalions and companies are equipped with instructors and counselors, the navy ships are also equipped with instructors and counselors. Battleships are all equipped with instructors, and frigates and below are all equipped with instructors.

This is a new military system established by the emperor himself, which is much stronger than the previous systems of eunuchs supervising the military and civil servants supervising the military.

Morale is high and the military is motivated.

The emperor reduced the power of the feudal lords, eliminated the states, cleaned up the aristocratic families, eliminated the powerful, and abolished reason and restricted Confucianism. This was one of his greatest reliances.

Now that we are thousands of miles away, this military system is even more valuable in rallying people's hearts and boosting morale.

"Report! There's a ship!"

An urgent report from the mast lookout interrupted Zhu Jingfa's thoughts.

He quickly rushed to the other side of the stern deck and looked into the distance with a telescope.

In the deepening dusk, six ships set sail and cleaved the waves towards Chunmu Port.

"Pass the order, Pingliang is on alert!" Zhu Jingfa gave the order.

The adjutant walked to the stairs of the stern deck, took off the trumpet from his waist, and blew it.

The deck, which had been quiet just a moment ago, was filled with chaotic footsteps, and sailors quickly ran out of the cabin and took their positions.

After the roll call, the gunners took off their gun covers and prepared ammunition.

The musketeers raised their muskets and lined up to await orders.

Dozens of sailors climbed up the mast and stood on the crossbar at the command of the boatswain. They could lower the sails at the command of the boatswain.
The other ships also became noisy and began their own preparations.

A communications ship, under the cover of a cruiser, sailed out of formation and headed towards the six ships.

Half an hour later, the communications ship returned and sent flag signals to the rear.

"Captain, it's Drake from England. He said he's here to report to the Admiral."

"Send someone to the port to inform the admiral, send a signal to Drake, and ask them to sail their ships to the designated location, board our transport boat, and go to the port to report to the admiral."

"Yes."

Half an hour later, Zhu Jingfa saw Drake standing at the bow of the sailboat in high spirits. He stood straight, leaning outward, holding the rope with one hand, facing the sea breeze, just like a statue on the bow.

Unfortunately, there is no standing on the sinking mast, nor is there any passionate background music to suit the scene.

Drake took eleven people and boarded the transport boat that came from the port.

He still stood at the bow of the boat, with his head held high.

Passing by the "Pingliang", the captains behind him looked at the majestic hull that was like a mountain castle and the densely packed gun muzzles, and they couldn't help but exclaimed and made the sign of the cross on their chests.

Drake saw Zhu Jingfa standing on the stern deck, looking down at them. He took off his tricorn hat and bowed gracefully.

Zhu Jingfa looked calm and returned the military salute indifferently.

When they arrived at the port and approached the pier, Drake led the eleven captains onto the bridge.

"Everyone, we are here to meet Admiral Wang, the deputy commander of the Ming Navy in the New World. He has 100 warships under his command, all of which are the warships we just saw on the sea.

The largest battleship among them was his flagship, Pinglang (unstandard pronunciation).

So everyone, please be respectful."

One captain, who was rebellious by nature, asked jokingly, "How much respect is enough? Like to God?"

Drake looked at him and said seriously: "God will not hang you on the mast and let you slowly dry out and become a dried fish. But Admiral Wang can." He pointed to the ships on the sea.

The sun had already dropped below the horizon and the bright moon took over the world.

Under the cold moonlight, dozens of black shadows of different sizes appeared on the sea, like tigers, leopards and wolves lurking in the bushes. They were silent, watching their prey quietly, ready to pounce at any time and crush your throat with their sharp fangs.

The feeling of oppression came silently, sweeping in with the sea breeze, enveloping the eleven captains.

Their hearts tightened, and the most unruly captain just now put away his so-called dignity and pride, lowered his head obediently, followed Drake, walked to the dock, and got on the carriage that came to greet them.

The carriage drove into the castle gate and drove along the road for a few minutes before arriving at the door of a mansion.

Standing here, you can still smell the fresh fragrance of the wood after the bark is peeled off.

This castle was newly built.

Drake walked into the gate of the mansion, turned his head and looked back, and saw that all eleven captains took off their hats and held them nervously in their hands.

I felt relieved immediately.

They were brought into a hall where six officers sat, led by Wang Fengju and Huangfu Tan.

"Your Excellency Admiral Wang, Director Huangfu, Drake has fulfilled his mission and brought here eleven captains." Drake raised his head and reported, "Please allow me to introduce them to you all."

Wang Fengju gestured with his hand.

Derek stood to one side and began to introduce them one by one: "This is Richard, the captain of the French privateer Lark, this is Douerian, the captain of the French privateer Monte Cristo, and this is Lyon, the captain of the French privateer Sunshine."

Derek introduced one of them, and the captain quickly bowed and saluted.

There were five French privateer captains, plus two Dutch privateer captains, and their main areas of activity were the Venezuelan waters and the eastern Caribbean Islands.

In addition to Derek, there was another British privateer captain, plus one each from the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden.

Their range is in the western Caribbean islands, including the coast of the Florida Peninsula.

Wang Fengju was not polite and asked directly: "Tell me about your achievements!"

The eleven privateer captains looked at each other, and finally elected an older French captain. Captain Richard of the Lark spoke first.

"I gathered four ships and attacked the Spanish port of Dios, where I robbed two of their ships."

Port of Dios is near Springwood Port, which was where the Spanish first landed on the Isthmus of Panama and was developed into a port.

The silver that the Spanish dug up in Peru and Bolivia was shipped by sea to the port of Panama, then transported through the rugged jungle roads to the port of Dios, and loaded onto ships for shipment to Spain.

But there was only a sandy beach there, the water was not deep, and the terrain was not conducive to defense.

After the Ming Dynasty drove the Spaniards away, it abandoned Dios Port and relocated the current Chunmu Port.

With Richard's opening speech, the other captains also spoke up and described their own "glorious achievements".

The French captain gathered several ships and attacked the port of Cartagena.

It was an important port in the Spanish Viceroyalty of New Grenada, north of Bogota.

This Dutch captain gathered a group of people and attacked the port of Veracruz.

The port of Veracruz was the most important port for the Spanish in Mexico, and this group of people was very courageous.

There were also French captains Douerien and Lyon, who said they had gathered a group of men and attacked Havana.

It is the largest city on the island of Cuba, one of the first islands discovered by Columbus. It is also the first place where the Spanish established a foothold in the New World. It is the largest port and town in the West Indies on Spanish maps.

Another English captain and a Dutch captain said that they were squatting off the coast of Santo Domingo on the Spanish island, guarding the earliest town and port built by Europeans in the New World, and blockaded it for more than two months.

Another Dutch captain and a Swedish captain said that they joined forces to attack the port of St. Augustine north of the island of Cuba.

It was the first outpost and port established by Europeans on the Florida Peninsula, which was built by the Spanish ten years ago.

Wang Fengju and Huangfu Tan heard that these eleven captains were all talented and courageous. They dared to venture into any Spanish port, no matter if it was a tiger's butt or a pig's butt.

However, their strength was limited and the damage they caused to the Spaniards was very limited.

The Spanish dealt with them like flies.

French privateer captain Lyon said: "In 1572, we gathered more than ten ships and chased a Spanish treasure fleet from Cartagena Port. During the pursuit, we fought twice in the East Indies. They couldn't beat us and could only continue to flee in panic.

They fled and we chased them. They ran to the Scottish port like headless flies and took refuge there.

Just then, the news that Drake and Hawkins were attacked by the Spanish in the port of Veracruz reached England.

Queen Elizabeth ordered the confiscation of all the treasure from the fleet. We worked so hard, and in the end, all the benefits went to the English."

Leon glanced at Drake with a look of dissatisfaction.

Drake looked embarrassed.

This incident was caused by my cousin and I, but neither of us gained anything from it!

The main reason was that the queen and the nobles had long coveted the Spanish treasure fleet, and after receiving the news about my cousin and me from the Genoa Bank's branch in England through Spanish channels, "the public was outraged."

So at the request of the "angry" British people, all the treasures of this Spanish treasure fleet were confiscated.

But my cousin and I didn't get a penny in compensation.

My cousin Hawkins failed in his business and had to go back to inherit my uncle's million-dollar fortune. However, I had to continue to shamelessly solicit investments everywhere, and only after being "deeply in debt" could I set up a new fleet.

Wang Fengju and Huangfu Tan heard someone coming out of the door.

These captains all boasted about their "brilliant achievements", but in fact they were just bragging. If they had really robbed the Spanish treasure ship, they would have gone back to enjoy their lives.

Look at them standing in front of you. The "luxurious clothes" they are wearing are either stolen or picked up. They are patinaed family heirlooms that haven't been washed in more than ten years.

The captain on the left has a hole in his leather boots, and the captain on the right has patched pants. Their faces are all dark and their bodies are thin. At first glance, they look like beasts of burden who are still struggling to make ends meet!

You, the abstract style of the beggar gang and the dirty clothes faction, said that you robbed the Spanish treasure ship, but who would believe it?

Wang Fengju and Huangfu Tan looked at each other and understood what was going on.

These are a group of poor and destitute captains, so it's easy to deal with them.

I am not afraid that you will be hungry, I am just afraid that you will want to wash your feet and go ashore after eating, without any desires or demands!

Wang Fengju pointed at them and said, "You poor bastards, stop bragging!"

(End of this chapter)