Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 1295 Take the initiative to ask for help
Had Zheng Hongkui not learned of the Dutch main fleet by chance, he would have attacked Batavia to lure out the Dutch fleet.

This is risky. The fleet would have to launch a landing operation to attack Batavia. Once the landing operation begins, the entire fleet's tactics will revolve around attacking Batavia. Even if Zheng Hongkui launches a feigned attack on Batavia as originally planned, he would still need enough warships and troops to do it, otherwise it would not be effective at all.

However, if this were done, the fleet would inevitably approach the coastline, with its center of gravity on the land side. In this situation, if the main Dutch fleet suddenly appeared out of nowhere and launched a direct attack on the Ming allied fleet, it would not be so easy for Zheng Hongkui to fight back.

First, the proximity to the coastline and the complex terrain make it difficult for the fleet to deploy. Second, changing the entire fleet's attack direction would lead to disarray and prevent them from covering all sides. Finally, it's impossible to know in advance where the Dutch will come from or from which direction they will attack. In this era, without the technology of later generations, navigation at sea relies entirely on visual observation, with the best they could do being a telescope. By the time the enemy is spotted, battle is already imminent, and even if Zheng Hongkui has prepared defenses in advance, he will still be at a disadvantage.

To be honest, the military strength of the two sides is not that different. In addition, there are too many uncertain factors in naval warfare, and naval warfare also involves various weather factors such as wind direction and ocean currents. If the initiative is lost at the beginning, then the situation will be extremely passive, and the outcome will be difficult to grasp.

Therefore, directly attacking Batavia is the worst possible strategy, and Zheng Hongkui, a veteran of many battles, surely knows this. This is also the main reason why he has been leading his fleet to search for enemy traces in the waters north of Batavia these days. If he can discover the enemy fleet in advance and engage it, the chances of success will be much greater.

Now that we know the Dutch fleet is in Surumay, why bother with Batavia? Batavia is there anyway, it can't escape. The most important thing right now is to deal with the Dutch naval forces.

Zheng Hongkui gave the order for the entire combined fleet to immediately change course, shifting from its original southward patrol to eastward sailing directly from the Java Sea toward Madura Island.

By the time we reached Madura Island, it was already the end of the year, and the New Year was just around the corner.

Logically speaking, the New Year is the most important day of the year, but now that the war is raging, Zheng Hongkui has no time to celebrate! We can only ask everyone to make do and wait until this battle is over.

Upon arriving at Madura Island, the Ming Dynasty's combined fleet deliberately detoured around the island from the north, eventually anchoring on the east side. The fleet had barely stopped for a temporary rest when Prince Durno of Madura arrived and requested an audience with the Ming commander-in-chief.

Zheng Hongkui showed no disrespect to Prince Durno and immediately ordered him to be invited aboard the flagship. He soon met the prince, who was not old, only in his early thirties. Like the people of the South China Sea kingdoms, he had dark skin and a flat face, but his eyes were very bright. Moreover, both his clothing and his demeanor reflected the bearing of a prince.

"Prince Durno of the Lower Kingdom pays respects to the General of the Celestial Dynasty!" Upon seeing Zheng Hongkui, Prince Durno stepped forward and bowed deeply. Before he could kneel, Zheng Hongkui quickly stepped forward to help him up, holding his hand affectionately and saying that there was no need for the prince to do so. The Ming Dynasty was able to rest here thanks to His Highness, especially for the information the prince provided about the Dutch fleet, which had been of great help to the Ming Dynasty.

"General, this is what I should do. The Dutch and Madura are in cahoots. Over the years, they have been doing all sorts of evil in the South China Sea by relying on their powerful ships and cannons. The countries in the South China Sea, especially my Madura, have long been bullied by them. Today, the army of the Celestial Empire has come here to save us from our dire straits. I will do my best to serve them!"

“Good!” Prince Durno’s attitude pleased Zheng Hongkui. Moreover, the prince was not only handsome, but also spoke fluent Chinese, clearly indicating that he was well-educated.

Zheng Hongkui couldn't help but ask a few questions, and only then did he learn that Prince Durno had been studying the Book of Han since childhood. He had a teacher who was a Ming dynasty scholar, and he had studied with his teacher for many years. Although his literary talent was not as good as that of a scholar in the Ming dynasty, he had barely reached the level of a student in the imperial examinations.

In recent years, Madura has had a difficult time. Originally a small Southeast Asian nation centered around the island of Madura, Madura had a relatively small territory and population. Before the Dutch arrived, Madura enjoyed a peaceful and prosperous life due to its geographical location and national stability. However, everything changed after the Dutch arrived. The Dutch colonial policies in the South China Sea were extremely brutal. After occupying Batavia, they relied on their military power to continuously suppress neighboring countries and expand their colonies.

Previously, Madura and the western kingdom of Mataram had a good relationship and were considered allies. The former king of Mataram was a wise ruler who repeatedly led troops alongside Madura to resist Dutch tyranny. However, after his death and the ascension of King Amangurat I, everything changed. Upon Amangurat I's ascension, Mataram instantly transformed from a major force resisting the Dutch into their lackeys. To maintain his power and position, the new king not only disobeyed his father's dying wishes but also actively groveled before the Dutch, betraying his country and turning it into a Dutch vassal.

In this situation, because Amangurat I had completely sided with the Dutch, not only bowing and scraping before them but also acting as a collaborator by helping the Dutch attack neighboring countries, Madura, due to its geographical location, was located to the east of Mataram, and the two were originally neighboring countries. Now that Mataram had become a lackey of the Dutch, Madura, which had always followed the old king in resisting the Dutch, became a thorn in their side. In recent years, with the assistance of Mataram, the Dutch had seized a lot of Madura's territory and massacred the Madura people. Madura was no match for them and could only retreat step by step, resulting in all of Madura's territory except for the main island falling into the hands of the Dutch. The Dutch continued to show their intention to advance eastward, preparing to cross the strait and completely eliminate Madura. Prince Durno, as the crown prince, had led the army to fight against the Dutch many times. Although Prince Durno had a patriotic heart and his army fought bravely and fearlessly, Madura's national strength was too weak and its equipment was poor. Compared to two powerful enemies joining forces, it was difficult for the small Madura to win under these circumstances.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Madura's ultimate fate would have been its annihilation by a coalition of enemies. Even with this anticipated outcome, Prince Durno never gave up the fight. In his words, the Madura people could only die standing, not live kneeling. His greatest idol was Yue Fei. Having studied Chinese literature since childhood, although he could not become a true Ming dynasty citizen, as a prince, he was willing to give his life to protect his homeland in the face of national destruction.

Zheng Hongkui greatly admired this prince, even though he was not a true Ming person but a native of the South China Sea. The courage and boldness he displayed were unmatched by many.

Zheng Hongkui didn't beat around the bush and directly told Prince Durno the purpose of the Ming fleet: this voyage to the South Seas was to wage war against the Dutch, especially to eliminate the Dutch fleet in the Far East.

I previously received information from Prince Durno that the Dutch fleet was hiding in Sulumaye, but I don't know what the situation is now.

Seemingly anticipating Zheng Hongkui's question, Prince Durano immediately nodded and told him that the combined Dutch and Mataram fleet was still in Sulumayi. The fleet hadn't made any major moves in the past few days. It was a large fleet with over a hundred warships. Before the Ming envoy arrived, Prince Durano had been quite startled by their actions, thinking they were assembling a fleet to cross the strait and attack Madura Island. He later realized that wasn't the case at all; the Dutch had hidden their fleet there and had even enlisted the help of the Mataram people. Their true target was the Ming fleet.

"General, I had already sent people to investigate before I came. The Dutch warships are currently in Sulumayi. Not only is there a Dutch fleet, but also Mataram's warships and soldiers. If you wish to wage war against the Dutch, I have a request, and I hope you can grant it."

"Your Highness, please speak. If it is not a major matter, I will certainly grant your request."

Prince Durno said, “The Celestial Empire’s army has come to rescue Madura from its dire straits. As the crown prince of this small country, I hope to participate in this battle and follow the Celestial Empire’s army to fight the traitors. Although Madura is a small country, I still have three thousand skilled warriors and more than forty warships under my command. Although they are not yet fully capable of being put to use, they can still contribute their modest strength. Moreover, I am familiar with the terrain on the other side of the strait and know more about the Dutch and the Matara people. With me leading the army, I can be of some help to the general.”

“This…” Zheng Hongkui hesitated for a moment. He had a very good impression of Prince Durno. This young man was brave and resourceful, and had a loyal heart. If it weren’t for the fact that his appearance was slightly different from that of the people of the Ming Dynasty, many people of the Ming Dynasty probably wouldn’t be able to do what the prince did.

Deep down, Zheng Hongkui didn't want Prince Durno to get involved in this war. After all, this was no child's play; it was a naval battle between two of the world's most powerful nations. Leaving aside the Ming Dynasty for now, the Netherlands, known as the "Carriers of the Sea," was no less powerful than the Kingdom of Spain at its peak and was Europe's leading maritime power.

Once war breaks out, the outcome is uncertain. Madura is just a small country with a population of a few hundred thousand. Zheng Hongkui should not underestimate the other side's national strength and equipment. No matter how capable he is, some gaps in strength cannot be made up for by courage.

Putting aside other factors, just consider the forty-odd warships of Madura mentioned by Prince Durno; these warships are simply no match for those of the Ming Dynasty, including those of the Netherlands.

It's important to understand that a single warship from the Ming Dynasty or the Netherlands could carry several hundred people and possess dozens of cannons. Even smaller warships had around ten cannons. In contrast, Madurai warships, despite being called warships, were barely better than ordinary fishing boats. Not only were they small and lacked cannons due to technological limitations, but their combat effectiveness was also questionable. They were even slightly inferior to the ordinary ships of the Ming Dynasty's previous navy. Having more of these ships wouldn't be of much use. If Madurai joined their side, they would likely not only be ineffective in such a major battle but would also become a burden.

(End of this chapter)