open sea

Chapter 879 Silk Robe
Also in the winter of the sixth year of Wanli, the people of the Ming Dynasty had close contact with the Dutch for the first time in the Caribbean Sea thousands of miles away.

Of course, at this time they were not called the Dutch, but the Dutch. Due to repeated failures in the war against Spanish rule, the slightly thin Dutch merchant ship that Li Dan saw while sailing in the waters near Puerto Rico was suspended. Flag of Spain.

The three French ships flying the white cross and lily flag behind him looked menacing at this time.

How did Deng Zilong relay the invitation from Spain when Li Dan accepted the patrol in the Caribbean?In addition to sailing ships flying the Spanish flag in the Caribbean, all other ships are pirates!

There is no doubt that to the Spaniards they were pirates, pirates from France, the most neglected maritime power in the entire world in the sixteenth century.

Holding the binoculars, Li Dan looked at the chasing ships on the sea from a distance, and said to Yuan Zizhang, the general of the Lu division beside him: "A Western Yi merchant ship has no guns on board, and the ship is coming towards me very fast. At most It'll be in range in a moment."

"There are three pirate ships behind him, and the two behind are Carrick sailboats that were common in the early years of Spain and Portugal. Li estimates that there are not many cannons on board; the front is a strange thing, a bit like a centipede ship, but bigger and more A lot of oars, a ring of gun barrels protruding from the bow...forget it, see for yourself."

Li Dan pursed his lips and handed the binoculars to the martial arts examiner who was born in the martial arts hall, shook his head and said: "This thing is really ugly."

Yuan Zizhang took over the binoculars, and what he saw was a single-deck galley warship that no one in the Ming Dynasty had ever touched. In fact, it was the same shape as the centipede ship acquired by Chen Muqi, and both belonged to the Calais warship in the Mediterranean. The only difference That is, this ship is bigger and more powerful.

In the eyes of Wu Juren, who was born in the lecture hall, the various parameters of this ship have specifications. He said slowly during his observation: "The captain is fourteen to sixteen feet long, with a single-layer artillery deck, There is a wooden roof on the deck, three large sails, and four guns on the left and right sides of the deck... There is another ring of guns on the round forecastle, about eight guns, and the tail."

With that said, Yuan Zizhang handed the binoculars back to Li Dan, and said: "There may be gun sheds at the rear for additional artillery. The whole ship's artillery should be between 24 and [-]. If you want to intercept them, you should prepare to gain the upper hand now." .”

Although Yuan Zizhang didn't know the characteristics of this Calais battleship that ran across the Mediterranean Sea, he was very clear about its similar brother, the centipede ship. Two hundred sailors.

Such a ship shouldn't be here. He can even guess that the big centipede is followed by two fat-bellied Carricks. More than half of the cabins are filled with fresh water, and it is very likely that the fresh water they prepared on the ship will soon be drunk. It's over.

"This ship runs faster than us in battle, and we can't catch it. If we want to stop it from running, we must first catch the two big-bellied ships behind. That one can't run fast."

Li Dan looked at the four ships that were getting closer, frowned and thought about whether to intercept them, but finally he had no idea, so he asked Yuan Zizhang, "Can a Jiazi ship fight against three of his warships?"

"If you don't join the board, you may suffer some damage, but it's not a big problem. Most of their guns are Francophones, which are not as powerful as General Zhenshuo. It is no problem to drag two fat ships."

The fat ship mentioned by Yuan Zizhang is the mighty Carrick sailing ship. In the lecture hall in Guangzhou, the Carrick and the Spanish-style galleon were jokingly called "Europa Two Fatty" by the students because of their huge size.

"That big centipede, try to find a way to burn its sails first. It can't go far without sails in the sea. The three lucky boats under Kang Gulu's command should be able to snatch the boat!"

Speaking of Nala Kanggulu, General Yuan Zizhang had a smile in his eyes unconsciously. The Japanese soldiers who fought in troubled times were extremely brave in local battles, and the Jurchen soldiers were undoubtedly braver than them.

In huge contrast to the bravery on the battlefield, it was the Kanggulu warriors who went out to sea by boat and cried all the way. The Baishanying really boarded the boat and left the port in Tianjin. The warship sailed out of the Bohai Sea and cried all the way to Majiagang of.

The boundless sea is terrifying. Although the immigrants with them cried louder, in comparison, the Beiyang Banner Army, which had undergone four to six months of sea training, showed a very high level of calmness. This incident still makes Daming Caribbean Nala Kanggulu, one of the four generals of the Second Battalion of the United Sea Fleet, couldn't hold his head up.

But it's much better now, at least the Baishan Camp has been able to jump ship proficiently at sea. In fact, if the Fusang Camp is there, the effect of jumping gangs and fighting will be better. Unfortunately, at this time, the Fusang Camp is resting in the Spanish castle in Puerto Rico. There are only two four-hundred-year-old shark boats and six blessing boats in the Baishan camp.

Just when the two ordered the fleet to spread out to gain the upper hand and prepare for the battle, the four ships got closer and closer. It seemed that the French pirates found the Ming fleet in the distance, and slowly lowered their sails to slow down. It seems that they want to let their prey go.

Li Dan, who was leaning on the side of the ship, was the first to notice the pirates doing this, which made him happily raise his finger to the distance and turned to Yuan Zizhang with a smile: "Sensible! Or spare their lives."

Yuan Zizhang watched through binoculars as Carrick put down the small boat, and the small boat holding the white cross and lily flag slowly moved towards this side, and the three big ships behind them formed an assault formation centered on the big centipede boat. He turned his head and said to Li Dan: "I'm afraid the chief will be disappointed, they don't seem to plan to run away."

Sure enough, the Dutch merchant ship flying the Spanish flag passed the Ming fleet and lowered its sails slowly, and the French small boat was getting closer and closer to the Jiazi ship, and finally stopped not far away. shouted loudly: "You are the fleet of the Great Khan of China? Great!"

"Where do you come from, are there cities in the New World?"

When Li Dan heard this, he didn't know why the French pirate under the boat was so happy.

It’s embarrassing to say that in the age of great voyages, all countries started their great voyages with the same goal—to find China and find the way to China.

Only China doesn't think so.

The soldiers on the small boat laughed and raised their heads and shouted: "If you take me to your city, we will let you go, but you must keep your silk clothes, and all silk clothes must be kept."

Li Dan rubbed his face and took a deep breath, then turned to Yuan Zizhang and said, "It seems that our porthole is not open, this beggar dares to ask for my clothes."

He sneered, leaning on the side of the boat and asked the French sailor below: "You want my clothes? No problem, what do you want to do in our city?"

"You are going to send me to meet your Great Khan, sign a free trade agreement, our ships can dock in your port, let France set up a trading station there, go to your city to buy goods, and your ships are not allowed to France."

The Beiyang Banner Army on board looked at him like a fool.

Yuan Zizhang laughed angrily, and asked Li Dan, "General, what are you going to do?"

Li Dan really took off his silk robe, threw it under his feet, and said to Yuan Zizhang: "I am not as good as you in the war, so I will not interfere, I can only boost morale, and I will rely on you later. Remember this man, I will burn the robe to him later."

"Command the fleet and tell the Baishan Camp that the first person to board the centipede ship will be rewarded with 100 taels of silver, a head will be rewarded with 200 taels of silver, and a collar of armor will be rewarded. Whoever takes the boat will reward me with [-] taels of silver!"

(End of this chapter)