Late Ming Dynasty: The Counterattack Begins with Sea Pirates

Instructor Lang looked at everyone, then glanced at the situation in Macau.

The place was a mess, with bloodstains on the ground. For a moment, I couldn't figure out what had happened.

"Sir? What happened here?" Instructor Lang asked.

Chi Honghai answered him in a somewhat artistic way, looking at Instructor Lang and saying, "The Spanish just came by a couple of days ago."

Hearing that the Spanish had just been there, he understood everything. Although the Portuguese were now under Spanish rule, the Spanish did not consider the Portuguese as their own.

They swarmed like locusts, eating wherever they went.

"We can't stay in Macau any longer, sir. Could you please take in these brothers? I'm begging you. They have many skills and don't need a salary."

"Don't worry, Instructor Lang. I already talked to these brothers about this before you came. But as for the salary, we still have to pay them what they're owed. We can't let them risk their lives for me for nothing."

Chi Honghai turned to the crowd and said, "You have come all the way to the East to make money and then go back to live a good life. Although your land is temporarily occupied by the Spanish, you will definitely take it back one day. So I will pay you every penny of your due salary. You should go back and live a peaceful life."

A cheer erupted; the Portuguese had never seen such treatment before.

In Europe, in Africa, in the Americas, no matter what skin color you have, when you live under someone else's roof or even become their prisoner, you are not treated as a human being. Even livestock are treated much better than such people.

In other words, if chickens and ducks die, people will feel sorry for them, but if you die, you'll just be thrown into the sea to feed the fish.

Instructor Lang chatted with his fellow villagers for a while, and then led them onto the ship back to Hong Kong Island.

Chi Honghai was very reassured, as he always believed in the principle of "if you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them."

Therefore, these seven or eight hundred Portuguese were directly handed over to Instructor Lang to lead, and their task was the same as that of the previous group of British people—to train themselves and train others.

As the team grew, both production and military training began to develop towards specialization.

However, the composition of the group was somewhat complicated, with Englishmen, Portuguese, and Dutchmen in their respective groups. Although the Englishmen were prisoners of war and could keep it a secret from the Dutchmen, and the Portuguese did not have any particularly sharp conflicts with the other two, they were still able to keep the group in line.

Most importantly, Mr. Chi treats people very well. Even if some colleagues don't like each other, as long as they don't cross the line, they'll turn a blind eye for the money.

The most dangerous people right now are not those on Hong Kong Island, but those at sea.

The Dutch will randomly drive to Hong Kong Island to knock on the door, while the English will refresh in the south on a regular schedule. Although the chances of the two meeting are slim, it would be difficult to explain if they did meet.

If friction or suspicion arises, and with three hundred of his own brothers still on the Dutch side, his attempt to seize Fort Zeelandia would be nothing short of a pipe dream.

The Spanish, of course, would also join forces with the English to deal with him. In this way, he would have nowhere to settle down in either the south or the north, and they might even target him together.

So this must not be allowed to happen.

But he couldn't prevent the Dutch from coming, nor could he predict when they would arrive.

So he could only choose the most rudimentary method—every few days he would send people to sail and scout out the situation over there to see if any ships were coming. This was directly treated as routine training for the crew.

At this time, Shen Er, who had gone to Fujian, returned.

"Master~ Master~!" Shen Erchang called out, his tone filled with excitement, indicating that he had successfully completed the task entrusted to him by Master Chi.

Looking at Shen Er, Chi Honghai asked urgently, "Is it done?"

"It's done, sir! It's done!" Shen Er replied, panting heavily.

Chi Honghai led Shen Er to the table, where a simple map of the southeastern coast was laid out.

Pointing to the Taiwan Strait, he asked, "Can you explain that clearly?"

Shen Er glanced at the map, his mind racing. He hadn't really looked at any maps before, so he needed to recall the situation first.

He then pointed to the edge of the land near Fujian Prefecture: "Sir, when I went there, it should have been here. This should be the Penghu Islands that the old man mentioned."

"Important point."

"The old man said that the prevailing winds over there are from the south in the summer and from the north in the winter."

Chi Honghai said somewhat sullenly, "Do you think I don't know about this, Master?"

Shen Er was speechless and a little nervous. Chi Honghai noticed this and told him to calm down and explain how the local waters had changed.

After thinking for a while, Shen Er repeated what the old man had said, this time focusing on the key points.

The Penghu Islands were originally garrisoned by imperial troops. These troops were like migratory birds, returning to the mainland in summer and autumn and stationed on the islands and reefs of the southeast coast in winter and spring.

The reason is that the monsoon brings a lot of rainfall in summer and autumn, causing the water level of the islands and reefs to rise, and some islands are submerged due to the high tide. In spring and winter, some islands and reefs are exposed above the sea due to the drop in water level, which can be used as bases for warships and soldiers.

The Penghu Islands were initially garrisoned to defend against Japanese pirates. Decades ago, when the Dutch came here, they were also repelled by the garrisoned troops on the Penghu Islands.

To cross the sea from Fujian Prefecture to Taiwan, one usually has to pass through the Penghu Islands.

He also pointed out several hidden reefs near Taiwan, and most importantly, he got a crucial piece of information from the old man—Luermen Port.

This small harbor at the northern end of Tai Yuen Bay is named for the two mountains facing each other at the exit, which resemble deer ears. Originally, the harbor was narrow and the waterway was winding, allowing only small boats to pass, and it was known as a natural barrier.

However, through the long-term erosion of streams and tides, a harbor channel gradually formed within the harbor, allowing large ships to navigate.

Listening to Shen Er's explanation and his gestures on the map.

Chi Honghai's mind raced, and he remembered everything. It seemed to be the very thing that Koxinga had discovered when he attacked Taiwan, only now he had discovered it first.

Knowing the situation in the waters makes attacking Taiwan much easier.

After all, according to Chi Honghai's original plan, attacking Fort Zeelandia not only required his own stronger naval forces, but also the people inside as inside agents, and even the people on the island were to launch an attack first.

The main problem is the changing waters. It's crucial to know where ships, especially large ships like the Tianquan, can and cannot go.

If the ship runs aground or strikes a reef, it will not only become a target for shore-based artillery, but the crew will also be unable to land and conduct combat operations later.

As for the specific details of the operation and the timing of the attack on Taiwan, further planning is needed.

Right now, it's time to add more fuel to the fire on that pile of dry wood.