Zhao Lie said goodbye to Zhang Ke in the waters of Shidao, and transferred to the Wei Qing to return to Shidao, while the Chaohu continued southbound.
The Spring Festival is approaching, and Shi Dao still has many matters waiting for him to decide.
On the sea fifty miles west of Xiaoliuqiu, three Portuguese merchant ships were marching northeastward under the escort of three Polu warships.
It is said that the northwest wind is strong at this time, which is a good time to sail to Japan.
These ships are loaded with raw silk, silk, porcelain and other items from the Ming Dynasty.
Of course, thirty nine-pound and twelve-pound cannons and five hundred matchlock guns are the specialty of Macao.
More than fifty sets of full and half body armor are also must-haves on board.
Few best sellers go to Hirado, Nagasaki.
The Huo Qubing, Li Guang, and Feng Yi were the warships escorting this time.
The captain of the Huo Qubing, Zhang Huan, was discussing with the boatswain Ma Kui on the deck about the leakage of the lower water tank.
The most important thing on a long-distance voyage is not food, but fresh water.
Food is in short supply.
There are spare fishing nets on the ship.
They really can't starve.
But without fresh water, it will cost lives.
Originally, this matter only needs to be discussed by the first mate Zhao Liang and Ma Kui.
However, Zhao Liang started to have a fever today and has been isolated in his cabin.
Therefore, Zhang Huan and Ma Kui can only discuss it at this time.
"Captain, my subordinates went to the four water tanks and took a look.
Only one water tank started to seep.
The subordinates have asked the sailors and armor to remove the water from the water tanks.
There is no problem with the remaining three water tanks.
They can survive.
This is an escort trip," said Ma Kui, who was in his thirties.
"Tsk," Zhang Huan had a headache.
The water in the remaining three water tanks was barely enough, but nothing could happen again.
It was always unsettling to have no spare luggage on the vast sea.
"Tell the boys below to use water carefully from today on.
Anyone who wastes water will be punished by wiping the deck for ten days."
The Huo Qubing was a Galen ship of more than 300 tons.
Its deck area was not small, and it had to be cleaned every time it was wiped.
This was an extremely laborious job.
Ma Kui knew that the captain showed how much he valued saving water. .
"Heavy fog is coming from the north."
The copper bell of the watchtower rang, and the sailors on the main watchtower shouted.
Zhang Huan and Ma Kui hurriedly raised their telescopes and looked north.
Their positions were low.
Only a little bit of mist could be seen vaguely.
"Send signal to Li Guanghao."
Zhang Huan shouted.
Ma Kui hurriedly issued an order, and the urgent sound of the copper bell rang, sending a contact signal to Li Guanghao, two miles south.
The captain of the Li Guang is the famous Fang Mao.
The captain of the clipper ship is now the captain of the Li Guang, a main battleship of more than 300 tons.
Fang Mao communicated with Zhang Huan using flags.
They agreed to lower the sails, control the ship's speed, and send additional sailors to observe.
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At the same time, they raised the pilot lights to prevent ships from colliding and maintain formation.
"Ma Kui.
Send sailors to the other two observation towers and lower the sails by one-third.
Furthermore, light the pilot lights and hang them on both sides of the ship."
Zhang Huan turned around and ordered Ma Kui.
Ma Kui took the order and went to arrange it.
At this time, even with the naked eye, a gray-white thick fog could be seen gradually drifting in, approaching the boundary less than two miles away.
Zhang Huan used the telescope to carefully observe the dense fog.
He couldn't help but feel nervous.
It was very common to encounter thick fog on the sea in winter, but the location was wrong.
This location was where the Dutch often made sneak attacks.
This thick fog may give the Dutch an opportunity to take advantage of it.
"Dai Ben, Wang Tong."
Zhang Huan shouted loudly.
"I've seen the captain."
Dai Ben, the leader of the armor team and Wang Tong, the leader of the fire gun team, both in their twenties, heard Zhang Huan's shouts and hurriedly came closer.
"Dai Ben, order all your armored troops to wear armor.
Your two troops will have their weapons on alert.
When they leave the Xiaoliuqiu sea area, they will resume daily duty."
Zhang Huan ordered.
"As ordered."
The two of them gave a military salute and hurried back to arrange the arrangements.
I hope it's unnecessary.
Zhang Huan muttered.
Thick fog shrouded the entire sea area, but at noon in the daytime, one could not see a hundred steps, and there was no other object around.
Everything you see is white mist.
The fleet moved forward slowly and confusedly in the thick fog.
In fact, the ships could no longer see each other.
The fleet traveled like this for two hours, but the thick fog still did not dissipate.
Zhang Huan looked around with raised eyebrows, feeling increasingly uneasy.
He thought about it.
If you were the captain of the Netherlands, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get close to the Polu warship.
The escort ships of the Polu Army had fought against the Dutch warships in Xiaoliuqiu many times.
The Dutch knew the power of the Polu Army's cannons and started bombarding them when they were one mile away.
The Tiago cannon on the Polu Army warships It can cripple the Dutch warships before they get close, so.
The Dutch are trying their best to rely on gangs to fight, and this is a good opportunity.
"Guo Chang."
Zhang Huan shouted.
"Guo Chang is here."
Thirty-year-old gunner Guo Chang stepped forward and said.
"Check the cannon and load it.
In addition, put the gunners on full alert."
Zhang Huan said.
"Yes."
Guo Chang quickly accepted the order.
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For a moment, the atmosphere on the whole ship became tense.
The gunners on the artillery deck were also busy, checking the guns.
After checking, the personnel stayed at the gun positions.
This was a requirement for alertness.
"Guo Tou, Captain Zhang, are you worrying too much?
I'm afraid the Netherlands won't dare to approach from the fog in such a terrible weather."
Wang Xin, the armor commander in his early thirties, didn't take it seriously, thinking that this young captain was too All the grass and trees are covered with soldiers.
"Okay, stop talking nonsense and get busy quickly, it's better than cramming into something temporary."
Guo Chang scolded, although he also felt a little dissatisfied in his heart.
Zhang Huan didn't hear the discussion of his men.
He was now listening to the movements around him with all his strength.
"Captain, the artillery deck is all ready."
Guo Chang returned to Zhang Huan.
Zhang Huan nodded.
At this moment, Zhang Huan smelled a slight smell, something smelly, like. . .
Zhang Huan trembled all over.
He listened carefully and heard the sound of some ropes.
He looked up at the ship.
Although the sailors on the deck and rope ladder could only be vaguely visible, they did not move much.
There was no need to adjust the course at this time. , so there were no sailors to adjust the rigging.
"Ma Kui, send a contact signal."
Zhang Huan said.
"As ordered."
Ma Kui said solemnly.
Immediately the bell rang and was heard everywhere, but no reply was received.
"Fire cannons, be on alert."
Zhang Huan shouted.
Guo Chang hesitated for a moment and then issued the order.
Three cannon blasts sounded, sending a warning to the enemy.
Cannons roared in the distance, and Li Guang and Feng Yi fired corresponding trumpets.
At this moment, there was a loud noise about two hundred paces from the north, the sound of the rigging being quickly closed and shouts in Dutch.
It was obvious that a Dutch warship was sneaking up to two hundred paces.
If Zhang Huan hadn't raised the alarm, they could have continued to approach until they were discovered as close as a hundred steps away.
By then, Huo Qubing would have been in a hurry to prepare for war, and he might have been taken advantage of by the enemy.
Zhang Huan thought about it quickly in his mind.
The enemy had been discovered.
He was approaching two hundred steps away.
The artillery bombardment might not be successful.
He would not be able to see the enemy ship at all.
However, the enemy ship might find his own pilot light.
At this time The pilot light is my shortcoming.
"Turn off the navigation lights."
Zhang Huan shouted.
Immediately, the sailors scrambled to extinguish the pilot lights around the Huo Qubing, while the two sides continued to approach.
"The armored group and the firegun group are ready for the enemy."
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Zhang Huan ordered.
At this time, the artillery battle is temporarily unfeasible.
I am afraid that a boarding battle is inevitable because the two ships are too close.
The ship on the opposite side was gradually revealed in the thick fog.
It was a round Dutch warship with the same tonnage as the Huo Qubing.
At this time, many Dutch sailors vaguely appeared on the deck of the ship.
It seemed that the other party was planning a boarding battle.
Zhang Huan took a quick look and saw that the opponent was almost face to face with him.
I was afraid that there was no way to bombard him now.
There were not many side artillery that could hit the opponent.
"Magui, broadside."
Although there is no way to shell at the moment, it is necessary to adjust the sail, jib, and topsail.
Even if they are stuck together, the artillery still plays an irreplaceable role.
Of course Ma Kui knew what his boss meant and hurriedly went to give instructions to the sailors.
"Guo Chang, go down to the artillery deck.
If you have the opportunity, do the bombardment immediately without waiting for my order."
Zhang Huan shouted while staring at the Dutch warship.
"Yes."
Guo Chang ran to the gun deck as quickly as possible.
"Dai Ben, Wang Tong be on guard."
Zhang Huan ordered.
All forty armored and thirty gunmen lined up on the deck under the command of Dai Ben and Wang Tong.
The armored hands in front picked up the heavy wooden shield and stood it upright in front.
This was the key to the protection of the entire formation.
Since we are going up against the Musketeers, this is a constant protection.
So did the Dutch.
When the two sides came within a hundred steps of each other, Zhang Huan shouted, "Fire."
Ten fire gunmen behind the wooden shields fired.
The fire cannons exploded, smoke rose, and the projectiles rushed toward the enemy with a whistling sound.
Almost at the same time, the opponent's fire cannons were also fired.
The fronts of both sides The wooden shield was hit almost simultaneously.
Amidst the muffled sound, the wooden shields of both sides shook, but they both withstood the impact of the projectiles.
The projectiles did not break through the three-inch-thick wooden shields, but were deeply trapped in them.
The two ships continued to approach to a hundred paces, and the second row of gunmen on the Huo Qubing fired again, but they still failed to break the opponent's wooden shield.
Ten breaths later, the opponent's gunfire did the same.
For the time being, both sides have nothing to do with the other.
At more than seventy steps, the ten gunmen in the third row fired at the same time.
This was the result of thousands of tempers.
The sailors of the Huo Qubing maintained their formation and stood in unison during the fierce battle.
This time, a wooden shield couldn't bear it and broke into pieces.
There was a scream from behind, and a Dutch sailor fell to the ground and struggled for his life, but a wooden shield quickly made up for it.
Ten breaths later, scattered counterattacks came, but they only made the wooden shields of the Polu army shake even more.
The Dutch matchlocks were still slightly less powerful at firing powder.
Under the leadership of Ma Kui, the sailors of the Huo Qubing moved quickly on the rope ladder, adjusting the angle of the sails through the rigging to turn the hull.
The body of the Huo Qubing began to run parallel to the Dutch warship, but it was a little late.
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The ships are about to collide. s: Thank you to the eldest young master of the Li family for your monthly ticket reward.
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