As a blue flag symbolizing "begin test firing" was raised on Wangxia Mountain, thirty-two sky cannons (mortars) placed in the "cannon pit" began to move from west to east, one after another. The door opened, the fire flickered, the cannons thundered, and the smoke filled the air. In the blink of an eye, clusters of smoke and earth and rocks rose up inside the Portuguese Castle of St. Paul!
These thirty-two cannons were placed less than a mile away from St. Paul's Fort, and the target was as big as a bastion! It's really hard to miss.
However, the test firing is still necessary. It is useless to bombard the city wall with the explosive shells. It is better to fall inside the city!
In addition, the fuse length of the explosive bombs must be tested several times to find the appropriate length of explosive bombs. The explosive bombs must bloom at the right time and place so that the Portuguese in the city can know what "the truth is within the range of the cannon"!
Therefore, when the shelling just started, the thirty-two cannons were fired one after another, so that it was easier to observe the impact point of the shells and the "blooming" time.
And when the gunners found the most suitable firing angle and fuse length through several rounds of test firings, they launched an astonishing thirty-two gun salvo!
Round after round, countless cannonballs filled with black powder were hit on the heads of the Portuguese, and the gunpowder filled in the cannonballs was actually purchased through Portuguese merchants in Haao.
However, the Battle of Haao did not last long, and the Portuguese held on for even shorter time than Wang Zhongxiao estimated. It was impossible for them to fire fiercely with thirty-two mortars that could fire twelve and twenty kilograms of explosive shells. Todoroki persisted for half a month.
In fact, these pampered Portuguese only persisted for one and a half days and two nights. On the third day after the bombardment began, they raised the white flag and sent messengers begging for mercy.
Although the walls of their St. Paul's Bastion are strong, they cannot withstand the 12-pound and 20-pound exploding shells fired by the mortars fired at close range. These exploding shells can cross the wall and fall directly into the crowded city center. .
The area inside St. Paul's Bastion is very small - the number of Portuguese in Hao'ao is very small. There are only a few thousand adult whites and mixed-race white men. Counting women, children, black slaves and some hired from Guangdong, The total number of people abducted or trafficked is only a few thousand. Most of these thousands of people live outside St. Paul's Castle during peacetime. Only when they encounter an enemy invasion, they will hide in the fortress with their gold and silver treasures. Therefore, the internal area of the fortress does not need to be too large. After all, before the "Principal Wang's siege method" appeared, a small and strong fortress as small as a hard walnut was a headache for all attackers.
But when the explosive bombs weighing twelve or twenty kilograms flew in from outside the city day and night, they landed in the center of the castle, which was crowded with wealthy Hao'ao citizens, and then exploded, killing those who were already in Hao'ao. The wealthy citizens who had lived a comfortable and comfortable life in this land for decades were killed and injured in groups, leaving them bloody and bloody, causing them to wail and scream in agony. The Portuguese governor of Hao'ao, Shi Bozhi, the mercenary captain Luo Dongni, and the acting bishop Luo Wenzao knew that it was difficult to hold on to this city, and it should not be held any longer!
After all, the defenders of the city are not soldiers from the Kingdom of Portugal, but mercenaries of wealthy citizens. Their responsibility is to protect the citizens' property and comfortable life, rather than letting everyone die under the enemy's bullets.
But Governor Spurge, who led the city on behalf of the king, still tried his best to organize thousands of musketeers and pikemen. Supported by the 12-pounder guns placed on St. Paul's Fort, they ventured out of the castle, hoping to seize the enemy's trench where the mortars were placed through a resolute counterattack.
But the efforts of these people were quickly shattered by Principal Wang's defense line built with trenches and sandbags!
The Portuguese mercenaries who formed a dense Spanish phalanx and could only move slowly became living targets for the three-pound copper cannons placed on the fort made of sandbags. They were so close, so big, and moved so slowly. , you can really hit it with your eyes closed!
In addition, "Principal Wang" also deployed a large number of shotgun soldiers and sword players in the trench!
The shotgun bullets and the three-pound cannonballs fired from the copper cannons together knocked down the Portuguese and their black slave soldiers who had the courage to attack, row by row, like cutting leeks. The subsequent hand-to-hand charge of the sword soldiers completely defeated the Portuguese soldiers who were in chaos and suffered heavy casualties. They also pursued them all the way to the outside of the city of St. Paul, and almost followed the Portuguese soldiers into the castle. .
Shortly after this completely failed counterattack ended, a white flag was raised on the top of the Castle of St. Paul!
Shortly after "Principal Wang" ordered the bombardment to stop, the Hao'ao military envoy flying a white flag was taken to the Qing army command post on Wangxia Mountain.
"Your Excellency, General, we are willing to hand over the entirety of St. Paul's Castle to the Qing army led by you. We only ask that you can, out of kindness and mercy, allow all the citizens of Hao'ao to leave by boat with their only property and return home. to their Portuguese motherland. All Hao'ao citizens can swear to God that they will never dare to offend the majesty of the great emperor again."
The person who was begging for mercy in a stammering Cantonese Mandarin was a black-haired Portuguese man in his forties, fair and fat, and he looked like a capitalist at first glance.
According to the introduction of Acting Bishop Luo Wenzao who came with him, this man's surname was Bu Jia Lao. He was the owner of Hao Ao Bu Jia Lao Cannon Factory and Bu Jia Lao Shipyard, and was also the speaker of Hao Ao Citizens' Meeting. His great-grandfather, Peter Bugarao, was the first generation of Portuguese from Hao'ao and was also a cannon maker. Since then, the Bugarao family has been operating the arms industry in Haao, and later opened a shipyard to undertake ship repair and shipbuilding business.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Bugarao family also undertook orders from the Ming court and sold many Hongyi cannons. Not long ago, Bu Jialao's artillery factory took orders from Wang Zhongxiao and Wu Sanwei. However, before they could make enough money, their home was robbed. It's miserable just thinking about it!
I don’t know how a big family will survive when they return to Europe?
When their cannon-making craftsmanship reaches Europe, it's probably at a third-rate level. Will they still be able to receive orders?
When Bu Jialao was still worried about his life after returning to China, Wang Zhongxiao had already solved the problem for him!
"No! The Emperor will not allow the Portuguese people from Hao'ao to leave!" Wang Zhongxiao said with a smile, "The emperor's imperial edict clearly states that it is you, the monarch of Portugal and the French King of the Roman Church, who are causing trouble this time. You Portuguese people from Hao'ao are being I am implicated, so I don’t blame you, so I won’t allow you to leave, and I will accept you as your slaves. It’s really a great favor from the Emperor!”
What kind of logic is this?
Bugarao, Luo Wenzao, as well as Hermann Klink, John Chapel and Laurence DeVantis who were watching the fun together were all a little dazed.
The Portuguese in Haoao did nothing wrong, they were just implicated by the King of Portugal and the Pope of Rome, so they all became slaves to the emperor!
Seeing that Bu Jialao and Luo Wenzao both looked "surprised", Wang Zhongxiao said to them gently: "Although you are not at fault, are you subjects of the King of Portugal or members of the Catholic Church?" believer?"
"Yes!" Luo Wenzao nodded a little guiltily, he is not Portuguese.
Bugarao admitted openly: "I am a Portuguese and a believer in the Lord."
"That's okay!" Wang Zhongxiao said, "This war started because the Catholic King granted the patronage rights of China, Annan, and Korea to the King of Portugal. This seriously violated the authority of the Qing Emperor! So in Portugal and The war will not end until the Roman Church makes corrections and makes amends.
And as you are both subjects of the King of Portugal and believers of the Catholic Church, you must of course detain enemy aliens before the end of the war. How can you leave at will? Even if you leave, the King of Portugal and the Church will have to pay a ransom for you!
However, the emperor knows that the King of Portugal and the King of Rome are very stingy and will definitely not spend money to redeem you, so he will give you a favor and let you become a slave. "
This grace is really hard to bear!
"However," Wang Zhongxiao looked at the dumbfounded Bu Jialao and Luo Wenzao and added, "but not all servants have to go to Beijing to serve the emperor. They can also serve in local positions, such as being in charge of the official. The Guangdong Customs Road is under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is the yamen where slaves can work. As long as you have an errand at the Guangdong Customs Road, you don’t have to go north, but can continue to live in Hao’ao.”
Can I still continue to live in Haoao?
Now that both Bu Jialao and Luo Wenzao are interested, Europe will not let them go back. So staying in Hao'ao is better than going to Beijing, a place they are unfamiliar with!
Just when they were about to ask how they could stay, Wang Zhongxiao spoke again: "According to the emperor's decree, our court is going to set up customs and open a sea ban. Otherwise, there would be no Guangdong Customs Road like this!"
However, opening a maritime ban does not mean engaging in free trade without reservation, but rather opening several openings and establishing several chartered free trade cities. In the chartered free trade city, Chinese and foreign merchants can trade freely. They can come and go freely as long as they pay taxes in accordance with the law and abide by the laws and regulations announced by the customs. And Haao'ao has always been a place for Sino-foreign exchanges, and it is a ready-made free trade city!
Mr. Clink, Mr. Chapel, Mr. Vantis. Previously, Hao'ao was under the control of the Portuguese. Only Portuguese businessmen had the most freedom, while businessmen from other countries did not have much freedom. From now on, all businessmen from any country within the scope of the franchised free trade city delineated by the Guangdong Customs Road will be one and the same and can enjoy the same convenience of free trade. You can also build industries in the Free Trade City, but you cannot enjoy extraterritoriality and have no right to preach.
Of course, if any of you still wants more freedom, it's not impossible, then you have to apply to the Guangdong Customs Road to rent land to open a commercial store. You can have extraterritorial jurisdiction inside the commercial store! But when renting land to start a business store, you must follow the principle of reciprocity and fairness. That is, if you rent a piece of land here in Hao'ao, I will also have to rent an island or a piece of land on your site, and enjoy the same privileges! "
These words of his were translated into Latin by Dai Zi. After hearing this, Clink, Chapel, and Vantis' eyes lit up again!
Although this free trade city is not as fragrant as the "commercial hall" that is essentially a concession, it is still a good place to carry out trade with China!
"Then what kind of Portuguese can stay in Haoao?" Luo Wenzao asked Wang Zhongxiao in a low voice.
He is Chinese! Moreover, he not only believed in God, but also followed the Catholic Church and did not have braids.
If you were to be caught by Kangxi, you wouldn't be able to convict him of being a foreigner and give him a "raw film"?
Wang Zhongxiao said with a smile: "As long as the Portuguese can find work, or do business in Hao'ao and can pay taxes to the customs to a certain amount, they can stay in the specific area of Hao'ao and cannot leave without authorization until the Qing Dynasty and the Portugal and the Roman Church have reached a peace agreement. Bishop Luo, I have an errand for the Tongwen Guan here, would you like to give it a try?"
"Tongwen Guan?" Luo Wenzao understood a little after hearing this, "Is it a book translator?"
"Translating books and teaching foreign languages." Wang Zhongxiao asked with a smile, "If Mr. Yao heard me right, your Hao'ao church has been teaching Chinese and translating books, right?"
"Master Yao is right," Luo Wenzao said. "In order to facilitate missionary work, the church has been engaged in the work of translating and teaching Chinese. If the Taoist platform needs talents to translate and teach Portuguese, Latin and French, I can help."
"Okay! That's good work!" Wang Zhongxiao then said to Bu Jialao, "Mr. Bu, I know that your family operates a gun factory and a shipyard. This business can continue, but to whom do you sell your guns and warships? Customs approval is required!
In addition, the Customs Road still has many orders to send to your factory and the factory in Foshan for processing!
So, don’t go to Beijing. Make a list later and write down how many craftsmen and craftsmen’s families you want to stay! "
Bu Jialao also breathed a sigh of relief. His family has lived in Hao'ao for more than a hundred years and has long been accustomed to living there. Of course he doesn't want to be a slave in Beijing. Being a slave sounds miserable and dark!
Seeing that Luo Wenzao and Bugarao had no objections, Wang Zhongxiao said to them again: "Go back and tell Shi Bozhi and Luo Dongni that I allow them to surrender, but I will not allow the Portuguese to leave freely unless they get the emperor's permission." Approved. In addition, all Portuguese who cannot serve the Customs Road must go to Beijing to join the Ministry of Internal Affairs and become the emperor's servants!
This time, the slave door is wide open, and the emperor's favor is great! "
"Your Majesty, good news, good news. Good news from Guangdong! What a great victory!"
Beijing, Forbidden City, Qianqing Palace.
Emperor Kangxi, who was arranging the defense of Shaanxi in the South Study Room, suddenly heard the most beautiful voice of Little Guizi's father-in-law!
"Did Xiao Guizi catch Obai?" Kangxi raised his head, looked at Xiao Guizi who was running in from outside, and asked hurriedly.
Xiao Guizi was stunned by his question, and had no choice but to kneel down and shake his head: "Your Majesty, Obai has not been caught yet. The people who reported the victory were the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi and the Guangdong Customs Road. They led an army of 10,000 to Fort St. Paul in Haao. After more than a month of hard fighting, we finally broke through the castle and captured thousands of Portuguese people, including the Portuguese governor of Hao'ao and the Portuguese army commander."
Ao Bai was a little disappointed that he didn’t catch it! But being able to capture Haao is considered a great victory!
Thinking of this, Kangxi nodded and said to himself: "By winning Hao'ao, Wu Sangui and Wu Sanwei will not have a strong support, so it is considered a great victory!"
It can be regarded as the first victory in the eleventh year of Kangxi! "
It's already the first month of the eleventh year of Kangxi's reign... The fifteenth day of the first lunar month has not passed yet, and the new year has not even passed, yet a great victory has come, which must be a good thing!
"Your Majesty!"
The several bachelors and Hanlin bachelors who were kneeling next to the map and studying the battle situation with Kangxi quickly started flattering him after hearing what Kangxi said.
Kangxi nodded, then reached out and took the question book from Xiao Guizi, unfolded it and read it carefully.
After looking at it for a while, he grinned: "Wang Fuchen and Wang Zhongxiao proposed changing Hao'ao to Macao, and locating the Guangdong Customs Road in the original St. Paul's Castle. They also suggested retaining some Portuguese businessmen and officials from Hao'ao. To make it easier to deal with foreign businessmen. He also suggested that all Portuguese people staying in Macau should also be registered with the Ministry of Internal Affairs to facilitate management. Do you think their suggestion is feasible?"
"Your Majesty," the pearl who was born in the Ministry of Internal Affairs immediately took the question, "I think Wang Fuchen and Wang Zhongxiao's suggestions are good. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has recently accepted many new servants, including Han Chinese, Mongolians, Koreans, and now There are thousands more foreign slaves, which proves that the emperor is the master of salty service all over the world! The slave also suggested that the Pingnan Palace and the Governor's Office of Guangdong and Guangxi escort these foreign slaves to the north as soon as possible, and then hold a prisoner dedication ceremony, just in time Boost the morale of the troops."
"Your Majesty!"
There was another wave of compliments from below.
At this time, Xiao Guizi took out another fold and stuffed it quietly to Kangxi. Kangxi took it and saw that it was Wang Zhongxiao's secret fold. He didn't take it to a quiet place and read it quietly, but opened it in front of everyone. Zhezi started to read it, and after watching it for a while, he burst into laughter: "Okay, okay, this Wang Zhongxiao is quite good at doing things!"
It turned out that Wang Zhongxiao also told Kangxi in this secret agreement that among the Portuguese women captured in Haaoao, many exotic beauties were now Kangxi's concubines and would be sent to Beijing together later.
(End of chapter)
