The Han man who was responsible for translating for Franji saw Alvarez's head tilted up to the sky and knew what he was talking about without even thinking about it.
This Han man's name is Hong Jing, a native of Xinghua, Fujian. He is in his early thirties. He has been fishing on the coast since he was a child. He has been doing business on the sea as an adult, traveling between Japan and the Ming Dynasty, and made a lot of windfall.
Hong Jing's previous business was only to transport domestic silk to some small countries such as Japan and the Spice Islands for sale, but this profit was far from enough. If he could transport tea, porcelain, etc... various oriental items to other countries for sale, he would definitely make money. earned a lot.
However, in the past two years, the world has changed. The imperial court has increased export tariffs, restricted the types of export commodities, and closed ports and seas at every turn. This caused Hong Jing, who had always relied on overseas business, to lose a lot of money.
Later, by chance, Hong Jing met the Folangji fleet that came to open up trade routes. The powerful artillery capabilities of the Folangji warships opened Hong Jing's eyes. After learning that the Folangji fleet wanted to trade with the Ming Dynasty, he decided to join the Folangji people and use their strong naval strength to force the court to open the ports to trade with other countries.
The reason why the Francois couldn't wait to do business with the Ming Dynasty. The main reason is that they want to get the raw silk of the Ming Dynasty. Raw silk is the silk obtained by reeling mulberry cocoons. It is currently extremely favored by the upper class aristocrats in the West. One of the luxury goods.
However, this kind of thing is extremely scarce, and each time it costs a lot of money to buy a little bit from other countries. Later, the Franconian merchants discovered that the Ming Dynasty was the producer of raw silk, so the Franconian merchants wanted to increase their efforts to buy from the Ming Dynasty.
In the past two years, the Ming court continued to increase tariffs, which not only aroused dissatisfaction among domestic maritime merchants like Hong Jing, but also damaged the profits made by Franco merchants after returning to China.
In order to buy more silk from the Ming Dynasty, or to directly turn the Ming Dynasty into its own overseas colony, the Folangji fleet went south to find this legendary golden country and paradise on earth.
Hong Jing has been persuading the people of Fo Langji not to take it lightly when dealing with the Ming Dynasty. After all, a skinny camel is bigger than a horse. However, since the last sea encounter in Fujian, Fo Langji has tasted the sweetness. They believe that although this country has a large population and a vast territory, It’s all just fancy but useless.
Only Hong Jing knew clearly that this time the Ming Dynasty mobilized the naval forces of the three provinces to fight to the death with the Fo Langji people. However, it was a pity that Fo Langji did not take what he said seriously and did not look down upon the people who came to support him. Guangdong and Zhejiang Navy.
In this case, Hong Jing has to think about his future. He had always hoped that the Folangji Fleet could win, but judging from the current situation, even if the Folangji Fleet can defeat the Ming Dynasty's three provinces navy, , nor will they give themselves the trading rights of the Spice Islands and the Strait of Malacca.
If the Folangji people lose this time, then it will be over for me. The Folangji people can retreat at will, but as for me, I can't follow the Folangji people to escape back to the Folangji country, right? If he stayed, he would be caught by the navy officers and soldiers and taken back to the capital. He would definitely be treated as a traitor and the whole family would be executed. Thinking of this, Hong Jing felt a chill on the back of his neck.
Perhaps for the sake of his own future, perhaps for the sake of his descendants, or perhaps because he still had a trace of conscience as a courtier of the Ming Dynasty, Hong Jing decided to abandon the darkness and turn to the light, and return to the embrace of the motherland.
Hong Jing made an excuse and said he was going home to visit his mother, but the people on the Folangji boat didn't pay attention. After all, in their eyes, Hong Jing was also a yellow-skinned monkey.
…
Hong Jing took a small boat and went straight to the Fujian Navy camp.
"What did you say? This man said he got off the Fo Lang machine ship?" Liu Daxia asked with a questioning look on his face after listening to the report of the officers and soldiers on guard.
"Futai, since this man is Han, why did he come from Fo Langji? I think there must be something wrong with him coming at night. Futai can send more people to prevent this person from assassinating."
Liu Daxia, after stroking his beard and thinking for a while, stood up and waved his hands and said, "I don't think so. What's the purpose of his coming? You will know it when you see him. You guys should leave first!"
After a while, several officers and soldiers walked into the big account with a businessman wearing a grass-green silk robe. After the man came in, he looked around and saluted:
"I've met Liu Futai in Hongjing."
Liu Daxia was the governor of Fujian, and his status was higher than that of Hong Jing, so the latter showed humility when saluting.
Liu Daxia said softly, "Hmm", and looked up and down at the maritime businessman in front of him. Although he said that he was a businessman, he was tall and strong, and he looked like he had practiced martial arts.
Liu Daxia held the waist knife in his hand and did not dare to be careless. The officers and soldiers on both sides who had just followed Hong Jing were also worried about Liu Daxia's safety and did not retreat and stayed behind.
"Hahaha, Futai doesn't trust me? I'm here to offer a strategy to defeat the enemy."
"You all go down!"
"A strategy to defeat the enemy? Since you are a citizen of the Ming Dynasty, why are you at Fo Langji's place?"
Liu Daxia stood with his hands behind his hands and asked quietly.
Hong Jing said: I am originally from Xinghua, Fujian, and I have been doing business in Fujian all year round. Later, I translated for the people of Folangji. However, I am a subject of the Ming Dynasty after all. I just know that I am in Folangji. "
"What's the strategy for defeating the enemy???????????????????"
Liu Daxia waved his hand for Hong Jing to sit down and talk, and ordered someone to show him tea. He was obviously interested in what Hong Jing said.
"There are only ten Folangji warships entering our Fujian waters this time, including one large ship and nine small ships. The large ship is the main combat warship. Although its artillery is sharp, its speed is slow, and it usually sails into its range. They rely on intensive artillery to suppress the enemy. The tail of their large sailing ship lacks protection. As long as Futai can use a smaller and faster boat to reach its tail, it will naturally be broken by then! Once the big ship is broken, the small ship is not worth mentioning. "
Although the tactics to deal with Fo Langji have been formulated last time, and even if they are not completely sure, there is still a 70% chance of winning, but as for what Hong Jing said, if it is true, it will greatly reduce naval casualties.
"Do you mean what you said?" Ma Wensheng asked coldly.
"But half of the sentence is adulterated, and you will die a good death. If Futai still doesn't believe me, I am willing to risk the lives of my whole family. They are in Xinghua Prefecture, Fujian. Futai can send troops to capture them."
It is said that tiger poison cannot eat its seeds. Seeing Hong Jing speaking so decisively, Liu Daxia smiled and said:
"So, I have to thank you very much."
In Liu Daxia's view, businessmen are unable to afford early profits and never engage in loss-making business. He deliberately said this to elicit the conditions Hong Jing wanted.
Hong Jing also heard the meaning of Liu Daxia's words, but he did have his own considerations. After all, he was a businessman. He smiled and said: "I want the priority to do business in Fujian, and the materials for trade transportation must also be transported in the original place." There is a basis for expansion.”
After listening to this, Liu Daxia said calmly: "The matter you mentioned is a big one and I can't make the decision, but I will go to the Holy Spirit and report my original intention."
Indeed, regarding this kind of policy issue, how could Liu Daxia, a governor, be able to solve the case? This had to be decided by the emperor. However, Hong Jing felt that judging from the current emperor's series of policies, he was not a master who emphasized agriculture and suppressed business. Instead, he showed signs of opening up ports, increasing trade, and promoting business.
"Then there's a labor support desk. I don't know if there's anything else I can do to help."
"During the decisive battle between our army and Fo Langji, there will be a division that pretends to be defeated to lure the enemy. At that time, you can act as an internal response and let the Fo Langji fleet pursue you. After the enemy is defeated, I will truthfully report to you the demands and demands of your Majesty. of credit.”
…
On July 11, in some ports off the coast of Fujian, seven French warships were conducting a continuous blockade of the ports.
They aimed all the guns on both sides of the battleship at the landside port, and if anything went wrong, they would fire immediately. Suddenly, several Ming warships appeared on the sea level, and they were heading towards the Franco fleet at full speed.
This move made Fo Langjiren confused as to what Daming wanted to do.
"Are these ships coming to negotiate with us and open the port?"
"Could it be that he came here to deliver the book to us?"
After saying this, there was a roar of laughter on the boat.
Alvarez laughed triumphantly. He ordered his men to play flags and raise a white flag to express his intention to accept Ming's surrender.
Shi Pu, who originally led a partial division to lure the enemy, was confused for a moment. Before the fight started, why did the Fo Langji people raise a white flag and want to surrender?
"Guerrilla, look at the white flag on the other side, they are about to surrender!"
"Are these grandsons trying to deceive us? Give us the order to stop advancing."
Shi Pu thought that the Francois were going to fake a surrender, so he didn't dare to get too close for a while, and decided to see what tricks the Francois were going to play first.
When Alvarez saw Shipu's fleet suddenly stopped, he thought it was his cannon that frightened them, and said with a smile:
"Hahaha, these cowards, they must be frightened by our artillery, please put away the artillery!"
After the Franco fleet put away its artillery, seeing that the Daming Navy had no response, Alvarez ordered two small boats to speed up and go to them. Signal language, let them quickly prepare for the surrender ceremony.
Seeing the Fo Lang fleet suddenly speeding up, Shi Pu cursed: "These Sun Tzu are indeed deceitful. The whole army is on alert and the artillery is adjusting its position!"
The two Fo Lang ships that were responsible for reporting the news suddenly saw Shi Pu's fleet, and they all aimed their guns at themselves. They were frightened and quickly sent flagmen to board the watchtower and wave flags frantically in this direction.
Flag language is not yet mature in the West today, and its meaning is very simple. It is to wave flags of different colors to convey information. At this time, the Franconians were waving white flags up and down to ask the Shipu fleet, do you want to Surrender, surrender, hurry up and prepare for the surrender ceremony!
As for flag language, the officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty have never seen it before. This is their first contact with it. Even the experienced and strategic Fujian coastal defense guerrilla Shi Pu has never seen it.
"Guerrilla, do they want us to surrender by waving those white flags?"
"You don't know yet, so you can't let down your guard. If something goes wrong in a moment, fire immediately!"
The Folangji people found that they were waving the white flag vigorously, but Shipu's fleet was not moved at all. With no choice, they could only order people to continue waving the flag while slowly approaching. When the distance between the two fleets was about the same, the Folangji people People ordered Han people to translate it and communicate with the Shipu fleet.
"Guerrilla, look, there are Han Chinese on the deck."
shouted an officer with good eyesight.
"Go and see what they say."
The Chinese translator stood on the deck and shouted:
"Don't fire, don't fire, I am Hong Jing's deputy translator Lu Gang~"
Since the ships of both sides were close at this time, Shi Pu and others could hear what the Han translator shouted.
During the mobilization meeting for the expedition, Liu Daxia repeatedly told him that he should pay attention to the personal safety of a Han named "Hong Jing" during the confrontation. Therefore, all the generals from the three provinces who participated in the expedition meeting went down and told their troops that they must ensure that "Hong Jing's" life safety.
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