The next day, daylight broke, and the mouth of the Red River was already in sight.
Although the two bosses have a good vision for the mouth of the Gang River, it has not yet been proven whether the Gang River can be navigable for large ships. Therefore, Jinghua's fleet, which claims to be here for revenge, at least this time, has to go to the Red River.
At this time, several small islands appeared on the sea, and the fleet had to pass between the islands before entering the estuary. However, Gao Jue stood on the bridge and took a look, and found that the altitude of these small islands was extremely low, and there were almost no ups and downs on the islands. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to call them "sandbars".
"The location of these islands is good." Gao Jue looked at it for a while and said, "If the terrain is higher, it would be quite good to set up forts on top to control the estuary."
Boss Li shook his head slightly and said: "The Annan people may have never considered this matter. There is no sign at all. I have passed here at least a dozen times. There should only be a few fishermen living on the island. If it can’t be considered a fishing village, I’m afraid it’s hard to say.”
"Old Li is right. I have never found any troops of the Mo family here." Boss Hu nodded in agreement: "It is said that the Mo family's military equipment is relatively backward, especially in terms of firearms. It has begun to lag behind the Li army in the south. I think they may have incompetent cannons. Even if those outdated cannons are installed on the island, they will not be able to block the estuary."
After hearing this, Gao Jue paid attention and asked: "The Li Dynasty in the south has made great progress in firearms?" Sure enough, those in charge of armed forces are more concerned about weapons and equipment than where to open a port for business. aspects of the problem.
Boss Hu said: "The Li Dynasty cannot be said to have made any progress, but they seem to have started a business with the Folangji people. They bought some cannons from the Folangji people. I heard that they even bought two war guns. ship, hoping to use this to fight against the Mo Navy navy that has been suppressing them."
Gao Jue frowned. He knew that the master called them Portuguese. These people were good at navigation and even the master valued them. In fact, the development of Ming Dynasty's artillery was improved due to the capture of Fo Langjiren's artillery in the early years of Jiajing. Later, it was imported and imitated while improving, and it became what it is now.
Even Jinghua's artillery is currently an improved version of the Folang machine cannon. From this, we can see the level of the Folang machine. If the Li Dynasty in the south is also importing the Folang machine cannon, there may be some trouble by then.
Of course, he would not say these words to Boss Hu and Boss Li.
Along the coast of the island, there are a few fishing boats moored here and there, with a few fishing nets hung on the boats, and the busy figures of early-rising fishermen swaying on the boats.
Seeing such a huge fleet approaching, many Annan fishermen stopped their work and silently watched the fleet passing by.
These fishermen at the mouth of the Red River have long been accustomed to seeing big ships, but they usually see the navy of the "Imperial Court". But the problem is that the navy went south to fight Li Ni in large numbers some time ago, didn't it?
And although it was obvious at first glance that this fleet was going to enter the river mouth, it did not look like the imperial fleet. The flags on these ships did not seem to be the imperial flags. Oh... they looked a bit like the ships of the Ming Dynasty.
Could it be that the Ming Dynasty finally discovered that our Mo family, Annan, is the most submissive, and now he sent a large army to help us defeat Li Ni?
Alas, forget it, we can't understand the things above, and we can't even understand the affairs of the Ming Dynasty. It's better not to worry about it. Anyway, the imperial court will naturally take care of everything.
At this time, Jinghua's fleet sailed slowly between the two islands. The estuary was already in sight, and several barges were anchored on the sea between the islands and the estuary.
"It seems that these Annan people don't have any ill intentions towards us, or they don't know anything, or they don't dare to have any ill intentions towards us... In short, it's all good things." Gao Jue smiled, relaxed a little, and said: "Although there is no suitable port in this area, it seems that there are still some merchants doing business here?"
Since the Red River Estuary is not a port, there is no decent wharf to berth large-tonnage ships, so these barges serve as floating wharves and warehouses. Businessmen from overseas unload their goods onto the barges, and buyers on the shore take small boats and paddle boats. If you want to buy a boat, go to the barge to buy it, and use your own boat or dinghy to carry the purchased goods back.
"Yes, it is an estuary after all." Boss Li said, "There are still some business opportunities. When sea-going ships enter the inland river, their seaworthiness will become worse. In addition, problems such as wind direction and strength will also affect sea-going ships, so Generally, businessmen from overseas, if the transaction is not too big, usually don’t bother to go to Thang Long along the Red River, but complete the transaction right here at the mouth of the Red River.”
Boss Hu said: "There seem to be a few more barges than there were when we came back, but I don't know why?"
Boss Li counted, thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "It seems so. Maybe it's because the Mo family and the Li family started fighting again, so the demand for some supplies has become greater." Yan Yan. The implication is that more businessmen from overseas are coming.
The boat entered the river mouth. Although the nearby fishermen showed no ill will towards Jinghua's large fleet, Gao Jue still ordered the formation to be on alert.
Who knew that this precaution was not unnecessary. It didn't take long for the "lookout" on the mast to notice the situation.
"Report, He Chun was found on the river ahead!"
The fleet immediately began to lower the sails, slowed down, and finally stopped.
Not far away, in the middle of the river, a long stretch of "Jima" appeared on the river. This kind of "Jima" inserted in the middle of the river is about more than one foot to less than two feet wide. Usually there are two "Jima" "Set side by side, the distance between them is more than one foot and less than two feet. The two rows at the front and back are about ten feet apart.
However, these "rejecting horses" are not in a straight line, but are staggered forward and backward, forming an "S" shape, like a long snake about five feet wide, winding upstream.
Gao Jue asked the watchtower to report more clearly. The watchtower may have counted for a while before reporting that there were thirty rows in total, that is, sixty "He Chun", stretching from front to back for about two miles.
He Chun is not a new tactic, Ming Dynasty himself would do it, especially for Gao Jue who had participated in the battle against Japanese pirates, it was a leftover thing: first sharpen one end of the wooden stake, ram it into the river bottom, and then , the "Ji Ma" was fixed on the other end of the wooden pile above the river, and it became a "River Chun" that hindered the advancement of enemy ships.
Which enemy ship is the "He Chun" in front of me used to hinder? It seemed like lice on the bald man's head - a no-brainer.
But Gao Jue frowned slightly, feeling that this situation was a bit unexpected. The Annan people had already known our whereabouts in advance? How did they know?
You must know that the installation of these sixty "He Chun" is not something that can be done casually and immediately. Even if you are prepared, it will take at least a whole day's work. And this batch of "River Chun" must have been arranged before the fleet reached the sea outside the Red River Estuary. Therefore, if this batch of "River Chun" was indeed used to deal with the "Snake Catching Operation", the Annan people must have known about it in advance. The whereabouts of the Jinghua fleet were revealed.
But this doesn’t make sense! Even if Annan was on guard against the Ming Dynasty, the focus of attention at sea should be the Guangdong Navy. The construction of Qinzhou Port had just begun. Before he came, these ships were moored at the temporary dock. If the Annan people arranged carefully Thanks for your strength, Jin Yiwei can't die of shame?
