The meeting between the two sides was very peaceful. In the tents set up by the sea, the sand and shells were soft under their feet, and the birds were singing in their ears. However, the two sides could not reach a consensus from the beginning.
Azeger insisted that the biggest concession was to surrender to the Ming court, but the Manchus must be in their hands. On the other hand, Yang Ling insisted that the Manchus must be restored, and the Portuguese army must be withdrawn.
However, the Portuguese could set up business offices there and even at the port of Ming Destiny. They could send government officials and merchant representatives to trade with the easterners under Ming Destiny's order, and compete fairly with Ming Destiny's merchants. At the same time, the Ming Destiny government would protect the safety and interests of the Portuguese merchants who came to the Far East. In return, the Portuguese would have to protect the safety and interests of Ming Destiny's fleet.
Azeger rejected this proposal. He wanted to control the Indian Ocean and monopolize the trade in the Far East. Although Yang Ling's proposal could also bring huge profits to the Portuguese, they would have to face the competition from other western merchants, and the pressure from eastern merchants. They would not have the initiative in the trade.
The first negotiation between the two sides ended on bad terms. Yang Ling reported the negotiation to Emperor Zhengde, and requested to move the main force of the navy south from the north to Fujian and Guangdong. The three shipyards of Liaodong, Nanjing, and Quanzhou, and the Bureau of Ordnance worked day and night to build new warships and equip the navy with all their financial resources.
Temporary financial difficulties were certain, but if they lost this war, it would encourage the ambition of Franco Ji. Even other western countries would be eager to come to the East to nibble away at Ming Destiny's power in the sea.
The long-term stalemate would bring even more unbearable financial consumption. Furthermore, the domino effect caused by the failure was hard to predict how it would affect the politics of Ming Destiny.
In the past, a mulberry girl from Wu accidentally stepped on the foot of a woman from Chu while playing a game. In the end, it developed from two families to two cities. In the end, there was a war between the two countries, causing the death of more than 100,000 people. The Queen of Chu was also captured alive, and from then on, the two countries became enemies.
The times created people, but the times were driven by people. Not everything had any historical inevitability, and this was even more so in the officialdom. Even though Yang Ling had the favor and support of the Zhengde Emperor, Liu Jin's faction and the remaining old officials of the Hongzhi Dynasty were all eyeing him covetously. If he was defeated, they would take the opportunity to mobilize the political opinions of the entire country to force him to step down. Perhaps all of the efforts and policies he had made would vanish because of this. How could his defeat and the change in the fate of the country be considered inevitable?
This was why Yang Ling could only grit his teeth and bear it, even though he had received a secret report and knew that the imperial court was facing financial difficulties, that the harvests had not been harvested, that the common people were living in hardship, and that some areas were already filled with complaints.
The citizens could not stand at such a high political level, and there were some things that he could not ask for their understanding. Yang Ling did not intend to make such a futile effort, but the bad news from the economic intelligence still worried him. Politicians who advocated shock therapy were under tremendous pressure. Moreover, this was not a unified decision of the entire Ming Dynasty. Many courtiers acknowledged Frang Ji and his people's subservience on the surface, but they did not agree with the Ming Dynasty's use of military force.
This challenge was not aimed at him personally, so there were more things to consider and worry about. No matter what, he had to endure it. The imperial court of the Great Ming Dynasty and the common people also had to endure it. After the pain, there would be a new life.
A new life was born. Yang Ling's people brought news from Jinling that Ma Lian 'er had given birth to a baby girl. Being a father, Yang Ling was both happy and ashamed. He had expected to return to the capital this month, but now it seemed that not only could he not be with Ma Lian 'er, but he would also not be able to return to the capital when Young-niang gave birth.
It was July, when the weather was the hottest. However, the rain was getting less and less, and the crops were showing signs of drought. As the Chief Secretary of Fujian, Yang Ling also had to take care of the civil affairs and farming, so he was very busy. Luckily, he knew that Ma Lian 'er had her brother by her side, and there were also Chu Ling and Chu Yan, two people personally trained by Cheng Qiyun, serving her, so he did not have to worry too much.
With the mobilization of the Ming army, the Manchu pirates were also speeding up the repair of warships and training of soldiers, especially the ability of different forces to fight together. They had also recruited more than 600 local soldiers. The people sent to India had not returned, so the two sides were still pretentiously negotiating while preparing for war.
Yang Ling knew that the war could not be dragged on. The navy's supply consumption was several times that of the army's. Now the huge army gathered here could not be supported by Ming Destiny's current financial resources. They had to use the fiercest attack to decide the outcome and get rid of them once and for all.
Yang Ling had long received the news that the Zheng De Emperor had approved the deployment of troops to Manchuria. Now, his preparatory work had also been completed. Everything was in place, and all that was left was the final push.
In the latest negotiation, the Ming army suddenly became tough. Yang Ling warned Azeg sternly, "On the 15th of July, Frang Ji's army must withdraw from Manchu. Otherwise, Ming Destiny's army will be expelled by force. All the consequences will be borne by the Portuguese."
The final moment of the showdown had finally arrived.
The 14th of July, the Ghost Festival.
In the middle of July, ghosts ran amok. On this night, it was forbidden to walk at night, stay up late, and go into the water. However, the Fuzhou docks were filled with soldiers that night. Munitions ships, supply ships, troop ships, and warships were all dispatched. The docks were brightly lit, and soldiers were on guard ten miles away. No one was allowed to get close.
The Aircraft Carrier Number One, named by Yang Ling himself, had also arrived at the port and was quietly docked on the surface of the sea. Emperor Zhengde also gave this warship a name, "The Mighty General!"
It was also the first warship equipped with iron armor. Due to the weight and economic reasons, Cheng Bingxi, the ambassador of the Nanjing Bureau of Ordnance, gave up the plan to armor the entire ship. After design and testing, iron armor was installed in important positions that were easy to be hit and damaged, especially the two sides of the guns.
The warship was divided into five levels. There were 30 guns on the lower deck and main deck, 25 on the upper deck, and 15 on the lower deck. Due to the wide hull, the ship was modified for the first time at the bow and stern, installing six bow guns and four stern guns. The ship was also equipped with 60 bowl-shaped guns. The 'Mighty General' became a killing machine armed to the teeth that could fire at will from almost any angle.
Seventy of these cannons were designed using the blueprint provided by Adni. The gunners could quickly move these cannons on the deck that was as wide as the ground. The other ten cannons were fixed.
The Frang machine gun was extremely fast, but relatively speaking, its lethality was smaller. In order to make up for this shortcoming, Nanjing's artillery expert Lu Zekai combined the advantages of the Thunderbolt Heaven Shaking Cannon and the Frang machine gun to design a thousand-pound cannon. The cannon body was not the traditional wide and thick cylindrical shape of the head and tail, but the tail was thick and the exit was thin.
Its cannonball weighed 25 kilograms, and it could penetrate a four-foot thick oak board within a range of 35 feet, and smash a four-foot thick oak board into smithereens within a range of 50 feet. It was like a hot knife through butter, and the only drawback was that its firing speed was slower than traditional heavy artillery. However, with the assistance of various Frang cannons, it could fully display its terrifying power.
This kind of huge object was not suitable for long-distance navigation and needed other warships to restrain it in close combat because once the enemy ship escaped, it would be very difficult to catch up. But used to attack and defend the port, its appearance could make even the bravest navy fearful.
Following the guidance of the navigation boat in front, the 'Mighty General' slowly moved the hull. As the angle turned, the light reflected the sharp and heavy metal ram at the bow of the ship, emitting a cold and terrifying light.
In front of it, there was already a large number of warships sailing out of the port. The first batch that set out were the centipede fast ships that did not need sails to move and were good at hiding their tracks. There were many strange-shaped weapons on the ships. From afar, they looked like large and small vats, ropes and bamboo rafts. Many navy officers did not understand what kind of weapons they were, but when this batch of ships went out to sea, there were more people on guard, and even they did not allow them to get close.
It was past midnight, and the evil spirits' holiday was over.
The 'Mighty General' rode the wind and the waves, heading in the direction of Mancika. The blue sea was like ink, the horizon had not yet brightened, and the moon hung high in the sky, reflecting the sea like a stream of silver. Once the huge hull sailed on the sea, it seemed so small. Looking at it from a close distance, the waves it stirred up were enough to capsize a two-masted boat, but from a high altitude, it was only a faint trace plowed on the scale-like sea surface.
On the fifth floor of the giant ship, in a building that looked like a city tower, Yang Ling was lying on a chair with his eyes closed, and a trace of fatigue could be seen between his brows. Adeni lifted the curtain and walked in from the rear cabin. She wore a tasseled helmet on her head and carried a set of armor of a Ming general in her hand. Looking at the way she carried it, it should be a set of paper armor.
"Yang, are you tired?" Adeni saw Yang Ling's appearance, hurriedly put the armor on the table, and hurried over.
Yang Ling let out a relaxed smile and said, "Yes, I'm tired. I haven't had a good night's sleep for a few days, but I'm especially relaxed now. After dragging it out for so many days, I'm finally at the final juncture."
Adeni walked to his side, gently stroked his cheek, and said, "Yang, are you so sure of victory? Aren't you worried about failure at all? "
Yang Ling grabbed her hand, gently scratched his beard with her soft palm, and said in a low voice, "Do you know, little girl, once in the capital, many learned capital officials wanted to make things difficult for me, making me participate in the debate and give lectures to the emperor. I painstakingly prepared for the whole night, and when I was eating in the morning, my legs were still trembling involuntarily. In fact … I couldn't eat at all."
He chuckled. "No one knows how scared and nervous I was, but when I stood there, I wasn't afraid at all. My head was a little dizzy, and there was an inexplicable excitement. Standing there and imagining that I was going to face everyone, and that they were going to listen to me and prepare to question me, I was really scared. But when I stood on the stage and faced the dense crowd, I couldn't think about it anymore. "
"Now, I've been preparing for too long. I've thought about all kinds of situations that might occur if I fail, and every one of them makes me afraid. But when I've already set sail, I only think about how to defeat the enemy. I have no time to think about it, and there's no need to think about the possibility of failure."
He opened his eyes and stared at Adeni. "Do you regret fighting for me? After all, they are from your country. "
"What do you want me to answer to make you happy, my husband?" Adeni chuckled mischievously. "Do you want me to say that a wife's husband is the sky, and that your will is my will, or … do you want to use fewer casualties in exchange for my country's sobriety, to prevent them from forming enmity with a powerful country like Ming Destiny?"
"Ah!" Adeni moaned. Yang Ling's vengeful hands had already reached under her lapel and pinched her breasts. The annoying big hands constantly kneaded and played with her buds, enjoying the warm and soft touch, and a pair of cherry-like breasts quickly became firm.
Adeni's legs were weak and she couldn't stand still. She leaned on Yang Ling's chest with a red face. On the eve of the battle, she tolerated Yang Ling's frivolous and presumptuous behavior. Yang Ling happily felt the firm elasticity of the two warm and soft breasts, and then his hands slid under her skirt. He first stroked the tempting ravine between the two protruding buttocks, and then grabbed the two firm and taut meat balls.
"Oh, my dear Yang, don't … don't …" Adeni finally couldn't bear it anymore. She hugged Yang Ling's neck tightly and pressed her hot face tightly against his cheek.
Yang Ling chuckled and said, "Now tell me, is it because a wife treats her husband as the sky, or is it for the supreme interest of your country?"
He didn't want to make things too difficult for Adeni, so he squeezed her twice, then pulled out his hand, held her red peach blossom like face, and tightly sealed her small mouth.
"Oh …, this bad man, how could he want me to answer, he's simply taking advantage of me." Adeni thought in annoyance, but it was too late to put on her Marine Captain and hereditary Baron style. The strong and hot tip of his tongue knocked into her mouth, and an almost numb pleasure spread through her whole body like lightning along the base of her tongue. She couldn't help but feel dizzy.
The moment their lips and tongues intertwined, she couldn't help but let out a soft moan. Her voice was full of the softness of a woman.
It was the first time in her life that she was so unscrupulously kissed by a man. Apart from being paralyzed there, she couldn't do anything to resist.
"It turns out that Western beauties are also so immature for the first time. If I want to, I can have her right now." Yang Ling's heart skipped a beat, but he still restrained his desires. He did not know why he was teasing her now. Was it because he was still extremely nervous and subconsciously wanted to relax? Or was it because he was worried that she was about to board Han Wu's battleship and fight on the frontlines where the cannons were raining down?
He let go of Adeni's moist and rosy lips, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Can you tell me now?"
"I … I don't know …" Adeni breathed softly on his chest. Her hair was messy and full of sexiness, "I don't know, my dear Yang. I haven't thought about why, whether it's for you, for me, or for a higher goal. Oh … damn, don't ask me, I only know that I should fight side by side with you! "
"Ahem." With two clear coughs, Cheng Qiyun's figure appeared in front of the cabin door. It was her first time going out to sea. Although the giant ship was unusually stable and the stairs were spacious and sturdy, she still subconsciously clenched the railing. Her beautiful eyes glanced at Yang Ling with a faint smile on her face.
Adni let out a soft cry as if she had been caught in bed. She hurriedly got up and tidied up her clothes in a flurry. Yang Ling's mouth curled up and asked, "Is everything ready?"
"Yes," Cheng Qiyun responded and walked into the cabin. "The centipede ship has completed its scheduled mission and is now on its way back. I just received the message, but in order to be sure, I still waited until they sent the communication boat before coming up to inform you."
"The fast ship is ready. We can immediately send Adeni to General Han's battleship."
Yang Ling jumped up. Seeing that Adeni had already put on her armor, he quickly helped her tie the silk ribbon and said, "Let's go, I'll send you to change ships. I'll leave the first battle to you!"
He gently held a small hand on each side. The two beauties looked at each other tacitly and did not break free. Yang Ling couldn't help but show a proud expression.
As he walked down from the tall five-story commander's cabin step by step, the guards standing on both sides raised their hands and saluted one by one. The sky was turning white, and the sea breeze was cool. Looking around, behind the Mighty General, there were three large, heavily-loaded "Square Chi" sand ships lined up. Behind them were four fast ships, and behind them were countless warships of various sizes. For a moment, it was impossible to tell what model they were.
On its left, right, and front were warships of the same type advancing at the same time. There were other types of Fu ships, as well as sand ships, wide ships, and bird ships (variants of Fu ships). This was a mixed fleet. This time, Yang Ling had clearly used all the power he could use.
Not only did he want to win this battle, but he also wanted the Ming Navy's terrifying combat power to leave an indelible impression on Frang Ji and the others. He wanted them to not have any thoughts of using force for at least ten years.
In the lower cabin, the helmsman and ship engineer were calculating the ship's position and angle of travel in an orderly manner. Like a general commanding a battle, they constantly issued all kinds of commands in terms that Yang Ling did not understand. The non-combatants under him operated all kinds of nautical instruments, and according to the squad leader's orders, gave instructions to the sailors to steer the ship, operate the sails, and other commands to correct the course.
In a battle on the water, the ship was like a horse under a knight. Whether or not one could operate the ship smoothly could affect the victory of the entire battle, so Yang Ling had great respect for these warriors who did not carry weapons. He nodded modestly, stopped them from greeting each other, and took Cheng Qiyun and Adni to the side of the ship.
Because of the difference in the size of the hull, the force on the sails was different. It was impossible to make another ship maintain the same speed as Yang Ling's Number One Fu Ship and set up pedals. Han Wu's warship and Yang Ling's flagship basically maintained a parallel speed, about three hundred feet to his left.
Yang Ling glanced at Adni and didn't say anything. He just nodded and then helped her onto the fast boat. Together with the sailors, they used ropes to lift the small boat into the water. The small boat used its lights to inform Han Wu's warship as it quickly approached.
Yang Ling stood at the bow and watched. After a while, he heard Han Wu's ship make a "woo woo" sound of a conch. At the same time, more than a dozen lights waved in different directions in the same motion. Then more than twenty warships suddenly filled their sails and left Yang Ling's fleet, heading forward at full speed.
Yang Ling looked to the right. Centipede ships were heading in the opposite direction, nimbly passing through the gaps in the fleet. The ships were empty, and the large and small vats, ropes, and bamboo rafts that they used to go out to sea were all gone.
Yang Ling chuckled, and his smile was a bit evil: "If we still don't advance after fighting like this, a big bomb will immediately fall from the sky!"
"Huh?" Cheng Qiyun glanced at him curiously.
"Yeah!" Yang Ling nodded and glanced back. Without explaining, he left mysteriously.
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