Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The five cannons fired in unison, then reloaded, and after only a moment, another series of loud bangs.
This time, because the enemy was densely gathered within the encampment, three cannons used explosive shells and two used solid shot. The solid shot was for destroying the encampment, and the explosive shells were for killing the enemy.
The night was falling, and the Wokou were all exhausted. Suddenly, hearing the loud bangs, dark shadows arrived in an instant. Amidst the explosive sounds, the encampment immediately caught fire. For some reason, several large iron balls began to roll on the ground at extreme speed. Not only were the gates smashed open, but as the iron balls rolled in, they crushed dozens of people.
Wah!
Wah!
Amidst the clamor, the Wokou opened the camp gate. Many, seeing the sudden flames, realized that the cannons were positioned behind the mountain. Several brave warriors, carrying swords and accompanied by over a dozen musketeers, rushed forward.
At this moment,
The leader of the Ming forces, Mendou-lang, shouted:
"Halt!"
Only then did the Wokou regroup. Mendou-lang saw the fierce firepower of the Ming army and ordered his men to retreat into the surrounding woods. He then summoned several banner leaders and officers to discuss their next move.
Mendou-lang had been in China for over twenty years. He was a ronin leader even when Wang Zhi was alive. This time, Otomo Sorin had appointed him as a Samurai General, responsible for the overall command of the ashore forces. He had two thousand ronin under his command, and with pirates and mountain bandits, his forces numbered six thousand, making him the foremost leader of the ashore Wokou.
At this moment,
He was inwardly shocked by the intense and accurate artillery fire of the Ming army.
He had seen cannons and muskets over a decade ago, but never anything that exploded after being fired. Looking back at the burning encampment in the firelight, he could hardly believe it. In such a short time, the entire camp had become a sea of flames. Had they retreated a moment later, the cannons alone would have crippled them.
Mendou-lang was cunning and experienced in battle. He observed that the cannons were positioned in a range of low hills and feared enemy ambushes. However, he was also unwilling to retreat without achieving anything. Thus, he said:
"Wu Ping, take your men and capture those cannons! These are merely remnants who escaped from Qi Jiguang's camp!"
Wu Ping was originally a pirate from the Fujian region. He had been persuaded by Mao Lie to join forces with the Taizhou Guard. This cunning man, how could he not see through Mendou-lang's intentions? He then instructed a minor pirate leader named Lin Xian, saying:
"Lin Xian, go and capture the cannons! Lord Mendou-lang has promised you thirty more ships of goods annually!"
"Yes!"
Lin Xian was originally a mountain bandit and had only recently joined the pirates. He had no idea that these cannons were relics of a different era! He immediately led his thousand-plus men towards the Jiang Kou position.
Mendou-lang and Wu Ping watched from a high mound, filled with apprehension.
Indeed,
After a flash of fire, a large group of dark figures fell. In the hesitant rear ranks, another flash of fire, and another large group fell.
In the blink of an eye, more than a thousand men were left. The dozens of men in the rear fled as if seeing ghosts. In this instant, they hadn't even clearly seen the enemy before most of them died!
Hiss…
Mendou-lang let out a long sigh, thinking, "Have I seen a ghost? How could the Ming army have such firearms?" A thought flashed through his mind, and he suddenly realized something—
Could it be the Portuguese?
Or the Dutch?
He then looked at the besieged forces of Hu Zongxian and finally sighed, saying:
"Retreat!"
Wu Ping was unwilling and said, "My Lord, we cannot! We have besieged them for two days and two nights, and we were about to break the encampment tonight!"
Mendou-lang patted his shoulder and said, "Leader Wu Ping, I suspect it might be the Dutch… the Ming dynasty does not possess such firearms!"
Saying this,
He took out a small black flag from his embrace, unfurled it, and planted it on the ground, issuing another order:
"All forces retreat! Return to the Taoshan Water Village!"
…
Hu Zongxian had also heard the booming cannon fire. He ascended the high mound. Although he couldn't see clearly, he had a general idea: reinforcements had likely arrived. But he couldn't imagine where such reinforcements would arrive so quickly.
In his doubt,
His personal guard, Wang San, reported: "Great Marshal, the Wokou are retreating!"
What?
Hu Zongxian was overjoyed. He mounted his horse and galloped to the camp gate. From a distance, he could see that the Wokou were indeed withdrawing in an orderly fashion, not taking the main roads but moving eastward along the forests.
Hu Zongxian was also experienced in warfare. This time, he had been betrayed by Yan Song and was nearly killed in Taizhou. Knowing that the time had come, he shouted:
"Open the gates! All forces pursue!"
Hoo!
The Ming army, which had been fleeing for two days and besieged for two and a half days, immediately had their morale boosted. Despite the cold and hunger, they quickly assembled.
Hu Zongxian ascended the command platform, about to inspire the troops and deploy his forces.
A scout on horseback galloped forward, shouting, "Great Marshal! A personal letter from Scholar Zhu!"
Oh?
Hu Zongxian was astonished—
How could it be him?
How could he also be involved in military affairs?
But then he thought, this man had returned from Xuanda and managed to repel Anda, so he must be an extremely brilliant individual. Why should he doubt him…
Upon opening the letter, a demeanor of casual grace and effortless command radiated from it. Who else could it be but Zhu Mo?
"Zhu Mo respectfully writes:
The Wokou are swift, and the internal collaborators are treacherous. The siege of Taizhou is indeed not a fault of battle. However, although this battle was lost, the vital energy has not been depleted. The difficulty of dealing with the aftermath is even greater than the battlefield itself. Esteemed Minister, you must not blame yourself lightly, as your support will be relied upon later. Mo has arrived at Jiang Kou with firearms. When the siege is lifted, Esteemed Minister may pursue them. Mo."
Hmm,
As Hu Zongxian read the style of writing, he remembered this reformist youth. The letter's words were touching, urging him not to take his own life, which moved him. He then recalled that this battle was indeed a long-planned scheme by internal and external enemies. After a major defeat, morale was low, and dealing with the aftermath was truly the most crucial task.
He, who always had foresight, immediately rallied his spirits. A thought solidified in his mind: Yan Song, Yan Song, I treated you like a father, yet you plotted to harm me. From now on, our relationship is severed!
Thinking this,
He immediately issued an order:
"All forces pursue!"
…
The next morning,
The two armies pursued together and reached Haimen Guard, the junction of rivers and sea.
The Wokou had split into two groups and boarded their ships. After an inventory, they had captured over six hundred Wokou prisoners and killed over two thousand. The Ming army had suffered over six thousand deaths and over two thousand desertions.
This battle could be called a crushing defeat, and within the defeat, there was a slight recovery. To say their vital energy was not depleted was a stretch. It could be said their vital energy was half depleted.
Although Hu Zongxian had recovered his spirits, he recalled that this terrible defeat was due to his excessive consideration for Yan Song's personal favors, which pierced his heart like a knife.
Half an hour later,
Zhu Mo's firearms squad also arrived at the Haimen Guard headquarters. The two men met, and Hu Zongxian was overwhelmed with gratitude, tightly grasping Zhu Mo's right hand.
He had narrowly escaped death several times and had been humiliated to the point of wanting to commit suicide. Finally, he had someone to relieve him, and it was Zhu Mo, with whom he had always maintained a distance. He couldn't help but give a bitter smile and say, "Scholar Zhu, I never expected you to be the first to save me…"
Zhu Mo knew this man was very talented. If he could escape the clutches of the Yan family, he would undoubtedly open up new prospects for the reform. He immediately smiled and said, "Governor, let's not talk about these matters. Look at how we should handle the aftermath of this battle?"