Zheng Zhilong worked as a translator for the Dutch, and Zheng's cooperation and trade with the Dutch never stopped.
Therefore, Zheng has a very clear understanding of the nature of the Dutch people.
When a warship broke away from the fleet and headed northeast, Zheng Zhihu immediately guessed that the ship was going to trade with Japan.
Because of the Japanese pirate rebellion during the Jiajing period and the current isolation of the Tokugawa shogunate, economic exchanges between China and Japan have been cut off.
But Japan’s domestic demand for Chinese goods is massive.
This is also the reason why Matsudaira Masatsuna dared to defy Tokugawa Iemitsu's order to seize the country.
Therefore, in this era, selling Chinese goods to Japan was insanely profitable.
The main reason for the conflict between the Dutch and Zheng Zhilong was to compete for this route and dominate the trade rights with Japan.
In the previous battle, Zheng's poor performance made Zheng Zhihu disgraced and made Zuo Hua laugh.
Zheng Zhihu has long wanted to regain this place.
So when he learned that a Dutch warship was heading to Japan, Zheng Zhihu decided to give Zuo Hua a try.
He originally thought that when Zuo Hua was timid and refused, he could ride on Zuo Hua's head and ridicule him wantonly.
But unexpectedly, Zuo Hua, a rookie in the sea, had no fear and just asked for Hong Xu's support.
Zuo Hua only had more than a hundred troops and one ship. He could not be a match for the Dutch warships in any case, so it was natural for him to ask for support.
Zheng Zhihu looked intently at this young man who was filled with evil spirits, and for the first time he felt serious in his heart.
"Okay, General Zuo is very brave. How could Zheng not lend a helping hand?"
He called Hong Xu over.
"This time you go on an expedition with General Zuo. You must obey General Zuo's orders in all matters. Fight hard and don't lose the face of an official."
Hong Xu's scalp went numb, knowing that he was caught in the fighting spirit between the two bosses.
But being able to fight against the Dutch was very happy for a young man like him.
That night, Zuo Hua and Hong Xu led eight warships out of the port and entered the vast sea.
"General Zuo, where should we go?"
Hong Xu received the order and had to obey Zuo Hua in everything.
Zuo Hua did not speak immediately, but watched the staff working on the map.
"How fast were the Dutch ships?"
A staff officer immediately said: "It is night now, and the speed of the Dutch warships will not exceed five knots."
Zuo Hua stared at the map and quickly made a decision.
"Tomorrow morning, we can reach Wan'an Station, and then penetrate into the deep sea from here to intercept the Dutch warships."
The place they set out from was Chongwu Station, far east of Kinmen Island where the Dutch warships set out.
Although the Fu ship was slower, it was always ahead, so it would definitely be able to intercept the Dutch merchant ship according to Zuo Hua's design.
The only problem now is how to find the Dutch warship in the vast sea?
Zuo Hua also has a way.
"We have eight warships, grouped in twos. After arriving at Wan'an Station, they spread out in a straight line towards the general direction. Whoever discovers the Dutch must be tightly entangled to provide time for other warships to encircle them.
.”
A fierce light flashed in his one eye.
"On the battlefield, military orders are like mountains. If anyone is timid and retreats, don't blame me for being merciless. Although you are members of the Zheng family, General Zheng Zhihu has entrusted you to me, so you must obey my orders. Who dares to disobey orders?
I will kill him."
Hong Xu and others felt chills all over, and they didn’t know if he really dared to take action.
But Hongxu is also arrogant.
Looking around at everyone on his side, he pointedly said: "Since the beginning of the war, we have lost more than we have won. If you don't know, you think I, the Zheng family, have no one. Today we have eight ships fighting one ship. If we lose again,
I think we shouldn’t go back and just jump into the sea to feed the fish and count the balls.”
Everyone in the Zheng family woke up suddenly, and then realized the deeper meaning behind it.
This is not a matter of life and death, but a matter of honor and disgrace for the Zheng family.
If they fail to fight effectively and bring shame to the Zheng family, then they might as well just die.
The battle plan was formulated, and the fleet dispersed in twos and twos in the vast darkness.
Although there were only eight ships, after maintaining a certain distance, a not-so-strict interception line was established in the Taiwan Strait.
Zuo Hua stayed up all night and was always in a state of excitement.
When the eastern sun jumped out of the water, he hastily ate two steamed buns and never put down the telescope in his hand.
Unfortunately, the scenery above the sea is monotonous, and there is nothing except the undulating waves.
Another ship is ten miles ahead on the left, and some outlines can be vaguely seen through the telescope.
There's no way around it.
The width of the Taiwan Strait is more than 400 miles. In this era when search can only be done with the naked eye, if there are only eight ships that do not try to distance themselves as much as possible, the Dutch warships may actually sneak past.
For one morning, the sea was calm and nothing happened.
But just when we were about to have lunch, the sentry on the mast suddenly shouted: "Spot the Dutch, southwest."
Zuo Hua jumped up, picked up the telescope and took a look.
He did not see the Dutch warship, but he saw another ship in his group sailing towards the southwest with full sail under the flag.
Apparently the companion warship got the exact news.
"Send a signal and ask all warships to support you."
Soon, the artillery on the ship roared, and at the same time it turned the ship's bow and headed straight for the battlefield.
On the vast sea, the sound of artillery is obviously farther than what can be seen with the eyes.
To the north of Zuohua's ship, several other ships heard the sound of cannons, and they all came closer and searched in the southwest direction.
At this time, Hong Xu was already fighting with the Dutch in the sea near Da Yuan.
The Dutch also knew that they were currently at war with the Zheng family, and they did not dare to go near the Chinese coast when heading to Japan. They deliberately took a long detour and planned to cross the Taiwan Strait along the coast of Dayuan.
Unexpectedly, even so, he was still blocked by Zheng's people.
The Dutch warship heading to Japan was the Venlo.
Captain Bapu Devi is in his forties and has been adventuring in the Far East for more than twenty years.
He has accumulated enough wealth and plans to work for a while and then return to the Netherlands to enjoy his life and spend his remaining years in peace.
This trip to Japan for trade was also his initiative.
Because he will get 5% after the transaction.
With this income, he will definitely be a rich man and live a worry-free life when he returns to the Netherlands.
But he didn't expect to be intercepted by Zheng.
Seeing two Chinese military ships approaching, Bapu Dewei did not panic.
"Go up and sink them."
Although the Wenluo is a fourth-class battleship with only 40 sailors, 10 soldiers, and 20 cannons, based on his experience, it is natural to win against a Chinese military ship with only four cannons.