The fourth squadron's assault turned the entire battlefield into chaos.
If you look down from the sky, the Xia Army and the Japanese Army look more like sandwich biscuits.
The Fourth Squadron charged forward fiercely, completely ignoring everything else.
The Japanese boats came from all directions and tried their best to hold back the Fourth Squadron.
Behind this, there are other squadrons of the Xia Army responding.
At the very back, another Japanese boat was chasing.
But when the fourth squadron started running at full speed, the Japanese encountered an embarrassing side.
In order for their small morning boat to reach its maximum speed, they could only rely on human oars, and the sails could not be raised, otherwise the boat would easily capsize.
Although the Cangshan boat of the 4th Squadron is larger than the small morning boat, under the favorable wind, the sail and human oars are much faster than the small morning boat.
Some Japanese people who were not afraid of death drove a small boat and tried to intercept it. However, Huang Fei gave an order and the Cangshan boat rammed directly into it.
The two overestimated morning boats were knocked over on the spot, while the Cangshan boat was unscathed and continued to move forward.
From time to time, ships of the Xia army and Japanese people sank in various places on the battlefield, and countless lives fell into the sea and struggled desperately. They could only pray for God's favor to survive.
But overall calculation shows that the Japanese lost more ships.
After all, Xia Jun's ships are equipped with bronze cannons. Although the hit rate is very impressive, as long as one hit is made, the boat will definitely not be able to withstand it and will fall apart on the spot.
Even in a musket exchange, the Japanese's muskets were no match for the Xia army's cap guns.
The only advantage of the Japanese is that there are many people on board, and they desperately want to gain the upper hand through numbers. But unless it is a boarding battle, they will basically just be passively beaten.
Huang Fei completely ignored the situation behind him and just ordered his squadron to move forward.
He didn't know how long he had been running, but there were only five ships left in the entire squadron of eleven.
The rest were probably either sacrificed or left behind.
In the fierce battlefield, there was no time to lament the sacrifices of their comrades. Everyone tensed up and focused on their side.
There is only one exception, and that is the observation post high on the mast.
"Ships! So many ships! The main force of the Japanese has been discovered!"
The sentry's shout cheered everyone up.
Huang Fei rushed to the mast in two strides, and then climbed up like a monkey.
When he picked up the telescope and looked towards the east, he couldn't help but be shocked on the spot, even though he had rich war experience and was used to seeing life and death.
I saw a large dark cloud sweeping over the eastern horizon, close to the sea.
That's not a real dark cloud.
Rather, it was the boundless Japanese main fleet.
There are countless ships, divided into three parts: left, middle and right, and they are rushing in mightily.
Huang Fei took out a manual from his pocket, glanced at the opposite side, and compared it.
What is marked on it is the family emblem of each Japanese vassal, which can be used to determine the strength of the Japanese people.
But in such a hurry, it was impossible to see clearly.
In just a short time, the Japanese main fleet had arrived three thousand meters ahead.
This distance is on a flat sea, and even without a telescope you can feel the overwhelming pressure.
Huang Fei put the book away and shouted down: "Set the arrow through the clouds."
When a soldier heard this, he quickly took out a bamboo tube about one foot long and pointed the side with the arrowhead at the sky.
When he pulled the rope below with his hand, there was a loud "crack" sound, and the short arrow in the bamboo tube flew into the air, and then exploded, forming a bright and dazzling firework.
In the Japanese fleet opposite, Shimazu Mitsuhisa had already received the report.
When he saw the fireworks in the sky, he knew that the decisive battle was not far away.
"Hmph, what if the Xia people find our location? I have already made proper arrangements. We will win this time."
Date Hidezon was on his ship, and upon hearing this, he could no longer restrain his curiosity.
"Shimadzu-kun, what is your secret weapon? It should be revealed."
Seeing the fleet crowded on the sea, Shimazu Mitsuhisa was very excited and finally revealed the answer to the mystery.
"Show us your preparations!"
Following his order, many ships became busy.
When the thick cloth at the bow of the ship was lifted one by one, even Date Hidemune jumped up in shock.
"This is artillery! Where did the artillery come from?"
Shimazu Mitsuhisa was very proud.
"During the Battle of Qingchang, our Japanese navy lost the Battle of Luliang precisely because we had no artillery. In view of this, I purchased more than thirty artillery pieces from the Dutch. This time, I must give one to the Xia people
An unforgettable lesson.”
Date Xiuzong looked at those huge artillery pieces and could not get over the shock.
He never thought that Shimazu Mitsuhisa would be so bold that he would dare to buy artillery with the Dutch behind the shogunate's back.
No wonder Mitsuhisa Shimazu was so confident about this expedition.
If supported by these artillery pieces, it might really be possible to succeed.
After releasing the cloud-piercing arrow, the mission of the fourth squadron was completed.
The next thing they had to consider was how to escape from the Japanese pursuit.
Faced with these "flies" appearing in front of him, Shimazu Mitsuhisa felt that they were just the right things to use to worship the flag.
"Catch them and destroy them."
The sound of Japanese horns began to be heard in the fleet.
Yamada Yuei drew his sword and pointed it at the third squadron.
"Attack!"
Immediately, a detachment broke away from the main lineup and rushed towards the third squadron.
At this time, there were tigers in front of the third squadron and pursuers behind them. It was extremely dangerous.
However, completing the task made Huang Fei very happy, and he no longer cared about the rest.
His mind was racing, trying to find a way out for himself and his subordinates.
"How did Liu Shizhong escape?"
Someone immediately replied: "Towards the southwest, with the help of the wind, the speed will be the fastest."
Huang Fei made a prompt decision.
"Order the entire squadron to turn and break out to the southwest and shoot out all the smoke bombs."
The messenger immediately waved colorful flags and conveyed the order to each ship.
The third squadron drew a circle on the sea, and at the same time adjusted the sails, and the speed increased a lot.
At the same time, there were four or five people at the stern of each ship holding thick iron buckets.
It was already filled with soaked straw, lime, charcoal and other messy things.
The Xia army soldier took out an iron can, poured all the oil inside into the barrel, and then stuffed the lit torch into it.
Soon, several billowing smoke dragons emerged from the stern of each ship.
The gray smoke quickly drifted toward the east with the help of the wind, and soon filled the sky.
Yamada Yuei chased after him, but his vision suddenly blurred, and the Japanese people on the ship were choked by the thick smoke and coughed incessantly. There was no trace of the third squadron at all.
"Baga, what the hell is this?"
However, no one could answer him. Instead, the entire Japanese main fleet was affected by the thick smoke and had to slow down.
At the same time, fireworks one after another exploded in the sky across the entire sea area, heading due west.
Thirty miles away, Zuo Hua looked at the obvious fireworks in the sky and couldn't help laughing.
"Order each column to attack according to the established plan!"