According to the veteran Portuguese mercenary Coutre, although the Japanese army has strong individual combat capabilities and a fighting spirit of fighting to the death, the overall performance of the Satsuma Army in this battle is not very good, and the degree of discipline and collective cooperation is not good. They were all very bad. The soldiers of the special battalion followed Zheng Jiong's Ryukyu Royal Guards for two days. They observed in detail the combat situation between the Japanese army and the Ryukyu Army. They saw the chaos of the Shimadzu Army's Kaguyama Hisaka headquarters after being attacked by the Ryukyu Army. , discovered a characteristic: once the Japanese pirates are at a disadvantage in combat, they will easily lose morale, or they will become hot-headed and charge desperately to seek death.
The special battalions of Luo Aquan and Kutere have never fought against Japanese pirates. When the special battalion's predecessor, the Special Squad, was first established, it targeted Taiwan's indigenous headhunters. Later, it began to fight with the Spaniards, Portuguese, Dutch, etc. in various parts of Southeast Asia. The Malays and indigenous people from all over the country fight and carry out the most dangerous and secretive missions, usually focusing on tropical jungle combat. In addition, they also engage in some urban assassination missions. This time they come to Ryukyu, it is the first time that the special battalion has left the tropics and subtropical areas to fight. .
Originally, they were very concerned about the fighting power of Japanese pirates, especially since Luo Aquan had heard about the "prestige" of Japanese pirates since he was a child. However, after this battle outside Shuri Castle, their views on the Shimazu army, and even all Japanese pirate armies, changed greatly.
In the eyes of Cutre, Roaquan and some veterans who experienced the iron-blooded battle between the Chinese and Western armies under Manila, the war between the Ryukyu Army and the Japanese Shimazu Army was more like a child's play than a battle most of the time. There was basically no difference in the fighting between the township parties, especially the Ryukyu Army. Their resistance was weak and the important town on the Ryukyu Island fell quickly, which even surprised Satsuma. Originally, Satsuma was afraid that the Ryukyu Army would defend the city for a long time, but unexpectedly it only ended up with casualties. The cost of hundreds of dollars was approaching Shuri. The Ryukyu Army commander was brave and incompetent, and the majority of the soldiers were passive and lazy in fighting. They collapsed at the first touch. It would be strange to be undefeated.
At the same time, the performance of the Japanese pirate Shimazu army was not very good. Although they had flintlock muskets and could conduct square formation operations according to the Spanish army's method, in actual combat, they could not maintain discipline at all. The formation was not strict and it was easy to move forward and backward. Disjointed; the soldiers and lower-level warriors in the Japanese pirate army lacked tactical training and knew nothing except rushing and fighting. Probably all the outstanding warriors and soldiers trained during the Warring States Period were lost on the Korean battlefield.
To be honest, the main members of the special battalion are all southerners who don’t like Ryukyu’s climate at all. However, some of them have been in Ryukyu for half a year. They investigate the situation on the island every day and have a far better understanding of the terrain and people’s conditions. Samurai of the Shimazu Army.
When they retreated with Ryukyu Crown Prince Naotoyo, they did not run toward Naha. Instead, relying on their familiarity with the terrain, they first walked toward Shuri, then turned into a mountain path and bypassed the pursuing Hiratabe Shimazu Army. behind, and then retreat to Naha Port.
They were made up to look like Ryukyu people wearing Ming Dynasty clothes and Japanese-style hair buns. They passed through the rear defense line of Hirata's army at night. The team was divided into two teams, about a mile apart. They traveled day and night without rest, and finally appeared at dawn on the main road northwest of the Zhonghua Merchant Wall.
The Shimazu army finally caught up, but it was too late to intercept the Ryukyu Prince.
Hirata Masumune discovered that Ryukyu Prince Naotoyo was missing that night, and immediately realized how troublesome the matter was. He finally managed to assemble his team and pursue the strange enemy's footsteps.
At first, he thought it was the Shuri Castle defenders who had rescued the prince, but the more he chased him, the more he felt something was wrong.
Now, seeing the Prince of Ryukyu enter the Chinese Commercial Building under the protection of a group of pretended Ryukyu people, his head began to hurt.
"It's these Chinese who are causing trouble again. It's hard to handle. In any case, the existence of this merchant fortress can no longer be tolerated." Hirata Masumune brought the troops back to Obama and Mie Castle, and sent people Report to General Huashan.
Sailors from the shipping department monitored the Chinese merchant houses in the western part of the Naha coast and the urban area, and Chen Zhongji also sent people from the special battalion to investigate the situation of Hirata. As a result, the Chinese and Japanese armies in the Naha port city, beach, and pier area Skirmishes among forward spies began to increase.
The prince Shangfeng was slashed in the left leg by a samurai in the melee that night. He was carried by three brothers from the special battalion in turns along the way. After entering the Merchant Fortress, they saw Chen Zhongji, the young prince. Only then did he wake up. He no longer cared about the prince's airs, and pulled Chen Zhongji to ask him to send people to rescue Shuri City.
Chen Zhongji smiled bitterly, clasped his fists and saluted, then helped the prince to the thick iron-wrapped gate. Luo Aquan's team, who was holding the line at the back, was entering. 200 steps behind them, hundreds of Shimadzu soldiers holding the Maru Cross flag While they were forming formation, there was another group of people winding their way from the west, with the target also being the Chinese Commercial Building.
"Your Highness, our company currently only has 300 combat-ready troops. It is dangerous to protect ourselves. How can we rescue Shuri? Half a year ago, I applied to His Majesty the King for permission to increase the number of personnel stationed in our company, but I did not get it. Approved..." Chen Zhongji sneered and said: "Now, we can only wait for help,"
"Awaiting assistance," Shangfeng, the Crown Prince of Ryukyu, who had been educated in traditional Chinese culture since childhood, certainly understood the meaning of this word. His heart couldn't help but beat wildly: "Could it be that the Ming Dynasty court will send troops to support our vassal country?"
Chen Zhongji sneered, with a hint of ridicule in his tone: "The imperial court, haha, it's not the Ming Dynasty that is sending troops to rescue, but the Ming Dynasty's subordinate Yin from Taiwan's Thousand Households, and our company's big boss, Captain Yin Feng, will send troops to rescue. "
Shang Feng shook his head and didn't quite understand what was going on. These days, hundreds of Ryukyu refugees have been taken in in the merchant house. Some of the refugees went home yesterday. There are still more than 100 Ryukyu women, children, old and young in the Zhonghua Commercial Hall. They took refuge inside. When they saw the crown prince Shang Ning, they all came up and knelt down to worship him. Chen Zhongji found several Ryukyu people to take care of the crown prince Shang Ning, sent military doctors to treat Shang Ning's injuries, and let them rest in the guest house of the merchant house. He hurried to the warehouse to hold a meeting. held an all-officers meeting.
At this time, three hundred Chinese people were preparing their ordnance and were waiting strictly in the Zhonghua Merchant Fortress, waiting for the Japanese pirates to come. To the north and east of the Merchant Hall, large groups of Shimazu troops were gathering in formation. They had already gathered. There are about 800 people.
"Now that the Ryukyu prince is in our hands, the Japanese pirates will definitely attack. The Ryukyu army in Yaraza Mori Castle only has 100 old and weak people. We can't expect them to be of any help." Chen Zhongji shook his head and pointed to the Ryukyu map on the table. , said to the leaders of the convoys at all levels who were sitting around: "Originally, we estimated that the Ryukyu Army could hold off the Japanese pirates for about three months, and at least two months. Now it's good, in less than a month, the entire Ryukyu Island will be blocked. All that’s left is the Shuri Imperial City and our tiny little land.”
"Let's fight, Shopkeeper Chen," said Supervisory Officer Mai Yangtian, who is now in charge of the entire store's logistics: "The morale of the brothers is high, the ammunition is sufficient, and the food and grass are enough to feed the brothers for four months. There is no problem in guarding the store. ,"
Colonel Coutre is getting older and stronger. He is still full of physical strength at the age of almost fifty. He ran day and night for two days and is still full of energy. He said: "The Japanese have no cannons. At most, they only have small guns equivalent to our three-pound field guns." Although they have flintlock muskets, they use them illegally. As long as we don't go out to fight with them in the field, we should have no problem holding on to this fortress."
The old pirate Zhang Hai also said: "Ji Zai, move all the cannons out and let's fight."
Chen Zhongji nodded: "For now, we can only fight. We will not fight with the Japanese pirates in the field. We are no match for the manpower consumption. Although the Shangguan Fort is not as good as the terrain advantage of Penghu Fenggui Weibao Fort, only the east and south sides are suitable for attack." If Fengguiwei can hold off tens of thousands of officers and soldiers for a few months in the city, then we can also defend this place for a few months. Moreover, our enemies only have a few thousand people. Okay, everyone is dedicated to contributing to the great cause of the ship owner, so let's start Let’s fight,”
At that time, the people in charge of the various walls were arranged: Zhang Hai and Mai Yangtian were in charge of the most important east gate and south gate respectively; the north gate was close to the Naha River, and the west gate was actually just a small door opening, which could not be used by people at all. , so the manpower on both sides was under the unified control of Colonel Coutre, with Luo Aquan taking his 30 sharpshooters as a mobile force, and Chen Zhongji taking the remaining fifty special battalion soldiers as a reserve force.
The manpower was too small to distribute the manpower evenly. Therefore, there were 100 people on each side of the east and south sides, and only a few dozen people patrolling the other sides to guard.
From early morning to noon, large groups of Shimadzu troops arrived one after another from the direction of Shuri and the direction of Obama.
Hirata Masamune arrived at Sanchong City and waited until noon for the messenger from Huashan Jiugao. He opened the letter and read it for a long time. Hirata threw the letter down angrily, stood up and said to the warriors in the tent: "General Huashan said, he If we want to attack Shuri Castle, we cannot send troops to support us. We must take over Yaraza Mori Castle and the Chunghwa Commercial Building as soon as possible,"
Shipping manager Kono Odori said excitedly: "Has Admiral Kayama allowed to attack the Chinese?"
Hirata Masamune sneered: "He said in the letter that we can deal with it cheaply. Haha, if there is any problem then, he will blame it on me. No matter so much, let's take action, everyone, and obtain the information inside the Zhonghua Commercial Building I will share the treasure equally with you, and by then it will be too late for General Kayama to regret it." Masumune Hirata's desire for wealth was far higher than his pursuit of the career of a samurai, so he and Hisaka Kayama had always had a bad relationship.
The warriors under the tent were all excited and rushed out of the tent to organize their troops and prepare for battle.
Hirata soldiers launched the first formal attack on the Zhonghua Commercial Building in the afternoon. 600 people charged on the open ground in the south, and more than 300 people approached the commercial building fort from the east city.
The Hirata Army in the south had just approached 500 steps from the fortress. As soon as it transitioned from the assembly state to the attack, it was immediately bombarded by dozens of Thunderbolt rockets, which suddenly disrupted the Shimadzu Army. They had never seen the power of rockets. The Japanese pirates were at a loss for a while. Yori Tian Heihachi, a retainer of the Hirata family who had participated in the Korean War, led his troops to organize the team and hacked to death two Ashigaru who retreated. Only then did they push the team to resume the charge. A group of Shizuzu troops dispersed into groups. Small groups of varying numbers rushed forward in a chaotic manner.
When we were 300 steps away from the fort, the cannons on the watchtowers at the four corners of the Merchant Fortress and the south gate tower opened fire.
"Boom, boom, boom,"
The artillery shook the earth and shocked the hearts of the Shimadzu army.
Hirata family retainer Yorita Heihachi had tasted the firepower of Ming army artillery on the Korean battlefield. Although he knew that solid bullets had limited lethality in scattered charging teams, he never thought that there would be cannons in this small business building. Some soldiers They had never heard the sound of artillery, and they stood still at a loss for a moment. When they saw the artillery shells smashing their companions into pieces or two, some soldiers screamed, turned around and ran away.