At the beginning of the 44th year of Wanli Dynasty, Zhang Fenglai, deputy envoy of the Fujian Sea Patrol, was dismissed from his post for dereliction of duty because he was involved in a party dispute. In fact, this was the result of China United Company spending a lot of money to maneuver within the imperial court.
During the same period, Zhejiang Songhai Navy Commander-in-Chief Yu Zigao was transferred to Qiongya Commander-in-Chief and came to Qiongzhou Prefecture on Hainan Island.
This was the result of Yu Zigao's conscientious implementation of the maritime ban policy. Those Zhejiang and Fujian maritime merchants bribed the officials of the Zhejiang Chief Secretary and took him to the ends of the earth.
During his tenure in Zhejiang, Yu Zigao tried to carry out some reforms in his army, increase training and innovate weapons. As a result, he first encountered the problem of insufficient military pay. In this year, military pay was withheld from top to bottom for several rounds. If a quarter of what can reach the hands of the soldiers is left, it is because of the great conscience of the officers at all levels; if you are left with a tenth, it is because you are pitiful and fear that you will starve to death.
Yu Zigao tried to get some funds to improve weapons and increase training subjects. However, every expenditure of the Ming Dynasty army was set by the court. Approval of any additional expenditures would challenge the patience of the entire bureaucracy, and would eventually After being exploited at all levels, there was not much left. Zhejiang Deputy Commander-in-Chief Shen Yourong specially came to Songhai Division to inspect, and privately told Yu Zigao: When he first came here, he also wanted to make some updates and make a difference. But even a small reform has to touch the nerves of the entire bureaucracy. Any innovative measures with good goals will eventually become an excuse for officials at all levels to line their own pockets. In the end, Shen Yourong's advice is: do your best and obey fate. Learn to be a good person even when doing things, and protect yourself.
Yu Zigao remembered Yin Fengchang's words: If you want to do things, you are a human being, don't be a human being.
Relying on his youth, vigour, and experience gained while studying at the Chinese Military Academy in Taiwan, Yu Zigao used his salary and property to build the Songhai Marine Camp to a considerable scale in a short period of time. He wiped out the entrenched Changguo Several groups of pirates had also inspected and seized dozens of smuggling merchant ships. Yu Zigao, who was an official for the first time, was not very experienced in the world. He was not afraid of tigers even after he was born. He was still very daring to think, speak and do. He was brave enough to act, with clear edges and corners, and a flamboyant personality. Brave and good at fighting, with his combat experience in the Chinese army, he has almost completely eliminated piracy and smuggling in his jurisdiction.
However, because he was too serious about his work, he went to the governor's office many times to quarrel over the unpaid pay of the soldiers; and he strictly enforced the sea ban, which offended many wealthy businessmen, officials, and gentry, and was finally transferred to Hainan Island for no apparent reason.
Young Yu Zigao suffered a heavy setback in official circles for the first time. On the way to Hainan, he suddenly missed the days of studying at the Chinese Military Academy in Taiwan.
During the years when the Chinese Company was trying its best to enhance its strength, the Ming Dynasty court still followed the same old path and continued to move toward the end in its own old ways.
Not long after Yu Zigao took office as the general of Qiongya, Li rebellion suddenly broke out in Yazhou. The Baoyouli, Luohuoli and other tribes in Yazhou rebelled. The chaos quickly spread across the island. The Li people had always been a big trouble to Qiongzhou in this dynasty. Moreover, only the Li ethnic group in Yazhou was the most serious in turmoil. Among all the Li riots in Qiongzhou, the chaos that occurred in Yazhou alone accounted for half of it. From the area of more than 250 miles east of Yazhou City, there were invasions to Liao Er. The Li tribes such as Shuishui are called Dongli. From the west of Zhoucheng more than 200 miles to Guzhenzhou, there are Luohuo, Qianjia, Dexia and other villages, which are called Xili.
The Xili tribe was severely damaged by the officers and soldiers during the Li rebellion decades ago and has been weakened. However, the Dongli tribe invaded the Yu, Luo Kui, Baolong and other village communities and violently seized territory and resisted the officers and soldiers. Due to the mutual trade, the Li tribe People are always bullied and exploited by Han officials. Fighting between the Han and Li tribes often occurs in the Le'an City market. The government is partial and the officers and soldiers are overjoyed. Some Li villages of the Dongli tribe are retaliated and looted by the officers and soldiers. In the end, this kind of economic disputes It developed into large-scale turmoil.
Yu Zigao was very unlucky. He had just taken office and before he had time to familiarize himself with his troops and the situation in his defense area, the war had spread to the entire island.
One month after the Li Rebellion broke out, all the inspection and guard posts around Yazhou fell. Only Le'an City, which was deep in the mountainous area, was still in the hands of the officers and soldiers. The rebel armed forces of the Li people are rampant, and there are many bandits taking the opportunity to cause trouble. Looking around from the top of Yazhou City, there is smoke everywhere, fireworks in the sky, and countless Han and Li people are fleeing, dragging their children with their daughters, crying and crying. Those fleeing Li people in Yazhou City were mainly so-called "familiar Li people" who had moved outside the mountains and were generally unwilling to participate in the rebellion.
Basically all the Dan people from Sanya Port, Dadan Port and other places have immigrated to Taiwan in recent years and have become the backbone of the Chinese navy under Yin Feng. There are also several households of Dan people who have moved ashore, farming and hunting. Fishing, it is difficult to leave the homeland, so they have not yet immigrated. Therefore, the naval camp in Sanya Port has existed in name only. In fact, there are only dozens of poorly trained sailors left. Therefore, the naval camp abandoned the general camp and left. He hid in Yazhou City.
As soon as he entered the city gate, two sailors caught up with him and grabbed him panting: "Master Lin, Master Lin, go back quickly..."
Lin Zongyu, the commander-in-chief of the Sanya Naval Battalion, turned his head and found out that it was his own soldier, so he angrily shook off the two men's pull: "What nonsense are you talking about? What are you going to do? The traitors are coming soon. Our naval camp How can we hold on with just a few dozen people?"
The sailors couldn't help but smile bitterly, and grabbed Lin Zongyu again and said: "The Taiwan fleet has arrived, and the leader of the fleet has named you to see you."
"Taiwan, how many ships are there in the fleet of Huaxing Alliance?" Lin Zongyu's eyes lit up, as if he saw hope.
"The leader of the team is also named Lin Xiao. They have hundreds of ships and they are densely packed all over the harbor."
"We are saved, Yazhou City is saved, hurry up, let's go back to the navy camp,"
…
The sudden appearance of the Chinese navy in Sanya is not accidental.
When the Li rebellion first broke out, Huaxing Co., Ltd. in Yazhou immediately used flying pigeons to send messages to Taiwan.
During the counterattack of the Spanish Expeditionary Force, Yin Feng had been troubled by the difficulty in exporting Guangdong iron to the sea after the sea ban, which caused the Chinese army's weapons production to encounter bottlenecks. He thought of Shilu, Hainan Island, the richest open-pit iron mine in Asia, with low mining costs. The results were quick. After formulating a grand strategy against the imperial court, some senior Chinese military officials also wanted to seize Hainan Island and completely control the coast of the Ming Dynasty in the hands of the Chinese company. However, since it was not the time to fall out with the imperial court, they invaded Qiongzhou Prefecture. Hainan Island still has to find a reason.
Now, the opportunity to directly intervene in Hainan Island has come.
When he received the news about the outbreak of the Li rebellion in Yazhou, Yin Feng was discussing the issue of Yan Siqi with members of the board of directors in the headquarters meeting hall. Yan Siqi had been fighting independently in Java for nearly three years, and his fifth regiment had grown to a force of more than 6,000 people. , with the help of the Dutch, he has his own firearms manufacturing factory and occupies one-third of the land on Java Island. Everyone is worried that Yan Siqi will not be able to lose his tail and become a hidden danger to the Chinese Company in the Nanyang region.
Yin Feng knew what they were worried about. He waited for everyone to finish speaking, stood up and said: "I know everyone is worried, but you still don't know much about the human system of the Chinese Army, so you have such thoughts. , all the officers under Yan Siqi, as well as the officers at the grassroots level, are all graduates, interns, and supervisory officers of our Taiwan Military Academy. They rotate every two years. I can keep abreast of the personnel situation of Yan Siqi's army. Moreover, I personally have a deep understanding of Yan Siqi. people who are loyal and full of confidence,"
He waved his hand and said: "This matter ends here. I don't want anyone to raise such human issues again,"
Returning to the inner house, he called Lin Xiao over.
"Do you have any news about the people you placed in the Java colonial military area?" Yin Feng asked immediately.
Lin Xiao said: "Everything is business as usual. There should be more news from the Military Supervision Department." Lin Xiao knew Yin Feng's worries: "Zhenquan should be fine. Although he is a bit independent and ambitious, he is a smart man and should know Those officers will not follow him in rebellion,"
Yin Feng smiled and shook his head: "I'm not worried about this, but I'm worried that he will be out of control for a long time and will not be able to cooperate with others in large-scale battles in the future. In this way, I will send troops to Qiongzhou this time. With a transfer order, let him lead his troops to seize Yazhou. Also, you should also go back to your hometown. You are familiar with the situation there. You will be in charge of this operation to seize Hainan Island."
Lin Xiao stood up excitedly: "Don't worry, ship owner, I will hand over Hainan Island to you in its entirety,"
Yin Feng smiled faintly and handed a map to Lin Xiao: "This is a map of Hainan Island. This is Changhua County, Danzhou. I will send several French prospectors and Feng Shui masters from Taipei Coal Mine to follow you. The fleet is going to Hainan. I will not care about other places. First, occupy Danzhou for me. At about this place, a dozen miles away from the city, you must control the surrounding fifty miles."
Lin Xiao is from Yazhou, Hainan Island, which is not far from Danzhou. He asked puzzledly: "Why is this? Is there anything there that is worthy of us doing this?"
Yin Feng chuckled: "You will know when you go there. You must send people to protect those prospecting masters. Do you understand?"
…
The situation in Hainan Island was very chaotic, and information was blocked. Yu Zigao, who was in Qiongzhou, did not know that the Chinese army had landed in Yazhou. At this time, the only troops he could actually control were the two thousand soldiers around Qiongzhou, and other areas. The officers and soldiers have lost contact with Qiongzhou Prefecture, and even these two thousand soldiers have not been trained for a long time. The weapons are also in disrepair, and the firearms cannot be fired because the gunpowder is wet and caked.
At the moment, he can only ask for reinforcements from Guangdong, Guangxi and other places.
When Guangxi Miao soldiers, Yao soldiers, and Guangdong Guardsmen successively concentrated in Qiongzhou, it was already three months after the Chinese army landed in Yazhou. Only then did Yu Zigao mobilize his troops to go south to open up various roads and build the Haikou division camp. It also began to go south. Not long after, the warships of the Haikou Division Battalion were blocked by the Chinese army's huge Fei Bao main battleship in the sea off Sanya. There were more than ten three-masted gunboats on both sides. At the same time, on the sea behind the battleship, there were also Hundreds of ships of various types are transporting large numbers of troops to Sanya Port.
This is the troops of the Yan Siqi Nanyang Task Force transferred from Java and Sumatra in Nanyang, landing at Sanya Port.