Chapter 356: Japanese Pirates Landing
Strictly speaking, Taizhou Prefecture is not a good place.
People say that Jiangnan has beautiful scenery, and Zhejiang can be considered Jiangnan, right? However, Taizhou has many mountains and little land, and every year during the typhoon season, it has to suffer from strong winds.
The typhoon that just passed still left a deep impression on the people of Taizhou Prefecture. After the typhoon, people went out of their homes and began to repair their houses.
Taizhou prefect Sun Lianyuan and co-prefect Feng Que were inspecting along the main road.
There were piles of all kinds of debris on the street, and merchants on both sides were still carrying things out continuously.
"Why block the road?" Sun Lianyuan asked dissatisfiedly.
The accompanying clerk smiled and said, "Your Excellency, there was a strong wind last night, and the water from the Ling River flowed back into the shops along the street. So they took out the soaked goods and hung them out to dry."
Feng Que's face was solemn. "This is just a small matter. The Japanese pirates have been making frequent movements recently, and the coast has issued warnings many times. Your Excellency, you should order everyone to be alert and vigilant."
Sun Lianyuan sighed, "Do you think I don't know? Do you think they don't know? They are just pretending to be stupid."
"Stop!" A man carrying a sack of things rushed over here and was blocked by several soldiers. The man raised his eyes and glanced over here, then avoided them with an apologetic smile.
"The last time the Japanese pirates landed in Taozhu, the officers and soldiers were not in a hurry to hear the news. By the time they arrived, the Japanese pirates had already fled with the looted people and materials."
Sun Lianyuan gnashed his teeth and said, "Those idiots, I'll tell the local guards to enforce strict military discipline and kill a few of them."
"In troubled times, severe punishments are needed. I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen in Taizhou Prefecture right now," Feng Que said in a low voice.
"Who are you talking about?" Sun Lianyuan also lowered his voice.
"News came from the capital that His Majesty ordered the commander to go south for an inspection, but there are many tricks involved in this inspection. He is His Majesty's cousin and a close minister to the emperor. It is said that his hands are stained with blood during the purge of the imperial guards. When he came to Taizhou Prefecture... many people wanted to stab him, but many people were quite afraid..."
"I have a clear conscience." Sun Lianyuan said calmly.
"Didn't Your Excellency receive the letter from the capital?" Feng Que asked.
"Of course I received them, and there were more than ten of them." Sun Lianyuan said, "They all urged me to trip up that man and use underhanded tactics to make him lose face in Taizhou Prefecture."
"So do I, your humble servant."
The two looked at each other.
"A great man of the Mohist school, a close minister to the emperor, a butcher of the military strategists..." Sun Lianyuan said dimly, "As you said, something is going to happen in Taizhou Prefecture."
The two of them took a look around and found that the damage caused by last night's typhoon was not that great.
Sun Lianyuan walked up to the city wall. In front of him was the Lingjiang River, which was still flooding. He looked at Jinzi Mountain and said, "It's a good place with mountains and rivers, but it's a pity that there is no peace."
Feng Que told the garrison to be alert to the Japanese pirates' surprise attack. After returning, he said, "I think the Japanese pirates dare not come to the city, but we must be careful from Jiantiao to Taozhu and even Jiaojiang."
"Let's write it!" Sun Lianyuan said, "Words don't count, lest we be caught by that killer."
"Alright."
As soon as the two men got down from the city wall, several riders came galloping towards them.
"Fu Zun!"
The leader was a minor official. He dismounted, stumbled a bit, and then climbed up using his hands and feet. Without even having time to salute, he reported, "Fishermen have spotted Japanese pirates."
Sun Lianyuan's expression changed slightly. "How many people? Where did they go?"
"It is said that they were found near the mouth of Jiaojiang River. There were five ships and hundreds of people, and they were sailing upstream..."
Sun Lianyuan raised his hands and closed his eyes. "Going upstream along the Jiaojiang River, what are the Haimen Guards doing? What is the commander Chen Bo doing? He has thousands of officers and soldiers, but he turns a blind eye?"
Feng Que said, "Your Excellency, I'm afraid the Haimen Guards haven't noticed it yet!"
"Go upstream, avoid the sea gate guards, where is the target of the Japanese pirates?"
"Jiazhi!"
"Jiazhi!"
The two spoke almost at the same time.
"Hurry up and rush to Haimenwei... I'm afraid it's too late!" Sun Lianyuan stamped his feet, "Go to Haimenwei quickly and order Chen Bo to attack."
"Wait." Feng Que stopped several soldiers, "If the Japanese pirates escape, tell Chen Bo not to pursue them."
The soldier looked at Sun Lianyuan, the one who was in charge here.
There was a hint of reluctance in Sun Lianyuan's eyes. Feng Que looked at him calmly. After a moment, Sun Lianyuan sighed and said, "Just do as you say."
"Yes."
As the sound of horse hooves faded away, Feng Que smiled bitterly and said, "If the Haimen Guards pursue us, I am worried that the Japanese pirates will strike back. If the Haimen Guards are defeated, Your Excellency, the gates along the Jiaojiang River will be wide open. The Japanese pirates can either go up the Lingjiang River to the west and raid our capital Linhai, or go by land and plunder the Yongquan area. It's hard to defend against them!"
"Back then, Duke Xin built the Haimen Guard for the purpose of protecting the Jiaojiang River estuary. I never thought it would become a hole for Japanese pirates to run rampant today! The Haimen Guard has become a deaf ear, a mere decoration!"
Sun Lianyuan said angrily: "Now what I am most worried about is that if Jiazhi is looted, the Japanese pirates will take advantage of the unstable people's hearts after the typhoon and advance further!"
"Your Excellency, the only solution now is to send out orders to all places to be on alert. Also, order the Haimen guards to be on alert at all times, and send out personnel to investigate the traces of the Japanese pirates..."
"That's all it can do."
Sun Lianyuan stood outside the city gate, looking at the boiling Lingjiang River outside, and said with a wry smile: "To be honest, I have never had a good impression of that person, but now I really want to see him."
……
Niutoujing Mountain and Xiaoyuan Mountain, located in the south and north respectively, are like a big door locking the estuary of Jiaojiang River.
Haimenwei was built on the south bank of Jiaojiang River.
On the Acropolis, the commander of the Haimen Guard, Chen Bo, looked grim, "How long have you been aware of it?"
Commander Shen Bing stood on his left, looking at the upstream direction of Jiaojiang River, and said in a deep voice: "Just this morning, someone went to the shore to check the fishing boats and found five boats."
"Are you sure they are Japanese pirates? How many of them are real Japanese?" Chen Bo asked.
"They say most of them wear loincloths."
The loincloth is one of the symbols of the Japanese pirates.
"Which one is it?"
"I think it might be the unit of Matsugi Yoshiko."
"That bitch!"
Chen Bo turned around and said, "They have probably already started. I have made up my mind..."
The generals stood there with their hands folded.
Chen Bo squinted his eyes. The sunshine after the typhoon was very uncomfortable. He felt his eyebrow twitching and remembered a saying he had heard before: If your eyebrow twitches, be careful of disasters.
"Send out a hundred cavalrymen, march westward along the Jiaojiang River, and investigate along the way. If you encounter a small group of Japanese pirates, attack them decisively. If you encounter a large group of Japanese pirates..."
All the generals bowed their heads.
Chen Bo waved his hand, "Go!"
He didn't say the rest, and he couldn't say it.
If they encountered a large group of Japanese pirates and the generals failed to attack, it would be considered as reckless. If they created a miracle and defeated the enemy, it would also be due to Chen Bo's foresight and effective command.
The captain who led the team smiled bitterly in his heart: "I obey your orders."
When an army no longer aims to kill the enemy, it is not far from complete decay.
Although the Ming Dynasty banned sea trade, it continued unabated along the coast, and every year there were merchants who secretly went out to sea.
Compared with land transportation, water transportation is more convenient and cost-effective. In the Jiangnan area with a well-developed water system, water transportation has become the mainstream.
Jiazhi is the anchorage for the water transport of Haimenwei.
Before the typhoon came, the surrounding ships had already stopped at Jiazhi, and most of the ship owners went ashore, either to stay overnight or to stay with relatives or friends.
After the typhoon, ship owners and merchants came to the shore and ate lunch while checking the condition of their ships and cargo.
"Let's leave quickly after dinner." Businessman Wu Er squatted on the shore eating black rice glutinous rice cakes, glancing at the sky from time to time.
"Boss, why don't we leave tomorrow?" The boatman Han Tian was eating dry biscuits. He glanced at the black rice glutinous rice cake in Wu Er's hand, took a bite of the dry biscuit with some salivation, and then took a sip of the wine mixed with water. He thought this was not bad.
"Hurry up and send this batch of goods to Linhai. Last time someone there wanted to ship something to Qiansuo, we can make some money on the return trip. The sooner the better."
Wu Er stuffed the last bite of black rice glutinous rice into his mouth and cursed in a vague voice: "Drink less!"
"Right away, right away." Han Tian picked up the bowl, drank the wine, and when he put the bowl down, he suddenly froze.
"Hurry up and leave." Wu Er kicked him.
Han Tian was sitting on the shore when he suddenly jumped up, pointed downstream and shouted, "Japanese pirates!"
Wu Er originally wanted to kick him again, but when he heard the sound and looked up, he saw five boats going upstream. On the boats were a group of Japanese pirates wearing loincloths and holding swords and guns.
Wu Er shouted subconsciously: "Sail! Sail!"
Han Tian said, "Boss, it's too late, hurry up and leave."
Wu Er cursed: "If I lose this batch of goods, I will have no capital left. Then you and I will both be left with nothing. Hurry!"
Wu Er was untying the ropes, and Han Tian gritted his teeth and jumped onto the boat, preparing to raise the sail.
"Set the ship quickly!"
Almost 90% of the ship owners made the same choice as Wu Er.
The Japanese pirates on the five ships were laughing wildly. The leader, Shuxia Yilang, grinned and said, "As the leader said, after the typhoon, there are fat sheep here."
"Someone ran away."
A boat rushed out like a fly and then went upstream.
But the five ships were getting closer.
When the first arrow flew over, Wu Er said desperately: "Hurry!"
Han Tian dropped the sail and dragged him to the shore.
As soon as the two of them got ashore, Wu Er cursed: "I'm going to kill you, you idiot, I..."
"what!"
Hearing screams from behind, Wu Er turned around and saw a familiar businessman shot by an arrow and slowly falling into the water.
He shuddered, "Run!"
"Run!"
The merchants finally realized that their lives were more important, and they fled for their lives after landing.
"Kill them on the shore!" Shuxia Yilang was the first to go ashore. Looking at the Ming people fleeing in all directions, he said in ecstasy, "Kill the Ming people!"
"kill!"
After the Japanese pirates landed, they divided into several teams under the leadership of their respective leaders and began to hunt down the fleeing Ming people.
Shuxia Lang looked back at the ships and cargoes, greed flashed in his eyes, and he hesitated.
If he could take these goods away, his trip would be a great achievement.
But the leader said that there would be a reward of ten coins for killing a Ming person.
Those are copper coins from the Ming Dynasty!
It is a super hard currency in Japan.
"kill!"
Finally, Shuxialang couldn't resist the temptation and chased after him with his men.
"Run!"
Those Ming people were wailing.
A Ming man couldn't run any longer, so he knelt on the ground and raised his hands, "I am willing to surrender, I..."
The sharp Japanese sword swept past and a human head flew up.
Stimulated by the blood, the pirates became beastly. One of them captured a woman and laughed wildly, "Look what I caught? Hahahaha!"
The woman screamed in despair: "Help!"
"Who will save you? Hahaha!" The Japanese pirates laughed.
Da da da!
The sound of horse hooves came suddenly.
"It's the south!" Shuxia Lang was startled, "Not the Haimen Guard?"
"What are you afraid of?" Someone shouted, "That's a credit!"
Yes!
When the Ming army saw them, they had no choice but to flee.
Shuxiajitaro raised his knife, "Follow me and kill them all."
More than two hundred cavalrymen suddenly appeared in front.
They were covered in dust, but their formation was in good order.
The leader raised his hand.
"Raise my flag!"
puff!
A huge flag fluttered fiercely in the river breeze.
"What is that?" Shuxialang was illiterate.
Someone among the pirates could read and said, "It's... it's the flag with the word Jiang on it!"
"Jiang Ziqi, who is that?"
The young man under the big flag looked at these pirates coldly, "I only want ten prisoners, the rest, kill them all!"
"Master's order, leave ten alive, and kill the rest!"
"kill!"
(End of this chapter)
