Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 767
The 17th year of Chongzhen, [-] A.D., the year of Jiashen in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, was also a year hundreds of years later, when countless Chinese people mentioned it, they were still worried and indignant, but everything had changed.

The 8000-member North Sea Fleet of the Ming Dynasty fought a fierce battle with more than 16 Spanish elites who landed in Manila on October [-], [-]th year of Chongzhen. Finally, by virtue of the huge advantage brought by the difference in weapons generation, Spain was wiped out at a very small cost. There were more than [-] soldiers in the army, and hundreds of generals under Major General Delgado were killed, and more than [-] were captured. Only a few thousand Spanish soldiers fled back to the ship under the cover of the fleet's artillery fire.

And just as dozens of warships from the Spanish Navy's mixed fleet pulled anchor and fled in a panic, more than a hundred warships of various types from the two fleets of the North Sea and the South China Sea hidden in Subic Bay had quietly arrived in the sea off Manila Bay, and immediately attacked them. The Spanish naval formation launched a fierce attack.

Under the command of Admiral Liu Guoneng, the flagship of the North Sea Fleet, the "Kunlun Ship", escorted by the "Sky Mending Ship" and "Sky Breaking Ship", as well as several main warships of the South China Sea Fleet, rushed into the Spanish naval formation first. The eighty cannons of the model showed great power. When facing the old Spanish warships, they formed a crushing trend like a tiger entering a flock. It sank three main Spanish warships in one fell swoop and severely damaged two. "Kunlun Ship" He himself suffered little damage.

Under the rampage of the "Kunlun Ship", the sea giant, the Spanish fleet, which was already demoralized, was suddenly rushed to pieces. The battleship also took advantage of the momentum and launched a fierce attack on the troop carrier with a relatively weak firepower configuration. The other arson ships and jumping boats also showed their talents one by one. The fleeing Spanish warship.

The battle on land ended early in just over two hours, while the battle at sea lasted nearly three hours, and it didn't end with the victory of the Ming army until night fell.

The results of this land-sea battle were delivered to Beijing in the first month of the 17th year of Chongzhen. According to incomplete statistics, the invading Spanish fleet was almost wiped out, and less than ten warships of various types fled to the mainland. Manila Bay and nearby seas The wreckage of battleships and the bodies of Spanish soldiers were everywhere, and these corpses soon became a delicious meal for sharks.

Liu Guoneng, Zhang Wenyao, and Zheng Zhibao claimed in a joint memorial that the total number of Spanish troops fleeing to the mainland would not exceed 3000, and that the Ming army suffered very little loss in the two battles.

In addition to land battles, the "Kunlun Ship" played the most important role in naval battles. Liu Guoneng and the other three made a petition, imploring the emperor to consider increasing the number of "Kunlun Ships" after seeing such brilliant results. The Ming Dynasty's navy can shock east and west, and even more frightens others.

In fact, Liu Guoneng and the others did not mention it. Zhu Youjian had already ordered to build two "Kunlun-class" heavy gunships at the Jinzhou Shipyard. The cost of the two ships has been reduced a lot. It is estimated that after the construction is completed, each ship will cost about 28 taels, which is about 7 to [-] taels lower than the cost of the first ship. This amount of money is for Taicang , is not a big deal.

Not long after the news of the second victory in Manila came back to China, something that surprised everyone, especially Zhu Youjian, happened.

Zheng Zhilong, Boss of Jinghai, presented himself to the emperor and asked his family to move to the capital to settle down.

After receiving Zheng Zhilong's seal, Zhu Youjian finished reading it, and sent someone to the cabinet to let the cabinet ministers discuss the matter. Afterwards, the cabinet ministers have always believed that Zheng Zhilong's move is probably not a test of the emperor. Mind, judging from the words on the surface, it is indeed voluntary to come to live under the eyes of the emperor.

Because Zheng Zhilong was scared.

The "Kunlun", "Split Sky" and "Bendian" came out one after another, and the huge power displayed in the first actual combat not only shocked the world, but also made Zheng Zhilong feel sincere fear.

The newly launched giant ships were only deployed to the North Sea Fleet, which fully demonstrated the intention of the emperor and the court to guard against the Zheng family. According to the strength shown by these new ships, if the emperor wanted to find an excuse to attack the Zheng family, although the Zheng family ships There are many, but in the end it is difficult to protect the existing sphere of influence, and if the new ship continues to be built in the next few years, it will form an overwhelming advantage for the Zheng family in the future. Interested issues are even very likely to be taken away.

After receiving the details of the Manila naval battle, Zheng Zhilong made a decisive decision to move north after a night of thinking. He believed that with the emperor's benevolent style over the years, as long as he agreed to move north, the existing prosperity of the Zheng family would be greatly reduced. Wealth will surely be preserved.

In the original history, the Qing government forced Zheng Zhilong to move to live in the capital because of fear of the strength of the Zheng family, so that he could be monitored nearby and prevent the Zheng family from forming a situation in the southeast that could not be lost. Under the circumstances of strength, he actually ignored the unanimous opposition of his family and agreed to the order of the Qing government, but in the end he ended up dying tragically.

There are talents but no ambitions, this sentence has been verified again by Zheng Zhilong.

But from another perspective, it can be said that he has self-knowledge in asking himself to move to the north. Although Zhu Youjian has always been kind and even criticized for being soft, after the strength of the Beihai Fleet has increased sharply, it is inevitable that he will be under the control of the officials. As a suggestion, consider reducing the influence of the Zheng family in the southeast coast, and once he makes this decision, it is really hard to say what will happen to the Zheng family under the manipulation of someone with a heart.

Once some things happen, even if Zhu Youjian is the emperor, he can't be completely under his control.

After reaching an agreement with the ministers, Zhu Youjian decided to accept Zheng Zhilong's "request to surrender" and allowed him to go north to the capital at a certain date, and promoted him from the position of Bo Jinghai to Marquis of Jinghai, and chose a place in the west city of the capital for him. Of course, the construction of the Jinghaihou Mansion will be borne by Zheng Zhilong himself.

After dealing with this small accident, Zhu Youjian turned his attention to Li Zicheng and Liu Zongmin who had been escorted to the capital and imprisoned in Jinyiwei Prison.

These two people must die, but how to die, Zhu Youjian has considered many ways, after careful consideration, Zhu Youjian finally issued an order.

On March 17th of the lunar calendar in the 25th year of Chongzhen, April [-]th, [-] AD, Liu Zongmin was late in the downtown area. After Li Zicheng was sent to Jingshan by the Jinyi Guards, he was hanged on a locust tree with a crooked neck.

This day is the historical Jiashen Heaven Change and the day when Emperor Chongzhen died for his country.

　In order to commemorate the death of the last emperor of the Han people, I chose to let the traitor die in the same way.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)