Lu Ming

Chapter 330 Liu Xiang's Decision

The weird ending made Liu Xiang wonder about Miss Qi.

After that, shopkeeper Liu, who didn't believe in evil, organized people to go north many times.From one or two camouflaged fishing boats to a fleet of several large ships, from day to night, from the west end of the strait to the east end of the strait, in short, shopkeeper Liu scientifically used the method of elimination to test the Cao family's troops in an all-round way ability to respond.

The ending was disastrous: except for a small number of camouflaged fishing boats that were able to sneak through the customs, all other boats going to Xiamen that did not follow the waterway, regardless of time, place, day or night, would all be intercepted in the strait.

Fortunately, the cannon fodder has learned to behave well: as long as you see the shadow of the sail in the distance, you will immediately show the white flag and run, you will not be able to escape, and you will still be shot.

This kind of situation made Liu Xiang heartbroken: he wanted a large number of ships to pass through the barrier, so what's the use of getting past one or two fishing boats?

He couldn't fight again and again, and encountered such a dense patrol network of Cao Jun when he broke through the barrier. Liu Xiang didn't have the concept of radar, but this didn't prevent him from seeing the situation clearly.As a result, the plan to "do business" along the coast of Fujian was completely bankrupt.

In this case, Liu Xiang can only temporarily stop thinking about Fujian's idea, and "do business" in the sea outside Guangzhou with peace of mind.

The transmission of information in ancient times was very slow, and half a year had passed by the time the back and forth was over.

At this time, Liu Xiang had to lead his troops back to the Chaoshan area to rest: the big gang had already made a fuss in Guangzhou, and even the Portuguese in Macau sent envoys to protest and severely punish him. Can only stop working temporarily.

Theoretically speaking, it is impossible for a force to maintain high-density daily patrols for a long time, and Liu Xiang is very clear about this.So when he returned to Chaoshan, he still had some fantasies: Cao's grid would be loosened, and he could take his followers to Fujian, or at worst to Zhejiang, and come back in a year or two.

However, when he returned to Chaoshan and it was easier to receive information, he found that the situation not only did not improve, but even worse.

First of all, the inspections in the straits have not relaxed.

Secondly, even the fishing boats are no longer easy to mix: the Kun people have "incorporated" all the fishing boats near Xiamen in the past six months.

The fishermen's society that has been passed down from generation to generation has been completely destroyed by the traversers.

All coastal fishing villages were reorganized by the powerful General's Mansion.Taking the village as the unit, first there is personnel screening and personnel diversion, and then there is the end of the underworld-like "fishing tyrants" and "fish bars": dare to compete with the biggest hooligans for the right to exploit leeks, and breech-loading guns teach people how to behave in minutes.

After that, the remaining fishermen who are allowed to work can form a small joint-stock company, happily borrowing large blessing boats from the wharf outside Zhongzuo Institute for free.

These lucky boats seized from pirates have all been modified and can be dragged and dropped with steel nets or rope nets by hand.Fishermen who have borrowed new fishing boats must form a fleet together, and then follow a pilot boat to go out to sea.

The pilot boat will send out a signal at the right time, and the fishermen will be OK as long as they see the flag rocket and get off the net.

Large ships, with piloted fleet fishing, can go deep into the middle line of the strait where fishermen dared not go in the past. In this way, the efficiency is greatly enhanced.The caught fish will be cured on the spot and sent back to Xiamen, where there are endless private salt piled up in the warehouse, fishermen no longer have to worry about a mouthful of salt.

The above-mentioned fishing methods are expanding to the north and south with Xiamen as the center.Basically, every coastal county in Fujian will set up one or two gathering points for fishing boats in the future: pilot boats equipped with fish finders will come regularly to take the younger brothers out to sea.

Then a strange scene appeared: all kinds of small fishing boats on the coastline in the past disappeared completely, and the ocean was completely silent.

In this case, any traditional fishing boat that breaks into a certain power's patrol area will be quickly discovered, interrogated and detained.

Now Liu Xiang's side is not even delivering the news smoothly.

The advanced management mode not only improves the production efficiency, but also exposes the ghosts and monsters.

What's even more frightening is that the scope of this "sea rot" is still expanding day by day. .The fishermen who got the news along the coast of Fujian are defecting to the Cao family in large numbers recently. You can exchange a few broken boats for a big one, and you won't be oppressed by the fish pens.

Shopkeeper Liu is completely depressed now, he can't find a place to break the situation
Unlike half a year ago, he now has a very objective understanding of Cao Jun's combat effectiveness, so the option of "just face to face" was first removed from his response plan.

The option to break through the level is undoubtedly unreliable, and now even a single fishing boat can't get through.

The strong neighbor in the north, which occupies an important throat, has blocked the Taiwan Strait in fact, and put the Liu Xiang Group, which has just returned from the south, into a dilemma.

Therefore, during the time period at the end of 1628, Liu Xiang, who could not find a strategic direction, was quite anxious.

Cao's tribe that appeared out of nowhere stood in front of them like a crouching tiger.Now let’s not talk about competing with Zheng Zhilong and intervening in the grand strategic concept of Sino-Japanese trade. Liu Xiang’s hometown Chaoshan is not safe now: there is only a 200-mile sea route between Xiamen and Cao’s Clippers. Being able to come and meet him kept him up at night.

So shopkeeper Liu frantically sent spies to investigate everywhere, and at the same time sent many batches of messengers to contact friends including the Portuguese, hoping that the situation would change.

The turning point of the matter appeared at the end of December: Song Asheng, the spy sent earlier, returned to Chaoshan.

Song Asheng is from Jieyang, and he is also an old brother from Chaoshan.This man had never been a spy before, he was just the captain of a certain bird ship.

The reason why Song Asheng was sent to Xiamen was not because he was smart, but according to the spies who came back last time, they saw that Song Asheng’s nephew was working at Kunren’s—so Song Asheng was sent to Xiamen after being encouraged by Liu Xiang. Xiamen.

Unexpectedly, Song Asheng came back in less than half a month this time.

In a row of dilapidated wooden houses on the shore of Dahao Island, Liu Xiang, who had just had lunch, summoned Song Asheng immediately after receiving the notification.

After pouring a cup of narcissus tea, Liu Xiang, who is short, dark-skinned, and angular, has no manners. After Song Asheng took a sip of the tea, he immediately asked: "Old Song, come back soon, when is it time for you?" Any news?"

"Yes, yes!" Song Asheng nodded again and again at this moment: "This time I was lucky, I took a merchant ship to go, and within two days I met my nephew in the restaurant run by the Kunren."

Liu Xiang nodded slowly when she heard this: "It's good luck!"

Song Asheng then said a little excitedly: "Boss shopkeeper, that Kunren can stop the brothers on the ocean every time, so it's not because of the large number of boats, but because of the magic weapon!"

When Liu Xiang heard this, she leaned forward slightly: "Oh!? How do you say it?"

"The Kun people built a three-foot-high pier in the middle left city. On the top of the pier, there is a magic vessel in the shape of a silver pot. It turns endlessly every day, and its name is 'Lord Lei'."

Song Asheng said excitedly at this time: "Master Lei was invited by Kunren from a person who has achieved Taoism. He has supernatural powers and can see ships within 200 miles on the ocean, day or night!"

"Really!?" When Liu Xiang heard this, her eyes widened, her legs turned up, and she jumped off the chair.

"Don't dare to lie to the shopkeeper!" Song Asheng hurriedly explained at this time: "My nephew is walking on the Liangtai, and he is a good friend with the apprentice Kunren who manipulates the magic weapon. According to him, every time the brothers' boat has not passed In Futou Bay, people have already passed the news to Pao Chuan using the method of sound transmission for thousands of miles!"

"Hey, I think there is a way to transmit sound across thousands of miles. It seems that merchants are spending money to buy news recently."

Liu Xiang is worthy of being someone who came here in the wind and waves. After a brief gaffe, he folded his hands behind his back and sighed: "At first I thought it was all legends, but now it seems that these outsiders really have some overseas esoteric techniques!"

At this moment, Liu Xiang shook her head and made a tsk-tsk sound: "I can't blame a few ships for blocking the 600-mile sea area, so it is so, hehe, so it is."

Song Asheng finally added at this time: "Master Lei is said to be a son-mother connection. The central left office, Penghu, and the big officials have deployed it. A nest of male and female magical artifacts has sealed the strait tightly."

"Old Song, this news is important, thank you for your hard work this time." Liu Xiang reached out and patted Song Asheng's shoulder at this moment: "Go to the Liangtai to receive three rewards, and tomorrow I will send two more boats for you."

"Thank you big shopkeeper!"

"You should be rewarded for your meritorious deeds. What should my brothers thank you for? Maybe I will ask you to go to Zhongzuo Institute again in the future."

"Needless to say, all you need is a word from the shopkeeper!"

After dismissing Song Asheng, Liu Xiang waved away the others, and walked up and down the room silently.

Although the mystery of the fleet being intercepted many times has been revealed, Liu Xiang does not relax at all now, and her thoughts are even heavier.

If what Song Asheng said was true, and Kunren was really using a weapon to monitor the ocean surface, then Liu Xiang's last hope would be extinguished.

Originally, he returned to the Chaoshan area at the risk of being raided by the Cao family, just to wait for his opponent to be exhausted.However, the reality dealt him a heavy blow: Cao's was patrolling with those gunboats from beginning to end, and he was very relaxed.
In this way, it seems that Liu Xiang's gang has only one way to go: go south to Guangdong and never come back. Even if they take a break in the future, they can only go to Vietnam and Siam.

Thinking of this, Liu Xiang, who was usually decisive, was extremely irritable at the moment, walking back and forth in the room in a hurry, with a look of anxiety and helplessness on his face.

However, at the next moment, Liu Xiang suddenly stood still, and after muttering for a while, he shouted loudly to the door: "Come here, please come to see me, the military division."

Naturally, there are military advisers in front of Liu Xiang's tent, and there are more than one.But there is only one military adviser without a surname in the title, and that is Yu Xianke, the chief military adviser who died in battle with Liu Xiang in history.

(End of this chapter)