Dragon Sea Empire

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce also organized a Chinese guard.Contributed to the King of Siam in the battle of the Burmese army's invasion of Siam.Therefore, it has also been highly regarded by the King of Siam.then.Siam also has three foreign mercenary troops serving the king: the Portuguese Guard who first came to Ayutthaya.The number is about 300; the Japanese samurai mercenary led by Yamada Nagamasa.The number of people is about 800 to 1000; the number of Chinese guards officially recruited by the King of Siam a few years ago is about 700 people.Best equipped.Possesses a large number of flintlock muskets and three bronze six-pounders.

1603 is the year 2156 of the Buddhist calendar used by Siam.After the previous generation of Siamese kings died in June of this year.The domestic situation is turbulent.

Before the arrival of Yamada Nagamasa.The leader of the Japanese mercenaries is Ise Kuzaemon.After Yamada Nagamasa arrived in Ayutthaya.Entered the guard as the head of the pen.Because of the appreciation of the king.Yamada emerges.Fight bravely.was elected leader.In charge of the entire Japanese settlement area.And almost monopolized the trade between Siam and Japan.After the rise of Chinese companies.Relying on the monopoly of sea routes.It took away most of the trade between Siamese retail merchants and private businessmen and Japan.but.The bulk of Siam's overseas trade is monopolized by the royal family.So for ships flying the flag of the Royal Family of Siam.Unless the Chinese company wants to go to war with Siam.Had to pass most of the time; of course.Because some Siam royal merchant ships were actually contracted by Chinese.Chinese companies even had a hand.so.In fact, most of Siam's overseas trade is in the hands of Chinese companies.But the presence of Yamada Nagamasa and Japanese mercenaries in Siam.It still took up a lot of royal trading rights.This has always been a big problem for Chinese companies.

However.The death of the old king.But it gave the Chinese company an opportunity.You can take the opportunity to seize the Japanese monopoly on royal trade.

This opportunity was created by the Japanese mercenaries themselves.The Siamese ruling class is a group of military nobles.This group of warriors has been involved in the chaos of fighting for the royal succession since the death of the old king.Several princes have supporters.Some Japanese mercenaries opposed the newly enthroned King Song Tan.Support the third prince.

On a dark and stormy night. 280 Japanese warriors stormed the palace.King Song Tan was forcibly expelled.And killed four civil servants on the spot.He thought that the Siamese minister who had treated him preferentially who had been assassinated before took revenge.The Japanese stabbed a hornet's nest at once; the traditional Siamese military aristocrats were very dissatisfied with these outsiders intervening in the internal strife.Advocates of several rival thrones rallied.Attack the palace together.

In Southeast Asia.The boldness of the Japanese has become notorious. 1605.Japanese mercenaries attack a British ship in Pattani waters.The leader is the former Japanese samurai leader Ise Kyuzaemon.His killing and robbing has become full of evil.These incidents left the Siamese with the impression that "the Japanese are very cruel".Siam Minister Okya Phraklang in a letter sent to the Edo Tokugawa Shogunate.Siam asked the Edo shogunate to allow only those Japanese who trusted and respected the laws of Siam to sail to Ayutthaya.

Now Japanese mercenaries pose a threat to the royal family.This reminds many Siamese of the evil deeds of the Japanese.The contenders for the throne join forces to attack the palace.But the Japanese also had reinforcements; the army led by the third prince also came.

A three-day melee broke out around the royal palace in Ayutthaya.

Portuguese mercenaries and Chinese mercenaries did not join the melee for the time being.They are all busy guarding the settlements of their respective expatriates.

fourth day.King Song Tan, who was expelled by the Japanese, brought his army back from the south.

immediately.The Portuguese and the Chinese used the banner of supporting the orthodox royal family.Joined King Song Tan's troops.The Portuguese blasted open the palace gates with cannons.The Chinese repelled the armies of the other contenders who besieged the palace.Straight to Nihoncho.

The young Yamada Nagamasa brought his subordinates.Has not been involved in the melee for the first three days.

Under the leadership of Lin Songtao, the shopkeeper of Zhonghua Commercial Hall. 700 guards of the Chinese business house pushed three artillery pieces to Nihoncho.At this time.Yamada Nagamasa had to make a choice.He led his troops out under the banner of King Song Tan.Kneel down in front of the imperial envoy of King Song Tan who supervised the battle.Said that he would fight for King Song Tan.

Lin Songtao saw his business rival for many years actually surrendered.Anxious.He leaned in front of the imperial envoy and whispered: "The Japanese are cruel and ruthless. They cannot be trusted. They say they want to fight for the respected king. Then, we should let them deal with their own compatriots. This way we can see if they really surrendered."

The east gate of the palace has been surrounded by King Songtan's army.Chinese mercenaries bombarded the palace gate with cannons.Yamada Nagamasa's Japanese soldiers were driven into the palace.

The third prince, who had nowhere to go, and more than 100 of his guards were still fighting with other troops in the west area of ​​the palace.There are only Japanese and Chinese mercenaries in the East Gate area.And one of the few Songtan King Supervising Teams.

Lin Songtao ordered his troops to load bullets and shells.Seriously.Prevent the Japanese from rushing out.

What he didn't expect was that Yamada Nagamasa's troops rushed into the palace.Wielding a Japanese sword, he mercilessly hacked and killed his compatriots.The action is fast and ruthless.Lin Songtao didn't even have time to respond.More than 200 rebel Japanese soldiers near the East Gate have all been killed by their own people.

The civil strife in Siam ended.King Song Tan officially ascended the throne.Several princes were either executed or exiled.Yamada Nagamasa's last move.He saved the situation for his own mercenary team and Nihoncho.King Song Tan still allowed the existence of Japanese mercenary guards.

Chinese companies get some benefits.Yamada Nagamasa had to hand over half of Siam's trade rights with Japan to Lin Songtao every year.

The news reached Yin Feng who had just landed in Luzon.He sighed with regret: Yamada Nagamasa is a hero.This time, the Nihonmachi and Yamada Nagamasa mercenaries failed to be uprooted.The Chinese company will still have to fight the Japanese in Siam in the future.

……

July of 1613.The news that the Spaniards are about to counterattack Luzon has spread throughout the European colonies in Southeast Asia.

In 1609, the Spaniards had signed a 12-year truce with the British and the Dutch.Spain had hoped to settle the dispute with Britain and the Netherlands.Because these two countries are the most dangerous to its overseas territories.But the truce with the Netherlands.It is only attached to the agreement under the armistice treaty with Britain.It is not clearly determined in the text of the peace treaty.therefore.outside of Europe.The Dutch-Spanish agreement on a truce simply could not be kept.The Dutch continued to expand their power and influence in the Spice Islands.result.The hostility between Spain and the Netherlands continued to intensify.

Just this year.The Netherlands sent a fleet of six ships.Under the command of Admiral Joris Spielbergen.Trade from America to the East Indies.The fleet sailed through the Strait of Magellan.In July 1613, he arrived at the "Thieves Islands"---Guam.

The Dutch don't know that.Guam and surrounding islands had fallen into Chinese hands the previous year.

They cross the Pacific Ocean.I plan to stay in Guam for two days.Exchange some fruit, poultry, and fish with the inhabitants of the islands.When the Dutch first entered port.I was taken aback by more than a dozen large three-masted blessing ships in the harbor.

Admiral Joris Spielbergen holds binoculars.I watched it for a long time.Ask Layton, the first mate standing beside him, "Is this not the territory of the Spaniards anymore?"

First Mate Layton was the Deputy Commander of the Batavia Garrison of the East India Company.That is, the younger brother of Van Layden, the leader of the first batch of foreign mercenaries of the Chinese company.Jacques Leighton.

The young first officer looked in the direction of the port.He said lightly: "That's right. This is already the territory of the China United Company."

Joris Spielbergen continued to watch with the binoculars for a while and said: "So. The Chinese have already occupied Guam. It seems that there are still a lot of troops stationed. God. They are moving very quickly. First officer Layton You see: they have built a fort on the west side of Agana. I don't think the Spaniards built any castle here."

Jacques Layton nodded.He said lazily: "My brother worked in their company. He thinks that the Chinese Company has more power than our East India Company. They occupy Guam. I am not surprised at all."

"What about this fortress? The design style is very similar to modern French fortress facilities."

"According to my brother. Yin Feng, the founder of Zhonghua Company, is a strange genius. This kind of fortress design principle was conceived out of thin air in his head; you know. In other places in Asia. There has not been such a firearm based A fortress built on the principles of warfare."

The admiral nodded: "It seems. I underestimated these Chinese. But. We are not here to fight. Look. Their ships are coming."

Zhang Hai is stationed in Guam.A professional city guard transferred from Ryukyu.

but.Here he is the supreme leader of the garrison.He is also the emperor of the entire Guam region.

The Aganasi Fort could be completed in as little as half a year.It all depends on thousands of Japanese laborers.These people were residents of the Satsuma Domain captured by Yin Feng before he left Japan.The local residents, the Chamorros, hate the Spaniards.Because the Spaniards brought Catholicism.He insisted on changing the Chamorros civilization tradition.

The Chinese have always been less interested in spreading religious beliefs.Therefore, the Chinese company and the local aborigines are basically in peace in Guam.Temporarily let the indigenous Chamorros self-government.Since it is impossible to get help from the local labor force.As soon as Zhang Hai arrived in Guam.He desperately sent a document to the company headquarters to ask for more manpower.

于是。3000名日本劳工、300名中国工匠就这样來到了关岛。炮台迅速建好后。大部分日本劳工就留在关岛种地开荒。张海手下已经有十门36磅大炮、十门24磅青铜榴弹炮。另外还有小型野战炮十门。600名驻步兵驻防队战士；同时。海港周围还有十五艘三桅炮舰。一艘快速帆船-准飞剪船海魂号。1500名水手。

The eastern outpost of the Chinese company is ready for battle.