When the South China Sea Fleet once again set sail in the South China Sea, it was already in March.
With the establishment of the provinces of Taiwan and Luzon, there are now merchant ships travelling between Xiamen in Fujian Province, Huwei in Taiwan Province, Dayuan and Passalun and Fusong in Luzon Province. However, the round-trip ships are small merchant ships and cannot carry large quantities. Therefore, when 20,000 troops are transferred from Fujian to Luzon, the South China Sea Fleet will also need to provide transport ships and escorts.
It took about a month to transport all the personnel and equipment to Luzon Province, including some horses.
For this month, Zheng Zhilong has been staying in Subic Bay in Luzon Province. He is building a naval base. This is a bay surrounded by mountains and surrounded by cliffs. Only facing the South China Sea, there is a narrow exit. Haikou.
The current Subic Bay is still a wasteland, with weeds and thorns, the terrain needs to be leveled, the wharf needs to be built, there are also houses for soldiers to stay, training grounds, etc. It has been busy for more than a month before the base has some Prototype, some military supplies are reserved.
When the South China Sea Fleet transported all Fujian’s army to Luzon, Zheng Zhilong began to reorganize the fleet. His goal for this trip was the Malacca Waterway. As a former pirate leader, he fully understood the important role of Malacca in the trade between East and West. And status, this point coincides with Zhu Youjian.
Now it is the Portuguese who control the Malacca waterway. With the gradual decline of national power, the Portuguese gradually withdrew from the various trade strongholds in the East, and put their main power on the Americas. The American continent is their new favorite.
But the grape people who tasted the sweetness refused to give up the Malacca waterway.
Malacca was originally a long and narrow waterway with free navigation. Zheng He's fleet was unimpeded here, and no one was seen to collect taxes. Although there are many small countries along the coast, none of these small countries have the ability to control the Malacca waterway.
The Portuguese who first entered the South Seas, by virtue of their guns and artillery, conquered the Manchuria on the east coast and controlled the Malacca waterways. All merchant ships in the past had to pay taxes to them.
Collecting taxes on the ground brings huge economic benefits.
After entering the South Seas, the Dutch coveted Malacca and sent ships to attack Malacca twice, but they all returned without success.
This time Zheng Zhilong led the main force of the South China Sea Fleet to the Malacca Waterway.
From Subic Bay to Malacca, you have to pass through Borneo (now Kalimantan Island), where there are a large number of commercial strongholds established by the Dutch, and the Dutch navy is guarded here.
When the South China Sea Fleet first entered the South China Sea, it was attacked by the combined forces of the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal. Although the Portuguese fleet was the first to flee the battlefield, Zheng Zhilong did not know whether there was a covenant relationship between them and whether the Dutch would assist the Portuguese. Therefore, he Be extra careful.
When the South China Sea Fleet passed the coast of Borneo, the Dutch soldiers on the shore and on the ships suddenly became nervous. Even the ships left the harbor and stood ready. At the same time, they sent small fast boats to inform the East India Company headquarters Batavia (today Jakarta).
Zheng Zhilong has no plan to attack Borneo. Although both sides are nervous, no one has fired the first shot. It was not until the South China Sea Fleet left Borneo and approached the Malay Peninsula that the Dutch ships on Borneo withdrew to the port.
But the Dutch on Java Island became nervous again.
The governor of the East India Company, Speks, stood on the coastline, looking at the endless sea level. He was lost in thought. Although his eyes could not see Daming's fleet, the fiasco of the United Fleet last time stabbed him like an awl. Heart.
The unclear purpose of the Daming fleet made him restless. Since receiving notification from Borneo, he has been sending small ships to monitor Daming's fleet from afar. Spex is now convinced that the Dutch fleet, which is far away from the mainland, is far larger than nothing. The fleet of Shang Daming, and the local navy, it is impossible to come to Nanyang in a short time.
Not to mention the distance, the main enemy of the Netherlands at sea is the British Empire, and it is impossible for the Dutch warships to reach the far east on a large scale.
"Master Governor, Ming's navy has no intention of attacking us." A military attache next to Speks made him wake up from his contemplation.
"Then what's their goal? So many ships, won't they be here to show off their weapons?" What is most disturbing about Spex is that he doesn't understand the goals and trends of the Ming fleet, if it is truly a disaster. When it comes, he is not afraid, the big deal is that he will lose his life in the war and ascend to heaven as soon as possible.
But Daming's fleet circled Borneo for half a circle, and it is still not far from Borneo, besieging but not attacking, and the Dutch fleet does not have the ability to actively attack.
Waiting is disturbing, while waiting for disaster and waiting for death is disturbing.
"We don’t know their target, but if their target is us, they should start offensive from Borneo, which is very close to their Luzon province. The supply should be more convenient. But they let Borneo go, obviously not for the attack. We are here."
"Malaka, I understand," Spex woke up suddenly. The Daming fleet had passed through all the Dutch trading strongholds. If they were to attack, they would have attacked long ago. "Come on, get on the Clippers and go. See the main commander of the Daming Fleet."
"Your Excellency..."
“Since Daming’s goal is not our stronghold, they are not our enemies, at least not now,” Spex didn’t know, whether he was deceiving himself, “Once Daming occupied Malacca, our Eastern trade Trouble."
"Master Governor, Malacca is not under our control now..."
"It's different now. The Portuguese occupy Malacca. We only need to pay taxes. We can still pass through Malacca freely. With Portugal's strength, Malacca will be ours sooner or later. Once Ming occupies Malacca, who knows the future changes?" Kers frowned, he became more and more worried about this huge Da Ming.
"Master Governor, shall we help Portugal?"
"Help? Last time we jointly dealt with Daming's fleet, the timid Portuguese took the lead in fleeing the battlefield. If it weren't for their fleeing disrupted our plan..." Speks couldn't say anymore, if the Portuguese didn't flee. , Can the combined fleet defeat Daming's fleet? He has no confidence in himself.
"Your Excellency, what do we send envoys to Daming's fleet? Should we stop them from attacking Malacca, or should we negotiate the future with them?"
"Let’s take a look at the situation first!" Spex estimates that with his current naval strength, he is far behind the Ming navy and does not have the strength of World War I at all. He does not want to be like Spanish governor Tabola, only passing through one. After a battle, he would withdraw from Nanyang forever. It seems that negotiations are still more likely.
But will Daming negotiate with him? What does Daming need? What benefits can Daming leave him? Spex had no bottom in his heart.
The clippers of the Dutch messenger were intercepted by several ships of Daming, and the messenger was taken to Zheng Zhilong's flagship "Nanhai". Several soldiers escorted the messenger to prevent him from doing anything unfavorable to Zheng Zhilong.
"I have seen Commander Zheng!" The messenger has seen Daming's ships, a large and orderly fleet, well-trained soldiers, and large-caliber naval guns. He has been secretly surprised in his heart, facing the mighty Daming Navy Commander. , The messenger bends down very modestly, strokes his left chest with his right hand, and salutes Zheng Zhilong.
"Are you a Dutch messenger?" Zheng Zhilong is familiar with Dutch. He can understand what the messenger says, and the interpreter next to it is just a spare tire.
"I am ordered by Governor Spex to visit Daming's navy commander." The messenger has been calmed by Zheng Zhilong, and he can't hold his head up.
"I want to correct. I am not Daming's naval commander, but Daming's commander of the South China Sea Fleet. Daming has other fleets." Zheng Zhilong appeared calmer in front of these former opponents.
"South China Sea Fleet? Other fleets?" The messenger subconsciously looked at the densely packed ships on the sea, and then at Zheng Zhilong's face. He desperately resisted his surprise.
"Now let's talk about it, what is the purpose of Spex sending you here?" Zheng Zhilong smiled slightly, and he didn't bother to explain to such a messenger.
"Governor Spex wants to know, what is the purpose of the Ming Fleet coming here?"
"Target?" Zheng Zhilong turned angrily on his face. Do I need to report to you about the military operations of my South China Sea Fleet? "This is our military secret, how can I tell you?"
"Your Excellency Commander, don't be angry. Governor Spex has no other intentions. He just wants to live peacefully with Daming and hope that there will be no misunderstandings between the two sides."
"Peaceful coexistence?" Zheng Zhilong's expression warmed slightly. He stared into the courier's Lan Youyou eyes. When did the Dutch take the initiative to live peacefully with Daming? "We are also willing to coexist peacefully with the Netherlands and share the fruits of East-West trade, as long as you show enough sincerity."
"Of course we have sincerity and sincerity, otherwise the governor will not send me to see your commander." The messenger was overjoyed. As long as we can live together peacefully, the Dutch can continue to enjoy the huge profits of Eastern trade. "Then... Your Commander can tell us Why did Daming’s fleet come to Borneo? In order to avoid misunderstandings between the two sides..."
If it weren’t for being frightened by the size of the South China Sea Fleet and sincerity, Zheng Zhilong would not believe that the Dutch were willing to share huge trade profits with Daming. “I can only tell Governor Spex that the Daming fleet is here and the target is not Dutch. You don’t have to worry about the various trade strongholds, and also ask Governor Spex to sail all your ships into the port, and don’t follow Daming’s fleet."
"Not us?" The messenger didn't seem to believe Zheng Zhilong's verbal assurance.
"If our goal is your stronghold, I am afraid that all the Dutch strongholds on Borneo have been uprooted. Can we wait until now?" Zheng Zhilong seemed a little unhappy, and he didn't understand such simple principles.
"Yes, yes, I believe in the sincerity of your commander."
"Then you have to show your sincerity," Zheng Zhilong waved to let the messenger leave. "Go back and tell Governor Spex not to try to interfere with my actions. Soon after, I will send someone to negotiate with him, live together peacefully, and share Nanyang. Interests."