Chapter 362 Han people are not slaves

On this day, when the morning light was fading, Zhu Houzhao had just gotten up and practiced Tai Chi for a while, when he saw Li Tianchong running over with sweat on his head: "Your Majesty, a large number of Japanese pirates have appeared ten miles outside the city. The prefect Zhang Juzheng has ordered the evacuation of the people. Ordered to attack! ”

Zhu Houzhao didn't speak at first. It wasn't until he finished Tai Chi that he took the brocade handkerchief from the eunuch's hand and wiped his hands: "Here we are after all. Tell Qi Jiguang to teach these Japanese pirates a lesson and don't let them go." One person!”

"Follow the decree."

Li Tianchong handed over and left here.

Zhu Houzhao also returned to the nanmu chair and sat down. Looking at the ivy under the white wall, he couldn't help but smile. It was naturally difficult to hear the noise of gunfire in the mansion.

Therefore, he could not help but order to prepare a sedan chair and go to the city gate to see the so-called Japanese pirates.

The Japanese pirates were indeed prepared this time.

A total of five thousand people!

The leader was the Japanese Ji Tian. He personally led five thousand Japanese pirates and determined to capture the bustling city of Ningbo in one fell swoop. They looted the city for three days and captured the legendary Emperor Zhengde.

Ji Tian's outfit looks like a very weird warrior uniform.

If civilians see it, they will be frightened even if they don't fight.

Although he was the leader of the Japanese pirates, his clothes under the samurai uniform were obviously very simple and not as wealthy as the middle-class people of the Ming Dynasty.

The same goes for other Japanese pirates, who all look simple and crude, but because of this, in the eyes of Zhu Houzhao and the Ming army, they look more and more like a group of battle-hardened and extremely vicious bandits.

Jitian looked at Ningbo City arrogantly and babbled a long list of words that were incomprehensible.

At the same time, he led the Japanese pirates under his command to hunt down the Ming people outside the city.

In their eyes, these Ming people, who were richly dressed and ignorant of hunger and the severity of swords, were the fattest lambs.

"Kill Chirp!"

This Jitian rushed over with a group of Japanese pirates. They were running very fast, like jackals, and they were very experienced in surrounding the common people. Not long after charging, they surrounded a bunch of common people in the middle. Then, a Japanese pirate leader surrounded these Ming people.

These Japanese pirates knew that their mission was to capture Ningbo City, so except for a few Japanese pirates who were responsible for massacring civilians, the main force of the Japanese pirates continued to move forward.

The remaining Japanese pirates did not have the energy to plunder these Ming people, so they directly took out their butcher knives and prepared to kill them all. The purpose was to create panic and scare the Ming army in Ningbo City.

At this time, a Japanese pirate named Xin Liulang raised his Japanese sword and prepared to chop at the Ming Dynasty child who fell on the ground and could not run away. Before slashing, he also kicked the child directly. He got into the puddle, then raised his knife and chopped off the child's head.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

Wang Wu, a soldier of the Imperial Guard of the Ming Dynasty, arrived here in time and accurately hit the Japanese pirate on the head a hundred steps away.

The Japanese pirate named Xin Wulang was killed on the spot!

The other Japanese pirates were naturally furious when they saw this. They picked up their Japanese swords and slashed at Wang Wu.

There were about a dozen Japanese pirates in total. These Japanese pirates were also quite well-trained. They held knives in the shape of fans and came quickly in the direction of Wang Wu. It was obvious that they knew Wang Wu had firearms in his hand and dispersed to charge.

There was only Wang Wu in this area, and because there were not many officers and soldiers with Zhu Houzhao, Qi Jiguang only sent one battalion of leading soldiers to sweep away Japanese pirates, with the purpose of protecting the Ming people living in towns outside the city.

However, Wang Wu was not afraid of these ten Japanese pirates, because he was holding a bolt-type breech-loading rifle, and the gunpowder used was the latest smokeless gunpowder, which could prevent smoke from affecting his shooting field of vision.

Moreover, modern rifles are extremely easy to operate. Wang Wu skillfully killed two Japanese pirates on the left and right sides in front, and then threw a grenade back, blowing off the leg of a Japanese pirate running from behind on the spot.

However, these Japanese pirates were worthy of being samurai, and they were really not afraid of death. They continued to charge towards Wang Wu. Wang Wu squatted on the ground and killed three of them, and then threw a grenade and killed one.

The remaining three Japanese pirates were stunned, and Wang Wu took advantage of this and shot one of them immediately!

Immediately, Wang Wu continued to pull the gun bolt skillfully, killing another Japanese pirate again, and the last Japanese pirate had no choice but to run away.

Wang Wu did not shoot again, but chased after the Japanese pirate. The Japanese pirate accidentally fell to the ground. Wang Wu cut off the Japanese pirate's head without any courtesy.

at the same time.

"Kill Chirp!"

In another place outside Ningbo City, a dozen Japanese pirates who were trying to create panic saw a group of Ming people, and they were women. They excitedly rushed over with Japanese swords.

At this time, Sun Jiu, another captain of the Imperial Guard, arrived with his soldiers. He immediately protected the people who were going to the market in the town behind him, squatted on the ground and opened fire immediately.

The crackle of gunfire rang out.

The brave Japanese pirates were still only able to be shot in front of the Ming Dynasty rifled rifle.

Kill with gun!

Shoot to death!

After killing more than ten Japanese pirates, Sun Jiu and other officers and soldiers of the Imperial Guard of the Ming Dynasty continued to patrol, specifically hunting down these small groups of Japanese pirates who were trying to create panic.

at this time.

Ji Tian has already led his main force of Japanese pirates towards the outside of Ningbo.

Moreover, Jitian saw that there were still people coming and going in an endless stream outside Ningbo City, and there were even hawkers selling at the city gate. He couldn't help but feel very proud, thinking that his army had indeed achieved the goal of military superiority and speed, so that Ningbo City now has no time to take precautions.

"Kill Chirp!"

Jitian immediately led his main force of Japanese pirates towards Ningbo City. However, as soon as Jitian led a large number of Japanese pirates towards Ningbo City, the people at the gate of the city immediately scattered and fled very quickly. This Jitian The purpose of the Japanese pirates under his command was to rush into the city. Naturally, they did not care about these people and rushed into the city.

But as soon as he rushed into Wengcheng, Jitian found that the gates in Wengcheng were quickly and orderly closed.

at the same time.

The people who were outside the city at first immediately took out their rifles at the designated location and surrounded the city gate in three directions.

Qi Jiguang also led the officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty to emerge from the city wall. Then Qi Jiguang waved his hand, loaded five hundred guns and started shooting immediately. The crackling bullets sounded, and the Japanese pirates were shot to death one after another like fried peas!

In addition, grenades were thrown down, which exploded into pieces.

Ji Tian knew he had fallen into the trap: "Baga, this Ming man named Cao Cai! What did he do!" While Ji Tian was cursing in his heart, he immediately fled with the remaining soldiers.

At this time, the Ming army who was waiting at the city gate immediately opened fire. That day, not one of the more than 3,000 Japanese pirates outside Ningbo City was spared, and they were all killed!

Zhu Houzhao looked at these Japanese pirates coldly and only ordered: "Prepare cement, cut off all the heads of all Japanese pirates, and build a Beijing temple at the lighthouse outside Ningbo Port to commemorate this achievement!"

Click!

Just like chopping melons and vegetables, the heads of these Japanese pirates were chopped off one after another. Some Japanese pirates were not dead, just injured, but they had to be chopped, so they screamed when they were chopped.

Zhu Houzhao listened to the sporadic screams as if he were listening to music and was sincerely satisfied. He believed that only in the Ming Dynasty under his own governance, such a sound that demonstrated the majesty of China could be heard. If in the original history, this area would have In the prosperous land, there will only be the wailing of the people of Ming Dynasty.

At this moment, only the Japanese pirates were wailing. This was undoubtedly the greatest meaning created by coming to Ming Dynasty.

Buzz!

A long whistle sounded.

The iron-armored battleship "Chengdu" from Songjiang Prefecture was anchored in Ningbo Port. Zhu Houzhao boarded the battleship specially used as his own royal warship. Looking at the solidified Ningbo Port Killing Japanese Tower, he did not give any orders for a long time. When sailing begins, only nearby merchant ships sail out and dock in the port in an endless stream.

The Japanese pirates from Shuangyu Island and other islands did not successfully attack Ningbo City, and the morning light in Ningbo City still looked peaceful and peaceful.

Zhu Houzhao breathed in the sweet air and waved his hand.

The "Chengdu" just set sail, and the black armored battleship split the waves like a black iron epee and came towards Shuangyu Island.

The reason why Zhu Houzhao went to Shuangyu Island was naturally to see for himself the port developed by the smugglers, the so-called free port.

Zhu Houzhao had no intention of destroying Shuangyu Island. After all, Shuangyu Island should be regarded as the wealth of the empire, right?

Zhu Houzhao decided to turn Shuangyu Island into a free port that was in line with the interests of the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, the free port in Zhu Houzhao's eyes is not the so-called free port where smugglers are concentrated now.

Therefore, even if Shuangyu Island is to be turned into a free port managed by the imperial court, all intruders on the island should be executed!

……

Feders decided to proclaim himself the governor of Shuangyu Island. He already knew the news that his country was destroyed by the Ming Dynasty. This made him extremely angry and even gave him the idea of using Shuangyu Island as a base to expand his army and restore his country's power. idea.

"Master Li, as long as you are willing to help me restore the Franji Kingdom, I will make you a duke and make you a noble of our Franji royal family!"

Feddes couldn't help but said to the great pirate Baldy Li.

Baldy Li smiled and said: "Your Excellency Feders, let's wait until Ji Tian comes back. If you can help me become the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, I can make you a noble of my country!"

Baldy Li burst out laughing as he spoke. No one knew that he was laughing at his own wishful thinking and at Feders's wishful thinking.

However, at this moment, another pirate leader Xu Dong ran up with several Japanese pirates: "Master Li, as well as Governor Fedes, something bad has happened. The government troops are here, and they have surrounded us. ! ”

Baldy Li's expression became solemn: "Is Jitian back?"

"Not yet. The people I sent out only found many officers and soldiers, but not Jitian's ship."

Xu Dong said.

"What can we do!"

Baldy Li said something. As soon as he finished speaking, there was a bang. A Ming Dynasty armored battleship "Quanzhou" pointed a howitzer at Baldy Li, and he and the ship behind him were just moored. All the warships were sent to the sky and turned into ashes and sawdust in an instant.

At this time, Xu Dong and Feders were deafened and could not react for a moment.

In fact, the entire Shuangyu Island smugglers did not react.

The Ming Dynasty's iron-clad warships came into play again, and the howitzer cannon overturned the shells again, directly destroying the smugglers' shore defense facilities. Immediately, the iron-clad warships rudely smashed into the Japanese pirates' warships, and fired a cannon directly at the Portuguese here. The barracks they built were blown up, and some of the Franco soldiers who didn't have time to escape were blown away.

At the same time, countless landing ships rushed in, and the Ming army had begun to land on the beach.

By the time Zhu Houzhao arrived at Shuangyu Island, there were only billowing smoke and scattered gunshots on the sea near Shuangyu Island.

Zhu Hou looked after these row upon row of houses, and even some tall cathedrals and gardens. He had to admit for a moment that the power of the gentry group behind the pirates and Japanese pirates on these two islands was so powerful that they had relied on smuggling to form such a prosperous port in these years. .

When Zhu Houzhao landed on Shuangyu Island, all the residents on Shuangyu Island had been detained and all were forced to kneel down to Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao looked at these people and felt strange.

Because these people did not show their sincere respect for him, the Supreme Emperor, in their eyes like the scholars and people in the mainland.

This made Zhu Houzhao very angry. He even wanted to ask these people why they still violated the law and engaged in smuggling even though he, the emperor, had opened the sea and provided low-interest loans and strong national strength guarantee to encourage them to go to sea to do business and make a fortune. trading! Why go against the entire court? !

Zhu Houzhao could tell that some of these residents were very rich. These people were dressed very gorgeously, with their hands covered with gems of various colors. Even their inlaid teeth were golden. They were also very fat and seemed to be able to squeeze out thousands of kilograms of oil. .

But these people are a minority, and many residents are very poor. They are wearing straw sandals, not fully clothed, unkempt, and kneeling on the ground shivering from the cold.

"The military discipline of the officers and soldiers is very good, and you also lead the troops well!"

Zhu Houzhao said something first, and then asked Zhu Wan: "According to you, the scale of smuggling on Shuangyu Island reaches more than three million silver dollars per year, but why are most of these residents still so poor?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, they are Han Chinese who were sold here through human traffickers by some nobles from the inland coast. They are slave workers here, responsible for transporting goods. They are not allowed to rest all day long and have no pay. They are naturally poor. If they die of exhaustion, they will be directly killed. Throw it into the sea, but if you are religious, you don’t need to be a slave laborer anymore." Zhu Wan said and pointed to the church in front of him.

Zhu Houzhao nodded, and couldn't help but look coldly at these smuggling pirates, Japanese pirates and many Westerners in bright and colorful clothes. He realized that this might be a resistance of the gentry to their efforts to achieve equality in the country, so he turned Shuangyu Island into a It became a paradise for capitalists to live freely, where they could ignore the laws they drafted and enslave others at will, including the Han people of the Ming Dynasty, as before.

Because Shuangyu Island is close to the mainland, there are naturally more Han people available, so now there are the largest number of Han slave workers on Shuangyu Island.

"Drive all those who have enslaved the Han people to the sea to reclaim the sea to build a larger port. No matter they were Han, Japanese, or Westerners, they are all regarded as Japanese pirates now. This is what they wrote when reporting to the court. These Japanese pirate prisoners must go Serve until you die of exhaustion!

In addition, interrogate them carefully to find out which noble families are behind them. All these noble families who are in trouble with Japan will be sent here as slaves! ”

Zhu Houzhao ordered in a cold voice. He showed unprecedented cruelty. He didn't understand how he could make his compatriots slaves as a compatriot, but because of this, he was now forced to do so.

(End of chapter)