GBP Chapter 308 A New Sea Overlord is Born
Chapter 308 A New Sea Overlord is Born
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Having clarified what he wanted to ask, Lin San ignored Zheng Hongkui's persistent questioning, took a step back, and waved his hand, ordering, "Make your move!"
Two hundred soldiers used rifle butts to smash and kick about a hundred members of the Zheng clan against the wall, then raised their rifles and aimed them at them.
Zheng Hongkui was shocked and rushed forward to grab Lin San, demanding an explanation: "What are you doing? You broke your promise! You promised me..."
Several soldiers restrained Zheng Hongkui, and then several bayonets were pointed at his wife, children, and family. Lin San glanced at him and said coldly, "Fourth Master, don't be stubborn. If you keep making a fuss, your wife and children will also die!"
Zheng Hongkui glanced at his clansmen in front of him, then at the pleading eyes of his wife and children behind him. His lips moved, but he couldn't speak for a moment.
Seeing that the other party was about to kill them and that they were going to lose their lives today, the hundred or so members of the Zheng clan were in an uproar. Women and children cried loudly, and many people shouted curses: "Zheng Laosi, you colluded with outsiders to harm your clansmen, you will die a horrible death!"
Zheng Hongkui's forehead veins bulged as he gasped for breath, utterly helpless. The Qiongzhou camp had betrayed him, placing him in an unjust position; their intentions were truly sinister. His current situation was: either his clansmen would die, or his own family would perish; he didn't know which choice to make.
A hot-blooded young man in the crowd brandished his fists and stepped forward, demanding justice. A burly boy of fifteen or sixteen years old lunged at him menacingly, shouting, "Who are you people? How dare you lay a hand on the Zheng family? My father is the Second Master Mang of the Zheng family, and my uncle is one of the Five Tiger Generals. The Zheng family will not let you get away with this!"
Lin San kicked the boy so hard he fell flat on his back, and said contemptuously, "Your father is dead, and your uncle is about to die. No one will back you up..." Then he shouted, "Fire!"
"Bang bang bang," a barrage of gunfire rang out, followed by screams of agony. All the unarmed members of the Zheng clan fell into pools of blood, and almost none of the Zheng brothers' wives, concubines, or children escaped.
Zheng Fusong covered his mouth to prevent himself from screaming. Things were far more dangerous than he had imagined. The other party not only had ill intentions, but also wanted to wipe out the Zheng family completely. If he were as ignorant as his second uncle's silly boy, he would be a corpse on the ground right now.
Seeing that the situation was beyond repair, Zheng Hongkui stopped struggling and lowered his head.
After the executioner finished shooting, he would go up to check the body to see if anyone was still alive, and then finish them off with a blow.
Lin San said to Qin Tian, "Captain Qin, call all the brothers outside in and take all the valuables from the house. Then quickly take a boat back to Zhongzuo and meet up with the general. We shouldn't stay here any longer."
Qin Tian nodded and casually asked, "What about the house?"
"Once all our people have evacuated, we'll burn it down!"
Half an hour later, soldiers from the Qiongzhou camp filed out, including Zheng Hongkui and his family. Thick smoke billowed from the Zheng family's old house, which soon burst into flames. The people of Anping Town peeked through their door cracks and saw hundreds of fierce soldiers. They dared not even step out of their doors, let alone offer any help, for fear of getting into trouble.
Only after everyone had boarded the ship and left for the sea did the townspeople dare to come out one by one, shaking their heads and pointing as they looked at the Zheng family's old house engulfed in flames.
Zhongzuo Port.
On board the "Guangdong", Shi Ying excitedly reported: "General, Zheng Zhilong is dead. I did it myself, and his head is here."
Liu Ye glanced at the mangled head, whose face was still vaguely recognizable as Zheng Zhilong's. He held his breath to avoid the pungent smell of blood, and said in a muffled voice, "You did a good job. Take the head away first... Where is Xu Yifan?"
Shi Ying handed the head to his men to take away, and replied, "Commander Xu has led his troops to inventory and move the city's valuables, and will return shortly."
Without the pungent smell of blood, Liu Ye could breathe much more easily. He was delighted to have successfully captured and killed Zheng Zhilong, and the unexpected windfall from obtaining the city's treasures was even more exciting. He said excitedly, "Zheng Zhilong has been entrenched in Zhongzuo City for many years; most of his wealth must be here. This trip has been quite fruitful!"
At this moment, a guard stepped forward and reported: "Reporting to the general, Anping Town has been successfully captured. All members of the Zheng clan, except for Zheng Hongkui's family, have been executed. They are currently on their way back. Captain Lin has ordered his men to take a small boat and rush back to report first."
"Good!" Liu Ye clapped and cheered. Both sides went smoothly. Now the Zheng family's power has been completely uprooted, and the battle of Zhongzuosuo can be said to have come to a perfect end.
He summoned Van Bommel and instructed him, "Captain, after both groups of men have returned, send a few Dutch soldiers to Tong'an County to deliver a message to the governor's office, stating that the Dutch East India Company was responsible for the attack, thus clarifying the nature of the incident and preventing them from making unfounded accusations. After we return to Lingao, have your former superior, Putmans, formally write a declaration of war in the name of a high-ranking official and submit it to the Ming Dynasty, explaining that this war was launched to avenge Zheng Zhilong's defeat at Liaoluo Bay..."
Van Bommel said with a pained expression, "Now that I'm no longer an employee of the East India Company, of course I have to listen to you. But are you sure the Ming officials will believe such absurd claims? And can the safety of my soldiers be guaranteed?"
Liu Ye laughed and said, "You can rest assured about the safety issue. Our officials have always adhered to the principle of 'not harming envoys in times of war,' and will maintain their magnanimity and composure. They would never make things difficult for a few ordinary soldiers. As for whether they will believe you, you don't need to worry either. Unless they are determined to join forces with Guangdong Province to suppress the rebellion, risking the Qiongzhou Camp's revolt and dragging Fujian and Guangdong into the abyss of war, they will have no choice but to hold their noses and choose to believe you. Speaking of which, there are really not many good people like me who, after the battle, still offer the government a way out."
In the evening, Xu Yifan organized soldiers to escort a long convoy back to the dock to load ships. The convoy contained gold, silver, silk, raw silk, porcelain, and other valuables. Liu Ye couldn't stop smiling. It's said that "when the cannons roar, gold pours in," but people only see the enormous costs of war, not the even greater profits it brings. This windfall was enough to cover two trips to Japan, not even counting the spoils from Anping.
Xu Yifan and the Second Battalion had just arrived when Lin San and Qin Tian's fleet followed closely behind. Zheng Hongkui was escorted aboard the "Guangdong" ship and stood dejectedly before Liu Ye.
Liu Ye laughed and said, "Brother Zheng, we meet again, but I didn't expect it to be under such circumstances."
Zheng Hongkui sighed, "The victor is king, the loser is villain. Do with me as you see fit."
"Don't worry, your elder brother is dead, and you're the only one left in the Zheng family. I need someone as capable as you to help me with my plans in Fujian, so I won't make things difficult for you. As for the details, we'll talk about them in detail after we return to Lingao."
After the valuables and soldiers were loaded onto the ships, the massive mixed fleet began its return voyage. The once glorious Zheng family was wiped out in a single day, and a new maritime hegemon was born.