On the vast ocean, fifteen warships stretched in a line more than a mile long, radiating deadly intent.
In an instant, the Dutch fanaticism seemed frozen by the northern cold wind. Clearly, the Prince of Qi they faced was no simple native.
“Damn it! Rhodes, you should have told me there was a powerful fleet here,” Claire shouted in frustration.
Fanaticism does not mean stupidity. Their warships were all third-rate sailing ships, but they had already lost in firepower. What made them more uncertain was how well-trained this suddenly appearing fleet was.
Rhodes opened his mouth. He finally understood why the Prince of Qi made such an impudent demand—the fleet before them explained everything.
“The King of Chu deceived us. He must have done it on purpose,” Rhodes shouted angrily. “He hid everything from us to lead us into this trap.”
At this moment, Sakai also saw the fleet on the sea through his telescope. These warships were not much different from European ships, but their flags bore the characters for Great Yu.
The soldiers on the ships also wore Great Yu-style uniforms. Seeing this, Sakai was stunned. If this was the Great Yu fleet, it would be a disaster for them.
“Count, you should give the order now,” Sakai reminded. “The more time wasted, the fewer chances we have. Fight or retreat?”
Claire came back to his senses from shock. He looked around as if pondering a difficult decision.
The news Rhodes brought was clear. The Prince of Qi wanted Ryukyu and the trade routes. If no agreement was reached, war was inevitable, now or later.
Watching the Great Yu fleet getting closer, Claire said, “We cannot fight this fleet here. Our supplies are low. We should return to Ryukyu and destroy this fleet in the waters outside Ryukyu.”
Rhodes nodded in agreement. This was undoubtedly the right decision.
After the order was given, bells rang on the ships. The Dutch fleet slowly set sail toward Ryukyu.
At this time, on the Prince of Qi’s flagship, Yue Yun was observing the Dutch fleet through a telescope.
When he saw the Dutch fleet fleeing south, he frowned. Because of the hurried battle, their supplies were also limited. If the Dutch fleet kept avoiding battle and continued south, it would be very disadvantageous for them. After all, the journey from Dengzhou to Ryukyu was long.
He looked toward the coast. Great Yu’s troops had already appeared there. He saw the Qingzhou army waving a military flag signaling “Do not pursue.”
Lowering the telescope, he ordered the crew: “Stop the pursuit.”
This was Xiao Ming’s order. The Dutch retreat showed they lacked confidence in victory. He thought they should give the Dutch time to consider accepting his terms.
If the Dutch still stubbornly refused, he would have to use force to seize the island and drive the Dutch out of these waters.
One reason for ordering Yue Yun to stop pursuing was the supply problem. He knew the warships had little food for the soldiers, and supplying them along the way without communication would be difficult.
Therefore, he needed to establish supply points along the coast and prepare the Qingzhou army before launching an attack on Ryukyu. In the age of sailing warships, if the enemy refused to fight, the battle would turn into a long chase.
Among sailing warships, first- and second-rate ships were less agile than third-rate ships and were at a disadvantage in a chase. Directly attacking Ryukyu would force the Dutch fleet to accept battle.
“Your Highness, when will you prepare to attack Ryukyu?” Niu Ben asked, relieved that the Battle of Jizhou had made the Prince of Qi understand the importance of logistics and avoided reckless pursuit.
Xiao Ming said calmly, “No rush. Ryukyu is like a cooked duck that cannot fly. We still need to wait for the Tiger cannons and field artillery from the military workshop. We cannot afford to be at a disadvantage when the two armies clash.”
Niu Ben also saw the Dutch’s field artillery mounted on wheels. These cannons were short, thin, and small-caliber but very lightweight.
On the battlefield, these cannons had longer range and more power than flintlock muskets, making them excellent weapons.
“Chen Qi should produce a batch of cannons like these,” Niu Ben said seriously.
No general liked to gamble with soldiers’ lives.
Xiao Ming had originally thought the Dutch fleet would fight briefly and then retreat, but he did not expect them to withdraw so decisively. This reflected the Dutch’s anxiety.
The Dutch did not know how many warships he had, but they knew no reinforcements would arrive.
Now, the Dutch probably felt panic, constantly worrying about an attack on Ryukyu.
Watching the Dutch fleet disappear, Xiao Ming and his group returned to Dengzhou city. The war could only begin after preparations were complete. After returning, he planned to talk with the Kings of Wei and Chu to have them leave supply points along the coast.
Now, both kings had leverage in his hands, so they would dare not make any trouble.
Yue Yun led the fleet back to the naval port and then came with several naval commanders to Dengzhou prefecture office.
“Your Highness, these Dutch run fast,” Yue Yun smiled. “We were chased badly by their warships before. It’s a pity we didn’t teach them a good lesson.”
“You will have your chance for revenge,” Xiao Ming said to Yue Yun. “But this time, you may not be a match for the Dutch. Naval battle is not just about size. You just took over the warships and are unfamiliar with their operation. From now on, stay in Dengzhou for three months of training. After you are familiar with handling warships, then we will talk about naval battles. For now, clear out nearby pirates.”
Hearing this, Yue Yun suddenly felt a cold sweat on his back. Xiao Ming was right. If they really fought now, the outcome was uncertain. Although his soldiers knew how to operate warships, they were unfamiliar with the new ships, especially first- and second-rate large warships, which were difficult to handle.
Ashamed, Yue Yun said, “Yes, Your Highness. I will lead the soldiers in hard training and form a strong army as soon as possible.”
Xiao Ming nodded and said to Yang Chengye, “Commander Yang, this is a great opportunity for Dengzhou. Once Ryukyu is taken, Dengzhou will become a maritime commercial port, which will benefit Dengzhou’s development.”