My Pen Pal Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 353: Just Three Thousand Pirates
It has to be said that after several actual combat trainings in the Northern Expedition and the Southern Expedition, the intelligence gathering methods of the scouts of the Musket Battalion have become more and more sophisticated.

Every day new battle reports were transmitted to Zhang Zuoqian's camp. Songpa and Ichiro Oshima didn't know that although they had not yet met the Ming army, their situation had already been clearly known to the Ming army.

In addition to finding out the number of pirates, the Ming army scouts also found out clearly who the leader of the pirate organization was, the organizational structure, the attack formation and the reaction speed.

Then the information was transmitted to Zhang Zuoqian one by one via radio.

After thoroughly exploring the pirates' strength, Zhang Zuoqian also conducted chessboard exercises in the military camp every day. This might very well be the first battle of the Ming garrison, so they couldn't be careless. They had to demonstrate the Ming's national prestige in one fell swoop and set an example for the foreign nations.

However, no matter how cautious Zhang Zuoqian was, he couldn't take it completely seriously. There were only 3,000 pirates. If troops needed to be sent, 400 fully armed soldiers from the Musket Battalion would be enough, and the rest would be left to guard the main camp. After all, the pirates on Ie Island were also ready to make a move.

After the pirates entered Zhongshan State, the king of Zhongshan State immediately organized an army to resist. Although this slowed down the pirates' advance, he was unable to completely stop them and drive them into the sea.

What puzzled the Ming army was that although the Zhongshan army was losing ground, they still did not ask the Ming army to send troops.

However, since the king is not in a hurry, the Ming army is even less anxious. The only ones who are anxious are Liang Daoren and others who are waiting for an opportunity on Ie Island.

So many days have passed, why hasn't the Ming army set out yet?

In the eyes of the pirates, the Ming army had become cowards hiding in their camps. Their garrison in Ryukyu was just a show, as they were actually just a bunch of useless soldiers.

Many pirates were even eager to attack Beigu City directly, but they were all suppressed by Liang Daoren. As the number one military advisor under Chen Zuyi, he was not a genius, but he had read some military books and was considered a smart man.

What Chen Zuyi likes about him is his calmness and the fact that he can keep his composure no matter what happens.

Therefore, under Liang Daoren's desperate suppression, the pirates reluctantly gave up the idea of ​​directly attacking the Ming army camp.

On this day, Zhang Zuoqian was still playing chess with his centurions in the camp. Suddenly, the voice of a messenger was heard outside the door.

"Report to the commander-in-chief, the Zhongshan State's Senior Official Cai Yingrui wants to see you!"

The Minister of Justice Cai Yingrui?
Zhang Zuoqian was stunned, and suddenly realized that it was the king who came to request troops.

I thought he could keep his composure, but it's just the beginning. Why can't he sit still so quickly?
Although I was complaining in my heart, I still had to treat them with courtesy since they came to me for help.

Zhang Zuoqian said, "Please invite Lord Cai in."

As soon as he finished speaking, an old man came in. He was wearing a third-rank official robe made in the Ming Dynasty. When he saw Zhang Zuoqian, he bowed and said, "I greet Captain Zhang."

Cai Yingrui spoke fluent Ming official language and it seemed that he had studied in the Ming Dynasty. Although he was only a captain of the fifth rank, as a military officer of the Celestial Empire, the third rank official of the foreign country naturally had to treat him with courtesy, otherwise it would be an act of usurpation.

Of course, Zhang Zuoqian is not the kind of person who is stubborn and only cares about etiquette. As a military general who has been fighting on the battlefield for many years, if he did not have a flexible brain, he would have reported to the King of Hell long ago. Moreover, Zhang Zuoqian is not a person who cares so much about etiquette.

Then he also bowed and said, "Master Cai, please forgive me for not welcoming you from afar. Come on, serve Master Cai some good tea!"

After ordering his men to pour tea, he asked Cai Yingrui to sit down and looked at him calmly. Cai Yingrui looked a little anxious. It seemed that the king of Zhongshan was about to collapse.

Cai Yingrui bowed deeply to Zhang Zuoqian and said directly, "Sir, the pirates have already invaded Shenglian City and will soon attack the central city. By then, they will be not far from the royal capital Dalisi.

The pirates are burning, killing, looting and committing all kinds of evil, just like the Yaksha demons in hell. Countless people of Zhongshan have been killed and injured. We ask the Heavenly Army to follow the contract between us and our country and send troops to stop the pirates!"

"Don't worry, Lord Cai. The Ming army is stationed in Ryukyu to help defend your territory and protect the people. Now that your country is in trouble, I will naturally not sit idly by!"

Zhang Zuoqian also said it quite seriously.

"Then I would like to thank Lord Zhang on behalf of my king! But..." Cai Yingrui looked embarrassed, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Zhang Zuoqian said: "Master Cai, if you have anything to say, just speak up. Don't worry!"

"That group of pirates is very powerful, with more than 3,000 people. Sir Zhang, do you think this is feasible? After discussing with the king, I think we should ask the Ming army to garrison Dalisi directly. Together with our imperial guards and Dalisi's personal troops, we should be able to resist that group of pirates for a while.

We can take this opportunity to send an envoy to ask for support from the Ming Dynasty. Once the Ming Dynasty reinforcements arrive, we can wipe out those evil pirates in one fell swoop!"

Zhang Zuoqian was stunned at first, but then he understood that Cai Yingrui and the King of Zhongshan did not trust the combat effectiveness of his musket battalion!
“Hahaha!” Zhang Zuoqian burst into laughter. When Cai Yingrui was confused, he said, “Master Cai knows a lot about the Fire Gun Battalion of the Ming Dynasty!”

"No, no, Lord Zhang has misunderstood. I have no such intention at all. I just feel that there are so many pirates, so we should be cautious!" Cai Yingrui explained quickly.

"Master Cai, don't worry about the war, just leave it to us!"

"Then what does the captain plan to do?" Cai Yingrui asked cautiously.

"Don't worry, Master Cai. I will personally lead 400 people to meet the pirates."

"Four, four hundred people?" Cai Yingrui was shocked and wondered if he had heard it wrong. Four hundred against three thousand, no matter how you counted it, it was a disastrous defeat for the Ming Dynasty!

"That's right. We need to leave one hundred people to guard the camp. Otherwise, if the camp is attacked, wouldn't it be a disgrace to the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhang Zuoqian said confidently: "Don't worry, Master Cai. No matter how many pirates there are, they are just a mob!"

Cai Yingrui sighed and thought to himself, the mob you are talking about actually came all the way from Shannan Kingdom to Zhongshan Kingdom!

But seeing that Zhang Zuoqian had a determined expression, he could not persuade him any further. After sighing, he could only say goodbye in a hurry. He had to go back and report to the King of Zhongshan. If it really didn't work out, he would take the king's relatives and family and seek refuge in Ming Dynasty first.

Zhang Zuoqian saw Cai Yingrui's expression and was not surprised. People in the world did not have a direct impression of the strength of the Ming army, unlike Li Jilian and the Yuan army, who had experienced it with their own lives.

He called in the centurions, selected the soldiers to go out to fight the enemy, prepared guns, ammunition, food and other supplies, left a hundred people to guard the camp, and then set out south in a heroic and high-spirited manner.

I’m desperate. I can’t fix 346 and 347. I have to give it a try!
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(End of this chapter)