Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 152: Pi Island (Part )

"What a huge ship! If we seize it, we can roam the Liao Sea and never fear the Tartars again!"

When Liu Xingpei and Shen Shikui were riding a small boat and gradually approaching the "Breaking Waves" anchored on the sea, they couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, with a fiery look in their eyes.

Although Dongjiang Town has a naval force of more than several thousand people and more than a hundred large and small warships, it can still firmly hold the initiative in the Liaohai area.

However, the ships under their command were all small boats of small tonnage, and there was not even a powerful bird boat. Compared with the two large ships in front of them, they seemed very shabby.

"Can we win it?" Shen Shikui asked with a smile.

"If it stays still, we will be able to capture it under our overwhelming siege!" Liu Xingpei calculated secretly and said in a low voice.

"Those two ships are parked far out at sea, presumably to prevent us from seizing them!" Shen Shikui glanced back at the distant Pi Island and said, "These two large ships, with their vast sails and towering masts, would be outmatched by all our ships if they were to set sail. According to Chen Guangfu, they're also equipped with numerous red-haired cannons, which are incredibly powerful."

"We can't confront such a large ship head-on," Liu Xingpei said, shaking his head. "We might have to use a night raid, set fire to the ship, or send someone to defraud it. Well, they're trying to exchange food for Liao people, right? We might as well send a few hundred armored soldiers to infiltrate them, catch them off guard, and suddenly attack them. Maybe we can capture them in one fell swoop!"

"Oh, the fourth general has a good plan!" Shen Shikui praised him falsely.

You Liu brothers really think they are stupid enough to let you send your soldiers to infiltrate them?

The Liu family had seven brothers, namely Liu Xingzuo, Liu Xingzhi, Liu Xingji, Liu Xingpei, Liu Xingliang, Liu Xingxian and Liu Xingbang (Liu Xingpei and Liu Xingbang were not biological brothers). They were originally from Kaiyuan, Liaodong. In the 1605rd year of Wanli (), Liu Xingzuo was whipped and humiliated by the Kaiyuan Road army because he "had not yet enrolled in school and had used clothes and scarves". He then took Liu Xingzhi and six other brothers to join the Jiannu army. He was appreciated by the Jiannu chief Nurhaci, who appointed him as a defense officer and gave him the Jurchen name "Aita".

Later, Liu Xingzuo married the daughter of the wet nurse of Daishan's son Sahalian.

After the founding of the Later Jin Dynasty, he became the third most important Han general of the Later Jin Dynasty, second only to Fushun Prince Consort Li Yongfang and Shiwuli Prince Consort Tong Yangxing.

In the spring of the first year of Chongzhen (1628), Liu Xingzuo gradually became dissatisfied with the Tartars, but he still had his heart set on the Ming Dynasty. He faked his own death and successfully defected from the Later Jin to Pi Island, where he was awarded the title of guerrilla general by the court.

After Yuan Chonghuan killed Mao Wenlong, he divided the 28,000 officers and soldiers of Dongjiang Town into four groups, and Liu Xingzuo led one of them.

During the first month of this year, the Nu chieftain Huang Taiji led his army to besiege Yongping City. When he heard that Liu Xingzuo led his troops to attack Qingshan, he sent Abatai, Jirgalang and others to lead 500 armored soldiers to attack him. They killed Liu Xingzuo in the battle, dragged his body back, chopped it into several pieces, and displayed his head to the public.

However, Liu Xingzuo's death in battle also triggered the Pi Island Mutiny.

Because, according to rumors, Liu Xingzuo not only did not die on the battlefield, but also surrendered to the Later Jin on the battlefield.

Chen Jisheng, the deputy general who was temporarily in charge of Dongjiang Town, reported the rumor to the new commander-in-chief Sun Chengzong in April. He also said that Liu Xingxian, who was captured by the Later Jin, sent a secret letter to Liu Xingzhi, who was still in Pi Island, in an attempt to recruit him to surrender and become an internal supporter.

Liu Xingzhi also heard similar rumors. In addition, Wu Jianzhong, a subordinate of Liu Xingzuo, came to Pi Island and secretly informed Liu Xingzhi that there were suspicions about Liu Xingzuo's death in the interior and rumors that they would mobilize troops to kill Liu Xingzhi.

At this time, Sun Chengzong's mobilization edict reached Pi Island, and Liu Xingzhi believed it to be true. So on April 11, he took advantage of the opportunity of setting up a fast to summon his brother's soul and killed Chen Jisheng and other Dongjiang generals who came to mourn. He then took over Dongjiang Town and occupied Pi Island.

It can be said that at this time, the Liu brothers were extremely sensitive to any disturbance and were suspicious of everything.

When Liu Xingzhi was not in Pi Island, two large ships arrived and said they wanted to exchange food for Liao people. It sounded strange and unusual.

In recent years, our Ming Dynasty has been plagued by natural disasters and man-made disasters, and there are too many refugees who cannot get enough food.

Just shout at any coastal port and say you're giving them a full meal, and people will definitely flock to them, vying to board your ship.

So, are these two ships of yours really coming to my Pi Island to recruit Liao people?
"If you don't believe me, why don't we make the deal right away?" Wei Yingbin was frustrated after being questioned again by the Pi Island visitors. "We'll load one hundred dan of rice onto your boat now, and later, you'll send one hundred Liao civilians aboard our ship."

"How much grain did you bring?" Shen Shikui looked at Liu Xingpei and asked eagerly. "About 10,000 dan of southern rice."

"Ten thousand stones!" Shen Shikui was surprised when he heard that.

If there were 10,000 dan of grain, it would be enough to sustain tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians on the island for more than half a month!
"We can't give you all these ten thousand dan." Wei Yingbin said, "Besides, our two ships can't accommodate so many people. Well, at most, we can exchange for a thousand people!"

"Are they all young and strong?"

"Seventy percent young and strong, thirty percent women and children." Wei Yingbin hesitated for a moment and said, "Not for now...elderly people. However, if they are skilled craftsmen, we can relax the acceptance standards."

"One thousand dan of grain in exchange for one thousand men is definitely not feasible." Shen Shikui nodded slightly and said, "You must at least give us five thousand dan. ... Give us the grain in one hand and the men in the other!"

"Two thousand koku."

"...Four thousand koku."

"Three thousand five hundred koku! No more. We also need to bring this grain back to the colony to replenish the inventory."

If it weren't for the fact that your Dongjiang Town could slightly contain the Jiannu, giving you a thousand stones would be too much!
You're starving and have no food to eat, yet you still dare to act like a big shot and bargain with us?
"In that case, let's do this." Shen Shikui glanced at the several cannons deployed on the deck and pointed, "We need... two cannons."

They originally wanted to ask for five cannons, but then they thought that the cannons were very valuable and the other party might not be willing to "give" them, so they tentatively asked for two.

It is said that this thing was deployed at several important passes in Liaodong, causing the Tartars a lot of trouble.

If we could get a few red cannons and place them on Pi Island, they would definitely be deadly weapons.

Its power is much greater than the tiger squat cannons currently equipped in Dongjiang Town.

"Under the bombardment of the Red Cannon, the area was devastated for several miles"!
"Firearms like these are truly unpaid soldiers and unfed horses, divine objects unrivaled in the world!"

In the past, during the great victory of Ningyuan, General Yuan, standing on the top of the city wall, faced the invading Tatars and ordered "10,000 cannons to fire at once... Wherever the cannons passed, countless Northern Cavalry were killed, including the Yellow Dragon Guard, and a deputy king was injured. The Northern Cavalry thought that the expedition was not going to be beneficial, so they wrapped the bodies in leather and ran away crying."

If these foreign merchants can give us a few cannons, we might as well give them some other benefits as well.

"At the moment, we can't give you this cannon," Wei Yingbin shook his head and said, "But we can give you twenty Western-style guns. But in exchange, you have to give us ten skilled leatherworkers."

One of the main sources of income for Dongjiang Town was smuggling trade. They purchased or looted furs, ginseng, and deer antlers from Korea and Liaodong, as well as sables obtained from the Later Jin in exchange for ironware, firearms, cloth, and other materials, and sold them privately to smugglers on the mainland.

Therefore, there are many fur tanning craftsmen on Pi Island, who process tens of thousands of furs every year. For Qiming Island, they are "technical talents" that are urgently needed.

"Twenty Western-style guns?" Shen Shikui pondered for a moment, not quite satisfied with the "price" offered. He then said, "We have fire guns in Dongjiang Town, but we don't really need them. For one cannon, we'll give you fifteen leatherworkers and one hundred pieces of high-quality sable fur."

"..." Wei Yingbin couldn't help but look at the Dongjiang Town Army general again. He felt that he didn't look like a soldier at all. Instead, he looked like a complete mercenary businessman who was extremely penny-wise.

"Will you resell the artillery to the Jiannu?"

"Huh?..." Shen Shikui was stunned when he heard this, and subconsciously turned to look at Liu Xingpei.

By the way, how did these overseas merchants know that our Dongjiang Town had established smuggling channels with the Jiannu?

(End of this chapter)