Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 390 Fighting the Sea Beast! Does the Zhoushan Islands Need Development?
At Qi Jiguang's command, the surrounding ships quickly converged and moved toward the giant whale in the center, pressing forward like a military formation.

The sound of gunfire rang out intermittently, leaving a bullet hole in its back. The giant whale was immediately in pain and tried to turn around, but found itself attacked from both sides, surrounded by terrifying unknown damage.

But the giant whale was not without escape. With a few quick movements, it began to dive into the deep water, a place that the smaller creatures above those giant animals could not reach. Once it went down there, it would be safe.

Qi Jiguang was not about to give it a chance. He immediately shouted and drew his sword from his waist.

"Throw a grappling hook! Traps its fins!"

As the command flag was waved, the tactics that the sailors had practiced countless times finally came in handy. They threw out barbed grappling hooks, and about a dozen of the dozens of iron chains became entangled in the giant whale's pectoral fins.

The giant whale was immediately in great pain and began to thrash about on the surface of the sea in a frenzy. For a moment, the sea was turbulent, and more than a dozen large ships bobbed up and down like duckweed.

This counterattack, like a raging storm, was even more terrifying than the waves at sea.

The giant whale was tens of meters long, like a small mountain, just like a giant from mythology.

The sailors, who came from the countryside, had never seen such a terrifying creature before, and many of them began to tremble instinctively.

Fear is a natural human emotion, but the desire for victory and a better life completely overcomes that fear.

Qi Jiguang personally took the helm, directing the flagship to circle around to the back of the whale. He ordered the sailors to operate the Shenwei cannons, ready to deliver a solid shot to the whale's head.

However, he underestimated the giant whale's fighting power. Under the violent churning, all his proud tactics became a joke.

The sailors were certainly determined, but in this gust of wind, almost no one could stand firm on the ship.

Several ships that were controlled by iron chains nearly capsized under the churning of the giant whale.

The sounds of muskets and cannons rang out continuously, but the crimson blood spread further and further across the sea, and the whale's resistance grew ever more intense.

Hu Shouren kept shouting from the deck: "Turn the rudder! Stabilize the ship! We must not let the ship capsize!"

Seeing that things would continue like this, and the precious ships would be destroyed without being able to hunt whales, Qi Jiguang made a decisive statement.

"Loosen the chains! All ships, turn around and retreat 500 meters!"

Upon hearing this order, all the sailors on the ship felt resentful. The victory they were about to achieve was going to be let go so easily.
However, ocean-going naval forces are always strict in obeying orders, so even though they were unwilling, the sailors still loosened the iron chains hanging on the ships.

In an instant, the ship seemed to finally break free from the wind and waves, gradually stabilizing itself with the waves.

The churning in the sea gradually subsided.

Apart from some small boats that capsized, the dozen or so large ships were basically safe. Qi Jiguang's command saved the navy's manpower.

Qi Jiguang's face turned ashen. He had previously heard Zhang Yunxiu mention some giant whale, but he thought it was an exaggeration.

Just like the ancient Chinese saying goes, "The size of the Kun is so great that no one knows how many thousands of miles it spans."

When describing amazing things, writers and poets always exaggerate, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Even if you happen to hear about whales stranded on the beach, their bodies are as big as small mountains.

Qi Jiguang had never seen or imagined that a whale could have such exaggerated fighting power in the water.

"Commander Qi!" Hu Shouren shouted at the top of his lungs. "That giant whale is still on the surface, and it seems to be exhausted. We still have a chance!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Jiguang's expression immediately brightened, and he picked up his telescope again to observe the giant whale not far away.

More and more crimson blood appeared on the sea surface, and the giant whale occasionally let out deafening cries.

Clearly, the improved Shenwei Cannon was effective; a dozen shots hit the whale, and even its thick hide was torn apart.

Zhang Jianxiu, panting heavily, his body soaked through with seawater, ran to Qi Jiguang's side and said.

"Uncle, you must not pursue them!"

He was leaning on the deck railing, panting heavily, clearly having just been through a fierce battle.

"This giant whale is stronger than we can imagine. Even a centipede with a hundred legs will not die easily. If we rush forward, we may never return."

My nephew just received the news: of the dozen or so ships we set sail, two small boats have been completely burned, one large ship has a broken hull and is leaking, and the rest of the ships have all been damaged to varying degrees.

At this juncture, rather than engaging in close-quarters combat, it would be better to maintain distance and attack, like a hunter waiting for the whale to bleed and weaken. This is the superior strategy.

After thinking for a moment, Qi Jiguang nodded slightly and said, "My dear nephew, what you say makes sense."

Therefore, the ocean-going fleet abandoned its original tactics and instead attacked from a distance with bows and crossbows and muskets. Whenever the giant whale tried to dive, ships would move forward to block it with hooks and chains.

The stalemate lasted for two whole hours. Not only were the giant whales exhausted, but the sailors in the navy were also completely worn out.

This battle was almost as fierce as a naval battle, and many sailors fell into the water and were injured. However, compared to the brutal fighting, the sailors did not lose their lives. It can be said to be the best way to train their skills and tactics.

Qi Jiguang narrowed his eyes, realizing that the previous method of using whaling to train tactics was absolutely feasible. Hope rekindled in his eyes, and he waved his hand and said.

"Brothers, cheer up!"

I hereby issue an order to divide the soldiers into three shifts to harass the giant whale. The soldiers on rotation should eat and rest immediately to replenish their strength!

If we can capture this sea monster today, I, the commander, will personally recommend you all for credit!
As for the spoils of the giant whale's victory, they will all be distributed according to merit; this commander will not keep a single penny for himself!

These words immediately invigorated the entire army.

Many men looked at the enormous whale with reddened eyes, a mixture of desire to conquer the giant creature and longing for a better future.

If such a huge whale could be captured, it would be equivalent to the harvest of several naval expeditions in one go.

Just as they were about to close the net and the giant whale was about to lose its resistance, a shout suddenly came from the lookout tower.

"Water is gushing out from the southeast! Giant whales! So many giant whales!"

The panicked words spoken on the lookout tower were heard by everyone, and from their tone, everyone could feel the terror of the approaching enemy.

Qi Jiguang's expression froze instantly. He grabbed Zhang Jianxiu and questioned him.

"Si Zhe! What's going on?"

Qi Jiguang clearly regarded the capture of whales as a war, and when the war began, his biggest fear was that the enemy's situation was unclear.

He had thought that whales, like tigers, were solitary overlords in the water, but now there was a group of such giant beasts. He was already exhausted from dealing with just one, and if he were to deal with the whole group, he would probably be wiped out!

Zhang Jianxiu was also somewhat flustered. He kept flipping through the letters given to him by Zhang Yunxiu, and it took him a long time to find the one that described the habits of giant whales. After reading it, he explained helplessly.

"Uncle, it's not that I lied about the military situation, it's just that I didn't expect it."

There is not just one kind of whale, just like the difference between the tigers in the mountains and forests of the northeast and the tigers in the mountains of the southeast.

Some species of whales live in groups, while others live alone.

When we first saw this whale, my nephew, seeing that it had no other companions, assumed it was a solitary whale. But now it seems that this whale is a gregarious species, or perhaps it accidentally got separated, or there is some other reason.”

Qi Jiguang gritted his teeth, but this matter was indeed not Zhang Jianxiu's fault. Almost no one knew the habits of whales, and there was no record of capturing whales from ancient times to the present.

The Ming Dynasty people's understanding of whales was still limited to their enormous bodies stranded on the beach.

Seeing that the whale pod was about to reach them, Qi Jiguang did not hesitate for a moment and immediately gave the order.

"All vessels, remove auxiliary sails, turn the rudder, start the oars, and depart at full speed to the Zhoushan Inspection Station for rest and reorganization!"

Faced with these hills, almost all the sailors lost their courage.

When facing a single giant, one can rely on sheer numbers; but when confronted with a group of giants, the only option is to flee.

Before leaving, Hu Shouren looked at the injured giant whale from afar. The whale was now at its last gasp, and they were just a hair's breadth away from taking it down.

It's unimaginable what a magnificent sight it would be if the fleet could bring this giant whale back.

Capturing a giant whale! That's a feat no one has ever accomplished before, and if done, it would surely bring fame throughout the world.

The victory that was within our grasp slipped away, just a hair's breadth away.

More than the regret of losing the giant whale, Qi Jiguang was concerned about the safety of the fleet.

Fortunately, they evacuated in time, and the whales did not seem to have a strong desire to attack.

After driving for over a hundred miles without seeing any trace of the giant whale chasing after them, Qi Jiguang finally felt relieved.

By the time they reached the Zhoushan Islands, it was already late at night.

The fleet docked near Shuangyu Port, which during the Jiajing era was a gathering place for Japanese pirates, Portuguese merchants, and Ming Dynasty smugglers, and was once described as having "merchant ships gathering like clouds and goods like mountains".

By the twenty-seventh year of the Jiajing reign, this place was regarded by the imperial court as the "root of the Japanese pirate problem," and was destroyed by the army led by Zhu Wan, the then governor of Zhejiang. After that, the private maritime trade in Zhoushan completely ceased, and the Zhoushan Islands became almost a no-man's land.

It wasn't until the Longqing reign (1668-1669) that fishing, salt production, and agriculture began to recover sporadically in the Zhoushan Islands after the maritime ban was relaxed.

As a maritime trade "transfer point" in eastern Zhejiang, its economic and military value was naturally of paramount importance.
Having just suffered a major defeat, Qi Jiguang had no time to delve into the history and scenery of the Zhoushan Islands. He summoned Zhang Jianxiu, Hu Shouren, and a group of officers, both senior and junior, to the deck to review the day's mistakes.

"The main problems in this battle can be summarized in three aspects: flaws in tactical deployment, lack of weapon compatibility, and deficiencies in the soldiers' quality. These will all serve as the basis for subsequent training."

"Initially, the 'fish scale formation' was used to encircle and capture the enemy, with the intention of compressing them with a dense formation. However, it proved to be rigid and inflexible, leaving the vanguard and sentry ships with nowhere to retreat, and affecting the following ships as well."

"The rotation mechanism is inadequate; when the front-shift soldiers are exhausted, the transition between the middle and back shifts becomes chaotic."

"The weapons used this time are all modified for land warfare and are not suitable for naval whaling. Although muskets and cannons can scare whales, they are not effective at quickly injuring vital organs."

"Although the newly trained navy possessed courage and strength, their first experience with naval warfare left them inexperienced in tactics and hesitant, resulting in their inability to achieve the desired tactical objectives."

Qi Jiguang usually appeared rough and uncouth, like a tough guy from the countryside, but when it came to war, he became increasingly professional and serious.

This analysis even moved Zhang Jianxiu, who had studied military strategy for many years.

The post-battle debriefing lasted for two full hours, until it was getting late before Qi Jiguang allowed the others to go back to rest.

Finally, Qi Jiguang slammed his fist on the table and said...

"This battle was fought because we were not familiar with naval warfare and were not as powerful as whales. Compared to the panic we would face when encountering the enemy on the battlefield in the future, today is a good thing."

This whale! It is the bane of our ocean-going fleet! If we can capture it, morale will soar, and our army will surely be invincible.

Upon hearing this, the eyes of all the naval officers in the cabin began to turn red.

"Invincible!"

They shouted in unison, as if the whale were a mortal enemy they deeply hated.

In fact, although Qi Jiguang felt some regret, he was actually pleased that the naval officers and soldiers had suffered this defeat. It was precisely because of this defeat that the navy was able to find the problems and further improve the quality of the army.

Compared to fighting to sustain war, the cost of fighting whales is obviously much lower.

Once the ocean-going fleet conquers the giant whale, such a sea monster, all the sailors will be even more courageous. At that time, if they encounter Portuguese or Japanese pirates, they will no longer have any fear.

The Zhoushan Islands are a rich land. The fleet rested on the islands for a night and then caught fresh fish in the surrounding area the next morning.

While whales may be difficult to hunt, dealing with a group of fish and shrimp in the sea is still a piece of cake.

In just one morning, all the hold of the ocean-going fleet was filled to the brim, and the sailors skillfully handled all kinds of fish and shrimp.

The return journey from the Zhoushan Islands to Ningbo Port takes only half a day.

Therefore, after resting and reorganizing in the Zhoushan Islands, the ocean-going fleet did not set off until the afternoon.

When they arrived at the harbor in the evening, countless people were already there, eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Qi Jiguang was not stingy; he kept enough for the navy's daily needs, and sold the rest of the seafood at a discounted price according to the market price.

With two to three hundred thousand catties of fish and shrimp arriving at the harbor, Ningbo will once again have a sleepless night.

The people who managed to buy the fish early had no complaints on their faces, and all of them wore happy smiles.

It was tough, but it was better than starving. Those who were quick-witted could make a considerable fortune by selling the catch with the ocean-going fleet within a few months.

Back at the garrison, Qi Jiguang had dinner with the sailors as usual. Instead of resting, he pulled Zhang Jianxiu and rushed off to the Yingtian Prefecture government office.

Zhang Jianxiu was so exhausted that he almost fainted, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Uncle is truly vigorous for his age. He has been traveling for several days and is still full of energy. I, your nephew, am definitely not up to the task."

Qi Jiguang raised his eyebrows and said, "You can't even endure this kind of hardship? When I was fighting against the Japanese pirates, I once went three days and three nights without sleep. Now that the imperial court's plan to open up the sea is in full swing, there is no room for the slightest carelessness."

The Zhoushan Islands are strategically located and control a vital sea route.

Previously, the imperial court had imposed a maritime ban, so this area was neglected. Now that the court intends to open the seas, the Zhoushan Islands must be taken seriously.

Whether it's re-establishing the prefecture or setting up a patrol inspectorate.

This place is undoubtedly of paramount importance for ocean-going fleets wishing to set sail.

"Even so," Zhang Jianxiu felt a bit forced into the situation. "Couldn't Uncle just write a letter?"

Qi Jiguang grinned and said.

"Letters cannot explain this clearly."

(End of this chapter)