The Black Sails of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 137 For the Glory of the Netherlands
With Cohen's order, all eight Yahat ships lowered their small boats and transported soldiers to the island.

One group of over a hundred Japanese ronin mercenaries, dressed in tattered kimonos and wooden clogs, each carrying two samurai swords at their waists, stood out conspicuously.

Ronin Yamamoto was the leader of this group of Japanese mercenaries. They had been hired by Governor Cohen a few months ago and had not yet officially served the governor. Today was their chance to show their skills, and they were all shouting and fighting fiercely.

As soon as the small boat docked, Yamamoto drew his katana and shouted in Japanese, "Kogagiki!"

The other ronin drew their swords and responded with strange cries, creating an astonishing scene.

Even before the boat had come to a complete stop, many of the ronin yelled and jumped into the water, wading through thigh-deep water, rushing towards the shore.

Some wounded or slow-moving natives were mercilessly stabbed to death by samurai swords.

Wherever the ronin went, there was not a single living person left.

While the Dutch soldiers were still forming ranks, the ronin had already rushed into the native camp. These men treated women, children, and men equally, hacking them down without mercy.

The Japanese swords were sharp, and the ronin were highly skilled in martial arts. The natives, who didn't even have armor, were completely defenseless. The scene was almost a one-sided massacre, which was much more efficient than firing more than eighty cannons at once.

On the Batavia, Cohen smiled as he watched the ronin's performance. As a businessman, the most important thing is profit, and profit is all about efficiency. The governor was very satisfied with the ronin's efficiency in killing.

In less than half an hour, the ronin had wiped out the remaining natives in the camp.

The indigenous women and children hiding in the cellar were found by the ronin, dragged to the surface, and all the children were killed. The ugly women were also killed, and the pretty ones were raped on the spot and then killed.

Yamamoto, with lofty ambitions, didn't waste his time on women and led a dozen or so ronin into the mountains in pursuit.

Upon seeing this, the first mate of the Batavia cursed, "What are these yellow-skinned bastards doing? This is utterly dishonorable and undisciplined!"

Cohen didn't care: "As long as we can kill all the islanders, let these ronin do whatever they want."

The first mate frowned and said, "Your Excellency, although these natives violated company law by selling cardamom to the British, they are still excellent laborers... And killing too many of them, doesn't that go against God's teachings?"

“You’re wrong,” Cohen said.

The first mate whispered, "I know, these people are all heretics..."

Cohen interrupted him with a laugh: "Your mistake is not here. These natives are lazy by nature, and short and weak, so they are not good laborers."

If we're talking about the best, we have to mention the black slaves from Africa.

But if we're talking about the best, it's the laborers of the Ming Dynasty. No one can serve us better than the people of the Ming Dynasty.

By this time, the Dutch soldiers had already lined up on the beach. Some went into the mountains to search for the natives, while others collected and moved the native corpses and burned them.

The Banda Islands are the jewel of the spice islands, famous for their nutmeg, which is incredibly valuable in Europe; a pound of nutmeg can buy three sheep in Europe.

Therefore, the bodies must be properly disposed of to prevent the spread of disease before commercial development can proceed.

The first mate hesitated and said, "The Ming government is stubborn and ignorant, and at the same time extremely hardline. If we forcibly conscript Ming laborers, it may lead to a deterioration in relations with them, and it will be even more detrimental to trade."

Cohen said, “You are wrong again, my friend. Trade cannot be obtained by begging; violence is a necessary condition for obtaining profits. We cannot have trade without war, nor can we have war without trade.”

The first mate was speechless. Judging from the governor's own experience, the governor had indeed done just that.

Cohen won every battle—establishing Batavia, capturing Portuguese trading posts, and fighting the British at sea—and each victory brought huge profits to the company.

As a result, the seventeen-member board of directors placed great trust in Governor Cohen, granting him a high degree of autonomy in the East Indies.

In the Netherlands, Cohen is regarded as a hero, and his deeds have been glorified, making him an idol for countless women and a life goal for countless children.

Just earlier this year, Cohen had beheaded thirty British men who were doing business in the Spice Islands on charges of smuggling.

Through naval threats, they forced the British to withdraw from the Spice Islands, thus achieving a monopoly on the spice trade between East and West.

Now is the time when Cohen's power and prestige are at their peak, and his decisions in Batavia are comparable to the king's edicts.

So, despite his disagreement, the first mate stopped arguing.

The massacre in the Banda Islands continues. It is a small island with low mountains, so even if the natives escape to the mountains, they have nowhere to hide.

Then, a series of footsteps were heard in the forest, and then thousands of natives, like wild beasts being chased by hounds, rushed out of the forest.

The ronin formed a large net behind them, herding the natives onto the beach like sheep.

Yamamoto could have killed these natives in the mountains, but the employer couldn't see it, so wasn't it a waste of time?

Therefore, the execution site was deliberately chosen to be on the beach, so that the Dutch masters could see it clearly.

The ronin were all seasoned warriors. Although they appeared to be fighting alone and in disarray, they actually cooperated seamlessly and used flexible tactics. These natives could not escape the encirclement and could only huddle together like a flock of frightened sheep.

On the outer edge of the encirclement, a native saw an opportunity and darted into a gap. A Japanese pirate stepped forward, drew his sword in an instant, and slashed twice with lightning speed.

The native's right arm was neatly severed and flew to one side, blood gushing from the wound like a fountain. The native looked pained but could not make a sound. He covered his neck with his other hand, and bright red blood seeped out from between his fingers, flowing down his arm and chest, staining the sand red. Then he slowly fell to the ground.

The Japanese pirate remained in his slashing stance until the native fell. Then, he swung his sword, blade pointing upwards, changed his stance, and slowly sheathed the sword.

Upon seeing this, Yamamoto exclaimed, "What a magnificent Iaijutsu! Hirata-kun, how many people have you killed?"

The ronin named Hirata said, "Including this one, seventeen people!"

Yamamoto: "Alright, I have fifteen men. How about we have a contest and see who kills the most?"

Hirata became interested: "Alright, let's limit it to all the island's inhabitants!"

After the two ronin finished speaking, they brandished their swords and charged towards the group of natives, who immediately let out tragic cries and screams.

The other ronin were also enraged and charged into the crowd, brandishing their swords.

About an hour later, there was not a single living native on the beach. The entire white sand was stained dark red, and blood could be squeezed out when you stepped on it, a shocking sight.

Yamamoto and Hirata were covered in blood; their entire bodies, except for their eyes which were black and white, were entirely blood-red.

Yamamoto, supporting himself on his knees and panting heavily, asked, "I killed forty-one. How about you?"

“Thirty-nine.” Hirata raised his hand, looked at the sword whose blade had been chipped and dulled, and gave a wry smile.

Seeing this, Yamamoto drew his spare sword from his waist and handed it to Hirata, saying, "You are a good samurai. Use my sword next. This one doesn't count. There are still some natives in the mountains. Let's have another match!"

Hirata took the sword, feeling a surge of heroic spirit, and exclaimed loudly, "Good!"

The massacre in the Banda Islands lasted for two full days.

Not to mention the beaches and land on the island, even the nearby seawater was stained a light red.

A rough estimate suggests that more than 15,000 natives were killed. The number of dead was so great that the Dutch soldiers were too busy just carrying and burning the bodies.

All the island's natives died, and half of their bodies were still unprocessed.

Cohen ordered that the remaining bodies not be burned, but instead a large pit be dug and the bodies buried in it. This would fertilize the soil and allow cardamom to grow better, thus serving the Netherlands.

The killing contest between the two ronin ended with Hirata losing 131 men and Yamamoto losing 129.

Six Yahat ships returned to Batavia.

Cohen received information about spice-producing regions and trade routes.

The Dutch soldiers harvested cardamom.

The ronin gained merit, rewards, and friendship.

Only the indigenous people of the Banda Islands reaped the slaughter and extermination.

But so what? Who cares about the fate of a group of East Indian natives?
On the night of their return voyage, Cohen, feeling triumphant, specifically asked the quartermaster to bring out drinks and distribute them to all the sailors on board.

The ronin, who were mercenaries, also received a share of coconut wine.

Under the tropical starry sky, sailors took their drinks and went up to the deck, playing the reed organ and the hand drum, singing, drinking and laughing.

"Let's set sail and bid farewell to the hardships of Amsterdam!"
Crossing the storms of the Cape of Good Hope, we arrive in the bountiful East!

The horoscope will indicate the direction of spices and gold.

Sailors either perished in the waves or made a fortune.

All for the glory of the Netherlands! For the glory of the Netherlands!

After the song ended, the sailors raised their glasses in cheers and laughed heartily.

Under the starlight, Yamamoto was repeatedly wiping the blade with a silk cloth when Hirata brought him coconut wine. Yamamoto sheathed the sword, took the coconut wine, and took a sip.

The alcohol is very mild, with a hint of sweetness and the aroma of coconut.

"How wonderful!" Hirata exclaimed, sitting down next to Yamamoto. "Fighting, slashing, celebrating victories, drinking—it's as if the Warring States period has returned."

Yamamoto was somewhat dismissive: "It was just slaughtering a bunch of livestock-like natives; it's far from the kind of battle I'm after."

Seeing this, Hirata leaned closer to Yamamoto and whispered, "The governor is constantly attacking the Portuguese strongholds in the South China Sea. One day he will be able to attack Macau!"

Yamamoto drank his wine in silence.

Hirata said slowly, "My father died in the Battle of Noryang. If I could fight against the Ming Dynasty in this lifetime..."

He paused, then transformed his hand into a blade, making a slashing motion in the air: "I will make the Ming people pay for their blood debts!"

After a long silence, Yamamoto said calmly, "It seems I'm not the only one who lost loved ones in the Battle of Noryang..."

Hirata was taken aback: "Yamamoto-kun, what's this?"

Yamamoto's voice was deep, like a wild beast's growl: "Hirata-kun, if there's a chance, let's have another match."

"Okay, what should we compete in?"

"If there's a battle for Macau, let's compare the number of kills!" Yamamoto's cold gaze swept into the distance. "We'll stake our samurai honor on it!"

After a night of revelry, the fleet continued its journey the following morning.

Finally, after half a month, they arrived in Batavia.

When the ship docked, Cohen received a triumphant welcome.

As soon as Fang disembarked, he was surrounded by a large number of attendants, guards, and secretaries.

"What happened at the company while I was away?" Cohen asked after returning to his office and sitting down. His secretary handed him some documents.

"Your Excellency, this is the colony's sugar production statistics for this month. Our white sugar production has increased by 5% compared to the previous quarter."

"This is a report that just came back from Ceylon. The British have been very active in India recently, but they are much more well-behaved at sea."

……

After listening to more than ten reports, Cohen narrowed his eyes in satisfaction and asked, "What about Japan? Have the merchant ships from Hirado returned?"

The secretary said cautiously, "They're back... but only the Frutt merchant fleet returned, the others..."

Cohen opened his eyes and said sternly, "What about the rest? Tell me!"

"None of the other merchant ships have returned... Conservatively speaking, four to five ships have already gone missing..."

Cohen stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief. Disappearance at sea meant either a shipwreck or hijacking.

Since the opening of Hirado Trading Company, such an outrageous hijacking incident has never occurred before!
"Who did it? The Portuguese?" Cohen asked rapidly.

On the East Asian shipping routes, only the Portuguese had the capability to intercept so many Dutch merchant ships.

The secretary lowered his head, avoiding Cohen's gaze: "According to the returning crew, the enemy ship was flying the Portuguese flag, its hull was that of a Ming Dynasty ship, and it used large-caliber cannons."

Cohen: "Where did the hijacking take place?"

"In the Guangdong waters of the Ming Dynasty."

Everything makes sense now. Macau is in Guangdong, the Portuguese have a precedent of buying Ming Dynasty ships, and only the Portuguese would have the motive to engage in such shameless piracy!

Unexpectedly, the Portuguese struck first, just as he had finalized his plan to attack Macau.

Cohen said, "Notify the expedition fleet that the plan is being moved up, and we will set sail immediately!"

Cohen was an old navigator and of course knew that the wind direction was unfavorable when sailing in winter, but there were also advantages to doing so.

First, by reversing conventional thinking, the Portuguese would never have guessed that he would attack against the wind, allowing him to catch them off guard.

Secondly, since the Portuguese dared to plunder Dutch merchant ships on such a large scale, their defenses must have been very strong. If the war went badly, Cohen could take advantage of the northeast monsoon to quickly return to Batavia and retreat safely.

Finally, and most importantly, the Portuguese would assemble a trading fleet in winter, heading south to Malacca and Goa. At this time, heading north would be the perfect opportunity to intercept them and avenge the plundering of Dutch merchant ships!
Cohen wielded considerable influence in Batavia, and no one could refute his decisions.

The secretary only has the duty to carry out orders.

……

On the tenth day of the tenth month of the first year of the Tianqi reign, the Governor-General of the Dutch East India Company, Cohen, personally boarded the flagship Batavia and led twelve Yahat ships northward.

On October 15, Cohen's fleet arrived in the waters east of Malacca, intercepted two Portuguese merchant ships, killed 45 Portuguese crew members and mercenaries, and captured two sailing ships.

On the thirteenth day of the eleventh lunar month, the fleet reached the Indochina Peninsula and intercepted a British merchant ship heading south. After a thirty-minute artillery battle, the merchant ship was sunk, and the British crew members all froze to death in the icy sea.

On the 27th day of the eleventh lunar month, the fleet sailed to a point ten nautical miles east of Qiongzhou Island and collided head-on with the Portuguese southward fleet.

After two days and nights of gun battle, the two Dutch Yahat ships were severely damaged and forced to return to Batavia for repairs.

The Portuguese fleet lost three ships, captured one, and two others were slightly damaged and escaped back to Macau.

News of the Dutch attack, along with the return of the two damaged ships, swept through Macau like a typhoon.

Portugal, from top to bottom, already harbored a deep-seated fear of the Dutch. Upon hearing that the Dutch fleet was strong and well-equipped, and that their own fleet had suffered heavy losses, panic spread throughout the streets and alleys of Macau.

The council hall sought help from the Guangzhou government while simultaneously holding meetings day and night to discuss countermeasures.

"Silence! Silence!"

The speaker's gavel pounded on the table, but the citizen councilors ignored it completely, splitting into two factions and attacking each other.

"How can you defend it? With just a few forts in Macau? Let me tell you a truth: forts are fixed to the ground. The Dutch have ships; they can land anywhere without forts. Fools!"

"In the harbor, there are also the Portuguese and Andalusia, with our proud Portuguese navy on board! There are also guards in the city, and we can mobilize the citizens!"

"Two wrecked ships, fifty guards, and a motley crew of craftsmen and civilians—with these, they think they can withstand the Dutch cannons? According to the Portuguese, the Dutch have a full twelve ships!"

"Twelve ships? Damn it, Macau can't even withstand a single salvo of artillery fire!"

"Where is the Ming government? Can we get reinforcements?"

"According to the reply from the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, the Ming Navy will not participate in our war with the Dutch."

"These ignorant Ming people, can't they see that the Dutch cannons are about to be fired at them?"

"Silence! Silence... Hey, Congressman Andrei, what are you doing? The council chamber is still..."

Andrei didn't care anymore; he dragged his obese body and stumbled towards the council chamber door.

Outside, dozens of Macao residents gathered, holding banners demanding resistance and opposing surrender.

Andrei pushed his way through the crowd and ran toward his carriage.

The secretary was puzzled by the congressman's flustered appearance and quickly helped his master into the car.

After getting into the car, Andrei instructed his secretary: "Do three things! First, go back to the mansion and pack all the valuables into the car. There's not much time, so only take the valuables!"

The secretary took out a small notebook and quickly jotted down notes, while hesitatingly saying, "Councilor, if others find out about this, I'm afraid it will have an impact..."

Andrei looked flustered: "We can't worry about that now! Second, send someone to the Bugalau cannon foundry to place an order for twelve 18-pound Sirens cannons!"

"Third, send men north along the Fujian-Guangdong coast to find Lin Qian and tell that damned pirate leader that I have agreed to his conditions!"

After giving all the instructions, Andrei urged the coachman to drive back to the mansion.

Along the way, Andrei was filled with regret. When Zheng Zhilong came earlier, he clearly told him that the Dutch were going to attack Macau. How could he have been so blinded by greed and not believed him?
On another note, how did that damned pirate Lin Qian know about the Dutch's movements? Is that bastard some kind of prophet?
Through the carriage lathe, Andrei saw that shops on the streets of Macau had closed down one after another, and many people had boarded up their doors and windows, creating a desolate scene.

For the Portuguese, Macau was merely a trading post and didn't actually house many warships.

In addition, the Battle of Qiongzhou Island dealt a heavy blow to the Macao navy, leaving it with no ability to fight the Dutch at sea.

Andrei knew all too well the cruelty of the Dutch, especially Governor Cohen, and all he wanted to do was escape as quickly as possible.

The Dutch have now reached Qiongzhou Island. Given the speed of seagoing vessels and the speed of communication, it will only take them a day or two to reach the waters off Macau.

There's no time to look back or hesitate.

At Andrei's request, the servants in the mansion collected all the valuables in just one morning.

Without even having lunch, Andrei personally led a group of men to escort the valuables to the Ming Dynasty for refuge.

Unfortunately, when he arrived at the Lotus Stem Pass, which connects to the inland, the scene before him filled him with despair.

Hundreds and thousands of people have completely blocked the area.

At the pass, an official shouted: "I have been ordered by the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi to seal off the Lotus Stem Pass from this day forward. No one is allowed to enter or leave!"

Most of the people on the lotus stem are from the Ming Dynasty, who work in Macau for a living. The Lotus Stem Pass usually only prevents the Macau barbarians from entering the Ming Dynasty, and never blocks the Ming people from entering or leaving.

Now that everyone has been suddenly trapped in Macau, some people are naturally indignant and shout, "We are all citizens of the Ming Dynasty, why can't we go back!"

Some of the people in front of the pass argued with each other, while others pleaded and pushed their way forward.

The officials ordered their men to draw their swords; the gleaming blades forced the people to retreat repeatedly.

Too many people gathered on the lotus stem, causing them to collapse in the crowd, trampled by people and horses, and screams of agony filled the air.

Andrei knew that traveling by land was hopeless, so he had no choice but to risk traveling by water. Fortunately, he still had merchant ships in port, so he ordered his servants to escort the valuables to the port.

The large procession of carriages and horses was so conspicuous that some people recognized them immediately.

Someone shouted, "He's a Franco senator! We beg him to do our part and let us pass!"

Upon hearing this, the people swarmed around, making it difficult for Andrei's convoy to escape. He had no choice but to order his guards to draw their muskets and fire them into the air to disperse the crowd.

A legislator is elected by the people; by firing on the public, his political career is over.

But now that Macau is about to fall apart, Andre can no longer care about politics.

Upon arriving at the port, we discovered that the port was just as chaotic.

The fleeing crowd surged onto the pier, recklessly climbing onto the boats. The sheer number of people caused the boats to capsize, and several sections of the pier collapsed under the weight.

Andrei's merchant ship has disappeared from its original berth.

The captain must have seen the chaos and fled for his life.

Andrei's last hope of escape collapsed, and he used all the vicious words he had learned to curse the fleeing captain.

"Congressman, what do we do now?" the secretary asked.

Andrei sighed, "Let's go back to the mansion first."

To everyone's surprise, after the Battle of Qiongdong, the Dutch seemed to have vanished from the sea, and did not appear in the waters off Macau for several days.

During this period, pro-war Macau lawmakers repaired warships, recruited armed merchant ships, enlisted militia, and built temporary fortifications, actively preparing for war.

It wasn't until five days later, when news came from Qiongzhou Island, that everyone learned what had happened to the Dutch fleet.

It turned out that the Dutch fleet had been at sea for nearly two months and had suffered severe losses in supplies. Governor Cohen ordered that supplies be purchased from nearby Qiongzhou Island.

Dutch mercenaries were undisciplined, especially the ronin who clashed with the local people as soon as they landed, turning their purchasing into looting.

Dutch soldiers and ronin plundered three villages surrounding Wanzhou County in one fell swoop. If it weren't for the mission to attack Macau, Wanzhou County would probably have been completely looted.

When the news reached Macau, it immediately sparked outrage and indignation among the people.

Originally, the people of Macau were unwilling to get involved in the conflict between the Macau barbarians and the Hongyi (Japanese pirates). However, upon hearing that Japanese pirates were mixed in with the Hongyi, they were filled with patriotic fervor and joined the militia to defend their homeland.

Even Xu Zhaokui, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, who was far away in Guangzhou, was shocked and furious upon hearing this. He slammed his fist on the table and exclaimed, "How dare these red-haired barbarians be so insolent! Send orders to all the naval strongholds in Guangdong to send troops!"

(End of this chapter)