Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

Autumn of the eighth year of Xuanji. Fujian Sea, outside Liaoluo Bay.

The sky was that low-hanging, leaden gray, characteristic of the eve of a great battle, and the sea was a deep, dark green. There was no wind, and the waves rose and fell slowly and heavily, like the breathing of a sleeping giant.

The air was filled with a salty, fishy smell and a faint sulfurous odor, the deathly stillness and oppression unique to the period before a major battle.

Zheng Zhilong stood on the towering stern deck of the "Qinglong" ship, holding a monocular telescope, gazing at the distant horizon.

He was dressed in a brand-new naval admiral's uniform—a black arrow-sleeved robe covered with a mountain-patterned armor, his scarlet cloak motionless in the breeze, his knuckles slightly white from the force of his grip on his sword.

Beneath his feet was the "Azure Dragon," a vessel that had been tested and reinforced during the Battle of Penghu.

On both sides of the ship, the muzzles of twenty-four "Yuanfeng" cannons protrude from the gun ports, like the sharp teeth of a giant beast, polished to a dark and shiny black.

On deck, the sailors, gunners, and sailors were all in their positions, and there was no sound except for the monotonous sound of waves lapping against the hull.

Everyone's face was tense, their eyes a mixture of nervousness, excitement, and a barely perceptible fear.

Behind him was the entire elite of the East China Sea Fleet—forty-eight warships of various sizes, which spread out in a massive, crescent-shaped formation on the vast sea.

At the heart of the formation were twenty-four new warships, including the "Azure Dragon".

They were divided into three squadrons, arranged in a "品" shape, positioned in the center and slightly forward on both flanks.

These warships, painted in a bluish-gray hull, are long and slender with high hulls and numerous gun ports, resembling a group of giant sharks lurking in the sea, exuding a deadly intimidation in their silence.

Surrounding and between the new warships were twenty-four old-style Fujian ships, Guangdong ships, and bird ships that had been reinforced and partially modified.

They were small in tonnage and had few cannons, but their advantage lay in their large numbers and high mobility, with ships fully loaded with daredevils and flammable materials.

These were another card in Zheng Zhilong's hand, and also the key to the tactics of this naval battle.

The entire fleet maintained a strict formation in accordance with the regulations of the Naval Manual.

On the masts of each ship, five-colored command flags fluttered high according to their respective formations.

Although this was the first large-scale combat operation since the establishment of the new navy, the victory in the Battle of Penghu and the almost rigorous joint training over the past few months have given this diverse fleet a basic foundation for unified action.

Zheng Zhilong put down his binoculars and glanced at the generals beside him.

His younger brothers Zheng Zhihu and Zheng Zhibao, his old subordinates Shi Daxuan, Hong Xu, and Chen Hui, as well as the supervising eunuch and the director of the Ministry of War's Department of Military Affairs sent by the imperial court, and the Portuguese artillery consultant Van der Sar, who was forcibly "invited" onto the ship and whose face was pale at this moment.

"Did you all see it clearly?" Zheng Zhilong's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Reporting to the Admiral, we saw it clearly!" the officers replied in unison, their voices echoing across the deck.

About ten miles ahead of the East China Sea Fleet, another fleet was slowly emerging from the morning mist and entering the pre-arranged battlefield off the coast of Liaoluo Bay.

That was the Western Allied Fleet.

A total of twenty-six warships, against the leaden gray backdrop of the sea and sky, presented an oppressive and alien aura of majesty.

At the center and in front were twelve enormous Spanish galleons.

These "sea fortresses" from Manila are the absolute backbone of the Combined Fleet.

They had three or even four decks, and their hulls were exceptionally tall and majestic. The fore and stern towers resembled castles, and the dense array of gun ports hinted at their terrifying firepower.

Especially the largest flagship in the center of the fleet, which is estimated to have a displacement of over a thousand tons, is like a mobile sea city.

This is a typical masterpiece of the "galena" ship, emphasizing boarding and boarding, but its broadside firepower should not be underestimated.

On the left are eight Portuguese warships.

They were slightly smaller than Spanish galleons, but their shapes were more streamlined, and their sails were slightly different, making them appear more agile.

These ships have extensive experience operating in the Indian and Southern Oceans year-round.

They maintained a certain distance from the Spanish ships, cooperating in their operations while also subtly displaying a rivalry.

On the right are six armed Dutch merchant ships.

Most of them were urgently transferred from Batavia and Taiwan after the Battle of Penghu, or were temporarily requisitioned East India Company merchant ships with cannons added.

The ships were old, their firepower uneven, and the sailors' eyes held the shock of the devastating defeat at Penghu mixed with a fanatical thirst for revenge. They were the weakest and most unstable link in the Combined Fleet.

This combined fleet, flying the Spanish red cross, the Portuguese armillary sphere, and the Dutch red, white, and blue tricolor, advanced in a loose, roughly horizontal formation.

They seemed confident in the firepower and defense of their individual ships, intending to destroy or severely damage the Great Xia fleet from a distance with their tall hulls and fierce cannons, and then close in to board, using their rich experience in boarding battles to deliver the final blow.

"Twelve Spanish galleons, eight Portuguese warships, six Dutch ships... What a grand display!"

Zheng Zhilong put down his binoculars, a cold smile curving his lips. "Those barbarians and Portuguese have really gone to great lengths to deal with my Great Xia. It seems that the battle at Penghu really hurt them and scared them."

"Admiral, the enemy ships are large, have many cannons, and seem to be planning a naval battle with us."

The supervising eunuch said in a low voice with some concern, "Although our army's new ships are effective, their numbers are insufficient, and most of them are newly trained soldiers. Perhaps...?"

"The military supervisor should not worry."

Zheng Zhilong interrupted him, his gaze sweeping across the sea like a hawk's. "The enemy ships are large, but slow-moving and difficult to maneuver. They intend to use a grand formation to decide our victory through artillery battle. I will not let them have their way!"

He whirled around to face his generals, his voice rising abruptly: "Pass on my orders!"

"The left wing detachment, commanded by Shih Ta-hsuan, will lead eight new warships and ten old warships to entangle the enemy's right wing Dutch ships and some Portuguese ships! No need for a desperate fight, just hold them off!"

"The right-wing detachment, led by Hong Xu, will command eight new warships and ten older warships to attack the enemy's left-wing Portuguese ships! They will attempt to sever their connection with the central army!"

"The central force will be personally led by this Commander-in-Chief! The eight new warships, namely 'Qinglong,' 'Funing,' 'Dinghai,' and 'Zhendong,' will form the core. The remaining old-style warships will all be organized into a fire ship assault team, commanded by Zheng Zhihu, with Chen Hui as his deputy!"

Upon hearing the words "fireship assault team," the generals' spirits lifted, and even the pale-faced Portuguese advisor, Van der Sar, raised his head.

This is the core of the tactics that Zheng Zhilong and Xiao Chen repeatedly deduced and that received the emperor's approval!

It was also a decisive move that used the numerical advantage of the Xia fleet's old-style ships to offset the advantage of the Western warships in individual ships!

"Once the flanks engage the enemy and draw their attention, the fire ships, using the smoke and the cover of the flank warships, will launch a full-speed attack, directly penetrating the gaps between the enemy's large Spanish ships in the center! No need to board, just ram them; after igniting the fire, all personnel must immediately evacuate!"

"Once the fire starts, all new Chinese warships will advance to seize the upper hand. Target—the enemy flagship and the largest Spanish warship—close to within two hundred paces and unleash a broadside volley! We must destroy their command and strongest point in one volley!"

"The key to this battle lies in whether the fire ship assault can disrupt the enemy's formation and whether our new ships' salvo can achieve victory! Each ship must strictly obey the flagship's flag. Anyone who dares to shrink back or disobey orders will be executed! Anyone who deserts in the face of battle will be executed! All brave warriors of the fire ship fleet, regardless of life or death, will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver and ten acres of land! Anyone who sinks an enemy large ship will be promoted three ranks and rewarded with one thousand taels of silver!"

"Gentlemen!" Zheng Zhilong drew his sword with a clang, its gleaming blade pointing straight to the sky. "His Majesty awaits our victory report in Jinling! The fate of Great Xia, the safety of the Southeast, rests in our hands today! Will we allow the red-haired Portuguese to continue dominating our seas, or will our Great Xia dragon flag forever fly high above the vast ocean?"

He pointed his sword sharply forward at the slowly approaching combined fleet, his voice like thunder, echoing across the deck of the "Azure Dragon" and seemingly resounding above every Xia army warship:

"All troops—Attack!!"

"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!"

On the mainmast of the "Azure Dragon," a massive war drum was struck, its heavy and stirring sound like the heartbeat of a dragon, instantly resounding throughout the entire fleet.

The ships immediately sounded their drums and horns, and their flags fluttered in unison.

The massive crescent formation began to slowly change, with its left and right wings spreading like giant eagles, flanking the combined fleet from both sides.

The main force of the central army slowed down slightly and adjusted its angle.

At the heart of the formation, dozens of old-fashioned warships, laden with firewood, gunpowder, fish oil, and other flammable materials, quietly lowered their sails under the command of Zheng Zhihu and Chen Hui, like poisonous fish lurking among sharks, waiting for the opportune moment to deliver a fatal blow.

The leaden clouds hung low, and the sea breeze gradually picked up, carrying a salty smell that stirred the warships' banners and made the sweat on the foreheads of every sailor.

In the autumn of the eighth year of Xuanji, two maritime powers from the East and West are about to engage in a fierce clash in this nameless sea area outside Liaoluo Bay, a clash that will determine the ownership of East Asian maritime power for the next century.

War is imminent.