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

The heavy sound of war drums is the clarion call of attack, and also the prelude to death.

The massive crescent-shaped formation of the East China Sea Fleet slowly spread its wings on the sea surface.

On the left flank, Shi Daxuan led eight new warships and ten old warships, which, like arrows released from a bow, darted diagonally towards the six somewhat flustered Dutch armed merchant ships on the right flank of the combined fleet, as well as several nearby Portuguese warships.

On the right flank, another squadron led by Hong Xu also launched a similar wedge formation, heading straight for the Portuguese squadron on the left flank of the Combined Fleet.

Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, Antonio de Mora, commander of the Spanish fleet stationed in the Philippines, stood atop the stern of his flagship, the behemoth "San Felipe," which displaced over 1,200 tons, observing the movements of the Xia fleet through brass binoculars.

The veteran, known for his bravery and stubbornness, showed a hint of disdain on his face.

"Do the Easterners intend to use their nimble boats to divide our flanks?"

He lowered his binoculars and said to his adjutant, "A very old tactic. Order the flank warships to move closer to the center and maintain formation! Use our broadside shells to teach these yellow-skinned monkeys what real naval warfare is! Main force, advance! Target: the largest ships in the enemy's center!"

In Mora's view, although the Xia army's new warships seemed to have some merit, their numbers were limited, and the main force was still those "fragile" old-fashioned sailing ships.

By using the powerful broadside firepower of several large ships like the "San Felipe" to destroy or severely damage a few of them from a distance, the seemingly fierce attack of the enemy would naturally collapse.

He had absolute confidence in the gunnery and boarding skills of his Spanish sailors.

However, he underestimated Zheng Zhilong, and also underestimated this new navy, a blend of pirate cunning, garrison discipline, and the emperor's will.

As the Xia army's flanking fleets on the left and right flanks began to engage the outer ships of the combined fleet, with cannons roaring and smoke rising, a brief "void" seemed to appear in the central area of ​​the battlefield.

The attention of the combined fleet was drawn to the fierce dogfight on both flanks, especially the Dutch ships which appeared somewhat disheveled under the rapid attack of the Xia army's new warships. This led General Mora to conclude that the main force of the Xia army intended to attack its relatively weak right flank.

Right now!

"Fireship fleet, launch!!"

On the "Azure Dragon", Zheng Zhilong suddenly swung his arm down.

The flag bearers, who had been waiting in ambush, vigorously waved a set of specific, pre-arranged bright red triangular flags.

Dozens of old warships, which had been hidden behind the main force of the Xia army and were intentionally or unintentionally obscured by the massive figures of the new warships, raised their sails almost simultaneously!

These ships had long since been unloaded of unnecessary loads, and the number of sailors had been reduced to a minimum. The cabins and decks were piled high with dry firewood soaked in fish oil, sulfur, saltpeter, and barrels of flammable oil.

The bow of the ship was fitted with a sharp iron spike. The rudder of each ship was operated by the most fearless and best-skilled swimmers.

"For His Majesty! For the reward! Kill!!"

Zheng Zhihu stood at the bow of the lead large fire ship, shirtless, holding a large ghost-headed sword, his beard and hair bristling, roaring fiercely.

He was Zheng Zhilong's younger brother and a notorious bandit who had roamed the Fujian coast for many years. At this moment, he personally led the fire ship fleet, disregarding his own life and death.

Dozens of fire ships, like rockets released from a bow or moths drawn to a flame, took advantage of the rising southeast wind on the sea and sped out from the gaps in the Xia army's formation, heading straight for the Spanish galleons in the center of the allied fleet, which were like castles on the sea!

"What is that?!" The lookout on the "San Felipe" was the first to exclaim in a distorted voice.

General Mora hurriedly raised his binoculars and saw dozens of Chinese sailing ships billowing thick smoke, their hulls clearly modified, and moving at incredible speed, recklessly breaking through the sparse artillery fire and charging toward the core of his fleet! The Xia sailors on the bow, shirtless, had a mad glint in their eyes.

"Fire ships! Fire ships from the East!" a veteran Portuguese captain who had fought the Ottomans in the Indian Ocean screamed in terror.

This ancient and cruel tactic is no longer common in European naval battles, but in the East, especially in the hands of pirate kings like Zheng Zhilong who were proficient in all kinds of maritime tricks, it remains one of the most deadly weapons!

"Fire! Stop them! Stop them now!"

General Mora's face turned deathly pale instantly. He finally understood Zheng Zhilong's tactical intentions—to use a feint attack on both flanks to draw attention, and then use these cheap, suicidal fire ships to attack his most valuable and cumbersome Spanish galleon!

The "San Felipe" and several other galleons opened fire from their broadsides, attempting to sink the fire ship before it could get close.

Solid shot whistled across the sea, some hitting their targets and blasting the fireships into pieces, setting them ablaze with towering flames.

But there were too many fire ships, and they were too fast! They had a clear objective and disregarded casualties, like sharks that had smelled blood, they stared intently at the largest few targets.

"boom!"

The first fire ship rammed violently into the side of a Spanish galleon called the "San Trinidad".

The iron spike at the bow was deeply embedded in the thick oak planks, and the hull rocked violently from the impact.

The suicide bombers on the ship lit the fuses and then jumped into the sea.

A few breaths later, a deafening explosion rang out, and flames mixed with the shattered hull and burning wood shot into the sky!

A terrible hole was blown in the starboard side of the "Saint Trinidad," and the flames spread rapidly, igniting the sails.

"No!!" General Mora's eyes widened in horror.

But this is just the beginning.

One after another, the burning ships broke through the hail of bullets. Some crashed into the ship's side, while others penetrated the weak points of the bow or stern, followed by violent explosions and towering flames!

The tall and majestic hull of the Spanish galleon became the perfect target and fuel depot.

Thick smoke billowed, flames soared into the sky, and piercing screams, explosions, and the cracking of wood filled the air.

The combined fleet's originally well-organized central formation was completely disrupted by this sudden, suicidal fire attack! To avoid the fire ships and the spreading flames, the ships began to collide with each other and huddle together.

"Now!"

Zheng Zhilong's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "All central forces, full sails! Turn port 15 degrees, cut into the gap in the enemy formation! Target—the enemy flagship! Prepare for a broadside volley!"

The "Azure Dragon" took the lead, its massive hull drawing a graceful arc across the sea. Eight of the most elite new warships followed closely behind, like wolves that had caught the scent of blood. They burst from the edge of the sea of ​​fire and chaos into the gaps in the central fleet of the Allied Fleet that had been trying to avoid the fire ships!

At this moment, the flagship of the Combined Fleet, the "San Felipe," was partially surrounded by three burning fire ships and two friendly ships that were trying to rescue it but were hindering each other. Its port side was completely exposed to the muzzle of the "Azure Dragon," less than 250 paces away!

"Port side—aim at the enemy flagship's waterline—fire!!"

Zheng Zhilong's voice, transmitted through the brass loudspeaker, reached every corner of the "Qinglong".

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A series of explosions, more synchronized, more concentrated, and more deafening than those during the Battle of Penghu, resounded across the surface of Liaoluo Bay!

Eight new warships, with over a hundred "Yuanfeng" cannons, spewed out flames of death almost simultaneously! The heavy shells, like a storm of steel, instantly covered the port side of the "San Felipe"!

At least twenty shells hit directly! The oak planks, nearly a foot thick, shattered with a terrifying sound in the face of the modified conical shells!

Broken wood chips swept across the deck like a torrential rain, thick cables were easily torn apart, and flesh and blood were shredded like paper in the face of high-speed flying debris and iron balls.

Even more fatally, several shells struck several gun ports on the lower port side of the "San Felipe," penetrating the gun deck and exploding inside, triggering a chain reaction of explosions and a larger fire!

The sea monster "San Felipe" groaned under its own weight, its hull tilting sharply to starboard, the deck a scene of carnage, with heavy casualties.

General Mora was thrown to the ground by the blast wave; his helmet was nowhere to be seen, and blood was gushing from his forehead.

However, the disaster was not over.

Amidst the earth-shattering roar of the salvo from ships like the "Azure Dragon," another, even more terrifying and muffled explosion came from the left flank of the Combined Fleet!

A Portuguese warship named "Santiago" was attempting to maneuver to avoid a fire ship when it was fortunately struck by a stray bullet from the right wing of the Xia army's detachment, which was located near the waterline!

"boom----!!!!"

A massive fireball, ten times more terrifying than any cannon salvo, suddenly expanded from the midsection of the "San Diego" hull!

In that instant, the entire ship seemed to be torn apart and lifted from the inside by an invisible giant hand, and then turned into countless burning fragments that shot out in all directions!

The powerful shockwave even caused the nearby seawater to cave in, forming a brief whirlpool, which then sent up a water column tens of meters high!

Several nearby ships, whether from the combined fleet or the Xia army, were blown about like fallen leaves, and the people on deck were shaken so badly that their ears and noses bled.

The Santiago, along with more than a hundred Portuguese sailors, was reduced to ashes the moment of the explosion, leaving only a burning oil slick and floating debris on the sea surface.

This earth-shattering explosion became the final straw that broke the morale of the Combined Fleet.

The chaos of the fire attack, the heavy damage to the flagship, and the horrific instantaneous destruction of friendly ships plunged many sailors in the Combined Fleet into extreme panic.

"Retreat! Order all ships to disengage! Retreat to the southeast!"

General Mora, his face covered in blood, was supported by his personal guards as he looked at the devastated sea, flames shooting into the sky, and heard screams and explosions around him. He finally came to his senses from his initial shock and rage, realizing that the battle was hopeless, and hoarsely gave the order to retreat.

The mournful sound of horns rang out in the combined fleet. The surviving ships, whether Spanish, Portuguese, or Dutch, began to frantically turn around, raise their sails to full capacity, and flee in panic toward the open sea, disregarding formation.

They had to escape this burning sea, escape the Xia army's fire ships that appeared and disappeared like ghosts, and escape those giant blue ships with terrifying broadside firepower.

Zheng Zhilong did not order a full-scale pursuit.

The fire ships suffered heavy losses, and the assault nearly exhausted their courage and ships; the new warships, after a fierce barrage and maneuver, also needed to reload ammunition, adjust sails and rigging, and treat the wounded; while the old warships were even less able to withstand the remaining large ships and heavy cannons of the combined fleet in the pursuit.

"Regroup, treat the wounded, extinguish the fire on our ship, and retrieve those who have fallen into the water!"

Zheng Zhilong gave the order in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over the ravaged sea.

The Xia army also paid a price. More than 30 fire ships were almost completely wiped out. Shi Daxuan's left wing fleet had one new warship severely damaged and withdrawn from the battle, and several old ships sank. The casualties were also considerable.

The results were brilliant. The combined fleet lost four warships, several others were severely damaged and rendered combat ineffective, and the flagship "San Felipe" was heavily damaged, with casualties exceeding a thousand. Meanwhile, none of the Xia army's main warships were sunk.

As dusk fell, an eerie calm gradually returned to the sea, which had been filled with the smell of gunpowder and blood.

Only the burning wreckage continued to crackle, reflecting the debris floating on the sea and the occasional struggling figure.

Xia Jun's warships began to be assembled, and the sailors, tired but excited, cleaned the decks and repaired the wounds.

Zheng Zhilong stood at the bow of the "Azure Dragon" ship, watching the dark silhouettes of the combined fleet fleeing in disarray as they disappeared into the twilight. His face showed no joy, only deep weariness and an even more solemn and grim atmosphere.

"They're not done yet."

He said to his younger brother Zheng Zhihu, who had come to his side, in a hoarse voice, "We suffered a loss today, but we will definitely come back stronger tomorrow. And we will use even more ruthless methods."

Zheng Zhihu wiped the cigarette ash and blood from his face, grinned, and said, "Brother, what are we afraid of! We still have fire ships, and enough cannonballs. The brothers are fighting with great enthusiasm!"

Zheng Zhilong shook his head and looked at the dark clouds gradually gathering in the southeast: "The wind direction... is about to change."

Yes, the sea breeze has quietly shifted its direction without us even noticing.

The daytime southeasterly winds gradually shifted to a weak northeasterly wind, and showed a tendency to continue strengthening and turn due north. This would be an extremely unfavorable development for the Xia fleet, which was located slightly west of Liaoluo Bay.

On the first day of the Battle of Liaoluo Bay, the Great Xia East China Sea Fleet achieved a brilliant tactical victory with its unexpected fire attack tactics and the deadly salvo led by the "Qinglong".

But everyone knows that this decisive battle for maritime power in East Asia is far from over. An even more brutal test may be coming tomorrow.