Ming East India Company

"So, you've persevered to this day under these circumstances."

Bai Ye looked at Wang Sanshi and the others who had survived the ordeal with disbelief.

A few days ago, as the main force of the Japanese army withdrew from Korea, Shirano began to gradually reassemble his oar-and-ship fleet.

However, only nineteen ships were eventually returned to Jeju Island, and the remaining one, the Sea Falcon No. 7, could not be found no matter what.

Even more critically, the commander-in-chief of this campaign was Wang Sanshi, the supreme commander of the Ryukyu Navy.

For Shirayuki at this moment, every oared sailboat was a precious treasure, and the loss of any one of them would be irreparable.

Moreover, Wang Sanshi was his most trusted advisor and the Minister of the Navy whom he had the highest hopes for.

"Find them, alive or dead." Bai Ye gave his fleet the strictest order.

Fortunately, in the previous battles, other galley fleets captured some Japanese prisoners of war, and from their accounts, they learned that they had been attacked by a mysterious galley in the Tsushima Strait area.

Shirano immediately ordered a search in all directions, centered on the approximate area where the attack occurred.

Three days before they were about to give up, they finally found Wang Sanshi and his crew's oar-sailboat on a deserted island.

By this time, everyone was starving and exhausted, but thankfully they hadn't died.

Inside the main camp on Jeju Island, Baek Ye was sitting on a platform assessing the results of the naval battle.

According to the previously established reward regulations, Shirono rewarded the commanders who participated in the battle.

Bai Jingxing was awarded two thousand taels of silver and five hundred acres of new land, which could be inherited by his descendants.

Pang Shipu was rewarded with 5,000 taels of silver and 1,000 mu of new land; Cheng Keqin was rewarded with 6,000 taels of silver and 1,200 mu of new land.

The captains of the other oar-drawn sailing ships were also rewarded with 500 to 1,000 taels of silver and 100 to 500 mu of new land, depending on their military achievements.

Since he began developing the eastern frontier, Hakuno's land holdings have expanded exponentially, so he divided the land into "cultivated land" in Ryukyu and "new land" in the eastern frontier.

Throughout the entire army, regardless of rank or kinship, a system of koku (a unit of dry measure) was adopted, with each person receiving no more than 30 koku. Even Hakuno himself, the supreme ruler of Ryukyu, only received 20 koku of land.

However, the situation is different in Xindi. Baiye does not set a land limit in Xindi and often gives away hundreds or thousands of acres.

Bai Ye's thinking is simple: Ryukyu is his current tortoise shell, so he must always maintain an armed force at the level of a "guard army" in Ryukyu to ensure the absolute safety of himself and the Bai family.

However, since the Bai family intends to venture into the deep sea and compete in the open ocean, it is certainly not feasible for them to stay in their shells all day long.

So they opened up new territories, generously rewarding and encouraging ambitious people to expand overseas.

Some high-ranking generals and family members, such as Bai Jingxing, had long since given up their "stone high" in Ryukyu and chosen to go to Dongfan and other regions to acquire more wealth.

After bestowing gifts upon the first nineteen ships, Bai Ye instructed his men to invite Wang Sanshi and the others in.

The moment Wang Sanshi and Zhang Chun entered the camp gate, everyone's nostrils were assaulted by an unprecedented shock.

During his survival on the desert island, Wang Sanshi kept in mind the survival rules that Bai Ye had taught him: not to waste a single drop of fresh water. Therefore, he took the lead in drinking urine.

When they ran out of bottles, they used folded clothes to collect urine, resulting in everyone smelling of excrement and urine, which made the generals in the camp cover their noses.

"Cough cough..." Bai Ye coughed loudly, and the other generals immediately stood up straight, their eyes fixed on the front.

Like the previous nineteen galley ships, Shiro ordered his guards to bring out the navigation log from Wang Sanshi's ship and read it aloud to the public.

After the reading was completed, Shirane began to comment:

"Wang Sanshi, have I not told you that every oar-boat is a precious asset that we cannot easily risk?"

Wang Sanshi hung his head:

"I know."

"Do you know that the Sea Falcon No. 7 that you lost in this battle was our only loss in this campaign?"

"I know, I know..."

"Do you know how long it takes to replenish a galley?"

"At least three years, and you call yourself the Minister of the Navy of Ryukyu? Don't you even understand this?"

……

Bai Ye's words were harsh, making Wang Sanshi unable to lift his head, and the other generals and captains present did not dare to breathe loudly.

After reprimanding Wang Sanshi, Bai Ye said:

"As punishment for you, I have decided..." Shirano paused, then said loudly:

"I bestow upon you ten thousand taels of silver and three thousand acres of new land."

"Ah..." Everyone present looked at each other in bewilderment. They had just launched a verbal attack on Wang Sanshi, but in the end, they were rewarded handsomely.

Bai Ye then took out a huge sheet of Xuan paper, on which were densely marked battle achievements, arranged chronologically along the vertical axis to form a scatter plot.

Bai Ye pointed to the day Wang Sanshi and others took the initiative to attack, as shown in the picture, and said:

"Gentlemen, please look, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Taiko of the East, died on the eighth day of the eighth month. Our army ordered all oar-powered sailing fleets to disperse and intercept him on the ninth day of the ninth month."

This was the day Wang Sanshi's Sea Falcon No. 7 launched a surprise attack on the Japanese fleet. Prior to this, our ships had intercepted 74 Japanese vessels in 34 days.

Following that, our army intercepted 125 Japanese ships within 27 days. Have you ever wondered why?

Everyone present, including Wang Sanshi himself, couldn't understand what Bai Ye was talking about.

"It was Wang Sanshi's attack that scattered the Japanese fleet, which is why you were able to achieve so many results. A small part of the achievements of each of your ships should be attributed to Wang Sanshi."

After Shirane finished speaking, he addressed the captains:

"When I, Baiye, reward meritorious service, I never look at how many heads were taken or how many enemy troops were eliminated, but rather whether the actions achieved strategic objectives and whether there was a spirit of sacrificing oneself for the benefit of the entire army."

While Mitsuishi's Kami no 7 suffered the heaviest losses and achieved few victories, he was undoubtedly the most deserving hero of the entire fleet in this naval battle.

As soon as he finished speaking, all the generals in the camp knelt down and bowed in submission:

"I will obey the master's command."

Bai Ye raised his hand, calming everyone down:

"But you must be punished. San Shi, your behavior was too audacious. Therefore, from now on, I will no longer allow you to command the front-line battle. You will stay in the rear camp obediently."

Wang Sanshi quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude:

"Thank you for your forgiveness, Master. I will remember your teachings. I will stay by your side and serve you faithfully."

Bai Ye admired Wang Sanshi's strategic vision, but he was really worried about his luck. He preferred to keep such a person by his side to offer advice.

If he pulls off a few more of these "kamikaze" style attacks, no one will be able to save his life.