Chapter 593: Jose has been wandering for half his life, only regretting that he has never met a wise master

Despise it strategically, but pay attention to it tactically.

Yu Dayou verbally called Chittagong a pirate den and disdained it, but in fact he took it very seriously. He had led his troops to fight against pirates and Japanese pirates many times, and he knew how vicious and cunning these pirates were, and he had suffered many losses at the hands of pirates in the past.

In the captain’s room, Yu Dayou was lying on the table, checking the sea map around Chittagong.

The Portuguese Governor-General in India, Paulo Calderon, died of his wounds when he was defeated, but his flagship, the Our Lady of Grace, suffered some damage and was still intact when it was captured by the Ming army. Therefore, the Ming army seized a large amount of spoils, including the map belonging to Calderon in the captain’s room.

As the Governor-General of Portugal in India, the highest official of Portugal in the East, including East Africa, Arabia, India, Southeast Asia and East Asia, Paulo Calderon possessed the most detailed and complete map drawn by the Portuguese in this region.

When leaving Goa, Paulo Calderon brought with him all the maps drawn by the Portuguese of India, Pagan, Southeast Asia and East Asia.

Now they all belong to the Ming army. The originals were sent to the Surveying and Mapping Bureau, and Yu Dayou was reading a copy.

“Report, Jose brought it.”

“Come in.”

Jose was dressed in the uniform of a Ming army naval officer, navy blue shorts, a light blue short-sleeved shirt, soft-soled shoes, and a round-brimmed hat. When he came in, he touched the brim of his hat with his right hand and gave a standard naval salute.

Judging from his clothing, speech and behavior, he was no different from ordinary Ming Dynasty naval officers, except for his appearance.

“Jose, sit down. I heard you gave yourself a name?”

“Yes, Marshal.”

“What’s the name?”

“Name?” Jose was stunned. “Marshal, what is a name?”

“That’s your word.”

Jose wiped the sweat from his forehead. There were so many elegant names and nicknames for Ming people. He needed to study harder and work hard to become a qualified Ming citizen.

“Marshal, my name is Fengxian.”

“Fengxian? This name is interesting.” Yu Dayou glanced at Jose, not caring much, and pointed to the map and said, “Jose, from the map, if we want to attack Goa, we can go west from Yanlang Port, the northernmost port of the Malacca Strait, to Ceylon Island, stop at Colombo Port, and then set sail north to Cochin.

Now you are leading us to turn north and attack Chittagong first. Why do you want to do this?”

There was a strong sense of authority in Yu Dayou’s words, as if he was going to kill Jose if they disagreed with him.

Jose’s Adam’s apple twitched up and down a few times, and he replied calmly, “Marshal, I am doing all this for Ming Dynasty.”

“Oh, how about for the sake of the Great Ming Law?”

“Marshal, look at the map of the Chittagong area drawn by the Portuguese. The eastern coast of India, from Cape Mannar to the mouth of the Ganges, has many shallows and few good ports, with only a few ports such as Brigade.

On the other hand, the west coast of Bagan (Myanmar) to the east is winding and densely packed with islands. To the south of Bagan, there are several archipelagos with hundreds of islands (Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands).

The Arabs traveled between India and the Malacca Strait, and the biggest headache was the pirates in the waters of Pagan.”

Yu Dayou frowned slightly, “Are pirates rampant in the waters of Pagan?”

“Marshal, this is not just rampant, this is extremely rampant.”

“Please tell me in detail.”

“Yes, Marshal. According to the Portuguese investigation, the Pagan region has been in a period of division and chaos since the fall of the Pagan Dynasty.

In the north, there was the Ava Kingdom centered on the city of Ava (near present-day Mandalay), and they called themselves Shan.

In the south, the Baigu Kingdom was formed with Baigu (now Bago) as its center, and they called themselves Mon.

From 1386 to 1425, the two countries were in constant conflict, known as the “Forty Years’ War”. In addition to Ava and Baigu, there were also Toungoo, Mubang, Monyang, Monmit, Arakan and other countries. Among them, the Toungoo Kingdom, which claimed to be Burmese, was the strongest.

Yu Dayou nodded, “During the domestic war, the remnants of the defeated army are indeed likely to drift to the sea and become pirates.”

Japan is a ready example.

The people in the country were beaten into dog brains, and the warriors of the defeated forces were scattered all over the place.

People have to eat, so there were many people who carried swords and went out to sea to become pirates. They colluded with local pirates of the Ming Dynasty and harassed the southeast coast, and became Japanese pirates.

“The commander is wise.” At this time, Jose became an authentic Ming army officer. “During the Jiajing period, a powerful ruler named Mang Shweti emerged in the Kingdom of Toungoo. He first conquered the Kingdom of Pakgu and organized the Mon soldiers into an army. Then he went to Bengal and Malacca to hire Portuguese musketeers and sailboats, and then conquered most of the Pagan area.

After his death, Mang Yinglong ascended the throne and continued to employ the Portuguese to fight wars everywhere. He successively destroyed Ava, Shan State and Lanna Kingdom (the capital of Chiang Mai), and conquered Manipur. During the Jiajing period, he also conquered the Ayutthaya Dynasty of Siam twice and turned it into a vassal of the Toungoo Kingdom.

“So, the kingdom that now rules the Pagan area is the Toungoo Kingdom, and its ruler is this Mangyinglong?”

“Really.”

“Mang Yinglong? This name sounds familiar. I have heard of this name somewhere. Come here.” Yu Dayou called his adjutant, “Go and notify the General Staff Office to check the files and notes. The name Mang Yinglong, a native of Pagan, should be related to Yunnan.”

“Yes!”

“Jose, go on.”

“Yes, sir. Because Man Yinglong hired the Portuguese, he gave them the privilege of maritime trade and allowed the coastal ports to operate freely. As a result, pirates in the area of ​​Pagan gradually emerged and became very rampant.

Among them were defeated and displaced soldiers from various countries in Pagan, Indians, Arabs, Portuguese, Malays, Arakanese, Spanish, Dutch, and even Italians. They were a mixed bunch, with no subordinates to each other, and sometimes they would fight each other for property.

These pirates haunt the islands off the west coast of Bagan and the southern seas. They are very mysterious, like ghosts and gods.”

“Elusive.”

“Yes, he appears and disappears mysteriously. The Marshal’s wisdom is like the sun, no, it shines brightly like the moon.” There can only be one sun in the Ming Dynasty, and Jose knew this.

“Stop talking nonsense and continue.”

“Marshal, these Pagan pirates are elusive and extremely brutal, and they are stuck on the route between India and Malacca.

After our Ming Dynasty army pacifies Cochin and Goa, we will definitely start trade with India. At that time, the Pagan pirates will become the biggest threat to our route.

Marshal, this is what I think. We should take advantage of the fact that the navy is actively gathering and dispatching to sweep along the way and deal a heavy blow to the pirates in Pagan. This way, it will be much easier for the subsequent navy to eliminate the pirates.”

Yu Dayou nodded, “That makes sense. Is Chittagong the lair of the Pagan pirates?”

“You are wise, Marshal. The pirates always convert the stolen goods into money and food, and then purchase sails, weapons and gunpowder.

Chittagong was controlled by the Portuguese, where pirates could appear openly. It was also a gathering place for forces from all sides, so everything could be sold and bought.

So the Pagan pirates love to go to Chittagong. Some people go out, some people come in, and half of the Pagan pirates gather in Chittagong all year round. “

Yu Dayou stood up and patted Jose’s shoulder approvingly, “You have learned the art of war well.”

Jose felt as if every bone in his body had lightened. He bent over, lowered his head, and said flatteringly, “I’m not a good student. The last time I made a feint to the east and attacked in the west, the Marshal saw through it at a glance. It was really too clumsy.”

Yu Dayou laughed loudly: “As for strategies, the Western barbarians do have a lot to learn. But you have good vision and are loyal to the Ming Dynasty.”

Jose immediately said: “I am loyal to the Ming Dynasty and I am willing to go through fire and water for the Ming Emperor, even to the point of death.”

In a hurry, Jose used all the idioms he had learned and even made up one.

“I heard that you were born into a Portuguese noble family and served as an aide to two governors?”

“I am a bastard, Marshal!” Jose kept defending himself. His mind raced and he finally came up with a word, “I am a bastard, a bastard that no one likes. I have not received any honor, and I have been subjected to many insults and humiliations.”

“Didn’t you change your attitude according to the situation after being captured?”

“General, I am a mean person who only follows the wind, because I know that only by following the victor can I succeed. In my heart, there is no Portugal, Spain, or Western barbarians, only the victor.

Now, our Ming Dynasty is the most powerful country in the world, and it will always be the winner. I am willing to follow the Ming Dynasty, realize my ideals, make achievements, and gain wealth and glory! “

After hearing what Jose said, Yu Dayou nodded and said, “An honest villain is more trustworthy than a hypocritical gentleman. Okay, after conquering Chittagong, I will personally write a letter to list you as a naturalized officer, and you will officially enjoy the treatment of a citizen of the Ming Dynasty and a naval officer.”

Jose was overjoyed, and fell to his knees with a thud. He crossed his hands and said loudly: “Jose has been wandering for half his life, and I only regret that I have never met a wise master. If you don’t abandon me, Jose is willing to be your adoptive father.”

This sudden sentence completely stumped Yu Dayou.

He was in a trance for a moment, “I see, so that’s why you named yourself Fengxian. Do you also like to read Romance of the Three Kingdoms?”

“Yes, godfather, my favorite book is Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and my favorite character is Lu Bu. I use this book as a textbook to learn Ming characters and military tactics.”

Yu Dayou waved his hands quickly: “Don’t call me foster father. It is a taboo for superiors and subordinates in the army to recognize foster fathers and foster sons. Military law does not allow it. Don’t ruin this old man and yourself.”

Seeing Jose’s unwilling face, Yu Dayou thought that there would be many opportunities to fight with the Portuguese and other Western barbarians in the future. This bridge figure who was familiar with the situation of the Western barbarians and loved the Ming culture would be very useful and should be won over.

He stepped forward and helped Jose up with both hands: “You are loyal to the Ming Dynasty, so I naturally regard you as my confidant. As long as you work hard, you will be promoted in the future.

I know your talent. I believe you must be the first naturalized military officer to be granted a title in the Ming Dynasty!”

When Jose heard this, his eyes lit up.

The title of the Ming Dynasty is much stronger than that of the Western Yi Kingdom, especially the title conferred for military merit, which is hereditary. In the future, when I return to Portugal with the identity of the Earl of the Ming Dynasty, I will let my father, who has no recognition when he puts up his trousers, and other bastards who look down on others, take a good look and blind their eyes!

He asked tremblingly, “Marshal, can this humble official really do this?”

Yu Dayou patted his shoulder again, “Of course you can. You have to believe in yourself, and even more so, believe in me. With your ability, if you follow me, you can’t even think about being conferred a title, what future do you have?”

The more Jose thought about it, the more excited he became. “Will His Majesty the Emperor dislike that I am a naturalized officer?”

“I am the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, a wise and wise emperor. I treat everyone equally. As long as you are loyal to the Ming Dynasty, you are loyal to the Emperor. You are willing to go through fire and water for the Ming Dynasty, so how could the Emperor treat you unfairly?

Besides, isn’t there a story about buying horse bones for a thousand gold coins?”

“Qianjin City Horse Bones?”

Yu Dayou briefly explained it, and Jose’s voice was a little shaky with excitement. “The great and magical Ming culture, I love it more and more.

Marshal, I understand. I will try my best to be that horse skeleton.”

Yu Dayou laughed. The way of thinking of the Western barbarians and the Ming people was indeed different.

“Okay, now we need to gather the staff and the commanders of each unit to discuss the attack on Chittagong. Tell us your ideas.”

“Yes!”

Jose answered, straightening his chest.

While waiting to gather everyone, Yu Dayou couldn’t help but ask, “Jose, why do you like Lu Bu in Romance of the Three Kingdoms?”

“General, he is the most powerful one in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The three heroes fought against Lu Bu and were invincible. So I like him and admire him.”

“You guys worship the strong. Lü Bu is a slave of three surnames, and he has a bad reputation in Ming Dynasty.”

Jose said sheepishly: “For us Europeans, being a slave is just a daily occurrence.”

Yu Dayou smiled bitterly and shook his head: “No wonder every time we fought, whether it was you Portuguese or your brothers the Spanish, once the defeat was complete and there was no way out, they surrendered so quickly.”

(End of this chapter)