Nan Ming Sun Never Sets

Chapter 416
The Iris gave up resistance, hoisted a white flag, lowered its sails, and chose to surrender to the suddenly approaching Ming Navy frigate.

Lambrent and Ga Zai discovered that the soldiers of the Daming Navy did not let down their vigilance at all. Before boarding the ship, their soldiers pointed their guns at this side and shouted in Dutch, asking all of them to come to the deck , Raise your hands high, don't act rashly.

Eventually, a team of Ming Navy soldiers and officers boarded the Dutch merchant ship.

At the same moment, there was a rumbling cannon sound in the distance, which made all the crew members tremble.However, the black guns were pointed at them, and the crew did not dare to act rashly.This was a merchant ship after all, not a warship or pirate ship, and sailors were rarely expected to engage in real combat.

With dark blue training uniforms and sea soul shirts, the shape of the Ming Dynasty Navy is very different from that of the European Navy at the same time.

The leading officer was the captain of the frigate, and his military rank was a major. He was tall, at least taller than Lambrent and other Dutchmen.The captain straightened the octagonal cap on his head and saluted them: "I am Luo Zhao, the captain of the frigate Yongxiong of the Fifth Task Force of the Ming Navy. Now I am officially taking over your ship. Who is the captain?"

Before the interpreter could speak, Gazai said: "Master, the captain is next to me, Mr. Hayne Lambrent. I am Gazai, the crew member of this ship, er, large Shi Chengde , as the representative of our ship, the Iris, to cooperate with the military master."

Luo Zhao raised his eyebrows, "Mingren?"

Ga Zai hurriedly said: "Yes, Lord Jun. Ten years ago, my hometown was poor, so I went to Nanyang to seek a living. By chance, I got on Hongmaofan's boat and became a sailor. I have been here until now."

Luo Zhao said: "Don't call me Lord Jun, you can call me Captain Luo. Don't you know about Da Ming's situation? Why don't you get off the ship?"

Ga Zai said frankly: "I thought about it, but I never got a chance. Hai En, an old bird, still took care of me. I thought I would have a beginning and an end. After this run, I disembarked and didn't want to run. Dividing the land in my hometown, it’s not bad to go back to farming and fishing, I am already thirty-five years old, and I haven’t even married a wife.”

Luo Zhao nodded and said to him: "Shi Chengde, although you are Ming, your current position is to represent the Dutch merchant ship Iris, that is to say, if there is anything to do with the crew on this ship, You're included too, understand?"

Gazai lowered his head, gritted his teeth, and said, "Okay!"

Luo Zhao smiled: "You are a responsible man."

While the two were talking, the sound of artillery fire on the other side continued, but Lambrent's face became paler. He asked: "Are you attacking Colombo?"

"That's right, Ming and the Netherlands are belligerent countries. Before the ceasefire, we will use all necessary means to attack our enemies." Luo Zhao replied very formulaically.

Lambrent said dejectedly, "Colombo is over."

On their ship, the Iris, they could only see the light of fire and hear the sound of cannons in the distance. They couldn't really see what Colombo looked like, but the group of Ming soldiers in front of them didn't care about Colombo at all. The meaning of the battle situation shows that they have unparalleled confidence.

Ga Zai asked Luo Zhao: "Captain Luo, what will the guys on our ship do?"

Luo Zhao smiled and said: "It's very simple. If you want to be released, you need your relatives and friends to pay a fine. The amount of payment varies depending on your status. But you are all crew members and have sailing skills, which is what I, Da Ming, need. Talents. You can also choose to sign a 5-year labor employment contract with Daming to serve my trading company in Daming. In this way, you can save your fines, and you are paid. You pay attention to the people on your ship Let these people convey that the salary of our Ming seafarers is much better than that of the harsh Europeans."

It is said to be a fine, and it is pronounced as a ransom.Daming has already done this kind of operation well. Whether it is a Dutchman in Java or a Spaniard in Luzon, if he wants to be released, he has to pay money.

As for hiring seamen, this is also a long-standing policy of Ming Dynasty.Anyway, they are all employed by trade and shipping companies like Dayang Company, and they don't have access to any state secrets, let alone weapons.Security on board is done by specialized personnel.

"Can Captain Lambrent, too?"

Luo Zhao nodded: "Yes, as long as he has passed the review and issued a guarantee that he will not betray Da Ming or harm Da Ming's interests, he can be hired, but he will not continue to be the captain, and will start as a senior crew member."

Ga Zai told everyone on the boat what Luo Zhao said, and encouraged him: "I said, this is already the best condition that Da Ming offered. If you choose to sign a contract with Da Ming and be hired by Da Ming's company, at least you don't have to It’s as frightening as it was in the Dutch East India Company. After all, who dares to use Da Ming’s ship on this sea? Besides, do you really want to become slaves and mine mines for Da Ming? I say it’s better to be a sailor. Well, Mr. Captain, this is really the best condition I can give you. Although you can't go back to Holland, at least you can write to your family."

Lambrent asked Gazai seriously, "Then what condition did you get yourself?"

Ga Zai's face became a little red, and he shouted: "Do you think I will betray you and earn benefits for myself? No! Everyone on the boat knows my loyalty! I will be like you, like Daming! Sign up with a trading company and then continue to be a sailor for five years, with the same constraints as you and the same money."

Lambrent said sheepishly: "Gazai, I wrongly blamed you, I'm sorry."

Luo Zhao on the other side listened to what the Dutch translator said, nodded and said with a smile: "This Shi Chengde is not bad."

The sound of the cannons had gradually faded away, and Luo Zhao smiled even more, and said, "It's done, Colombo should be taken, and the next step is to gradually control other coastal areas. And the inland Kandy Kingdom will also be wiped out." In the future, Sri Lanka will become an important fulcrum for Ming Dynasty in the Indian Ocean.”

The other Dutch have obviously realized that the battle is coming to an end, and the result of the battle itself is without any suspense. The Netherlands has no strength to resist the powerful Ming Dynasty. Withdraw some assets of Dutch Ceylon to prevent the sudden invasion of Ming Dynasty from causing huge losses.

However, this military operation of Ming Dynasty still yielded quite a lot.

(End of this chapter)