nucmednet Chapter 230 The Zheng Family's Deployment
Chapter 230 The Zheng Family's Deployment
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Seeing Wang Qinian's response, Liu Ye didn't press further. He knew that employing people required complete trust, especially since he wasn't an expert in undercover work. He thought for a moment and said, "Now that we're back on land, we need to change our communication methods. I'll have Zhou Guoxin, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, leave a few men in Fujian to facilitate contact with you. We can also leverage the power of the Fujian Embroidered Uniform Guard in case of any danger."
Wang Qinian's eyes lit up: "General, it would be best if we could rely on the power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard." He himself was a spy for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so he was naturally familiar with their situation.
Liang Dong beamed with joy. The general could even order around the Imperial Guards; his influence was greater than he had imagined. It seemed he had made the right choice in aligning himself with this powerful ally.
While Liu Ye was scheming against Zheng Zhilong, Zheng Zhilong was completely unaware and busy with preparations for the upcoming battle.
Although he sent spies to gather intelligence on Kinmen, Zheng Zhilong already believed Liu Ye's information and sending someone to verify it was merely a formality. No sooner had the spies left than he began deploying troops and arranging ships.
The key figures of the Zheng family were all present, waiting for their eldest brother to assign them tasks.
"...In this decisive battle, we will still use the method of gunboats providing cover and fireboats attacking. After the fireboats attack, if there are any surviving deckboats, we will seize them by boarding action. We not only want to defeat the Red Hairs, but also to capture one or two deckboats—we can't build or buy these kinds of ships. When we load them with the cannons we bought from the Qiongzhou camp, it will be like adding wings to a tiger. Even if we fight the Red Hairs' gunboats head-on, we won't be at a disadvantage. As for Liu Xiang's dilapidated ships, we don't care about them and will sink them all."
This was the usual tactic used in the Zheng family's naval battles, and everyone was used to it.
Zheng Zhilong continued, "The gunboats are under the command of my fourth brother, who is responsible for protecting the fire ships. All the short and heavy cannons from the Qiongzhou camp are being used."
Zheng Hongkui, who had been feeling uneasy, felt relieved upon hearing this. It seemed that the two attacks had not caused him to lose his elder brother's trust. He excitedly clasped his hands in a salute and replied, "Hongkui will certainly live up to elder brother's trust and will do his utmost."
Zheng Zhilong nodded encouragingly, "These cannons are no worse than the Red Barbarian cannons in close combat. Among us brothers, you are the most skilled in firearms, so the artillery battle will be entrusted to you." Then he continued, "...As for the dispatch of the fire ships, the third brother will be in charge."
Zheng Zhibao stepped forward from the crowd: "Understood."
"As for the vanguard officer in the boarding action..."
Zheng Zhihu grinned and said, "Who else but me can do this rough work? Only I, Mang Er, can do it. Haha!"
Zheng Zhilong looked at him and smiled: "Don't worry, you're the only one who can do this job the best, no one can take it away from you."
Among the key figures in the Zheng family, including his brothers and cousins, Zheng Zhilong trusted and favored his second brother, nicknamed "Mang Er." Of the other brothers, the third brother, Zheng Zhibao, was steady and reliable, the fourth brother, Zheng Hongkui, was calm and collected, and the other cousins were either adept at social maneuvering or skilled in business, each with their own strengths, but none were as brave and fearless as Zheng Zhihu.