Iron Dynasty

Rhode grabbed a handful of white sand from the beach and let the sand slip through the gaps between his fingers.

Looking at the direction where the sand drifted away, Rhode muttered softly, North Wind.

Behind him, the small boat responsible for transporting the soldiers kept going back and forth to transport the soldiers from the boat to the beach. In the distance, ten battleships were arranged in a line, and he could see Claire sitting on the deck blowing the sea breeze.

Since the Battle of Qiantang, Claire has been brooding about the news of the King of Chu, so after repairing and replenishing the ammunition, they set off to Dengzhou, ready to explore the truth of this another vassal king of the Great Yu Kingdom.

It's not that Claire is sensitive, but that they need to grasp the real situation of the countries surrounding this sea area.

In fact, their warships arrived here 80 years ago and established colonies on what is now Ryukyu Island, but at that time the Dutch were competing with the British for maritime supremacy, and there were six major battles in thirty years. Afterwards, they eventually lost to the British.

At that time, the Netherlands was at its weakest. They were defeated by pirates in this sea area before they could gain a firm foothold. However, they never forgot this rich land. After more than ten years of recuperation, they came back here and recaptured it. Ryukyu Island, and has ruled for 40 years.

However, like the previous records, this largest country in East Asia is still not worth mentioning. He remembered that the first group of diplomatic missions trying to establish diplomatic relations with the Great Yu Country once described the Great Yu Country as follows:

Our governor's gift became a tribute in Dayu Kingdom, and it was embezzled by local officials in Guangzhou. The officials of Dayu Kingdom lied about our arrival here, and tore up what we wanted to give to the Emperor of Dayu Kingdom. letters, and eventually drove us out of the country to cover up the tribute.

The Great Yu Kingdom is a mysterious country to us, but behind the veil of mystery is a weak and depraved country.

The officials here are corrupt and a class equivalent to the European aristocracy rules here, but unlike the European aristocracy, the class here called the noble clan only cares about their own interests and ignores their own behavior to their own country. It will cause huge damage and hidden dangers.

The officials here are ignorant and arrogant, corrupt, the people live in dissatisfaction with the officials, they are as weak and incompetent as the natives we conquered, the Japanese and the Filipinos are braver than them, and this country is only rustling in the face of the barbaric tribes of the north Trembling, there is no trace of the noble spirit of our Europeans who will fight every enemy, which is enough to support my point of view.

At the same time, the emperors and officials of this country are not nationalists. They are always unbelievably generous to foreigners, but unbearably cruel and cruel to their own people.

Great King, if you are willing to send troops, as we conquered the natives of America, we will surely defeat this country and turn it into our colony.

Recalling this record, Rhodes raised his brows. At least in the south, he found that the description of the mission did not exaggerate in the slightest, and even beautified the country.

The King of Chu they came into contact with was such a king. Although Chu was very rich, the wealth was in the hands of the gentry, and the people were still very poor.

But just when they thought that the whole of the Great Yu Kingdom was like this, the words of the King of Chu aroused their doubts.

Because a flintlock spear appeared in this backward and ignorant country, and after the defeat, the King of Chu even said that the King of Qi also built a hot air balloon.

This made them very surprised and horrified. Although hot air balloons have been eliminated by hydrogen balloons in Europe, they are still shocked that hot air balloons will appear in this place.

Because it means that a civilization that is different from other places in the Great Yu Kingdom is rising here.

And that's where their fear comes from, being able to create arquebuses that, with the population of this country, they can easily defeat them.

After all, it is already very difficult for them to maintain a military presence in East Asia and simply cannot support a large-scale war.

It is also for this reason that they are going to Dengzhou, or even Qingzhou. Once they find out the details of this King Qi, they will decide whether to establish trade relations with King Qi, or to eliminate this threat in the bud.

After all, the Dutch have lost too many colonies, and they don't want to lose this sea again.

Dengzhou City is twenty miles ahead.

While Rhodes was stunned, a Japanese man walked up to him and pointed forward.

Rhode glanced at this Japanese man. His name was Sakai. He was a Japanese pirate in this sea area. Since they established a trade point in Nagasaki, Kyushu Island in the Japanese country, they have been doing business with the Japanese country for more than 30 years. Relationship.

These Japanese pirates looked like pirates to outsiders, but they knew in their hearts that these Japanese pirates were just soldiers sent by the Japanese daimyo to loot wealth.

Under their education, the Japanese people mastered the production technology of matchlock guns earlier than the Dayu nation, and over the years, as the Japanese nation used matchlock guns to arm the army, the Japanese nation's ambitions gradually expanded.

However, for the Dutch, the Japanese state was still respectful, which made them less worried about the Japanese state becoming stronger.

And the foreign expansion of the Japanese country is not without benefits for them, at least they can sell more materials to the Japanese country.

Mr. Sakai, please lead the way ahead, after all, we lack understanding here. Rhodes said.

Sakai nodded, his eyes swept over the bayonet-mounted flintlock on the Dutch soldier, and then he looked at the six-pounder field gun that was being transported ashore, which was mounted between two wheels and was very convenient to transport. .

Turning his head, these dangerous weapons made his eyes hide a trace of greed, and he said, Okay, Mr. Rhodes, as you wish, our army will go ahead.

Said, Sakai began to gather 3,000 soldiers and set off for Dengzhou City in a neat column.

Each of these Japanese soldiers had arquebuses on their backs and ammunition pouches hanging around their waists, which were the way the Dutch gave them to fight.

After the Japanese army, Rhode commanded the Dutch soldiers ashore, a thousand infantry soldiers walking behind the Japanese with their guns, and behind the infantry artillery was chaining six field guns behind the horses.

Following the infantry, the artillery also wanted to advance to Dengzhou City.

The distance of twenty miles was not very far. Two hours later, they saw the city of the Great Yu Kingdom surrounded by city walls.

At this time, Rhode picked up the binoculars and looked at the soldiers on guard at the top of the city, and suddenly laughed, Is this plate armor? It's interesting.