Chapter 40: Da Ming - Patrol - Ding!

  (National Day non-stop, continuous updates, seeking recommendations)

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  "This is more useful than an official position conferred by the imperial court."

  Cai Jiu Zhou's words caught Ding Yun Yi's attention: "This man appeared out of nowhere five years ago, driving a sea-going ship from our Great Ming naval forces, alone and unaccompanied. However, this sea-going ship had been modified, with the thousand-pounder cannon on it reduced from six to two doors, but the bow was equipped with a red barbarian cannon, and the stern was equipped with a swift thunder cannon."

  "Red Barbarian Cannon?"

  "Not bad, it's indeed Hongyi cannon." Cai Jiuzhou nodded solemnly.

  Ding Yunyi was also surprised to hear that, the red barbarian cannon was precious, and only the heaviest warships of the Ming dynasty's navy, the Fuchuan ships, were equipped with red barbarian cannons. But surprisingly, the Haicheng ship of that "Pirate Marquis" Ye Dahai was also equipped with red barbarian cannons and swift thunder cannons.

  "This man suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and no one knows where he came from." Cai Jiu Zhou's words were full of admiration for this person: "Some say he is a traitorous general of the Ming dynasty's naval forces, some say his Haicang ship and Hongyi cannon were seized from the Ming dynasty's naval forces, but his true identity remains unknown. All that is known is that this man has one arm, a scarred face, and is extremely skilled in naval warfare tactics. Liu Xiang had a good friend named Gui Bao, also a notorious pirate, who once intercepted a merchant ship at sea, on which there were many women and children..."

  Cai Jiuzhou slowly told this story.

  Guibao blocked the merchant ship. At a critical moment, Ye Dahai suddenly appeared with his Haicang ship, fighting one against three without any fear.

  Ye Dahai personally commanded the firing of cannons, and the red barbarian cannon fired three rounds in front and back, all of which hit Gui Bao's main ship. The main ship sank immediately, Gui Bao died, and the pirates were defeated.

  Before the people on the merchant ship could thank him, Ye Dahai had already left. The people on the merchant ship only remembered the peculiar appearance of that one-armed, scar-faced man.

  From then on, there was this number one figure at sea.

  He never plundered the merchant ships of his own country, but specialized in plundering foreign ships and rescuing the Ming merchant ships that had been plundered by pirates, so many merchants called him "Righteous Bandit".

  Those pirates also feared his sea-conquering ship, and as soon as they saw his ship appear, even if there was a mouthful of fat meat, they would immediately abandon it. If they plundered foreign ships, they couldn't help but give him a share.

  It is also unknown who said "This vast ocean is simply Ye Dahai's fiefdom" and from then on he had the nickname "Pirate Marquis".

  Ding Yunyi listened more and more curiously: "There are countless pirates of all sizes on the sea, for example, Liu Xiang, such a big pirate, can't just let it go?"

  Cai Jiuzhou smiled: "Ye Dahai is very clever, never confronts Liu Xiang head-on, and Liu Xiang is also afraid of offending him. He only has one ship, he can come and go as he pleases, which is the most annoying thing. Do you know when he will come to attack us? Therefore, Liu Xiang endured many things that could be tolerated."

  "Can you find this person?" Ding Yunyi asked with full of hope.

  "Right." Cai Jiuzhou said without thinking: "Although Ye Dahai is known as the 'Pirate Marquis', his ship also needs supplies. Everything else is easy to say, but the cannonballs and gunpowder that are consumed are the hardest to get. He's used to being alone, so others don't trust him, therefore he needs someone trustworthy to help him with these things."

  "Is it Cai's family?" Ding Yunyi's eyes lit up.

  Cai Jiuzhou nodded.

  "Try to arrange for us to meet again."

  Tsai Jiuzhou patted his chest and agreed.

  Ding Yunyi couldn't help but feel delighted.

  There's Zhang Xianxuan, and there's Ye Dahai. Both of them are Liu Xiang's enemies. For some reason, Ding Yunyi always had a faint feeling that after the news of him killing Gui Wangwan got out, he would eventually face off against Liu Xiang.

  Liu Xiang's enemy is his own friend!

  It's just that Zhang Xianxuan is easy to deal with, but as for Ye Dahai, he sounds like a loner and it's hard to say whether he can work together with himself.

  But it doesn't matter if he is unwilling to help himself. If I can see him once, we will meet again at sea in the future.

  As they were talking, a group of fishermen from the island came over, led by Bangzi.

  As soon as these fishermen saw Ding Yunyi, they all knelt down with a "hula" sound.

  Ding Yunyi was startled and hastily supported the frontmost Baozi Da: "Baozi Da, what are you doing?"

  "Inspector Ting!" said the old man with tears in his eyes: "In Penghu, we have always been bullied by the Dutch or pirates, and we never dared to resist. Since Inspector Ting came to Penghu, he first defeated Zhang Longqian's rebellion, and then even the notorious Gui Wangwan was killed by your hand! Inspector Ting has protected Penghu and is a great benefactor of the people of Penghu!"

  Ding Yunyi hastily said: "I was originally a Ming dynasty patrol inspector, defending Penghu is within my duties."

  "Look at that!" Stick Father turned around and pointed to the people behind him: "Go ask them, in this poor and cold Penghu, how many officials are willing to come? But you, Inspector Ding, are different. Not only did you come, but you also risked your life for us Penghu people! From now on, we, the people of Penghu, will be grateful for Inspector Ding's kindness and do whatever he asks us to do!"

  "Whatever Commander Ding tells us to do, we'll do it!" The people behind him all shouted in unison.

  Ding Yunyi's heart felt as if it had been pricked by a needle.

  These are the people of Penghu, the people of the Great Ming!

  They may have been weak before, but in fact their hearts were also filled with blood. What I need to do is just to inspire the blood in their hearts.

  The pirates are coming again, even if I'm not here, Ding Yunyi also firmly believes that they will be able to pick up their weapons and fight the pirates to the death!

  "We have no way to repay Inspector Ding's kindness, only this..." said Bangzi, and behind him, Ah Xi and Ah Hu sisters came out carrying something.

  The stick was opened by someone, and on one side, a flag made by Penghu fishermen appeared in front of everyone.

  This is a huge white cloth with several bright red words written on it:

  Inspector Ding of the Great Ming!

  "Ding Yunyi was completely stunned."

  "General Ding, inspect!" said Bangzi. "This is written with the blood of Gui Wangwan and all the pirates who were killed. General Ding, you are the General of Ming Dynasty in Penghu! This flag is dyed with pirate's blood, from now on, whenever there are pirates coming again, as long as this big flag is raised, it will surely make the people of Penghu more confident and the pirates will be frightened to death! General Ding, please take the flag!"

  "Ding Xun Jian, please receive the flag!" All the people said in unison.

  It's unprecedented since the founding of the Ming dynasty for a patrol to have its own flag!

  This is not the imperial court's flag, but the people's flag, the flag in the hearts of the people! Ding Yunyi's brothers looked at it quietly, knowing that their patrol had thoroughly conquered these people.

  Ding Yunyi took over the flag, his hand trembling slightly.

  The five words on this flag are so stirring:

  Ta Ming - Patrol - Ding!