Chapter 11: Rob them of their dog days! (Seeking recommendation votes)

  "This is not the case." Hong Tiao-yuan shook his head and said: "Whether it's pirates or smugglers, they all know that Penghu is the only place where they can get supplies nearby. Destroying this place would be equivalent to cutting off their own path of life, so things like burning, killing, and looting have never happened before. However, sometimes people buy things without paying for them, and when they get drunk and become violent, it's hard to avoid. Sometimes we just tolerate these things."

  Actually, there is another layer of meaning behind his words that he didn't express, they can't bear it but have to bear with it.

  The entire Penghu had only twelve soldiers including Lao Tou and Lao Ji before Ding Yunyi and his men arrived, what could they use to fight against the pirates and foreigners?

  Ding Yunyi suddenly said: "Rob them of their dog days!"

  One sentence made everyone stop what they were doing and turn their eyes to Ding Yunyi.

  "What's the hurry? What's the rush?" Hong Diao Yuan asked casually, not quite catching what was said.

  "Robbers and thieves of Taiwan!" Ding Yunyi said viciously.

  "You're crazy! We are government soldiers!" Hong Diao Yuan was stunned.

  Ding Yunyi was used to following San Ge around in another era, these things were nothing new to him. He wouldn't care about his current identity: "Boss, brothers, why do pirates and foreigners get to live the good life while we're stuck on this island as fishermen? If they can rob, so can we!"

  "Old brother, old brother." Hong Diao Yuan was frightened and hastily interrupted him: "Pirates are pirates, government soldiers are government soldiers. If this gets out, it's a crime punishable by beheading!"

  "Get beheaded?" Ding Yunyi didn't care at all: "We robbed them, who would report it? You? You? Or would the pirates themselves go to report to the officials? Even if we rob them, it's still a waste! Boss, this time listen to me, otherwise there won't be anyone left on this island soon. We only rob pirates and foreigners, anyway their stuff isn't clean to begin with!"

  Hong Diao's mind was in a state of confusion, how did he end up with such an inspector? His mentor Ding Yuanzhao had been honest and upright for half his life, so how could he have given birth to this thieving son?

  Hong Diao Yuan is not very capable, but he is cautious and meticulous in his work. He wouldn't dare to do anything that might put him at risk of being punished. That's why after serving in the army for so many years, he is still just a low-ranking officer.

  At this time, Ding Yunyi actually came up with such a "method", which is no different from the most unthinkable thing in the world for Hong Tiao Yuan.

  Hong Diao Yuan was resolute in his refusal, but a fervent glow appeared in the eyes of his brothers.

  Having been impoverished on this small island until now, it's easy to send someone so "understanding and reasonable", daring and arrogant as an inspector, what reason is there not to be delighted?

  Brothers think about it, Hong Tiao Yuan, this highest official, was actually left out in the cold.

  Those who were soldiers became excited, asking how to do this and that, Ding Yunwei answered one by one, how to determine the target, how to carry out the robbery, and how to cover up afterwards.

  The brothers were so excited that they couldn't wait to take action immediately. Hong Tiao Yuan tried to speak several times, but was interrupted by his impatient subordinates.

  "That's enough, you bunch of rubbish!"

  Hong Diao Yuan finally couldn't bear it anymore, and a loud shout stopped the lively discussion. Hong Diao Yuan was so angry that his face twitched, first pointing to his subordinates and then at Ding Yun Wei: "Ding Yun Wei, Ding Xiang Wen, you are also from a family of scholars, how can you say such things? My benevolent teacher was so upright and honest, but he gave birth to you, this...this..."

  The words behind were ultimately unsaid, but Ding Yunyi helped him say it: "A worthless son, huh?"

  "Alas, you are indeed a son of no consequence!" Hong Diao Yuan sighed and his tone became somewhat calmer: "Brother Ding, we eat the salary of the imperial court and serve as officials of the great Ming. How can we do things that only pirates can do? If this gets out, the faces of all us Ming officials will be utterly lost."

  "Hong, you're in charge!" Ding Yunyi stood up, not fearing at all: "I only know one thing, brothers are poorly clothed and hungry, watching as they live like beggars. What's the point of talking about defending Penghu? The imperial court promised us a silver allowance, but we haven't seen any of it until now. If the Dutch devils attack, what can we use to fight with? Just these fifteen people and fifteen knives? It's simply laughable!"

  Hong Diao Yuan was stunned there, and after a while he said: "But we can't do this, it's better to starve to death..."

  "Hong, you're the boss!" Ding Yunyi shook his head with a bitter smile: "We're robbing pirates, we're robbing foreigners, not innocent civilians. Why can the Dutch occupy Taiwan and plunder passing ships? It's all thanks to the help of big pirates like Liu Xiang. The Dutch know how to take advantage of the situation and use their power, why can't we? I don't want to talk about grand principles, I only know two things: first, we need to find a way to fill our brothers' bellies, second, we must arm ourselves, or else the Dutch will cut us down with their knives, and we're so hungry we can't even lift our swords!"

  Watching his brothers nodding one by one, Hong Tiao Yuan was anxious and didn't know what to say. Although he felt that Ding Yunyi's words were reasonable, but asking him to do such a thing was absolutely impossible.

  Ding Yunyi sighed: "Hong Baizong, brothers, now the red barbarian ships are all equipped with big cannons, which have a huge power when fired. There is even a kind of cannon that can fire nine rounds in a row, called 'mother and child cannon'. Some of them are even equipped with sighting devices. All these European... no, Westerners have them. They will come to kill us with these things, what can we use to resist? Knives or stones?

  Ding Yunyi really had to thank his father from another era for teaching him all these things when he was young, otherwise he wouldn't be able to say them now.

  Hong Diao Yuan and those brothers were stunned.

  By tomorrow morning, firearms technology had become quite powerful and mature. The earliest flintlock cannons were successfully copied as early as the third year of Jiajing, with even greater power than European cannons.

  During the Jiajing period, the Bingzhang Bureau, Junqi Bureau and Bian Guan Zhu Jun manufactured more than a dozen types of firearms, including large, medium and small Folangji, cavalry Folangji, Folangji-style fire lances, Bai Chu Folangji, Wan Sheng Folangji, Lian Zhu Folangji, Wu Dijiangjun Pao, Gang Fa Guan, etc., with a total number of over 30,000 to 40,000. They were used as naval guns, city defense guns, chariot guns, field guns, infantry guns and cavalry guns, becoming one of the main equipment of the Ming army.

  But men like Hong Diao-yuan and these little soldiers on Penghu had never seen such a weapon before. When Ding Yun-wei spoke, everyone was shocked.

  Just then, a loud shout of anger came from outside:

  "Alright, you soldiers, instead of serving the imperial court and protecting the people, you're secretly discussing becoming pirates. Let's go, I'll take you to see Zou Weiqun and settle this matter!"