Southern Ming Rebel Army

Chapter 603: Persuading the Mo Clan to Surrender

With the evacuation of Zheng Chenggong, the great naval battle in Batavia Port finally came to an end. The smoke gradually dissipated, and the originally calm sea surface now presented a tragic and silent scene. Only the sporadic cries for help kept the sailors busy saving people, so that they had no time to think about the thrilling war just now.

Countless debris, broken wood, broken masts, broken planks and all kinds of miscellaneous materials were floating on the sea, drifting aimlessly under the push of the waves.

Some ships that had not yet been completely extinguished were still emitting black smoke, flames flickered on the wreckage, and crackling sounds were made. The bodies of the dead sailors were floating on the sea, some dressed in the uniforms of the Qian army navy, and some were dressed as Dutch soldiers or pirates.

The Ed fleet that Opdam hoped for did not arrive as expected, but only arrived on the second day.

The Spanish fleet led by Ed consisted of five galleons, six warships converted from merchant ships, and more than ten pirate ships recruited by Ed.

At this time, on the flagship of the Spanish fleet, Opdam was furious: "Sir, why are you so slow? If you were faster, you might be able to completely annihilate the Zheng family's navy!"

Hearing this, Ed spread his hands and said, "My fleet encountered a storm while sailing, but I received your letter saying that the Zheng family might attack Batavia, so I fought the storm desperately and rushed here as fast as I could, but it was still too late. I am very sorry that the commander-in-chief accused me of this."

Opdam didn't know whether what Ed said was true or not, but he arrived late, just after the naval battle. Opdam always felt that there was something fishy, but now the strength of the Batavia fleet has been greatly reduced, and Ed's arrival can also help defend Batavia.

The fact was just as Opdam had expected. On his way to Batavia, Ed was very cautious, fearing that Zheng Chenggong would really send troops and then happen to run into him.

When the Battle of Batavia broke out, Ed had actually received the news, but he stopped sailing instead. Ed decided to wait until the result of the naval battle came out before deciding whether to go to Batavia.

If the Qian Dynasty won and Batavia was occupied, then Ed would plan to sail back to his homeland. With Luzon lost, their Spanish territory in the East was almost nothing. With just those scattered small islands, they couldn't even build a dock for repairs.

But if Opdam wins, then he will take this opportunity to see if he can take back Luzon. If that doesn't work, he will also negotiate with the Zheng family to cede him a piece of land in Luzon.

However, the result of the battle was beyond Ed's expectations. Both sides were defeated. After thinking about it all night, Ed decided to come to Batavia to see if he could get some benefits.

Although Zheng Chenggong withdrew his troops, the Governor of Batavia, Ruhansuige, was not too happy. The Dutch fleet had been destroyed in this battle, but it was not easy for them to mobilize reinforcements from their homeland. Not to mention reinforcements, by the time the news got back, the second wave of attack from the Qian Dynasty might have arrived.

Just when Zheng Chenggong returned to Brunei to reorganize his military, the envoy far away in Gaoping had already met the new leader of the Mo family, Mo Yuanqing.

Mo Yuanqing sat upright on the slightly old throne of Gaoping, his eyes lacking the vigor and enthusiasm that a new king should have.

Just when he was full of longings on how to revive the Mo Dynasty, the news brought by the envoys of the Qian Dynasty was like a bolt from the blue. Compared to how Mo Yuanqing felt when his father received the news of the establishment of Guangnan Province by the Qian Dynasty, it was the feeling of shattered hopes.

The arrival of the envoy from the Qian Dynasty was not to congratulate him on becoming the new king, but to demand that the Mo family surrender. At this moment, Mo Yuanqing felt a blackout in front of his eyes. He forced a smile and asked the servant to ask the envoy to rest.

After the messenger left, Mo Yuanqing could no longer bear it. He roared and kicked over the table. The servants next to him were so scared that they immediately knelt on the ground.

Mo Yuanqing vented his anger and felt a little weak, so he slumped to the ground. If possible, he naturally did not want the Mo family's foundation to disappear like this, but he also knew how big and powerful the Qian Dynasty was. It was a superpower with endless military forces and strong national strength. To confront it was undoubtedly like hitting a rock with an egg.

The Mo family had always been in a remote corner. If it had not been for the support of the former Ming Dynasty, the Mo family would have been destroyed under the siege of the Zheng family of Annan. But now the northern part of Annan has become Guangnan Province. The Mo family is just a drop in the ocean in front of the current Qian Dynasty. Once they are rejected, the army will march on and uproot the Mo family like a gust of wind sweeping away fallen leaves.

After a long time, Mo Yuanqing slowly stood up. His legs were weak and he almost couldn't stand steadily. Mo Yuanqing's mind was groggy, but he still pulled himself together and told his attendants, "Please invite all the ministers into the palace!"

Soon, all the ministers gathered in the hall. After listening to Mo Yuanqing's words, the atmosphere became solemn and depressing. Everyone looked at each other, feeling that the situation was serious.

Minister Li Debang said, "My Lord, the power of Daqian is so strong that it is unstoppable. If we disobey them, they will surely lead a large army to attack us. By then, all lives will be lost, and even the Mo clan temple will be in danger. In my opinion, in order to protect the peace of the people and preserve the Mo clan, we may as well surrender."

As soon as this statement was made, many ministers seconded it. The Mo clan occupied Gaoping, and compared with the Central Plains, it was like a firefly compared to the sun and the moon, the difference in strength was huge. And among the ministers of the Mo clan, there were also wise people. They knew that the Mo clan could survive because the Central Plains court needed them to contain Annan, but now that Annan had been destroyed, the Mo clan had lost the value of its existence.

Mo Yuanqing listened to the analysis of the ministers and became more and more confused. He understood the reason, but if he surrendered, he would be unwilling to do so, as the foundation laid by his ancestors would be destroyed. If he fought, his chances of winning would be slim, no, there would be no chance of winning at all, and no one among the ministers believed that they could use force to fight against the Qian Dynasty.

At this time, Mo Jingwen, Mo Yuanqing's uncle, had bright eyes and said excitedly: "Don't worry, everyone. In my opinion, this matter may be strange. The emperor of today is wise and has always ruled the country with benevolence. Even when he conquered Myanmar in the past, he still returned the state power. From this point of view, how could the emperor order us to surrender?

This may not be the emperor's original intention, it must be Han Xiong's own decision. Why don't we send an envoy to the capital to make a statement to the emperor, detailing our loyalty and begging the emperor to look into it, and perhaps we can resolve this disaster."

When Mo Yuanqing heard this, a little hope ignited in his heart. Perhaps there was a glimmer of hope, but the journey was long and there were many variables. He didn't know what the emperor was planning.

The Mo family occupies a small area. If Han Xiong sends troops to attack, the Mo family will probably be destroyed before the envoy reaches the capital. Thinking of this, Mo Yuanqing sighed and looked around at his ministers, but felt at a loss, not knowing what to do.