Chapter 151: Drumming, the Ancient Battle Song!

The deafening sound reverberated, and the ripples on the sea hit in all directions, like a wave crashing onto Chen Zuyi’s face.

Chen Zuyi spat out a mouthful of salty seawater and swam to the periphery. He looked back at the battlefield.

Although Zheng He took the initiative to launch the attack, gaining the advantage and destroying more than a dozen pirate ships, the large treasure ships were not agile, and their dispersed formation made them somewhat passive when the small boats approached.

The sides of the treasure ships were about two yards high, and the low pirate boats couldn’t engage in boarding-style combat. They could only throw grappling hooks from below, bite a steel knife in their mouths, and climb up holding a rope.

When a pirate just exposed his head, he saw someone holding a musket aimed at his head and even smiled mischievously.

Boom!

After a muffled sound, the pirate danced and fell down.

More and more pirates climbed onto the ship’s side. A large group of spearmen directly stabbed over, and many pirates fell instantly.

Among the pirates, there were also brave ones who dodged the long spears, grabbed the spear shaft, and climbed up. Waving their steel knives, they killed a Ming soldier, creating an open area. Behind them, more pirates climbed up.

“Kill!”

The Ming soldiers and pirates shouted at the same time.

On one side, it was to kill these pirates, protect the homeland, and defend the country. On the other side, it was to seize the warships and strengthen their influence.

Regardless of the reasons, at this moment, only the battle remained.

Winners, alive.

Losers, dead.

Chen Zuyi saw this, a smile appeared on his face. Once they boarded the ship, these official soldiers were not opponents of the pirates!

Thinking suddenly of his deceased brother, Chen Zuyi’s face turned cold again. He looked at the small boat not far away and wanted to swim over. However, when he was less than twenty feet away from the small boat, Chen Zuyi, like a startled water snake, quickly swam backward.

Dong dong dong!

A series of intensive drumbeats echoed, and more than twenty warships charged out from behind, with a majestic momentum and a mighty force!

Li Jinglong stood at the bow, drew his sword from his waist, and shouted sternly, “Charge!”

“Kill!”

The large ships rolled over, crushing the pirate’s small sailboats!

“Quick retreat, withdraw!”

Seeing this scene in the western sea, where the fight had been ongoing but not successful, Sun Sanshui quickly ordered a retreat.

“Cannot retreat! We can only survive if we take them down!”

The pirate leader Yang Jiu quickly stopped him.

“If we continue fighting, everyone will die! This is a trap, the trap of the Ming Navy. Don’t you see over there? That’s the main force of the Guangzhou Navy!”

Sun Sanshui regretted deeply.

The Ming Navy was not that easy to deal with; they were a group of extremely fierce beasts.

Pitifully, he was blinded by a little benefit.

Yang Jiu pointed at Zheng He’s ships and shouted at Sun Sanshui indignantly, “As long as we take down these warships, we can fight against the Guangzhou Navy! Give us a little more time, they’ve already boarded and are in combat!”

Sun Sanshui looked at the nearest Zheng He warship. The ongoing fierce fighting showed no signs of being completely captured in a short time.

Now that the Ming reinforcements had arrived, the morale of the Ming soldiers was high, and a complete collapse was unlikely. Meanwhile, the pirates in combat would fall into a state of panic.

“Retreat!”

Seeing that Li Jinglong’s fleet was vigorously attacking, and the cannons on the ships had destroyed a large pirate warship, Sun Sanshui realized that everything was too late!

Time waits for no one.

Sun Sanshui, Yang Jiu, and others led their men in retreat without notifying their “brothers” who were boarding for combat. In order to secure a safe departure, there always needs to be someone covering the rear.

The principle of “better for you to die than me” is highly respected in the pirate world.

However, Sun Sanshui didn’t choose to retreat southwest. That route was blocked by the Guangzhou Navy. To leave, they could only go through the treacherous waters in Penghu.

At the same time as Sun Sanshui retreated, pirates attacking Zheng He’s rear, led by Big Mouth Feng, also began to withdraw.

“Where is One-eyed King?” Sun Sanshui saw Big Mouth Feng and shouted loudly.

“He’s dead.” Feng Dazui shouted and then pointed to the sea.

“Hurry, retreat! Once the situation stabilizes for the Ming Navy, we won’t be able to escape.” Another leader, Zhou Liang, shouted.

Zheng He, holding a sword, killed a pirate and shouted loudly, “Kill for me!”

Under Zheng He’s encouragement and leadership, the soldiers fought fiercely. Under the flashing blades, blood surged into the sky.

“Vice Admiral, more than thirty ships are retreating towards the Penghu Channel!” Li Xing’s big blade struck a pirate’s shoulder, and as the bones jammed the long blade before the pirate could stab, he kicked it out and picked up a long spear from a nearby corpse. Throwing it, it pierced the pirate’s heart.

“Don’t mind them! Beat the drum!” Zheng He shouted.

Two soldiers brought out a war drum and handed the drumsticks to Zheng He, standing on both sides protecting him.

Zheng He held the drumsticks and struck the big drum heavily. The rapid and awe-inspiring sound reverberated in this chaotic sea.

Dong, dong!

“Wearing iron armor, carrying a long blade. Fighting with you, the road is long.”^[1]According to google this song name is 马踏燕然 which translates to Horses steps on Yanran, its an ancient battle song during Eastern Han dynasty.

Zheng He’s voice was like a bell.

Soldiers of the Ming army, in the midst of battle, couldn’t help but feel their blood boil. Gripping their weapons tightly, they shouted towards the pirates, “Facing the enemy together, sharing life and death. Fighting with you, the heart is unwavering. Stepping on Yanran, chasing the Hu people. Fighting with you, fearless in song.”

This was an ancient war song!

It was a heroic spirit engraved in their bones!

Long blade, life and death!

Fighting, without fear!

We are fearless soldiers of Ming, surrounded by brothers willing to share life and death. Fighting together, killing enemies together, sharing life, death and glory together!

Kill!

The inspiration of the war song echoed in the hearts of every Ming soldier, one ship, two ships, until all the ships resounded with the war song “Wearing iron armor, carrying a long blade. Fighting with you, the road is long”!

The war might end, but the war song would live on forever!

The pirates were completely collapsed. Without reinforcements, without any fighting spirit left, they were left with frantic cries and attempts to escape. However, this was the vast sea, and without ships, survival was not easy.

As dawn broke, the sea was filled with floating corpses and wreckage!

Under the morning sun, Zheng He gazed at this sea area, marked by a fierce battle. On the sea, many ships were salvaging corpses.

Li Jinglong walked over, laughing heartily, “A great victory in Penghu, a great victory! Vice Admiral, you have made great contributions this time.”

“Zheng He greets General Li.”

Zheng He, seeing that it was Li Jinglong, quickly saluted and then said, “In Zheng He’s view, this battle is not such a great victory. After all, we haven’t captured Chen Zuyi yet.”

Although Li Jinglong held the title of Duke of Cao, at this moment in the military, he was the Great General in charge of suppressing the south.

Li Jinglong patted the ship’s rail, looked at the red sun, and said with a smile, “Can he escape? The fleet you left at the other end of the Penghu Channel is enough to deal with any escaping pirates, right?”

---

Dear Readers, Sproutling here translating Ming Dynasty: Reborn as Zhu Yunwen, If you have enjoyed my translation and would like to show your support. Please consider donate to my Ko-Fi (Click here) page. Your help mean so much to me, Thank you in advance!