Following Li Yi's order, five or six 300-ton warships with full sails charged towards the three ships at a speed of ten to twenty knots.
These three ships were similar to fishing boats, only one to two hundred tons. These were very common ships in the Ming Dynasty.
It could be used as both a fishing boat and a merchant ship. Hard sails and soft sails were used together.
When they saw a huge fleet rapidly approaching them, they immediately panicked. The three ships quickly put on soft sails and sailed with full sails, wanting to escape.
However, even though they were moving at full speed, the speed of the ship was only ten knots, at most seven or eight knots.
In front of the Jinghai Squadron's fast warships, their speed was nothing.
In less than half an hour, he was caught up and surrounded by six 300-ton warships.
However, the three ships without any flags did not surrender and continued to try to escape.
Seeing this scene, Li Yi sneered and waved his hand."Suspicious, sink them on the spot!"
They didn't want to reason with these suspicious ships. If they didn't listen, they would sink and kill them!
On the six three-hundred-ton warships, more than ten ballistae were nocked and aimed at the three warships.
Bang bang bang!
At close range, there was no chance of missing. The dozen or so crossbows all landed under the water of the three ships.
The huge force pierced through and shattered the three ships that did not have much defense under the water!
Each ship had five or six large holes, and seawater poured in. Immediately, the three ships were as if they had been filled with lead, and they could not move their sails.
However, because of the design of the water-tight compartment structure, these three ships could not sink.
The water-tight compartment technology was a world-leading design in the field of shipbuilding.
It must be known that the ships of the West did not have such a design. Once they hit a reef or had a large hole below the water line, once it was not blocked, water would be discharged.
Then the entire ship would be silent.
However, Da Ming's ships were different. Because of the design of the water-tight compartment, many ships had a few big holes under the water. Even if there were more than ten of them, they could not sink.
It was like a roly-doll on the sea that could not sink no matter what!
However, because too much seawater had been poured into it, it could not sink or escape.
This design greatly increased the survival rate of the people on the ship.
The three ships that were filled with water and could not pull their sails began to panic. The Jinghai Squadron that surrounded them was still firing at the ballistae, as if they were training on them.
Everyone on the ship started to panic!
Especially when they saw that the soldiers of the Jinghai Fleet were eager to fight with the rockets, not intending to capture them alive or burn them to death.
He couldn't stay any longer!
They raised the white flag, walked out of the cabin, and began to surrender!
They had no choice but to surrender. They were afraid that they would be burned alive in the sea.
Even if he could not be burned to death, he would drown.
The three ships and hundreds of people were all captured.
They sent a team to search and soon found a large number of weapons such as knives, guns, muskets, and even cannons, as well as a large number of cloth and food products produced by Weihai Wei that were still stained with blood.
His identity as a pirate was undoubtedly confirmed!
"Interrogate them all. I want to know where their hideout is.!”
Li Yi's face turned cold.
Under the harsh torture, the hundreds of pirates could not take it anymore and confessed one by one.
This was a pirate gang with thousands of people and dozens of ships of different sizes.
Their nest was set up on a small island less than 20 nautical miles away from the sea route. Their actions were extremely rampant, and they did not hide their looting of merchant ships on the sea route. Wherever they passed, not a single blade of grass grew.
His methods were extremely cruel. Not only did he want money, but he also wanted his life!
Because of the looted people, no one ran out, and no news spread.
Such an existence was no different from a malignant tumor on Weihai Wei's southern sea route. It had to be removed!
"Turn around and destroy this group of pirates. Leave none of these pirates on the island alive!”
Li Yi ordered with killing intent.
......
The Jinghai Squadron was escorting the southern sea route, clearing out pirates and any threats to the safety of the sea route. The Weihai Squadron and the Chengshan Squadron were not idle either.
The two fleets combined into one, with 90 warships moving together, followed by dozens of thousand-ton merchant ships.
He headed straight for the north.
Their goal was clear. They had to clean up all the Manchu Tartar cities and farms along the Liaodong coastline.
Lin Feng personally sent them off. He was looking forward to the operation of the two fleets against the Manchu Tartars. If it went well, he would hold this operation several more times and even make it a tradition.
In Great Ming, everyone feared the Tartars like they feared tigers and snakes. Only he dared to target the Manchu Tartars. This would definitely make the people in the territory extremely excited!
At the same time, this was also the time for Lin Feng to build confidence for the people in the territory. He was preparing for the future.
After all, he and the Manchu Tartars would soon have a life-and-death battle!
It was not just a war for hegemony in the Divine Prefecture, but also a war between races!
After all, how could he allow others to sleep soundly beside him?!
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