Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1168

1168. The Disaster Came from the Sea (4)

While the Imperial Army and the Swiss Guard were wreaking havoc on the Spanish Army on the ground, the punitive fleet was closing in on Lisbon.

Marquis Yigong dispatched a destroyer to Lisbon ahead of the main fleet to announce their arrival.

King Afonso of Portugal, terrified by this news, immediately ordered his fleet to prepare to receive them.

“Do your utmost to welcome them! Even if they are rude, remember to maintain courtesy at all costs!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The commander-in-chief of the Portuguese fleet responded promptly to King Afonso’s order and hurried to his flagship.

“Are you going yourself?”

At his staff officer’s question, the commander-in-chief nodded, a look of resignation on his face.

“What choice do I have? The commander is a member of the imperial family.”

The destroyer, arriving ahead of the main force, carried a personal letter from Marquis Yigong.

-Greetings to the King of Portugal, an ally of the Empire.

(Omitted)

Therefore, I request permission for this fleet to enter the port, anchor, and rest.

From Imperial Navy Admiral, Imperial Marquis Yigong.

The sender’s title at the end of the letter caused an uproar in the Portuguese royal court and government.

The Imperial Marquis.

In the Empire, 90% of those with the title of Duke or Marquis were members of the imperial family.

Moreover, it was a title typically reserved for the Emperor’s brothers.

Considering the current Emperor’s age, it was almost certain that the Marquis requesting entry was a brother of the late Emperor.

Naturally, the commander-in-chief of the Portuguese Navy had to personally greet him.

Marquis Yigong wasn’t the only concern.

The fleet he commanded was an even greater issue.

Since the conflict in Gibraltar, Portugal had deployed numerous spies around Gibraltar. They also sent reconnaissance ships from Ceuta to constantly monitor the war’s progress.

-It’s clear the Empire has the advantage. The question is when to intervene to maximize our gains.

Portugal’s scheme was immediately disrupted by the arrival of the punitive fleet.

No one had anticipated that the combined fleet of France and Spain would be annihilated in less than a day. A few days later, carrier pigeons arrived in droves from Puerto Real.

The messages attached to the legs of the carrier pigeons sent by spies hiding near Puerto Real all carried the same grim news.

-Cadiz and Puerto Real annihilated.

“Annihilated?”

“Annihilated, you say?”

From that moment on, the King and government of Portugal descended into panic and began to lose their bearings.

While they were floundering, Marquis Yigong’s letter arrived as if on cue.

* * *

“Report from the lookout. The allied destroyer we sent ahead is returning with the Portuguese fleet.”

At the adjutant’s report, the captain and Marquis Yigong raised their binoculars.

Marquis Yigong, observing the approaching Portuguese fleet in the distance, chuckled and muttered.

“They seem to be very frightened.”

The warships of the Portuguese fleet approaching the punitive fleet had all their gunports tightly closed. The stronger the cannons mounted on the warships, the heavier the cannons became in proportion. In addition, the covers that shielded the gunports had to withstand the waves, so they were thick and heavy.

Therefore, the process of removing the gunport covers and extending the gun barrels to prepare for battle took a considerable amount of time.

Closing the gunports tightly like that was a clear signal that they had no intention of ambushing.

“However, the scale is considerable. It seems they have brought out all the ships in Lisbon.”

At the captain’s remark, Marquis Yigong chuckled again and replied.

“Doesn’t the captain know? The more frightened a dog is, the louder it barks.”

As the two fleets converged, the commander-in-chief of the Portuguese Navy immediately boarded the flagship to greet Marquis Yigong.

“It is an honor to meet you, Marquis. Welcome to Portugal.”

“Thank you for the welcome. I would like to request an audience with the King. Is it permissible to enter the port?”

“The King is also waiting. But….”

“But?”

The commander-in-chief, swallowing hard, continued.

“Currently, there is no space in the port of Lisbon, so you will have to anchor in Almada, across the river. Ah! Your Excellency’s flagship can anchor in Lisbon.”

Marquis Yigong could easily see through the commander-in-chief’s intentions as he sweated and fidgeted.

‘I would be scared too if a foreign fleet was stationed right in front of the palace. The problem is that this flagship alone can turn Lisbon into a mess.’

Hiding such thoughts, Marquis Yigong composed himself and replied.

“I understand. Thank you for your cooperation.”

At Marquis Yigong’s words, the commander-in-chief laughed loudly with an exaggerated expression.

“Hahaha! Aren’t we allies! Allies!”

* * *

Escorted, though not quite, by the Portuguese fleet, the punitive fleet sailed up the Tagus River and arrived in Lisbon.

Guided by tugboats, the flagship Salsoo docked at the port of Lisbon, while the rest of the fleet anchored at the port built in the Almada area across the river. As the naval band that had come down earlier played the ‘Imperial March,’ the Portuguese nobles and officials who had come out to welcome the Marquis became increasingly intimidated.

‘The more I hear that Imperial March, the more it feels like it’s pressing down on me.’

‘It’s not just the music. What about those black uniforms…’

‘When is the Marquis coming out?’

Just as the heavy, oppressive march was about to end, Marquis Yigong began to disembark from the Salsoo.

Wearing the black Imperial military uniform that had originated with Hyang and was now exclusive to the Imperial family, Marquis Yigong greeted the Portuguese officials and soldiers who were waiting and boarded a carriage heading to the royal palace.

* * *

“Welcome. Thank you for coming a long way and working hard to carry out the war.”

“Thank you for the welcome. How can a soldier complain about hard work?”

After some polite greetings, King Afonso slowly moved on to the main topic.

“How many days do you plan to stay?”

“I expect about three days. Considering maintenance, supplies, and rest for the soldiers, I think that would be appropriate.”

“Then you plan to go straight to France?”

“That is correct.”

“Do you need the strength of the Portuguese army?”

“We can manage on our own, but we would be grateful for any assistance you can provide.”

Marquis Yigong’s answer, delivered without hesitation, was full of confidence.

At that sight, King Afonso presented the proposal they considered most feasible.

“To confront France, you will need a considerable number of ground troops, but with the current situation in Portugal, it is difficult for us to spare any. However, naval support is possible.”

This was the reality of Portugal’s situation.

Facing Spain across the border, they couldn’t afford to divert their already limited ground forces. They could hire mercenaries, but time was too short.

At King Afonso’s proposal, Marquis Yigong smiled and replied.

“I sincerely thank Your Majesty for the help you are offering. However, ground troops are not needed for the operation in France.”

“Not needed? Does that mean you have no plans to occupy French territory?”

“The Empire already has enough territory. The goal of this operation is ‘punishment.'”

“Punishment?”

As King Afonso expressed his doubt, Marquis Yigong became resolute and replied.

“In this operation, the Imperial Army will not land in France. Nor will it occupy French territory. Instead, we will leave an unforgettable lesson.”

“An unforgettable lesson….”

King Afonso, pondering Marquis Yigong’s answer, felt a chill run down his spine.

‘The annihilation of Cadiz and Puerto Real is not the end, but the beginning!’

As Marquis Yigong departed after the audience, King Afonso immediately summoned the military command and senior officials and convened an emergency meeting.

As Marquis Yigong had stated, the soldiers of the punitive fleet anchored in Almada were busy transferring supplies from the transport ships that had accompanied them. However, the attention of the onlookers gathered in Lisbon was focused on the Salsoo, which had firmly established itself in the port of Lisbon.

They were most interested in the shells used by the Salsoo’s main guns.

“My God….”

“Such large shells….”

There was a wave of shock and awe at the sight of the massive shells, which were as tall as an adult male’s chest when stood upright. Meanwhile, military officials who observed the shells nodded and muttered.

“With shells like that, I can understand why Puerto Real was annihilated….”

However, there were other things that attracted their attention.

It was the airship carrier and the fire support ship.

“What are those ships? They don’t look like transport ships….”

“What are those structures piled up on the deck?”

According to the Marquis’s orders, the airship carrier and the fire support ship never revealed the airships and divine machineries, which could be considered their core assets.

Three days later, the punitive fleet left Lisbon as promised.

Trailing behind the punitive fleet, heading slowly towards France, was the Portuguese fleet.

* * *

The first place the northbound punitive fleet inflicted ‘punishment’ on was La Rochelle.

Located in the heart of the Bay of Biscay, La Rochelle was not a very large port, but it had a fairly large shipyard.

The punitive fleet, which had anchored off the coast of La Rochelle, immediately sent an envoy.

-I will give you one sh辰辰 [shi-chen, an ancient Chinese unit of time, approximately 2 hours]. All residents of La Rochelle must leave immediately.

-I will not be responsible for what happens afterward.

The mayor of La Rochelle, who received the envoy’s notice, pleaded with a face drenched in sweat.

“One hour! That’s too short!”

“It’s not one hour, it’s one sh辰辰.”

“What is that….”

At the mayor’s puzzled look, the interpreter stepped forward to explain.

“One sh辰辰 in the Empire is equivalent to two hours in Europe.”

“Ah! No! Two hours is too short! Please give us more time!”

The mayor continued to plead, but the envoy replied firmly.

“This is not a negotiation, but a notification.”

After completing their task, the envoy and the interpreter immediately left the city hall and returned to the fleet.

Shortly after, the surrounding churches, centered on the city hall, began to ring their bells in unison.

“Citizens, evacuate immediately!”

“Everyone must pack their belongings and leave within 2 hours!”

At the shouts of city hall officials and priests, the residents of La Rochelle hurriedly packed their bags and began to flee the city.

Exactly one sh辰辰 later.

Beginning with the fire support ship’s bombardment, the punitive fleet’s cannons unleashed a torrent of fire upon La Rochelle.

And, in less than half a day, La Rochelle was reduced to ruins.

The punitive fleet, having annihilated La Rochelle, replenished its consumed supplies by docking in turn at the pier that remained partially intact. After completing the resupply, the punitive fleet turned its bow and began to head north.

Kwakwakwang! [Sound of explosions]

And, the remaining pier facilities were all blown up in a final act of destruction.

“The Empire’s fleet is leaving!”

The residents who returned upon hearing the news that the punitive fleet had departed collapsed to the ground, staring at the ruined La Rochelle.

The residents, witnessing the complete destruction of their home, La Rochelle, could scarcely believe the reality.

While the residents of La Rochelle were in despair, the punitive fleet was cruising towards its next destination.

The next target was Brest, home to the largest naval port of the French Navy.

“Will you send an envoy to Brest first?”

“No, I don’t think that will be necessary. The news of what happened to La Rochelle will reach them before our fleet does.”

“That is true.”

Hello?

This is Gukbbong, the author of ‘Blackgi Up Joseon.’

I am writing to inform you that there was a setting error in Yigong’s title, and it has been corrected.

I have not been able to concentrate due to various problems these days.

Therefore, I am truly sorry for disappointing the readers.

I will do my best to concentrate on serialization until the end.

I hope that the readers will be generous.

I hope that good days will continue.

Sincerely,
Gukbbong