Chapter 411: Sightseeing

The moment Mobile Corps Commander Wang spotted those black specks on the distant dock, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He was now filled with regret; all the fine prospects he had been contemplating before this morning scattered like smoke as the black specks multiplied.

"Get everyone out of the houses — form ranks, form ranks!"

Wang Deqiao had already judged that those black specks were most likely reinforcements, so his first priority now was to assemble his troops. As for what came after... he would have to adapt on the fly.

Just as the mass of officers and soldiers were hurriedly rushing out of the residences in the commercial district to line up, those distant black specks, like a colony of ants, began slowly moving this way.

By the time Mobile Corps Commander Wang, with the aid of his personal soldiers, had donned his armor and mounted his horse, he could already make out the true faces of those black specks: some elite soldiers wearing green jackets and carrying fire lances — or were they pirates?

This group was not large in number, five hundred at most, only a third of the Official Army.

The newcomers were dressed bizarrely. No armor; all wore a one-piece green jacket, with two rows of brass buttons gleaming on the chest. On their feet were black boots, and on their heads strange hats: square and upright, seemingly made of cotton cloth, with a piece of fur sewn at the forehead and over both ears, and a round iron plate set right in the center.

Though Mobile Corps Commander Wang, living in the seventeenth century, could not understand army greatcoats or Lei Feng hats, he could tell that the arrivals were an elite force: these pirates slowly closing in showed not a trace of fear in the face of fifteen hundred officers and soldiers, but rather faces full of excitement.

"Could these be some lord's household retainers?"

Mobile Corps Commander Wang's guess, though not spot on, was not far off — this battalion of troops that had come was precisely the first unit the Transmigrators had formed: the Guard Battalion.

The next moment, the mass of soldiers slowly closing in using the "Wild Goose Formation" surrounded the officers and soldiers who had already formed their ranks.

Yes, surrounded. Five hundred soldiers, in a thin line too sparse to even be called a formation, encircled fifteen hundred officers and soldiers.

Watching the green-jacket soldiers standing three hundred paces away, brazenly raising their guns, Mobile Corps Commander Wang knew that if he did not do something, he would face total annihilation. Well aware of the power of those rapid-fire guns, he did not believe his ashen-faced men, clustered together as they were, could withstand more than a few rounds of volley fire.

And so, the silver-tongued Wang personal soldier, hoisting a white flag, once again stepped out from the crowd: "Brothers in arms, shipboard brethren — a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."

Not long after, the Wang personal soldier returned with a bitter face: "Sir, Cao Zong wants to see you!"

Cold sweat once again broke out on Wang Deqiao's forehead.

The situation now was: if he refused, the other side would certainly open fire, and then his own troops would collapse like a landslide, the routed soldiers scattering to loot and pillage, shaking all of Jiangnan, and upon his return, his own dismissal, arrest, beheading, and the confiscation of his family property would all be par for the course.

But if he went to see that Cao Zong? How would he explain leading troops to besiege a Regional Commander's property? This man was recruited through amnesty, after all, and probably wouldn't be too particular about court protocol — what if he cut off his head on the spot?

As drops of sweat trickled down Mobile Corps Commander Wang's head, and as seconds ticked by, the atmosphere on the field grew heavier. And the fifteen hundred officers and soldiers behind Mobile Corps Commander Wang had by now begun to stir slightly.

"So be it. If my head gets chopped off, you lot keep the troops in order, go back and tell the Assistant Regional Commander, and see to it that my family is settled!"

In the end, having weighed the pros and cons between having his family property confiscated and his head chopped off versus just having his head chopped off, Mobile Corps Commander Wang hardened his heart, threw off his helmet, shed his armor, gave a word of instruction to the Thousand-Household Commander beside him, and then, with two trusted aides, slowly walked toward the green-jacket soldiers opposite.

Not long after, Mobile Corps Commander Wang, having been sent aboard a ship, was quickly ferried to the side of that enormous blue-gold tower ship.

While still far from the great vessel, Comrade Wang Deqiao saw three ivory-ornamented command banners flying high on the masts.

On the largest one in the center were embroidered four large golden characters: "Imperial Edict to Serve the King."

The one on the left had more characters: "Zhenguo General, Upper Light Chariot Commandant, Acting Assistant Regional Regional Commander, Joint Defender of Zhangzhou, Chaozhou, and Other Areas, Nan'ao Deputy Regional Commander."

The one on the right bore only a single, massive character: "Cao."

Standing at the ship's bow, Wang Deqiao's mouth filled with bitterness: he had truly been screwed over by those villainous gentry. Who was it that said Cao's reach was too short to extend into Jiangnan? Hadn't the man just dropped by on his way and come to deal with him?

Filled with gloom, Wang Deqiao grabbed a swaying rope ladder and climbed aboard the great tower ship.

The deck of the tower ship was extremely clean, without too many odds and ends. Even the dense stays commonly seen on Western-style soft-sail ships were absent — the Zhenman's masts were imported hollow steel tubes, their structural strength on par with the warships of later generations, needing no stays to help stabilize the rigging.

This freed up the largest area of occupied space. Coupled with the absence of cannons, the top deck appeared spacious and airy, neat and imposing.

Once aboard, Mobile Corps Commander Wang was promptly escorted to the bow by soldiers similarly dressed in greatcoats, only theirs were blue in color.

On the broad bow, a "young" grand official in his thirties, wearing a bright red official robe, was at that moment sitting in an official's armchair, surrounded by civil officials and military officers, with a man dressed in Ming Army attire kneeling at his feet.

The moment Wang Deqiao saw that bright red official robe, he knew this was the man in charge. And that kneeling figure who looked like a military officer — as it happened, he recognized him, an old acquaintance: Chongming Thousand-Household Commander Yu Fugui.

As the Thousand-Household Commander holding real power over Chongming Island, entrenched in the Chongming Naval Camp with five hundred soldiers under his command, Yu Fugui was effectively the first line of defense the Great Ming had set at the mouth of the Yangtze River; his early-warning duty was critically important.

Thus, Yu Fugui, who had men stationed day and night on the watchtower to observe, learned at the first moment this morning that a giant ship was knocking at the pass. Truth be told, the first glance Yu Fugui took when he ran up to the watchtower nearly scared the piss out of him — if these were pirates, his old self would surely have to serve his country unto death today.

Fortunately, the patrol ship sent to make contact quickly brought back word: the arrivals were their own people, some damn Regional Commander. After this, Yu Fugui nervously changed into his official robe and came to sound out the situation.

Fortunately for Yu Fugui, whose official rank was low, this trip today was no bad thing.

The moment Mobile Corps Commander Wang spotted his old acquaintance, Cao Zong was in the midst of gently explaining to the kneeling Thousand-Household Commander Yu before him: "This official is merely stopping by on this journey to look in on the family property. Thousand-Household Commander Yu, report this truthfully to the various lords along the river; there is no need for alarm. Hmm, the army will linger only a few days before leaving; no local support is required, and soldiers and civilians everywhere may rest easy."

"This lowly general understands. I shall return at once and send men to pass the word along the river."

"Hmm, then I must trouble you, Thousand-Household Commander Yu." Cao Zong nodded with a beaming smile. "Attendants, see to a reward."

The next moment, a "Silver Dollar Stick" of the Cao Big-Head type, wrapped in red paper, and a men's gift box containing a nail clipper and a lighter were stuffed into Thousand-Household Commander Yu's hands.

"My thanks for the reward, Lord Defender! This lowly general respectfully wishes Your Lordship victory the moment your banner is unfurled on this journey to the capital, and that you be enfeoffed as Duke or Marquis!"

"Haha, then many thanks for your auspicious words, Thousand-Household Commander Yu."

Never expecting this Cao Zong from the south to be so decorous, Thousand-Household Commander Yu Fugui, having gained a benefit just from paying a visit, now scrambled up from the ground with a wide grin, chuckling as he hugged his rewards and prepared to head back to camp.

Then he looked up and saw his old acquaintance, Mobile Corps Commander Wang Deqiao.

As the two watchdogs of the Qiantang River mouth and the Yangtze River Estuary respectively, these two naturally dealt with each other often. So when Thousand-Household Commander Yu saw Mobile Corps Commander Wang, he first froze for a moment, and then a lewd grin instantly spread across his face... Thousand-Household Commander Yu had already filled in the whole story in his head: that bastard Wang Deqiao must have followed all the way from Qiantang, probably hoping to mooch some benefits too.

Poor Thousand-Household Commander Yu, without WeChat or news broadcasts, had absolutely no idea what Mobile Corps Commander Wang across the river had been up to these past two days. So, still grinning lewdly, he even threw a wink at his old acquaintance, whose face was a bitter smile, before brushing past him and away.

At this moment, it was Mobile Corps Commander Wang's turn to kowtow: "This lowly general, Jinshan Guard Mobile Corps Commander Wang Deqiao, pays respects to the Lord Defender."

This time, Cao Zong wore no comradely smile; in its place was a cold sneer like an autumn wind: "Heh heh, Mobile Corps Commander Wang, do you admit your guilt?"

What could Wang Deqiao say at this point? His troops were surrounded; was there any point in denying it now before the boss? So he could only honestly say in a deep voice: "This lowly general was indeed blinded by greed, coveting the benefits offered by those sour scholars, and led troops to besiege your esteemed family property."

"Hmm, it seems you admit your guilt." Hearing this, Lord Cao nodded.

"I must also let the Lord Defender know: this lowly general never intended to get serious with Master Xiong from start to finish; I only meant to act as a mediator."

"That can only preserve the head on your shoulders."

Zhang Dongdong looked at this foolish Mobile Corps Commander at his feet and shook his head. "If I were to annihilate your retainers today, causing routed soldiers to loot the countryside, I fear it would be hard to explain in Beijing, and slanderers would have their say. But don't get smug; once this official sees His Majesty, I will still demand a measure of justice."

Zhang Dongdong waved his hand at this point. "My impeachment memorial will be dispatched today. Go back and await your punishment pending investigation!"

And so, Mobile Corps Commander Wang was dismissed in a daze and sent back to shore.

By now, he was utterly despondent: this military expedition had yielded not a hair of gain, and instead had cost him his own official rank.

Fortunately, just as he had predicted beforehand, this Regional Commander, said to have been a great pirate by origin, at least still acknowledged court protocol and did not breach the bottom line, letting the situation devolve into a firefight between the two armies... this could be counted as a blessing amidst misfortune.

And so, Mobile Corps Commander Wang, who had come with such murderous intent, could now only dejectedly lead his retainers away, slinking off in defeat.

After shooing away these troublesome flies, the Fleet of the North immediately began a series of actions.

First came loading, unloading, and supply.

All the ships would dock in succession to replenish coal and water. During this process, the 500 soldiers of the Guard Battalion would be split up, and ultimately two companies would accompany the ships north for the King's Rescue.

The remaining three companies would temporarily stay at Shanghai Port. They would be useful for the next step — taking revenge on the Land Deed Alliance, and when it came to "forcibly seizing civilian fields and pressing men into labor."

The first group to resupply was the ten transport ships. These transport ships, fully laden with commodities, would still head north first after completing their resupply.

It was currently the north wind season, and the headwind on the sea surface was unfavorable for going north. If the slow Transport Fleet departed early, they could save fuel and use their sails to slowly advance on the sea, waiting for the high-speed fleet behind to catch up.

As for the remaining combat vessels, excluding the "Monitor" which had long since gone north to scout the route, three combat vessels would head north this trip — one Small Escort Ship and two Youguang-class.

As for the large-tonnage Zhenman, given that there were no shore bombardment missions in the north and no European ships to use as practice, this trip to Shanghai Port marked the end of the Zhenman's voyage.

Of course, having finally come to the dazzling world of Shanghai, they couldn't just leave like that, could they? Not go stroll around Nanjing Road? Not take a look at Lujiazui? They had to take a few selfies at The Bund too, right?

And so, early on the second morning after the fleet arrived at port, led by one Escort Ship, the battleship Zhenman — flanked by two Youguang-class Gunboats — once again raised billowing black smoke. The four-ship, impromptu "Sightseeing Fleet" then departed from the Yangtze River Estuary and charged straight into Wusongkou.

This caused an enormous stir.

One must know that the Yangtze and even the Wusongkou section had been densely traveled waterways since ancient times. The fleet's anchorage outside Shanghai Port yesterday had already drawn the attention of the surrounding soldiers and civilians, though at that time the fleet was far away and the area along the Huangpu River was still unaware of the situation.

And now, when several large ships covered in pure white sails charged into Wusongkou, both banks of the Huangpu River were instantly in an uproar. For a time, the river surface was full of fishing ships, merchant ships, and flower boats scurrying about in chaos, and both banks were packed with Ming people who had come out to see the Western scene — since the Jiajing reign, no foreign ship had entered the Huangpu River, so the people were exceptionally excited.

And when those scurrying ships in the surrounding area saw the three yak-tail banners flying on the Zhenman, the news spread like lightning across both banks of the Huangpu River... The southern country bumpkin Regional Commander has come to visit?

This made things even more incredible. After discovering that this string of beautiful large ships belonged to their own side, dense clusters of all kinds of vessels surrounded them. Everyone wanted to get a little closer to that blue-gold large ship, to see what was on it, so they could go back and brag.

Fortunately, after the Navy's embarrassing experience of being mobbed by civilian ships at White Goose Pond in Guangzhou, they had later specifically prepared countermeasures for this, and so the Ming ships that rushed up were smoothly driven off this time — with High-Pressure Water Cannons.

However, what the Transmigrators on board did not expect was that when the civilian ships discovered these large ships were not firing guns or cannons but spraying water dragons all around, the Ming people, as if possessed by something, only surrounded them in greater numbers. Perhaps the High-Pressure Water Cannon was also a novel gadget in the eyes of the Ming people?

And so the Sightseeing Fleet could only maintain the range of the water cannon spray and awkwardly travel together with a large crowd of civilian ships on the Huangpu River.

But this bit of trouble did not dampen the tourists' interest. Standing on the battleship's unique observation platform, the many Transmigrators who had come for sightseeing were still in high spirits.

Not only did they take photos of the surrounding fishing ships, the Ming people, and the two banks of the Huangpu River in their pristine state, they also kept pointing at those farmlands and fish ponds, making bold declarations: "Pudong! I couldn't afford that suite back in the day. Yeah, it should be that patch of fish ponds. Save that plot for me later — I'm going to be a developer, fifty grand per square meter! Haha, time to fleece the sheep!"

And so the large group passed all the way through Hudong. At noon, rounding Lujiazui, under the gaze of thousands of officials and civilians on both banks, the fleet slowly reduced speed, and finally dropped anchor in the river directly opposite the Xu Family Grand Residence, at Guanxiang outside the East Gate of Shanghai County seat.