Chapter 122: Guangzhou Trip (Part 2)

Sea trials had proven encouraging. Under full sail with the wind at her back, the ship could manage roughly twelve knots—the engines adding little to that figure. What they did provide was vastly improved handling, a blessing for transmigrators who possessed precisely zero experience with hard sails. "At the very least," Lin Shenhe summarized, "we'll have a major advantage when sailing into headwinds."

Beyond propulsion, the vessel had undergone extensive modification: radio equipment installed, living quarters expanded, cargo hold bulkheads reinforced, and several hidden compartments cunningly concealed throughout the hull. These secret spaces held weapons, ammunition, and Lin Shenhe's personal cargo—equipment for any piracy opportunities that might present themselves along the way.

Including the transmigrators, the Guangzhou Procurement Delegation numbered twenty-five souls. The ship was well-stocked against pirate attacks: weapons and ammunition in abundance, along with provisions, fresh water, silver, and various supplies.

On November 1, 1628—the sixth day of the tenth lunar month in the first year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign—the weather proved fair and sunny. The Third-class Transport Ship Deng Yingzhou weighed anchor from Bopu and sailed toward the sun-drenched sea. This grandiose designation—"Third-class Transport Ship Deng Yingzhou," meaning "Ascending Yingzhou"—was purely the fantasy of people afflicted with incurable naval romanticism. Why "third-class" rather than second or fourth remained a mystery known only to them.

The Deng Yingzhou picked up Liu Gang at Denglong Point in Xuwen. The small salt merchant came aboard with several bodyguards and assistants in tow. He had originally balked at the prospect of sailing to Guangzhou, preferring safer overland routes. But tales of the short-hairs' formidable firearms had provided some reassurance, leaving him with only a slight regret: the legendary iron ships were nowhere to be seen.

The journey proceeded smoothly, entirely without incident. Five days later, they arrived at Guangzhou's South City dock.

The Pearl River estuary of 1628 was not nearly as busy as it would become in later eras. Pirates ran rampant, and rumors circulated that Admiral Yu was planning to blockade ships in preparation for an assault on the pirate lord Liu Laoxiang. Foreign vessels had scattered in response, and few ships now plied the Pearl River's waters.

Lin Chuanqing hadn't slept well in days. This Guangzhou trip carried real risk, and during his years as a smuggling guide on the South China Sea, he had witnessed storms of every kind. But those days were long behind him. Though the North American faction constantly watched for piracy opportunities at sea, what he feared most was encountering pirate ships. Liu Laoxiang and his fleet were not to be trifled with. From his smuggling days, he knew that encountering any country's patrol boats was manageable—at worst, the deal fell through. Encountering pirates meant losing everything.

If they met Liu Xiang's pirates, every life aboard this ship would depend entirely on a dozen-odd rifles and two diesel engines. None of them possessed naval combat experience. One or two pirate ships might be manageable, but if seventeen or eighteen came swarming...

Fortunately, Liu Gang had brought a helmsman who knew the coastal routes intimately. Under his guidance, they had nervously hugged the coastline, fleeing into harbors at the first glimpse of any suspicious vessel. The stop-and-go sailing had frayed everyone's nerves. Now, having finally reached the Pearl River estuary, Lin Chuanqing could at last sleep soundly. Lost in reflection, he glanced back at Guo Yi standing by the opposite railing and couldn't suppress a rueful smile.

For Guo Yi, these five days at sea had been pure torment. Since his transfer to the Security Group for interrogation work, his life had regained new purpose. Now entrusted as Chief of the Guangzhou Underground Forward Station—a qualitative leap in his standing—he felt recognized at last. The mission carried risk, certainly, but high risk meant high reward. He would deploy his professional expertise to rapidly elevate his position, eventually ascending into the group's upper echelons. Excited by these prospects, Guo Yi had prepared complete plans and schemes, rushing hopefully toward this idealized new frontier.

He had prepared for seasickness, of course. But the originally planned voyage of one or two days had stretched into five days of evasive sailing—and still they hadn't reached land. Guo Yi's complexion had shifted from red to white, then to green, and finally to an alarming shade of black. He had never known he was prone to seasickness. Apparently, a seventy-eight-ton wooden boat differed significantly from thousand-ton steel vessels. Everything worth vomiting had been expelled during the first three days of heavy swells. For the first time since his involuntary crossing, thoughts of death had flickered through his mind...

Fortunately, the worst had passed. On calm sailing like this, he could occasionally venture out to breathe the sea air while affecting composure. But the post-landing challenges would far exceed mere seasickness. This had been merely a small prelude.

"Dock! Dock!" Qian Shuixie's shouts rang down from the crow's nest, rousing everyone aboard. Crowds pressed to both railings for a look. From the ship, a winding green ribbon stretched toward the horizon—the Pearl River. In the distance, Guangzhou's imposing city walls stood visible, and surrounding residences and fortifications could be made out with the naked eye. Several small sailboats lay anchored at dockside, where barriers had been erected to guard against pirate raids.

Stimulated by hopes of finally setting foot on land, everyone strained to bring the ship to berth. The dock workers—mostly dark-skinned and thin—gathered curiously to investigate these newcomers, who appeared tall and robust from future nutritional abundance. Meng De was first to leap ashore, followed by Qian Shuixie, Zhou Weisen, and others. Though everyone had dressed as Ming people with fake hair buns to avoid easy exposure, ingrained military habits still led them to quickly assume alert stances. Both sides thus faced off in this strange atmosphere...

"Why aren't you coming ashore? What's the delay?" A coquettish voice drifted from the cabin's rear.

Everyone turned. A stunningly beautiful woman parted the curtain to peer out. Her high cloud-like coiffure appeared casually pinned yet draped perfectly, with several artful strands falling across her gently heaving bosom. She possessed an indescribable languid elegance. A dazzling melon-seed face and gauze-veiled crystalline skin rivaling frost and snow surpassed even a lotus in splendor. A pair of limpid autumn eyes shimmered clear yet misty, and beneath her small pert nose rested tender lips like rose petals—plump and dewy. Every glance and smile carried myriad charms. She was truly heart-stopping.

Meng De's group stood instantly stupefied. The dock workers lost their souls—eyes wide, mouths agape, drool flowing unconsciously. Even if struck dead at that moment, they likely would have shown no reaction.

A cough came from within the cabin, and Guo Yi emerged, affecting worldly experience. He cupped his hands in greeting. "My family's womenfolk. Our apologies for the disruption. Please forgive us." He quickly ushered the beauty back inside before she could cause further chaos.

This beauty was the transmigrators' famed Intelligence Group's ultimate secret weapon—codenamed "Miss P," or Peipei. True gender: classified at the highest level. Peipei's disguise skills were first-rate even by modern standards. During the voyage, everyone had been dazzled by continuous transformations: lolita to young boy to mature beauty. This latest reappearance—even for Meng De's group, supposedly immune by now—still proved irresistible. Profound mastery indeed.

Inside the cabin, Guo Yi offered a mild reproach. "Miss P, please understand: though you're directly commissioned by the Committee's Intelligence Information Group, I'm the Guangdong Forward Station Chief—authorized to coordinate overall operations. Please don't create difficulties for our collective mission." Guo Yi understood that Peipei was this Guangzhou mission's most important secret weapon. But nothing could jeopardize the broader plans—hence this reminder.

Peipei smiled sweetly. "Why so serious? I never expected these locals would be so susceptible. My skills were almost wasted."

Guo Yi pondered briefly. "We'll proceed with establishing the intelligence station as planned. Construction of the frontline base will be expedited. But whether restaurant or inn, we still face personnel shortages. I'll find solutions. Meanwhile, please remain aboard and avoid complications. This sort of work isn't suitable for your involvement." Peipei smiled faintly and nodded her acquiescence.

Xiao Zishan intervened. "Let's discuss post-landing operations." As delegation leader, he was responsible only for meeting Gao Ju and procuring the Industrial Department's requirements. Forward station establishment fell entirely under Guo Yi's authority.

"We'll split up," Guo Yi said. "Commissioner Xiao, you meet with Gao Ju and Manager Sun about cooperation—you're already acquainted. I'll take Old Yan and the others; Liu Gang can show us Guangzhou's markets and help scout for shop locations. Everyone else stays aboard for now."

"I'll return to the mansion first and send sedan chairs and mule carts to collect everyone," Xiao Zishan replied. "Let them relax there. Bei Wei knows Sun Chang—he can lead the group." He knew everyone had been cooped up for five or six days, and keeping them confined aboard would only cause trouble. He left Bei Wei to maintain order.

With arrangements settled and a brief preparation complete, Xiao Zishan—protected by special forces operatives and the North American contingent—set off toward Guangzhou city.

Xiao Zishan felt a certain familiarity revisiting old haunts, while the others were purely curious. Most hadn't even visited Lingao's county seat. Now suddenly finding themselves in southern China's most prosperous commercial city of this era, "dazzled" was entirely fitting.

But this wasn't sightseeing time. Returning to the mansion on Huifu Street, they found Caretaker Sun Chang and the Gao family staff unchanged. Seeing the master return, everyone was delighted. During their year-plus absence, the mansion had been properly restored: walls and embankments renovated, rubble cleared, buildings repaired. A vegetable garden had even been planted in the courtyard.

(End of Chapter)