Chapter 282: Sweet Port Turbulence – Transporting Silver
"And after we send the silver? According to Wen Tong's letter, he probably needs 200,000 taels to get through this crisis. Even if we borrow from the Gao family, and even if they're willing, that much cash can't be assembled immediately. The Guangzhou Station can ship 50,000 right away; the other 50,000 will still take time to raise."
"Is that right? Guangzhou's revenues have been good—and there's the payment from the Gao family..."
"Those are book figures. Nobody keeps that much cash sitting around—not the Gao family, not the Guangzhou Station. Large sums of cash... even if Guangzhou immediately mobilizes local funds, it'll take at least seven or eight days."
"Send whatever we have first. It's better than sitting around," Ma Qianzhu said. "If 50,000 taels gets there, that'll give them at least a few more weeks of cushion. A lot can happen in a few weeks."
"Tell Guangzhou to prepare the silver. We'll send a ship to pick it up."
"Will there be time?"
"Send the Ascending Peace Island. It has an engine—four days round trip should be enough." Ma Qianzhu said with some regret, "Too bad it's in Lingao now. If it were in Guangzhou, that would be ideal!"
"Should we also buy rice in Guangzhou and ship it? Guangzhou rice is 1.3 taels—there'd be a nice profit margin..."
"No, now is not the time," Yan Ming immediately vetoed this. "The more critical the crisis, the more we have to show strength. Paying with rice might work normally. Right now, everything must be done in silver—give the rumor-mongers no opening. Otherwise, once confidence collapses, it will trigger an attack on South China."
"Alright. Let's do it that way."
"Also, dispatch a radio team to Leizhou immediately. This is urgent," Ma Qianzhu said. "We need constant communication with Leizhou!"
"Actually, I think we should just mobilize the Special Reconnaissance Team. Bei Wei is already in Leizhou. Just go in and decapitate their leadership..."
"Don't need to go that far yet. It would make things blow up. They're not just commoners either. If they want to get serious, South China isn't necessarily their match—we still don't have the advantage in Leizhou." Wen Desi thought military intervention seemed inappropriate. Though the Special Reconnaissance Team could certainly smash this "Haiyi Guild," these people might be future partners. The ideal approach was to tame them through commercial means. Only then would they truly submit.
"Let's prepare for both possibilities." Ma Qianzhu lived up to his reputation as a hardliner. "Work for a peaceful resolution, but if that fails, we're not here to play commercial war games. A quick and direct solution is also an option."
That evening, Bopu Port.
Since morning, the seas had gradually grown rougher, reaching Force 5. Waves crashed high. By noon, conditions worsened. Not only the fishing boats nearby, but even the Navy vessels that had been performing patrol duties were ordered back to port. Inside Bopu Port, besides the Maritime Forces vessels, a specially designated area also accommodated quite a few fishing boats and passing vessels sheltering from the storm. Since the new lighthouse had been built on Bopu Point, and the Senate had implemented scientific port management, this had gradually become an important anchorage for transiting vessels.
In the afternoon, it began to rain. The torrential downpour seemed to herald the onset of Lingao's rainy season. The sky darkened rapidly, as gloomy as dusk. All the lights in the Bopu camp switched on. Except for sentries still standing watch, there was no activity outside the buildings.
Through the pitch-black curtain of rain, a light suddenly tore through the murk along the road from Baireng. A Beijing 212 Jeep bounced toward them. The vehicle stopped briefly at the guard post.
"Pass!" The sentry was a local young man in his early twenties, wearing the Navy's blue uniform. Though not tall, months of military training had given him a distinctly soldierly bearing. Even wearing a straw rain cape and bamboo hat, he stood ramrod straight. The person in the car was pleased to see he'd kept his rifle well-protected under the cape.
An ID was handed out. The sentry went through the identity check procedure that his instructors had drilled into his head. Finally, he returned the ID to the vehicle, stood at attention, and saluted.
"You may pass, Commissar, Sir!"
The Jeep headed into the camp. The roads inside had been roughly surfaced with coal slag and steel slag, leaving no puddles. Soon the vehicle arrived near a modified shipping container house by the dock.
Light shone from the windows. The person jumped down nimbly and walked in with quick steps.
Everyone inside stood up, snapping to attention. Everyone wore First Year naval uniforms.
"Sit!" The newcomer was Wu De. Having a Commissar of his rank take charge was a last resort. The transmigrator naval veterans had either left with the expedition fleet or were needed to operate the fishing trawlers. With no suitable candidates left, Wu De had volunteered. After all, when it came to experience operating motor sailing vessels, no one had more than this former Navy officer and son of a fishing family.
Several nautical charts were spread on the table, along with the 24-hour weather forecast from the Lingao weather station—a modest operation, but reasonably accurate for short-term local forecasts.
"Commissar! Maritime Forces, Bopu Port Master and Bopu Fortress Area..." Li Di stood up to recite his full title.
"Forget the formalities—save that for when we have time. Let's talk about the mission." Wu De waved his hand. "Report! What's the status of the Ascending Peace Island?"
"Yes, sir. After receiving the mission order, we inspected the vessel. Ship condition normal, engine normal. We've replaced all anchor cables and rigging. Fuel is topped off."
"Personnel?"
"Chief of Staff Ma's instructions are that we must ensure safety. So we've decided to use all-transmigrator crew, replacing the indigenous sailors. Only, we're still short on personnel..."
"No." Wu De immediately vetoed this. "This ship needs at least forty people between crew and guards. That's too many eggs in one basket. Also, the Ascending Peace Island runs this route regularly. The indigenous sailors know the conditions better than we do. Replacing experienced hands with inexperienced ones—isn't that asking for trouble?"
"Then what do we do? The ship's carrying a huge shipment of silver. If the indigenous crew gets tempted—"
"Then just don't let them know. Besides, are you telling me the Navy's been training these people all this time and built zero trust?"
Li Di thought about it. "Then we'll staff with half and half."
"Do it that way. And bring a few naval trainees on board," Wu De said. "Give them a lesson—let them taste what the sea is like!"
"Report: the current batch has only been trained for a few weeks. Going to sea now, they probably won't be much use."
"Doesn't matter. Maybe this voyage will tell us which ones will be useful and which ones are dead weight."
"Yes, sir!" Li Di phoned the school: pull six of the older trainees.
"All transmigrator crew members are to be issued modern weapons," Wu De instructed. "100 rounds per person, plus two grenades."
They continued studying charts and discussing the route. After over an hour, Wu De asked, "What's the weather looking like?"
"Conditions aren't ideal." Li Di brought over the forecast. "Barometric pressure indicates the wind and rain will probably continue for 24 hours. Currently northwest winds at 20 knots, wave height 2.5 meters."
Wu De calculated—that was Sea State 4. For typical modern vessels, this was nothing, but for a motor sailing ship of only 70 tons displacement, these were significant seas. Going out meant taking risk. But across the strait, South China was desperately waiting for silver...
"Get everything ready—prepare to set sail!"
"Maybe we should wait until tomorrow when waves are smaller..." Li Di was startled.
"No time to wait—we only have four days!" Wu De's voice was grave.
"Alright, I'll go prepare."
"Wait!" Wu De addressed all the naval personnel. "This mission may cost lives! Anyone who doesn't want to go, speak up now! I authorize him not to go!"
Some had been about to counsel against setting out, but now no one could speak up. Someone stepped forward to pledge.
"For the great cause of transmigration, we absolutely obey orders!"
"Anyone afraid of dying wouldn't have joined the Navy!"
Wu De nodded. "Everyone prepare immediately. Assemble at the dock at 16:00 hours sharp. Dismissed!"
After everyone left, Wu De organized his luggage, changed into his Navy work uniform, sea boots, and nautical rain jacket. He checked his Type 54 pistol and secured it in a waterproof holster.
For him, sea conditions weren't the greatest enemy—the real concern was security of the silver once aboard. Such a huge sum couldn't be loaded unnoticed. If some group targeted this wealth and tried a hijacking at sea, with the Ascending Peace Island's armament, they could handle two or three ships. Any more would be a struggle.
Through the window, he could see lights of ships flickering through the wind and rain.
While lost in thought, someone called from the doorway. "Report!"
"What is it?"
"Is this Commissar Wu?"
"That's me."
"There's a woman at the base gate who insists on seeing you. She says she's your maidservant."
"Chu Yu?" Wu De was startled. With the sky dark and rain pouring down, she'd walked from Baireng City to Bopu alone—over ten kilometers!
When he'd left, he'd told Chu Yu he was going to the mainland on business. The little woman had looked unhappy. He'd said a few words of reassurance and thought that was the end of it.
Women—such a hassle! He muttered to himself, but felt a warmth in his heart.
"Should we bring her over?"
"No, she doesn't have a pass. Tell her to go back to the villa and wait for me."
Though the mission was urgent, this incident made him handle his affairs more briskly. After finishing up, he checked his watch—15:00—and quickened his pace out of the naval base. Just as he exited the main gate, he heard "Master" through the rain. Startled, he saw a figure sheltering under an abandoned wooden post, wearing a rain cape. Who else but Chu Yu?
"What are you doing! Why didn't you go to the villa?"
"I was afraid Master wouldn't go to the villa—that you'd just leave, and Chu Yu would miss you—"
"Nonsense," Wu De scolded. "Am I that kind of person?"
"Yes, Master." The woman lowered her head obediently.
"Let's go—you must be soaked through?"
"It's nothing, Master. The sentry was very strict—wouldn't let me inside to take shelter..."
"This is a military zone. Come on! Let's go to the villa to talk."
(End of Chapter)