Chapter 80: Journey to Guangzhou (II)

The test run showed that with full sail and a tailwind, the boat could reach a speed of about 12 knots. The installation of the engine did not significantly increase the speed. However, the maneuverability of the ship was greatly improved, which was good news for the transmigrators who had no experience in operating a hard-sailed boat.

“At least our boat will have a great advantage against the wind,” Lin Shenhe summarized this advantage.

In addition to the power system, the ship also underwent a series of modifications, including the installation of a radio, the addition of living quarters, the reinforcement of the cargo hold bulkheads, and the modification of several secret compartments, which, in addition to weapons and ammunition, also contained Lin Shenhe’s private goods—to be used when moonlighting as a pirate.

Including the transmigrators, the entire Guangzhou procurement delegation consisted of twenty-five people. In order to guard against pirate attacks, the ship was well-stocked with weapons and ammunition, as well as a large amount of dry food, fresh water, silver, and various other supplies.

On November 1, 1628, the sixth day of the tenth month of the first year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty, on a beautiful day with a gentle breeze, the third-class transport ship “Dengyingzhou” set sail from Bopu and headed for the sunny sea.

This imposing-sounding “third-class transport ship Dengyingzhou” was purely the wishful thinking of a group of people with strong naval sentiments. As for why it was a “third-class transport ship” and not a second- or fourth-class one, only they knew.

The Dengyingzhou picked up Liu Gang at Denglong Cape in Xuwen. This small salt merchant also brought a few bodyguards and clerks. He was originally unwilling to go to Guangzhou by boat, preferring the safer land route. However, since he heard that the kūnzéi people’s firearms were sharp, he was probably not afraid. It was just a little regrettable that he did not see the legendary great iron ship.

The journey was uneventful, and five days later they arrived at the wharf outside the south city of Guangzhou.

The Pearl River Estuary in 1628 was not as busy with shipping as it was in later generations. Recently, pirates had been rampant, and it was rumored that Admiral Yu was going to seal the ships to fight Liu Laoxiang. All kinds of foreign ships had fled, and the ships on the Pearl River were even scarcer.

Lin Chuanqing had not slept well these past few days. This trip to Guangzhou was somewhat risky. When he was a smuggler in the South China Sea, he had seen all kinds of storms, but after all, he had washed his hands of it for a long time. Although this group of people from the North American branch was always ready to find opportunities to make a score at sea, he was also most afraid of encountering pirate ships: was a sea giant like Liu Laoxiang someone to be trifled with? When Lin Chuanqing was a smuggler, he knew that it didn’t matter if a smuggling boat encountered a patrol boat from any country. At worst, the business would fail. If they encountered pirates, it would be all over.

Once they encountered Liu Xiang’s pirate ship, the lives of everyone on board would depend on these dozen or so guns and the two newly installed diesel engines. No one had experience in naval combat. One or two pirate ships would be easy to deal with, but what if seventeen or eighteen of them came…

Fortunately, Liu Gang brought a helmsman who was familiar with the coastal route. Under his guidance, they sailed along the coastline with trepidation, and whenever they saw a suspicious ship, they would sail into a harbor to hide. It was already very difficult to travel like this, stopping and starting. Now that they had reached the Pearl River Estuary, he could finally get a good night’s sleep. Thinking of this, he looked back at Guo Yi at the other end of the ship’s rail and couldn’t help but smile wryly again.

For Guo Yi, this five-day sea journey was a great ordeal. Since he was transferred to the security team to do the work of interrogating and screening prisoners, his life had a new hope. This time, he was entrusted with the important task of being the station chief of the Guangzhou underground forward station. For him personally, this was a qualitative leap—he had been recognized. Although this task was full of risks, high risks also meant high returns—he would use his professional knowledge to quickly improve his status in the transmigrator group and thus enter the upper echelons of the group. The excited Guo Yi prepared a full set of plans and schemes, and rushed to the ideal new world with hope.

Although he was prepared for seasickness, the journey, which was originally planned for one or two days, was extended to the fifth day because of hiding here and there, and he still couldn’t set foot on land. Guo Yi’s face also turned from red to white, from white to green, from green to black… He never knew that he was seasick—obviously, this 78-ton wooden boat was not the same as a thousand-ton ship. He had already vomited everything he could in the first three days of the storm. For the first time since he was passively transmigrated, someone had the idea of committing suicide…

Fortunately, the most difficult moment had passed. During a peaceful voyage like this, he could occasionally pretend to be calm and come out to breathe the sea breeze. For him, the test after landing was far more than just seasickness. This could be regarded as a small prelude given to him by fate.

“The wharf! The wharf!” The shout of Qian Shuixie from the lookout stirred up the whole boat. They crowded to both sides of the boat, eager to see it. From the boat, a winding green ribbon stretched to the horizon. This was the Pearl River, and in the distance was the majestic city wall of Guangzhou. The scattered houses and fortresses around could be seen with the naked eye, and several small sailboats were moored in the wharf. To prevent pirate attacks, fences had been set up around the wharf.

Stimulated by the hope of landing, everyone worked hard to bring the boat to the wharf. The clerks who made a living on the wharf were mostly dark-skinned and small in stature. Seeing this group of tall and strong people who were well-nourished in later generations, they all gathered around in confusion to see what was going on. Meng De was the first to jump off the boat, followed by Qian Shuixie, Zhou Weisen, and others. Although everyone had dressed up as Ming people and wore fake hair buns, so that they would not be easily seen through, their military habits still made them quickly assume a vigilant posture. The two sides confronted each other in this strange atmosphere…

“Why haven’t you disembarked yet? What are you dawdling for?” a coquettish voice came from behind the cabin.

Everyone looked back and saw a beautiful woman with a stunning face lifting the curtain of the boat and looking out. Her high cloud-like bun was casually tied on her head, but it just right to let a few strands of hair fall on her slightly heaving chest, a lazy beauty that could not be described. Her bright and moving melon-seed face, under the light gauze, her crystal-clear pink skin was whiter than snow and frost, even better than a hibiscus. A pair of sparkling autumn water eyes, clear and hazy, under the small and straight nose were thin and tender pink lips like rose petals, which were even more full and dripping. Every frown and smile had a myriad of charms, which was truly breathtaking.

Meng De and his group were all stunned. The boatmen and clerks were even more lost, their eyes wide open and their mouths agape, two streams of saliva unconsciously flowing to the ground. At this time, even if they were killed with a single blow, they probably would not have any reaction.

At this time, a cough came from inside the cabin. It was Guo Yi who came out. He pretended to be experienced and cupped his hands, saying: “My family’s womenfolk, I have disturbed you all, I hope you will forgive me.” After saying that, he drove the beautiful woman back into the cabin to avoid further trouble.

This beauty was the famous secret ultimate weapon of the transmigrators’ intelligence group, codenamed “Miss P,” PEPEI. Her true gender was listed as a top secret. PEPEI’s dressing skills were also one of the best in modern times. During the journey on the boat, everyone had already been mesmerized by her dazzling continuous transformation from loli to shota to onee-san. Now that she appeared again, even Meng De and others who thought they had immunity still could not resist, which showed the depth of her skills.

Inside the cabin, Guo Yi reprimanded: “Miss P, I hope you can understand that although you are directly appointed by the Executive Committee’s intelligence and data group, I am after all the person in charge of the Guangdong forward station and have the right to coordinate uniformly. I hope you will not create difficulties for our overall action.” Guo Yi understood that PEPEI was the most important secret weapon in this Guangzhou operation, but in any case, it could not affect the realization of the overall plan, so it was necessary to remind her again.

PEPEI smiled gracefully and said, “Why be so serious? I didn’t expect those natives to be so easy to deal with. It’s a bit of a waste of my skills.” Guo Yi thought for a moment and said, “Now we will establish an intelligence station according to the plan, and the construction of the frontline intelligence base will also be put on the agenda immediately. However, whether it’s a restaurant or an inn, we still have some problems with manpower. But I will try to solve it. Before that, I hope you can stay on the boat to avoid any mistakes. After all, this kind of thing is not suitable for you to come forward.” PEPEI smiled slightly, which was regarded as a nod of approval.

Xiao Zishan said: “Now let’s discuss the actions after landing.” He was the head of the procurement delegation, but he was only responsible for contacting Gao Ju and purchasing various items needed by the industrial department. As for the work of establishing the forward station, it was entirely the responsibility of Guo Yi.

“We will act separately. Commissioner Xiao, you go to talk with Gao Ju and Shopkeeper Sun about cooperation—after all, you are acquaintances. I plan to ask Liu Gang to take me and Lao Yan to see the market in Guangzhou and plan to open a shop. The others will stay on the boat for the time being.”

“I’ll go back to the house first, and then send a sedan chair and a mule cart to pick everyone up to relax in the house. Bei Wei knows Sun Chang, let him lead the team.” Xiao Zishan knew that this group of people had been bored on the boat for five or six days. If they continued to stay on the boat, they might cause some trouble, so he left Bei Wei to keep the situation under control.

After everyone had made their plans and tidied up a bit, Xiao Zishan, under the protection of the special forces and the North American second-line personnel, set off for Guangzhou city.

Xiao Zishan was revisiting an old place and felt a bit of intimacy. The others were completely curious. Most of them had never even been to Lingao County. Now that they suddenly came to the most prosperous commercial city in southern China at that time, the four words “dazzling” were very appropriate to describe it.

However, now was not the time for sightseeing. Back at the house on Huifu Street, the steward Sun Chang and Gao’s whole family who were left behind were still the same. They were very happy to see their master return. In the more than a year they had been away, the house had been repaired to look decent: the courtyard walls and revetments had been renovated, the rubble had been cleaned up, and the houses had also been repaired. A vegetable garden had also been opened in the garden, and many vegetables had been planted.