Chapter 5: The Fall of An You Le Market

Wang Luobin and the others, escorted by soldiers from the Army’s expeditionary battalion, landed at Pier One on a motorboat. The boat was imposing, flying four command flags.

Wang Tao changed into a neat set of combat fatigues, adorned with all his honorary insignia: the Hainan Island circumnavigation commemorative medal, the Bopu Defense battle armband, the Yulin Fort development commemorative medal, and the collective third-class merit sleeve stripe. He waited respectfully in front of Yulin Fort with the Marine detachment, their bayonets like a forest of steel, flags fluttering. The scene was very solemn.

After a few words of greeting, Wang Tao completed the handover procedures with Li Haiping. This area was actually under Navy jurisdiction; he was not a naval officer, merely a temporary custodian.

Subsequently, Xi Yazhou, commander of the Army’s Sanya Expeditionary Battalion and concurrently the Garrison Commander of the Sanya Special Zone, and Li Haiping, commander of the Navy’s Sanya Detachment and concurrently the commander of the Sanya Base, held a brief changing of the guard ceremony in front of Yulin Fort. To the sound of trumpets from two buglers, an infantry squad and a marine squad lined up at the fort gate for inspection. Then, Li Haiping saluted and shouted, “I hereby relinquish command of Yulin Fort!”

“I hereby accept command of Yulin Fort!” Xi Yazhou returned the salute. The two sides then exchanged the official documents for Yulin Fort.

“Alright, the ceremony is over,” Wang Luobin said. “Is the command post set up?”

“It’s all set up. Please, everyone, move in.”

The new command post was located inside the original Yulin Fort. The original personnel had all been moved out. Wang Tao and his apprentice, Wang Degang, were also scheduled to be officially transferred from Yulin Fort to new posts the next day.

Apart from a few brief departures, Wang Tao had basically never left this place. Now, having to leave the Yulin Fort he had painstakingly managed for nearly a year, he was naturally a bit reluctant. However, this was not his ideal home; Yulin Fort was just a temporary stop for him.

Xi Yazhou, who was taking over Yulin Fort, assured him that everything he left behind would be well-maintained—Yulin Fort would be preserved as a model of “self-reliance and arduous struggle.” But Wang Tao doubted whether the native chickens he had raised would survive past tomorrow.

The large bastion in Yulin Fort, which had originally served as the command post, had been renovated and partitioned into offices and a conference room several days in advance. Even the bedrooms for the main leaders were fully furnished with beds and desks, ready for immediate occupancy.

After inspecting the setup, the various leaders nodded in approval, feeling that the General Office had done a very thorough job in terms of support this time.

However, there were still many other transmigrators coming to Yulin Fort. If their living conditions were too poor, they would undoubtedly raise a fuss. Wang Luobin asked:

“Have the dormitories for the elders been arranged?”

“All arranged,” Wang Tao said. “Army and Navy officers will live in tents or on the ships—this is stipulated by regulations. The others will stay in the east and west bastions. The conditions are decent. The last bastion is reserved for the guard squad.”

“I don’t need to stay here,” Li Haiping said. “I can sleep on the ship. Besides, if I stay here, there’ll be no one on-site to command the construction of the battery at Lu Huitou.”

Wang Luobin ordered the immediate setup of radios to establish a communication network. The “Xiao Ling Tong” PHS phones had no base station here, and the range of walkie-talkies was limited. For now, they had to rely on radio stations for command. Fortunately, the operational skills of the native radio operators were now mostly adequate. Shao Zong, who had come with the fleet, only needed to be responsible for machine maintenance.

In the conference room, a table was set up, and a detailed, large-scale map was spread over it. Several large glass plates were carefully brought in and placed over the map. Clerks brought ink pens—for writing and marking on the transparent sheets.

“I am in command now,” Wang Luobin announced. Several clerks began to place various paper markers on the table according to the first reports: the berth of each ship, the location of supply depots, the foundations of buildings, and the positions of troops and labor teams were all marked. The situation around Yulin Port was now clear at a glance.

The four leaders gathered around the table. Xi Yazhou cleared his throat and explained the security situation:

“For now, our development work is secure. The Navy is capable of repelling a medium-scale maritime incursion.” Almost every ship in the fleet was equipped with a number of cannons, some even with “typewriters” (machine guns). Not to mention the two Type 8154 fishing vessels to hold the line.

“As for the land,” Xi Yazhou continued, “the Yazhou prefectural seat is 60 kilometers away as the crow flies. According to historical records consulted by the intelligence department, there are no decent roads connecting the two places. One could even say there are no roads at all. I believe it is impossible for any armed force in this era to be willing or able to traverse the roadless mountains and dense forests to attack us over a distance of 60 kilometers. Therefore, we need not worry about an enemy military expedition.”

“So we can rest easy?” Wang Luobin asked.

“Basically, yes,” Xi Yazhou said. “The only potential threat could come from the Li people in the interior. According to Wang Tao’s report, the Li people sometimes come to the bay to trade with An You Le Market. We can’t rule out the possibility that they might ambush and rob our small detachments on the road.”

“And the countermeasure?”

“Such small-scale attacks are difficult to defend against. However, the Li people rarely come here, and when they do, it’s only in very small numbers. Even if a few incidents occur, they won’t cause us much damage.”

“What about the bandit situation?”

“Even bandits can’t survive in this godforsaken place,” Xi Yazhou said. “There are almost no towns or villages, and a few dozen li inland is Li territory. There’s no room for bandits to survive. They might be active in more populated places like Yazhou.”

Xi Yazhou picked up an ink pen and drew on the glass. “The three platoons of the expeditionary battalion’s first company will be deployed to the mouth of the Tiandu River, An You Le Market, and the Lu Huitou area for security. The second company will remain at the Yulin Fort pier, serving as both a guard force and a reserve. The other troops will be used as a mobile labor force. All marines will be concentrated on the Lu Huitou Peninsula for security.”

“I agree,” Wang Luobin nodded. The others also expressed their agreement.

“The most dangerous time will be after the escort fleet withdraws,” Xi Yazhou added. “The special service boats have good firepower, but there are too few of them. They could easily be overwhelmed by a superior enemy.”

“The battery at Lu Huitou must be completed first,” Li Haiping said. “With heavy artillery, we’ll be safe.”

“To be honest, it’ll be good if those two cannons can fire one shot every three or four minutes,” Xi Yazhou said. “Instead of hoping the cannons can fight a hundred enemies, we’d be better off hoping the enemy will be scared off by the gunfire.”

“As long as the defense system isn’t breached, even Zheng Zhilong can’t do anything,” Li Haiping said. “The main fleet will head south in three to five days. We’ll be ready to catch any enemy.”

The core of the defense system was Yulin Fort. Yulin Fort would be expanded to the north, south, and east—the west was the pier, with no potential for expansion. The new Yulin Fort would consist of two defensive walls, 10 bastions, and 12 towers, capable of garrisoning a full infantry battalion while securely storing large quantities of supplies and equipment. The southern section of the new Yulin Fort would be planned as a huge storage area and open-air yard, specifically for storing exported ore and materials.

Besides serving as an export terminal, Yulin Fort would also be the core of the entire Sanya defense system.

As the men were discussing matters in the conference room, someone came to report that a few people had come from the opposite An You Le Market, requesting to see the “Sea Lord.”

“Should we see them?”

“No,” Wang Luobin said bluntly. He was not interested in what the natives in An You Le Market were thinking or doing. He only knew that according to the schedule, An You Le Market should be opening its gates and surrendering in another hour.

“I’ve already given the order. We begin the bombardment in fifteen minutes,” Li Haiping said, rubbing his hands together. “The sailors can go ashore directly. One charge and we’ll take it. We won’t even need the marines.”

“Wait,” Wang Luobin thought for a moment. “Bring Wang Tao here.”

Wang Tao was already packing his luggage, preparing to return to Lin’gao on the Sanya One, which was scheduled to depart today.

“Are you confident you can persuade Hu Xun to surrender?” Wang Luobin asked him in the conference room.

“No,” Wang Tao said frankly. “My relationship with him is merely casual. These old local tyrants are hard to deal with.” He thought for a moment. “Can we promise him any benefits?”

“Guarantee the safety of him and his family,” Wang Luobin said, “and his personal property—not including land and any real estate other than his own residence.”

“Well—” Wang Tao thought the terms weren’t bad, but he didn’t know if the other party would see it that way.

“I’ll give it a try.”

“Their men are already here. Do your best to persuade them.” Wang Luobin looked at his watch. “I’ll give you 45 minutes.”

Wang Tao’s final task was to persuade Hu Xun to surrender. Wang Luobin’s decision wasn’t a sudden act of mercy. He felt that if they could take the town without bloodshed, they could not only save on gunpowder and cannonballs but also avoid too much loss of property and life. Every resource in An You Le Market, from the roof tiles to the prostitutes, was factored into the Planning院’s calculations. Although the population was limited, it included many logistical service personnel urgently needed by the engineering command.

“I’ll go at once,” Wang Tao said, accepting the order.

When Hu Xun heard the reply his secretary brought back, he was so angry his hands and feet turned cold. This Master Wang had seemed like a good person, but he was unexpectedly so arrogant. “This gang of pirates from Lin’gao, what do they take me for!”

As he was fuming, a huge voice roared from outside: “People of An You Le Market, listen up! Resistance is futile! Open the gates and surrender immediately, and your lives and property will be guaranteed. If you persist in your folly, you will bear the consequences!”

The voice came from a ship. But Hu Xun had never heard such a loud speaking voice before. He was instantly terrified, his face turning pale. Is this some kind of sorcery?

“Chief, what do you think—” asked the secretary who had been sent with the “reward.” He was eagerly hoping for a surrender. The situation was clear. If they fought, An You Le Market wouldn’t last long. Although the secretary got along well with Chief Hu, he had no intention of dying for him.

“It’s fine!” Hu Xun said. “Their cannons are many, but they can’t reach the stockade wall—we’re over two li from the sea. What are we afraid of! Tell everyone to prepare to fight!” He bolstered his courage. “Tell the brothers, one tael of silver a day, five taels for an injury! Fifty taels of compensation for a death!” A handsome reward is sure to bring forth brave men. This was the only trick Hu Xun had left.

But the stockade guards were not interested in his “handsome reward.” Many had already been terrified by the fast boats and the large ships with their rows of dark cannon muzzles. They were all trying to figure out how to escape with their lives.

Hu Xun made promises and threats, but the men were still not interested in fighting. The leaders of the guards also felt that if a real fight broke out, the stockade would surely be destroyed. They all urged Hu Xun to surrender.

A few minutes before the ultimatum expired, Hu Xun came out with his secretary and surrendered An You Le Market. The town fell, right on schedule, without any suspense.

Hu Xun trembled all over. He saw squad after squad of pirates in tight, short jackets disembarking from ships all over the bay. The bay was dense with ships. He had never seen such a spectacle! He didn’t know why these people would make such a big move. Was this place worth them deploying so many men and ships?

“Brother Wang! For the sake of our good relationship over the past half-year, you must put in a good word for me. My life and fortune are in your hands,” Hu Xun said, bowing repeatedly as soon as he saw Wang Tao.

Although Wang Tao couldn’t say he had much of a friendship with him, Hu Xun’s support had been instrumental in the smooth operation of Yulin Fort. Many daily necessities and manpower had been obtained from An You Le Market. Although his attempt to recruit Hu Xun had failed, he didn’t want his end to be too miserable.

“I will do my best,” Wang Tao said. “These are extraordinary times. Master Hu and your family will have to be inconvenienced for a few days.”

“Yes, yes. I can only ask Master Wang to exert himself on my behalf,” Hu Xun said, stuffing a small jewelry box into his hand. “Please put in many good words.”

Wang Tao weighed it slightly. It was heavy, a considerable windfall! But he didn’t need this bribe. He handed it over to Fu Wuben, who was beside him.

He then ordered Hu Xun, the secretary, and the leaders of the stockade guards to be detained in the public office in An You Le Market. Guards were also posted at their residences. Zheng Ergen led his police team into An You Le Market, rifles on their backs, with a proud and imposing air.

During the brief chaos of the surrender, some looting occurred. The police arrested several people on the spot who were taking things from shops. The rioters, who had been eager to make a move, scattered at once.

Zheng Ergen instructed his men to beat gongs and shout in the streets: “All good citizens are to remain in their homes and not go out. Anyone seen on the streets will be killed on sight!”

The police team collected the weapons of the stockade guards—or rather, picked them up, as the guards had thrown them down and run home. They secured all the key points.

After everything had calmed down, Sun Xiao arrived in An You Le Market according to the pre-arranged plan. With him came the Special Search Team of the Planning院—colloquially known as the “Confiscation Team.”

On Wang Tao’s recommendation, Hu Xun’s movable property and residence were partially spared. After all, he was an old hand in the area, knew a lot about the surrounding situation, and could be used to deal with officials and locals when necessary. With his entire family, from high to low, and his property in the hands of the transmigrator group, there was no fear of him not complying.