Chapter 151: The Pirates

Le Lin said, “I’ve heard that Tai O was also a major den for pirates and smugglers in the Pearl River Estuary in the past.”

“Tung Chung and Tai O on Lantau Island are both key targets for us—ideally, we should eliminate them completely,” Chen Haiyang said. “First, let’s see what the attitude of the pirates gathered on Lantau is.”

As they were talking, a sentry reported: a sampan was approaching from the direction of Lantau Island, heading for the temporary pier.

“Looks like local envoys,” Chen Haiyang said. “Let’s hear what they have to say first.”

Chen Haiyang had no intention of receiving them in his command tent. He understood the mentality of the natives of this era well, especially those encountering the transmigrators for the first time. If you didn’t put on a show of power, they would have a much lower opinion of your capabilities and credibility. While being approachable was good, the necessary theatrics couldn’t be skipped.

Therefore, the command headquarters had a special “Great Tent” erected in a sheltered mountain hollow not far from the pier. It was enclosed by cloth curtains, with a net hung outside adorned with many small bells—a concept borrowed from Japanese military curtains and Mongol net-fortifications. The materials were exquisite, and it was decorated with numerous patterns.

Around the curtains stood a forest of various new flags and banners invented by the Aussie regime, creating a very imposing sight. Combined with the fully armed marines and officer cadets standing guard, the entire area around the net-fortress appeared solemn and majestic.

There were five or six envoys who arrived by boat. The three leading men were better dressed and looked like prosperous local residents. They followed the marines towards the Great Tent with utmost reverence.

A considerable number of gifts were also unloaded from the boat, a familiar sight for the transmigrators. It was the usual fare: pigs, sheep, distilled spirits, plus silks and silver.

Upon entering the Great Tent and seeing Chen Haiyang seated in the center, the men immediately knelt and kowtowed, presenting a list of gifts.

The visitors were indeed pirates, or more accurately, a small pirate band. The leader of the delegation was the second-in-command of this group, a man named Jin Caifa.

Jin Caifa’s main purpose in coming was to request to “offer their services” and join the “Great Aussie Gang” in their raids. Jin Caifa’s “boss” was named Zheng Bao. He possessed 28 large two-masted ships and nearly 70 “long dragons” and sampans that were maneuverable in the inland rivers. Among the smaller pirate bands, his was a considerably powerful force.

Zheng Bao planned to take advantage of the official army’s crushing defeat, low morale, and depleted land and sea forces to enter the Pearl River for large-scale plunder. To this end, he was not only anchored near Lantau Island waiting for an opportunity but had also gathered many scattered smaller groups. This included the band led by Zhao Yakin, which had launched the surprise attack on the task force a few days earlier. He now had many such temporary pirates under his command, with fleets ranging from a single boat to three or four.

The sudden arrival of the Aussie fleet made Zheng Bao feel that an opportunity had presented itself. If he could ally himself with this powerful gang, it would be of great benefit to his future career in piracy. He hadn’t stopped Zhao Yakin’s reckless attack earlier because he wanted to see the combat effectiveness of the Aussie warships with his own eyes.

“So, you’re set on entering the Pearl River?”

“Yes, we are willing to follow you Aussie bosses, to fight and get rich together!” Jin Caifa said.

“Hmm.” Chen Haiyang remained noncommittal. If they accepted this offer, the pirates could be a useful force in the upcoming Pearl River operations. However, such pirates were difficult to control effectively. Their obedience to orders depended entirely on whether there was sufficient profit, and their excessively cruel actions during operations could cause the Aussies to lose significant public support. Furthermore, the pirates’ own strength was considerable; operating together in a fleet would give them an opportunity to turn against them. These were all factors that had to be considered beforehand.

He thought for a moment and replied:

“Do you know that we are the official, regular army of the Aussie Song court? How could we ‘get rich’ with you?” Chen Haiyang showed a look of disdain. “If you are willing to pledge allegiance to the Aussie Song court, you will become our Aussie Song people. You will be Aussie Song soldiers. Not a gang of pirates raiding the seas. Are you willing?”

Jin Caifa shifted uncomfortably on the ground. He didn’t know what these words meant, whether it was an agreement or a refusal. In his mind, everyone raided together, the leader took the largest share, and the followers took smaller portions. It was that simple. Why did it have to involve terms like “regular army”? Did they want them to become Aussie officials and soldiers?

“I beg your lordships for a clear explanation.”

Chen Haiyang said, “Go back and tell your leader, if he sincerely wants to join us, he is to first compile a complete register of all his men, money, gunpowder, and weapons. Then, he is to bring the register here in person.”

Jin Caifa hesitated for a moment, but seeing from Chen Haiyang’s expression that there was no room for negotiation, he said he would go back to “report to the chief for a decision” and took his leave.

Wen Desi said, “It’s clear they won’t surrender. This is a good opportunity for us to make a name for ourselves in the Pearl River Estuary.”

“If we had enough political commissars, I wouldn’t be against a nominal incorporation, then sending in political staff to reform the pirates. But we don’t have time for that now. I guess the purification camp will have more work to do.”

Le Lin volunteered to go and reconnoiter the pirate situation on Lantau Island.

Chen Haiyang said, “Forget it. Don’t think you know the terrain just because you’ve vacationed on the outlying islands a few times. Let the special reconnaissance team handle it.”

As Jin Caifa was walking back to his sampan at the pier, he suddenly saw a familiar-looking Kun thief nearby. Looking closely, he recognized him as Shi Shisi, a former subordinate of Zhu Cailao. He was wearing a Kun-style short jacket, a belt at his waist from which hung a short sword and one of the famous “Aussie handguns.”

Shi Shisi stood on the bow of a large ship, looking full of confidence and ambition. If one didn’t know his background, no one would guess he was a “fake Kun.”

Jin Caifa had served under Zhu Cailao in the past. While Shi Shisi wasn’t a major leader, he wasn’t an unknown figure in the large gang. Of course, Jin Caifa recognized him.

Returning to their anchorage at Tung Chung, Jin Caifa reported the details of his meeting with Chen Haiyang to Zheng Bao.

“That chief looks very arrogant. He wants us to become soldiers in some Aussie Song navy…” Jin Caifa spat. “I’m not giving up my free and easy life to be under his control, to be some ghost soldier of an Aussie Song I can’t even see…”

“Did he say anything about what kind of official positions we’d get if we joined? Or about paying us military salaries?”

“Nothing! Absolutely nothing. He just wants us to hand over our registers and prepare to be reorganized.”

“Damn it, these bastards from Australia! Who do they think I am!” Zheng Bao also started cursing. “I am, at the very least, the Marquis of Righteous Allegiance and the General of the Peaceful Seas of the Great Le Dynasty!”

“And I’m a Vice General!” Jin Caifa remembered his own official title—he even had a large wooden seal, and although he couldn’t read the characters on it, he had stamped it on paper again and again.

Zheng Bao’s pirate band had been to Jiangping, where they accepted the pacification of the Northern Court of Vietnam and became, in name, the Le Dynasty’s navy. For this, the puppet emperor of the Later Le Dynasty had bestowed upon them various official titles and peerages, along with, of course, large carved wooden seals and many documents.

Chinese pirates like Zheng Bao accepted the so-called pacification from the Later Le Dynasty not merely for these empty titles, but to gain a degree of protection and a place to sell their stolen goods. The Northern Court, in turn, was very interested in profiting from pirate activities.

But the empty titles held a great attraction for the pirates. Originally, they were among the lowest-status people on the Chinese coast, subject to the exploitation and bullying of officials and gentry. Now, they had suddenly become “officials” of a small court and held peerages they could never have dreamed of in China—even if it was just on paper. They had gained prestige and status in a foreign land through piracy. This attraction was no less powerful than the lure of wealth.

Zheng Bao had originally hoped for a more generous offer from the Aussies. Instead, he was met with a cold reception and conditions that were tantamount to a demand for surrender. Listening to Jin Caifa’s grumbling, Zheng Bao’s temper flared.

Zheng Bao summoned the few confidants who had accompanied Jin Caifa to get more details about their visit to the island. Then he ordered, “Have Advisor Wang come here.”

This “Advisor Wang” was Wang You, the former chief steward of Zhu Cailao’s main camp. During the chaos of the great defeat at Nanri Island, he had managed to escape on a small boat, barely saving his life, and had sought refuge with Zheng Bao.

Zheng Bao had previously been a local tyrant on the coast, half-civilian, half-bandit. After Zhu Cailao’s defeat, a dozen of Zhu’s large ships came to join him, and he gathered many of the remnants of Zhu’s forces, suddenly expanding his influence. Zheng Bao then simply raised his own flag and went into the business of piracy.

His brand of piracy was different from that of Liu Laoxiang, Zhu Cailao, and Zheng Zhilong. Those great pirates were also sea merchants, and their fierce battles at sea were primarily to seize monopolies on overseas trade. Zheng Bao, on the other hand, had the sole purpose of plunder and profit. He was a true “sea bandit.”

Zheng Bao had initially hoped to use Wang You’s reputation as the former chief steward to attract Zhu Cailao’s old subordinates. However, his efforts to recruit the remnants of Zhu’s forces were not very successful. Zheng Bao faced competition from two major powers: Zheng Zhilong’s great gang and the Lingao group.

Zheng Zhilong’s power was at its zenith, and the Aussies in Lingao had a solid base. Both were more attractive than Zheng Bao. Most of the treasure from Zhu Cailao’s main camp had been taken by Zhu Ting and had since disappeared. Zheng Bao had only the empty title of “chief steward” to his name. As a newly emerged gang, Zheng Bao naturally didn’t have much wealth to offer. Without money, ships, and men, even sworn brothers could turn on each other at a moment’s notice. Wang You’s name alone couldn’t attract many people.

Although he managed to gather a scattered collection of men and small boats, he ultimately failed to recruit any large ships.