Chapter 186: Advancing with Triumphant Song

“We can smelt another furnace of good steel,” Chen Haiyang joked, looking at Dai Xie from the Planning Commission’s action team, who was greedily recording numbers in his logbook.

“Not one furnace, but several. Just melting down these cannons and iron shot will yield so much pig iron.” As the director of the Planning Commission’s Investigation and Statistics Department, Dai Xie rarely went to the front lines himself. His personal leadership of the “house-raiding team”—the Special Search Action Team—to the Pearl River Delta showed the high hopes Wu De had for seizing a large amount of supplies from the region. And indeed, the Planning Commission’s harvest was bountiful. The cannons captured after taking several forts were a particular prize—even the swivel guns could yield two to three hundred kilograms of molten iron, not to mention the Hongyi cannons, which weighed thousands of catties each.

The cannons dismantled by the marines were piled up like a small mountain on the beach, including 12 precious bronze cannons. However, there were no ships to transport them yet; they would have to wait for the follow-up supply convoy.

The Great Whale, puffing black smoke, was hard at work. Its steam winch pulled out the wooden stakes driven into the riverbed one by one. The stakes had been simply hammered in by laborers, not by mechanized pile drivers, so they were only just stable in the river channel. A gentle pull from the steam winch was enough to extract them, without even needing the crane or the specially prepared steel cables.

The Planning Commission, known for its thrift, didn’t let the hundreds of stakes go to waste. A few sailors who had worked as log rafters tied the stakes into rafts, ready to be towed back to Humen by ship.

After clearing the underwater obstacles, scouts discovered a line of ships moored broadside across the river a few kilometers from Wuyong, filled with sand and stones. This was clearly another water obstacle. Chen Haiyang thought it was fortunate the Ming army hadn’t sunk the ships. While they posed no threat to the current wooden vessels, they would have severely impacted the navigation channel for future ten-thousand-ton ships.

However, according to the survey ship’s measurements, the government forces had indeed sunk several ships in the channel. Although tides, currents, and problems with the scuttling operation had left the blockade line broken and incomplete, it had still reduced the water depth in some areas to only 1-2 meters. The survey ship placed buoys in all areas with a risk of grounding.

The Great Whale began to dismantle the blockades in sections that might affect normal navigation. A few steam launches towed the sand-and-stone-filled boats to the shore, using the prisoners captured at Wuyong as labor. Chen Haiyang ordered a short rest to clean the cannons and prepare to continue upstream. At the same time, he sent out marines to post notices in nearby villages to collect the “reasonable burden.”

No village had the will to resist them anymore. Even before the marines arrived, the elders and wealthy households of the nearby villages sent representatives with gifts and “rewards,” expressing their willingness to accept all of the Australians’ conditions. The local villagers also came in small boats to sell vegetables, fruits, meat, and wine. There was even a conflict with the civilian boats that had been following the fleet, hoping to do business.

A large number of small boats quickly gathered around Wuyong, forming a temporary but bustling water market. Eventually, even prostitute boats arrived. Of course, they couldn’t do business with the task force, but they still earned a good deal of money from the sailors and merchants on the other civilian boats.

Seeing the growing number of civilian boats, Chen Haiyang, fearing that waterborne militia might mingle among them to launch a surprise attack, ordered all civilian boats to anchor in the Wuyong estuary area, forbidden from entering the fleet’s anchorage. A distance of 100 meters had to be maintained between them to prevent surprise attacks with fire ships.

So many small boats came to sell goods that Chen Haiyang found that as long as his fleet had money to pay, he didn’t need a dedicated supply convoy to transport food. Rice, poultry, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and even oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and wine could be purchased from the small boats at reasonable prices.

Chen Haiyang ordered the purchase of a large quantity of citrus fruits for the soldiers to supplement their vitamins. He also ordered that as long as there were no hygiene concerns, food could be bought directly from the vendors on the small boats if the price was right.

He was quite surprised to see the common people so readily doing business with the “rebels” who had sent the “government army” fleeing. Although this phenomenon was beneficial to the Fubo Army, the people’s willing and eager role as “Ming traitors” made him feel uncomfortable.

While he was feeling uneasy, another “delegation” arrived. This time, it was the shipowners and merchants whose vessels were docked at Huangpu port. Due to the war, their ships and goods were stranded in the port, afraid to set sail. Now, hearing that the Kun thieves had captured Wuyong, the entire Huangpu port was like a naked woman tied to a bed, available to the Kun thieves whenever and however many times they pleased. The owners of the more than two thousand large and small vessels and their cargo were scared out of their wits. The sailors and helmsmen had already fled, and even the officials and runners of the Huangpu river patrol office had disappeared.

The cargo and ship owners had no choice but to select a ten-person delegation to go to Wuyong and beg the Australians for “mercy.” They were willing to pay a “ransom” of fifty thousand taels of silver in exchange for a promise that the Kun thieves would not confiscate their goods or burn their ships.

“We beseech Your Excellency to grant our request!” the leading merchant kowtowed heavily on the ground, and the others followed suit, their foreheads thudding against the cabin floor.

Wen Desi, with an air of authority, raised his hand. The feeling of being the master was not bad at all. “Rise. No need to kowtow.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency.” The leading merchant bowed again before carefully standing up, his head bowed, awaiting instructions.

“Your name is… hmm…”

“This humble one is Qin Haicheng,” the leading merchant said cautiously.

“Are you a foreign trader?”

Qin Haicheng tensed up, hesitating for a moment before replying, “Yes, this humble one is a foreign trader.”

“Where do you trade?”

“To answer Your Excellency, the Luzon islands…”

“You must have made a lot of money.”

Qin Haicheng trembled and dared not answer, afraid that a wrong word would lead to severe extortion.

Wen Desi, perhaps realizing the inappropriateness of his words, quickly changed his tone.

“We don’t need the silver,” Wen Desi said grandly. “But I have other requests.”

“Yes, please instruct us, Your Excellency!” Hearing that they didn’t want silver, Qin Haicheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew the “request” would not be cheap, perhaps even more demanding than fifty thousand taels of silver.

The first request was a “harmonious purchase.” They would send personnel to inspect the goods on each merchant ship. Any goods needed by Lingao would be “harmoniously purchased.” The purchase price would be the wholesale price of the goods in Guangzhou plus 10% for shipping and gross profit.

Any ship whose cargo was “harmoniously purchased” had to sail to Hong Kong, where they would be formed into a convoy and escorted by gunboats to Lingao for unloading. Due to the disruption of foreign trade, Lingao was now in great need of many goods. With over 2,000 ships docked in Huangpu, many of them merchant vessels with a wide variety of cargo, a one-time “harmonious purchase” could secure a large amount of supplies. Of course, this purchase had a predatory nature—the price was much cheaper than the normal Lingao-Guangzhou trade price. However, it still left some profit for the shipowners and cargo owners, preventing them from suffering a total loss.

Although the condition was harsh, it was tolerable. Qin Haicheng secretly sighed in relief. He wasn’t worried about the Australians not paying; their reputation as merchants was still very good in Guangdong.

The second request sounded less like a demand and more like a suggestion. He spoke of the superior geographical location of Hong Kong Island, now under Song-Australian control, and the completeness of its port services. He hoped everyone would frequently dock, load, and sell goods on Hong Kong Island. As for the goods that needed to be transshipped, they could be easily handled by river boats.

Though spoken politely, these words carried an element of coercion. According to the plans of the Central Government Council, the Planning Commission, and the General Staff, although the main force of the task force would return to Lingao after the Guangzhou campaign, control of the Pearl River waterway would not be relinquished. In the future, a fleet of light patrol boats based in Hong Kong would constantly patrol the Pearl River estuary and its waterways, forcing merchant ships entering and leaving the Pearl River to trade in Hong Kong. This would eventually make Hong Kong the main outer port of Guangzhou and the gateway for South China’s foreign and coastal trade.

“Yes, yes, this humble one understands.” Qin Haicheng was a little surprised why they valued Hong Kong Island so much. He knew of it as a desolate island. Although it was of considerable size and had a good anchorage, merchant ships generally dared not go there, as it was a major haunt for pirates. Were the Australians planning to turn Hong Kong into another Macau?

“It’s good that you understand,” Wen Desi smiled. “But your words and actions must be consistent. Do not feign compliance.”

“This humble one would not dare!” Qin Haicheng was so frightened he nearly knelt again. “This humble one will definitely have my ships dock and trade in Hong Kong!” The others also vehemently expressed their intention to trade in Hong Kong.

“Alright, you may go. The river and the sea are now safe. You may trade wherever you wish. As long as you do not commit hostile acts, my navy will not obstruct or attack civilian vessels.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency.” Qin Haicheng was greatly surprised to be let off by the Kun thieves without paying a single coin. But the thought that some “slaughtering knife” might be waiting for them in Hong Kong sent a chill down his spine. However, the Pearl River was now the Australians’ territory. A single act of defiance would mean the loss of both ship and cargo, and perhaps even his life. It seemed that if he wanted to continue in maritime trade, he would have to obediently go to Hong Kong and pay tribute. He estimated that the Australians’ price would be at most similar to Liu Xiang’s.

Wen Desi smiled. “However, it would be best for your merchant ships to avoid Huangpu port in the future, lest you get caught up in any fires or cannonades.”

“We wouldn’t dare, we wouldn’t dare! This humble one will never dare to come to Huangpu port again! We will definitely trade exclusively on Hong Kong Island.”

Afterward, Chen Haiyang ordered a company of marines and two squadrons of gunboats to accompany the representatives to Huangpu. Dai Xie, with his native clerks from the Planning Commission, conducted the “harmonious purchase.” Every shipowner and cargo owner had to submit a cargo manifest for review. Anyone who refused to provide one or was found to have altered it would have their ship and cargo confiscated.

Qin Haicheng announced the policy to the ship and cargo owners gathered on the shore. Everyone was relieved to hear they didn’t have to pay. Although the “harmonious purchase” meant less profit, the overall loss was limited. As for trading in Hong Kong, after some discussion, they concluded it was just a imitation of Zheng Zhilong’s old trick. Before his surrender, Zheng Zhilong had repeatedly attacked Yuegang, burning ships and razing the streets, to force all coastal merchant ships in Fujian to go to Zhongzuosuo, which he controlled. The Australians were trying to do the same to make money.

The merchants, of course, had no choice but to accept the terms. They knew the Australians were being merciful; they could have taken the fifty thousand taels, or even extorted a hundred thousand, and then made these two demands, and they would still have had to accept.

The marines landed and destroyed the port facilities and the river patrol office at Huangpu, setting the office on fire.

The task force continued upstream the next day, effortlessly defeating the defenses at the Pazhou and Qinzhou forts. The garrisons at both forts fled after firing a hasty volley, and the gunboats didn’t even have time to return fire.

The subsequent battles could hardly be called battles. The morale of the Ming army was at rock bottom. Neither the waterborne militia nor the navy had any will to attack. They were unwilling to even put up a fight while defending the forts. Since the enemy could hit them but they couldn’t hit the enemy, what was the point of defending such forts?

Only at Lide and Ershawei did the task force encounter some minor trouble—not from the forts, but from the river channel, which was completely blocked. The Great Whale had to spend two to three hours at each location clearing the obstacles. During this time, the forts at both Lide and Ershawei only fired a few token shots and made no attempt to stop the Fubo Army from clearing the river. Once the gunboats opened fire, the battle was over.

Now, the task force had advanced to within three or four kilometers of Bai’e Tan. Apart from a few hastily built sandbag forts, there was nothing left to stop the Australians from entering Bai’e Tan. This terrifying prospect threw Guangzhou into chaos. The flower boats on Bai’e Tan scattered overnight, fleeing up the West River. Large numbers of gentry and wealthy households fled the city with their families. Shops closed, and the common people, unable to flee, locked their doors and hid. Many lawless elements in the city’s outskirts raised the Australian flag, with titles like: “Vanguard of the Great Song’s Conquest of the Ming,” “Marquis Dingyuan of Australia,” “Guangdong Guerrilla General of Great Australia,” “Grand Marshal of the Frontline Army of the Great Kun Kingdom,” “Vanguard of the Left Route of Australia,” “Grand Vanguard Marshal of Guangdong of the Australian Song”… and so on, popping up everywhere. Some, knowing the Australians used red and blue-and-white flags, flew various similar-colored flags throughout the Guangzhou countryside. These bandit gangs either robbed and plundered or extorted money, causing widespread panic.

The task force advanced slowly, clearing out bandits and deserters along the way. The villages and towns no longer dared to resist them, but the proliferation of bandits and deserters flying the “Australian” flag seriously damaged the reputation of the Fubo Army. The task force therefore carried out large-scale search and seizure operations along the way. After eliminating a dozen or so gangs of self-proclaimed Australian troops and executing several notorious bandit leaders, this trend was largely brought to an end in the Henan Island area.

Under pressure from Li Fengjie, Xu Tingfa was forced to launch a final major counterattack against the Kun thieves on the Pearl River. Everyone, from Li Fengjie down to the common waterborne militiaman, knew this was the last chance for the government forces to repel the Kun thieves. Xu Tingfa resorted to the Ming navy’s ultimate weapon: fire ships.

Since the first arrival of the Portuguese, the most effective tactic the Ming navy had against the technologically superior European naval forces in terms of ships and cannons was the use of fire ships. A large number of fire ships, under the cover of naval warships, would be piloted by sailors tempted by heavy rewards to ram enemy ships. In narrow seas and harbors, the smaller number of large, clumsy European ships, lacking the protection of light vessels, were often severely damaged by this tactic. It had been a tried-and-true method against European ships since the mid-Ming dynasty.

At their wits’ end, Xu Tingfa and his generals remembered this tactic. Compared to the open waters of the Pearl River estuary, a fire attack in the inner rivers of Guangzhou seemed more likely to succeed. The inner river channels were narrow, the Kun thieves’ warships were concentrated and had difficulty maneuvering to evade, and the numerous coves and bays provided cover for the fire ships to launch surprise attacks.

Xu Tingfa and his generals discussed it and agreed that this method was feasible. The only problem was that a fire attack required a large number of vessels, and the navy itself was short on ships. So, this matter, as usual, had to be resolved by the governor.

At this point, Li Fengjie was willing to do anything as long as the Kun thieves did not enter Bai’e Tan. He immediately issued an order for the Guangzhou prefect and the magistrates of Nanhai and Panyu counties to commandeer ships of all sizes from the West and North Rivers and send them to Bai’e Tan for use. For a time, fishing boats, cargo boats, and even the flower boats that had just fled from Bai’e Tan were all commandeered. The officials and naval officers in charge inevitably engaged in corruption, using the pretext of war to seize boats everywhere. Shipowners with money and connections quickly paid bribes to get their vessels back, while the poor could only watch in despair as their livelihoods were piled with firewood, doused with oil, and prepared to be set ablaze, their cries and pleas falling on deaf ears.

In two days, the navy had assembled over fifty fire ships of various kinds at Bai’e Tan and on the West River, along with over a hundred fire rafts designed to float with the current. These ships and rafts were all loaded with fuel, and large iron spikes were fixed to their bows. Xu Tingfa recruited volunteers from among the waterborne militia, fishermen, and naval soldiers who were good swimmers. He promised each man ten taels of silver upfront for their families, another twenty for those who returned alive, and ten taels in compensation for those who died. The generous terms immediately attracted over three hundred volunteers, ready to pilot the ships to ram the Kun thieves’ vessels.