Chapter 163: Biezimen

The Haitian stayed in Kaohsiung for three days. They did not encounter the expected native guides. Li Ziping, due to limited time, did not stay any longer and weighed anchor to continue north.

After a day’s voyage, they anchored for the night at Haitan Island, Fujian, 68 nautical miles north of the main island of Taiwan. Haitan Island is the fifth largest island in China, with a maximum length of about 27 kilometers from north to south and a maximum width of about 18 kilometers from east to west, covering an area of 309 square kilometers.

According to the information provided by the Grand Library, Haitan Island had been developed since the Song Dynasty. What was even more surprising was that a horse pasturage had been established here during the Song Dynasty, specifically for grazing horses. This showed that the local soil and climate were suitable for horses to live and breed.

During the Ming Dynasty, Haitan Island already had a population of forty to fifty thousand, which was larger than Nan’ao Island, which they had passed. The Haitian spent two days here for investigation. As in Nan’ao Island, as soon as they landed, the soldiers and civilians on the island were on high alert, but no one tried to expel or eliminate them. They were allowed to roam the island.

On June 2nd, the Haitian entered Hangzhou Bay and anchored near Haining. At dawn the next day, Li Ziping commanded the Haitian to approach Biezimen, preparing to enter the Qiantang River. According to the plan, the navy required the Haitian to survey the channel in the Qiantang River so that naval vessels could directly enter the Qiantang River when needed.

The main channel of the Qiantang River estuary had undergone several changes in history. The biggest change occurred during the Ming and Qing dynasties, known as the “Three Gates Change.”

Historically, between Kanshan in Xiaoshan on the south bank and Haining on the north bank, there were successively three channels to the sea, known as the “Three Gates.” The channel between Kanshan and Zheshan was about 6.2 kilometers wide and was called the South Great Gate. The two mountains faced each other like a gate, and in ancient times it was called Haimen (Sea Gate). Beside Kanshan, there was a small mountain shaped like a turtle, located in the middle of Haimen, so it was also called Biezimen (Turtle Gate). The channel between Zheshan and Hezhuangshan was about 1.7 kilometers wide and was called the Middle Small Gate. The channel between Hezhuangshan and the Haining seawall on the north bank was about 10.5 kilometers wide and was called the North Great Gate. The main channel changed through three periods: first through the South Great Gate, then the Middle Small Gate, and finally the North Great Gate. When the Haitian arrived here, the main channel was passing through the South Great Gate.

The terrain of Biezimen was perilous, a dangerous place where a river was squeezed between mountains. In the Ming Dynasty, it was the first gateway to Hangzhou to defend against the Wokou (Japanese pirates). Controlling Biezimen could prevent sea invaders from entering the Hangzhou-Jiaxing-Huzhou area. During the Jiajing period, Zhejiang established six garrisons to defend against the Wokou, and the Haimen Garrison was responsible for the defense here.

Li Ziping did not know how many defensive facilities there were in the Biezimen area. He was not worried about the firepower of the Ming army, but he was worried about not knowing the local channel conditions. If the Haitian, with its limited firepower and insufficient manpower, ran aground on the river, it would become fish on a chopping block.

Therefore, Li Ziping was very careful. When approaching Biezimen, the entire ship was on alert. At the same time, all the rowing boats and small motorboats on the ship were lowered. The rowing boats were in front to measure the water depth and lead the way, while the small motorboats patrolled around to cover the ship’s navigation. He carefully ordered the boiler pressure to be maintained—the water flow at the mouth of the river and sea was unpredictable, the hydrographic data was insufficient, and without enough maneuverability, it was easy to run aground and hit a reef.

According to reconnaissance and collected intelligence, there were Ming troops at Biezimen, as well as forts and batteries. The sudden appearance of the Haitian triggered a full-scale alarm in the surrounding area. But as with the situation along the way, no Ming navy ships came out to try to expel them. It was clear that the Ming army was wary of a typical European-style ship like the Haitian. They knew from their years of dealing with these European pirate merchants that these ships had superior firepower to their long-neglected navy ships. Therefore, they adhered to the policy of responding to all changes by not changing, holding fast to their forts and never venturing out.

Qian Shuixie led a small team to conduct a probing landing. After advancing about two kilometers inland, the several coastal villages were already deserted.

“They run fast,” Qian Shuixie was greatly disappointed. He had originally hoped to catch a few people and collect “reasonable burdens,” but there was no one in the village. It was clear that they had left in a hurry, not even taking their pigs, chickens, and ducks.

Liu Zheng said, “Why don’t we catch all the chickens…” After being at sea for a long time, they had been eating field rations. Apart from occasionally encountering some fishermen selling them vegetables and eggs, they had not had fresh meat for a long time. A few fresh and delicious free-range chickens would surely be delicious.

“Then we’d be like the Japanese devils,” Qian Shuixie shook his head—this was a violation of discipline. There were policies and procedures for collecting reasonable burdens. Now, if they took things privately, it would be theft, and the nature of the crime would be quite serious.

The small team continued to advance for another kilometer. There was a faint sound of a crowd of people ahead. Qian Shuixie ordered a halt and sent someone to scout. Soon, the scout returned and reported that more than a thousand armed men, probably local government troops and local militia, had gathered less than a kilometer ahead. It was unknown whether they were preparing to defend to the death or intended to rush over and annihilate them.

Qian Shuixie decided to retreat. Their mission was to probe the local defenses, not to occupy Haining with twenty men. He ordered the entire team to turn back and retreat to the rowing boats by the sea.

But at this moment, there was a sudden burst of urgent gongs and drums, followed by the roar of thousands of people. Qian Shuixie knew that the enemy was clearly preparing to pursue them.

It was unwise to race them now. It was still about 3 kilometers to the coast, and even if they ran at full speed, it would take more than ten minutes. The survey team members were also carrying heavy surveying equipment, and if they ran like that, they would definitely lose their weapons and equipment.

He looked at the surrounding terrain. On the outside of the bend in the road, there was a small hill, at most five or six meters high, with dense woods. At the foot of the hill, there was a river with a lot of grass and trees, which was convenient for concealment and retreat.

By setting up an ambush at the bend in the road, once the enemy was attacked by fire from the side of the road, they would subconsciously flee in the same direction on the other side of the road. The ambushers could concentrate their fire and pursue them without having to shift their firing angle.

Qian Shuixie immediately discussed with Liu Zheng and decided that half a squad would escort the survey team to continue retreating, while Qian Shuixie would lead a squad to stay behind.

“Be careful not to get surrounded here,” Liu Zheng warned.

Qian Shuixie nodded. “I won’t. The view around here is very good. Their flanking movements can’t escape my notice. I’ll lead my men to fight fiercely here for a while. As soon as the enemy retreats, I’ll quickly lead my men to follow you. On the way, you call the Haitian for support.”

“Okay, take care,” Liu Zheng knew that this was not the time for nonsense and left with his men.

“Machine gun!” he shouted, and the shooter in the small team who used the modified M77B1 automatic rifle with a bipod immediately stepped forward.

“You go to the top of the hill. As soon as I open fire, you shoot,” Qian Shuixie said. “First, fire a long burst at the front of the column, then fire short bursts at the rear of the enemy column.”

“Understood, sir.”

He then assigned a soldier with the best grenade-throwing skills to be the machine gunner’s assistant and collected ten grenades from the other soldiers for him. The sniper was also assigned to the hill. Because the approaching force was a chaotic mix of local militia, the sniper had no clear priority target. Qian Shuixie ordered him to open fire freely as soon as the enemy entered effective range.

The team spread out along the bend in the road. Qian Shuixie’s intention was to daze the pursuing enemy with a fierce ambush, take the opportunity to rout them, and make them lose the ability to pursue.

The machine gunner quickly found a suitable firing position on the hill. He carefully attached the special shell casing collection bag to the ejection port—this collection bag was a genuine original part, an original accessory for the M77B1 automatic rifle. The sniper carefully attached a simple scope to his Mosin-Nagant rifle and checked the bullet in the chamber for the last time.

The “grenadier” opened the caps of all the grenades, tore off the moisture-proof oiled paper, and exposed the pull cords. He looked at the dirt road in front of him, trying to figure out his maximum throwing distance. Then he stood up and gestured to see if there were any branches or bushes that would obstruct his throw.

Wang Jiashan carried a matchlock gun and walked in a chaotic crowd with the main force.

The sun shone warmly on Wang Jiashan’s body. One of his arms and half of his shoulder were exposed through his tattered uniform coat. The color of the coat was long gone, and it hung on him in tatters, barely held together by a straw rope tied around his waist.

His calves were bare, and he wore a pair of straw sandals. If it weren’t for the tattered leather helmet on his head, the matchlock on his back, and the leather pouch for gunpowder and lead bullets in his eyes, he would be no different from a local beggar.

Wang Jiashan was a military household from the Haimen Garrison. Although the Ming Dynasty’s garrison system had long since decayed, the various garrisons still had some military household soldiers who drilled on a daily basis. Wang Jiashan was one of these “drilled soldiers.”

As a drilled soldier, he could intermittently receive some grain and pay, and he did not have to work and farm for the commanders, chiliarchs, and centurions all day long.

In front of Wang Jiashan was his neighbor, Li Shanmin. Li Shanmin was a sad-faced middle-aged man—he had seven children, from Da Min to Qi Min. Even those who could just walk were working for others, but there was never enough food to eat. Li Shanmin’s fifteen-year-old eldest son, Li Da Min, dressed in rags, carried a wooden spear and walked ahead with great interest, as if he were on an outing.

Compared to the old, weak, sick, and disabled military households, the local militia looked much neater. They were all young and strong, and their morale was also good. They were the local militia from several nearby villages and towns, led by a deputy regimental commander, and they were going with the government troops to expel the “sea bandits.”

The coast of Zhejiang was once a heavily afflicted area of Wokou rampant. After the Wokou flying the Japanese flag basically disappeared, they were replaced by “sea bandits.” However, Zhejiang no longer had any important foreign trade ports in the Ming Dynasty, so it did not produce great sea lords like Zheng Zhilong, Zhong Bin, and Liu Xiang in Fujian and Guangdong, but there were still many small-scale sea bandits. Government troops and local militia often clashed with these sea bandits who came ashore to plunder.