Taiheiki

Chapter 230 Dock 1
Few able-bodied men were working; most were women, the elderly, and children. The majority of able-bodied men were either on guard duty on the city walls or resting to prepare for the fierce battle to come. Although it was night, things were not peaceful outside the city. The bandits had enough troops to harass the city in shifts, and bursts of drums and battle cries could be heard from time to time. No one knew whether real daggers were hidden beneath these bluffing shouts.

"General! An envoy from Xiangyang has arrived!"

"Oh? Bring him in quickly!" Zhang Wen looked up, his eyes bloodshot. He wiped his face to shake off the sleepiness. A moment later, the messenger was brought in, looking exhausted, his hair and clothes soaking wet, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

"General Zhang!" He curtsied and took out a bamboo tube from his bosom. Zhang Wen took the tube from the guard, checked that the wax seal was intact, then broke it open and took out a silk scroll. After unfolding and reading it, his expression changed slightly: "Does General Feng have any other message?"

"no!"

"Yes, go down and bring wine and food!"

"Here!"

After the messenger left, Zhang Wen's face darkened. Feng Kun's letter was simple: it informed him that the Han army in Xiangyang was unable to cross the Han River to support him, and advised him to withdraw from Fancheng to avoid total destruction if the city fell. At the end of the letter, Feng Kun suggested that after withdrawing from Fancheng, Zhang Wen should retreat towards Nanyang Commandery, while he himself would lead troops to follow the rebels and seek an opportunity to engage them.

Although Feng Kun did not directly state his strategy in the letter, it was clear that he did not intend to fight to the death to prevent the Moth Rebels from entering the Nanyang Basin. This might be militarily wise, but politically it would undoubtedly be devastating. He thought for a moment, carefully put away the silk scroll, and said in a deep voice, "Summon all the generals immediately; there is an important matter to discuss!"

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"A messenger has arrived from Feng, the cavalry commander of Xiangyang, ordering us to break out of the city!"

"So you don't want Fancheng anymore? Why didn't you say so earlier? Waiting until the bandits have surrounded the city on all sides is just asking for trouble."

"If Fancheng falls, the bandits can advance all the way to Wancheng along the Han and Dan rivers. Can you really just stand by and watch, General Feng?"

"Feng Chariot and Cavalry commanded an army of 100,000, yet he sat idly by and watched the enemy advance without engaging in battle. This is a capital offense!"

The room erupted in uproar. The officers were all furious. Feng Kun's implication for letting them break out was that no troops would be sent to rescue Fancheng, and they should find their own way to survive! But the problem was that the bandits outside the city had already surrounded Fancheng on all sides. If they wanted to break out, at least half of them would have to be killed. Naturally, they were both shocked and angry.

"Alright! What's done is done, there's no point in saying more!" Zhang Wen stopped the generals' complaints, took out a silk scroll from his sleeve, and handed it to the officer next to him: "This is Feng Chariot Cavalry's silk scroll. He has other plans. You should all take a look!"

Hearing this, everyone knew there was more to the story, and they all took the silk scroll and read it. Zhang Wen said, "Now that you've all read it, you should understand Feng Cheqi's predicament. Now is not the time to argue. Go back to your camps and prepare! It's too late tonight; we'll break out tomorrow night!"

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Jiangling.

Two years ago, Wei Cong led a mere eight hundred men aboard a ship and sailed downstream to Jingnan to relieve the siege of Baqiu. Looking back now, it seems like a thousand years ago. And now, as he returns to Jiangling by ship and becomes the master of this city, surrounded by an army of ten thousand, it truly feels like a lifetime ago.

The long oars rose and fell. Wei Cong and Lu Ping sat at the bow, while Ali lay beside its mistress, its long tail swishing incessantly, protruding from the swaying wooden boat, making it somewhat uneasy. Huang Ping carefully maintained a distance from the large cat. Although he knew it wouldn't attack unprovoked, those who had witnessed its hunting knew the power of its claws and teeth.

"Look, once you get past this tower, this area is the shipyard. The Jiangling naval fleet is stationed here!" Kuai An explained eagerly.

Wei Cong looked up. The building before him was less a tower and more a small castle. The water rushed against the massive stone base, and the deep black loopholes on it sent chills down his spine, concealing deadly crossbows behind them. They made a sharp turn at the foot of the tower, crossing the raging river directly into a narrow waterway. The oarsmen rowed with all their might, and the enormous arch of the sluice gate came into view. He heard the winch turn, and the huge iron gate slowly rose. Wei Cong could see the warships and docks lined up neatly behind them.

It's difficult to determine whether Jiangling City or the shipyard was built earlier, but one thing is certain: when the Chu people moved their capital from the mountainous region of the Han and Dan River basins in northern Hubei to Jiangling in the Jianghan Plain, their naval forces became a crucial component of their military strength. Especially during the pre-Qin period, before the Yunmeng and Pengli lakes were silted up and became as small as they are today, these two vast inland lakes were more like inland seas than lakes, submerging much of today's Jianghan Plain. Without a naval force, the Chu people couldn't even leave their own territory. In fact, during the Spring and Autumn Period, while the Chu people were driving chariots north from Fangcheng, entering the Central Plains through Wanye to contend with the Jin people for supremacy, they were also using their naval forces to sail down the Yangtze River, engaging in another war with the Wu and Yue peoples residing in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze. At least at that time, the Chu people had already constructed massive fortified shipyards near their capital, preparing for this centuries-long naval war.

"Lord Wei, look, this is the shipyard!" Kuai An pointed to the building not far ahead and said, "The underwater parts of ships that have been in the water for a long time will rot. Here we can tow the ships ashore, clean the underwater parts, fill in the rotten parts, and re-coat them with tung oil, and they will be as good as new and can be used for many years!"

"Hmm!" Wei Cong nodded. Everywhere he looked, there were all sorts of buildings. Compared to the shipyard he built in Panyu, Panyu might have some new technologies and equipment, but in terms of scale and shipbuilding technology, this place was probably far superior. After all, Lingnan was still a wild and undeveloped land back then!
"How big of a ship can be built here?" Wei Cong asked.

"Forty paces is no problem!" Kuai An had clearly done his homework beforehand, answering decisively. "Forty paces? That's sixty meters!" Wei Cong thought to himself, "That's almost the limit for wooden warships, isn't it? Hmm, if we give the shipwrights here some new tools and technologies, building galleons and clipper ships shouldn't be too much of a problem! With these things, colonizing the whole world might be a bit of an exaggeration, but taking over Southeast Asia and Australia would definitely be no problem!"

"Lord Wei?" Seeing that Wei Cong did not respond, Kuai An felt uneasy. Had he said something wrong and unintentionally offended this important figure? Lu Ping, who was beside him, saw his thoughts and said softly, "Mr. Kuai, there is no need to worry. The young master is just thinking about his own things. That's just how he is. Once he thinks about something, he forgets everything else. We will just wait here!"

"I see!" Kuai An breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at Lu Ping, thinking to himself that Marquis Wei hadn't yet taken a principal wife, but this female Taoist was always by his side, clearly favored by Marquis Wei. If he wanted to rise through the ranks under Marquis Wei, he would first have to serve his wife well. With that thought, he smiled obsequiously at Lu Ping, "Thank you, Taoist priest. I am Kuai An. If I have spoken inappropriately, please point it out!"

Just as Kuai An was doing everything he could to please Lu Ping, Wei Cong had already surveyed the entire fleet's encampment and decided to check on the craftsmen's situation. Based on his past experience, it was more effective to provide tangible benefits to the workers than to waste time on new systems and inventions. For example, an extra month's salary, improved canteen food, a new shower facility, or air conditioning in the dormitories would be far more efficient. Ultimately, work needs to be done; even the best system or invention is useless if the workers aren't comfortable.

"Brother Kuai, how many craftsmen are there in total?"

“There are more than 1,700 craftsmen of all kinds!” Kuai An hurriedly replied.

"Okay!" Wei Cong nodded. "Then let's gather everyone together first! I have something to say to them!"

"Yes, yes!" Kuai An replied repeatedly, "Your subordinate will go and prepare immediately!"

Kuai An acted swiftly; within the time it takes to eat a meal, most of the craftsmen had gathered in an open space. These ragged men watched anxiously as Wei Cong and his entourage disembarked from the ship. The ornate attire of the guards clearly indicated the arrival of important figures. But wouldn't important figures clear the area to avoid them, these poor men, getting in the way? Why had they been summoned in the first place?
Wei Cong looked around and found a half-built wooden boat nearby, offering the best vantage point. He walked over and climbed aboard. From this vantage point, he could see more clearly. Like most laborers at the time, these craftsmen were thin and haggard, many still children or elderly with gray hair. Many had unhealthy, pale skin on their lower bodies, a result of prolonged work in water. Wei Cong beckoned to Meng Gaogong: "Gaogong, have someone take ten thousand coins and have them prepare extra rice balls, three measures of millet per person, and send them here!"

Meng Gaogong responded and turned to leave. Wei Cong cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and announced loudly, "Gentlemen, I am Wei Cong, the Governor of Jiaozhou, Protector of the Baiyue, and General of the Strong Crossbows. The imperial court has ordered me to lead troops to suppress the E'zhai. From now on, Jiangling is under my command!"

Most of the craftsmen didn't fully understand the meaning of Wei Cong's words, but one thing they were certain of was that the person speaking on the ship was an important figure. So, following their long-standing instincts, they all knelt down and began to kowtow. This left Wei Cong both amused and exasperated.

"Stop kowtowing!" Wei Cong shouted. "Get up, everyone! I'm here today to talk to you about a few things. It's past noon now, and you must all be hungry. I've already sent someone to prepare rice balls, which will be delivered soon. Everyone will get one. Eat while you listen to me, okay?"

Although they still didn't quite understand the important person's intentions, the hungry craftsmen understood. Hearing that there were free rice balls to eat, the craftsmen below cheered, and some even knelt down to kowtow and express their gratitude. Some saw smoke rising from the kitchen not far away, confirming that Wei Cong was not lying and was indeed cooking rice balls, which reassured the craftsmen even more.

"Before I went to Jiaozhou, I served as a clerk in the bandit bureau under Prefect Han of Jiangling, so I can be considered half a Jiangling native!" Wei Cong said loudly. "Jiangling is a wonderful place. It connects to Bashu in the north and Wuyue in the south. To the southwest are Changsha and Lingling. After crossing the Lingqu Canal, there is Shian and Wuzhou, and finally Panyu and the South China Sea. In terms of convenient waterways, no place in the world can compare. And this is where ships are built. You can say that you are the greatest contributors to Jiangling!" With that, Wei Cong bowed deeply to the craftsmen.

Wei Cong's abrupt action terrified the craftsmen. Many of them hurriedly knelt in return, while the rest looked around in bewilderment, unsure of what to do. Those around Wei Cong were equally surprised. Just then, Wei Cong continued, "However, what I have seen with my own eyes today is that you are poorly clothed, emaciated, and many are either children or elderly, living in extreme poverty. This is not how you treat meritorious officials. I don't care how I was treated before I came to Jiangling, but I cannot tolerate this! Bring the person in charge here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two middle-aged men were pushed out. Judging from their stunned expressions, they had never expected Wei Cong to pull such a move, and they even forgot to kneel down and beg for mercy.

"I ask you, how many meals do the craftsmen eat a day? Do they have breaks in between? How much are they paid? Where do they bathe and relieve themselves? Do they receive clothing in winter and summer? How are their children cared for?"

Faced with Wei Cong's barrage of questions, the two shipyard managers were completely at a loss for words. While the first few questions were manageable, the later inquiries about bathing and toileting, winter and summer clothing, and childcare were beyond their comprehension. If it weren't for Wei Cong's status and position, they probably would have roared, "Do you think you're some nobleman's son?! This is a place for you to work and build ships! Take it or leave it!"

Of course, all of this only existed in their imaginations. In reality, given the vast difference in their status and identity, even if Wei Cong were to behead them, let alone merely question them, they would have no choice but to kneel down and express their gratitude. Otherwise, it wouldn't just be one of them dying. However, since they couldn't answer anyway, it was actually more convenient. All they had to do was kneel down, kowtow repeatedly, and beg for forgiveness.

"Get up, stop kowtowing!" Wei Cong knew that what he had just said was too demanding, but he wanted to set an example first so that things would be easier to handle later.

“I know there are many things to do, and it can’t be accomplished in a day or two. Let’s take it one step at a time!” Wei Cong said in a deep voice. “First of all, we need to build toilets, with one pit for every fifty people. The latrine pits need to be cleaned regularly, as they can be used as fertilizer. In addition, they are also beneficial for preventing and controlling epidemics. Otherwise, if an epidemic breaks out, a lot of people will die here!”

"Yes, yes, we'll send people to prepare immediately!" the two stewards hurriedly replied. Although they didn't know what direct relationship there was between defecating and urinating and the epidemic, they understood the principle that their superiors' orders had to be carried out resolutely; otherwise, they wouldn't have been in their positions as stewards.

"The second is drinking water!" Wei Cong said.

(End of this chapter)