The Black Sails of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 120 Naval Battle on the 28th of the Twelfth Lunar Month

Lin Qian explained the direction for improving the cement mortar to the stonemason, and then returned to the dock, just in time to catch up with the guards who had been gathering information about the merchants earlier.

"Captain, I asked at the dock, and about a dozen merchants who used to come to the island have stopped coming recently."

Some vendors set up stalls on the shore, while others were nowhere to be seen, presumably at home preparing for the Lunar New Year.

Lin Qian nodded: "I understand."

After the guards withdrew, Lin Qian said to Lü Zhou, "Send a clever one to Shen'ao to inquire about Huang Hetai's reward for suppressing Li Zhong, and then call Bai Qing to the captain's cabin."

Lü Zhou: "Yes!"

Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the captain's cabin of the St. Anna.

"Come in," Lin Qian said, standing with her hands behind her back by the window.

Bai Qing walked in: "Master, you were looking for me?"

Lin Qian turned to look at her. Since Bai Qing joined Lin Qian's command, although she had experienced several dangers, she finally had a place to stay on the shore and a sufficient supply of nutrition. Her skin had become much whiter, and she looked somewhat like a woman.

"Have a seat," Lin Qian said, gesturing to the oval dining table. "Pour yourself a cup of tea."

Bai Qing picked up the teapot from the charcoal brazier, poured a cup of tea, and the captain's cabin was filled with the fragrance of Longjing tea. She wanted to pour a cup for Lin Qian as well, but Lin Qian refused.

"Are you getting used to life on the island?" Lin Qian asked casually.

Bai Qing held a teacup in his hand and smiled, "I'm used to it. Life now is something I never dared to dream of on the ship before."

Lin Qian chatted with her for a few more minutes about everyday things, then suddenly changed the subject and asked, "What are your plans for the future?"

Bai Qing was somewhat puzzled: "Naturally, we will continue to serve the captain."

Lin Qian: "With your abilities, don't you think it's a waste of your talents to just be an ordinary crew member?"

"Captain, I..."

Lin Qian reached out and interrupted Bai Qing.

"I have decided to make you the captain of the Seawolf."

Bai Qing was overjoyed and stood up, clasping his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Master!"

Including the batch of Haicang ships armed with breech-loading cannons that arrived on the fifteenth of the eleventh lunar month, Lin Qian now commands a total of ten Seawolf-class frigates.

None of the ships had a formal owner yet; they were all temporarily appointed. Bai Qing was the first ship owner to be formally appointed, which shows how important it was to him.

Lin Qian: "Once you become a ship owner, you can't remain blind anymore. From now on, when you have free time, you'll learn to read from the island's teachers, understand?"

"Yes!" Like Bai Langzai, Bai Qing did not reject reading and writing.

Lin Qian then said, "There's something I need you to do."

"Please give your instructions, Captain."

"Go back to Huangyan to find out about the Lin family and visit that crazy concubine in the Lin family."

Bai Qing asked, "Does the captain mean to silence them?"

Lin Qian shook her head: "Just visit her. Even if someone asks her questions, don't touch her. Be discreet and don't let anyone find out."

"Yes."

Lin Qian said, "Go ahead and call my third brother over."

Bai Qing should have gone out. After a while, Lei Sanxiang pushed the door open and came in, rubbing his hands together and saying, "What does the captain want with me?"

Lin Qian: "I have appointed Bai Qing as the captain of the Sea Wolf No. 1 ship, Zheng Aqi as the captain of the Sea Wolf No. 2 ship, Shi Kai as the captain of the No. 3 ship, and Mu San as the captain of the No. 4 ship."

Apart from Bai Qing, the other three were all acting captains and performed exceptionally well during the siege of the Caravelle.

Appointing these three men as ship captains was both a reward and an affirmation of their abilities.

Lei San responded and noted it down.

Lin Qian continued, "There's one more thing: I'm planning to expand our crew."

He originally had 400 crew members, and by the time the Fourth Division was established, he had already recruited 100 more.

Now, with the completion of the conversion of ten Seawolf-class frigates, the 500 personnel are already stretched thin.

Including the artillery and sailors needed for ten Seawolf-class frigates, another 300 people need to be recruited this time, bringing the total crew to 800.

During this period, the fleet would go out to sea for training every few days. When there were not enough people, ordinary islanders would often fill in. Over time, many good sailors have been trained, so selecting crew members is not a problem.

Lei Sanxiang agreed to the task.

Lin Qian said, "Taking advantage of this recruitment of crew members, we should also compile a list of crew members, which should include their age and family information."

Lei Sanxiang said with difficulty, "Captain, we're all roughnecks, what's the point of compiling a list?"

Lin Qian teased, "You've been doing literacy classes on the island for over a month now, and you're still acting like a complete idiot? How many characters does Third Brother know now?"

Lei Sanxiang scratched his head and said with a grin, "I can write my name now."

Lin Qian sighed: "Third brother, don't forget that your position as the head of the military guard is only temporary. If you can't read or write during the post-New Year's exam, you will be replaced."

Lei Sanxiang said in a deep voice, "Replacement is fine, but I still think firing cannons at sea is more satisfying."

Lin Qian smiled. Although Lei Sanxiang was uneducated and incompetent, he was straightforward and did not covet power.

Originally, the four offices on the island were only temporary organizations. Having the sworn brothers temporarily serve as the heads of the offices was a waste of their talents. Since Lei Sanxiang didn't like the position, it would be less awkward to change people when the time came, so there was nothing wrong with it.

Lin Qian said, "No matter what, before the head of the Military Guard is replaced, you have to do your job well. If there are no literate people among the clerks of the Military Guard, go to the island to find them. We can always find a way."

"Okay," Lei San replied.

Shortly after Lei Sanxiang left the captain's cabin, Lü Zhou knocked on the door and came in.

"Captain, the brothers who went to Shen'ao are back."

Lin Qian was reading the latest issue of the official gazette when she heard this. Without even looking up, she asked, "Hasn't the imperial court's reward been issued yet?"

Lu Zhou was taken aback and said, "No."

"Because of the political turmoil?"

Lu Zhou stared wide-eyed, not understanding how the captain, who had clearly not gone to Shen'ao Port, could act as if he had personally heard the news. He sincerely praised, "The captain is incredibly insightful. That's exactly what Commander Huang said."

"I understand," Lin Qian said calmly.

With a sense of awe, Lü Zhou left the captain's cabin and quietly closed the door.

Lin Qian put down the official gazette, turned to face the window, and saw that between the mountains and the sea, the sky was dark, the leaden clouds hung low, and the dark waves surged, as if a snowstorm was about to break.

The official gazette on the table is from the tenth day of the eleventh month of the first year of the Taichang reign, which is more than half a month ago.

The official gazette was extremely bold and direct, using no qualms about its wording, and one could sense the turbulent and unpredictable events unfolding in the court between the lines.

The official gazette opened with a joint memorial from several censors, including Zheng Zongzhou and Ma Fenggao, entitled "A Direct Appeal Against the Treacherous Party." The memorial named and criticized Li Kezhuo and Cui Wensheng, accusing them of being quack doctors who were harming the country. It pointed directly to the fact that the two men's backers were several officials from the Chu Party, demanding severe punishment. The memorial also criticized the Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe.

The memorial was scathing in its language, as if it wanted to directly state in plain language that the Chu faction had presented the red pills that poisoned Emperor Taichang.

Next came Yang Lian's "Memorial Requesting an Investigation into the Palace Transfer Case," which directly targeted the eunuch clique in the inner palace. He specifically criticized Li Xuanshi's trusted eunuch, Li Jinzhong, and also condemned the Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe for being too incompetent and cowardly.

It seems they were using this as an excuse to suppress the eunuchs and the Zhejiang faction.

Fang Congzhe, the leader of the Zhejiang Party, found himself in a lose-lose situation, repeatedly petitioning to retire but his requests were all denied.

The official gazette was filled with lengthy and detailed memorials concerning the Red Pill Case and the Palace Transfer Case, making even the memorials of Yuan Yingtai, the Liaodong Military Commissioner, seem insignificant in comparison.

At a time when factional strife was raging, the imperial court couldn't even spare a thought for Liaodong, so it was only natural that the minor achievement of suppressing the pirate Li Zhong was buried in the process.

Lin Qian stared at the northeastern sea. Although all he could see was inky black water, he knew that Zhelin Bay was forty miles away.

The ships used by the deputy commander of Nan'ao to transport goods usually dock at Zhelin Bay.

He had Bai Langzai keep watch in Zhalin Bay for more than half a month. With the New Year approaching, cargo ships in Zhalin Bay rarely left the port, and most of the naval officers and soldiers stayed in their barracks, seemingly preparing to welcome the New Year.

Everything was too logical.

……

The 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, at night.

As the New Year approaches, people in Fujian and Guangdong light oil lamps and candles, and the sounds of pounding rice to make rice cakes can be heard from every household.

Even at night, the north wind carries the sweet aroma of fried dates and baked cakes.

At the Zhelin Bay Water Village, Ma Chenglie, the deputy commander of Nan'ao, stands facing the sea with his hands behind his back and his brows furrowed.

Ma Chenglie is nearly fifty years old and lives on the shore year-round. He is well-maintained and looks young, with only a few gray hairs at his temples.

At this moment, he was dressed in cotton armor, his iron arms and hands gleaming with a cold light, and even his protruding belly was covered by the imposing armor, making him look as brave and valiant as he did at the age of thirty.

In front of Ma Chenglie, three large Fujian ships were moored in the harbor, one of which was equipped with more than ten heavy French cannons.

Surrounding the Fujian ship were two ordinary Fujian ships, more than twenty Haicang ships, and further out were more than twenty Cangshan ships, interspersed with dozens of bird ships.

On the dock pier, soldiers from various ships were taking roll call and boarding, while others were carrying military equipment onto the ships, keeping them busy.

This is all of Ma Chenglie's wealth. Today, he is risking everything to eradicate the pirates of Nan'ao Island!

He had been preparing for this battle for two whole months.

Two months ago, he was in his residence in Chaozhou Prefecture, licking his concubine's lips, when he suddenly received an official document from the Ministry of War.

Upon opening it, they found it to be a copy of the Haimen Guard Commander's report of merit, which detailed the "robbery of the Lin Mansion" and was almost identical to the report of merit written by Huang Hetai.

Ma Chenglie immediately guessed that Huang Hetai was hiding something from him. He could no longer care about their trysts and quickly gathered his men to go to Zhelin Bay and take a small boat to the island.

Halfway through the voyage, upon seeing the bustling scene of ships coming and going at Houjiangwan Wharf, and the Nan'ao City rising from the ground, Ma Chenglie felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his head spinning, his hands and feet going cold and numb.

Based on the two reports of his achievements in killing Li Kuiqi and Li Zhong, Ma Chenglie had a vague idea of ​​what had happened on the island.

Those who fail in their duty to defend their territory deserve to be executed!

After a moment of panic and shortness of breath, Ma Chenglie calmed down and carefully analyzed the cause and effect.

Currently, the officials on the shore are unaware that Nan'ao Island has been occupied by bandits, and the court is too busy with factional infighting to pay attention to anything else.

If Nan'ao Island can be retaken as soon as possible, then there is still room for recovery.

Therefore, Ma Chenglie did not report the matter. Upon returning to shore, he summoned all the cargo ships and secretly searched for merchants who had been to the island, arresting and torturing them.

From the merchants, Ma Chenglie learned that the bandits on the island numbered only a few thousand, and apart from a large foreign ship, the largest of the rest of their vessels was no more than a Haicang ship. He was immediately reassured.

Ma Chenglie had eighty personal guards under his command, and he also borrowed troops from the Fujian and Guangdong garrison commanders he knew, assembling a personal guard force of nearly two hundred men. These men alone were enough to sweep away the bandits on Nan'ao Island. Moreover, he also had more than a thousand garrison soldiers. He hadn't shrunk these garrison soldiers too much, and with them following behind his personal guards, fighting a favorable battle would be no problem at all.

To ensure success, Ma Chenglie deliberately chose to act on the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, intending to take advantage of the island's disorganized masses being relaxed during the festival to deliver a fatal blow.

Now, everything is ready. After more than two months of anxiety and endurance, the time for harvest has finally arrived.

"Boat A, deck crew all present."

"On the first ship, all the crew members were on deck."

"Boat A2, all crew members on deck."

The sounds of roll call and orders being relayed from each ship echoed continuously in the harbor.

Shi Jun, a soldier, jogged over from the harbor, his face armor clanking as he approached and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "General, all the ships are ready. Please board."

"Hmm." Ma Chenglie moved and boarded the stern deck of the No. 1 Jia-style Fujian ship. He stood before the five-colored flag, took a deep breath, and said, "Move the troops!"

Behind him, the flag bearers displayed the corresponding flag signals.

The fleet formed a long line, slowly but steadily departing the port.

After leaving port, Ma Chenglie directed the No. 1 Fujian ship to sail eastward to avoid being detected by the pirates on Nan'ao Island.

After sailing east for about half an hour, he ordered the fleet to turn south.

He intended to emulate Qi Jiguang's tactics in attacking Nan'ao Island, avoiding naval warfare by landing on the island in the Yun'ao area on the south side, first occupying Guolao Mountain to cut off the bandits' connection with Shen'ao Port, and then destroying the bandits' stronghold from a high vantage point.

There was no moon tonight, and the sea was very dark. Then, with the hazy starlight, the general outline of Nan'ao Island became visible.

In the distance, the bandit stronghold on the island was brightly lit, as if the bandits were pounding rice and making cakes by lamplight.

On the bay outside the port, only a few faint ship lights could be seen patrolling.

All's fair in war, and holidays have always been a prime target for surprise attacks. The fact that the bandits on the island aren't intensifying their patrols but instead seeming relaxed and enjoying the holiday makes them truly a motley crew!
Ma Chenglie felt utterly contemptuous and even regretted the favor he owed for borrowing troops.

After sailing south for another half an hour, the fleet arrived at the east side of Guolao Mountain, where Qing'ao Bay could be seen in the distance.

Seeing that the beach at Qing'ao Bay was empty and unguarded, Ma Chenglie felt even more disdain.

Shi Jun, a soldier, said, "General, since Qing'ao Bay is undefended, why not dock here?"

Ma Chenglie shook his head and said, "The beach here is flat, but the mountain path is steep and difficult to climb, so it is not the first choice for landing."

Given the lax defenses at Qing'ao Bay, it's likely that the defenses on the south side of the island are not much better, making a landing on the south side the most prudent option.

His route was exactly the same as Qi Jiguang's route to the island back then. With Qi Jiguang's brilliant example as a precedent, he was 100% confident that he could successfully land on the island.

"After we land on Yun'ao Island, Shi Jun, you will take fifty retainers and two hundred battalions to guard Zhenxiong Pass." Ma Chenglie had already begun to arrange matters after landing on the island. "Also, send thirty more soldiers to Shen'ao Port and capture Huang Hetai for me!"

"Yes!" Shi Jun clasped his hands in acceptance of the order.

"Boom! Boom! Boom..."

As they were talking, a series of cannon shots suddenly rang out from the sea.

By the time Ma Chenglie reacted, all he could hear was the sound of cannonballs crashing into the sea.

A shell landed beside the No. 1 large Fujian ship, and the splashing water was blown by the north wind into a cold rain that chilled the heart.

"The vanguard is engaging the enemy!" someone on the ship immediately shouted.

Shi Jun shouted from the mast, "Where are the enemy ships?"

The lookout was sweating profusely as he scanned the sea, but all he saw was darkness and no sign of enemy ships.

Ma Chenglie calmed down: "The enemy ships haven't turned on their lights, so keep an eye out for the muzzle flashes!"

Another burst of cannon fire followed, and the sound of shells hitting the sea continued.

The ship next to it, No. 2, was hit by a cannon at the stern. The wooden planks shattered and flew everywhere. The cannonball pierced through the bow and the entire ship was pierced through by a twelve-pound solid iron ball.

Fortunately, the No. 2 ship had a high freeboard, and the point of impact was above the waterline, preventing water from entering.

After the cannon fire, all that remained in my ears were the screams of the wounded soldier No. 2.

"The enemy ship is about two or three hundred paces behind the stern," the lookout shouted.

As alerted by the lookouts, Ma Chenglie had already looked towards the stern when the cannons fired, and in the dim starlight, he indeed saw a huge, dark object floating on the sea, like a giant whale from the deep sea.

Soon, red light flashed around the dark shadow, and another string of cannon fire exploded, like rolling thunder.

On the port stern of the No. 1 Fujian ship, a small boat was hit by a cannon. Before the sailors could even scream, they were reduced to a pile of flying flesh and blood along with the broken planks.

The enemy ships were too far away and located at the rear of the fleet, making it difficult for the large Fujian ships, A1, A2, and A3, which were equipped with heavy breech-loading cannons, to retaliate.

For a time, the fleet could only passively endure the attack.

Ma Chenglie's mood plummeted, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He couldn't understand how the pirate fleet had suddenly appeared on the stern, as if... as if they had been waiting there specifically for this place.

"General, what should we do?" Shi Jun asked.

Ma Chenglie suppressed his unease. Although he was ambushed, the enemy was few in number, consisting of only one gunboat, which was several hundred paces away and had a low hit rate, so it was not a cause for concern.

He pondered for a moment, then ordered in a deep voice: "The fleet shall continue sailing forward, and turn around to meet the enemy once we reach open sea!"

"Yes!" Shi Jun shouted the order.

Ma Chenglie's navy had too many ships of various sizes and speeds, so a large expanse of water was needed for them to turn around collectively.

Moreover, the distant gunboats were clearly approaching from the side, and it would take time for them to turn around and catch up. The navy could take advantage of this time to turn around without being disturbed by the cannon fire.

However, things didn't go as planned. The gunboats behind kept chasing closely on the left stern of the navy, occasionally turning sideways to bombard it with their starboard guns.

The navy ships had few cannon shots, but being chased all the way, their morale was severely damaged.

The naval fleet sailed all the way to the southwest of Nan'ao Island. Ma Chenglie saw that the pirate gunboats had not only not been shaken off, but the sound of their cannons was getting closer and closer.

Ma Chenglie understood that the enemy ships were too fast, and that the navy's massive fleet could not shake them off no matter what. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and turn back.

At his command, the No. 1 Fujian ship changed its sails and turned around on the spot.

Visibility at sea was too low to see the five-colored flag signals clearly. All the ships had their lights on, but among the many lights, the firework signals were also indistinguishable. The sounds of cannons, waves, and screams were constant, making it extremely difficult to even shout orders.

The navy was thrown into chaos.

The two Haicang ships collided while turning around. One ship's bow was damaged, seawater flooded in, the hull tilted, and several soldiers fell into the water, struggling continuously.

The other ship had a hole in its hull, two compartments were flooded, the freeboard was significantly reduced, and the deck was almost touching the sea surface, allowing waves to surge directly onto the deck.

Just as the navy was in a flurry of activity, ten Seawolf ships lit their lights, hoisted their sails, and sailed in a line, one after another, cutting within thirty paces of the navy's fleet.

Suddenly, guns and cannons opened fire, the sound like hail hitting the ground, continuous and relentless. From a distance, the fire on the sides of the ten Seawolf ships was incessant, truly like a giant python dancing wildly on the sea.

The nearby naval ships suffered a terrible fate; their decks looked as if they had been swept by an invisible scythe, blood splattered on the soldiers, and bullets hit the sea, the ship's sides, bulwarks, masts, and sterncastle, sending splinters of wood flying everywhere.

A naval ship was riddled with holes by the breech-loading cannons, seawater flooded into the cabin, and most of the ship sank into the sea. There was no one alive on its deck.

The Sea Wolf continued its momentum from northeast to southwest, sailing close to the outer perimeter of the naval fleet, always maintaining a distance of twenty or thirty paces. Wherever it went, naval officers and soldiers fell like wheat being harvested.

Meanwhile, the Santa Ana's cannons roared continuously, and the navy's formation was scattered, covering a large area of ​​the sea, so there was no need to worry about friendly fire.

For a time, the naval fleet was attacked from both sides and was on the verge of collapse even before the battle began.

Bai Qing stood on the stern deck of the Sea Wolf No. 1, personally steering the ship. In her hands, the Sea Wolf was as agile as a dolphin, skillfully avoiding any naval vessels that occasionally rushed up.

Beside her, the port gunner was operating the Franco cannon to fire.

The gunners were divided into groups of five, standing on either side of the cannon. After each shot, the gunner on the right removed the breechblock wedge, while the gunner on the left used a special iron hook to pull out the bullet and put it into a basin of water, making a hissing sound.

There are two other gunners: one is responsible for cleaning, drying, and reloading the bullets in the water basin, and the other is responsible for installing new bullets.

The gun contained nine solid iron bullets, each covered with canvas and secured with rope. Below it was a specially made tin sabot, which the natives called "grape bullets," and it was used specifically for close-range cleaning of enemy decks.

After the breech is loaded, one gunner on the right side is responsible for re-screwing the breechblock wedge, and the other is responsible for adjusting the breechblock wedge to control the muzzle elevation angle.

With enemy ships all to the port side of the Seawolf, there's no need to adjust the firing angles; just load the guns and fire.

The gunners had undergone long-term training, and their movements were fluid and efficient, resulting in a high rate of artillery fire.

During the intervals between loading the breech-loading cannons, the arquebusiers continued firing.

Wherever the Seawolf went, the naval decks were filled with bloodshed and screams of agony.

About half an hour later, the Sea Wolf ship sailed to the southwest of the naval fleet. Suddenly, a naval vessel, the Haicang, broke away from the fleet and rammed into the Sea Wolf ship fleet.

Bai Qing immediately turned the rudder to starboard to avoid a collision, while instructing the sailors to change the sails and telling the gunners, "Aim at the approaching ship and fire!"

"Yes, sir!" the ship's gunner shouted the order.

In a short while, the Haicang ship was engulfed in a hail of bullets, and seven or eight soldiers dressed in fine cotton armor were riddled with bullets on the spot.

Some hid behind the bulwark, but were easily pierced by grapeshot, leaving a thick, almost tangible blood mist in the air.

Bai Qing drove the Sea Wolf No. 1 past the bow of the Haicang ship, and the gunmen on board pulled the trigger and began cleaning the other side of its deck.

The Sea Wolf II, following behind the Bai Qing ship's stern, fired at the Haicang ship again, and so on.

The Haicang ship, which had become the first to be targeted, was ravaged by ten Sea Wolf ships in turn. Its hull was riddled with holes, but because of its large size, it did not sink. There was no one left on the deck, and it drifted southeast with the sea breeze, like a warhorse that had lost its master on the battlefield and went off to graze on its own.

Bai Qing turned the rudder to left, maintaining a firing distance of twenty or thirty paces from the naval fleet.

At this time, the Sea Wolf ship had sailed to the southern part of the fleet, and three tall naval warships could be seen in the distance.

In naval warfare, the number of ships is not important; what matters is tonnage. Large ships naturally crush small ships.

The dafu ship had a high hull, and the sea wolf ship had to fire at an upward angle at it, so its deck could not be cleaned like the haicang ship.

Moreover, the bulwarks and deck timbers of large sailing ships are thicker, making them difficult to penetrate with musket lead bullets and breech-loading bullets; even if shot at, it would be a waste of gunpowder.

Bai Qing kept in mind Lin Qian's tactical positioning for the Sea Wolf ship. Upon seeing the Dafu ship, he turned and sailed into the open sea to disengage from the battle.

Suddenly, a burst of cannon fire was heard from the large Fujian ship. The five heavy breech-loading cannons on the starboard side of the No. 1 large Fujian ship opened fire.

In an instant, the sound of cannonballs whistling through the air rang out around the Seawolf, and the cannonballs smashed up several columns of water, while cold rain poured down on the deck.

As Bai Qing turned the helm, he shouted, "Head due south, change sails!"

The large ship was bombarded continuously. The Sea Wolf fled south under the fire. The route was filled with water mist. Fortunately, the distance was far and no ship was hit. It was just splashed with a lot of seawater and was in a sorry state.

The Seawolf battle line sailed south for more than 500 paces, then turned north to avoid the broadside fire of the three large Fujian ships, and continued to target the weaker members of the naval fleet.

(End of this chapter)