The Australian Revolution of 1828

As the merchant ship sailed north, Deputy Commander Luo Bingzhong and Wei Guochang talked about everything under the sun, appearing like old friends with a hint of mutual respect.

Fortunately, the two did not forget the purpose of their trip. Wei Guochang was more concerned about failure than victory, worried that the Danpasha trading post would not go smoothly. He said, "Deputy Commander, according to the Grand Commander's plan, we need to arrive at the designated sea area on May 10th and then accept the direct command of the Commander."

"Two days have passed now. Just in case, I think we should send a fast ship to inform the commander."

As the deputy commander, Luo Bingzhong naturally considered the overall situation and said, "Guochang, what you said makes sense. Right now, we only know that Denpasar's military is weak and its defenses are lax, but we don't know the specifics of how weak or lax it is!"

"Currently, only the commander knows the military equipment situation there, as well as the defensive forces of Denpasar."

"Alright, arrange for a merchant ship to go there as quickly as possible, and convey the situation of the merchant ship to the commander as well as obtain the relevant orders from the commander."

"Should we attack Denpasar Fortress first, or take control of it by force after landing?"

Of course, if Li Guochen were to encounter danger, the intelligence regarding the campaign might be leaked, and the difficulty of the war would be greatly increased.

Precisely in anticipation of such unforeseen circumstances, the Governor's Office provided contingency plans. These plans allowed Luo Bingzhong to act according to the situation, granting the fleet considerable autonomy.

Wei Guochang was no novice either; his understanding of warfare was superior to Luo Bingzhong's. He said, "Deputy Commander, I will take a merchant ship ashore to assess the situation and convey the Grand Commander's appointment letter to the Commander."

"If anything happens to the Denpasar trading post or the commander, we will look for new opportunities. If everything is alright, the commander will surely have developed a detailed battle plan."

"By then, we might be able to take Denpasar without bloodshed and successfully complete this mission."

Because Hanyang Prefecture was sparsely populated, Luo Bingzhong's greatest wish was to reduce casualties.

If Right Vice-General Li Guochen could successfully persuade them to defect, or even successfully bribe Danpasa's army, that would be the best outcome. He said, "Alright, you should head over there now."

"If the commander doesn't show up, or if he's already in danger, notify me immediately!"

After bidding farewell to Luo Bingzhong, Wei Guochang didn't dare to waste a single moment. He didn't even stop to rest at Laiyang (Pidamara) port, but instead urged the sailors to continue their journey.

Four days later, Wei Guochang arrived at Denpasar Port as he had wished. Seeing that the port was unremarkable and unchanged, he felt much relieved.

He left most of his sailors on guard and led a dozen or so sailors to the trade war site.

Everything at the trading post appeared normal, with nothing out of the ordinary. Wei Guochang was preoccupied, but he patiently approached the lobby manager and asked, "Is your station manager here?"

"Our ship needs to go to the mainland again to replenish our tea and cloth supplies. Could you please help us get some fresh water and food?"

Because he was in the lobby, Wei Guochang spoke very cryptically, concealing his true intentions.

The trading post manager recognized Wei Guochang and knew that Wei Guochang was the one who ran this route. He said, "Captain Wei, the stationmaster is here. I'll go and pass on the message to you right away."

"I'll arrange for the supplies you mentioned to be loaded onto the ship right away. You'll just need to go upstairs and wait."

The lobby manager was a key manager at the trading post and was clearly aware of Hanyang's intentions. However, since this was still a confidential matter, this was the only way to communicate.

Fortunately, Wei Guochang wasn't stupid. He understood what the lobby manager meant and said, "Then I'll go back to my room and wait. Remember to arrange things for me as soon as possible. If you're late, I'll settle accounts with your station manager."

The two exchanged words, which was just right.

Less than half an hour after returning to his room, Zhang Yuanyang, the station manager, rushed over and said, "Brother Wei, what brings you here at this hour?"

"Did the Governor's Office issue an order?!"

Time was of the essence, and Wei Guochang spoke decisively, saying, "I need to see the director!"

Zhang Yuanyang, who had participated in the entire Denpasar port incident, understood that Wei Guochang must have a mission on this trip, and said, "Come with me!"

Afterwards, the two of them tacitly went without saying a word and went straight to Li Guochen's guest room.

Inside the guest room, Li Guochen clearly hadn't slept well, but he seemed to be in good spirits.

Li Guochen was very friendly towards Wei Guochang's visit, explaining the previous incident and saying, "The matter happened suddenly, and to prevent leaks, I didn't explain it to you beforehand. I hope Guochang won't hold it against me!"

Wei Guochang was indeed a little petty, but the thought of taking over Denpasar Port made his resentment vanish. He said, "Director, it is my honor to be involved in this matter."

"Hanyang, having developed to this point, desperately needs a port suitable for trade!"

In critical moments, being understood means being able to work together.

Li Guochen made no attempt to hide his admiration, expressing his approval of Wei Guochang and saying, "Guochang, if this succeeds, I will give you the greatest credit!"

Wei Guochang had never considered taking the lead in the cause, but now that he had received Li Guochen's approval, its significance was self-evident. He said, "This humble servant is unworthy of such merit. If the matter is accomplished, this humble servant still wishes to travel the world and conquer all directions!"

Seeing that Wei Guochang had no interest in making the first contribution, but was interested in conquering the sea frontier, Li Guochen respected his interest and said, "Alright, I will personally report to the Chief Justice and have you transferred to the navy."

With Li Guochen's recommendation, Wei Guochang's dream of building a navy could be realized.

After exchanging pleasantries, Wei Guochang produced the appointment letter from the Governor-General's Office and said, "Right Commander-in-Chief, I am now conveying to you the appointment letter from the Grand Commander's Office. You will serve as the commander of this expedition and be fully responsible for the Battle of Denpasar."

"Because the matter concerned your safety, the relevant documents were not brought with us and are currently still with the merchant fleet."

"You shall prepare immediately, and I will escort you to the merchant fleet to take over command."

I was a little surprised to find out that it was me, the Left Commander-in-Chief Meng Xiong, who was to be appointed as the commander.

However, considering that the appointment letter had already been issued and there would certainly be no change, he said, "I will never forget the kindness of the Grand Commander."

"Guochang, now that the fleet has set sail, the landing time is also set. Your men must have noticed. We can't stay at the trading post any longer. Take your men and head out to sea immediately. Do not linger."

Concerned for Li Guochen's safety and the potential for irreparable damage, Wei Guochang tried his best to persuade him, saying, "Commander, please board the ship immediately and take command of the fleet."

Li Guochen longed for it, but he couldn't bear to leave. He said, "Guochang, it's not that I don't want to, but that I can't!"

"Now is a critical moment. If I leave now, what will become of the people at the trading post?"

"Furthermore, the military equipment at Denpasar is subject to change before the fleet lands, so I must stay behind in case the Denpasar fortifications and defenses change!"

Left with no other option, Wei Guochang could only inform them of the fleet's arrival time and agree to meet in the designated sea area.