Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

"Waaah—"

The deep, long horn sound pierced through the thin morning mist of early winter in the Bohai Bay and echoed over the newly expanded port in Haijin Town.

This bugle call was different from the sharp, loud sound of the northern cavalry charging, and also different from the desolate and mournful sound of the Huqin on the grassland. It was more profound and lingering, with a rhythm like ocean waves, one after another, as if echoing the surging tides outside the harbor.

The dock was already bustling with people.

The newly completed pier and berths, still smelling of wood and tung oil, were crowded with people from Zhenhai City who came to watch, the former soldiers and civilians from Youzhou who had just been resettled, as well as craftsmen and officials drawn from various parts of the north.

Everyone's gaze, filled with curiosity, excitement, pride, and a touch of indescribable awe, was cast upon the misty sea.

The fog gradually dissipated.

The first thing that catches the eye is the mast.

Towering masts, like a steel forest growing from beneath the sea, pierce the mist and point straight at the leaden sky.

The various flags that used to hang on the mast have now all been replaced with uniform black wolf-head flags that flutter in the biting sea wind.

The menacing wolf head seemed to appear and disappear in the mist, bringing a silent sense of oppression.

Next, the hull of the ship.

Those were no longer the dilapidated little fishing boats or clumsy flat-bottomed sandboats that used to shuttle along the nearshore waters.

This is a real fleet.

Leading the group were three enormous "Fujian-style" seagoing vessels, which Han Lie had painstakingly acquired through connections with the Donghai Chamber of Commerce and at great expense from shipyards along the southern coast.

They were enormous, over twenty zhang long, with high bows and towering sterncastles. The sides of the ship were covered with oar holes for rowing. Above the hull, newly installed protrusions covered with tarpaulins could be vaguely seen—the latest "gift" from the Gewu Academy. Although few in number and still imperfect, they were enough to change the rules of naval warfare.

These three giant ships, named "Zhenhai," "Jingbo," and "Polang" respectively, are slowly approaching in a triangular formation, like three giant beasts emerging from the deep sea.

Following closely behind were more than ten smaller "Guangchuan" and "Shachuan" ships. Some of these ships were old ships of the former Youzhou Navy that had been captured or requisitioned and had been urgently modified and reinforced, while others were the first batch of "experimental products" that were rushed out day and night by craftsmen from the Gewu Academy in the newly built shipyard in Zhenhai City.

Although they were not as imposing as the Fujian ships, they were more maneuverable and had a shallower draft, making them suitable for operations in coastal waters and estuaries. They were named "Flying Fish," "Sea Patrol," and "Proud of Victory," respectively.

Further back were even more various types of modified fishing boats and transport ships, which were responsible for transporting supplies and equipment to naval officers and soldiers, as well as some army personnel and craftsmen who came with them.

This fleet, which was not large in size and whose ships were of varying ages and even appeared to be a "ragtag" fleet, slowly sailed into Zhenhai Port.

The ship broke through the seawater, stirring up white waves that crashed against the newly built stone embankment, making a "whoosh-whoosh" sound.

On the ship, officers and soldiers dressed in brand-new black naval uniforms stood in neat rows on the deck, holding onto the gunwale or weapons, heads held high, their eyes fixed on the harbor and the new base that belonged to them on the shore.

There was no cheering, no uproar.

Only the howling sea breeze, the crashing waves, and the deep, long horn call could be heard.

But it was precisely this silence, coupled with the fleet that broke through the fog, its masts like a forest, that created a power far more awe-inspiring than any commotion.

The crowd watching from the shore also subconsciously held their breath, their wide eyes following the rows of black wolf flags.

Guided by the pilot boats, the fleet slowly approached the designated berth.

The thick cable was thrown ashore, and the mooring bollard made a dull thud.

As the gangplank was lowered, squads of naval officers and soldiers, marching in neat formation, began to disembark in an orderly fashion.

Their equipment may not be the best, and their faces may still bear the fatigue and weariness of their first long voyage, but their steps are firm, their discipline is strict, and a sharp spirit is palpable.

The last to land were several naval officers.

The leader, a man in his forties with dark skin and the marks of years of sea wind erosion on his face, but with sharp and piercing eyes, was none other than the newly appointed commander of the Jinghai Navy—Zheng Cang.

Zheng Cang was not from the North, but came from the southeast coast. He had served as a mid-level officer in the old navy of the Great Xia Dynasty and was proficient in maritime affairs. Later, he offended his superior and wandered around. Eventually, Night Owl discovered his talent, secretly recruited him, and sent him to the North.

After undergoing months of "re-training" and a baptism of loyalty at the Academy of Sciences and the Military Academy, he was exceptionally promoted by Xiao Chen to take command of this newly formed navy.

Behind Zheng Cang were several deputy commanders and main ship captains, including many pragmatic and capable officers from the former Youzhou Navy who were retained after screening and "re-education".

As the group stepped onto the land of Zhenhai City, Han Lie and the newly appointed garrison commander of Zhenhai City, who had been waiting at the dock, greeted them.

"Commander Zheng, you must be tired from your journey! His Highness is already waiting for your good news at the mansion." Han Lie said with a cupped hand and a smile.

Zheng Cang quickly returned the greeting, his voice booming and rough like the sea breeze: "Chief Secretary Han, General Wang! We have fortunately fulfilled our mission. The main force of the Jinghai Navy has been moved to Zhenhai City as ordered by His Highness! Please verify!"

His gaze swept over the ships moored in the harbor, flying the black wolf flag, over the spirited soldiers and civilians on the dock, full of curiosity and anticipation, and finally landed on the new shipyards in the harbor, whose frameworks had just been erected but already showed a grand appearance, and on the foundations of the fort under construction on the seawall in the distance.

His chest involuntarily puffed out even higher.

This will be the starting point for him, and for the entire Jinghai Navy, to set sail and achieve great things in the future!

The arrival of the main naval force was not merely a simple relocation of defenses.

This means that Xiao Chen's strategic plan for Youzhou has entered a substantial and rapid implementation phase.

Zhenhai City, this ancient port town, has undergone earth-shattering changes in just a few months.

The originally dilapidated dock was widened and reinforced, and new piers and berths were continuously extended into the sea.

Inside the massive shipyard, the sounds of hammering and sawing never ceased, as the keel of a new warship was being laid.

The team of craftsmen sent by the Gewu Academy guided local artisans in experimenting with new ship designs and sail systems, and even began installing and testing the secret weapon known as "Thunder Fury" on several large ships, including the "Zhenhai".

Outside the port, bastion-like gun emplacements and fortifications were beginning to take shape, with the dark muzzles of the cannons pointing out to the sea.

Water fortresses, barracks, warehouses, workshops, markets... sprang up around the port like mushrooms after rain.

A large number of refugees recruited from the north or fleeing from the south were systematically settled here to participate in construction and learn navigation and shipbuilding skills.

A new type of town centered around a port and navy is emerging.

At the same time, the navy's training also entered an unprecedentedly high intensity.

Zheng Cang and his men knew very well that the prince had high hopes for them, and that their mission was not just to protect the port.

With the support of nautical charts and intelligence provided by instructors at the military academy and Night Owl, the naval officers and soldiers began grueling adaptive training: battling wind and waves, sail handling, rowing, boarding maneuvers, firearms firing, hydrographic identification, night navigation, formation flying...