The New Destiny of the Ming Dynasty

Yang Zhen was stunned by Yang Zhan'ao's words. He stared at him for a while, and seeing his serious expression, realizing he wasn't joking, he felt a pang of unease. He nodded involuntarily and then said:

"I won't let you die a heroic death! Not even the other brothers! If something really happens—I promise you! But you must also promise me! If I die a heroic death, you must do the same for me!"

Yang Zhen didn't know what to say. Of course, he didn't want his brothers in the advance battalion to die in battle, but he also knew very well that it was unavoidable. Including himself, who knew what the outcome would be?

In the original history, Yang Zhen died outside Songshan City, didn't he? Now that he's here, although history has changed slightly, so far there hasn't been even the slightest substantial change!

Therefore, he himself is not sure if he will be able to return safely from this night raid.

As a time traveler, as an ordinary person from the future, when it really comes to real combat, when life and death are decided in an instant, how could he not be nervous, worried, and afraid? He is not the real Yang Zhen who had already resigned himself to death!

Hearing Yang Zhen's words, Yang Zhan'ao sensed a deeper meaning. He stared intently at Yang Zhen and said, word by word, "Rest assured, sir! I, Yang Zhan'ao, will protect you even at the cost of my life!"

Hearing this, Yang Zhen remained silent, patted him on the shoulder, nodded, then put away the whistle, turned around and jumped back into his shack, carrying the modified Lumi gun on his back and the ammunition pouch filled with small packets of medicine on his body.

When Yang Zhen climbed out of the shack again, Zhang Degui hurried over from a distance. Seeing Yang Zhen, he said from afar, "Sir, you're awake?! It's almost time to go to the dock!"

Yang Zhen agreed, turned around and looked at the shack behind him, then strode ahead towards the shore where Yuan Jin's navy was located.

Zhang Degui and Yang Zhanao quickly followed. Zhang Degui walked beside Yang Zhen, his steps uneven, and said to Yang Zhen, "Sir! We'll be setting off soon. Is there anything you'd like to say to everyone?"

"That's all! Immediately order all teams to assemble at the boarding area!"

Logically, he should have said something before setting off, such as to boost morale or emphasize discipline, but Yang Zhen didn't want to say anything.

Firstly, he felt it was unnecessary. These people were all veterans who had followed him for several years, all battle-hardened veterans, none of them were greenhorns, and they all knew exactly what to do.

Secondly, it wasn't the right time. If the soldiers of the advance team started making noise in the middle of the night, it might alert the patrolling Tartar soldiers, which would be counterproductive.

Zhang Degui agreed, turned around and walked back to order each team to assemble.

Yang Zhan'ao and two other personal guards followed closely behind Yang Zhen, walking downhill while raising the flag of the advance battalion. The flag of the "Provisional Ningyuan Advance Battalion" fluttered in the moonlight!

When Yang Zhen arrived at the departure assembly point, a large crowd had already gathered on the coast where Yuan Jin's fleet was located, and the Zu and Yuan flags had been raised.

Under the banner of Zu, Zu Keyong led his one hundred elite soldiers, fully armored, carrying bows and arrows, and with swords at their waists, standing in neat rows on the shore.

Meanwhile, under the banner of Yuan, two hundred so-called "land combat daredevils" selected by Yuan Jin from the rowers and boatmen of the naval camp were lined up and standing there.

As a time traveler, Yang Zhen had little military experience—his only "military" experience consisted of a few military training sessions and a few military-themed team-building activities—but at a glance, he could tell that Zu Keyong's men were all elites, while Yuan Jin's two hundred men were probably just a motley crew.

The two hundred men under Yuan's banner were hastily armed, without helmets or armor, not even leather armor. Fortunately, many of them had bows and crossbows.

The other half of the men held a shield in one hand and a long hook spear in the other—a unique long weapon of the naval camp, capable of both thrusting and hooking.

The dagger was mainly used to stab the enemy; the hook was mainly used to hook the side of the boat.

Yang Zhen originally intended to equip Yuan Jin's two hundred men with the other two hundred ordinary bird guns in his camp, but after thinking it over, he decided to give up on the idea for the time being.

Before the traditional matchlock gun is fully modified, it will not be very useful in surprise attacks or offensive operations. Even if it is equipped to these people, it will probably be less useful than their current crossbows and grappling hooks.

Rather than letting them abandon their shotguns on the battlefield, it's better not to give them to them at all, and wait until these people come back alive.

At that time, these ordinary bird guns, which were originally "matchlock guns," can be transformed into "flintlock guns," and thus be able to play a firearm role in active defensive combat.

Yang Zhen's arrival meant that the departure time was approaching.

Upon seeing Yang Zhen's banner, Zu Keyong and Yuan Jin immediately came over to greet him. Yuan Jin, noticing Yang Zhen scrutinizing the team he had chosen, smiled wryly and said:

"Brother Yang! You've seen it yourself! Our naval forces are no match for Commander Zu's men! But there's nothing I can do; these are the only ones I can choose! The others are either too old or too weak. Sending them to the battlefield would be pointless; it would be sending them to their deaths! There's really no need for that!"

"Brother Yuan, there's no need to worry too much! The purpose of this raid is to disrupt the Tartars' key supply lines, not to send you into a head-on battle with their army! Even if you encounter real Tartars, you have Brother Zu's elite troops and his musketeer squad! Your main task is actually to set fires and create chaos!"

At this point, Yang Zhen suddenly had a flash of inspiration and looked at Yuan Jin, saying, "By the way, Brother Yuan! I've heard that tung oil is very effective at preventing corrosion and waterproofing, and the naval camp always has it readily available! Does your fleet have any tung oil now?!"

"Yes, we do have some! However, tung oil is a scarce resource, especially valuable for naval fleets. Ships need to be repeatedly coated with tung oil for corrosion and waterproofing! — Brother, are you planning to use it to set fire to something?! I must clarify, a small amount might be useless, and a large amount is too much for the fleet to supply!"

Yuan Jin certainly knew about tung oil.

Ships in the Ming Dynasty during this era were all kinds of wooden boats. The issues of waterproofing and anti-corrosion of wooden boats were intertwined. However, both anti-corrosion and waterproofing required a large amount of tung oil.

This is true during shipbuilding, during repairs, and especially during routine maintenance ashore.

Therefore, Yuan Jin's fleet was certainly equipped with tung oil at all times. However, the problem was that tung oil, as a strategic material, was extremely valuable, even more valuable than gunpowder.

It can certainly be used, but replenishing it is difficult; this kind of thing cannot be replenished easily.

Therefore, as soon as Yuan Jin heard Yang Zhen's words, he knew what Yang Zhen was up to, and immediately emphasized the preciousness of tung oil.

Yang Zhen understood Yuan Jin's meaning, but he still said, "Our mission is of great importance, and we need to be prepared for many things! Although gunpowder ignites quickly, it's not as effective as tung oil in rapidly expanding a fire so the Tartars can't extinguish it! Brother Yuan, if your camp has any, please be sure to bring plenty! In my opinion, whether the naval camp can achieve success this time depends on this!"

Yang Zhen's meaning was quite clear—the men in your naval camp are basically a rabble, incapable of fighting the Tartar army head-on to the death. So it will be difficult to make a name for yourself with these men. However, if you are willing to contribute a batch of tung oil, then let these men set fires all over the Tartar camp and make the fires bigger. You can make a name for yourself without having to fight the Tartars to the death.

Before Yuan Jin could react, Zu Keyong spoke up, saying, "Commander Yuan! It's not that I'm being harsh, but at this point, it's either the Tartars or we! If there's anything we can use, don't hold back! Tung oil may be valuable, but it's not more valuable than our lives! As long as you achieve merit, whatever tung oil you owe us, we'll ask Commander Zu to make it up to you when we return alive!"

After Zu Keyong said that, Yuan Jin had no way to refuse. Without further hesitation, he immediately said, "General Zu, you are overthinking it! You are overthinking it! I just hadn't thought of this before, it's not that I'm reluctant to part with it!"

At this point, Yuan Jinchong and Yang Zhen clasped their hands in a fist and said, "Brother Yang! I will immediately send people back to the ship to collect as much tung oil as possible! We'll take as much as we can! Brother, we won't be stingy!"

After saying this, Yuan Jin immediately ordered his personal guards, in front of Yang Zhen and Zu Keyong, to quickly relay the order to collect the stored tung oil from the large ship.

In that short time, Yang Zhen's advance battalion's musketeer team, right flank artillery team, and grenadier team arrived one after another.

A little while later, Xu Changyong led his three hundred Mongol soldiers to the shore where they were to board the ship.

By this time, all the troops gathered on the sandbar, except for the forty men under Pan Wenmao's command on the left flank of Yang Zhen's artillery unit who were left to guard the sandbar, were fully armed and ready to set off.

On the eighth day of the third month of spring in the twelfth year of Chongzhen's reign, at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), on an unnamed sandbar south of the mouth of the Xiaoling River in Liaodong Bay, Yang Zhen simply roared the word "Depart" in a low voice before heading towards the shore and boarding a centipede-shaped boat steered by Yan San.

Behind him, the soldiers of the advance detachment and the brave warriors selected from the naval forces lined up in formation, carrying weapons, all without uttering a word, and under the moonlight, headed towards their respective ships.

At 3:45 PM, all the soldiers had boarded the ships.

Yuan Jin's fleet consisted of 61 ships of various sizes. Under the moonlight and with the rising tide, they weighed anchor and set sail towards the mouth of the Xiaoling River.