Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 89 Backstab! Once the cannons roar, will the chrysanthemum be in danger?

call--!
The winds of history blew ceaselessly, and the naval forces of both sides, having weathered the "King Qian's Shooting the Tide," sailed against the wind and waves, each deploying their forces on the vast, sea-like river.

By now, there are very few small boats left in this area. Those that can get here are at least warships with a cargo capacity of 200 liao (a unit of cargo volume) or more, equipped with cannons of various sizes and dozens of crew members.

"Order: Fleet, with me as the flagship and lead ship, deploy in a linear formation!"

The Japanese pirates' naval force was also divided into three, with the fake Japanese leader, Pu Shouyan, personally leading his fleet in a 500-ton warship.
The eight ship leaders, Old Man Dong, known as "The Monkey Showman," and Iron Abacus, each commanded a flagship of a 500-ton warship, leading a sub-fleet composed of Japanese and Zhao people.

This formation was clearly much more organized than the chaotic battle between the small warships at the beginning.

The design of the Dazhao hard-sail warships was basically derived from the Battle of Poyang Lake, which determined the fate of the nation.

Chen Jiu Si, a local warlord, came from a fishing boat with nine surnames, mainly Chen, Qian, Lin, Li, Yuan, Sun, Ye, He, and Xu. He was also called Ke Yu Lao and was of low social status, just like the Tanka people.

Based on the secret Taoist scriptures he inherited, he created four prototype giant ships: "Blocking the River", "Smashing Down the Mountain", "Mixing River Dragon" and "River and Sea Turtle", which have continued to evolve to this day.

Without them, Da Zhao might never have had a fleet of treasure ships with a capacity of over 2000 liao.

Now that the blueprints for the treasure ships have been completely lost, the largest domestic warships in the coastal areas are basically these 500-ton warships in the hands of the big ship captains.

长12丈2尺5寸（约38米），阔3丈（约9.3米），造价银1000两，人员编制160。

The firepower configurations varied, and the more cannons purchased from Western countries, the stronger the firepower.

After modification, it usually also has two decks, which can carry eight 12-pounder cannons, fourteen 6-pounder cannons, as well as a number of 8-pounder cannons, 14-pounder breech-loading cannons, and so on.

Of course, on the flagships of the eight ships, there are always one or two exquisite pieces among the four treasures: the dragon eye, the head lion, the tail fin, and the loach. The outcome cannot be determined solely by the number of cannons.

Although the combined forces of the Japanese pirates and gentry were strong and well-equipped, they paled in comparison to the two original sailing warships on the opposite side of the battlefield.

The acquisition of some of the elite warships of the East Borneo Company by the Five Peaks Flag does not mean that the Twenty-Four Generals and Thirty-Six Warriors are not lacking in such powerful weapons.

Someone like Huang Yuanzhou, who was relatively inexperienced and ranked low, could only rely on his father's influence to become one of the twenty-four generals, and he was only allocated one ship in total.

The flagship, the Conch, is a Tier 5 cruiser, just like Wang Cheng's Blue Robe.

The other two generals originally stationed at Moon Harbor were also transferred away from Moon Harbor by Mao Haifeng, the Black Kirin, under the pretext of organizing a counterattack.

Otherwise, even now, the Wufeng Banner still has a numerical advantage in officials and an absolute advantage in firepower.

Under the suppression of absolute power, this great war simply could not break out.

"Order: All fleet, prepare for battle! Deploy the Crescent Moon Formation with me at the center!"

With Huang Yuanzhou's "Conch" sailing warship in the center, and Han Zechang's "Han Dafu" 500-ton warship as his flagship.

On the left, Pu Shouying's "Babao" sailing warship was on the right, forming a massive formation together with the main warships.

Below the six flagships, the main force of the naval force consisted of 400-ton warships.

船上树立两桅，船面长度从船头至艄尾共9丈4尺（约29米），船身中部阔1丈9尺5寸（约6米）。

Each ship cost approximately 428 taels of silver, had a crew of about 100, was equipped with 52 catties of gunpowder, and was also equipped with a battering ram that could strike enemy ships to kill personnel and destroy equipment.

These warships could operate along the coast or in inland waterways, but they lacked the capability for long-range ocean operations.

The remaining two hundred warships were nothing more than cannon fodder.

Pu Shouying, holding a brass telescope, surveyed the entire scene and coldly issued his orders:

"Ha, in inland river warfare, a 400-ton warship is a behemoth that can serve as a flagship, but at sea it can only serve as a guard ship for sailing warships."

No matter how many there are, they can't stop the massive ships and cannons firing at full power.

Once the ship that destroyed the Five Peaks Flag, the "Conch," kills Huang Yuanzhou and his godmother, the other warships will have no choice but to surrender.

Order: All warships shall gradually slow down and slowly move the Conch Shell forward.

Pu Shouyan, Old Dong, and Tie Suanpan will draw the enemy ships' attention and coordinate with my operation.

Soon, Pu Shouying's "Babao" and his 400-ton warships deliberately kept their speed low.

This caused the original "Crescent Moon Formation," which had the center positioned at the back and the two flanks protruding forward, to gradually transform into a formation resembling a "Wild Goose Formation," with the center protruding forward.

The former is suitable for surrounding enemy ships with superior forces, while the latter is suitable for carrying out breaching and decapitation tactics.

The Japanese naval forces, divided into three groups, seemed to react a beat too late after receiving Pu Shouying's message.

Instead of actively seizing this obvious loophole, they continued to rigidly execute the initial formation.

They were certain that once their leader launched a backstab, the enemy would have absolutely no chance to retaliate.

As the [Conch] continued to advance, it gradually exposed its stern to the [Babao] and Pu Shouying.

Even this seemingly cunning man couldn't help but feel invigorated and urged the gunner:
"Load the ammunition for the starboard guns and fire when I give the order."

However, at this moment, the [Blue Robe], whose form had been concealed by the giant clam, also appeared behind him.

Wang Cheng, possessing the bald eagle Aji, issued orders in a methodical manner:

"Da Liao, lower the sails and slow down." "Yi Qian (first sail), Er Qian, San Qian, this is your first time in actual combat, lower the three mainsails closest to the deck in advance."

When the fighting starts, be careful of flammable materials on the open deck to prevent a fire.

"All gun crews on the port side begin loading ammunition."

"Helmsman, adjust the warship to port by three compass points, and always keep the port side perpendicular to the stern of the Babao."

A compass point is a 32-part division of a 360-degree circle. Each point is equivalent to 11.25 degrees. Adjusting three compass points can change the warship's course by approximately 33.75 degrees.

Whenever a warship needs to avoid unfavorable winds, seize the upwind position, or maintain the efficiency of its sails, it needs to make minor adjustments to its course.

The adjustment range of three points can effectively change the course without causing the sails to suddenly lose wind and the warship to go out of control.

This is something you can never learn by simply sticking to books and working in isolation.

Wang Cheng bought the navigation skills of Da Liao and a group of Japanese sailors, and effortlessly turned them all into seasoned sea dogs.

"Yes, it's all thanks to my own hard work!"

As an armed maritime merchant, I strive to do 'business' with my rivals.

Then, the entire battlefield fell into an eerie silence, with everyone opening their pocket watches and silently waiting for their best attack position.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes
The only three sailing warships on the field gradually formed a "sandwich".

It's like walking at night, and a person is followed by a ghost in a hanging boot, and behind the ghost in the hanging boot is a Taoist priest who catches ghosts. The three of them even move in almost identical ways.

Fifteen minutes later, Pu Shouying, who had ignored Huang Yuanzhou's series of orders to increase speed, took the initiative and shouted:
"Now! Hard port!!!"

Having fallen quite a distance behind the Conch, the Eight Treasures made a sharp turn and, with the help of several protective objects on board, almost swung sideways across the river.

The menacing muzzles of the starboard broadside guns were pointed at the unsuspecting stern of the former ship.

"Fire!"

boom! boom! boom! boom!
Amidst the roar of cannons, as the [Baobao] passed behind the [Hailuo], its row of shipborne cannons fired in succession, precisely delivering scorching cast iron shells into the enemy's stern deck.

"Hit!"

"They're finished."

"From now on, Moon Harbor is ours, hahaha!"

However, just as cheers erupted on the Babao and the crew celebrated their victory,

call--!
A slightly fishy river breeze blew past the heavily damaged "Conch".

The crew of the Babao couldn't help but rub their eyes before confirming that there were no sailing warships there at all. There was only empty, black river water!
Then a large clam with a crystal-clear jade color emerged from the water, and inside the shell sat a beautiful woman with exceptional grace.

Her hair was styled in a traditional Chinese woman's bun, she wore a silk robe that remained dry even when wet, and adorned herself with various gorgeous pearl ornaments, radiating an aura of wealth and beauty.

It is the ancestral "Clam Girl" Shui Rou, who has been passed down for two generations in the Huang family.

Although clams and snails are small and weak, they frequently appear in various folk tales. Driven by the wishes of all living beings, the clam maidens, being mollusks, can transform into human form even more easily than the dragon maidens.

Strictly speaking, this clam maiden is the true embodiment of the "Mirage General" among the twenty-four generals of the Five Peaks Banner.

The Huang family father and son, who bore the title of "Mirage Generals," were at best mere ornaments on the clam maiden's thigh.

The clam maiden, Shui Rou, seemed to be a heavy smoker. She took a puff of her brass pipe, exhaled a cloud of multicolored vapor, and gave Pu Shouying a beautiful smile.
"When did you begin to have the illusion that I wasn't using illusion magic? Pu Shouying, leader of the gentry faction?"

Pu Shouying, who was observing the battle from the aft deck, could no longer maintain her fake smile and coldly questioned:
"Shui Rou! Why are you all wary of me? Where did I slip up? Who is the traitor?"
Besides, I know you, this mirage, are here, so how could I not be wary of your mirage aura?

Having already taken a miasma-avoiding pill beforehand, there's absolutely no way I could be affected by mere mirage energy!

Pu Shouying, who used a series of tricks to kill many captains of large ships in the East China Sea, was a steady and reliable man, and it was indeed impossible for him to make such a low-level mistake.

The clam maiden Shui Rou did not answer his question directly. Instead, she smiled and took out a leaf, covered one eye, and recited a passage from the Warring States period classic, *He Guan Zi: Tian Ze*:
"The mantis, which lurks behind a leaf to conceal itself from the cicada, was able to become invisible. So, I looked up at the tree and picked a leaf, while the mantis held the leaf and waited for the cicada to fall."

"Just as a leaf before the eyes blocks out Mount Tai, and two beans in the ears prevent one from hearing thunder!"

All officers in the third rank who wish to practice invisibility must find leaves that have concealed mantises.

But how many people know that the proverb "a leaf before the eyes obscures the view of Mount Tai" has a hidden connection with "the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind"?

The leaf in the clam maiden's hand was a treasure of the manor, "A Leaf Through the Eyes," which she had specially retrieved from Shen Yuting's treasury to deal with Pu Shouying.

It can be paired with the [Two Beans for Ear Seal] to form a set. Combined with the Clam Maiden's mirage energy, its power is far beyond that of ordinary invisibility spells and illusions, and it is not something that the Miasma-Avoiding Pill can break.

At this moment, Pu Shouying understood the whole story, and suddenly burst into laughter three times:

"Hahaha, you have treasures but are as stupid as pigs, missing a golden opportunity."

I laugh at that mirage's lack of strategy, and its failure to overturn the river's flow of wisdom.

(End of this chapter)