Huangming

Chapter 273 Gathering of Generals in Tianjin, Swords Pointing at the Enemy's Lair

Tianjin Wei.

Zhao Shuaijiao led his personal guards strode toward the barracks. Nearly two thousand sailors were already lined up in formation according to their place of origin on the drill ground. The men from Nanzhili had loud voices, while the veterans from Dengzhou and Laizhou had steady eyes and a fierce spirit honed by their sea experience.

"Listen up, everyone!"

Zhao Shuaijiao drew his long sword from his waist.

"From this day forward, you are all members of the Tianjin Navy! Regardless of your previous service in Southern Zhili or Dengzhou and Laizhou, there is only one rule—obey orders without question!"

He threw the "Naval Manual" heavily onto the ground.

"Memorize this booklet within five days! Anyone who lags behind will face the ruthlessness of military law!"

After saying this, he called on several veterans who had served as captains in the Dengzhou-Laizhou Navy to divide the troops and assign barracks. Shouts and cries rang out across the drill ground, and the training began.

On the other side, Chen Qiyu, the assistant circuit intendant of Tianjin, changed into a small blue cloth sedan chair and headed towards the commercial port.

With a corner of the sedan curtain lifted, one could see rows of shops lining the road, their newly hung signs swaying in the wind. The shop assistants of "Shunchanghao" and "Hejizhan" were busy unloading goods, creating a vibrant scene.

But Chen Qiyu's brows remained slightly furrowed.

After all, behind this prosperity lies the easiest place for filth and corruption to hide.

The office of the Maritime Trade Commissioner was still under renovation and was temporarily using an old house next to the dock for its offices.

As soon as Chen Qiyu arrived at the door, he saw several tax collectors arguing with a Fujian merchant.

"Sir, the cargo on this ship is indeed tea, not spices!"

The merchant, his face flushed with anxiety, pointed to the sacks in the hold and tried to explain.

The tax collector sneered, "Whether it's tea or not, just open it and you'll know! Last month, a Fujian merchant managed to slip some pepper into the tea and get away with it. Do you think we're fools?"

Chen Qiyu stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Open it and inspect it."

The burlap sack was cut open, and inside were indeed tea leaves, but at the very bottom were a few packets of agarwood mixed in.

The merchant's face turned ashen, and he knelt down with a thud.

"According to the newly established rules of the Maritime Trade Office, anyone who smuggles goods will be fined three times the value of the goods and then punished with twenty strokes of the cane."

Chen Qiyu spoke calmly, but his words were deadly.

"Make a note of his business name and list him as a key target for future inspections."

The tax collectors responded in unison and dragged away the wailing merchant.

Looking at the cargo ships coming and going at the dock, Chen Qiyu said to the head of the Maritime Trade Office beside him, "Now that the Maritime Trade Office has just opened, it is the time to establish rules. Customs duties are the imperial court's purse, and not a single penny can be lost."

He pointed to a merchant ship in the distance that was about to dock.

"That ship is flying the 'Guangdong' flag. Go check the manifest to see if it matches the actual cargo. Also, tell all the checkpoints that all ships carrying more than 100 shi of cargo must have their cargo opened and inspected. Do not let any loopholes slip by."

The official bowed and said, "Don't worry, sir. I have already had people set up sentries at various points along the dock to keep an eye on any suspicious ships."

Chen Qiyu nodded, his gaze falling on the new Maritime Trade Office building that was under construction.

There will be a "ship inspection room", "tax treasury" and "anti-smuggling station" there. In the future, all merchant ships will have to register, be inspected and pay taxes here before they can unload and trade.

Only by tightening tax controls can Tianjin's commercial port truly prosper.

This silver could be used to repair ships and build cannons, as well as to provide relief to refugees. It was the foundation that supported the Tianjin Navy and even the defense of the entire north.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out at the dock.

Several laborers carrying sacks straightened up, squinted at the distant sea, and their dark faces instantly lit up with an excited glow.

"Here it comes! Look, another big ship is coming!"

One man shaded his eyes with his hand and shouted at the top of his lungs. The laborers around him stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction he was pointing.

A small black dot appeared on the horizon, rapidly approaching with the help of the wind, and the outline of the sail became clearer and clearer.

These laborers were mostly migrants who made a living by working at the docks.

Although he sweats profusely every day and earns just enough copper coins to make ends meet, it is a world of difference compared to the days when he begged on the roadside and went hungry nine times out of three.

For them, the more ships that come, the more cargo there is, and the more work there is. Naturally, they look forward to the harbor being so lively every day.

The tax collectors of the port's maritime trade office had already heard the commotion and were heading towards the pier with their account books and inspection tools, ready to inspect the goods and collect taxes according to regulations.

But as the ship drew closer, the leading tax collector suddenly stopped, his brow furrowed.

The ship had a deep waterline, but its hull was more solid than that of ordinary merchant ships. There were no cargo boxes on the deck, but instead, there was a faint glint of swords.

"No...this isn't a merchant ship!" someone exclaimed.

Upon closer inspection, everyone saw that the ship's sides were lined with soldiers carrying swords. Although there were not many cannons mounted, the atmosphere was still chilling.

Could they be pirates?
The thought had barely crossed his mind when someone spat out, "What kind of blind pirates would dare to storm Dagu Port? Isn't that like lighting a lamp in a latrine—courting death?"

Before the words were even finished, the enemy response system at Dagu Port was already activated.

Several hundred men from the Tianjin Navy, who had just completed a month of training, immediately boarded several of the largest sand barges, hoisted their sails, and headed towards the approaching ship.

On the shore, Zhao Shuaijiao, Zu Dashou, and Huang Degong, three generals of the Beijing garrison, also moved upon hearing the commotion. They personally led their personal guards to the watchtower, their hands on the hilts of their swords, their eyes sharp as eagles, ready to deal with any sudden situation.

As the approaching ship drew closer, when the two ships were no more than a hundred paces apart, a flag suddenly rose from the mast, bearing seven large characters embroidered in black silk thread: "General Mao, the Tianjin Coastal Defense Guerrilla."

"Is he one of our own?" Zu Dashou on the lookout tower frowned slightly; the name sounded very unfamiliar.

Just then, Chen Qiyu arrived after hearing the news and immediately called out, "Don't move! It's Mao Wenlong, the newly appointed coastal defense guerrilla commander by His Majesty!"

Mao Wenlong?
Everyone was taken aback; they had never heard of this name before.

Seeing Chen Qiyu's resolute expression, my guard relaxed considerably.

The security at Dagu Port was gradually lifted, and the warships that had just sailed out turned around and became guide ships, leading the way.

Before long, the medium-sized Fujian-style ship slowly docked at the pier, escorted by a guide ship.

As soon as the boat came to a stop, the sound of orderly footsteps came from the deck. The ropes were quickly tied to the posts on the shore, and the boat planks were slammed onto the pier with a "clang," kicking up some dust.

Mao Wenlong stood at the bow of the boat, gazing at the bustling Dagukou Port before him, his dark face beaming with barely concealed excitement.

His armor still carried the salty smell of the sea breeze from southern Liaoning. This former Liaoyang guerrilla had rushed to southern Liaoning a few days ago to pacify the people and gather his remaining troops. He gained a foothold with his fierce spirit and won the support of the local gentry and people.

Having received a secret decree from His Majesty, ordering him to oversee all matters of coastal defense, he selected this decent-sized Fujian ship from the remaining vessels of the Dengzhou-Laizhou navy and rushed to Tianjin day and night, without even having time to brush off the dust of his journey.

"Finally we're here."

He muttered to himself, his hand resting on the sword at his waist, his knuckles tightening slightly.

Before his departure, His Majesty promised in a secret memorial that if he could lead the navy to launch a surprise attack on Hetu Ala, the stronghold of the Jurchens, he could exchange his post as "Tianjin Coastal Defense Guerrilla" for the seal of "Tianjin Naval Commander".

Thinking of this, his desire to launch a surprise attack on Hetu Ala grew stronger.

Mao Wenlong stepped off the boat first, followed by dozens of his personal guards, all of them wiry and alert.

As soon as they stepped onto the dock, a group of officials came to greet them. The leader, dressed in a blue official robe, was none other than Chen Qiyu, the Vice Commissioner of the Tianjin Circuit.

Behind him followed three generals in bright armor, exuding an extraordinary air.

It was Zhao Shuaijiao, Zu Dashou, and Huang Degong from the Beijing Garrison.

"My name is Mao Wenlong. I have come to assume my post by order of His Majesty. I greet you all." Mao Wenlong clasped his hands in greeting, his voice loud and clear like a bell, carrying the roughness of someone who had been on the frontier for a long time, yet his manners were impeccable.

"General Mao, you must be tired from your journey. I am Chen Qiyu." Chen Qiyu returned the greeting with a cupped hand, and then introduced, "This is Zhao Shuaijiao, the adjutant of the Shenji Battalion; this is Zu Dashou, the adjutant of the Shenshu Battalion; and this is Huang Degong, the adjutant of the Shenwu Battalion. All three generals have come here by imperial decree to assist in the reorganization of the navy."

Zhao Shuaijiao and the other two nodded in greeting, but their gazes lingered on Mao Wenlong for a few more moments.

The newly appointed coastal defense guerrilla looked young, but his brows revealed a fierce look, as if he had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

"This is not the place to talk."

Chen Qiyu stepped aside to lead the way.

"General Mao is tired from his long journey. Let's rest at the Naval Headquarters first, and then we can discuss the matters of coastal defense in detail."

Mao Wenlong nodded in agreement, and the group headed towards the Naval Headquarters.

Upon seeing him, the sailors and yamen runners all gave way and saluted, their eyes curiously scrutinizing the newly arrived general.

Upon arriving at the main hall of the naval headquarters, guests and hosts took their seats.

Chen Qiyu sat on the left, Mao Wenlong on the right, and Zhao Shuaijiao and the other two sat at the lower end.

The tea boy served freshly brewed pre-Qingming Longjing tea, the rising steam dispelling some of the fatigue from the journey.

"General Mao, was your journey south smooth?" Chen Qiyu asked first, his tone gentle.

Mao Wenlong picked up his teacup but didn't drink it. He simply used the lid to stir the tea leaves and said in a deep voice, "Thanks to His Majesty's good fortune, we had a safe journey. However, when we changed ships at Denglai Port, we saw that many of the naval warships there were damaged and probably not very useful. It seems that the matter of coastal defense is indeed urgent."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shuaijiao and the other two exchanged glances and nodded in agreement: This General Mao is indeed a pragmatic person.

Chen Qiyu smiled and said, "General, you are absolutely right. Dagu Port is currently undergoing reorganization, and we are just waiting for your arrival so that we can discuss the plans for naval training and coastal defense deployment."

After the pleasantries, it's time to get down to business.

"Now that Mao the guerrilla has come south, I presume he has already settled all matters in southern Liaoning?"

Mao Wenlong put down the teacup he had just picked up, straightened his back, and said in a deep voice, "The situation in Liaonan is now largely stable. Zhang Pan, the guerrilla commander of Jinzhou Guard, Wang Shaoxun, the commander of Fuzhou Guard, and Huang Jin, the deputy commander of Gaizhou Guard, are all capable and hardworking men. I have spoken with them in depth, and they are all willing to be at your disposal."

He paused, his tone gaining confidence: "Not only the government troops, but also the local militia and miners who spontaneously organized themselves, I have investigated them all. Most of these people have had their families destroyed and their lives ruined by the Jurchens, and they hate the Jurchens to the bone. As long as they are given some food, pay and weapons, they can immediately raise an army, and their fighting strength should not be underestimated."

Liaonan was in an awkward situation where the Ming army ignored it and the Jurchens didn't want it either.

However, when Nurhaci rose to power, he still frequently raided this area.

For the people of southern Liaoning, the Jurchens were the enemy, the Jurchen devils!
That is precisely why, as long as Mao Wenlong tells them to launch a surprise attack on Hetu Ala, it will be easy to mobilize these people and make them work for the Ming Dynasty.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qiyu paused slightly in the hand holding the teacup.

Mao Wenlong's ability to thoroughly understand the situation in southern Liaoning in such a short time suggests he is no ordinary person.

Zhao Shuaijiao, Zu Dashou, and Huang Degong, however, were completely confused.

Zu Dashou couldn't help but frown and said, "General Mao, the tough battles in Liaodong are currently all around Shenyang and Liaoyang. Our main force should be deployed there. Liaonan is remote. What's the point of messing around with these local armed forces?"

Zhao Shuaijiao chimed in, "Indeed, do you think the Jurchens could bypass Shenyang and attack Liaonan?"

Mao Wenlong glanced at Chen Qiyu and saw that the other party nodded slightly, so he knew that he could talk about some inside information.

Chen Qiyu immediately raised his voice and said, "You may all leave. No one is allowed to approach the main hall without a summons."

The tea servants and yamen runners serving in the hall quickly bowed and retreated, and even the guards standing at the door were moved several feet away.

After the onlookers had dispersed, Mao Wenlong lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of sharpness: "General Zhao and General Zu, you may not know this, but we must fight in Shenyang. It is a direct battlefield where we will clash head-on with the Jurchens, and we cannot afford to miss it. But what we need to do in Liaonan is something else—a surprise attack."

"Surprise attack?"

The three words were like a pebble thrown into still water; Zhao Shuaijiao and the other two immediately felt their pupils shrink and their breathing quicken.

They were all generals well-versed in military strategy, and upon hearing the words "surprise attack," they knew that there must be a shocking plan involved.

Zu Dashou leaned forward abruptly, his voice trembling slightly: "General Mao means... a surprise attack on Hetu Ala?!"

Hetuala!

That was the old stronghold of the Jurchens, the place where Nurhaci rose to power, and where their ancestral tombs, grain supplies, and family members were hidden!

If we can take that place down, it will be tantamount to cutting off the root of the Jurchens!
Mao Wenlong nodded slowly and said in a deep voice, "We are going to launch a surprise attack on Hetu Ala. However, there are still two hurdles to overcome before this big thing can be accomplished."

He looked up at the crowd, his tone becoming more serious: "The first issue is food supplies. To mobilize the troops and local militia in Liaonan, we would need at least ten thousand people. But as you all know, Liaonan is a place with a lot of saline-alkali land and little arable land. In previous years, the harvests were meager, and now, with the ravages of war, the granaries are already empty. It's difficult to make so many people fight on an empty stomach."

That hit the nail on the head.

Liaonan was originally regarded as a "wasteland" by military strategists. If it weren't for the locals' perseverance, it would probably have become a pasture for the Jurchens to graze their cattle and sheep long ago.

Xiong Tingbi focused on the defense of Shenyang, while Nurhaci was busy developing the Liaodong hinterland; neither of them paid any attention to this barren land.

Now that it needs to be used as a springboard for a surprise attack, the biggest problem naturally becomes the supply of provisions.

"The second one."

Mao Wenlong changed the subject, his gaze falling on Chen Qiyu.

"A surprise attack requires speed; the entire force must be assembled, cross the sea, and launch the attack within half a month. Can the Tianjin Navy's current fleet truly shoulder the burden of transporting troops and supplies?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qiyu pondered for a moment before cupping his hands and saying, "Guerrilla Commander Mao, rest assured. In terms of deep-sea warfare and fighting enemy ships, our navy is indeed still inexperienced. But for short-distance transport within the Bohai Bay, the current fleet is sufficient. Sand ships are reliable for transporting grain, and eagle ships are flexible for escorting. With over a hundred ships of various sizes, transporting over ten thousand men and supplies in batches will not be a problem."

Mao Wenlong recalled what he had seen at the port earlier: the boats, sand barges, and wheeled ships were densely packed on the water. Although most of them were small and medium-sized vessels, their sheer number made up for it. If properly managed, their transport capacity was indeed not to be underestimated.

He immediately slammed his hand on the table: "Alright! It's settled then!"

"Commander Chen, please immediately begin allocating provisions, sending three batches to Pi Island as a forward transit point; troops will follow in batches, and it is imperative to arrive by the beginning of next month, when the sea breeze will be favorable, allowing us to head straight for Hetu Ala!"

Chen Qiyu's fingertips gently traced the rim of the teacup, his brows furrowed slightly, his tone tinged with concern: "I understand Commander Mao's intentions. However, the transport of provisions needs to be collected from prefectures such as Hejian and Baoding, and it will take ten days just to store them and load them onto ships; although the new recruits in the navy are being led by veterans, they will hardly be able to function effectively in transporting troops and dealing with sudden storms without at least half a month of training... I'm afraid..."

Before he could finish speaking, Mao Wenlong burst into loud laughter.

"Lord Chen, rest assured, I had anticipated these difficulties. I will submit a secret memorial to His Majesty at the meeting, requesting that he allocate some grain and fodder from the capital's granary for emergency use, and issue a strict decree to urge all regions to carry out the operation. The surprise attack on Hetu Ala is a major event that will shake the foundation of the Jurchens, and His Majesty will surely give it his full support."

A surprise attack on the Jurchen stronghold would be an immense achievement if accomplished, and no one would want to hold them back at such a time.

Zhao Shuaijiao, who was standing to the side, could no longer contain himself. He was not one to sit still, and seeing the two of them so engrossed in their discussion, he slapped his thigh and asked in a gruff voice, "How can such a tough battle as the surprise attack on Hetu Ala be left out of the three of us? Chen Qianshi, Mao Youji, if there's anything we need to do or anything we need to risk our lives for, just let us know!"

Zu Dashou and Huang Degong nodded in unison, their eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.

Having spent so much time in the Beijing garrison, my bones are practically rusting. Being able to participate in such a momentous event is a golden opportunity to make a name for myself.

Mao Wenlong threw his head back and laughed loudly, his voice echoing throughout the hall: "I am deeply grateful for the kindness of the three generals! To be honest, you were the main force that charged into battle during this surprise attack on Hetu Ala!"

"However, this matter is of great importance. What you have heard today must not be revealed outside the main hall. Even your close followers must not divulge the slightest word."

"That's natural!"

Zhao Shuaijiao patted his chest and guaranteed it.

Zu Dashou and Huang Degong also replied in deep voices, "We know what's important!"

The thought of personally destroying the Jurchen stronghold, achieving unparalleled merit, and repaying His Majesty's extraordinary favor of promoting them made the three of them feel their blood boiling.

Zhao Shuaijiao couldn't help but grip the hilt of his sword tightly, cursing under his breath, "Damn the Jurchens! When we get there, we'll tear up Hetu Ala and make them taste the bitterness of losing their homes and families!"

Huang Degong snorted as well: "When the time comes, we'll seize their grain and burn their ancestral tombs, and see if Nurhaci can still sit still outside Shenyang!"

Seeing the three men rubbing their hands together in anticipation, Mao Wenlong's eyes flashed with approval: "With the three generals' words, I am relieved. For now, let each of you perform your duties. Lord Chen, oversee the transport of grain and fodder, while the three generals focus on training the new naval recruits and familiarizing them with ship operations. Once His Majesty's secret decree arrives, we will take action immediately!"

(End of this chapter)