Chapter 31: The Duckweed’s End
Lin Qian felt quite speechless and said irritably: “Tonight, tell me everything you know. You don’t think I’ll just take your word for it and go meet the Portuguese like a fool, do you?”
“Oh, thank God!” Jose let out a long breath.
“Before that, you train the sailors on the ship, that is, what we call rope men. Didn’t you say you know navigation? Show your abilities well.” Lin Qian instructed.
“Yes, Captain Your Excellency!”
……
The galleon sailed along Luzon’s west coast for seven or eight hours straight.
Around 2 p.m., they saw the Fuchuan ship anchored at the shore.
Lin Qian ordered the galleon to lower sails and slow down, lower the gangway to pick up the people guarding the Fuchuan ship.
Zhou Xiucai boarded with a face full of surprise: “I thought we’d have to go to Manila to pick you up as per the backup plan. I didn’t expect you really hijacked this ship. Helmsman indeed has the talent to avert disaster.”
Lin Qian smiled and replied: “Trouble Second Brother to tally the goods and water and food on the ship.”
Zhou Xiucai cupped his hands: “It’s my duty; Helmsman need not trouble himself with such words.”
After all personnel boarded, the crew used the galleon’s wooden crane to transport several boxes of silver coins from the Fuchuan ship to the galleon
Also hoisted aboard together were several boxes of well-preserved cloves, nutmeg, and Lin Qian’s sea log, sea chart, sextant, and other items.
Holy Justice might catch up at any time; time was limited now, so other things could only be left on the Fuchuan ship.
This three-masted Fuchuan ship’s speed was too slow; taking it would be a burden, so it could only be abandoned here.
After all people and goods were aboard, Lin Qian ordered the galleon to hoist sail and set off.
Watching the Fuchuan ship bobbing with the waves and gradually shrinking in view, Lin Qian felt some emotion for a moment.
Speaking of which, this Fuchuan ship did not have a name yet; it was not written on the ship’s manifest, and he and the other crew usually just called it “on the ship.”
In a daze, Lin Qian recalled a line from somewhere: “The wind rises from the end of the green duckweed; the waves form from subtle ripples.”
“I’ll call you Qingping.” Lin Qian murmured to himself.
Soon, Qingping disappeared between sea and sky.
Lin Qian withdrew his gaze and ordered: “Helm to port a half, course northwest.”
……
Half an hour later.
Holy Justice also arrived at Qingping’s anchorage.
The lookout shouted from afar: “Enemy ship spotted ahead, Great Ming three-masted Fuchuan ship type, distance ten thousand paces.”
Holy Justice’s captain immediately ordered: “Battle stations!”
First Mate and Master Gunner repeated the order: “Battle stations.”
All gunports on the ship opened in sequence; gunners lit their linstocks, awaiting the ships to converge.
“Distance five thousand paces!” the lookout shouted.
At this time, all officers on Holy Justice, including Alonso himself, were peering through telescopes, observing that ship.
“Distance two thousand paces!”
“It’s that gang of pirates’ ship!” someone among the officers called out.
The captain scanned the sea but saw no sign of the galleon; fearing an ambush, he said: “Maintain seven hundred paces distance, cannon fire to probe.”
“Distance one thousand paces.”
In the telescope, Qingping still drifted on the sea surface with the waves, sails not hoisted, as if it had not seen them.
Alonso was furious: “A bunch of fools, that’s an empty ship!”
“What?” The captain raised his telescope to observe carefully; indeed, no figures were visible on deck, but these pirates were too cunning—this might be another trap. He hesitated.
Alonso directly ordered: “Full speed pursue the galleon; bypass this empty ship.”
Holy Justice’s captain was somewhat worried: “What if that gang of pirates is hiding in the ship?”
Alonso’s face twisted in anger: “Then they are as stupid as you.”
“Shall we keep the original course, sir?” the First Mate asked.
After thinking for a moment, Alonso said: “No, the galleon sailed along the coastline to pick up their accomplices on the Fuchuan ship; now they’ve achieved their goal, they must head to the outer seas. We sail northwest.”
“Yes, Governor Your Excellency!”
Holy Justice sailed full speed northwest across the sea for a day.
The sea surface was empty; the lookout could only gaze aimlessly at the horizon. Everyone felt hope of catching the galleon was slim.
By evening, the captain found Alonso and advised: “Governor Your Excellency, Holy Justice’s speed is comparable to the galleon’s; chasing like this, I’m afraid…”
Alonso knew this too, but to admit defeat now—to acknowledge the galleon was stolen, that Lin Qian had toyed with him—how could he?
Frowning, Alonso thought for a long time before saying: “Sail east, go find Golden Lion and Silver Wolf.”
These two were both caravels, equipped with double-masted lateen sails; firepower not strong, but catching the galleon and fighting a boarding action presented no problem.
The captain hesitated: “This area is near the coast; night sailing risks striking reefs.”
Alonso gritted out two words through his teeth: “Set sail!”
Holy Justice sailed east; at dawn, it returned to Luzon Island’s shore and, after sailing north along the coast for several hours, a fleet appeared in view.
The lookout lowered his telescope and reported loudly: “Fleet at the bow, about five ships, distance twenty thousand paces.”
Alonso thought: Lingayen Bay direction—he had only sent three warships; why five on return? Could the two ships from Jellyfish Island have joined them?
Luzon Island’s south had numerous islands and narrow channels, so Spanish Navy voyages generally took the north side of the islands. The fleet returning from Jellyfish Island might have chosen the north route too.
“Fleet at the bow, distance ten thousand paces.”
“Fleet at the bow, distance five thousand paces.”
As the lookout continuously updated the distance, the five distant ships grew clearer in the telescope; they were indeed Spanish warships.
But the five ships’ speeds were all slow; several had damaged sails, as if they had just fought a major battle.
A bad premonition surged in Alonso’s heart.
“Fleet at the bow, distance two thousand paces.”
From this distance, the opponent’s hull was visible; their ship’s rails were covered in huge holes, clearly from cannon fire.
Sailors on deck looked listless and demoralized, many bandaged.
Both sides recognized each other through telescopes and, separated by one thousand paces, lowered sails to slow down together.
Once both were steady, Alonso summoned Fury’s captain; ten minutes later, Fury sent a small boat carrying its captain to Alonso.
“Your hull damage is severe; swear to God, you had better tell me you repelled Lingayen Bay’s pirates!” Alonso’s tone was hostile.
Fury’s captain was extremely embarrassed and equivocated: “Governor Your Excellency, good news: Lingayen Bay need no longer fear pirate raids. I swear to God, not a single pirate landed there.”
Alonso’s expression softened: “Well done. Now tell me about the battle—how many pirate ships did you sink?”
At that moment, Nuestra Señora del Rosario’s captain also boarded and came before Alonso, eagerly complaining upon hearing: “Zero ships, Governor Your Excellency. Lingayen Bay had no pirate ships at all. The fools on Fury, Golden Lion, and Silver Wolf mistook my ship for a pirate and bombarded Nuestra Señora del Rosario all night!”
“What?” Alonso’s eyes widened; he felt the world spinning.
Fury’s captain retorted: “Who told you to sail at night and enter the combat zone?”
“Ha, weren’t you sailing at night? Weren’t you in the combat zone?”
“We were under Governor Your Excellency’s orders!”
“Weren’t we under Governor Your Excellency’s orders?”
Listening to the two captains argue, Alonso wanted to intervene, but his vision blackened repeatedly.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario’s captain accused bitterly: “Exactly thirty-two men—your cannon fire killed thirty-two Spanish sailors. You murderer deserve the gallows!”
“You didn’t return fire? Fury lost twelve sailors too, over thirty injured. You are the executioner!”
“You extinguished the ship lantern first and fired blindly. Should I not return fire but bring my bow alongside to politely ask the honorable ‘Dutch mister’ why his cannonballs disturbed the sailors’ rest?”
“I said it was the combat zone!”
“I received no notice of any combat zone! Regardless, you have your own people’s blood on your hands!”
“So do you!”
“I have less!”
“That’s because your gunnery was inaccurate!”
“Bastard, I challenge you to a duel! Let me show you how accurate my sword thrust is!”
Overcome with rage, Alonso tried to speak but made no sound; his body swayed several times before he finally collapsed.
The crew panicked momentarily; after conferring, they decided to return to Manila Port first.
En route, the fleet passed Qingping again.
Upon learning Qingping was Lin Qian’s abandoned ship, Fury’s captain had an idea and sent a small boat to board and “capture” it.
Thus, the Spanish Royal Navy’s battle record finally broke zero.
