Chapter 98: Breaking The Sea Gate
All around were torches, the light blinding, causing him to not see clearly what the black shadow in the river really was.
Just as he was about to lean out to look carefully, a yellow croaker slapped onto his head.
“You say stop and we stop? Hurry up and move the fish, don’t talk nonsense.”
“There really is something in the river.”
“Afraid you didn’t see a water monkey, huh?” A bold soldier mocked.
“Shut up! Is Grandpa Water Monkey someone you can joke about?” A soldier said seriously.
“It’s not a water monkey, it seems like a ship!”
“Damn it, even if Japanese Pirates enter the river tonight, it can’t delay me eating fish! If you want to guard the water monkey, guard it yourself. Hey, there’s still a barrel of oil in the cabin, don’t forget to move it up. Fried fish needs plenty of oil to be fragrant!”
……
The bird ship sailed far past Haimen Guard.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Lei Sanxiang said: “Brother Yiguan, this trick of yours is brilliant. That fish smell—not to mention the foot soldiers—even I am drooling.”
“Is that ship master under Brother Yiguan?” Chen Jiao asked.
Zheng Zhilong smiled proudly: “Just an ordinary fisherman. This morning I gave him fifty taels of silver, told him to make a ship of fried fish for Lin Mansion’s urgent use, deliver it early tomorrow morning—additional rewards upon delivery. This is what they call dying for wealth.”
Fifty taels of silver, the life of one boatman.
In the Great Ming, this was already sold very expensively.
After sailing a long way further, Lin Qian ordered the fleet to temporarily anchor.
“Helmsman, why aren’t we moving?” Chen Jiao asked.
Lin Qian gazed distantly at Haimen Guard and said indifferently: “Brother Yiguan has prepared a good show. We’ll leave after watching it.”
Lei Sanxiang muttered: “What other good show is there? Why are you also keeping it a secret?”
Lin Qian smiled without answering, and everyone looked toward the river mouth.
Under the moonlight, more torches lit up at the garrisons on the north and south banks, exceptionally clear.
Not long after, a thunder-like explosion sounded from afar, followed by a series of splashes like a flood dragon entering the water.
Under the moonlight, the white waves splashing up could vaguely be seen rushing straight to the cliff.
The river blocking rope on the south bank broke and fell into the water.
Lei Sanxiang opened his mouth wide: “Brother Yiguan, did you put gunpowder on the cliff?”
Zheng Zhilong said: “Using gunpowder wouldn’t that give them evidence? My method guarantees the garrison soldiers won’t see any flaw.”
Lei Sanxiang urged: “Don’t beat around the bush, tell us quickly.”
Zheng Zhilong turned and glanced at Lin Qian.
Lin Qian: “The method you thought of—you tell it.”
“Yes.” Zheng Zhilong cupped his fists and bowed.
While Zheng Zhilong was telling the story, Lin Qian ordered the fleet to set sail toward the Yongning River.
“It’s actually quite simple. Earlier, I sent people to tie ropes on the river blocking rope. The ropes were tied to a winch knot, the lower end connected to a heavy object.
The winch knot can release excess rope, so when lowering the river blocking rope no one notices anything unusual.
Once pulled up, the winch knot automatically tightens, pulling up the heavy object in the river along with it.
If it were normal times, the north bank soldiers would notice the winch’s unusual weight and difficulty retrieving the rope, and would definitely report to superiors and send people into the river to investigate.
But today they privately released the river blocking rope, committed killing and ship robbery. If superiors found out, it would be a serious crime, so they definitely forcibly turned the winch.
That heavy object at the river bottom weighs over ten thousand jin. The river blocking rope was old and poorly maintained, iron chains severely rusted, ropes badly worn—naturally it breaks when pulled.”
Zheng Zhilong paused for a moment, appreciating the stunned expressions of everyone on the ship.
“The river water is turbid, hard to see underwater. Even sending people to salvage the river blocking rope would take six or seven days to fish it out, then replacing ropes and iron rings—half a month is fast, enough time for us to act in Huangyan.”
Hearing this, Lei Sanxiang gave a thumbs up again: “This method is truly brilliant.”
Chen Jiao asked curiously: “The Ling River has gentle currents and a wide surface. The banks are cliffs but with gentle slopes, no falling stones. What heavy object is at the bottom?”
This question hit the spot, Zheng Zhilong immediately said: “Elder Brother Chen asks well. At first I was stumped too—the Ling River bottom is all thick silt. Not to mention boulders, even stone crevices are rare.
I inquired everywhere and learned this place often has gales. Each time a gale assaults from the sea, the Ling River floods, inundating countless lands.
Common people and government all believe an evil flood dragon enters the river from the sea causing trouble.
Thus in the second year of Wanli, the government raised funds—wealthy households led, commoners donated, pooled resources to cast a sea-subduing roar and sank it into the river.
Sunk right between the north and south Haimen Guards.”
Lei Sanxiang followed up: “After casting the sea-subduing roar, was it useful?”
Zheng Zhilong shook his head: “Naturally completely useless—the Ling River still floods when it floods.”
Lei Sanxiang clicked his tongue in wonder: “Such great effort to cast the sea-subduing roar and it still couldn’t suppress the evil flood dragon! The story is exciting but not satisfying.”
Everyone on the ship was speechless for a moment.
At this time the wind direction was favorable. The bird ship hoisted sails coordinated with oars, sailing extremely fast in the Ling River. The bow broke through white waves, truly like a water bird.
Lin Qian stood at the bow, looking toward the left bank to avoid missing the Yongning River fork.
Lei Sanxiang said: “Speaking of stories, I personally experienced a great one, called Helmsman Lin’s ship breaking thousand-foot waves, all crew members gazing at Mount Buzhou!”
At the end of the Ming, common people had many pastimes, cultural life extremely rich—storybooks, novels, storytelling everywhere.
Though Lei Sanxiang is illiterate, he imitates storytellers naming chapters quite convincingly.
Zheng Zhilong couldn’t help smiling, said: “Elder Brother Lin braving the gale in Luzon, right? I’ve already heard from the crew members.”
“Boring!” Lei Sanxiang didn’t get to tell his story and glared angrily.
Zheng Zhilong hurriedly said: “How about Brother Lei San tells it again? Brother Lei San’s eloquence is surely better than theirs.”
Lei Sanxiang angrily said upon hearing: “Theirs? Who all told it to you?”
Zheng Zhilong counted on his fingers: “Chen Bo, Zhang Wusi, Skinny Old Ma, Qian Chongbai, Huang Bo…”
“Damn! Old Huang, a mute, can tell it too? Don’t fool me!”
Zheng Zhilong: “Huang Bo can’t speak, but his hand gestures are vivid, and his little apprentice chimes in from the side—told really well.”
“This damn thief!” Lei Sanxiang laughed and cursed.
A puzzled look appeared on Zheng Zhilong’s face. He asked Lin Qian: “Helmsman, are there really flood dragons in the gales? Others say there are—why have I never seen one?”
Lin Qian had a bit of a headache. If he said no, people of this era would argue relentlessly.
By the time he explained pressure belts, monsoons, cyclones, cold and warm air flows, he would probably be exhausted to death.
Thus Lin Qian said perfunctorily: “Maybe there are, maybe not. Many things in the world—you have to experience them yourself to know the answer.”
Zheng Zhilong asked again: “That time in Luzon, did Elder Brother Lin see the flood dragon? Many crew members say they saw it.”
Lin Qian slowly shook his head: “I didn’t see it.”
Zheng Zhilong thoughtfully: “I understand.”
While talking, a small mountain range appeared ahead of the bird ship.
At its foot, two waterways converged. The thicker one was the Ling River, turning northwest-southeast from this mountain.
The thinner waterway south of the mountain was the Yongning River.
On the Yongning Riverbank under the moonlight, large patches of farmland crisscrossed, dark yellow rice ears swaying in the wind like waves.
Some fields had been harvested, revealing black fields.
Among fields and paths, several low flat houses dotted about.
At this busy farming season, a few tenant farmers’ houses still had faint lights on.
Lin Qian looked at the scene before him, feeling both strange and familiar. He took a deep breath and silently thought: “Huangyan County, Lin Qian is back.”
