Chapter 730 - Advance in Song
"We can smelt another furnace of good steel," Chen Haiyang remarked, watching Dai Xie of the Planning Agency's Action Team greedily record figures in his notebook.
"Not just one—several. Melting down these cannons and iron shot alone will yield a tremendous amount of pig iron." As Director of the Planning Agency's Investigation and Statistics Division, Dai Xie rarely visited the front lines. His personal leadership of the "Home-Raiding Team"—officially the Special Search Action Team—demonstrated the high hopes Wu De had placed on capturing supplies from the Pearl River Delta.
Indeed, the Planning Agency was reaping an abundant harvest. The cannons captured from various forts were particularly valuable—even a Folangji yielded two or three hundred kilograms of molten iron, to say nothing of the Red Barbarian Cannons weighing thousands of jin.
Cannons dismantled by Marines piled up like small hills on the beach, including twelve precious bronze pieces. With no transport ships available yet, they would have to wait for the follow-up supply convoy.
The Great Whale puffed black smoke as she worked at full capacity. Her steam winches hauled up the wooden piles driven into the riverbed one by one. These blocking stakes had simply been hammered down by laborers with mallets rather than mechanical pile drivers, so they sat barely stable in the mud. The steam winch extracted them effortlessly. The crane and custom-prepared steel cables weren't even necessary.
The Planning Agency, famous for its frugality, did not let the hundreds of extracted piles go to waste. Several sailors who had once been raftsmen wove them into rafts, which would be towed back to Humen.
After clearing the underwater obstacles, scouts discovered a line of ships moored across the river a few kilometers from Wuchong, their hulls filled with sand and stones—clearly another water barrier. Chen Haiyang considered it fortunate that the Ming forces hadn't sunk them yet. Such obstructions might prove useless against current wooden vessels, but they would severely impair navigation for future ten-thousand-ton ships.
According to the survey ship, however, government forces had indeed scuttled a number of vessels in the channel. Though tides, currents, and settling had rendered the blockade intermittent and incomplete, water depth in some areas had been reduced to one or two meters. The survey ship marked all dangerous shallow zones with buoys.
The Great Whale began dismantling obstacles in sections that might affect navigation, while steam launches towed the sand-filled ships to shore. Captives from Wuchong provided the labor.
Chen Haiyang ordered a brief rest period to clean guns and prepare to continue upstream. In the meantime, he dispatched Marines to nearby villages to post notices and collect Reasonable Burden.
No village dared resist anymore.
Even before the Marines arrived, elders and wealthy households from surrounding villages sent representatives bearing gifts and "rewards," expressing willingness to accept all Australian conditions. Nearby villagers rowed small boats out to sell vegetables, fruits, meat, and alcohol. Conflicts even broke out between them and the civilian boats that had followed the fleet to do business.
Wuchong's surroundings suddenly attracted a multitude of small craft, forming a temporary but thriving water market. Eventually, even boats carrying prostitutes arrived. While they couldn't serve the Task Force directly, the women earned considerable income from sailors and merchants on the other civilian vessels.
Observing the gathering flotilla of civilian boats, Chen Haiyang worried that water-braves might infiltrate for a sneak attack. He ordered all civilian craft to anchor at the mouth of the Wuchong River, forbidding entry into the fleet's anchorage. A hundred-meter buffer zone was to be maintained at all times to prevent enemy fire-ship attacks.
So many vendors came selling goods that Chen Haiyang realized he didn't need the special supply convoy to bring provisions—as long as his fleet had money to pay. Rice, poultry, eggs, vegetables, fruits, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, alcohol—all could be purchased from the small boats at reasonable prices.
He ordered large quantities of citrus fruits purchased to supplement vitamins for the soldiers. He also authorized direct food purchases from boat vendors, provided prices were fair and hygiene standards acceptable.
He found himself vaguely disturbed that the common people conducted business so nonchalantly with the "bandits" who had just beaten the "government army" into fleeing rats. Although this phenomenon benefited the Fubo Army, the populace's willingness to act as "Ming traitors" left him uncomfortable.
While he pondered this discomfort, another "delegation" arrived.
These were shipowners and merchants stranded in Huangpu Port. Trapped by the fighting and afraid to sail, they had heard that the bandits had conquered Wuchong. Huangpu Port now lay utterly exposed—the bandits could take it whenever they pleased, as often as they pleased.
The owners of more than two thousand ships in the harbor were terrified. Their sailors and helmsmen had fled, as had the officials and runners of the Huangpu River Police Office.
With no other options, the shipowners and cargo owners had elected a ten-person delegation to Wuchong to beg "grace" from the Australians. They were willing to pay fifty thousand taels of silver as "ransom" in exchange for a promise not to confiscate cargoes or burn ships.
"We beg Your Excellency's grace!" The leading merchant kowtowed heavily on the deck, his forehead striking wood. Behind him, the others followed suit. The rhythm of their heads banging was almost synchronized.
Wen Desi raised his hand with considerable airs—it felt rather good to play the overlord. "Rise. No need for kowtowing."
"Thank you, Your Excellency." The leader bowed again with clasped hands before carefully standing, his head still lowered, awaiting instructions.
"Your name is... hmm..."
"This lowly one is Qin Haicheng," the merchant said cautiously.
"An ocean merchant?"
Qin Haicheng tensed. After a moment's hesitation: "Yes, this lowly one is an ocean merchant."
"Where do you trade?"
"Replying to Your Excellency—the Luzons..."
"Must have made quite a bit of money."
Qin Haicheng shivered, not daring to respond. He feared a careless word would invite heavy extortion.
Wen Desi probably realized his words were inappropriate. He quickly changed tone.
"We can forgo the silver," he said magnanimously. "But I have other demands."
"Yes, please instruct us, Your Excellency!" Hearing that the silver wasn't needed, Qin Haicheng exhaled with relief—though he suspected the "demands" might prove far harsher than fifty thousand taels.
The first demand was "Harmonious Purchase."
Essentially, the Australians would send personnel to inspect cargoes on all merchant ships. Any goods needed by Lingao would be subject to Harmonious Purchase at the Guangzhou wholesale price plus ten percent for shipping and profit margin.
All ships carrying goods subject to Harmonious Purchase would sail to Hong Kong, then be convoyed to Lingao for unloading. With foreign trade disrupted, Lingao had tremendous demand for many commodities. Huangpu Port held over two thousand ships, many of them merchantmen laden with diverse goods. A single large-scale Harmonious Purchase operation would yield massive supplies.
The purchase carried a predatory edge, of course—prices ran considerably lower than normal rates between Lingao and Guangzhou in peacetime. But it still left shipowners and cargo owners some profit, sparing them total loss.
Though stringent, this condition was bearable. Qin Haicheng felt relieved—he didn't doubt the Australians would actually pay. Their commercial reputation in Guangdong was quite good.
The second demand sounded less like a demand and more like a suggestion. Wen Desi simply discussed the superior geographical position of Hong Kong Island—now under Australian control—and described its complete port services. He expressed hope that everyone would frequent Hong Kong Island to dock, load, and sell. As for transshipment, river boats could handle the transfer.
Though politely phrased, his words carried an unmistakable undercurrent of compulsion.
According to the plan developed by the Central Administration Council, Planning Agency, and General Staff, the Task Force's main body would return to Lingao after the Guangzhou campaign, but control of the Pearl River waterway would not be relinquished. Light patrol fleets based in Hong Kong would constantly patrol the estuary and river, forcing merchant ships entering and leaving the Pearl River to conduct their trade in Hong Kong. The ultimate goal was to make Hong Kong Guangzhou's primary outer port and the gateway for South China's foreign and coastal commerce.
"Yes, yes, this lowly one understands." Qin Haicheng wondered why they valued Hong Kong Island so highly. He knew the place—a desolate island. Despite its size and good anchorage, ordinary merchants dared not go there; it was a notorious pirate haven.
Did the Australians intend to transform it into another Macau?
"Good that you understand." Wen Desi smiled. "Just ensure your hearts match your mouths. Do not feign compliance while acting otherwise."
"This lowly one dares not!" Qin Haicheng was so frightened he nearly dropped to his knees again. "This lowly one will certainly send ships to Hong Kong to dock and trade!"
The others also proclaimed their firm resolve to conduct business at Hong Kong.
"Very well. You may go. The river and sea are peaceful now. Trade wherever you wish. So long as you commit no hostile acts, my Navy will never block or attack civilian ships."
"Thank you, Your Excellency." Qin Haicheng couldn't quite believe he was being released without spending a single coin. But thinking of Hong Kong, he felt a chill—some "butcher's knife" likely awaited them there.
Still, the Pearl River now belonged to the Australians. One act of "disobedience" meant the loss of ship and cargo—perhaps even life. It seemed he must either quit maritime trade entirely or obediently travel to Hong Kong to pay tribute. He estimated the Australian price would be roughly comparable to what Liu Xiang charged.
Wen Desi smiled. "However, regarding Huangpu Port—your merchant ships should visit less frequently in the future. We wouldn't want you caught in the crossfire when we set fires or fire cannons."
"Dare not, dare not! This lowly one will never come to Huangpu Port again! We will go entirely to Hong Kong Island for trade."
Chen Haiyang then ordered a Marine company and two Special Service Boat squadrons to accompany the representatives to Huangpu.
Dai Xie led Planning Agency indigenous clerks to conduct the Harmonious Purchase. Every owner was required to submit a manifest for review; refusal or falsification meant confiscation of ship and cargo.
Qin Haicheng announced the policy to the owners gathered on shore. Hearing they wouldn't need to pay cash, everyone relaxed considerably. Although Harmonious Purchase meant reduced profits, overall losses remained limited.
As for trading at Hong Kong Island—they concluded it was simply an imitation of Zheng Zhilong's old trick. Before his surrender to the Ming, Zheng Zhilong had repeatedly attacked Moon Harbor, burning ships and razing streets to force Fujian's coastal trade to his own controlled port at Zhongzuosuo. The Australians clearly intended to use the same method to generate revenue.
The merchants had no choice but to accept all conditions. They understood the Australians were already being merciful. They could have taken the fifty thousand taels, or extorted a hundred thousand, and still imposed these demands—and the merchants would have had to comply.
Marines landed, destroyed Huangpu's port facilities and River Police Office, and set the buildings ablaze.
The Task Force continued upstream the following day, effortlessly crushing defenses at Pazhou and Qinzhou. Defenders fired their guns hastily and fled. The Special Service Boats didn't even have time to return fire.
Subsequent engagements could hardly be called battles. Ming morale had collapsed entirely; neither water-braves nor naval troops possessed the will to attack. Even when defending forts, they refused to exert themselves—since only the enemy could hit them while they couldn't hit the enemy, what was the point of defending?
Only at Liede and Ershawei did the Task Force encounter genuine difficulty—not from fortifications, but from thoroughly blocked channels. The Great Whale spent two or three hours clearing obstacles at each section.
During this work, the forts at Liede and Ershawei fired only token shots and took no measures to disrupt the clearing operations. Once Special Service Boats opened fire, the battle ended.
Now the Task Force had advanced to within three or four kilometers of Bai'etan.
Aside from a few hastily constructed sandbag batteries, nothing stood between the Australians and the provincial capital's outer waters.
This terrifying prospect threw Guangzhou into chaos. The flower boats on Bai'etan scattered overnight, fleeing up the West River. Gentry and wealthy families poured out of the city in droves. Shops shuttered their doors. Commoners who couldn't flee barred themselves inside their homes.
Many lawless elements in the suburbs raised Australian flags, proclaiming grandiose titles: "Great Song Vanguard against Ming," "Australian Marquis of Dingyuan," "Great Australian Guerrilla General of Guangdong," "Great Kun Nation Frontline Commander," "Australian Left Vanguard," "Australian-Song Guangdong Seal-Holding Vanguard"... The self-styled titles blossomed everywhere.
Knowing Australians used red or blue-and-white flags, these opportunists flew various red or blue-and-white banners throughout the Guangzhou countryside. These bandit gangs looted, robbed, and extorted, sowing panic wherever they went.
The Task Force moved slowly, sweeping away bandits and roving gangs along the way. Villages and towns dared not resist, but the bandits flying the "Australian" banner seriously damaged the Fubo Army's reputation.
The Task Force launched large-scale search-and-seize operations. After wiping out a dozen bandit gangs claiming to be Australian troops and executing several of their leaders, this trend in the Henan Island area largely subsided.
Under Li Fengjie's pressure, Xu Tingfa was forced to launch one final major counterattack on the Pearl River.
Everyone from Li Fengjie down to the lowest rice-bowl water-brave understood this was their last chance to drive back the bandits.
Xu Tingfa deployed the Ming navy's ultimate weapon: fire ships.
Since the Portuguese first knocked on the southern gate, fire ships had proven the most effective tactical weapon for the Ming navy against European naval power. Massive numbers of fire ships, piloted by daredevils promised heavy rewards, would ram enemy vessels under cover of warships. In narrow waters, the fewer, taller, clumsier European ships—lacking light vessel escorts—often suffered devastating damage.
This had been a tried-and-true method against European ships since mid-dynasty.
Desperate, Xu Tingfa turned to this tactic once again. Compared to the open Pearl River estuary, fire attacks seemed more likely to succeed in Guangzhou's inland rivers. The channels were narrow. The bandit ships were densely packed and hard to maneuver. Numerous bays offered concealment from which fire ships could strike.
Xu Tingfa consulted his generals, who agreed it was feasible. But fire attacks consumed many vessels, and the navy itself lacked sufficient ships. The Governor would have to solve this problem.
For Li Fengjie, anything was acceptable so long as the bandits didn't enter Bai'etan. He issued orders commanding the Guangzhou Prefect and the Magistrates of Nanhai and Panyu counties to seize ships in the West and North Rivers. Regardless of size, all were to be sent to Bai'etan.
Fishing boats, cargo ships, and flower boats—the same vessels that had just fled from Bai'etan—fell victim, seized indiscriminately. Corrupt officials and naval generals exploited the chaos, seizing ships everywhere in the name of war. Owners with money and connections pulled strings to redeem their vessels; penniless commoners watched helplessly as their livelihoods were piled with firewood, doused with oil, and prepared for burning.
Crying to heaven was useless.
In two days, the navy gathered over fifty fire ships of various types in Bai'etan and the West River, plus more than a hundred hastily made fire rafts designed to drift into the enemy.
All were loaded with fuel. Large iron spikes were added to their prows.
Xu Tingfa recruited water-skilled daredevils from among the water-braves, fishermen, and navy soldiers, promising ten taels of silver upfront, twenty more upon safe return, and ten taels pension if killed.
High rewards attracted more than three hundred volunteers.
(End of Chapter)