Chapter 1016 Setting Sail

At 8:00 AM sharp, after the cruiser Lichun raised its flag, a signal flag was hoisted on the signal mast, issuing the tensely awaited order—"Depart on schedule!"

Li Di wore white naval summer dress with staff officer aiguillettes, standing on Lichun's bridge, observing the vessels of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron. The 200-ton Type II double-masted lateen patrol boats began weighing anchor. Anchor chains splashed white water. These arm-thick chains had their mud washed off by the spray as they passed through the hawse holes. The 1st Reconnaissance Squadron immediately set sail, followed in sequence by the 3rd Auxiliary Boat Squadron, 5th Auxiliary Boat Squadron, 1st Gunboat Squadron, and 2nd Gunboat Squadron... The Ocean Fleet finally headed for the battlefield that would determine the Senate's national fate.

As the fleet sailed out of the anchorage, troops remaining in Hong Kong and those departing later excitedly bid farewell to the First Fleet. Sailors lined up along ship railings, cheering and waving caps. Accompanied by the "Warship March," First Fleet sailors standing at parade stations waved goodbye in return; everyone was jubilant. Every person believed they were about to engage in battle for a glorious victory.

No one had the slightest doubt about victory. Lichun's commissioning had been an enormous shock not only to ordinary natives and naturalized citizens, but to all naval personnel—Lichun was the largest ship built to date. Its iron-ribbed body, massive main guns, smokestacks billowing black smoke and white steam, the enormous waves splashing during full-speed trials in the strait—all of it not only flaunted the Senate's military might once again, but made them understand the Senate had the capability to continuously replicate their industrial miracles, rather than possessing a few irreplicable "magic treasures." This kind of miracle was something no one could resist.

The fleet headed northwest, accurately taking the Lei Yue Mun passage to leave St. Mary's Bay. St. Mary's Bay's north shore was still under Great Ming control, not openly incorporated into Hong Kong Agricultural Reclamation Regiment's territory, but the entire bay was genuinely "the Australians' inland lake." Ming military boats never entered St. Mary's Bay. Native fishing boats wanting to fish in the bay had to apply for permits from Hong Kong Trading Post and pay a twenty percent in-kind fishing tax.

Coastal merchant ships and freighters heading to Guangzhou and the Pearl River basin, under constant Coast Guard Hong Kong Detachment patrols and "persuasion," no longer entered the Pearl River mouth but docked at Hong Kong to trade. Near Central's commercial piers, masts stood like forests. The desolate bay that originally had only a few fishing boats had become bustling.

Lichun sailed slightly northward to round North Point. It cruised lightly at six-knot sailing speed along the coast. From the deck, one could see Fortress Hill. The fort on the hill puffed white smoke, followed by rumbling cannon fire—coastal artillery firing saluting farewell guns.

Lichun's secondary guns also fired in salute. The morning's thin clouds gradually dispersed. Sunlight shone on the calm azure ocean. Gentle breezes swept across Lichun's deck, making one feel refreshed and serene.

To pass through the Lei Yue Mun channel, the First Fleet's twenty-seven vessels formed a long single line, each ship one thousand meters apart—like a grand naval review. Steam-powered vessels sailed under canvas, only maintaining boiler pressure.

Soon, a dozen or so Fishery Cooperative fishing boats waiting for the tide appeared to starboard. Fishermen waved and cheered at them. To port, the Kowloon Peninsula's rice paddies showed golden yellow—Tiandihui's achievement—heralding autumn's arrival. Trees along the coast had lush green leaves, even more striking against the hazy blue mountain backdrop.

Not far from shore, a Type 601 paddlewheel tug belched black smoke, laboriously towing a string of barges seaward. Before long, when the bridge sighted Cha Kwo Ling, that string of barges was already far behind.

Tugs performed many tasks in Hong Kong, including loading barges with various materials purchased from Guangzhou and towing them back. This heavy, slow water train had become a great spectacle on the Pearl River mouth.

As the fleet continued sailing, Coast Guard small launches sprayed black smoke, putt-putting past on the outer side. They were performing patrol and inspection duties, ensuring the Senate's absolute hegemony over the Pearl River mouth.

Li Di gazed at all this, unable to reconcile it with his old dimension memories—in the old dimension, he had visited Hong Kong more than once, but the primitive state with dense high-rises and bustling streets and docks removed felt very unfamiliar. He couldn't help recalling the past. Suddenly, the signal chief loudly relayed orders through the speaking tube, interrupting his reverie.

At this point, all senior officers of the First Fleet Command, as well as Lichun's captain and his staff, gathered on the bridge. Regulations stipulated that when passing through narrow channels, all ship personnel had to be at their stations.

The signal chief's command voice had barely fallen when four signal flags rose on the small signal mast behind the bridge command post. The first signal flag ordered formation change. Since they had now passed the channel's narrowest point, without looking at the other three signal flags, one could determine the order was for all ships to assume normal sailing formation.

At the signal mast's peak flew the First Fleet Chief Advisor's rear admiral flag and Li Di's commodore flag—Li Di's rank was only lieutenant commander, but as First Fleet chief of staff and nominal fleet commander, he could fly the commodore flag.

Suddenly, the ship's loudspeaker announced: "Lei Yue Mun channel passage complete! Stow gear! Resume normal deployment!"

To take a final look at the gradually receding coastline, people in white casual uniforms and blue work clothes began flooding to the fore and aft decks. About a dozen firemen just off watch came to the forecastle deck, took off their undershirts, and following the corporal's whistle, began doing calisthenics bare-chested.

Li Di also left the bridge, coming to the "balcony deck" behind the bridge—a place exclusively for officers to rest on deck. Wrought iron patterned handrails, teak deck, and cast iron fixed tables and chairs. Lichun's tonnage wasn't enough to fit a captain's private balcony at the stern, so this area was set up behind the bridge.

He sat down in a chair, gazing at the ocean scenery—rare to have such calm, pleasant weather.

Lichun's Captain Li Ziping came down from the bridge and joined him on deck. He sat in a chair beside him, casually lit a cigarette, and said:

"Getting used to it?"

Li Di's seasickness was famous—despite firmly requesting to join the Navy, he was constantly seasick. He had vomited miserably when cruising with the 8154. Later, during Fubo's trial voyage after completion, he was once again carried off the ship. So he could ultimately only settle into Navy chief of staff and harbor master positions—both main and concurrent positions required no ocean voyages. But a senior naval officer who couldn't sail the ocean was, without being told, "the Navy's shame."

For this, Li Di had spent much time on adaptation training, using equipment to train his sense of balance, and frequently seeking opportunities to go to sea. After over a year of training, he was much better than before.

"Feeling fine now. I think this time there'll definitely be no problem."

"Wave height is still under 1.2 meters now—typical calm seas. Once we enter the open ocean, it probably won't be this calm." Li Ziping said. "And we'll be sailing continuously. I don't know if you'll hold up then."

"No problem," Li Di said somewhat annoyed. "Might still have a bit of seasickness, but it won't matter." He changed the subject. "You're doing full-ship integrated training—pretty busy, right?"

"Barely managing! Lichun only had two-plus months from commissioning to departure. Forming combat capability is practically fantasy. We can only train while sailing—anyway, our firepower is strong and speed fast. As long as we don't let enemies close for boarding melees, we won't lose however we fight."

"Speaking of which, your sailors and department heads probably aren't as good as those on the auxiliary boats—there are quite a few old sea dogs on those. At minimum, they're first-rate at sailing."

Li Di's last remark touched on an unpleasant issue. To ensure Lichun's "absolute safety," when assigning sailors and department heads, all "insufficiently reliable" naturalized citizen sailors were excluded. Many were pirate-origin junior officers and petty officers who, because of short naturalization periods and low political ratings, were all excluded.

"I'm very opposed to this practice of checking political reliability before anything," Li Ziping said. "Certain vigilance is necessary, but unlimited quantified management goes too far..."

Li Di felt the same but didn't comment. Quantified management was something Director Wen "talked about daily, hourly." He insistently pushed the ISO system into all aspects. Political scoring and reliability ratings were systems created under the quantified management banner. Openly opposing them was unwise.

"This is a systemic issue," he thought for a moment before using an old catch-all answer. "Let's consider how to do things well within the system."

"I wonder if this operation will go smoothly..." Li Ziping was speaking when suddenly the speaking tube sounded: "Report to captain—bilge water intake rate increasing..."

"Understood, I'm coming immediately." Li Ziping said, picking up his hat from the table. "This ship! I knew it couldn't be this smooth!"

Lichun was a newly launched ship—as a new wooden-hulled vessel, taking on water was very normal. The wooden hull would automatically seal after sailing for a period. As long as pumps could control water intake below warning levels, it didn't affect course or combat. Almost every European sailing ship was equipped with manual pumps. Sometimes, a ship in very poor condition even needed twenty-four-hour rotating pump crews just to stay afloat.

Lichun had steam auxiliaries, so pumping needed no manpower, but water intake rate was still closely monitored. Li Ziping was very worried about this ship's quality, afraid some quality issue might not be discovered in time—a sinking accident would be his responsibility.

(End of Chapter)