Chapter 933: Ambush on the River
Xingyang, downstream from Gubaidu Ferry, at the Sanhe Ferry crossing.
Two warships were hidden in a cove next to the Sanhe Ferry crossing.
The sailors on board leaned over the gunwales, watching the river with chilling intensity.
Besides the sailors, an old acquaintance of Gao Family Village was also on board: Zhai Tang.
Zhai Tang, one of the eight great Jin merchants!
Back then, after Zhai Tang had betrayed Tie Niaofei in Hedong Circuit, Gao Family Village reported him to the Supreme Commander of Xuan-Da, leading Supreme Commander Zhang Zongheng to strictly investigate the border and purge the border army of Han traitors and turncoats.
Zhai Tang's business was ruined, and for years, he had been lying low.
But he quickly connected with the rebels. If he couldn't sell supplies to the Manchus, selling them to the rebels was just as profitable. Furthermore, the rebels' gold, silver, and jewels were all looted, so they had no qualms about spending their ill-gotten gains, being even more lavish when making purchases than the Manchus.
Once again, Zhai Tang was raking in profits.
This task, however, was clearly not so simple!
The other side had Flintlock Rifles and strange Hand Grenades.
To counter this, Zhai Tang had fitted his boats with large wooden planks to block bullets and even built small hidden bunkers behind the planks. When his men saw the enemy throwing Hand Grenades, they would take cover in these bunkers.
However, this design proved utterly useless. The boats he sent out last time were completely annihilated, not a single subordinate managed to escape, leaving Zhai Tang baffled as to where he had gone wrong.
But that was no problem! Those destined for great achievements are courageous enough to accept failure.
If it didn't work once, he would simply try a second time.
This time, Zhai Tang had prepared two warships, and they were very large tower ships.
There were many soldiers on board, and they were equipped with numerous muskets and Three-Eyed Arquebuses.
"Oh, so their Flintlock Rifles are impressive, huh? This time, I have Flintlock Rifles too, and in large numbers."
He refused to believe that their flat, simple plank boats, which didn't even have a single deckhouse, could possibly defeat his two massive tower ships.
"They're here!" a sailor exclaimed. "My lord, the cargo ship with the colorful flag has appeared."
Zhai Tang looked out at the river. Sure enough, a "plank boat unique to that mysterious faction" sailed out from Gubaidu Ferry and was heading downstream.
Zhai Tang's spirits lifted. "Capture that boat, and I'll reward a hundred taels of gold!"
His subordinates immediately rejoiced.
Zhai Tang himself, however, jumped into a small skiff and rowed back to the shore.
Fighting battles was not something a person of his status and position would get involved in!
The two warships charged swiftly towards Gao Family Village's flat-bottomed cargo boat.
Gao Family Village's cargo boat immediately spotted the two menacing tower ships.
After the previous attack on Jiang Cheng, Gao Family Village's cargo boats were far more vigilant than before. They would no longer allow unidentified vessels to approach. The moment the cargo boat saw the two tower ships potentially attacking, it immediately turned and fled.
Someone on the cargo boat took out a tin megaphone and bellowed at the two tower ships: "Who are you? Immediately state your identity and intentions, and do not approach this vessel any further, or we will consider you pirates. I repeat, who are you..."
Zhai Tang's two ships paid no heed, pretending not to hear, and continued to charge menacingly towards Gao Family Village's cargo boat.
Gao Family Village's cargo boat was powered by an electric engine. Once it opened up its power and started moving, its speed was incredibly fast. The two wooden tower ships couldn't possibly keep up.
But just then, from a cove upstream on the Yellow River, two more tower ships emerged, blocking the path of Gao Family Village's cargo boat.
It turned out Zhai Tang had prepared four warships to encircle them from front and back.
The Gao Family Village sailors on the boat instantly grew tense. There was no longer any need to ask the enemy's intentions; it was clear they meant to fight.
"All hands, battle stations!"
"Prepare for combat!"
"They mean trouble, don't let them get close."
"Open fire!"
Flintlock rifles roared, and bullets flew towards the four encircling tower ships.
This time, Zhai Tang's preparations were even more thorough. The wooden planks on the tower ships, used to block bullets, were thicker, and hidden bunkers against Hand Grenades were everywhere on board. The tall "deckhouses" on the tower ships, once they got close enough, would allow them to attack the flat-bottomed cargo boat from a "commanding height."
The Gao Family Village sailors on the cargo boat also realized that if the enemy got too close, they definitely wouldn't be able to win. But their Flintlock Rifles couldn't stop the enemy from approaching...
Amidst the "bang-bang" of gunshots, the encirclement from both sides tightened—
"Along the riverbanks, monkey cries never cease..."
Zhu Piaoling recited a line of poetry.
Shi Kefa grumbled, "There are no monkeys by the river at all. Don't just recite poetry for the sake of reciting; it doesn't match the scenery. Besides, it should be 'apes' cries'! What do you mean by 'monkey cries'?"
Zhu Piaoling replied, "Huh? It's all the same, isn't it?"
Shi Kefa glared sideways.
Tie Niaofei chuckled, "I also felt like reciting poetry while on the boat. Having traveled land routes my whole life, this journey by water feels quite novel... Er... but this boat swaying back and forth is making me a bit uncomfortable..."
Shi Kefa retorted exasperatedly, "A salt smuggler, getting seasick? That's simply unheard of."
He had just finished complaining...
When suddenly, a lookout sailor yelled out: "Water battle breaking out on the river ahead!"
That shout instantly jolted all the sailors on the Wanli Sunshine into alertness. The sailors, who had been resting in various parts of the ship, leapt up with a flurry of movement and rushed to their stations.
Shi Kefa asked, "Eh? What's happening?"
The few of them had been standing at the side of the boat, watching the riverbank scenery. Now they quickly ran towards the bow.
They saw Jiang Cheng already at the bow, holding a telescope and gazing out at the water ahead. After only a couple of glances, Jiang Cheng erupted in fury: "Ships are attacking our cargo vessel! Damn it, is that the same bastard who ambushed me last time?!"
"Prepare for battle!"
"Wanli Sunshine, all hands prepare for combat!"
The atmosphere on board instantly shifted again. Just moments ago, the sailors had merely been getting to their stations, but now they were entering a state of combat readiness. The actions of the navigation crew, combat teams, and damage control teams all differed.
Since this was the Wanli Sunshine's maiden voyage, the sailors were not yet proficient, and it could even be described as a little chaotic. People scurried about, above and below deck.
However, after a brief period of confusion, the sailors eventually found their positions.
The combat team sailors drew their Flintlock Rifles and, with a click, loaded their bullets.
Jiang Cheng at the bow roared: "Our cargo vessel is in a precarious situation! Accelerate! This ship, accelerate! Join the fray immediately and rescue our cargo vessel!"
The navigation crew sailors immediately grabbed the "gear lever" in the cabin. It was marked with "Cruising Speed" and "Combat Speed."
Currently, the lever was in the "Cruising Speed" position. The sailor pushed the lever with force, and with a thwack, the lever slid into the "Combat Speed" position.
The motor power instantly surged to its maximum!
The Wanli Sunshine, full speed ahead!
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