Chapter 945: The Huangmei Water Pirates
Zhu Piaoling chimed, "Chongming Island, just south of here, is Suzhou, isn't it? Heh heh, I think I'll disembark here and explore my way to Nanjing. Commander Shi, Master Tie, Instructor Jiang, we shall meet again!"
Shi Kefa genuinely worried if this naive, wealthy young man could navigate the complexities of Jiangnan society. He lowered his voice, "Young Master Zhu, Jiangnan teems with formidable figures. You must be careful here and avoid being too ostentatious. I can tell you have status and powerful backing, but your masked appearance shows you can't expose your identity, nor rely on your family's influence. So, you absolutely must keep a low profile, a *very* low profile!"
Zhu Piaoling chuckled. "I know, I know. A low profile is key, right? I'm just going for a stroll, then I'll come find you in Anqing."
Shi Kefa didn't press the matter further.
The *Wanli Sunshine* briefly paused by the riverbank. Zhu Piaoling and his companions boarded a small boat, disembarked, and vanished like wisps of smoke.
"Sigh, I'm still worried," Shi Kefa said, watching his retreating figure. "He's clearly inexperienced. I truly fear he'll offend the wrong people."
Tie Niaofei laughed. "He might be a greenhorn, but his guards are formidable. Don't worry."
"Hmm!" Shi Kefa's spirits lifted. "You're right. I don't have time to worry about others anyway. Anqing will be here soon, and I need to roll up my sleeves and throw myself into it. I'll apply the knowledge I gained at Gao Family Village to my governance, striving to ensure the common folk of Anqing Prefecture also live prosperous lives."
After passing Chongming Island, the *Wanli Sunshine* officially entered the Yangtze River waterway.
The New Jiang Estuary in Nanjing was the Ming Imperial Navy's garrison.
At its peak, four hundred large warships and four hundred large transport boats were stationed here, with countless smaller vessels besides.
But by the Chongzhen era, Nanjing had become a place where officials were sent to retire or be exiled, and the Ming Imperial Navy had... *ahem*... seen better days.
Few large warships remained at the New Jiang Estuary, only numerous transport boats, constantly entering and exiting, laden with tribute grain.
The colossal *Wanli Sunshine*, appearing just outside the New Jiang Estuary, sent the transport boats scattering in panic across the river. "Japanese pirates! Japanese pirates are here to steal the grain!"
Fortunately, Shi Kefa was prepared this time. Clutching an iron-sheet megaphone, he stood on the prow and boomed, "This is a court vessel! No need to panic! This is a court vessel! No need to panic!"
He repeated this over and over, much like the automated voice of a Sanbengzi repeating "Caution: backing up," which was quite comical.
The Sanbengzi's repetition came from an electric horn, but Shi Kefa was shouting it himself, a truly exhausting effort. Before long, his voice grew hoarse.
Anqing Prefecture, Anqing Harbor.
Wang Gongbi, the Right Administration Commissioner, sat by the pier, observing the rows of transport boats with a troubled expression.
In early 1635, after the West Camp Eight Great Kings (Zhang Xianzhong's army) breached Fengyang and desecrated the Zhu family's ancestral tombs, a faction of their forces did not return to Henan. Instead, they continued south, invading Anhui territory.
These bandit forces soon merged with local mountain and water bandits in Anhui. The strongest among them were known as the Huangmei Water Pirates.
With the support of Zhang Xianzhong's land forces, the Huangmei Water Pirates grew even more formidable, now openly daring to intercept official vessels on the river.
Official transport boats, in particular, were prime targets for the Huangmei Water Pirates.
At this time, Anqing was still part of Southern Zhili, under Nanjing's jurisdiction. The court had dispatched Wang Gongbi, the Right Administration Commissioner, ordering him to "relocate to Anqing by imperial decree" to combat the bandits north of the Yangtze and protect the transport boats.
Wang Gongbi took office with great ambition. His first action was to audit the Anqing Guard, intending to organize the garrison soldiers for a decisive battle against Zhang Xianzhong's forces.
The results of the audit, however...
Wang Gongbi was stunned!
The Anqing Guard suffered from insufficient troop numbers and rations, and seriously dilapidated military equipment. They possessed no combat effectiveness whatsoever.
They couldn't even deal with the Huangmei Water Pirates, let alone confront Zhang Xianzhong's main army.
Wang Gongbi clutched his head in distress. "What do I do? What can I possibly do? It's over, completely over."
"Report!" a scout galloped over, shouting urgently. "Your Excellency, something terrible has happened! The Huangmei Water Pirates are advancing, less than ten *li* from here!"
Wang Gongbi exclaimed, "What?!"
He swept his gaze across the pier, seeing the dense cluster of transport boats, and grew anxious. "Disastrous! So many transport boats gathered here. If the bandits seize them, how is that different from aiding the enemy?"
Thinking this, Wang Gongbi gritted his teeth. "Rather than letting the bandits seize it, it's better to give it to the common people. Men! Immediately unload the grain from these transport boats and distribute it to the common folk. Quick, quick, quick!"
His Section-Chief was startled. "My lord, if you do this, the court will surely charge you with a crime if they investigate afterward."
Wang Gongbi retorted, "Then let them charge me. I can't worry about such things anymore."
Orders were quickly issued. Wang's family retainers, the Anqing Guard soldiers (whose combat strength was almost equal to that of peasants), and a large number of dockworkers sprang into action, moving grain from the transport boats. There was no time to move it far.
They simply pushed it into the crowds right beside Anqing Harbor, handing it over to the common people.
Anqing City stood adjacent to Anqing Harbor. The common folk instantly flocked there, each carrying a bag, filling it with grain, and fleeing.
In an instant, the area around Anqing Harbor became even livelier than a bustling market.
"Report! Water bandits five *li* away..."
"Report! A giant, strange vessel is approaching from downstream. It's twenty *zhang* long!"
Wang Gongbi was greatly startled. "Twenty *zhang* long? What madness are you speaking?"
The scout replied, "That's being conservative. It's likely even longer."
Wang Gongbi frowned. "Have the water bandits become so formidable?"
The scout clarified, "It doesn't appear to be a bandit ship. A man in official robes stands on the prow, seemingly shouting desperately, but his voice is hoarse, and I was too far away to hear clearly what he was yelling."
Wang Gongbi inquired, "Official robes? What rank?"
"It appears to be... a third-rank official's robes."
Wang Gongbi's mind raced. "Could it be Shi Kefa? The court recently appointed Shi Kefa to take charge of military affairs in the Anqing and Chizhou region. His official post is Right Vice-Censor-in-chief, which is precisely a third-rank position."
At this, Wang Gongbi sighed. "His arrival is useless. Military affairs here are impossible to manage. The guard soldiers are all drawing empty salaries, troop numbers are insufficient. The court owes them grain and pay, so the soldiers lack the will to fight... Shi Kefa will only end up as overwhelmed as I am."
Wang Gongbi waved his hand, saying loudly, "Never mind Shi Kefa! Quickly distribute the grain, quickly distribute it! Let the bandits steal less grain, and let the common people get more!"
One transport boat after another was emptied by Wang Gongbi's men, abandoned on the pier, and allowed to be taken by the common people. In just a short while, eight thousand *shi* of grain had been given away.
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