Beginning with the Ubume Bird
Chapter 716 - Chapter 716 Chapter 5 Parting Sorrow (Part 3)

Chapter 716: Chapter 5 Parting Sorrow (Part 3) Chapter 716: Chapter 5 Parting Sorrow (Part 3) “`

Three days later, the Governor’s Mansion in Guangzhou.

Ever since six years ago, when Lin Yuanfu of Chiwei Island was assassinated, the position of Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi had been vacant for over half a year, until the government decided to establish the Tianbo Division, and only then was the position filled.

In the past, pirates from the South Seas were rampant, and the foreigners had strong ships and powerful guns. During the Siege of Guangzhou, pirates and Red-haired Men invaded as if no one were in their way, completely ripping apart the veil of shame covering the rotten maritime defenses of Guangdong and Guangxi, causing shock throughout the court and the government.

Yet, in just six short years, the government actually managed to regroup and clear the coastal defenses! This accomplishment should first be credited to the current Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Yang Sheng, Yang Bingyan.

Yang Sheng, styled Bingyan, from Ganquan in Jiangnan, once served as the Commander of Qinghai. For his meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion, he was recommended by Zhao Yun of the Han Zhong Hall and was transferred to be the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi and the Minister of South Seas Maritime Defense, managing the naval affairs. Since taking office, Yang Sheng established a modern navy, joining hands with the East India Company to build an allied fleet, and for six years, he culled pirates and pacified the maritime borders with significant results.

Last month, the Capital City issued a decree bestowing him with gold and silver, a military robe of honor, and a stone stele inscribed with a poem by the emperor himself, indicative of the high favor Yang Sheng enjoyed.

“My lord, Cai Qian of Tianbo Division has sent ten boxes of gold and silver, ten boxes of jewelry, thirty Western instruments, fifty maids, and a copy of Liu Zongyuan’s ‘Nine Lamentations Scroll’. They are all outside in the courtyard,”

Yang Sheng sat upright at his desk, hearing voices from outside, he gently opened his eyes and smiled, saying, “I heard Tianbo Division has England’s latest-built Sultan warships, which can sail without sails. Why didn’t he send a couple over?”

The person outside did not dare to reply.

“Send them back, and let it be clearly stated to him that the reform of the Thirteen Hongs is imminent, there is no need for official supervision over commercial matters, henceforth all affairs related to Western trade will be handled by the government. If his Tianbo Division on Ryukyu Island does not shut down by next spring, they will be treated as pirates!”

After a while, Yang Sheng saw the person outside did not move, he then asked, “What else is there?”

“There is movement on Lantau Island.”

Yang Sheng’s spirit was invigorated, “Come in and speak.”

No sooner had his words fallen than a black-clad servant silently walked into the room, bowed deeply, and then said, “There’s reliable information that Tianbao of the Red Flag Gang has held a ‘banquet of ten thousand gold’ at the fishing grounds of Meiwo on Lantau Island.”

“Ha-ha, what is a ‘banquet of ten thousand gold’?”

Yang Sheng squinted his eyes and asked in return.

“It means that Tianbao has opened up the treasury of Red Flag, distributing all the valuable treasures on the island to the old and weak in the gang, as well as to pirates who wish to wash their hands of their past and live incognito. They are being escorted to shore by hundreds of small boats continuously; those with family members to cover for them seek refuge with their relatives, and those without family protection hide in the mountains and forests. Red Flag has deep roots and is intricately connected in Fujian, Zhejiang, and Guangdong, and many pirates come from local fishing communities. By the time the scout got the information and reported it to my lord, three days had already passed. Conservatively estimated, tens of thousands of bandits have dispersed into the coastal prefectures, counties, villages, and surrounding islands.”

Yang Sheng kept his composure, “As far as I know, the pirates of the Red Flag are not ordinary bandits. Past gang leaders falsely claimed the bloodline of King Yanping of Treasure Island, holding a hundred-year grudge against the government. Probably a significant number of these fierce and obstinate scoundrels are not willing to live incognito, are they?”

“Just as my lord said, there are at least twenty thousand bandits on the island, all of whom are inherently violent and extremely vicious. It is said that the Red Flag Gang has cobbled together a Divine Tower Ship at the port, claiming that the ship has the protection of the Sea God, and Tianbao himself drinks and sings at the ship’s bow every day, visible to all members of the gang.”

“Sea God’s protection? I’ve never been out to sea; you’re indeed from a fisherman’s background, in your opinion, does Tianbao really have the Sea God’s protection?”

Yang Sheng asked with a smile that was not quite a smile.

The servant hesitated for a moment, but still answered, “I have been to sea with my father since I was young, and there are indeed various strange and inconceivable things on the seas of the South Seas. But in my humble opinion, the daily presence of Tianbao on the ship, seen by the pirates, naturally stabilizes the morale of his men. It’s just a minor trick to manipulate people’s hearts. As for the Divine Tower Ship, it’s mostly an invention of divine beings, not to be taken seriously.”

“I think the same!”

Yang Sheng stood up, his robe sleeves making a sharp snap as he flung them; he paced back and forth in the large room, then suddenly asked the black-clad servant, “How soon can the allied fleet set sail?”

“The day after tomorrow.”

“`

“It’s been too long, I shall immediately dispatch a message to Andre of the East India Company. Tomorrow at noon, the port fleets will set sail without delay. In addition, order all the local government offices to be on strict alert and spread messages using smoke signals, being careful to guard against surprise attacks by the pirates.”

The young servant assented, but hesitated for a while before asking, “Should we send General Xu to the villages in Guangdong and Guangxi to search for and exterminate the members of the Red Flag Gang hiding amongst the populace?”

Yang Sheng pondered for a moment and then shook his head, “That won’t be necessary, the people of the South Seas are fierce and unyielding, becoming pirates on the islands’ seaways, but mere peasants within the fields and counties. All under my supervision are citizens of the government office. Even a mere bandit shows compassion for his subordinates, am I to be outdone by a mere Tianbao? Just order the local militias and village braves to step up patrols.”

“Your Excellency cares for the people like your own children, I admire you for that.”

Yang Sheng laughed and scolded, “Spare me your flattery, boy. Oh, right.”

As if remembering something, he pointed to a box on the table, “This box is a gift for Zhao Zhongtang.”

The servant stole a glance at the thing on the table.

One cubic foot in size, made of neither gold nor stone, the little holes on the lid were emitting a cool breeze.

“Zhongtang has always disdained common gold and silver trinkets. This Red Jade Buddha has been offered incense for a thousand years at Ruiyan Temple, it is a priceless treasure. This object is as intense as fire, common wood and silk would ignite upon contact, and metal would heat as if branded over time. It must be kept with pearl rock and surrounded by ice blocks. Once you’ve completed your tasks, deliver it to the Capital City for me. Hmm, don’t take the official roads, in case someone sees and starts gossiping about me.”

“Yes.”

The servant in black bowed and answered.

…

The so-called Divine Tower Ship was actually one of the Treasure Ships that Li Yan commissioned six years ago based on the blueprints obtained from Lin Ajin, decorated with some items meant to avert evil and exorcize spirits.

The dragon bone of the Treasure Ship was found by Li Yan at an auction. Artisans from Lantau Island along with a Red-haired man named Suo Heier, who had knowledge of some Magic Motion Technology, had worked together to build it.

The original plan was to construct sixteen ships. When Li Yan raided Guangzhou, he captured all the shipbuilders in the city and took them to Lantau Island for this very purpose.

However, due to the limitations of the treasury, and as the government began to pacify the seas and secure the borders, it took the Red Flag Gang six years to build just three ships.

[Lin’s Treasure Ship]

An enormous wooden sailing ship following the design of the treasure ships from the Yongle Era used to sail to the Western Ocean.

Length: four hundred and fifty meters

Tonnage: four thousand tons

Yongle craftsmanship: Carrying capacity far exceeds that of ordinary large ships, with excellent capabilities for long voyages.

Can carry up to one hundred 24-pound yellow gunpowder heavy cannons, or twenty large cargo holds.

Note: Such exquisite shipbuilding skills were considered divine work two hundred years ago; even in today’s nineteenth century, its performance remains outstanding.

The Divine Tower Ship where Li Yan was, in addition to the above characteristics, was also equipped with the Heavy Cannon Regeneration Machine that had been disassembled from the Spirit of the Duck. This was the core Magic Motion Technology of Wrath, one of the seven great ships, which played a significant role in the Red Flag Gang’s defeat of the English and Portuguese allied forces, sinking Envy, another of the seven great ships.

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