Chapter 221
Chapter 221
The air crackled with the feeling of impending war. After the Spring Festival, Raging Tide City bustled with war preparations, and the shipping lanes grew congested. Countless shipments of ironware, provisions, and clothing were constantly transported to Raging Tide City. The Pirate King, Qiu Tianwei, issued a continuous stream of summons. Dozens of pirate crews, large and small, based in the Leizhou Archipelago, answered the Pirate King's call, leading their ships to gather at Raging Tide City.
Before a great army could set out, its provisions and fodder had to be prepared. The pirate armada converging on Raging Tide City swelled in number. Ten thousand, twenty thousand, then twenty-five thousand—the numbers grew without end. Astronomical amounts of supplies were consumed daily, and Qiu Tianwei issued a kill order against the Jin Clan to all pirates. The order was to eliminate every member of the Jin Clan, leaving not even a single blade of grass standing.
As the Spring Festival passed, the aura of battle intensified. As the pirate armada gathered, the clouds in the sky seemed to stack layer upon layer. They grew so dense it seemed they might collapse at any moment and crush the world beneath them.
* * *
Inside the lord's manor of Raging Tide City.
His adopted son, Qiu Hao, spoke.
“Adoptive Father, please let me lead the vanguard. I will tear Shen Lang to pieces and avenge Xiaozhu.”
Qiu Tianwei said coldly.
“What are you doing here? Go back.”
“Adoptive Father, my heart burns at the thought of what happened to Xiaozhu. I can think of nothing else. I must be a part of this battle.”
“You have no place in the attack on Wang'ai Island. Jinshan Island produces our iron; it is of the utmost importance and must not be lost. You are its commander. How can you abandon your post on a whim?”
“But if I cannot take part in this battle of vengeance, I will regret it for the rest of my life.”
“This is the last time I will say it. Go back! Go and guard your Jinshan Island. Leave at once.”
“Adoptive Father.”
Qiu Tianwei turned his back. His adopted son, Qiu Hao, cried out, kneeling and striking his head against the floor until it bled, but his pleas were in vain. Disheartened, he returned to Jinshan Island.
* * *
After returning to Jinshan Island, Qiu Hao met with Zhang Chunhua in a secret chamber within the military barracks. Zhang Chunhua said to him.
“General, hesitate no longer.”
“Do you not realize that one wrong step now could see me crushed to dust? My adoptive father's orders were clear: I am to remain stationed on Jinshan Island and guard it. Everyone knows the Jin Clan's main force is on Wang'ai Island. Yet you claim Shen Lang's true target is Raging Tide City. How can I possibly believe you?”
“It matters not if you believe me. I have presented you with an opportunity. If this succeeds, you will become the future Marquis of Raging Tide. This was promised not only by my father but also by Governor Zhu Rong. You don't have to believe it now; you can wait until the situation becomes clear. But I must remind you, General, that one should always be prepared.”
* * *
On the thirteenth day of the first month, late at night.
In a house on the coast, two hundred li north of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, Zhang Chong was dressed in full military attire. On a large map hanging behind him were Wang'ai Island and Raging Tide City. Before him stood five high-ranking officers.
“This battle will be fought on two fronts: Wang'ai Island and Raging Tide City. Wang'ai Island is a feint, a trap set by Shen Lang. He will deceive everyone and strike at his true target: Raging Tide City. I believe the Jin Clan will deploy all their elite warriors there. When Qiu Tianwei mobilizes his entire pirate armada, the garrison defending Raging Tide City will number no more than three thousand. The defending general will be the invincible warrior, Qiu Yao'er, and Shen Lang will engage her in a fierce battle.
On the surface, Shen Lang is doomed to fail. The main fortress of Raging Tide City is impregnable; even an army of ten thousand elite soldiers could not breach it. Moreover, Qiu Yao'er is valiant and unmatched; no general can defeat her. However, I am certain that Shen Lang has already found her weakness, made all the necessary arrangements, and is preparing a fatal blow.
The fact that Xu Qianqian is lying in wait by Qiu Yao'er's side proves that all these speculations are true. Therefore, I am certain that in the battle for Raging Tide City, Qiu Yao'er will be defeated, and may even meet a violent end. If we stand by and watch, Shen Lang will truly take Raging Tide City, and it will fall into the hands of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate.
Once the Jin Clan takes Raging Tide City, the New Government's plans in the Nu River region will completely fail. After that, the Jin Clan will secure a supreme and unshakeable position, resolving all the troubles that have plagued them. They will not only escape this crisis but rise once more. When that happens, not only will I, Zhang Chong, suffer a terrible fate, but all of you officers under my command will be left adrift!
But at the same time, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. As the saying goes, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind! First, several thousand elite soldiers must disperse and head to Jinshan Island. From there, under the pretext of reinforcing the pirate armada, we will advance on Raging Tide City and achieve our goal in a single, decisive strike!
We must use this golden opportunity to eliminate both the Jin and Qiu clans in one fell swoop. Only then will peace come to the eastern seas, and we will achieve an immortal feat by pacifying the islands of Leizhou for the King. Then, you will all advance to the central stage and be entrusted with important duties! Now is the time to build such a legacy!”
The officers below roared.
“Now is the time to build our legacy!”
Zhang Chong downed a bowl of wine—a warrior's parting drink—and smashed the empty vessel on the floor. Every officer present drank their wine and slammed their own bowls to the ground.
Crash, crash, crash, crash.
“We take our leave here. Your Excellency, please await our triumphant return.”
Led by Zhang Jin, the officers exited the room. Outside, the entire elite force of the Nu River Army—a grand host of six thousand—stood in formation. Despite the bitter cold, they were clad in armor, making not a sound.
“Board the ships. We depart immediately.”
At the command, the six-thousand-strong elite army marched in orderly fashion to the docks and boarded the warships. Four hours later, all were aboard, and twenty large warships set off with imposing might toward Jinshan Island. Their plan was to change into pirate attire on Jinshan Island and advance on Raging Tide City under the guise of being Qiu Hao's army. Just then, snowflakes began to drift from the sky. Zhang Chong stood by the window, extending his palm to catch a snowflake. He quietly watched it melt in his hand.
* * *
On the sea was an ordinary cargo ship. It was delivering provisions to Raging Tide City and looked utterly unremarkable. Shen Lang stood on the deck of the ship, gazing at the sky. Snow was falling. Like Zhang Chong far away, he held out his hand and caught a snowflake. By Shen Lang's side were all the masters of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate. Only one person had been left behind on Wang'ai Island. Count Jin Zhuo himself. All the other elite warriors of the Jin Clan were headed for Raging Tide City. Among them, two thousand elite warriors had already been ferried to Raging Tide City on cargo ships over the past half-month, lying in wait at various strategic points.
Jin Hui asked.
“Young Master, His Lordship the Count will have to face Qiu Tianwei's allied force of thirty thousand on Wang'ai Island with only two thousand new recruits. Will he truly be all right?”
“They won't be engaging in a direct battle, so there shouldn't be any issues.”
Jin Shiying said.
“Young Master, I do not dare to doubt you, but the fortress of Raging Tide City is impregnable, and Qiu Yao'er is an invincible warrior. It is said that even an army of ten or twenty thousand cannot take the Pirate King's stronghold. Yet we have only two thousand men. If this attack fails, the Count of Xuanwu's Estate will vanish from this world like smoke.”
Just then, someone approached and spoke quietly.
“Young Master, I have arrived!”
It was the estate's renowned physician, Doctor An Zaishi.
“Everyone, withdraw.”
At Shen Lang's command, Jin Hui, Jin Shiying, and the other elite warriors of the estate all stepped back. Only Shen Lang and An Zaishi remained on the deck. A small boat drew near, and a man in a black cloak climbed aboard the larger vessel, stopping before Shen Lang.
“Greetings, Young Master.”
This man was the alchemist Daoist who served by Qiu Tianwei's side. In truth, his real identity was An Zaitian, Doctor An Zaishi's older brother. Their family had been vassals of the Jin Clan for generations, and their father had died in the war against Qiu Tianwei twenty years ago. The very war in which Count Jinyu's entire army was annihilated. Shen Lang asked him.
“Are you certain of your investigation? Was he the one who ordered Qiu Yao'er to be poisoned with the salt?”
The Daoist An Zaitian replied.
“No one possesses wisdom greater than yours, Young Master. It was he.”
“Then, have you prepared the item I asked for?”
“All preparations are complete. However, though I have been undercover at Qiu Tianwei's side for over a decade... I have yet to become one of his true confidants. My presence in the lord's manor is insignificant, so I will not be able to exert much influence in this great war.”
“If you complete your mission, you will be the greatest contributor to this endeavor.”
“Understood! This old man will take his leave. Please take care of yourself, Young Master.”
With that, he left the large ship, boarded the small boat again, and departed.
* * *
Inside the fortress of Raging Tide City.
Qiu Yao'er gazed out the window at the falling snow. She absentmindedly reached out her hand to catch a snowflake. Then she watched it melt. The Pirate King, Qiu Tianwei, watched his adopted daughter's back with a somewhat complicated expression.
“Yao'er, this father of yours will lead the army out tomorrow. I am formally entrusting the safety of Raging Tide City to you.”
Qiu Yao'er nodded.
“Yes.”
“You will only have a garrison of three thousand. Will that be a problem?”
“It's fine. No matter who comes, even if it's ten or twenty thousand, it won't be a problem.”
“Good. And be wary of Xu Qianqian. She doesn't seem trustworthy.”
“Yes.”
Qiu Yao'er replied lightly, but then she frowned, her hand moving to her abdomen as a flicker of unease crossed her face. For her monthly bleeding, due this month, had not yet arrived.