GBP Chapter 389 The Navy's Response
Chapter 389 The Navy's Response
The rebel army was a highly complex group. Aside from the Liaodong soldiers, the rest were death row inmates, ruffians, and routed government troops recruited from various parts of Shandong. The only thing that attracted them to fight against the court was wealth and gold. Although this rabble was numerous, it lacked firm conviction and the will to resist. Military discipline was a joke, and naturally, there was no sense of secrecy. News of the rebel leaders' decision to flee north was leaked by a mid-ranking officer and quickly spread throughout Dengzhou. The entire city knew that the rebels were planning to escape. The only secret kept was that no one knew when or where the rebels would flee.
Zhang Geming and Chu Shengchang also heard rumors that the rebels were about to escape. They were overjoyed, as this meant their mission was complete and the promised reward from their leader was within reach. Since infiltrating Dengzhou, to avoid detection, they had been staying in a dilapidated, deserted house all day, sneaking out before dusk to find food—sometimes by stealing, sometimes by buying. Wang Qinian had given them some "operation funds," which, although prices in Dengzhou had soared after the siege, were enough for the two of them to survive. However, they dared not go out at night; the rebels strictly enforced the curfew, and anyone caught would be beheaded. This life, like rats in a hole, hidden from the light, was unbearable, and their lives were constantly in danger. If it weren't for the substantial reward, they would have found it difficult to endure.
However, simply knowing that the rebels are going to flee is not enough; it is best to know the exact time of their escape, so that the intelligence sent out will be valuable.
Chu Shengchang could speak a few words of Liaodong dialect, so the two of them discussed that they would pretend to be soldiers of the rebel army to gather information. Even if they failed, they wouldn't necessarily lose their heads because of the "kindness" of the Liaodong dialect.
When they infiltrated Dengzhou City, the two men wore rebel armor and, apart from lacking weapons, looked no different from rebel soldiers at first glance. After discussing their plan, they mustered their courage and, for the first time ever, went out into the streets after noon to look for a suitable target.
Dengzhou City was originally under tight control by the rebels. After the siege, even the local Shandong people dared not go out. If they encountered rebel soldiers and they could tell they didn't speak with a Liaodong accent, a misstep could lead to them being killed on the spot as spies, with no recourse. However, with the construction of the "gun fortress," the cannons could directly bombard the city. The rebels were all in fear and lost interest in killing people in the streets. Gradually, more and more people appeared on the streets. With so many people, Zhang Geming and Chu Shengchang blended in and didn't stand out too much.
The two wandered around for a long time without finding a suitable target. The rebels on the street were either in groups or riding horses in a hurry, making it difficult to make a move. They were getting a little anxious. At this rate, they might not even get anything in a day.
As they passed a restaurant, their eyes lit up simultaneously. They spotted a lone, drunken soldier dressed in the attire of a rebel Liaodong soldier.
The two exchanged a glance and went inside.
The two sat down next to the man, ordered some food and drinks, and ate listlessly. Chu Shengchang casually said to the drunkard in Liaodong dialect, "Brother, drinking alone? I'm craving a drink too, wanna have a few?"
Upon hearing the Liaodong dialect, the drunkard opened his half-closed eyes, reeking of alcohol, and said, "I'm just feeling a bit down drinking alone. Come on, brother, let's have a few rounds together..."
Overjoyed at his successful conversation, Chu Shengchang grabbed his wine glass and leaned in, exclaiming, "Brother, your drink is on me! Let's drink until we're both drunk!"
"Truth comes out when one is drunk," and people who are in high spirits after drinking are easily tricked into revealing information. After a few rounds of drinks, Chu Shengchang, taking advantage of his "drunkenness," asked, "Brother, I heard that the higher-ups are going to take us away. I wonder where we're going?"
Because they were dressed in rebel uniforms, the drunkard mistook them for his own people. Upon hearing this, he looked up and said, "Which general do you serve under? You don't even know about such a big thing? You've really been living in the dark. General Kong is taking us to Liaodong!"
Zhang Geming and Chu Shengchang were stunned. Liaodong?
"Brother, isn't Liaodong the territory of the Tartars? Whom are we going to seek refuge with?"
The drunkard suddenly burst into tears: "It's because we're going to join the Tartars! Hundreds of people in our village died at the hands of the Tartars, and now we're going to have to join our enemy! My poor cousin was silenced by General Kong just because he refused to join the Tartars!" It turned out that this drunkard was the cousin of the Qianzong (military commander) who had been beheaded by Kong Youde to establish his authority. Because he was depressed and dared not speak out, he could only hide away and drink in silence.
The two were shocked. The rebels actually wanted to surrender to the Tartars? Chu Shengchang quickly asked, "Brother, if they really want to surrender to the Tartars, when will they set off?"
"It will be three days from now. We will board the ship at 3 AM and depart at 5 AM."
This was invaluable information. The two exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding.
They drank a few more glasses with the drunk man until he was completely passed out. Then they settled the bill and left the restaurant. Chu Shengchang asked, "Brother Zhang, the news should be true. What should we do now?"
Zhang Geming replied firmly, "What else can we do but get the message out as soon as possible! The boss said that the defenses in Shuicheng to the north are weak. Let's find a way to get a sampan and go directly to Changdao from the north. It's only a dozen or twenty miles by water from Dengzhou. If we set off at night, we should be able to get there before dark the next day."
The following evening, Long Island.
Gao Jie convened a meeting with all naval captains and other officers.
"Gentlemen, we have just received intelligence from Dengzhou. Things are going as the general predicted. The rebels are preparing to withdraw, their target being the territory controlled by the Tungusic barbarians in the north, at dawn the day after tomorrow. We must make preparations in the shortest possible time and intercept and sink as many rebel ships as possible. The general's idea is that it is best if not a single ship escapes."
Van Bommel frowned. "Defeating a fleet with almost no ability to retaliate is easy, but the rebels are said to number in the tens of thousands, and their fleet must be enormous. Intercepting all the ships is an impossible task." The sea is unlike land; there's no terrain to exploit, and you can move in any direction. Unless you surround and pursue them with overwhelming numbers, it's impossible to annihilate them completely. The Qiongzhou naval force relies on the performance and firepower of its warships, never on naval swarm tactics; numbers have never been their advantage.
Everyone fell into deep thought. How could they possibly achieve the general's objective? Given the current situation, it was impossible unless the rebel fleet remained stationary for them to bombard.
At this moment, Lin Chuanzong, the captain of the "Lingao" ship, stretched out his hand, indicating that he had something to say: "I have a clumsy method that I can try..."