By the time Cui Weihua finished boarding his flagship, the Cangshan, the pirate fleet was already pressing in from the horizon, their dark silhouettes spreading across the sea like a creeping stain that made the water itself seem uneasy.
There were dozens of ships, large and small, their numbers so overwhelming that it was difficult to count them at a glance. The largest among them were full sized junks, comparable in scale to Cui Weihua's own flagship, while the smallest were little more than reinforced fishing boats, barely larger than rowboats, yet no less dangerous when packed with desperate men and sharp steel.
Cui Weihua commanded four hundred Zhejiang soldiers and one thousand three hundred sailors, with a formal fleet consisting of seven Cangshan class ships, thirty sand ships, five paddle boats, and sixteen tiger boats. Under normal circumstances, this would have been a respectable force.
Unfortunately, his true main strength was stationed far away on Chongming Island.
What he had at hand now, counting every usable vessel, barely amounted to a dozen ships, not even half the number of Liu Xiang's pirate fleet.
As Cui Weihua took in the scene before him, his heart sank heavily.
Yet even as the pressure threatened to crush his chest, he knew he had no choice but to fight.
If he, the Military Preparations Commissioner of Suzhou and Songjiang, were to flee before pirates, then what dignity would remain to him, and what example would that set for the soldiers under his command? How could he ever face anyone again while bearing the name Weihua, a name that meant protecting China?
Clenching his teeth, he drew in a deep breath and roared, "Engage. All forces, engage Liu Xiang's pirates."
The shout had barely left his mouth when, to his utter disbelief, two of his own ships immediately turned their bows away and fled in the opposite direction, sails snapping as they ran for their lives.
"Damn it," Cui Weihua cursed under his breath.
There was nothing to be done. Such was the quality of Ming naval troops in these troubled times, a reality so bitter that one could only laugh at it in despair.
The remaining ships, left with no other option, pressed forward and entered the fray.
Both sides possessed cannons, though not many, usually only two or three per flagship, and their first exchanges were little more than symbolic gestures. A few thunderous booms echoed across the water, smoke drifting lazily, the shots doing little more than announce that a battle had begun.
Soon after, the ships closed in, hulls grinding and ropes flying, and the muskets began firing in earnest.
Both sides used old smoothbore firearms, weapons that were notoriously inaccurate unless fired in tight formation. Once the bullets left the barrel, they flew wildly, making them almost useless beyond close range. At a distance, they served more to frighten than to kill.
And close range inevitably meant boarding actions.
As soon as blades were drawn and grappling hooks flew, the imperial navy quickly fell into a disadvantage.
Liu Xiang's pirates howled like beasts as they swarmed onto the government ships, leaping across planks and ropes with savage glee. Steel flashed in chaotic arcs, and Ming soldiers were cut down one after another, their bodies collapsing onto blood slick decks.
With a deafening crash, a pirate junk slammed against Cui Weihua's Cangshan, the two ships locking together. A mass of pirates surged across, blades swinging, their eyes red with excitement as they plunged into brutal hand to hand combat.
Cui Weihua felt his heart sink completely.
He knew, with painful clarity, that they were finished.
On the shore, the common folk watched in terror, their voices trembling as they whispered among themselves, "The imperial soldiers cannot hold them. Is our Nanhui Market about to be looted?"
Just as despair threatened to swallow everything, an unexpected force burst onto the scene.
The harbor pilots stationed by Gao Family Village in Nanhui Market rushed out from their houses, led by Dao Ke, a former pirate now undergoing labor reform. These men were all ex pirates, hardened by years at sea, and though they wore the marks of reform, their fighting spirit remained intact.
They launched several small boats and paddled furiously toward the center of the battle, their shouts carrying across the water.
"Let's earn some merit," one of them yelled. "If we do well, our labor reform term might get shortened."
"Just don't get yourself killed," another shouted back.
"If you're afraid of death, why were you a pirate in the first place?"
"We aren't pirates anymore."
"Nonsense," someone laughed. "We still are. We're labor reform pirates now, but pirates all the same."
To everyone's astonishment, their combat strength far exceeded that of the imperial soldiers.
They swarmed toward the Cangshan, flung grappling hooks with practiced ease, and climbed aboard in moments. The instant their feet touched the deck, they threw themselves into the fight, joining Cui Weihua's men against Liu Xiang's pirates as though they had been comrades for years.
On the deck, steel clashed against steel, sparks flying amid a storm of shouts and curses.
With this unexpected reinforcement, Cui Weihua's flagship somehow held its ground.
He had, quite literally, clawed his way back from the brink of death.
At that very moment, a roar of cheers erupted from the shore.
From the northern horizon, Gao Family Village's river sea vessels appeared, their silhouettes unmistakable. These strange ships, moving without sails or oars yet cutting through the water at incredible speed, were recognized instantly by everyone present.
The moment they arrived, morale surged across the battlefield.
The imperial soldiers straightened their backs, the labor reform pirates howled with renewed vigor, and even the common folk on shore felt hope ignite in their chests.
Even Liu Xiang's pirates, upon seeing these vessels, grew excited rather than fearful.
"Hahaha," they shouted. "The real targets are here. Perfect. These are the ones we want to fight."
Dozens of pirate ships immediately abandoned the imperial navy, which they now deemed worthless, and turned their bows toward Gao Family Village's vessels.
It was only then that they realized their mistake.
Circular gun ports snapped open along the hulls of the river sea vessels, and thick barrels of large stainless steel cannons extended outward, cold and merciless.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
A single volley sent shockwaves across the sea, leaving the pirates reeling, their formation shattered in an instant.
What followed was Gao Family Village's signature tactic.
Muskets roared in disciplined succession, and hand grenades arced through the air, exploding amid the pirate decks in clouds of fire and smoke. Within moments, the pirates broke completely, abandoning several ships and crews behind as prisoners, all destined to join the ranks of the labor reform army. The rest fled in panic toward the open sea, never daring to look back.
When the battle finally ended, Gao Family Village's ships glided calmly toward the shore of Nanhui Market.
Cui Weihua's battered Cangshan also pulled alongside, and he shouted across the water, "What exactly is going on with these Liu Xiang pirates?"
From one of Gao Family Village's ships, a young man emerged, a short term trainee from the Yellow Pole Military Academy. From a distance, he cupped his fist respectfully. "The Liu Xiang pirate syndicate had a minor disagreement with us," he said. "This was likely their attempt at retaliation."
Cui Weihua felt a headache coming on.
The last time Gao Family Village's grand fleet passed Chongming Island, he had already suspected they were heading out to rough someone up in the Southeast Seas. He never imagined they would provoke Liu Xiang himself. If Liu Xiang kept attacking this area when Gao Family Village's ships were absent, how was he supposed to defend it with the pitiful forces at his disposal?
As if sensing his thoughts, the trainee continued, "Master Cui, there is no need to worry. Since Liu Xiang has caused trouble here, we will devise appropriate defensive measures. Dedicated warships will soon be dispatched to patrol these waters."
Only then did Cui Weihua finally breathe a little easier.
With the immediate danger gone, he had the clarity to reflect on his own situation.
Weak. Far too weak.
As the Military Preparations Commissioner, it was his responsibility to ensure his troops were capable, yet his naval forces were so feeble that he had survived only by relying on others.
"Master Cui," the trainee added, "during the battle, we captured eight of Liu Xiang's ships, one large junk and seven smaller vessels. We would like to present all of them to you, so your strength here can be enhanced."
Cui Weihua's eyes widened in delight.
More ships.
Gao Family Village had gifted him six pirate vessels last time, and now another eight had fallen into his hands just like that.
Yet even as joy surged, a strange bitterness followed close behind.
I am the Military Preparations Commissioner of Suzhou and Songjiang, he thought, and yet my entire improvement depends on others handing it to me on a platter. Something about this feels deeply wrong.
Unable to restrain himself, he asked again, "Tell me honestly, what exactly are you doing on that island? You provoke pirates, hire workers, stir up half the coast, yet not a single laborer will speak."
The trainee laughed softly. "Master Cui, nothing much is happening there. The Emperor has forbidden us from discussing it, so it may be best that you do not ask further. In short, as you can see, we fight pirates and even give you ships. We are helping you. If everything were laid bare, it might become inconvenient for us to continue doing so."
Cui Weihua immediately closed his mouth.
Right, he admitted to himself. When you take favors from others, it is best to keep quiet.
As Gao Family Village's ships docked, unloading and loading began once more. Merchants flooded back like water after a tide, carrying goods in and out, smiles blooming on every face.
Among the crowd, the two impoverished men from Suzhou finally saw their chance. They merged into the flow of people, climbed onto a cargo ship, and sat down obediently, ready to travel to the island and begin work.
Everything seemed orderly, peaceful, and almost idyllic.
It was, truly, a world where only pirates got hurt.