In the fog, hawks and sparrows distinguish the truth
Thick fog enveloped the sea, reducing visibility to less than a hundred paces. The sentries in the watchtowers strained their eyes, straining to discern any unusual sounds or shadows. The atmosphere in the town was so oppressive that even the sounds of children playing had vanished.
The mysterious fleet cruised the northwest waters like a ghost for several days, sometimes approaching, sometimes moving away, never making any contact with the town, maintaining a suffocating, prying attitude. This sense of uncertainty was more torturous than a direct attack.
In the meeting hall, candlelight flickered.
"We can't wait any longer!" Wang Ying paced anxiously. "Let's take them out for a walk! I'll rush out with a few boats and confront them!"
"Don't be reckless!" Zhu Wu objected immediately. "The enemy's situation is unclear, the fog is thick and the waves are turbulent. A rash attack will play into their hands. They are in the dark, and we are in the light. This is a cardinal sin in military strategy."
Zhang Qing's brow furrowed, his gaze fixed on the foggy area on the nautical chart that represented an unknown area. "Mr. Zhu Wu is absolutely right. However, simply defending our position isn't a good strategy. We need to find a way to lure the enemy out of their hole, or... identify their true identity."
Qiongying, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up, "Perhaps we should change our approach. If they are truly sent by the imperial court, their goals are likely twofold: to confirm our fate, or to recover our treasure. Their caution suggests they're not entirely certain, or perhaps they're waiting for something."
She looked at Zhang Qing: "Brother Qing, do you still remember what we used to trade with the natives when we first arrived here?"
Zhang Qing's eyes flashed: "You mean...using the same old trick again?"
"Show the enemy weakness, test the waters." Qiongying nodded. "Send a small boat, without a flag, carrying ordinary cargo, pretending to be fishermen or small traders on a normal sea voyage. We'll deliberately 'accidentally' stray into their area of activity. If they're pirates or mere spies, we might plunder and interrogate them. If they're government troops, they'll react when they see Middle-earth faces and cargo. Our larger ships will hide in the fog to meet them, and we'll act accordingly."
Although this plan is risky, it can break the deadlock.
The plan was set. The next morning, a small, sloop-shaped boat, carrying a small amount of animal hides, dried fruit, and simple pottery, sailed out of the bay under the cover of thick fog and headed northwest toward the dangerous waters. The boat was piloted by two brave, careful, and skilled veteran sailors, disguised as father and son.
As time passed, Zhang Qing and others who stayed behind the dock's defense wall were sweating in their palms.
Towards noon, the fog thinned slightly. Suddenly, in the distance, I heard faint shouts and the sound of ships colliding!
"Meet the fleet and set off!" Zhang Qing gave an order, and three speedboats equipped with crossbows and paddler poles immediately raised their sails and rushed into the fog like arrows.
When Zhang Qing's support fleet arrived, they found the sloop trapped between two larger Cangshan ships, their crews apprehended. The ships bore some resemblance to the Song navy's warships, but they flew no official flags. Their crews wore a mixed bag of clothing, and while they tried to mimic military attire, they couldn't conceal a certain air of untamed guile.
The other party obviously did not expect any support, and it came so quickly, and was a little panicked for a moment.
Zhang Qing stood at the bow, gathering his strength and shouting, "Who are you, scoundrel, to dare to rob a merchant ship in this sea? Tell me your name!"
On the enemy's main ship, a bearded man who looked like a leader walked to the side of the ship. He looked at Zhang Qing and his ships with a gleaming gaze and asked loudly, "Who are you? You are gathering here in a group and your behavior is suspicious!"
Zhang Qing sneered, didn't reply, and simply raised his hand to signal. The crossbow on the ship behind him slowly adjusted its angle and aimed at the enemy ship. A strong sense of oppression instantly spread.
The bearded man's expression changed several times, clearly intimidated by the other party's sophisticated equipment and well-trained movements. His eyes rolled, and he suddenly adopted a slightly more conciliatory tone, "My dear fellow, please do not attack us! We are not bandits, but... we are out at sea in search of rare treasures, under the orders of Lord Zhu Jie of the Jiangnan Yingfeng Bureau. We misunderstood and thought we were pirates, so we stopped and questioned them."
Zhu Zhen! Yingfeng Bureau!
This name resonated like thunder in the minds of Zhang Qing and the others! It wasn't Tong Guan, nor Gao Qiu, but Zhu Zhen, the traitor who had plagued Jiangnan with the "Flower and Stone Gang" and was deeply involved in the Fang La Uprising! He had sent his men out to sea to search for rare treasures, but to track down the vast wealth "lost" in Bangyuan Cave!
The other party pulled out Zhu Jie's tiger skin, which was both a way to expose his background and put pressure on him, and also a test - to test whether Zhang Qing and others had any connection with the court and whether they were afraid of the powerful.
In a flash, Zhang Qing understood the enemy's true colors. These were definitely not regular imperial troops, but rather Zhu Zhen's privately raised minions, somewhere between officials and bandits! Their fighting power and determination were far inferior to those of Tong Guan's former official troops.
Zhang Qing remained calm, but his expression remained calm. Instead, he followed the other party's words and feigned surprise, saying, "So you are under Lord Zhu's command? My apologies. However, this place is where the descendants of our ancestors live. We live in seclusion and do not have any rare treasures. I'm afraid you have come to the wrong place."
Seeing Zhang Qing's tone soften, the bearded man was secretly delighted, thinking that he was intimidated by Zhu Jie's reputation. He then pressed on, "Whether we've made a mistake or not, we need to investigate. Please be kind enough to allow us to dock and inspect the area so we can return and report back to Lord Zhu."
The moment these words were spoken, their murderous intent was fully revealed! If we let them land, our true intentions would be exposed, and we would be at their mercy!
Zhang Qing's face darkened, and his voice suddenly turned cold. "This place is the foundation of our clan. How can we allow outsiders to trespass? If Lord Zhu wants rare treasures, there are many places overseas. If you continue to pester me, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Before he finished speaking, he flicked his wrist, and a flying stone, with a sharp sound of breaking through the air, accurately knocked down a wind-killing lantern hanging from the opponent's main mast! The sound of shattering glass was particularly harsh on the silent sea.
This miraculous stone-flying move is both a warning and a display of strength!
The bearded man and his men were horrified and realized that the man in front of them was not someone to be trifled with.
Just as the two sides were on the verge of a showdown, several long horn calls suddenly rang out from the southeast sea! Through the mist, the silhouettes of several familiar ships loomed, led by none other than the "Break the Waves," which had been away from home for months!
Yan Qing and Boss Zheng are finally back! And just at this moment!
Seeing this, the mysterious fleet was terrified, thinking they had been ambushed. The bearded man acted decisively, not caring about the captured boat and its crew. He quickly ordered, "Hurry! Move!"
The two Cangshan ships hurriedly turned their bows, raised their sails, and fled to the northwest in panic, soon disappearing in the thick fog.
A potential crisis was temporarily resolved in this way.
Zhang Qing didn't order a pursuit. He believed that pursuing an enemy who was desperate was not the right path. Furthermore, since the enemy's details and purpose were known, he could respond more effectively. He immediately sent for the decoy boat and its crew, and to greet the returning expedition fleet.
The "Breaking Waves" slowly approached the shore, and Yan Qing and Boss Zheng quickly walked down the gangplank. Their faces were weathered and tired from returning from the expedition, but their eyes were bright.
"Brother Qing, sister-in-law! We're back!" Yan Qing clasped his fists in greeting, then lowered his voice with a serious expression. "We also found traces of similar ships near Luzon. They seem to be asking for news about us. It seems that these hyenas have a very keen sense of smell!"
Though the fog hadn't completely dissipated, the enemy's face was already clear. The shadow of greed emanating from their homeland remained undimmed by the vast ocean. A new round of confrontation seemed to have just begun.
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