novelAbuy Chapter 206 The Navy Grows Stronger
Chapter 206 The Navy Grows Stronger
The echoes of the court assembly still lingered among the beams and pillars of the Xuanzheng Hall. The empire's will to conquer the south had been transformed into urgent edicts bearing the imperial seal and the seals of both the Ministry of War and the Grand Council, soaring like eagles leaving their nests to every corner of the empire. However, among all the strategic deployments, one link was of paramount importance, even being personally pointed out by Chen Xing before the emperor as "preparations for a decisive battle a thousand miles away"—that was the Jinghai Navy, which stood majestically on the shores of the East China Sea, at the mouth of the Yangtze River.
Three days later, on a chilly spring morning, the sea breeze, carrying a salty and biting scent, swept across Jiaozhou Bay Naval Base, the empire's largest and most elite naval base.
Built along a natural bay, the port is vast in scale. On the outer side are sturdy rock breakwaters and watchtowers, while on the inner side stretches an endless deep-water pier. At this moment, the harbor is a forest of masts and sails, obscuring the sun. Warships of all sizes are moored in orderly fashion, from the agile and swift "sea falcons" and "small boats," to the fortified "steel crows" and "fighting ships," and then to the new-style multi-hulled ships, like mobile cities on the sea, whose veils have not yet been fully unveiled, forming a formidable jungle of steel and sails.
Sailors were conducting their daily drills on the decks of their ships. The sounds of shouts, waving flags, turning winches, and clashing weapons mingled with the cries of seagulls and the crashing of waves, creating a powerful and orderly symphony. On land in the port area, fires flickered and clanging filled the air in the massive docks as craftsmen busily maintained, built, or modified warships. Further away, barracks stretched out, smoke rising from their chimneys—a fully-equipped new naval city was beginning to take shape.
A specially constructed flagship, larger than ordinary warships and with a ferocious Yazi head carved on its prow—the "Zhenhai"—was quietly moored in the most conspicuous position on the main dock. At this moment, on the bow deck, several people stood against the wind; it was none other than Shen Qing, the Marquis of Jinghai, the actual commander of the Jinghai Navy.
Shen Qing was around forty years old, his face tanned bronze by the sea breeze and blazing sun. His short beard was meticulously trimmed, and his eyes, sharp as an eagle's, were currently scanning the massive army under his command in the harbor. He wore a marquis's uniform, over which he wore a black cloak bestowed by the emperor. Standing with his hand on his sword, he possessed the imposing and dignified air of a great general. Beside him were several of the navy's key officers and adjutants.
"His Majesty's decree is clear: the southern expedition is imminent, and our navy must bear the brunt." Shen Qing spoke, his voice not loud, but hoarse and resolute, honed by the waves. "The Yangtze River is a natural barrier, the last bastion upon which the Southern Dynasty relies. To break through this barrier, none other than our navy can do it. For the past three years, His Majesty has devoted the entire nation's resources to supporting our navy, providing ships, men, money, and provisions as needed, all for this day."
He paused, his gaze falling on the silhouettes of several massive ships partially obscured by tarpaulins deep within the harbor: "How's the progress on the new type of warships?"
A middle-aged general in charge of the construction immediately bowed and replied, "Your Excellency, the main bodies of all ten new-style warships are complete, nine have been launched and are being fitted out, and the last one, the 'Dingyuan,' will be launched this month. According to the blueprints and techniques provided by the Imperial Workshop, the hull adopts a modified version of the Fujian ship design, with a pointed bottom and a wide top, and a high bow and stern, making it more advantageous for breaking through waves. Key parts are reinforced with iron hoops, tung oil, and hemp fiber. Above the deck, there are five decks in total. The top deck is for command and observation and a platform for heavy crossbows. The lower decks are for slingshots, crossbows, oarsmen, and barracks. It can accommodate 800 soldiers when fully loaded, equipped with four heavy crossbows, ten medium crossbows, eight slingshots, as well as oil tanks, catapults, etc. Although its speed is not as fast as that of fast ships, it is as stable as a city wall and has astonishing firepower. It is truly the backbone of the fleet and a powerful weapon for attacking fortified positions."
Shen Qing nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes, but then his expression turned serious: "The ships are good ships, but in naval warfare, the soldiers are paramount. After three years of expansion, more than half the troops are new recruits. Have they been properly trained? Can they coordinate the ships and practice formations with perfect ease?"
Another general replied, “My lord, rest assured. The new recruits are all carefully selected from coastal fishermen, boatmen, and border troops familiar with the water. Upon entering the camp, they will first undergo three months of training in swimming and ship handling, followed by training in battle formations, archery, and boarding combat. Each ship has daily drills, weekly large drills, and monthly joint fleet training. They have mastered flag signals, light signals, and drum and horn communications. We have also conducted numerous simulated exercises targeting the Yangtze River's hydrology and the Southern Dynasty's naval tactics. However…” He hesitated slightly, “Although the Southern Dynasty's navy has suffered repeated defeats at our hands, they have occupied the Yangtze River for many years, are familiar with every undercurrent and sandbar, and have the advantage of playing on home ground. Although our army is strong, we must still be extremely cautious if we want to achieve victory in one battle.”
Shen Qing remained silent. He knew full well that what his subordinate said was true. He himself came from the Southern Dynasty's navy and had the deepest understanding of its internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as the perilous nature of the Yangtze River. After surrendering to Xing Qi, although he gained Chen Xing's trust and was entrusted with full naval authority, and had allocated all the elite sailors and craftsmen from the surrendered soldiers of the Southern Dynasty, and even allocated massive resources to help him rebuild a more powerful fleet, he still felt awe towards that great river that stretched from north to south, nurturing countless poems and songs, and also swallowing countless warships and armored soldiers.
"The advantage of home ground can be overcome by taking advantage of favorable weather; familiarity with the waters can be compensated for by superior ships and stricter discipline," Shen Qing said slowly, as if convincing himself. "His Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition. Having decided on the southern expedition, he must have considered everything comprehensively. The duty of our navy is to forge this fleet entrusted to us by His Majesty into an invincible blade, ready to plunge it deep into the heart of the Southern Dynasty when necessary!"
He turned around, his gaze sweeping over each of the generals around him: "Order all battalions to raise their combat readiness level to the highest level, effective immediately. Inspect all warships and their armaments, and inventory the stockpiles of arrows, oil, and stone projectiles. Strengthen patrols and reconnaissance outside the Yangtze River estuary and in the coastal waters, and closely monitor the movements of the Southern Dynasty's navy, especially the area where its main force is concentrated. In addition, select capable scouts, carrying the latest river and sea maps, to infiltrate the Jiangnan region and further verify the deployment along the river and changes in the hydrology."
"Yes, sir!" The generals responded resolutely.
Shen Qing took one last look at the mighty navy he had poured countless efforts into at the port. In the morning light, the black outlines of the ships intertwined with the white sails, flags fluttered, and an invisible aura of solemnity permeated the sea and sky.
Three years have passed since he honed his sword, but its sharp edge has yet to be tested. Now, the horn of the empire's southern expedition has sounded, and it is time for him to unleash this long-forged maritime sword to cleave through the last and most stubborn barrier preventing the unification of the world.