Chapter 86

In the town of Hongtang, chaos and disorder reigned.

Lin Yanzhao entered the office of the River God without any hindrance, with almost no one stopping him. It was only when he reached the hall that he saw a clerk tidying up official documents.

This clerk recognized Lin Yanzhao and his family, and upon seeing them, he said, "Why have you come?"

Lin Yanzhao replied, "We heard about the Japanese pirates, and we came to find my grandfather."

The clerk shook his head and said, "You have come at a bad time. The Maritime Defense Office has ordered Lin Dashi to lead the patrol boats upstream to prevent the Tanka people from joining the pirates."

Lin Yanzhao couldn't help but worry about Lin Gao and asked, "What is the current situation with the pirates?"

"The pirates came suddenly, and the news is everywhere. Some say the pirates landed at Dinghai and Niutou Gate, and the Xiaocheng water fort was breached. The Northern Road Commander died in battle, and the river is full of defeated soldiers. Others say it's just a small group of pirates that bypassed the blockade. But in my opinion, the pirates are coming in large numbers. Although it may not be as bad as during the Jiajing era, it's not safe to stay in the countryside."

"Either go upstream or hide in the city; these are the safest places."

Lin Yanzhao then said, "I don't necessarily need to find my grandfather. As long as the clerk can let us into the city, that's fine."

The clerk replied, "The Hongshan Bridge is sealed by the troops. Well, I have a boat to take you across the river, but you must be careful after that."

Everyone was delighted to hear this.

Just then, a patrol officer ran in, out of breath, and said, "It's bad, very bad! Pirates have been spotted at Wuhumen, and the troops are firing cannons at them!"

The clerk was shocked and, after pacing, said, "They are the family of the ambassador. You take the boat and send them to the city. Ah, they've reached Wuhumen, it seems to be a large group of pirates. You must leave quickly; it's uncertain how long the troops at Wuhumen can hold out."

Lin Yanzhao and his uncle exchanged glances, both feeling relieved that coming to Hongtang was the right decision.

The patrol officer then took the boat. Seeing Lin Yanzhao and so many villagers crowding onto it, he said不满地: "The large junk from the office has been requisitioned. How can this small cargo boat carry so many people? If the boat capsizes in the middle of the river, you'll all be food for the fish and shrimp."

Hearing this, the villagers became anxious and began to cry and plead. Lin Yanzhao also pleaded, "Brother, can you please help us? These people are all my clansmen!"

Unable to resist their pleas, the patrol officer waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright. There's another boat at the office, but no one can steer it. Can any of you row a boat?"

The villagers were overjoyed and said, "We all grew up by the water; who doesn't know how to row a boat?"

Everyone then crowded onto the boat in a chaotic manner. The small cargo boat was struggling to carry more than twenty people. The patrol officer looked displeased and scolded Lin Yanzhao, saying he should have only taken care of his own family and not so many people.

Lin Yanzhao ignored him.

After crossing the Min River, the boat entered a small river. Once in the small river, it would take less than half an hour to reach the West Gate, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

A pine torch was lit at the bow, illuminating the waterway ahead. The small boat moved along the riverbank, with the uncle and the patrol officer rowing. Lin Yanzhao stood by the side, carefully watching the shore for any signs of pirates. He had heard that during each pirate raid, not only did foreign pirates cause chaos, but local bandits also took advantage of the situation.

A gentle night breeze blew, and the only sound was the oars moving through the water. No one on the small boat dared to speak. Lin Yanzhao looked back and saw the villagers hugging their belongings, their heads down, their faces showing a hint of panic.

The pirates had not raided Fujian for six or seven years, and the people had become accustomed to a peaceful life. But this time, it brought back the nightmare of the past.

Lin Yanzhao couldn't help but think of the great disaster seventy years later: the fall of the capital, the death of the emperor, the bloody battle at Yidashishi, and then the widespread warfare across China, followed by the three massacres in Jiading and the ten days of massacre in Yangzhou...

In a poem written by Shi Dakai to Zeng Guofan, it was said, "My aspirations unfulfilled, the people still suffer; there are tears everywhere in the southeast." Scholars should cultivate themselves, manage their families, govern the country, and bring peace to the world. He had only wanted to study quietly, but he felt he should not just focus on his own well-being. He should do something for the country, the nation, and the people.

As Lin Yanzhao was deep in thought, he felt a warm hand grasp his wrist.

Turning around, he saw Lin Qianqian biting her lip, looking at him. In the dark night, her eyes were gentle like water.

"Brother Chao, are we really going into the city?"

Lin Yanzhao nodded and said, "Once we're in the city, we can seek refuge with Uncle. He will give us a safe place to stay. We have silver, so we won't have to worry about a place to live."

Lin Qianqian nodded and said, "Yes, wherever you go, I will go with you."

Lin Yanzhao gently hugged Lin Qianqian and said, "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

Smelling the fragrance from Lin Qianqian, Lin Yanzhao suddenly thought about the distant future seventy years later. Even if he couldn't see it, his descendants would eventually face it. But what could he, a mere scholar, do for the country?

At the ferry, Lin Yanzhao and the others got off the boat. The villagers, now slightly calmer, thanked Lin Yanzhao profusely.

Lin Yanzhao humbly responded, saying the danger was not over yet, and led them to the West Gate of the city.

It was still dark, and the night was gloomy. Six red lanterns hung at the city gate, illuminating the gatehouse. Below the long, narrow bridge, hundreds of people had gathered, banging on the gate and shouting for it to be opened.

The guards on the gatehouse were unmoved. Several cannons from the Jiajing era, with their covers removed, were ready. Ming soldiers, wearing helmets and armor, held pine torches in one hand and sabers in the other, patrolling the city. The soldiers were also equipped with various firearms, rockets, and flamethrowers.

Seeing the soldiers, Lin Yanzhao felt a bit more at ease. However, he then heard several distant cannon shots, like muffled thunder in the sky.

Although the cannon sounds were far away, they made Lin Yanzhao uneasy.

The provincial capital had a large garrison. He had heard at the academy that, aside from the three guards of Fuzhou with nearly ten thousand soldiers, there were also local troops under the command of the provincial commander, the provincial governor's direct troops, and the archers and able-bodied men from the counties and prefectures, all of whom were a significant force. But the pirates were so bold this time, even daring to harass the provincial capital.

Lin Yanzhao had just arrived, and more people were gathering at the city gate, all wanting to enter. However, they were all stopped at the gate, and many of them were pleading and shouting in anger. Lin Yanzhao understood that the gate officer dared not take the risk of opening the gate at night and letting people in, as it could be dangerous if there were any pirate spies or if the gate was suddenly seized.

So, Lin Yanzhao and the others had to sit and wait near the gate. The gate officer also announced that the people should remain calm and that the gate would be opened at dawn.

The people quieted down and waited patiently. The sound of carts and wheels gradually increased as more people arrived, all seeking refuge in the city.

At this time, everyone tried to sit as close to the gate as possible, at least within the range of the cannons, for a sense of safety and warmth. They gathered together, asking each other where they were from. Most were from nearby villages and were related in some way. They began to chat.

"During the Jiajing era, weren't the pirates already defeated? Why are they back?"

"It's because the corrupt officials in the court have transferred Grandpa Qi."

"Yes, if Grandpa Qi were here, the pirates wouldn't dare to even land to urinate."

"Unfortunately, Grandpa Qi was transferred to the north to fight the Mongols. I wish he had been transferred here."

"Although Grandpa Qi is gone, isn't General Yu still here?"

"Yes, aren't the pirates afraid of General Yu?"

"You don't know. My uncle, who is very capable, told me that there are traitors who are harming General Yu."

"Is that true? General Yu is a good official. Who would dare to harm him? They would be drowned in the唾沫 of the people."

"How would I know? Are we supposed to understand the affairs of the court?"

"Damn it, if I find out which traitor is harming him, I'll throw a brick at his house."

"Good, that's the spirit of a brave man."

The people chatted animatedly, and Lin Yanzhao understood that Grandpa Qi referred to Qi Jiguang, and General Yu referred to Yu Dayou, known as "Yu the Dragon and Qi the Tiger."

In Fujian, you might not know who the current emperor is, but you must know these two. They were revered like living Buddhas by the people of Fujian. Without them, the pirate troubles during the Jiajing era would have caused even more deaths.

Now, Qi Jiguang had long been transferred, but the people had built monuments to honor him, and many stories about him remained in the folk, such as the story of Qi Jiguang beheading his son, and even the origins of snacks like Guangbing and Dingbianhu were attributed to the Qi family army.

As for Yu Dayou, he was now the commander of Fujian, and he was respectfully called "General Yu."