The Wanli Sunshine continued its voyage southward and before long reached the mouth of the Yangtze River.
Ahead lay a broad, beautiful island.
Chongming Island.
"How beautiful. A stunning sand island!" Zhu Piaoling stood by the railing, bouncing on his feet as he shouted in excitement.
But after shouting only twice, he realized something was wrong.
On the shore, island residents had been drying fishing nets and gear. The moment they noticed the ship, panic exploded. People screamed, cried out, and fled in all directions, some grabbing weapons as they ran.
The entire coastline descended into chaos.
Zhu Piaoling blinked. "What? Are you serious? I only shouted once and they are this scared?"
Shi Kefa shook his head and sighed. "It seems they have suffered pirate attacks for too many years. This reaction is ingrained now."
Shi Kefa was absolutely correct.
Ever since the Japanese pirate raids during the Jiajing era, Chongming Island had been tormented again and again. By the late Ming period, the islanders had become extremely sensitive to anything unfamiliar.
Historical records state that in the twenty-second year of Wanli, which was 1594, the arrival of just eighteen Ryukyuans from what is now Okinawa caused the entire island to erupt into panic.
The military commander immediately dispatched troops. They captured eighteen people who carried no weapons. Their clothing and appearance were completely different from the Chinese. When questioned, they spoke unintelligibly, only pressing their palms together and bowing repeatedly. They were sent to the Military Preparations Commissioner and identified as Ryukyuans.
Three years later, in the twenty-fifth year of Wanli, a Joseon fishing boat drifted to Chongming Island and again caused widespread alarm.
For the people of Chongming Island during this era, foreigners were almost synonymous with disaster. How could they not panic?
The Wanli Sunshine was enormous, and its appearance bore no resemblance whatsoever to Ming dynasty ships. When such a strange and massive vessel approached the island, it was enough to terrify the locals out of their wits.
"Foreigners!"
"It might be Japanese pirates!"
"Be careful!"
"Quick, report to the Suzhou and Songjiang Military Preparations Commissioner!"
"Someone go get help!"
Cries echoed along the shoreline.
The Suzhou and Songjiang Military Preparations Commissioner quickly received the report and mobilized his forces. He gathered four hundred and two militiamen, four hundred Zhejiang soldiers, one thousand three hundred marines, seven Fujian Azure Boats, thirty Sand Boats, five Oar Boats, and sixteen Ferocious Tiger Boats.
The troops surged forward with imposing momentum.
In the blink of an eye, the Wanli Sunshine was surrounded by the imperial "grand army." Over a thousand soldiers lined the shore, while dozens of ships formed a tight encirclement on the water, trapping the giant vessel at the center.
Standing at the bow of an Azure Boat was the Suzhou and Songjiang Military Preparations Commissioner himself, Cui Weihua. His name alone sounded loyal and valiant.
He shouted loudly toward the Wanli Sunshine, "What nation are you from? State your name!"
Even as he shouted, Cui Weihua felt deeply uneasy.
The opposing ship was simply too large. It dwarfed his flagship, the Canshan Boat, which was only twenty-three meters long. Facing it felt like leading a pack of hunting dogs against an elephant.
Were the dogs afraid? Of course they were.
Cui Weihua silently prayed, "Please do not be Japanese pirates. Please do not be Japanese pirates. Anything but Japanese pirates."
At that moment, Shi Kefa's head appeared over the railing of the massive ship.
He burst into laughter. "Brother Cui, do you still recognize me?"
Cui Weihua squinted hard. "Eh? Shi Kefa? Brother Shi!"
Shi Kefa laughed. "It has been years since we last met. I never imagined we would reunite here. Brother Cui, you have become a Military Preparations Commissioner. Congratulations."
Cui Weihua's entire body relaxed. "Brother Shi, where on earth did you get such a monstrous ship? You nearly scared me to death. This is Chongming Island, the place most ravaged by Japanese pirates. People here scatter in panic at the sight of any unfamiliar ship. Do you know that your vessel sitting offshore caused more than a dozen people to be injured in stampedes?"
Shi Kefa could only smile bitterly. "That is truly my fault. I had no idea. Ignorance can be forgiven, right? Talking from this distance is inconvenient. Come aboard and we can speak properly."
Cui Weihua laughed. "A ship this big? Of course I want to see it."
He transferred to a small boat and soon boarded the Wanli Sunshine.
The moment he stepped on deck, his eyes widened. "So big. This ship is truly enormous. Where did you even find something like this?"
Shi Kefa immediately pulled Tie Niaofei forward. "It belongs to him."
Tie Niaofei calmly produced his Imperial Merchant token. "This is a royal cargo vessel. Everything concerning it is classified as a royal secret. Civil and military officials are not permitted to inquire."
Cui Weihua inhaled sharply and immediately dropped the topic.
Shi Kefa sighed inwardly. To witness someone falsely invoking imperial authority and yet be unable to expose it was truly a test of his integrity.
Cui Weihua changed the subject. "Why are you towing six cargo ships behind you?"
Shi Kefa chuckled. "Pirate ships. On the way here, I encountered pirates under Liu Xiang and dealt with them. These six ships were captured. I was still thinking about how to handle them, so it is perfect that you are here."
Cui Weihua's eyes lit up. "You want to sell them to me?"
Shi Kefa had already received instructions from Dao Xuan Tianzun. Gao Family Village had no use for such outdated ships. Giving them away eliminated trouble and fostered goodwill. He laughed. "Sell them? Brother Cui, we have known each other for years. I know your character well. Consider them a gift, to strengthen the defense of the realm."
Cui Weihua was overjoyed. Six medium-sized ships were a tremendous boost to his forces.
"Oh my, how can I accept this?"
Even as he spoke, his hands were already waving. "Hurry, go take over those ships."
The government sailors and marines boarded the pirate ships with barely concealed excitement. They removed the iron chains and brought the vessels into formation. Some marines who had only ever served on Sand Boats were already celebrating their promotion to larger ships.
Cui Weihua asked, "Brother Shi, where are you headed next?"
Shi Kefa smiled. "I have also been promoted. I am now the Right Supervising Secretary, responsible for garrisoning Anqing and Chizhou Prefectures. My ships will often travel between the Yangtze and the sea and will pass Chongming Island frequently. I hope Brother Cui will continue to look after us."
Cui Weihua thought bitterly that Shi Kefa had once again risen half a rank above him. Comparing oneself to others truly invited misery.
He clasped his hands and laughed. "Why speak so formally between brothers? Your affairs are my affairs. You arrive and immediately gift me six ships. From now on, Chongming Island will always welcome you."
With that, the matter was settled.
From this day forward, Shi Kefa's ships could freely operate in the waters around Chongming Island.