On the eighth day at sea, the ship arrived safely at Hirado Port.
The ship had not yet entered the port when, from a distance, beneath the golden sunlight, a layered array of sails could be seen coming and going within the harbour, resembling the fish-scale clouds on the horizon. Drawing closer, it became evident that the ships were low-set, the buildings along the docks were also low-set, and the dense crowds weaving through them were like throngs of ants...
What a sight of a wide sky and competitive waves—a bustling, thriving spectacle!
For the Wei soldiers, who had never seen such a scene, it was startling, like stepping out from their mountain hollows into a big city for the first time and realizing how the world outside had developed into this imposing form.
Even Yang Tiansheng, who was usually fearless, now felt a sense of disorientation as if ready to draw his sword and look around in bewilderment, "Second Brother, with so few of us, where do we even start..."
Yang Ge patted his shoulder, pulling him close, took the treasured sword from his waist, pressed it into his palm, and clenched his fingers around it, "The sword is in your hand; the world is yours!"
Having said that, he turned and pulled Liu Tang of the Imperial Guards and Nan Guang Fei Ying of the Western Factory from the crowd. Holding one in each hand as an eagle would clutch two scared chicks, he brought the two men to the bow of the ship, gesturing for them to look towards the port, "Do you see clearly?"
The two men nodded like pecking chickens, meekly replying, "Yes, Second Master, we see clearly, very clearly..."
Yang Ge, "Then look even clearer. We need to be realistic; do not exaggerate the truth, nor deliberately play it down!"
Both men nodded again in agreement, "Yes, yes, Second Master!"
Yang Ge patted their shoulders, turned, and with a forceful clap of his hands, shouted toward another ship, "Brothers, come here, all of you, come over."
Upon hearing this, the warriors from the other ship swarmed over, leaping through the water to board Yang Ge’s ship, greeting with a fist salute, "Second Master."
Yang Ge waved his hand, gathering all the warriors from both ships together and spoke aloud, "Brothers, we’re about to make landfall. There are a few last words I want to impress upon you... We are avengers as well as mighty warriors. The strong should swing their swords at the stronger, not at those who can barely feed themselves or clothe their bodies. Though it must be said that the weaker among the pirates are not innocent, we need not carry the sin or the burden on our conscience for these dogs. I hope to bring back seventy-two warriors of iron, not seventy-two demons crawled out from hell!"
"Of course, anyone who dares to take up arms against us is a warrior, and once at sea, he becomes a pirate... We should accord these people the dignity a warrior deserves; with the weapons in our hands, we cut off their heads!"
"Do not hesitate, nor show undue mercy. Our mercy is reserved only for those who are kind."
He turned to point at the harbour that was gradually approaching, "Those things are not deserving of our mercy!"
"Understood?"
All the warriors responded in unison, "Understood!"
Yang Ge waved his hand, "Get your gear in order; we’re about to go ashore."
The men scattered, and Yang Ge, along with Yang Tiansheng, Li Jincheng, Xiang Wudi, and others, went to the ship’s hold to fetch the horses.
Wang Cheng approached Yang Ge, bowing, "Second Master, how do you plan to arrange things for us?"
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As Yang Ge walked towards the ship’s hold, without turning his head, he responded, "You assign a few skilled men who understand the Dongying language and can read Dongying characters to act as our guides. As for you, follow the plan and provide us with supplies at each port along the way."
Wang Cheng, following behind him, clenched his teeth secretly and said, "Second Master, do you really have so little regard for old Wang?"
Yang Ge, puzzled, looked back at him, "Why do you say that?"
Wang Cheng, running his hand over his bald head, spoke in a low voice, "Although old Wang is no good, I still possess the might of the True Essence. You’d rather take those Qi Sea Realm skilled hands with you on land than ask old Wang to join. Isn’t that looking down on me?"
Yang Ge laughed, "If I asked you to join us ashore, would you be willing to go?"
Wang Cheng swore an oath, "I’ll go, only a mother’s boy wouldn’t!"
Yang Ge chuckled and patted his shoulder, "Don’t overthink it. If I didn’t ask you it’s because you have a greater role to play. You’re our way out and the main force for cleaning up any mess afterwards... Don’t be impatient; you’ll have your chance to join the fray. Just don’t chicken out when the time comes!"
Wang Cheng, "I reiterate, as long as Second Master doesn’t despise old Wang, whether it’s to ascend the knife mountain or descend into the sea of fire, if old Wang utters a single word of dissent, I’m a coward raised by a maid!"
Yang Ge, "Good. With those words from you, old Wang, that’s enough!"
...
Two quarters of an hour later, the two ships docked successfully.
Wang Cheng’s men dealt with Hirado Port’s tax and defence officials.
Yang Ge and the others, blending in with those unloading cargo, led the horses ashore in succession. The dock was rife with sailors of all sorts indulging in licentious behaviour with Dongying women, some armed with knives or firelocks. Their party of seventy-two didn’t stand out amidst them.
"Second Master, look over there..."
Zhou Fu observed the port’s defences and signalled to Yang Ge.
Yang Ge followed Zhou Fu’s pointing and saw cannons, draped in darkness, positioned atop a low wall about the height of two men, their muzzles aimed right at the port.
Behind those cannons, numerous shirtless figures wearing rattan armour, bearing longbows, and wielding long Dongying swords, were pacing back and forth atop the wall...
The entire port was fortified like a compound with artillery strategically placed on the walls to the sides and directly in front.
Yang Ge made a rough estimate; there were at least a hundred cannons on the three walls and no less than a thousand little devils guarding them. In front of the sole gateway into town was not just heavily guarded but also scattered with a large number of military installations resembling caltrops...