Xu Hai, Ma Ye, Chen Dong, and Hojo Dōsan, along with over thirty thousand pirates, set sail into the open sea. They planned to follow the coastline to Taicang and then sail upstream from the Taicang estuary to launch an attack on Suzhou.
To ensure their safety, Xu Hai and his men left behind more than ten thousand pirates to guard their stronghold in Tuolin, fearing that the Ming army might attack their base while they were away.
As Xu Hai and his forces boarded their ships, Ye Zongman also led his men onto their vessels. According to their agreement, they too set sail into the sea, following the coastline northward before heading upstream to attack Changzhou, located to the north of Suzhou.
“Hmph, leaving behind more than ten thousand men—are they guarding against the Ming army or us? Even a lion uses its full strength to catch a rabbit. They’re attacking Suzhou but still leave over ten thousand troops behind. Indecisive and hesitant, they’ll never achieve greatness.”
Zheng Kuang, a fierce general under Ye Zongman known as the “Sea Spirit,” noticed that Xu Hai had left a significant force behind to guard Tuolin. He shook his head, sneered, and dismissed their actions with disdain.
Zheng Kuang was a rare talent under Ye Zongman, known for his immense strength—he could wrestle oxen—and his cunning nature. He had won many battles for Ye Zongman, especially excelling in naval warfare, where he had won eight out of ten battles at sea, earning him the nickname “Sea Spirit.”
“A poor boy, drifting through life, finally makes a fortune, builds a big house, and marries a new wife. Of course, he’s going to worry about his house being robbed or his new wife being stolen. It’s understandable, isn’t it?”
Ye Zongman smiled faintly, making a playful joke.
“Understandable, sure, but it still feels petty. They’ll never achieve greatness,” Zheng Kuang shook his head.
“Haha, it’s good that they’re so petty. If they were all as bold as tigers, wouldn’t that just cause trouble for King Hui?” Ye Zongman gently patted Zheng Kuang’s shoulder, speaking with deep meaning.
“Oh, you’re right, boss. It’s good that they’re so petty. That way, we can control them,” Zheng Kuang suddenly understood, nodding repeatedly. Then, his eyes narrowed, and he said with a hint of reluctance, “But boss, Suzhou is one of the most prosperous and wealthy places in the world, dripping with honey and riches. It’s like a piece of fat meat right in front of us. Are we really not going to take a bite? Even though we only have five thousand troops, far fewer than their thirty to forty thousand, our men are battle-hardened veterans, each worth two of theirs. Plus, we have King Hui backing us. Even if we take a bite, or even half, they wouldn’t dare say a word.”
Ye Zongman shook his head and smiled at Zheng Kuang’s words. “Haha, Suzhou isn’t an easy target. Whether they succeed or not is still up in the air. Our goal this time is to persuade them to take action, to fulfill King Hui’s strategy. If they’re willing to attack Suzhou, a major city of the Ming, we should be grateful. Don’t stir up trouble and ruin King Hui’s plans. They attack Suzhou, we attack Changzhou, and Mao Haifeng and his men attack eastern Zhejiang. Together, we’ll give the court a big ‘gift,’ turning Jiangnan upside down and forcing them to lower their proud heads and listen to King Hui’s demands—to open ports and trade.”
Then, Ye Zongman spread his arms as if embracing the world and slowly said, “Once the goal of opening ports and trade is achieved, what’s a mere Suzhou? At most, they’ll just plunder it once, but through open trade, we can continuously gain vast wealth from the Ming and overseas barbarian nations. King Hui has a scale in his heart, and he remembers our contributions. Haha, by then, we might even be able to seize a barbarian kingdom overseas and become kings ourselves, living like emperors.”
As Ye Zongman spoke, his eyes glazed over as he gazed out at the sea, filled with wild ambition.
The profits from maritime trade were immeasurable. The annual tax revenue of the Ming dynasty was nothing compared to the wealth that could be gained from overseas trade.
If King Hui’s plan succeeded, forcing the government to open ports and trade, wealth would flow in like the ocean, endless and inexhaustible. They would never lack silver again, allowing them to build more ships, recruit more soldiers, buy cannons from foreigners, and upgrade their weapons.
King Hui could then become a true king. According to his plan, after opening ports and trade, he would establish a kingdom overseas.
Japan was currently divided, with various daimyo lords constantly at war. This was their opportunity. King Hui had hinted that they would first occupy Hirado in Japan, establish the kingdom of “Song,” and then gradually take over all of Japan. King Hui had said that after establishing the Song kingdom, he would allow his subordinates to establish vassal states to protect the Song kingdom.
The island of Luzon was in a good location, situated in the ocean, not too far from the Ming dynasty or Japan. Ye Zongman had often smuggled goods there in the past. The island’s inhabitants were short and looked like monkeys, with a backward and barbaric kingdom that wasn’t very strong. With his forces and a well-planned strategy, overthrowing their kingdom and taking over wouldn’t be too difficult. Haha, maybe he could even have a taste of being a king. The throne rotates, and today it’s my turn…
“Boss, your vision is truly far-reaching. I’m just short-sighted and can’t compare. When the time comes, you’ll be the king, and I’ll be your general, continuing to serve you loyally,” Zheng Kuang grinned, flattering Ye Zongman.
“Haha, I’m just joking around. Don’t take it so seriously,” Ye Zongman chuckled.
“Hehe, I’ll follow you no matter what, boss. Wherever you go, I’ll go…” Zheng Kuang grinned, expressing his loyalty.
“Enough with the sweet talk. Go check if all our men have boarded the ships. If they have, we’ll set sail and head to Changzhou by sea,” Ye Zongman scolded with a laugh.
Soon, all five thousand of Ye Zongman’s pirates had boarded the ships. At his command, they set sail.
Under the dim moonlight, the two massive fleets moved like giant serpents, riding the waves as they surged forward.
About an hour later, the two fleets quietly arrived at the Taicang estuary.
“Wishing you all success in breaking Suzhou and returning with a full load. We part ways here. We’re heading to Changzhou.”
The two fleets separated at the Taicang estuary. Ye Zongman stood at the bow of the flagship, clasping his hands in farewell to Xu Hai and the others.
“Thank you for your kind words, Uncle Ye/Commander Ye. We appreciate your support in attacking Changzhou to coordinate with our actions. We will repay you generously.”
Xu Hai and the others stood at the bow of their ships, clasping their hands in gratitude.
“No need for formalities. King Hui often says that all pirates under heaven are one family. Since we’re family, we should help each other, right?!”
Ye Zongman smiled, taking the opportunity to promote Wang Zhi’s slogan.
“Yes, yes, all pirates under heaven are one family. Family should help each other,” Xu Hai and the others nodded repeatedly.
“Farewell.”
“Farewell.”
With that, the two fleets parted ways at the Taicang estuary. Ye Zongman’s fleet continued northward to Changzhou, while Xu Hai’s fleet sailed upstream from the Taicang estuary, heading toward Suzhou along the river.
