“Hahahaha, it’s alright, the Maple Bridge Camp is only about three miles away. We were going to disembark anyway to avoid having our ships destroyed by the Ming army in a last-ditch effort. We were just wondering where to dock, and the Ming army sent us chains, which work perfectly as a dock. Now the rear ship becomes the front, and the front becomes the rear. After we finish raiding Suzhou, we’ll return, everyone disembark, and prepare to break the Maple Bridge Camp.”
Amidst the curses of the Japanese pirates, Xu Hai laughed heartily, using words to boost the morale of his troops.
“That’s right! We were going to disembark anyway, and the Ming chains are like a pillow when you’re sleepy. Moreover, the Ming chains show just how scared they are, hahaha, just like a young lady trapped in a corner, waiting for us to pounce, overpower her, and make her tremble again.”
Chen Dong also chimed in, echoing his thoughts to further lift the spirits of the soldiers.
“That’s right, that’s right! Disembark! The Ming soldiers are already frightened, so what are we waiting for? Let’s break the Maple Bridge Camp first, and then knock down Suzhou City. We’ll have breakfast at the Maple Bridge Camp and lunch in Suzhou City.”
Hōjō Dōsan was also good at motivating people, waving his arms and shouting loudly.
“Roar, roar, roar! The Ming soldiers are scared, we’re disembarking, we’ll have breakfast at the Maple Bridge Camp, and lunch in Suzhou City…”
The Japanese pirates, stirred by the rallying cries, turned their ships around and disembarked one by one, scrambling to get off.
“The troops’ morale is good, hehe, once the momentum is high, it can’t be stopped. Let’s gather and prepare, and charge straight towards the Maple Bridge Camp!”
After disembarking, Xu Hai looked at the excited Japanese pirates and nodded in satisfaction. He turned to Ma Ye, Chen Dong, Hōjō Dōsan, and the others, suggesting, “Let’s charge straight towards the Maple Bridge Camp after gathering our forces.”
“Exactly, let’s gather and charge straight to the Maple Bridge Camp, we’ll have breakfast there and nourish our bodies,” Ma Ye, Chen Dong, and the others eagerly agreed with Xu Hai’s suggestion.
So, Xu Hai and the other pirate leaders gathered their forces, and the Japanese pirates, in a disorganised fashion, split into four groups.
“Our morale is high, and with this 30,000-strong army, the Ming soldiers won’t be able to stop us.”
“Let’s go, break the Maple Bridge Camp! Feast!”
Xu Hai looked at the 30,000-strong army sprawling out before him, feeling proud. He discussed with Ma Ye, Chen Dong, and others about leaving a thousand soldiers to guard the ships before giving the signal. The army began marching towards the Maple Bridge Camp.
“Break the Maple Bridge Camp! Feast!”
The Japanese pirates shouted as they headed towards the Maple Bridge Camp, their torches lighting the way, creating an imposing scene.
Temporary defences had been built on Maple Bridge, about a person’s height, with 300 Zhejiang soldiers guarding the bridge.
Zhejiang soldiers were also positioned behind the low walls along both sides of the river and in the three-storey watchtower on the eastern slope of the bridge. In the camp itself, Zhejiang soldiers were already on high alert.
“The Wokou are finally here. We just had a hearty breakfast; now we can stretch our limbs and digest.”
The Zhejiang soldiers on Maple Bridge joked with their comrades as they watched the Japanese pirates approaching with torches.
They had already had their breakfast, and upon seeing the smoke signals, the camp’s cooks began preparing the meal—large chunks of meat stewed with cabbage and tofu, each soldier enjoying three big steamed buns.
“Master Ou, have the gunpowder barrels been buried?” Zhu Ping’an, dressed in armour, asked his companion, Ou Zhige.
“Yes, my lord, everything is ready. As per your instructions, I’ve led our camp to bury thirty gunpowder barrels a hundred meters ahead. Each barrel is three meters apart, with twenty pounds of gunpowder inside. I also followed your order to add a pound of poison-soaked lead and iron pellets to each barrel,” Ou Zhige replied with excitement.
He was thrilled because the grainy black gunpowder he had developed under Zhu Ping’an’s guidance was about to undergo its first real-world test.
Though the gunpowder had shown double the power of the previous formula during experiments and training, it had never been tested in actual combat. Now, the moment had finally come to see its effectiveness.
And the gunpowder barrels—he hadn’t imagined that gunpowder could be used this way. This was a big revelation for him and would be beneficial for his future research on Thunderclap Cannons. He already had ideas on how to improve them.
“How about the fuses? Don’t let the Wokou discover them, we only have this one chance,” Zhu Ping’an reminded.
“Don’t worry, my lord. We’ve buried the fuses in a hidden trench in the dry grass. We covered it with wooden planks, then scattered soil and weeds on top. The night is so dark, the Wokou won’t see a thing,” Ou Zhige reassured, patting his chest.
Zhu Ping’an nodded in satisfaction. “Hehe, wait for my signal. When I give the order, we’ll light the fuses. Let’s give the Wokou a gift they’ll never forget. Afterward, I’ll recommend you for merit in the military.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Ou Zhige said excitedly.
“Brothers, the Wokou are less than a mile away now. They seem eager to give us military merit. Don’t worry about not getting enough merit—there are over 30,000 of them! There’s plenty of merit for everyone!”
Zhu Ping’an walked among the Zhejiang soldiers, who laughed heartily at the news, dispelling the pre-battle tension.
“The Wokou are so kind, coming all the way to bring us military merit. Let’s not be polite. Put on your armour, light your fuses, and ready your fire guns. When I give the signal, we’ll give them a warm welcome—send them straight to hell! We won’t let them see the sun rise tomorrow!”
Zhu Ping’an drew his sword high and shouted to the Zhejiang soldiers.
“Send them to hell! We’ll make sure they don’t see the sun rise tomorrow!” the soldiers echoed in unison.
“Today is a historic day, brothers. This is the first proper battle for the Zhejiang army! We need to show our strength and establish our reputation! Let the Wokou hear our name and tremble with fear! Let them shudder at the mention of us! Let them scatter in terror when they hear our name!” Zhu Ping’an continued, lifting his sword and boosting the morale of his troops.
“Show our strength, build our reputation! Let the Wokou tremble with fear! Let them scatter in terror!”
The Zhejiang soldiers echoed, fired up by the speech.
“Everyone, we fight to the death today, no retreat, myself included! No one is allowed to step back, not even half a step. Anyone who does, I’ll have them executed!”
“The army has enacted the law of collective punishment. Brothers, don’t test the law. I have compassion, but the military law is ruthless!”
“I’ll stand with you, brothers!” Zhu Ping’an emphasised once more to ensure no one misunderstood or jeopardised the battle.
“Don’t worry, my lord! We’ll fight to the death and earn our rewards!” the Zhejiang soldiers laughed in response.
