Moma Liangshan

Chapter 91 Smoke from the Kitchen and Beacon Fires: Waiting for Guests

The waterway, less than a hundred li long, could be traversed in half a day. Upon Di Chuxiang's return by boat, Wang Hao immediately approached and inquired, "Is everything alright?" Di Chuxiang replied, "No obstacles, no signs of human habitation!" Wang Hao asked, "Is it possible to send another batch of troops before nightfall?" Di Chuxiang looked at the sun and replied, "We can reach Liaodong before nightfall, but returning to Nanhuang Island will be difficult!" Wang Hao said, "Nanhuang Island has a lighthouse, which can guide ships at night." Di Chuxiang accepted the order, saying, "Nighttime is not a taboo for near-shore navigation; I will prepare immediately." After all five hundred marines and two hundred engineers landed in Liaodong, He Li began constructing preliminary defenses based on the terrain, while Lin Chong began deploying troops according to the fortifications. The sea wind howled, icy and biting; to avoid revealing their location, Lin Chong still strictly forbade the lighting of fires. Fortunately, Wang Hao had been thoughtful, distributing double-layered sheepskin coats to every soldier before departure. That night, everyone gathered together, huddling for warmth.

Three hours after sunset, Di Chuxiang led three ships back safely. Meat porridge and steamed buns were already prepared on Nanhuang Island. The soldiers moored their ships and went ashore to eat. As the meal was ending, Wang Hao's order came: "At dawn tomorrow, the entire army will march north!" No one was surprised by this order. The soldiers methodically cleared the table, washed the dishes, and then lined up to return to their tents to rest. For both Lin Chong and Wang Hao, this night had been incredibly long. Years of planning and accumulation, the lives of hundreds of soldiers—all were staked on this unfamiliar land.

The best outcome was a narrow escape. At dawn the next day, Wang Hao personally led Yang Zhi, Chen Song, and other guards to land in Liaodong. The boundless deep blue sea, the rising sun, and the cool, damp sea breeze filled the crew with longing for this unfamiliar and chaotic land. Wang Hao looked at Chen Song and said, "Are you confident that we will return from Liaodong with a full haul?" Chen Song, full of fighting spirit, replied, "Where your army leads, our merchant guild will be invincible!" Wang Hao nodded slightly and added, "Not only invincible, but also all-pervasive. We must monopolize Liaodong's trade within three years." Chen Song looked doubtful and said, "Although our annual revenue and manpower have increased several times, we are still far from monopolizing a prefecture or even a whole region. Let alone three years, even five years, I am not confident that I can monopolize Liaodong's trade!" Chen Song was always full of vigor, but unexpectedly, he spoke of maintaining the status quo at this moment. Wang Hao smiled slightly and said, "This isn't like you!" Chen Song was embarrassed and said, "It's not that I'm being conservative or cowardly, but Liaodong is too unfamiliar. Who are our allies, who are our adversaries, where are the densely populated areas, and where are the desolate places? We know absolutely nothing! Acting rashly could result in losing everything, which is a minor matter; losing our lives and betraying the Emperor's trust would be a major one!" Wang Hao detested war. He led his army north only to intimidate the various tribes in Liaodong, with the ultimate goal of monopolizing Liaodong's economic lifeline through commercial activities. He said, "Then let's take commercial activities as the main force, with Jiaozhou as our backing, and unite the powerful families outside the pass with the wealthy merchants inside the pass to achieve the goal of monopolizing Liaodong's economy!" Chen Song considered for a moment and said, "Your Excellency is wise!"

When Wang Hao's fleet arrived in Liaodong, Lin Chong and He Li rushed to greet him, saying in unison, "Greetings, young master!" Wang Hao didn't exchange pleasantries and asked directly, "Will the camp be completed today?" He Li replied, "It will be completed in another three hours!" Wang Hao nodded slightly and asked, "Has the surrounding area been scouted?" Lin Chong said, "The scouts have already scouted the area within a ten-mile radius!" After speaking, he took out a simple map that had just been drawn.