Pi Island.
Ship after ship loaded with grain and military supplies docked along the shores of Pi Island. The vessels came in such steady succession that it seemed as though Gao Family Village had decided to relocate its entire treasury across the sea.
Shen Shikui, the Regional Commander stationed on Pi Island, stood watching the unloading process with widening eyes. After several days of close contact, he had already figured something out. These supplies were not dispatched by the Great Ming court. They came from one man. Steward Li.
To speak politely, Steward Li was a merchant.
To speak frankly, he was not much different from a maritime overlord like Zheng Zhilong.
On the surface, he obeyed the imperial court. In reality, he operated like a powerful local strongman.
And this strongman was not sending food and weapons out of respect for Shen Shikui. The supplies were flowing here because of Cao Wenzhao.
If Cao Wenzhao were removed, the grain would stop.
Pi Island had never received stable logistical support from the Great Ming court. It certainly would not receive long term help from Joseon either. Without relying on Steward Li's resources, Pi Island would wither into isolation.
What choice did Shen Shikui have? The answer was obvious.
"General Cao, what should we do next?"
These days, Shen Shikui consulted Cao Wenzhao on nearly everything. The gesture spoke louder than words.
Cao Wenzhao replied calmly, "We have already frightened the Manchus at sea. For the next few years, they will likely hesitate before attacking Pi Island again. As for Joseon, after witnessing this battle, their attitude will shift once more. For now, we hold Pi Island as our base and harass the Manchu rear. Slowly, we build strength."
Before he could continue, a soldier rushed in.
"An imperial envoy has arrived!"
Shen Shikui let out a faint snort. Pi Island was accustomed to being forgotten. Imperial envoys rarely changed anything. Still, he said, "Let us receive him properly."
They hurried to the beach. A eunuch had just disembarked and stood stiffly in the sand, already holding an imperial decree.
Shen Shikui and Cao Wenzhao bowed. The eunuch read aloud.
The decree praised their defense of Pi Island and expressed imperial satisfaction. Then came the real announcement. Cao Wenzhao was appointed Coastal Regional Commander, tasked with assisting Pi Island and countering both Manchu and Joseon naval threats.
Furthermore, he was granted authority to recruit pirates into imperial service. All appointments below brigadier general rank were left to his discretion.
After the decree was read, Shen Shikui quietly exhaled. He had feared losing his own position if Cao Wenzhao were placed above him directly. But Coastal Regional Commander meant cooperation, not replacement. That was acceptable.
Cao Wenzhao, meanwhile, was already thinking ahead.
Recruit pirates. Appoint officers freely.
Jiang Cheng could be named brigadier general. Shi Lang could serve as a centurion. Zheng Sen, though technically a guest officer and favored by Dao Xuan Tianzun, could also be formally appointed.
With legitimate titles, Gao Family Village's navy would no longer need to disguise itself as merchant shipping. It could operate openly.
Even better, the Coastal Regional Command's base lay near Dengzhou. That offered a proper naval anchorage.
Dengzhou stood only about six hundred li from Tianjin in a straight line. From there, the fleet could reach Tianjin within a day.
The implications were enormous.
The eunuch departed for the capital. Cao Wenzhao immediately drafted a memorial listing Brigadier General Jiang Cheng, Centurion Shi Lang, and Centurion Zheng Sen for approval.
Several days later.
Dengzhou Naval Garrison.
Dengzhou had once been a proud naval outpost of the Great Ming Dynasty. In its prime, it boasted one hundred medium and large warships, along with countless smaller vessels.
But the maritime prohibition policies of the Ming had hollowed it out. By the sixteenth year of Hongzhi under Emperor Xiaozong, the garrison had been reduced to three major ships. Shipbuilding had nearly vanished.
By the tenth year of Chongzhen, 1637, the so called naval base looked more like a struggling fishing village. A tattered flag reading "Dengzhou Garrison" flapped over a decaying fort. That was the only sign of former glory.
Into this quiet harbor sailed Jiang Cheng, Shi Lang, and Zheng Sen, leading a fleet that dwarfed anything the garrison had seen in decades.
The local sailors panicked. They scrambled into battered fishing boats and rowed frantically ashore. Some ran home to fetch rusty weapons. Others stood stiffly at the shoreline, pretending to mount resistance despite clearly lacking the means.
Jiang Cheng lifted a tin megaphone.
"This general is Jiang Cheng, brigadier general under Coastal Regional Commander Cao Wenzhao. By imperial order, I have come to assume control of Dengzhou Naval Fort. There is no need for alarm."
The tension melted instantly.
"You frightened us!" one sailor shouted. "With ships that large, we thought Westerners had arrived!"
The weapons were lowered. The sailors gathered in uneven ranks.
Jiang Cheng surveyed them. Their armor was patched and faded. Their blades were speckled with rust. Their ships were little more than fishing craft.
Shi Lang muttered softly, "What a miserable army."
Zheng Sen added, "They are poorer than my family's former pirates."
Jiang Cheng addressed them directly. "Why are your weapons and armor in such condition? Where are your warships?"
An officer stepped forward awkwardly. "General, Dengzhou has been neglected for over a century. The court provides no funds. No ships. No equipment. We survive by fishing. The few boats you see were built with our own hands."
There was no defiance in his voice, only resignation.
Jiang Cheng nodded slowly. He glanced at Shi Lang and Zheng Sen. Both simply sighed.
Then Jiang Cheng cleared his throat.
"Listen carefully. I take care of my own people. Since you are now part of my command, we are family. What the court fails to provide, I will provide."
The Dengzhou soldiers stared blankly. They did not quite understand.
They understood very quickly.
Jiang Cheng waved his hand. "Distribute grain. Distribute silver. Issue new clothing."
Carts rolled forward. Bags of rice were opened. Fresh uniforms were handed out. Silver coins clinked into waiting palms.
It was Gao Family Village's classic strategy. Overwhelm them with generosity before they have time to question it.
The effect was immediate.
"General Jiang is the most conscientious commander I have ever served!" one soldier declared.
"From today onward, I swear loyalty!" another shouted.
"If you order me into fire or onto blades, I will not hesitate!" cried a third.
In less than an afternoon, the Dengzhou Naval Garrison had changed hands completely.
Not through force.
Through full stomachs and heavy purses.