Chapter 393 - Yu Hangs Thoughts (2/2)
Even the grass around the well grew stronger than other places. The little roe deer especially liked eating the weeds beside the well. It would also lick clean the water spilled when they fetched water from the well. It would have a pleasurable expression on its face like it had just eaten some delicious delicacies! The animals raised at home were becoming more and more aware, and this must be closely related to the well water at home!
Could it be that his youngest sister was really helped by the gods? They had gifted her with some divine water that could not only improve the health of the family, but also enhance the growth of crops? It was no wonder that Youngest Sister wasn’t afraid of others learning the formulas at her pharmaceutical workshop. Without their family’s well water, no one would be able to make the same pills and liquid medicine with the curative effects.
Various thoughts surged through Yu Hang’s mind. He was full of confidence and expectation for his youngest sister. He always felt that, with his youngest sister around, his family and the fellow villagers of Dongshan Village would definitely be fine! After he fed Little Gray, Yu Hang gently combed Little Gray’s smooth hair. He could feel that it was no longer tired, and it was full of energy.
He mounted the donkey, and when he raised his head, he saw Li Li’s worried gaze. He was confused for a moment, but he immediately understood what the other party was concerned about. He glared back disgruntledly, and then gently tightened his legs. Little Gray understood him, and without the need to rush it, it galloped on the smooth, flat official road towards the direction of town.
By the time Li Li reacted, they had already run far away. He couldn’t help but wonder, ‘With this speed, it looks faster than the fine-breed horse that I’m riding. It’s indeed a good donkey, and even the general has praised it several times. It seems like that kid Yu Hang is displeased because I underestimated them!’
He prompted the steed he rode on and chased after Yu Hang. He originally thought that the little donkey may have speed but not endurance, but he hadn’t expected that he couldn’t catch up to them the whole way to town. He was worried that they would hold him back earlier, but it turned out that he was the one who lagged behind!
Jinwei Prefectural City’s garrison wasn’t too far from the harbor. Less than an hour after Wu Yun’s departure, Commander Sun had mobilized the soldiers of the garrison to be stationed near the port in an orderly manner. Fang Zizhen was very worried about his daughter’s safety, but he had to commit to his duty as a soldier. The emperor had sent him to the harbor, so he must ensure the safety around this area.
Fang Zizhen personally went to the port and got in contact with Brother Six’s management office. He learned that there weren’t too many ships entering the port today, but there were still three fleets, which were about twenty ships. Each ship was full of popular goods from the south. If the Wokou pirates took them, then they would lose up to ten thousand taels! No, he absolutely couldn’t benefit those b*stards!!
Fang Zizhen told Brother Six to mobilize everyone that he could use to work overtime to transport the goods, striving to transport all the goods to the harbor’s warehouse before the Wokou landed! He, on the other hand, met up with Commander Sun. Jinwei Prefectural City was close to the sea, so the garrison had dozens of warships and a group of trained navy soldiers. Commander Sun mobilized the soldiers and led the fleet of warships, ready for battle. He was waiting for the Wokou pirates to get closer to the nearby waters in order to ambush them.
All of the Great Ming Empire’s warships were modified by the current emperor when he was younger. Each ship was equipped with a stone catapult and a rocket. The stone catapult didn’t throw ordinary stones, but instead it was something similar to a large firecracker. When ignited, it would launch towards the opposing ship with the force of the catapult. With its explosive force, it could severely damage the other party’s horses, people, and even ships. Inflammables were tied onto the rockets. Presently, the ships were all built with wood, so once launched, the other party’s ship would burn in flames. Without their ships, the enemies were just like cats without claws. They wouldn’t be able to do anything!
Jinwei Prefectural City was located relatively close to the Wokou’s country. During the previous dynasty, they were occasionally attacked by the Wokou pirates and suffered heavy losses. Hence, the first batch of improved warships were tested and put into use in Jinwei City. Commander Sun had seen the power of the ‘weapons’ on the ships with his own eyes, so he felt increasingly confident within his heart and he acted in an even more steady manner.
After Fang Zizhen passed the message to Commander Sun, he led a group of about forty to fifty people, which included the guards of the General’s Estate and bailiffs stationed at the port. They lay in ambush nearby, waiting for the Wokou pirates to walk right into the trap!
Behind them, all of the workers employed by the port management office worked hard to transport all the goods. With the big boss, Brother Six, personally directing the workers, the goods transportation work was carried out in an orderly manner.
Many of the dockworkers were curious about the reason why General Fang and his soldiers were lying in ambush at the docks, but no one dared to ask. Their boss was watching them right now, so who dared to slack off? Did they still want their jobs?
The management office had expanded to have fifty regular employees, and their temporary staff far exceeded one hundred. The regular employees got two days off each month, and received a monthly wage ranging between eight hundred copper coins to one tael. Temporary workers were paid for each job, but they might not be able to get work every day. There were many people vying for a position in the management office. If they didn’t work hard, there would be many people waiting to replace them!
The temporary employees worked hard to perform well in front of the supervisors and strived for a chance to turn into a regular employee next time there was a chance! As a result, even though there was a group of soldiers ready for combat at the port, the dockworkers continued to work as if they didn’t see them.