Chapter 167 – Boarding Combat

Even in his declining years, Iwauchi Hideyuki still vividly remembered that day’s battle.

They had been filled with greed and brutality, leading their elite samurai retainers onto the expensive and sturdy “Myriad Ages” ship. They never expected it to turn out to be such a hellish ordeal.

Yes, only hell could describe what they had experienced that day. The evil demons ruthlessly reaped their lives, their lives and bodies being continuously fed to the millstone, ground and crushed.

From the moment they stepped on deck, the gunshots and crossbow bolts from the high warship precisely killed them, one shot per person.

He stood on the slowly sinking “Firefly,” directing the samurai and retainers’ death squads to go first. At that time, he thought it was just the start of a normal boarding combat. There would always be gaps between bullet and arrow fire, and bullets and crossbow bolts would eventually run out. They had over five thousand soldiers on one ship. They would fight to the death, rush forward, and certainly pay some price at the front.

He was a skilled and successful warrior, hailed as the “Jade of the Eastern Sea,” an empire’s rising star general. He had over a thousand retainers who would die for him. Hundreds of them accompanied him on this expedition, although scattered across various ships. Now, dozens followed him, guarding him, all loyal and brave top-class warriors.

At that time, he still believed the sacrifice was temporary, and victory would ultimately belong to them.

However, the enemy seemed to have undergone rigorous training, with the firing of guns and crossbows meticulously calculated and coordinated. He could clearly feel that the opponent had split into two teams shooting in rotation. This resulted in their soldiers falling continuously from the moment they stepped on the deck of the Myriad Ages, the rain-like bullets and arrows taking their lives. The deck soon lay strewn with countless corpses.

When the warriors, red-eyed from killing, screamed and charged towards the watchtower, someone whistled and threw a stone bomb into the crowd. It rolled down, emitting green smoke, exploding in the crowd, causing a chorus of painful cries. Limbs and flesh flew everywhere, truly a scene from hell.

Iwauchi Hideyuki still remembered clearly when his most trusted samurai captain, Hasegawa Nobumoto, shouted, drew his horse-slaying sword, and fearlessly rushed forward, slicing through the thorny barriers intentionally set up. All the soldiers were inspired, fearlessly charging under the hail of gunfire and arrows led by Hasegawa Nobumoto.

However, they saw a man on the upper level shout and leap down, also holding a sword in both hands, chopping down at Hasegawa Nobumoto!

Iwauchi Hideyuki had seen many samurai with astonishing arm strength and many sharp treasured swords. Even the horse-slaying sword in Hasegawa Nobumoto’s hand was a top-grade divine sword forged by artisans, combining weight and sharpness. When wielded, it had the momentum of sweeping away thousands of armies, often achieving miraculous effects in countless battles.

Yet that day, he clearly saw the young man hold his sword with both hands and effortlessly cut through the horse-slaying sword Hasegawa Nobumoto had horizontally raised to block! That long sword flashed coldly, cleaving the armored Hasegawa Nobumoto in two like cutting melons.

That was his nightmare, recurring innumerable times throughout his life, replayed repeatedly in his remaining days.

He remembered after being captured, he personally asked the overly young commander, the name of that general with surprising arm strength.

The commander was somewhat puzzled, as if there were many generals with such arm strength around him.

A guard beside him said nonchalantly, “It’s Chunxi.”

“Springtime stream water,” such a gentle and poetic name, was actually the name of that valiant general. And without a surname, this often meant he was a servant, and later he indeed learned that this Chunxi was still a servant at the time. Later, he advanced due to military merit but remained loyal to his master. Whenever his master was present, he would stand behind him, performing the courtesies of a servant.

And his master was Xu Chun, the Linhai Marquis, who later became famous alongside Wu Yinghou Fang Zijing. People more often called him by his courtesy name, “Xu Yuanlin.” It was said that this courtesy name was personally bestowed by the emperor during his capping ceremony. And this battle, where he fought outnumbered with short blades, was the one that made his reputation soar. Later, he was known as one of the Four Dragon Generals of the sea, alongside Fang Zijing, Nong Siji, and Sheng Changtian, renowned throughout the land. And he himself became a stepping stone for the “Red Dragon General” Xu Yuanlin’s debut, mocked by the whole world. When people enthusiastically talked about Xu Yuanlin’s “Changhu Battle,” his name was mentioned. Of course, as the unfortunate general ordered to rescue but met with misfortune upon encountering three of the Four Dragon Generals, in a sense, he could also be considered immortalized in history.

However, at that time, he did not know what would happen afterward, let alone what position that Xu Yuanlin would eventually reach.

He only remembered that day when they were embroiled in a fierce battle. He stood on the gradually sinking ship, watching his loyal subordinates fall before him, forming a thick layer of blood-soaked mud. But the enemy also charged over, and guns and cannons were merciless. The scene of Hasegawa Nobumoto, clad in fine steel armor, being split open alive in front of everyone, indeed dealt a harsh blow, stunning everyone.

No one dared to view the warriors on this ship as lambs anymore. They were well-trained heroes, absolutely not the soldiers they usually encountered. They all wore fine steel armor, possessed great strength, and had extraordinary courage. In groups of three, they held shields, hooks, and swords. This was the famous “Mandarin Duck Formation.” He never thought he’d see it again in his lifetime, an array invented by that General Qi, specifically to counter their forces.

When he was young, the samurai who taught and trained him introduced the “Mandarin Duck Formation,” telling him it was an array invented by the vast Chinese nation specifically to restrain the warriors of their Crimson Moon country. The Chinese called this formation the “Pirate Terminator.”

He was supported by samurai desperately fighting to the death and retreated into the cabin of another ship that came to rescue them. He had never fled during battle, though he could claim that the main ship was sinking, and he was merely changing his flagship. But at that moment, he admitted, he was indeed frightened.

Those who show cowardice in battle are doomed to lose.

As he hastily changed ships, he looked up and saw a full moon that had appeared at some point, its clear light radiating like moonlight from the underworld, illuminating the gruesome spectacle of humans slaughtering each other. His heart sank, and the ominous feeling grew stronger.

At that moment, the vice-general, Asano Hiroshi, rushed over in panic, “General, it’s bad! Those two flagships are crazily breaking through the encirclement!”

The worst possible scenario had occurred.

The commanders of the other two ships were the renowned Nong Siji and Sheng Changtian. He didn’t know that at the time. He only knew that Xu Chun was twenty at the time, having just embarked on his first expedition, lacking much battle experience. Therefore, he was responsible for logistics, transportation, and scheduling, but because the vanguard fleet was attacked, he refused the order to retreat, leading his fleet into a battle that any commander would see as a sure loss.

However, the “Clear Wind” and “Thousand Autumns” had originally been leisurely engaging them in a protracted battle, their formation unflustered even while surrounded, steady and solid. But when they learned that the Myriad Ages had come to rescue them, the two ships suddenly changed tactics, bursting forth with unprecedented courage and enthusiasm. They forcefully tore through their encirclement and rushed towards the Myriad Ages, which had come to assist.

This was later what the world eagerly talked about—the righteousness spanning a thousand autumns, the loyalty of a heart of pure courage, the splendid courage that pierced the sun, and the indomitable loyalty of a heart of blood and spirit. Dramas and storytelling shows never tired of describing this battle in meticulous detail and tirelessly singing its praises.

In the end, the situation was utterly defeated. He was dragged into the cabin by the enemy’s elite guards before he could commit seppuku, roughly tied up, and escorted back to that ship, the “Myriad Ages.” He still remembered how he was unwilling at the time, suspecting he had fallen into a trap. After all, who would prepare so many land-battle skilled, armor-clad soldiers on a ship? Who would dare use such a mutually destructive tactic, where both sides would perish together?

He was forced to kneel before the commander’s seat, still very indignant, looking up at him and asking, “Sir, could you be the illustrious Black Fox of the Far East, Fang Zijing? Indeed cunning and full of schemes. I, Iwauchi Hideyuki, lost to you today; I cannot help but admit defeat!”

The other side was taken aback, lifting his faceplate to reveal an extremely young face. A pair of light amber eyes looked at him with lively curiosity, “Why can you speak our language?”

“Why is he called the Black Fox of the Far East? What does Far East mean?”

“Do you call yourself Iwauchi Hideyuki? Who are you? What was your mission this time?”

The very young general apparently lacked any interrogation skills, asking questions as he pleased. Upon seeing that face, he knew he had misidentified him. The Black Fox of the Far East, renowned for over a decade on the seas, could not possibly be such a young general, nor should he have such a straightforward and lively personality.

Was he really defeated by such a yellow-haired boy who didn’t even know who he was? He was filled with sorrow but was scolded by someone nearby, “Still not answering?” His shoulders were pressed down hard, the ropes tightening painfully. He spat out fiercely, “Kill me then! A scholar can be killed but not humiliated!”

However, the young general above waved his hand, “Don’t force him. I see he has literary talent, and he can even speak our language. Are there such talents among the Wopos?” He lamented angrily, “We are the Crimson Moon Country! A beautiful country blooming with cherry blossoms. Do not insult my country!” Everyone in the hall burst out laughing. He raged indignantly, “Kill me then!”

Xu Chun waved his hand to silence the hall, “‘The superior scholar plots for the world, the middle scholar plots for the state, the inferior scholar plots for survival.’ General Iwauchi, I suppose you consider yourself a superior scholar. But do you have the courage and ability of a superior scholar?” Iwauchi Hideyuki was startled. He was well-versed in Chinese classics and considered himself highly talented. But he didn’t expect that the young general in front of him, who looked extremely young, could quote in fluent sentences and casually recite Laozi’s “Tao Te Ching.” He was momentarily speechless, suddenly feeling despondent and defeated.

Xu Chun continued, “General Iwauchi, cooperate and answer questions. We’ll make your days more comfortable and dignified. Seeing you’re a scholar, although you’ll die in the end, you wouldn’t want to suffer too much before dying, right? We won’t force you. If you can answer, do so. If you can’t, don’t. You don’t have to commit suicide immediately.”

Iwauchi Hideyuki warned, “What do you want to know by keeping me alive?” Looking at the young and talkative general opposite him, the urge to immediately commit suicide faded. At that moment, he couldn’t help wanting to pry information from the seemingly naive young general in front of him. He couldn’t resist asking, “Are you Fang Zijing’s younger brother? I heard that the Black Fox of the Far East, Fang Zijing, loves his younger brother dearly, and he has a young brother serving the emperor in the capital.” This explained why there were so many elite guards around this general and why the commanders of those two ships knew he was coming to assist and desperately rushed out to rescue him.

Xu Chun looked at him, “That’s unfair. Why don’t you answer my questions? First, tell me, why is Wu Yinghou called the Black Fox of the Far East?” Hearing him refer to Fang Zijing as Wu Yinghou, Iwauchi Hideyuki knew that the other party probably wasn’t Fang Zijing’s younger brother. However, he showed no hint of it on his face. “The Far East is what the Westerners call our Eastern and Southern Ocean regions. They think they are the center of the world, so we are the East of the East, called the Far East. They’ve long noticed the wealth and power here.”

“The Western pirates plundered merchants in our region. Fang Zijing, once the crown prince of the Pingnan Kingdom, led the naval forces to defeat many pirates. He was cunning and resourceful, using tactics that relied on surprise and unconventional strategies to achieve victories. Moreover, his methods were extremely ruthless. All captured pirates were not interrogated but hanged alive on the masts to dry out and die. His flagship was pure black, and he favored black dragon flags, earning him the title of the Black Fox of the Far East by the Western merchants, implying his deceitfulness and cruelty.”

Only now did Xu Chun understand. His emotions had been agitated earlier, but suddenly relaxing, hearing this nickname, he couldn’t help finding it somewhat amusing. He said to Dinghai beside him, “When I see Lord Fang, I must tell him this nickname.” Then he muttered to himself, “We claim to be China, the Central Plains, but it seems other countries also believe they are the center of the world.” He couldn’t help but rotate the globe on the table, the glass surface shimmering brilliantly. Iwauchi Hideyuki couldn’t help but look at that seemingly very expensive and exquisite globe. This wasn’t something an ordinary person could possess. Everything that night exceeded his understanding—endless bullets and crossbow bolts, the carefully trained guards, the expensive and sturdy, costly giant ships, and the mysterious torpedoes that could sink large ships… Such a general was only in the logistical fleet?

He couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer, “Who exactly are you?” Xu Chun’s thoughts were interrupted, and he looked at Iwauchi Hideyuki, arrogant, “Remember this. I don’t change my surname or name. My family name is Xu, and my given name is Chun. Although I’m unknown now, I will surely become famous worldwide in the future.” Iwauchi Hideyuki was speechless. Losing to such a cocky kid was really unbearable. He suppressed the discomfort of having been defeated and asked, “What does General Xu intend to do with me?”

Xu Chun smiled faintly, “Since you’re well-versed in classics, I suppose you’ve heard of our ritual of presenting captives. Upon returning victorious from a campaign, we must present captives to the emperor to worship the ancestral temple.” His fingers deftly spun the globe, pointing to the location of the Nine Prefectures, the heart of the Central Plains, slowly saying, “You seem to be a high-ranking general. You should be the highest-level captive I’ve caught. Of course, I’ll present you to our sovereign.” His eyes sparkled. He really looked like a novice general, eager to show off his achievements and brag. Iwauchi Hideyuki was speechless. Losing to such a brash youngster was really unbearable.

However, Xu Chun recalled the heroic martyrs who died that night, his eyes heavy with grief. “At that time, we’ll pray to heaven and earth, sacrifice to the spirits, and ask for their blessings to protect our country’s peace and prosperity, rivers clear and seas calm, martial prowess resounding, and barbarians submitting.”

“From then on, we’ll deter the four seas, enemies will not dare to invade, wars will cease, and fewer soldiers will die.” He paused, then added solemnly, “And perhaps one day, we can achieve true peace, where swords are turned into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks. Where the strong do not oppress the weak, and the wise do not deceive the simple. Where people live in harmony with nature, and everyone in the world are treated as kin. That’s the world I dream of, the world I want to create.”

Iwauchi Hideyuki listened quietly, feeling a strange mixture of emotions. Despite the enmity between them, he couldn’t deny the sincerity in Xu Chun’s voice and the nobility of his vision. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was hope for a world where swords were indeed turned into plowshares.