My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

Donghai Commandery, north of Qu County, Xiaozhu Island.

Han Yong and Xu Xianzhi, accompanied by several guards, docked in the twilight in a sampan. Chen Jiao and several trusted confidants were already waiting on the beach, hidden by bamboo groves.

"Commander Han, Recorder Xu!"

Chen Jiao lowered his voice and cupped his hands in greeting, but Han Yong quickly waved his hand away.

"I told you, Brother Chen is much better than those two!"

Xu Xianzhi, who was standing to the side, nodded repeatedly.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the group quickly disappeared into the depths of the bamboo forest.

Xu Xianzhi was quite satisfied with the desolate island in front of him as he walked, less than half an hour from the coast.

From the perspective of Qu County, it is impossible to see with the naked eye, and there are not many places to go ashore. There were also many hidden reefs on the way here.

"This island is extraordinary, what does Commander Han think?"

"Brother Chen, you've only established yourself here because of this island, so of course you're extraordinary!"

Chen Jiao, who was standing to the side, also quickly and politely responded.

"I found this place by sheer luck. The island has plenty of water, but..."

"Chief Chen, the Commander has already granted your request. We will immediately dispatch ships to fetch the soldiers from the shore!"

Upon hearing Xu Xianzhi's words, Chen Jiao immediately cupped his hands in greeting.

"Thank you, Supervisor Xie, thank you, Young Master Xu. I will make the arrangements immediately!"

After saying that, Chen Jiao turned and left the cave.

Seeing Chen Jiao leave, Han Yong leaned over and asked in a low voice.

"Can the Superintendent really absolve him of the murder charges?"

Xu Xianzhi shook his head and replied softly.

"No, do you know who Chief Chen has offended?"

"I've heard him mention it before; his name should be Zhao Ya!"

"This man is no ordinary person. Chief Chen's only chance of survival is to change his appearance!"

As soon as they finished speaking, footsteps came from outside the cave, and the two quickly regained their composure.

"Young Master Xu, Commander Han, the ships are ready!"

Chen Jiao returned, his face beaming with excitement.

At this moment, Xu Xianzhi also took out a letter from his bosom.

"Chief Chen will take this letter to the Liu family's residence in Shangyu!"

Chen Jiao was somewhat incredulous upon seeing this, and he glanced at Han Yong.

"Hurry up and accept it. Shangyu is a good place; Young Master Xu will take good care of your family members!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao immediately knelt down and accepted the letter with both hands.

This left the two of them at a loss, and they quickly stepped forward to help him up.

"I'm just a worthless person, Young Master Xu, please feel free to give me your orders!"

"Brother Chen, what about me? What about me?"

Han Yong, who was standing to the side, joked.

Chen Jiao was a little embarrassed by the question, and after carefully putting away the letter, he scratched his head.

"My hundred-plus brothers all obey Commander Han's command!"

"Chief Chen, how much do you know about the situation inside the city?"

At this moment, Xu Xianzhi interrupted their conversation and asked a question.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao hurriedly searched on the table in the cave and quickly took out a hastily drawn map.

"Please take a look, gentlemen. This is the map of the county town and the surrounding salt fields that I have made. This town has no proper city walls or gates! Along the coast and river mouth, there are docks, warehouses, and stilted houses of all sizes. The road network is as narrow as a chicken intestine, winding and turning. The Xianbei people occupy several of the largest docks and a few houses on higher ground in the town, but to say that they can completely control the whole town... is difficult."

He gestured to the name of the place: "In that place, boats are more useful than carriages and horses. The Xianbei cavalry couldn't move around at all inside. When they first arrived, they suppressed the enemy once, killed some people, and established their authority. But after that... there wasn't much of a commotion. They mainly guarded the main road leading from the salt fields to the dock and a few warehouses."

"Where are the people in the city?" Xu Xianzhi asked.

"Some were terrified, and some fled. Many of those with some wealth or relatives with the Wang family had already followed the Wang family's fleet. Those who remained were mostly salt producers, fishermen, and peddlers who couldn't escape!"

"Wang and Zhou Laosi?" Han Yong pressed.

"Wang's private army, along with most of Zhou Laosi's capable men, boarded the prepared boats and headed south before the Xianbei army besieged the city."

Chen Jiao spat.

"They run faster than rabbits! That bastard Zhou Laosi, he really is playing both sides. I bet he already planned his escape route with Wang Shi. That coward Lu Da didn't get on board; he led his men into the mountains to the north!"

Xu Xianzhi quickly memorized it, and a rough map of the situation in Qu County had already been drawn in his mind.

How did you obtain this information?

Chen Jiao dared not hide it.

"That day, more than thirty brothers from the docks in the city didn't return to the island. Only one managed to sneak back yesterday when the saltworks reopened. The rest are all stuck in the city!"

Han Yong and Xu Xianzhi exchanged a glance.

The situation is more complicated than expected, but it is not without its flaws.

This city, born by the sea, may not truly depend on its land-based strongholds, but rather on its crisscrossing waterways, numerous docks, and... the sea.

"Chief Chen, you just said that there are many docks in the city, and Deng Jing can only control a few of the big ones. As for the smaller docks, fishing ports, and the locals who are familiar with the waterways and alleys... how many can you contact?"

Chen Jiao narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he understood something: "What Young Master Xu means is..."

Xu Xianzhi said slowly.

"The most urgent task is to find out which docks and warehouses are still under the control or influence of the locals, and which waterways allow for covert passage. Also, we need to find a way to let the people in the city know that the Jin army has arrived!"

Han Yong interjected, "Deng Jing only has a little over five hundred men. If it doesn't work, arrest him again!"

Chen Jiao was somewhat surprised to hear that the enemy general was to be captured alive.

"This... we're good at! Give me some time, and I'm sure we can do it!"

Xu Xianzhi then thought of something else.

"Is it possible to find Luzhou University?"

Chen Jiao felt a headache after hearing this, as he didn't get along well with Lu Da.

"We can only do our best. This coward probably doesn't have much food left, and he'll likely take a desperate gamble!"

"..."

Xiaozhu Island, dawn the next day.

The shallows were shrouded in a grayish-white sea mist, with the soft sound of the tide.

A dozen or so fishing boats and cargo ships of varying sizes lay quietly in the knee-deep water, almost blending into the sea mist.

The boat was crowded with people, mostly women, children, and the elderly, carrying hastily packed simple bundles. There was no noise, only suppressed sobs.

Chen Jiao stood in the ankle-deep water, patting the gunwale one by one, and whispered instructions to the man at the bow who was steering the boat.

"...After passing Grey Turtle Ocean, look for the rock marker at Old Snake Cove...Avoid the Guanka Waterway, it's better to take a longer route..."

With the last boat finished, Chen Jiao stepped back a few paces, his trouser legs soaked by seawater.

As he watched the ships disappear into the fog, his angular face showed little sign of parting, but tears were welling up in his eyes.

Xu Xianzhi stood on the beach, the morning breeze carrying salty, damp mist that lashed against his blue robe.

Looking at the ships that seemed rather flimsy in the fog, I finally couldn't resist taking a half-step forward.

"Chief Chen, with just these ships... can we really reach Shangyu safely? The sea is unpredictable, and besides, the East China Sea is not peaceful right now."

Chen Jiao turned around, and the sadness on his face quickly melted away, revealing an almost arrogant smile.

He pointed to his head, then to the sandy ground washed by the sea.

"Don't worry, Young Master Xu. I've traveled this sea route many times. These old brothers on the ship have all been through thick and thin for half their lives. They know exactly where the reefs are, when the winds start to blow, and where there might be pirates in the water."

He paused, looked into the depths of the mist, and sighed deeply.

"As for the unrest... in this world, just surviving is a stroke of luck. As long as Heaven doesn't turn on you and send you south, it's not difficult!"

His tone didn't contain any exaggerated assurances, but his confidence infected Xu Xianzhi, who nodded and said nothing more.

At this moment, he also deeply understood what Xiao Heng had once told him: "Even ants, who cherish their lives, can shake Mount Tai; and even the smallest means of livelihood must be respected."

In chaotic times, entrusting one's family and relatives to such a person and such a path is the most reliable choice under the circumstances.

The ships moved slowly through the fog, one after another sailing into the thicker fog, their outlines gradually blurring until only shadows remained until they were completely swallowed by the sea fog, as if they had never existed.

Only the able-bodied young men who were preparing to stay remained on the beach.

The sea breeze dispersed some of the mist, revealing the island's lush, swaying bamboo groves.

Chen Jiao turned around, walked back to Xu Xianzhi and Han Yong, stomped hard on the sand, shook off the seawater from his trousers, and completely lost the last trace of tenderness in his eyes, leaving only a desperate and ruthless look.

"My worries are gone."

"Now, those left on the island are all men willing to risk their lives. Chief Secretary Xu, Commander Han, you two give the orders on what to do next!"

......