Undercover - In China - Book 7

Part 63 - The Battle at Red Cliffs

Our escape plan was interrupted by guards with orders to take us to the watch tower at the harbour entrance. Cho Cho wanted us to witness the arrival of Huang Gei, who was supposedly defecting from the Southland with a fleet of boats carrying grain. The wind was now blowing strongly from the southeast whipping the Long River into a froth of white caps and making it almost impossible for boats to leave the harbour. Marine General Cheng Yu pointed out that the wind was favourable for a Southland attack, and he suggested taking precautions.

'It is too late in the day for Zhou Yu to attack,' Cho Cho scoffed. 'This wind will shift before the Southlanders wake up.' 

 The sun was setting behind us when a look-out shouted. Twenty boats, with green dragon flags, were approaching. 'Huang Gei said he would identify his boats with green dragon flags,' Cho Cho noted mildly. 

 Cheng Yu stared into the wind. 'It's a trap!' he said urgently. 'If those boats were loaded with grain, they would be low in the water, but they are almost flying. We must not let them get near the camp.'

Cho Cho immediately ordered his marines to intercept, and a fleet of patrol boats raced out of the naval station but stopped as the full force of the wind and waves hit them. The crew pushed on the oars as hard as they could, but they could make no progress into the wind. Huang Gei's twenty boats, racing down wind, were close to the naval station when they suddenly burst into flames and their crews jumped into skiffs trailing behind. Seconds later with fire leaping from their bows, they rammed into the outer line of boats in the naval station. The wind spread the fire quickly despite frantic efforts to separate the boats. 

 It was a losing battle. In a short time, most of the boats in the naval station were ablaze. We watched until Cho Cho realized the danger and we all ran to his command ship, one of the few not on fire. The crew rowed desperately through the channel between burning boats to the relative safety of the shore. Blazing missiles, soaring across river from Southland catapults like huge shooting stars, had set most of the tents on fire. We followed Cho Cho's guards through the confusion of flames, dense smoke and panicking soldiers. Their fear was contagious, fuelled by flickering shadows and fantastic rumours. 

 Xuande's men, disguised as Cho Cho's officers, had infiltrated the camp and were ordering a retreat.

Cho Cho looked around at the fires and the disorder and despondently ordered a retreat to Jiangling. We gave up hope of getting back to Grandpa's boat through the fires. 

 Licia glared at Miguel. 'This is all your fault. You told them to use fire ships.'

Cho Cho's guards commandeered four horses and we had a brief discussion about who would ride with who. Only Denny and Miguel knew how to ride, and the horses were frightened of the fires and kept jinking around. Wang Bang decide I would ride with Licia. She insisted on sitting in front because she got car sick riding in the back seat. Denny climbed up behind Cheng Ling. Dr Zhang said he was terrified of horses; they were dangerous at both ends. Wang Bang got mad and yelled, 'Just get on the - (untranslatable) - horse.' That wasn't easy. Dr Zhang got on his horse facing the wrong way and the bewildered horse promptly wandered off with Miguel in pursuit. Wang Bang, making an enormous effort to avoid apoplexy, caught up with Dr Zhang and attached a tow line to keep the horses together. Dr Zhang managed to turn around, so he was facing the right way, and Miguel climbed up behind him.