After setting sail, the Ming Navy fleet quickly adjusted its formation. The bird boats led the vanguard. These vessels featured sharp bows, reminiscent of a bird's beak; being relatively small with a shallow draft, they could sail steadily through rough seas. They were primarily used for reconnaissance and for salvaging spoils or bodies from the water after a battle. The keel-gun ships and fup-chuan warships held the center, while scout boats lined the flanks as a screen, with supply ships trailing at the rear.
Helped by the southeastern monsoon, the fleet moved at great speed. Having departed in the morning, they reached Huangcheng Island, over a hundred li away, by the afternoon. Huangcheng Island lies between Dengzhou in Shandong and Lushun in Liaodong, divided into the South and North Huangcheng islands. In years past, the Ming army had stationed troops there, using it as a springboard to recover southern Liaodong. However, following the Battle of Song-Jin, the Ming army faced a manpower shortage and strategically abandoned the island.
Yuan Shu raised his thousand-li eye to survey the island. Finding no traces of recent activity, he waved his command flag, ordering a small detachment to go ashore for inspection. The Ming naval officers and men aboard the bird boats maneuvered their vessels to the shore, took up their weapons, and went on patrol. After circling the island, they signaled to Yuan Shu: all was clear and normal. Yuan Shu signaled the fleet to drop anchor and…
Chapter 637