Fenghuang
The Fenghuang (Chinese: 鳳凰; English: Phoenix) was the flagship of the Zhang Wei Union that operated in the South China Sea during the early 18th century.
History[edit | edit source]
Acquisiton by the Zhang Wei Union[edit | edit source]
The Fenghuang was originally a Chinese junk owned by a pirate band operating from the Paracel Islands. In 1725, it was captured by Edward Kenway and his organization, the Zhang Wei Union, while on a mission for the Dutch East India Company to cleanse the islands of pirates.[1]
After being brought back to Macau, Edward was allowed to keep the ship due to a promise made by the company's chief navigator, Jan van Aert. Making use of the loot gained from the pirates, the Union members were able to purchase a plot of land by a harbor to operate and store their ship.[1]
Repairs and upgrades to the ship then began under the direction of the Union's engineer Yun Pyeong-Gyu, who installed a number of new armaments such as European-style cannons used in Joseon modified by Yun himself, swivel guns that had increased caliber, and several hwachas. The Union members also settled on the "Fenghuang" as the name for their new flagship; the Chinese word for phoenix, the legendary bird known for its ability to be reborn from its own ashes.[1]
The Fenghuang sailed under the Zhang Wei Union for the first time when it was used by Yun and Rupiya to rescue Edward, John Young, Shimazu Saito, and Xialun Qing from the fleet of Admiral Zheng following the events at Sun's floating gambling hall. It easily sank one of Zheng's ships, causing the admiral to decide against engaging the Fenghuang and allowing Edward, John, Saito, and Qing to board the vessel and escape to safety.[2]
Voyage to the Philippines[edit | edit source]
The Fenghuang would later be used by the members of the Zhang Wei Union when they sailed to the Philippines to investigate a lead on a Piece of Eden supposedly hidden in Angkor.[3] As it neared Manila, the ship came under attack by Zheng's fleet, but thanks to Yun's latest invention—fire barrels which exploded on impact—the crew was able to cause considerable damage to the enemy ships.[4]
Using the advanced weaponry built by Yun, the Union members ultimately sank most of Zheng's fleet, but unbeknownst to them, the admiral's true intentions were to get close enough to the Fenghuang to allow her passengers—the Chinese Assassins Xiao Han, Liu Qing, and Xue Yan—to board it. After the trio used gliders to reach the ship, they dropped several bombs onto its deck, setting it on fire.[5]
In the resulting chaos, the Chinese Assassins managed to kill several crew members, until Yun realized that the bombs were filled with Greek fire, which water was useless against, and insturcted the crew to use sand to extinguish the flames. Upon spotting Yun, Xiao Han attempted to kill him, but he was stopped by Edward, who engaged him in a duel. Meanwhile, the crew members managed to gain the upper hand and surround Liu Qing, holding him at gunpoint, and Saito faced off against Xue Yan.[5]
After Saito defeated Xue Yan and Edward overpowered Xiao Han, all three Chinese Assassins retreated back to Zheng's ship using parachutes. With the admiral's fleet still on their tail, Edward ordered Rupiya to sail into an incoming storm to lose the enemy ships. Although one of Zheng's ships managed to follow the Fenghuang through the storm, it was sunk by a Dutch East India Company vessel captained by Jan van Aert.[6]
After Jan revealed his knowledge of the purpose of the Union's expedition to the Philippines, Edward reluctantly allowed him to accompany them. Meanwhile, Yun recreated the formula for Greek fire used by the Chinese Assassins, and Edward decided to make a stop on Java Island to acquire petroleum that would allow them to produce more of the substance. Before they had the chance to do so, however, both the Fenghuang and Jan's ship were attacked by two Spanish Men O' War, forcing them to surrender.[7]
Escape from Manila[edit | edit source]
The crews of the two ships were brought to Manila, where they were arrested by the Spanish authorities due to Jan's alleged involvement in the assassination of the Governor-General of the Philippines, Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda, six years prior.[7] While Jan and his men were imprisoned in the dungeon underneath Fort Santiago, the Union members were forced to remain inside the Fenghuang, under heavy guard, though they soon managed to escape.[8]
After Edward and Saito left to rescue Jan's crew, the remaining Union members engaged in a fight with the Spanish soldiers at the harbor to retrieve their confiscated weapons and supplies. In the process, they discovered a warehouse filled with barrels of petroleum, which Yun promptly ordered to be loaded onto the Fenghuang.[9]
Once Edward and Saito returned to the ship after an encounter with a monk who wielded a crescent amulet—a Piece of Eden—the Fenghuang set sail away from Manila, followed closely by Jan and his men. When the Spanish Navy gave chase, Jan volunteered to lure away their pursuers to give the Union members time to escape. The distraction worked and, once the Fenghuang had lost the Spanish fleet, Edward ordered the crew to set a course for Cebu.[10]
En route to their destination, the Union members discovered that the Spanish had confiscated all of their food rations and attacked two passing Spanish schooners to acquire the provisions they carried. They also docked at a village which Zhang had begun trading with, in order to resupply the Fenghuang and recruit new crew members. While in the village, the crew learned of unsettling rumors concerning Monkey Island, which was in their path to Cebu.[11]
Trapped on Monkey Island[edit | edit source]
As the Fenghuang passed by Monkey Island, it was bombarded with mortar fire from a nearby fort, which had been occupied by Rajah and his native resistance fighters. Rupiya steered the ship to safety and Edward instructed him to take cover behind some rocks, but the crew quickly realized that they were trapped until they could locate the fort. Fortunately, Xialun Qing offered a solution and revealed an invention she had been working on alongside Yun: a hot air balloon,[12] which they dubbed the Celestial Chariot.[13]
Using the balloon, Qing was able to survey Monkey Island and determine the locations of all enemy encampments, allowing the Fenghuang's crew to fire on them. However, the Celestial Chariot then suffered a malfunction mid-flight and caught fire.[13] After Qing parachuted to safety and landed on Monkey Island, the crew went looking for her. As they approached the island's fort, the Fenghuang engaged it as a distraction to allow Edward, John Young, and several other crew members to reach the island via rowboat.[14]
Once Edward's group arrived on the island, the remaining Fenghuang crew members retreated and went into hiding in a swamp to await the expedition's return. However, while they were waiting, they were found by Rajah's men,[14] who took advantage of a downpour of rain to board the ship. Led by Saito, the crew members fought off the native warriors, who disguised themselves as manananggals to try and intimidate them.[15]
Thanks to several multi-barreled muskets built by Yun, the crew was ultimately victorious, though they were later forced to escape when more native warriors attempted to board the Fenghuang. Saito ordered the crew to sail into the open sea, where they managed to lose their assailants.[16] They then went to pick up Edward's group after they had destroyed the resistance's fort, and the Union members left Monkey Island, resuming their voyage to Cebu.[17]
Confrontation in Cebu[edit | edit source]
In Cebu, the Fenghuang docked behind some rocks, out of the Spanish Navy's sight, before Edward and Saito ventured into the city to search for a sea log containing clues to the Pieces of Eden's whereabouts.[17] While the crew awaited their return, John spotted the native resistance's fleet approaching Cebu and decided to attack it.[18] After sinking the fleet, thwarting Rajah's plan to escape from the harbor, the Fenghuang went to pick up Edward and Saito, who had jumped into the water to escape from the Spanish soldiers pursuing them.[19]
As Rajah had managed to flee with the sea log, the Union members followed him to Fort San Pedro, which had been taken over by the resistance. There, Yun introduced a second Celestial Chariot he had built, which Edward, Saito, and John used to infiltrate the fort while the remaining Fenghuang crew members stayed behind to create a distraction and facilitate their mission.[19]
However, while the crew was waiting for the return of Edward's group, Admiral Zheng's fleet arrived in Cebu and attacked the Fenghuang. The ship was able to sink a number of enemy vessels, but with more ships approaching the Fenghuang, Yun decided to unveil his latest invention: Greek fire bombs.[20]
Using the bombs, the Fenghuang's crew halted the advance of Zheng's fleet by creating a wall of fire on the water's surface. Yun then ordered Rupiya to bring the ship closer to Fort San Pedro so that they could pick up Edward, Saito, and John and make their escape.[21] Upon doing so, however, the crew noticed Edward's strange condition, as the Assassin was struggling to resist the corrupting influence of the crescent amulet in his hand.[22]
At a loss without their leader, Yun asked John if Edward had mentioned anything about their next destination. At that moment, the Assassin briefly recovered from his trance and uttered the words "south" and "Sulu", reminding John that Jan van Aert had asked them to meet him in the Sultanate of Sulu. With that, John ordered that Edward be taken below deck to recover while the Fenghuang set sail towards Sulu.[22]
Voyage to Sulu[edit | edit source]
En route to Sulu, with Edward continuing to be unresponsive, Saito assumed temporary command of the Fenghuang and was informed by John, Yun, and Rupiya that they needed to resupply and repair the ship before they arrived at their destination. Saito gave the order to dock on a nearby island and proceeded to personally lead several crew members ashore to gather the resources they needed.[23]
The crew was ultimately able to secure supplies after defending a native village from a raid by Japanese mercenaries.[24] However, they learned that the Shimazu clan was pursuing them, so Saito devised a plan to lure their assailants into an ambush. With John serving as a decoy, the crew waited for Fuma Sukuna and his ninja to attack them while they loaded their supplies onto the Fenghuang.[25]
When the Rattan Shield Company, which was working with Sukuna, decided to attack the Fenghuang, the crew sprang their trap and bombarded the soldiers with cannon fire. Although this inflicted heavy casualties on the shieldmen, the survivors were able to block the incoming gunfire by making a turtle formation with their shields. John was nearly struck by the Company's captain, but managed to dodge his sword swing and boarded the Fenghuang, which sailed away to safety.[26]
While the Fenghuang was out at sea, a lookout spotted a large fire coming from the island and alerted the crew. John took this as a sign that their fellow Union members were in danger, and ordered Rupiya to bring the ship closer to the shore.[27]
The Fenghuang was unable to dock due to the Rattan Shield Company's presence on the beach, so John ordered the crew to fire several cannon shots at the shieldmen. This allowed Saito, Edward, Yun, Qing and the other Union members on the island to swim to the Fenghuang, whereupon the crew resumed their voyage to Sulu.[28]
Battle of Sulu[edit | edit source]
In Sulu, the Union members were betrayed by Jan van Aert, who had made a deal with Sultan Badarud-Din I, promising to deliver him the crescent amulet in the Union's possession. Threatened by the Sultanate's fleet, the Fenghuang was forced to surrender and its crew was imprisoned while the amulet was taken to be stored in a warehouse.[29] However, Edward and Qing soon managed to escape and freed John, Saito, and Yun, while Rupiya freed the remaining crew members.[30]
After reconvening, Edward decided to recover the amulet from the warehouse. He was followed by John and Qing while the others went to prepare the Fenghuang for departure.[31] However, they were soon forced to fight against Admiral Zheng's fleet, which also arrived in Sulu. The Fenghuang managed to keep the enemy ships at bay and was later joined by Nagamasa and his mercenaries, who arrived with their own vessel.[32]
Nagamasa and his crew were sent by Saito to rescue Edward and John, who had failed to stop Xiao Han from killing Qing and stealing the amulet. After retrieving Edward and John, the mercenaries returned to their ship and, together with the Fenghuang, escaped from Sulu.[32] The Fenghuang subsequently sailed to Singapore, where the crew took time to recover from their defeat and replenish their supplies.[33]
Journey to Burma[edit | edit source]
After leaving Singapore, the Fenghuang sailed to Burma, as Edward's visions had revealed the location of another Piece of Eden housed in the Shwedagon Pagoda.[34] Approaching Yangon, the crew found themselves at an impasse, as the only way to enter the city was through the Bago River, which was guarded by Burmese soldiers.[35]
Fortunately, Zhang had established contact with a group of Buddhist monks beforehand, who offered to guide the Zhang Wei Union members into Yangon. Before joining the monks, Yun instructed the Fenghuang's crew to unload the components of the latest iteration of the Celestial Chariot he had built, believing the hot air balloon might prove useful during their mission.[35]
Meanwhile, Nagamasa informed Saito that he had sent his men to recruit several native people in the region who shared a plight similar to theirs. Saito then left the Fenghuang in Nagamasa's care until she, Edward, Yun, and John returned from Yangon.[35]
While waiting for their companions' return, Nagamasa left the Fenghuang to rendezvous with his men. Shortly after, the ship came under attack by three East India Company vessels, which had secretly been led there by John. However, Rupiya assumed Nagamasa to be the traitor due to his suspicious departure, and rallied the crew members to fight their assailants.[36] The Fenghuang was initially overwhelmed by the Company ships' superior firepower, but fortunately the ship and its crew were saved by Nagamasa's men and a group of warriors from the Ayutthaya Kingdom they had recruited.[37]
After Edward, Saito, and Yun returned to the Fenghuang, Rupiya greeted them before noticing John's absence and asking for his whereabouts. Edward remorsefully revealed that John was a spy working for the Templars and had stolen the Piece of Eden he and Saito had retrieved from Yangon. He then gave the order to pursue the Company ship carrying John, so they could capture him and recover the stolen artifact.[37]
Battle of the Strait of Malacca[edit | edit source]
- John: "I told you, their ship's as swift as the wind!"
- Captain: "They may have caught us off guard somewhat, but I assure you, we'll soon get the better of them yet! We shall have payback for the two of our ships they sank!"
- —John Young and the Templar captain, after the Fenghuang attacked their ship, 1725.[src]-[m]
The Fenghuang intercepted John's ship in the Strait of Malacca, firing at its stern and forcing it to stop and return fire. This allowed Nagamasa's ship and the Ayutthayan warriors' long-tail boats to flank the enemy vessel and immobilize it with their harpoons before boarding it. While Saito, Nagamasa's men, and the Ayutthayan warriors fought the East India Company sailors, the Fenghuang reached their position, though before the crew could seize the enemy ship, they were attacked by a Company fleet commanded by Alan Jacob.[38]
Heavily outnumbered, the Zhang Wei Union members decided to retreat, abandoning their pursuit of John and the Piece of Eden. As the Fenghuang fled the battle, it was chased by several Company frigates that tried to intercept the Union members and prevent their escape. Fortunately, the frigates were sunk by Admiral Zheng's fleet, which had stumbled upon the engagement.[39]
Taking advantage of the unexpected distraction, Edward ordered Rupiya to sail the Fenghuang to safety while Alan and Zheng's fleets fought each other. After noticing the Fenghuang's attempted escape, Alan and Zheng ended their fight as they both ordered their forces to chase and destroy the ship. However, the Union members were saved once again, this time by Jan van Aert,[39] who had been contacted by Zhang for help and assembled an armada composed of both Dutch East India Company and privateer ships.[40]
Overwhelmed by Jan's fleet, Alan and Zheng realized they stood no chance of winning the battle and retreated. Edward then spoke with Jan, who invited the Assassin and his crew to join him on the voyage back to Batavia. There, Jan explained that he had decided to save the Union members because he needed their help to stop their mutual enemies from harnessing the power of the Pieces of Eden. Edward agreed to resume his partnership with Jan and, realizing the need for additional allies in the upcoming battle,[40] rallied Batavia's pirates and privateers to his cause.[41]
After a few days of preparations, the Union's new fleet was ready to set sail. The Fenghuang, outfitted with new weapons and a pirate flag featuring the Assassin insignia, joined the fleet as it departed Batavia and traveled to Indochina.[41]
Armaments[edit | edit source]
Even prior to its acquisition by the Zhang Wei Union, the Fenghuang had earned a reputation as the ship that "wreaked havoc in the Paracels", according to Zheng.[2] Following its upgrades by Yun Pyeong-Gyu, the ship became even more powerful, being equipped with modified European-style cannons from Joseon, swivel guns with an increased caliber, mortars, and hwachas that functioned as volley guns, launching a volley of fire arrows at the enemy.[1]
Prior to its voyage to the Philippines, the Fenghuang was also equipped with a special type of fire barrels created by Yun that exploded on impact.[4] Later, while in Cebu, the engineer supplied the crew with another one of his inventions: Greek fire bombs. On contact with water, these projectiles created thick flames that covered the water's surface, preventing ships from sailing through them.[21]
Crew[edit | edit source]
- Edward Kenway – Commandant (1725)
- Rupiya – Captain (1725 – unknown)
- Yun Pyeong-Gyu – Engineer (1725)
- John Young – First mate (1725)
- Shimazu Saito – Lookout and second-in-command (1725)
- Xialun Qing – Doctor (1725)
Gallery[edit | edit source]
-
The Fenghuang docked -
The Fenghuang's phoenix figurehead -
The Fenghuang seen from above -
The Fenghuang's deck -
The Fenghuang sailing through a storm -
The Fenghuang next to Jan van Aert's ship -
The Fenghuang engaging Monkey Island's fort -
The Fenghuang surrounded by the Suluese fleet -
The Fenghuang sailing with Nagamasa's ship -
The Fenghuang docked in Singapore -
The Fenghuang fighting an East India Company ship
Appearances[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]