The Poppy War, #2
The Dragon Republic
by R. F. Kuang
Contents
Chapter 20
Overview
Kitay deduces the Militia’s underwater mines as Jinzha drives an exhausted, underfed fleet toward Boyang, dismissing Nezha’s warnings. A failed parley with Chang En leads to a brutal lake battle where the Crake falls. The shaman Feylen returns, kills Molkoi, hurls Chaghan and Qara into the lake, and tears ships apart. Swept by the current, Rin and Kitay plunge over the waterfall.
Summary
Kitay solves the mystery of the fleet’s destruction: waterproofed underwater mines using animal intestines and slow-burning fuses. Despite damage, dwindling supplies, and winter-lowered waters at Lake Boyang, Jinzha insists on an immediate assault, belittles Nezha, and coerces prisoners to dive and disable mines. The fleet sprints north through storms, morale cratering.
Scouts confirm a large, crude but numerous Imperial Navy at Boyang. Jinzha demands a ceremonial parley with Chang En; the Wolf Meat General mocks his offer and fires first blood. Battle erupts under smokescreens and incendiaries as Republican ships spread out and are isolated by Imperial swarms in the shallows.
The Imperial skimmers overwhelm the tower ship Crake. Rin’s crossbow cover fails to save Captain Salkhi, who is brutally killed by Chang En. The Crake, captured and grounded, turns its weapons on Republican vessels while the Shrike runs aground and the Kingfisher is boxed in by junks.
Then a shaman appears: Feylen, the Wind God’s vessel once freed from Chuluu Korikh. He kills Admiral Molkoi, rips planks from hulls, and toys with Rin, refusing to kill her by Daji’s orders. Chaghan briefly stalls him on the spiritual plane, but Feylen overpowers him; Chaghan and Qara are blown into the lake. Nezha, watching from the Griffon, does nothing.
As Feylen tears the Kingfisher apart, Rin and an unconscious Kitay are swept into Boyang’s outflow. A rope to the fleet goes slack—whether cut or lost—and the current drags them over the waterfall.
Who Appears
- Rin (Fang Runin)Protagonist; aids Kitay, warns against Jinzha’s hubris, fights Feylen, rescues Kitay, and is swept over the waterfall.
- KitayStrategist; deduces underwater mines and Boyang’s depth risk, drafts plans, and is later unconscious as Rin hauls him.
- JinzhaRepublican commander; ignores counsel, abuses Nezha, forces prisoners to dive, demands parley, and drives a doomed assault.
- FeylenWind shaman; returns as Daji’s weapon, kills Molkoi, defeats Chaghan and Qara, and devastates the Republican fleet.
- Chang En (Wolf Meat General)Imperial commander; rejects surrender, leads boarding that captures the Crake, and personally kills Captain Salkhi.
- NezhaOpposes the attack and clashes with Jinzha; later freezes during Feylen’s onslaught, failing to act.
- Admiral MolkoiRepublican admiral on the Kingfisher; directs defenses before Feylen hurls him to his death.
- ChaghanPsychic shaman; briefly restrains Feylen before being overpowered and blown into the lake.
- QaraChaghan’s counterpart; senses the psychic struggle and is swept into the water by Feylen’s winds.
- Captain SalkhiRepublican officer on the Crake; fights bravely but is slain by Chang En during the boarding.