Boats ground against boats, and sails blotted out the sky.
The Yingzhou fleet that had passed through the gate was racing to the rescue when repeated horn calls suddenly sounded-two short blasts followed by a long one. The leading ships turned urgently, their hulls still carrying their forward momentum!
The ships behind scrambled to follow. Some turned too quickly, swinging broadside and blocking their own vessels; others turned too slowly, their bows still pointing forward, and collided with warships that had just swung around beside them!
Some quick-thinking crews and seasoned commanders abandoned all attempts to form orderly ranks. Leading their ships in a sweeping sideways cut, they drove straight into the white-sailed fleet's flank! The warships just emerging from the gate likewise charged heedlessly ahead, crashing head-on into that wall of snow!
The two fleets collided, their wooden frames shuddering together! Masts struck masts, and canvas tore!
Warships on both sides rammed or scraped past one another, throwing up streaks of white water. Armored soldiers lost their footing and tumbled like falling leaves!
The white-sailed ships sought no battle. They refused to fight whatever blocked them and slipped through every opening, ignoring sunken vessels of their own side and enemy warships alike!
The ships passed almost gunwale to gunwale. Jingzhou's oarsmen pulled furiously, sail ropes strained taut, and every face twisted fiercely as they fought for the slightest advantage!
Chaos engulfed the gate. The defenders hurried to close it, but the fleet below had not yet finished passing through. Shouts erupted above and below as helmsmen hauled on their tillers, trying to turn their ships broadside and clear the opening. The vessels behind could not check their momentum and slammed into those ahead. Mast rigging tangled, oar handles struck one another, and broken shafts flew up into men's faces!