Chapter 99: A huge order for five thousand people

Two days later, the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Shen Qing lay under the parasol tree in the courtyard; it was already considered winter, the courtyard full of fallen leaves, matching the surrounding antique decorations, giving it a unique charm.

The scholar walked in holding a porcelain bowl: "Boss, I found something delicious again."

Shen Qing lay on the recliner, slowly opening their eyes: "Oh? You found it again?"

The scholar placed the porcelain bowl on the table and lifted the covered dish: "Hehe, ginger mother duck."

A fragrance wafted over, and Shen Qing also sat up: "Ginger mother duck? I really should try it."

Shen Qing picked up chopsticks and grabbed a piece; it had a mild spiciness, a sweet wine aroma upon entry, and brought a warmth to the belly—just what to eat in cold weather.

The scholar stood aside, hastily took out a small notebook, and added ginger mother duck to the column of Shen Qing's favorite foods.

At a glance, over a hundred dishes had already been recorded densely.

Shen Qing ate while asking: "How have things been outside these past two days? How is the interrogation of those Japanese pirates going?"

The scholar closed the notebook: "The pirates' statements are still under interrogation; these past two days, the commanders have been going crazy, not getting any sleep."

Looking at this situation, I feel the completion of the interrogation is not far off.

Immediately after, the scholar gave a hehe laugh.

As for the outside, it's gotten interesting.

Boss, your move to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys has really frightened them.

I heard that the several prominent families in the city, similar to the Yuan family, have opened their granaries to relieve famine, and the refugees outside the city have enjoyed your blessings.

Those several martial sects are even more exaggerated, spontaneously seeking out the Japanese pirates in the city.

Moreover, Boss, your title of 'World-Passing Yama' has also spread in North Cloud City.

Shen Qing nodded satisfactorily; the principle that one must secure the interior before repelling external threats is timeless.

In Jia Shui Jun, the biggest enemy is still the Japanese pirates; Shen Qing doesn't want the backyard to catch fire while fighting abroad.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside the gate; Lao Li burst into the courtyard, his face full of excitement, still clutching a token in his hand.

Boss, there might be a major discovery among the Japanese pirates; take a look at this.

Saying this, Lao Li handed over the token; Shen Qing took it and saw it was a silver token with a black snake drawn on it.

What is this?

Lao Li hurriedly explained: "Commander Xu said it seems to be a token of an army on the pirates' side; those who hold tokens there have high status."

Shen Qing gave a hehe laugh, stuffed the last piece of ginger mother duck from the bowl into their mouth, then rose.

Come on, let's go check.

Soon, Shen Qing arrived at the prison.

Upon entering the prison, Shen Qing saw Zhang Shan and Xu Dashan beating the Japanese pirates.

Zhang Shan had a grim face and slapped a palm directly onto the pirate's face.

Will you speak or not?

The pirate let out a low shout: "Baka!"

Yo! Zhang Shan turned to look at Xu Dashan: "Xu Dashan, he's cursing us."

Xu Dashan grabbed the pirate's throat by the collar: "Say that again?"

As he spoke, several consecutive hook punches slammed into the pirate's abdomen.

The pirate shuddered, began to foam at the mouth, and kept muttering: "Ya mie die, ya mie die."

Xu Dashan seized the pirate's collar and lifted them up: "What ya? I'm making you speak!"

Tears welled in the pirate's eye corners as they shouted in broken martial dynasty speech: "You keep asking if I'll speak or not, speak or not."

"What should I say? Go ahead and ask."

Xu Dashan paused, turned to look at Zhang Shan: "You didn't ask?"

Zhang Shan spread their hands.

I thought you had asked.

Just then, Shen Qing walked up behind them: "What are you two playing at?"

Zhang Shan scratched their head and gave a hehe laugh.

Shen Qing directly held the token before the pirate's eyes: "Which army's token is this?"

The pirate swallowed: "It's... the Black Snake Army's."

The two exchanged a glance: "Black Snake Army?"

Shen Qing continued asking: "What position do you hold in the Black Snake Army?"

"I have no position; I'm just a common soldier..."

Shen Qing waved a hand: "Lao Li."

Lao Li immediately understood, walked over with a small knife, and Zhang Shan and Xu Dashan likewise understood, lifting the pirate's clothing.

In other matters, the Embroidered Uniform Guard might not be so coordinated, but when it comes to interrogation, their tacit understanding can be said to be innate.

The pirate panicked at once, shouting in fear: "I'll talk, I'll talk, I have a rank! I'm talking! Don't!"

But Shen Qing said nothing, and Lao Li and the others naturally didn't stop.

Lao Li directly used the small knife to cut an opening in the pirate's waist, then grabbed the skin and pulled hard.

A sound of flesh tearing.

The pirate was directly pulled a piece of skin off.

Intense pain stabbed the pirate's mind, but once the pain reached a certain level, they couldn't make a sound.

The pirate's mouth gaped wide; Shen Qing waved a hand, and only then did the others retreat.

"What position do you hold in the Black Snake Army?"

The Wokou trembled, Jiang: "Foot... light commander."

In the Wokou army, a foot light commander is equivalent to the rank of a centurion, managing a unit of about one hundred people.

"What are you doing in North Cloud City?"

"Gathering intelligence."

"Then where is your Black Snake Army now?"

The Wokou paused, but it was only the blink of an eye; Lao Li came over with a small knife again, and the Wokou hurriedly shouted: "In Moon-Viewing Valley! Moon-Viewing Valley!"

Zhang Shan and Xu Dashan exchanged a glance, and the scholar directly took out a carried map of Jia Shui Jun and began to look for it.

Soon he found the location of Moon-Viewing Valley, and his face drastically changed.

"Boss! Come quick! This Moon-Viewing Valley is wrong! It's not far from our North Cloud City!"

Shen Qing glanced at it; the distance from Moon-Viewing Valley to Luo Water City is less than a hundred li, which is already considered quite close.

Xu Dashan's face instantly darkened, fury surging in his eyes, and his right hand directly clamped onto the Wokou's bloody wound on the waist.

"What are you Black Snake Army doing here? How did you sneak over?! Speak!!!"

The Wokou screamed in pain.

"I'll talk, I'll talk! We got news that the North River Army suffered heavy losses and retreated to Maple Leaf Mountain; the North River Army not being destroyed is a major threat to us, so we plan to ambush and annihilate them at daybreak tomorrow."

The scholar quickly found the location of Maple Leaf Mountain as well: "Boss, Maple Leaf Mountain is indeed nearby, only thirty li from Moon-Viewing Valley."

Shen Qing pondered the documents he had read these past days; the frontline battle reports would also be sent to the Guard Command. Regarding the news of the North River Army's heavy losses, after continuous fighting, their five-thousand-strong force had dwindled to fewer than two thousand, so they retreated to the rear.

Shen Qing chuckled: "They really know how to pick a moment; the North River Army had just finished fighting and retreated to Red Maple Mountain only three days ago."

"They've just rested, the wounded haven't fully recovered, and their supplies are exhausted, not yet replenished—this is precisely their weakest moment."

"And if the Wokou's Black Snake Army is also at full strength, five thousand against two thousand, then the North River Army truly faces more misfortune than fortune."

The scholar felt a hint of worry: "Boss, what should we do?"

"Gather, let's go to Maple Leaf Mountain."

The scholar swallowed, clenched his fists, a slight sweat appearing: "Boss, are we really going to take on an army? That's a full five thousand men."

Shen Qing laughed, his laughter wild and unrestrained.

"So what if it's five thousand?"

"Five thousand people, truly a big order!"