Chapter 1071: Return to the Original Owner

These goods were clearly looted from Korean civilians, yet he was expected to return them to their owners—he couldn't accept it.

Li Song, hearing this, also felt resentful; he frowned and said, "They gave me even more. Returning it… really is a pity."

Pan Yun murmured, "If only we could return things to their rightful owners."

No sooner had the words left her lips than the two looked up at each other and simultaneously broke into sly smiles.

Li Song and Pan Yun both grew grim and went together to reject the Japanese envoys sent by the army.

They sternly refused the Japanese envoys' bribes and insisted on returning the treasures to their rightful owners.

Before they could act, a wailing erupted outside the camp; a soldier rushed in and reported, "General Li, General Pan, a group of Korean landowners have arrived outside the camp. They say their wealth was entirely stolen by the Japanese pirates and demand we intervene."

Li Song smiled warmly and said, "Bring them in. Perfect—I have a batch of gold, silver, and jewels delivered by the Japanese pirates. Let them identify whether any belong to them."

The Japanese envoy widened his eyes in disbelief and protested, "General Li, these are treasures we presented—these belong to Japan!"

Pan Yun sneered, "You broke into other people's homes, murdered and looted, yet before you even left their doors, the stolen goods are now yours? Even shameless scoundrels wouldn't say such a thing. Soldiers, bring them in!"

The soldiers immediately went to fetch them.

The Japanese envoy protested, trying to shut the chests and take them away, but soldiers drew their swords and pressed them against his throat, leaving him utterly immobilized.

More than twenty Koreans burst in—old and young, women and children, some dressed in bright clothes, others in patched garments, barefoot, hands calloused, unmistakably poor.

But whoever they were, upon entering, they all immediately looked up at Pan Yun.

Pan Yun lowered her gaze; they received the signal, swept their eyes over the two large and small chests on the ground filled with gold, silver, and jewels, and rushed forward—

The twenty-odd people flung themselves onto the chests, shouting wildly; one grabbed pearls from the chest and yelled in Korean, "These are mine!"

Another clutched a gold bar and wailed, "This was my father's heirloom!"

A woman seized a dozen strands of pearls, tears streaming down her face: "These were all given to me by my husband."

A child, around seven or eight, even pulled out a handful of gems and sobbed uncontrollably: "These are from my home!"

…

The Japanese envoy: …

Don't you dare look down at yourselves? Do you even deserve to possess these treasures?

The Japanese envoy was furious but helpless.

Li Song wore a gentle expression and comforted them: "If these are yours, then let them return to their rightful owners. Don't grieve—what belongs to you, the Great Ming will never steal or keep!"

The old, the young, the women, the children—all wept with gratitude.

They immediately took off their outer garments, emptied all the gold, silver, and jewels onto them, divided them among themselves, and carried them away.

The Japanese envoy's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.