Chapter 593: The Wise Man Recognizes the Times

One dish of ginger duck, one of fish ball soup, one of rice roll, and one of fish with greens—allegedly the most popular dishes at their inn.

The waiter brought them a basin of rice.

They hadn't eaten properly in days; Pan Yun scooped a full bowl for herself and gestured to Cen Dachuan and Cen Yuan: "Help yourselves."

Cen Dachuan and Cen Yuan didn't hesitate; both piled up large bowls of white rice.

With rice in their stomachs and meat and vegetables to go with it, Cen Dachuan and Cen Yuan felt much better.

Cen Yuan burst into sobs.

He wept as he stuffed his mouth full; Pan Yun had just picked up a piece of fish belly meat, but seeing him cry, her heart twisted—she placed the fish in his bowl and gently urged: "Stop crying. I've carefully recalled the Great Ming laws—your crimes merit only immediate beheading. Death by blade is the swiftest: one swing, a wound the size of a bowl, and in eighteen years you'll be a fine man again."

Cen Yuan wept even harder, yet still shoved the fish into his mouth, crying as he ate: "If I could have a meal like this before I die, I'd die with peace in my heart."

Pan Yun: "I hear prisons offer last meals—no such fine dishes, but there's always meat."

Cen Yuan's grief surged, and he cried louder.

He opened his mouth to cry, so he couldn't eat anymore.

Pan Yun leaned back, frowned, and turned to Cen Dachuan: "Aren't you going to comfort him?"

"He's about to die—can't he cry a little?" Cen Dachuan still held his chopsticks and bowl steadily, his face showing no fear or sorrow: "Earlier, Master Pan, you implied you'd hand us over to the magistrates. But instead of taking us straight to the government office, you brought us to a guesthouse in Quanzhou. So—are you delivering us to the magistrates, or to someone else?"

Pan Yun set down her chopsticks and bowl: "There's a phrase: 'Redeem yourself through meritorious service.'"

Cen Yuan immediately lifted his head, forgetting to wipe his tears, and hurriedly said: "I'm willing to redeem myself—I'll tell you everything we know."

"Really?" Pan Yun tugged at her lips: "You've been on the sea for years—do you think everything you know can be told in a few minutes?"

"Truly, we've confessed everything," Cen Yuan swore to heaven: "Those Japanese pirates were brought by Brother Fan and his men—we knew little. If we've hidden anything, may thunder strike us down, may we die a wretched death."

Pan Yun waved him off: "Enough, enough—I never doubted you. But this information isn't enough for redemption. When you entered the city, you saw: the Wu Lin Alliance, the Celestial Master's Mansion, and the imperial court have joined forces to eradicate bandits. Many martial artists have come here seeking glory. If you want to earn your life, you must offer something no one else has."

Cen Dachuan fell into thought.

Cen Yuan blinked, then asked outright: "What could we offer that others don't have?"

"Information!" Pan Yun said solemnly: "Cen Second Chief, I didn't spare Cen Yuan out of kindness—I admire your character. We wanderers of the Jianghu uphold one word: 'Righteousness.'"

"You took full blame for leading the Japanese pirates to massacre the village to protect your men. I respect you—and I cannot bear to see you locked away, dying in unrest, possibly dragging your family down with you." Pan Yun sighed: "That's why I didn't send you straight to Fuzhou's government office—I brought you to Quanzhou."

Cen Yuan glanced at her, then turned to look at Cen Dachuan, and honestly said: "Master Pan, I don't understand."

Pan Yun stared straight at Cen Dachuan: "What about you, Brother Cen? Don't you understand either?"

Cen Dachuan: "We're bandits. You want us to lead you?"

Pan Yun: "How many years have you been on the sea?" Cen Dachuan: "Six."

Pan Yun: "Six years. As far as I know, you've posed as Japanese pirates all this time—but no one believed you until these past three years, when you grew ever more convincing. The naval government office and merchants now routinely mistake you for real pirates. Why?"

Cen Dachuan: "At first we were poor—we used stolen, patched fishing boats, with pitchforks, wooden spears, cleavers, and kitchen knives. Later, when we had money, we replaced our boats, bought Japanese clothes and swords, wore them every voyage, shouted in Japanese gibberish—and no one suspected we were Han."

Pan Yun: "That's how you made contact with real Japanese pirates?"

Cen Dachuan opened his mouth, sighed, then nodded: "Yes. Most of what we stole we sold to merchants who came to buy. Some we traded directly at sea with Japanese pirates. These pirates don't raid—they sail only to trade, buying from us cheap and reselling high in Japan. Their prices are slightly higher than domestic merchants', so when we have good goods, we prefer to sell to them. Over time, we grew familiar."

Cen Dachuan frowned at Pan Yun: "We do know several Japanese pirate transit points and their usual routes—but the sea has its rules. If I betray them, my men will never survive on the water again."

Pan Yun stared at him in surprise: "Cen Second Chief, you're so naive. Do you really think your men can ever return to the sea?"

Cen Dachuan fell silent.

Pan Yun smiled gently: "Take your time. I'm not in a hurry."

Cen Dachuan clenched his lips, silent. Both he and Cen Yuan had lost their appetite.

Pan Yun finished one bowl of rice, added another, cleared a third of the dishes, then set down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth contentedly, and said: "Cen Second Chief, look at the opposite inn—Ping'an Guesthouse. How lively it is. That's what it means to be a wise man who recognizes the times."

!

Cen Dachuan sneered: "Too wise—ended up with his whole family executed."

Pan Yun couldn't help a light laugh: "Then Cen Second Chief, be sure to see clearly: why was the Pu family executed? Don't mistake traitors for loyal men, or loyal men for traitors—you'll lose true public support."

Pan Yun patted his shoulder, her tone heavy with meaning: "Are you Han, or Japanese? Will your ancestors and descendants live on this land—or out on the sea? Think carefully."

Cen Dachuan's lips trembled; he could not speak.

Cen Yuan also set down his chopsticks and bowl, gazing hopefully at Cen Dachuan.

Seeing Pan Yun walk to the window and push it open to look outside, he hurried over to Cen Dachuan's side and whispered: "Big Brother Cen, we're Han. Those people on the sea—they've betrayed us already. Quanzhou is flooded with sword-wielding martial artists, more than last year. The court means business. We're already exposed. The villagers can never go back to sea. Why not redeem ourselves?"

Cen Dachuan sighed.

So when Zhang Ning and Zhang Weiyi returned with Qu Le and the others, Cen Dachuan gave in.

Seeing them approach, Pan Yun asked: "Where are the others?"

Zhang Weiyi: "At Ping'an Guesthouse."

Pan Yun frowned.

Zhang Weiyi: "The Pu family learned we're crushing the bandits. They're willing to donate ten thousand taels of silver to forge weapons and procure medicine, and they've also provided ten ships."

Pan Yun's mouth parted slightly: "Truly, they're wise men who recognize the times." (End of Chapter)