Chapter 639: Mutual Probing

Japan still maintains the custom of eating at separate tables, a practice somewhat reminiscent of Tang and Song times.

Pan Yun sat alone at the head table; the martial heroes, sensing the situation, found their own tables below and sat in pairs, further highlighting her authority as leader.

The martial heroes had just picked up their chopsticks to take their first bite, happily eating, when they heard Chen Liutao's odd question—they froze mid-bite and all looked up at Pan Yun at the head table.

Pan Yun slowly swallowed her food, then lifted her gaze to Chen Liutao: "What's the issue?"

Chen Liutao frowned: "These people are relatives of Japanese pirates, kin of criminals…"

"Do you mean to implicate them by association?" Pan Yun interrupted.

Chen Liutao's brow tightened: "Some were forcibly taken to the island against their will; whether to implicate them requires interrogating their actions in recent years…"

"Will the Embroidered Uniform Guard conduct the interrogations?"

Chen Liutao, startled by her direct naming of his affiliation, quickly glanced at the others.

The others showed no reaction; clearly, though he and Qu Zhixing had never publicly revealed their identities, their status was no longer secret.

Chen Liutao steadied himself, thought carefully, then said: "This is a matter for the local government."

Pan Yun said directly: "Quanzhou Prefecture lacks the funds to feed so many people; interrogations and judgments can proceed slowly."

"Can you guess why, when I asked for them, Li Wenying handed them over immediately? And why the Jiangnan Inspector remained silent?"

The Jiangnan Inspector seated below her silently kept eating, saying nothing.

Pan Yun: "Because it's troublesome and useless."

"To deter sea bandits, executing and imprisoning the Japanese pirates is enough; these families are too complex to verify, and many are children under twelve. Though our dynasty's laws are harsh, they do not extend to punishing infants. If you send them back, how will Quanzhou Prefecture house them?" Pan Yun said: "I'm willing to take them away—Quanzhou Prefecture would be overjoyed. I suspect the Prefect and County Magistrate are already burning incense three times daily to thank me."

Chen Liutao: "Even so, …"

Chen Liutao didn't know how to continue, hesitated, then fell silent.

Pan Yun rested her elbows on her knees, leaned forward, and fixed him with a piercing gaze: "What are you worried about, Chen my lord? Speak plainly."

Chen Liutao pursed his lips, then after a moment asked: "Are you, Master Pan, planning to act like Japanese pirates in Japan?"

Pan Yun frowned, displeased: "In your eyes, am I such a cruel and treacherous person?"

Seeing her displeasure, Chen Liutao relaxed slightly and hurried to say: "Of course not—Master Pan has a righteous heart. But lately, seeing you actively train these slaves, I've grown concerned."

From the moment these captives decided to stay, Pan Yun immediately granted them the status of slaves.

Then she had Seeing Miao Zhen and others learn Japanese from the slaves, and had Seeing Miao Zhen and others teach them writing.

Teaching writing—even in Great Ming—was a great favor to household slaves.

Chen Liutao sensed vaguely that Pan Yun intended to rely heavily on these slaves.

But weren't they here in Japan to kill and seek revenge?

After killing the perpetrators of the village massacre, shouldn't they return home?

Chen Liutao's gaze swept over the darkness outside; though he and Qu Zhixing had crossed the sea with her to gather information on Japan, just in case…

But knowing Your Majesty and the court ministers as he did, he doubted he'd ever live to see an imperial campaign against Japan.

He even had to guard against Pan Yun acting too aggressively—this revenge mission must remain strictly a civilian affair, absolutely unconnected to the imperial court, lest it provoke war between the two nations…

But if Pan Yun built a force in Japan, like Japanese pirates, to wreak havoc in Great Ming…

Should he stop her—or not?

If he didn't stop her, this group could destabilize Japan, making them feel the pain we've suffered, rendering them powerless to raid Great Ming's coasts again;

but if he didn't stop her, might it provoke Japan into finding an excuse to wage war against Great Ming?

Seeing his conflicted expression, as if reading his thoughts, Pan Yun asked directly: "Chen my lord, when weighing pros and cons, did you even consider the option of 'stopping me'?"

Chen Liutao stiffened.

Pan Yun held out her hands: "See? Deep down, you don't want to stop me—you didn't even include that option. If so, why torment yourself? Just pretend you know nothing—it's easier."

Chen Liutao opened his mouth, tried to speak several times, but couldn't find a rebuttal, so he turned to look at Qu Zhixing beside him.

Qu Zhixing, noticing his gaze, lowered his head and kept eating.

Chen Liutao: …

He gathered his resolve, then sharply lifted his head to look for Xue Shao.

Xue Shao didn't avoid his gaze; he nodded at him and said: "Chen my lord, don't worry."

Seeing Xue Shao's composed demeanor, Chen Liutao's tension eased, and he gained a little confidence: "Xue… Xue Scholar and Master Pan understand the situation well."

Gao Zhiming and A Xin had long suspected Xue Shao's identity; hearing this, they turned to him and probed: "Master Pan, who exactly is this Jiangnan Inspector you mentioned?"

Pan Yun replied casually: "A bearded middle-aged man hiding among the bandit hunters—he pretended to be a martial hero, but he's ugly and his martial skill is mediocre…"

Gao Zhiming was skeptical: "Really?"

"Yes," Pan Yun lifted her eyes to him and asked directly: "Do you suspect Xue Shao is the Jiangnan Inspector? Someone his age, this pretty boy?"

Gao Zhiming was a man of the jianghu, not a court official—he didn't know this year's top imperial examinee was a teenager, nor that he'd been exiled to Jiangnan for offending someone, sent there to be trained—or eliminated.

He sized up Xue Shao; Xue Shao met his gaze openly and calmly, and Gao Zhiming's suspicions vanished.

Of course—passing the imperial exam was so difficult; if Xue Shao had passed at this age, he'd be riding high on a galloping horse, triumphant—why would he be depressed, wandering the martial world to hunt bandits?

Thinking this, Gao Zhiming comforted Xue Shao: "Young Master Xue, I've heard passing the provincial exam is hard enough—you're already remarkable to have passed at this age. Just failing the imperial exam once isn't the end; wait three more years, no need to grieve."

Xue Shao nodded gently: "Swordsman, you're right. I'll remember that. When we return, I'll shut myself in to study and prepare quietly for the next exam."

Those who knew the truth—Chen Liutao and others: …

They silently lowered their heads and ate, saying nothing more.

When Pan Yun saw they had finished speaking, she said: "I'm going out tonight. Stay alert."

Wang Cong immediately looked up: "Where to?"

Pan Yun pointed outside: "Across the way."

Zhang Weiyi also put down his chopsticks: "When we moved our luggage today, I stood outside a moment and heard locals say Ichiwa Temple isn't just home to monks—it's also inhabited by Shinto practitioners, who seem to possess supernatural powers. Master Pan, shouldn't we formally visit tomorrow before deciding?"

Pan Yun: "My aunt—my fourth mistress—is across the way. I'm going to check on her."

Zhang Weiyi immediately fell silent.

(End of chapter)