Chapter 658: Three Birds with One Stone

Pan Yun: "The Yamana clan of this corner city has a grudge against the Ouchi clan. We can borrow their strength."

"But we won't be staying long in the land of the Japanese pirates, and we're not settling here, so why bother?" Zhang Weiyi had long harbored doubts, his eyes narrowing slightly: "If we want revenge, we just drag Ōuchi Hirokimi out and interrogate him. Once we find him, we kill him. If we can't find him, we can go further and assassinate the Ouchi clan head, take out a few more important figures, weaken their power—that counts as revenge. Why come all the way two days' journey to this corner city?"

Everyone turned to look at Pan Yun in unison, waiting for her to explain.

Pan Yun deliberated for a moment, thinking that they were about to go out and fight—surely she couldn't let people risk their lives without knowing what they were fighting for?

"There are treasures in the land of the Japanese pirates. I want to take them."

Xue Shao couldn't stop her in time, but hearing the excuse she'd come up with, he silently closed his mouth again.

"What treasure could move Junior Sister Pan so much?" Xue Hua shot a quick glance at Xue Shao and said: "Does Young Master Xue know about this too?"

Xue Shao remained silent.

Pan Yun said: "No less than the wealth the Japanese pirates have plundered from Great Ming over the years."

A glint flickered in everyone's eyes. One of the heroes asked: "Can we get a share too?"

Pan Yun smiled: "As long as you can snatch it."

The heroes were all tempted; only the Daoist Priests remained unmoved.

Zhang Weiliang: "But we only want revenge. Once it's done, we're heading back to the Academy."

Pan Yun: "Isn't this itself a trial?"

Zhang Weiliang swallowed his words back. His gut told him something was off, so he looked toward Zhang Weiyi.

Zhang Weiyi advised her: "Junior Sister Pan, a trial is a trial, and a treasure is a treasure. We are cultivators—our aim is longevity. Revenge alone is enough; we shouldn't linger long in a foreign land."

Gao Zhiming couldn't help but say: "Brother Zhang, this is wealth the Japanese pirates plundered from our homeland. How can we let it go?"

Zhang Weiyi said, in all sincerity: "If you like it, it's yours."

Pan Yun propped her chin on her hand and looked at him, her gaze sliding toward Zhang Weiliang. She raised an eyebrow: "You're not tempted either?"

Zhang Weiliang was quite vexed, his face flushing red: "Am I the sort of person who only has eyes for profit? I'm a cultivator too, my family isn't short on money. It's perfectly normal that I'm not tempted, isn't it?"

Pan Yun: "I've never seen you two so indifferent to money before."

Xue Hua said: "Junior Sister Pan, we are merely following the will of Heaven and cherishing our own lives. Since you've said this treasure is no less than the Japanese pirates' plunder over the years, it must be an enormous fortune—guarded by who knows how many. This matter is harder than killing the Ouchi clan head. We are willing to give our lives for revenge, but not for a sum of money."

Zhang Weiyi nodded: "It's not worth it for money."

Pan Yun praised them without stint and assured them: "Don't worry. We can call this off at any time. If you don't want it, we can pull out whenever you like."

The group exchanged glances. Gao Zhiming took the initiative and asked: "What do you need us to do?"

Pan Yun tapped the table lightly with her finger and said: "There are few of us. If we want to move freely in the land of the Japanese pirates, we need to attach ourselves to some power. After careful selection, I've chosen the Yamana clan."

The heroes exchanged glances and asked: "Because they have a grudge against the Ouchi clan?"

"Half of it," Pan Yun said. "An old established family on the decline but still with some prestige—what do they want most right now?"

"Money?"

"Hired swords?"

"Power, probably…"

Xue Shao gave a light cough and said: "To recapture their former glory."

Pan Yun nodded: "Exactly. And we can help them. The Ouchi clan's people—we can help them kill them. The Ouchi clan's tally-trade—we can help them seize it. Even the Ouchi clan's navy and ship-guard corps—we can help them contest for it."

Zhang Weiliang said unhappily: "That's far too much trouble. What has the Yamana clan put in? Why should we help them so much?"

Pan Yun said, none too pleased: "We're here for revenge. If we don't help the Yamana clan, does that mean we don't need to do these things? Haven't you heard the saying 'when cutting the grass, dig up the roots'? You already want to kill their clan head—why not cut the grass and dig up the roots, and wipe out the Ouchi clan's power entirely?"

Zhang Weiliang opened and closed his mouth, then caught on: "Then… then all those promises you made to the Yamana clan… aren't they basically getting something for nothing?"

"How can that be getting something for nothing? Haven't we put anything in?" Pan Yun said: "Our goals just happen to align. Do one thing, and it both achieves our goal and fulfills the Yamana clan's wish—three birds with one stone. What could be better?"

Zhang Weiliang: "What's the third bird?"

Pan Yun smiled at the group: "We're putting in this much effort, giving this much—surely the Yamana clan has to show some appreciation, right? Now that the matter's been put this way, think about it: if you cooperate with the Yamana clan, what conditions would you want to raise?"

In other words, they could earn a sum of money on the side while carrying out their revenge?

The heroes liked this point very much and immediately began thinking: "Three meals a day with fish and meat would do…"

They'd been eating dry rations for so long—they really were awful.

"When we go out fighting and killing, some wound medicine would be fine too…"

Convenient—they wouldn't have to spend extra silver on wound medicine.

Pan Yun looked at them with a face full of disdain, waved her hand and said: "I got it. I'll talk to them."

"How does Daoist Priest Pan plan to negotiate with them? We can't just show up empty-handed and expect them to trust us, can we?"

Pan Yun: "I've prepared a gift for them—a heavy one."

"What heavy gift?"

Naitō Mitsuo's head.

Once Yi Jianren and Wang Cong returned from gathering information, Pan Yun had them send Naitō Mitsuo's head to the Yamana clan.

Yi Jianren and Wang Cong had gone out mainly to inquire about the Yamana clan's residence and the relevant retainers.

The two of them carried the oddly scented box with solemn faces and delivered it to a retainer named Masuda Nobuta.

Masuda Nobuta saw the head inside the box and was completely stunned for a moment.

The land of the Japanese pirates had no custom of gifting heads as presents. He got such a fright that he gave a start, hurriedly took the box, and went to see the clan head, Yamana Mochitoyo.

Yamana Mochitoyo immediately summoned the chief elder retainer, Ōtagaki Iekata.

Ōtagaki Iekata saw the head in the box, paused for a moment, then said: "This is following the Tang example—using an enemy's head as a gift. Could it be that some old family wishes to cooperate with us against the Ouchi clan?"

Yamana Mochitoyo looked at Masuda Nobuta: "What family name did the visitors give?"

"The one who spoke was called Yi Jianren."

"Ichijō?" Yamana Mochitoyo frowned: "Could it be the Ichijō clan of the capital? Has the capital finally run out of patience with Ōuchi Dainai Jiaohong and decided to act?"

Masuda Nobuta said in a slightly lowered voice: "But the youth standing beside him was dressed as a Tang man. He said his surname was Wang, and his given name was Cong."

Shan Mingchi widened his eyes: "Tang people? Are they from the superior country?"

Odaigaki Iekata also spoke solemnly: "Have you confirmed it? Is he a Tang person?"

"Yes, he says he came across the sea from the Great Ming. He is here to deliver gifts on behalf of his uncle master."

Odaigaki Iekata and Shan Mingchi exchanged a glance and spoke in unison: "Bring the man in!" (End of chapter)