Chapter 665

The Uchida clan sent out an army.

About two hundred men, clad in armor, wielding katana.

Pan Yun had long wanted to test their army.

The sea pirates who attacked Great Ming had shadows of Uchida, Kikuchi, and others behind them; the samurai had all received some military training.

She wanted to see what skills they had to stand against Great Ming's navy.

Masuda Shintaro, suddenly seeing so many charging from three sides, panicked and fumbled: "Th-this—there's no time to notify the lord, troop deployment takes time…"

Clearly, there was no time left for them.

"Hand over all your men to me!"

Masuda Shintaro immediately agreed, urgently ordering the samurai to obey Pan Yun's commands.

But their samurai were few, only twenty in total.

Including Pan Yun's people, they numbered forty-eight.

They had just endured a bloody battle, their strength greatly diminished…

Masuda Shintaro didn't bother watching Pan Yun deploy troops; he hurriedly shoved Shanming Xiuqi into the house, taking along two samurai with the highest martial skill.

"Lord, let them escort you to break through— you cannot die here."

Shanming Xiuqi's blood boiled; he drew his sword: "How could I fear? Come, follow me—charge!"

He took two steps forward before Masuda Shintaro yanked him back: "Lord, you are the lord's most outstanding son, destined to inherit the Shanming clan— your safety equals a thousand armies. Therefore, you must leave!"

Pan Xiaohei, crouched on the rafters, peeked down, disgusted: The most outstanding son looks like this? No wonder the Shanming clan is in decline.

Pan Yun's group had already arranged everything.

To overcome a larger force with fewer, besides morale, coordination is essential.

Pan Yun did not split the samurai; she ordered them into groups of five to charge with them.

As for her own people, Xue Shao had already arranged them—pairs or trios—holding swords and blades behind Pan Yun, watching coldly as the enemy charged toward them with raised weapons.

Pan Yun roared: "Brave warriors, the time for vengeance has come—kill!"

Saying this, she charged out first!

The lead captain, seeing Pan Yun charging straight at him, smirked, about to shout to rally his men—when the person he'd been watching vanished like a gust of wind, passed by, his neck turned cold; he stared down blankly, then blood gushed like a waterfall—he fell straight backward, never feeling deep pain before death.

Pan Yun slashed one sword per man; her sharp blade swept lightly across their necks, piercing only the chest when the angle was unsuitable.

Wang Cong and others followed close behind, leaping into the ranks and cutting straight through!

Meanwhile, soldiers from the other two sides only now closed in—the encirclement shattered, the tide of battle reversed.

The Uchida army stood with their backs to the houses, facing the road and fields.

Pan Yun's group stood with their backs to the road and fields, facing them.

Pan Yun laughed loudly: "Brave warriors, what is there to fear?"

The heroes felt their blood surge; their eyes gleamed, charging back into battle behind Pan Yun.

Hiding inside, Masuda Shintaro trembled, face filled with disbelief: "This—this… we've fallen into a den of bandits."

Shanming Xiuqi also fell silent, no longer shouting; he crouched by the door watching, muttering: "I should've gone out and fought with Pan Yun—now you held me back, and now we're all trapped in a den of bandits!"

Masuda Shintaro: "Who could've expected this? When they surrounded us from three sides, I thought we were finished…"

Who knew Pan Yun's group was so fierce—they broke out in one go.

Not only did Pan Yun's group break out, they turned around and charged back, slashing sideways, spinning through the enemy, fighting for over half an hour—Uchida soldiers dwindled, began scattering and fleeing.

Pan Yun ordered no pursuit; she left an opening for anyone trying to escape.

Soon after, the battle ended; apart from the twenty-odd who fled, the rest lay dead or gravely wounded, motionless on the ground.

As for the heroes, apart from Pan Yun standing, all others collapsed, utterly still.

Xue Shao also sat on the grass, leaning on his sword, panting.

Fighting is truly exhausting; every battle drains every ounce of strength. Half an hour of constant sword swings alone takes great effort, let alone running and dodging…

Pan Yun turned to look at them, her gaze sweeping over each person: "Any casualties?"

No one died; a few were wounded, but all lightly.

One hero tore open his chest, revealing a broad expanse of skin—a shallow scratch ran from his right collarbone to his left abdomen; he froze.

Pan Yun glanced, disdainful: "Just a scratch—no blood even broke. Go patch yourself up later."

Seeing Tao Yanbai and Seeing Miao Zhen also collapsed from exhaustion, Pan Yun rolled up her sleeves to treat them herself.

Her other medical skills were mediocre, but she could handle external wounds.

"But the blade that struck me—" the hero pulled his clothes open to show them; his robe had a huge tear, nearly split in two. He patted himself, pulling from his sleeve pocket a folded yellow talisman shaped like a triangle: "Master Sanzhu, the talisman you gave me turned black."

Pan Yun glanced at it: "Keep wearing it—it's not fully burned to ash yet. You can still use it."

The heroes' eyes shone brightly as they watched her.

Pan Yun met their gaze, shining back: "The talismans you received were drawn by me and my disciple Seeing Miao Zhen—Qingshan-made, guaranteed top quality. If you need more later, remember to visit Mount Sanqing to purchase them."

Zhang Weiyi quietly added: "Long Hushan's talismans are also quite good."

But the heroes couldn't hear him; seeing Pan Yun roll up her sleeves to apply ointment, they turned and surrounded Seeing Miao Zhen, who sat panting like them: "Master Seeing Miao Zhen, you still have more talismans, right? We'll need them for the next battle…"

Seeing Miao Zhen's face turned serious: "We don't have much cinnabar left. We can draw more, but please, heroes, take care of yourselves—use them wisely."

She feared they'd learn talismans block fatal blows and stop dodging entirely.

She was certain they'd develop this habit—because her senior brother had it.

Relying on too many protective items, he charged in recklessly, swinging wildly, with almost zero awareness of evasion.

That's why Wang Cong killed so many.

Pan Yun was binding bandages when she noticed Masuda Shintaro and Shanming Xiuqi sneaking out; she raised her hand and greeted them: "Come out?"

Just as the two thought she'd scold them, Pan Yun nodded approvingly: "Well done—not coming out to cause trouble. Do the same next time."

Is this sarcasm?

This is definitely sarcasm!

Shanming Xiuqi glared fiercely at Masuda Shintaro, blaming him entirely for the mistake, then rushed forward: "Young Lady Pan, is there anything I can assist with?"

"Yes," Pan Yun said. "Everyone is starving—go to the village and arrange for food. Send word back to Lord Shanming to send reinforcements. We also need new weapons, horses, and grain."

Shanming Xiuqi: "Huh?"

Pan Yun patted his shoulder. "The real battle has begun. This is no longer a brawl among a dozen warriors. Report it upward—Lord Shanming will decide."

Pan Yun's gaze swept across the corpses littering the field; a faint smile curled her lips.

Now, between the Uchida and Shanming clans, this is no longer a matter of petty squabbles.

A war is inevitable.

Speed is paramount in warfare.

Lord Shanming only wanted to reclaim a few villages, but he never expected the Uchida clan to send a force of over two hundred soldiers.

At this point, he cannot back down—otherwise, the land he just seized will be snatched away.

Ie-kaku also believed that although this was dangerous, it was a great opportunity.

Perhaps they could use Pan Yun to swallow up the Uchida clan entirely?

Dreaming these dreams, they learned that Pan Yun and Xue Shao were commanding the forces, and immediately dispatched a unit: "This detachment is under Pan Yun's command—including Xiuqi's twenty warriors—and have Takenoda Hisanori lead another force to join them."

Ie-kaku asked: "How many?"

Shanming Mototoyo gritted his teeth. "Five hundred!"

Five hundred men was a large force for them—two hundred were already present; the remaining three hundred would be conscripted on the spot from the city.

They were few in number: soldiers in wartime, farmers in peacetime.

Ie-kaku also felt five hundred was sufficient, and immediately gave orders.

Thus, Dainai Jiaohong sent two hundred soldiers and nearly fifty warriors, confident in their strength, waiting only for word of victory.

But from morning until evening, he received no good news. Instead, after nightfall, the scouts returned to report: "We were defeated. Only twenty-some escaped; the rest are all dead."

Dainai Jiaohong leapt to his feet. "Who is it? When did the Shanming clan produce such a capable person?"

"Lord, could this be connected to Naito Mitsuo's death?"

"Whether or not it is connected, we cannot retreat now! Summon all clan youths—I will teach the Shanming clan a lesson!" Dainai Jiaohong snarled. "I will make his strategist open his eyes and see how foolish he was to choose the Shanming clan within Iwami Province."

Dainai Jiaohong agreed, and immediately set about summoning the army and Uchida clan youths.

Uchida forces poured eastward in an unending stream.

After observing for a while, Pan Yun decisively handed command of the army to Takenoda Hisanori, then led the martial heroes and her own detachment of warriors to target the Uchida clan youths.

At first, they charged at the front—after all, their martial skill far surpassed that of ordinary soldiers;

but after being slaughtered mercilessly, they began forming their own unit, attacking from the flanks, only to be surrounded and cut down even more brutally by Pan Yun's group;

later, they hid within their camp and refused to fight—but since their status demanded it, their tents stood apart from the army, larger and closer to water, not mixed in—and then they were ambushed at night;

finally, they moved into the center of the army camp—but every morning, several of them would be found dead.

Dainai Jiaohong, who slept in the main tent, felt a bone-deep chill.

These people entered his camp as if it were empty—could they not take his life at any moment?

Dainai Jiaohong's heart raced; he involuntarily swallowed hard.

Tokugawa Shinichi was deeply troubled. He whispered: "Lord Protector, these past three days we've fought and retreated, losing ground and men with every step. If we retreat further, we'll reach Shankou Castle. Lord has sent Naito Hirotake with a thousand men to reinforce us—this time..."

Dainai Jiaohong raised his hand to cut him off. "How is the investigation going?"

Tokugawa Shinichi: "Your guess was right, Lord Protector. Among the enemy, there are Han Chinese—and many of them. The little girl who kills most fiercely is their leader."

"Can you trace their origins?"

"No. They definitely did not enter through our ports."

Dainai Jiaohong asked: "Has Dainai Hiken sent any word yet?"

"No. Not a single message."

"You must return personally. Deliver a letter to Lord. This battlefield cannot be won by merely sending more troops—you must summon Dainai Yazi."

Tokugawa Shinichi looked utterly bewildered.

Dainai Jiaohong: "You don't understand the country across the sea. I've seen the arrows—strong, precise—but always at the critical moment, they veer off, missing the target or failing to strike vital points."

In Great Ming, those with such skill are called Divine Beings—Daoist Priests, shamans, and monks may all possess this ability."

Tokugawa Shinichi frowned. "But why target our Uchida clan?"

Dainai Jiaohong already had a suspicion—he said nothing.

Tokugawa Shinichi: "Could it be because the Shanming clan offered too much? We'll simply offer more money than they do."

Dainai Jiaohong shook his head, speaking gravely: "It's not something money can solve."

Tokugawa Shinichi was confused.

Dainai Jiaohong: "Go deliver the letter. Lord will investigate."

Dainai Jiaohong had considered a thousand possibilities—but never once did he suspect any connection to Great Ming.

"Great Ming? Revenge?"

Naito Hirotake knelt on the ground, head bowed. "Yes. Following your lead, we traced them. I sent men to the villages behind the front; from the villagers' whispers, we heard them muttering about revenge."

Dainai Jiaohong's face turned ashen. He crumpled the paper in his hand and hurled it away. "What revenge?"

Naito Hirotake: "Last year, Dainai Jiaohong dispatched a group to raid the coast. Rumor says they slaughtered several villages."

Dainai Jiaohong knew of this. In winter, he had celebrated joyfully with the treasures and secret spoils Dainai Jiaohong had presented.

Dainai Jiaohong gritted his teeth: "It's not the first time they've raided the coast, nor the first time they've slaughtered villages. How dare they come to Japan?"

Naito Hirotake also found their audacity unbearable. He spoke solemnly: "Lord, we cannot let them escape! Grant us permission to use all means to exterminate them!"

Dainai Jiaohong: "Can you kill them?"

"Please lend us a hand, Young Lady Yazi, because among that group there are people like the Divine Way."

Dainai Jiaohong deliberated: "Yazi... I'll have to ask her. She may not agree. Last time I asked her, she was very reluctant."

"Now they've already arrived outside Shankou Hall. This concerns the very survival of my Dainai clan. Young Lady Yazi certainly won't refuse."

Dainai Jiaohong's gaze turned cold: "Good! Not a single one of these people who have come shall be let go. I want the world to know that my Dainai clan is not so easy to deal with. Seeking revenge—daring to seek it at Shankou Hall—simply outrageous!" (End of chapter)