Chapter 674

Takehara Kuninori immediately said: "Grain doesn't need to be rushed—there's a village less than three li from here; I'll send men tonight to requisition it."

Xue Shao blinked in surprise: "Requisition? Now? How?"

Takehara Kuninori reassured him: "Young Master Xue, rest easy—our men will handle it. You won't go hungry."

Xue Shao's expression darkened.

Pan Yun spoke softly: "Kill the people, and the grain will naturally be seized. Takehara-kun, am I right?"

Takehara Kuninori spun around instantly and only then noticed Pan Yun had woken—she stood behind him, holding a black cat.

He hurried to explain: "Young Lady Pan, those are all vassals of the Uchida clan—they've long aided the Uchida in their wicked deeds. It's likely villagers from that village are among the pirates who raid our people on shore."

Pan Yun stood with her back to the fire, her entire face shadowed, so Takehara Kuninori couldn't see her expression—only heard her soft sigh: "Likely…~~"

Takehara Kuninori: "No—it's certain!"

He emphasized: "There are definitely villagers from that village among the pirates who raid our people on shore!"

He smiled: "Rest assured, our samurai have plenty of experience dealing with such commoners—they won't disturb the heroes at all. We'll finish them off in no more than an hour."

The heroes, hearing this, rose with their swords and knives, eyes like cold blades.

Pan Yun let out a cold snort.

Takehara Kuninori's hair stood on end—he felt as if knives were slicing his entire body, as if a mountain pressed down on his back; he swayed, face turning red as he barely held himself from kneeling.

Only when he was drenched in sweat, trembling in fear, did Pan Yun withdraw the yuan force crushing him, sneering: "What if I demand you provide your own grain—no requisitioning allowed?"

Only then did a chill rise from Takehara Kuninori's feet; he forced a smile: "If Young Lady Pan says so, then of course we obey you."

Pan Yun stepped aside slightly, tilting her chin: "Go make arrangements. I expect us to have a full meal by noon tomorrow."

"Yes."

Takehara Kuninori hurried away, not daring to wipe his sweat until he was far off.

Far off, Masuda Shintaro sneered inwardly—Takehara Kuninori, having served the lord for so long, had grown too arrogant.

He hurried over to Shanming Xiuqi, wanting to explain that Pan Yun's refusal to requisition from villagers actually benefited the Shanming clan, so he wouldn't misunderstand her.

But he saw Xiuqi staring at Pan Yun with starry eyes, praising: "Young Lady Pan is incredible—just one sentence reduced Takehara Kuninori to this. Even my father couldn't do that."

His eyes glowed with excitement: "Only my grandfather ever achieved this."

Masuda Shintaro: … So what exactly is he excited about?

Doesn't his own retainer being terrified by a stranger hurt his pride?

Masuda Shintaro took a deep breath, repeating to himself: This is the lord's own son, the most talented one.

He's better than his younger brothers, isn't he?

Thinking of the other young masters, Masuda Shintaro forced a smile and said gently: "This victory was thanks to Young Lady Pan and her righteous heroes. Wouldn't Young Master Shanming go to greet them?"

Shanming Xiuqi reached out his hand: "Money—I lost all mine in battle."

Masuda Shintaro turned and picked up a bundle, placing it in his hand: "Right now, food expresses your sincerity better than money."

Shanming Xiuqi frowned: "Just some dried fish and meat? More important than money?"

Masuda Shintaro: "Money can be rewarded by the lord when we return. Tonight, Young Master Shanming should offer food."

Shanming Xiuqi reluctantly took the bundle and walked off.

After Takehara Kuninori left, the heroes relaxed—some meditated, some gnawed on dried rations—but all kept glancing at Pan Yun, their breathing uneven, clearly distracted.

Pan Yun walked over to examine Xue Shao's wounds, frowning: "Why didn't you ask Miaohe and the others to treat you earlier?"

Xue Shao smiled: "This medicine was given by Miaohe—the bleeding's stopped. Just bandaging now."

Xi Jin muttered quietly: "Washing it just made the wound bleed again."

Xue Shao glanced at him, then said to Pan Yun: "My wound's fine. Will we stay here tomorrow?"

Pan Yun: "We must let some people lose hope—and give others a chance to come to us."

She added: "The merits we fought hard for can't become someone else's stepping stone. What belongs to us, stays ours."

Xue Shao nodded.

The heroes listening nearby fidgeted, wanting to ask but not knowing how.

Pan Yun glanced at them, seeing their disheveled hair and miserable appearances, and felt pity; she asked gently: "Heroes, you've achieved great deeds—what do you wish for?"

"Aren't we here for revenge? Once we've taken it, isn't our goal achieved? Shouldn't we just return?"

Pan Yun looked at them with affection: "Revenge is done, but we've also seized territory for the Shanming clan—this is no small merit. The credit we deserve must be claimed."

The heroes exchanged glances, then all turned to Gao Zhiming: "What do you think, Master Gao?"

Gao Zhiming: "I follow Daoist Pan Sanzhu."

The heroes chorused: "We follow Daoist Pan Sanzhu too."

Pan Yun thought briefly, then said: "Since you all follow me, I'll decide for you."

She turned directly to Xue Shao: "Young Master Xue, your brothers' lives have been hard. The imperial court always looks down on us as outlaws—but now, your righteousness is clear. So…"

Xue Shao: "Fine. Leave this to me."

Pan Yun was satisfied and turned to Chen Liutao and Qu Zhixing.

The two, who had been listening intently, immediately turned away, avoiding her gaze.

Pan Yun walked straight to them, then squatted down to face them eye to eye.

Now they couldn't avoid looking.

Chen Liutao sighed: "Daoist Pan Sanzhu, we're just hired hands—minor lackeys."

"After we return, I guarantee you two won't be minor lackeys anymore. So with all these brothers having shared life and death, hardship and struggle—this joy…"

Qu Zhixing: "What do you want, Daoist Pan Sanzhu?"

"Simple: In future cases involving your brothers, the Northern Capital Security Bureau must treat them with courtesy, enforce the law properly—no torturing them outright."

The heroes all turned to stare at them at once.

This one works!

They have it rough!

Everyone assumes martial artists are thick-skinned and tough, so whenever a case is involved, whether it's the local government office or the Embroidered Uniform Guard who step in, once they catch a person they start with heavy torture first, prettifying it as "beating them into submission before interrogation"…

They feel pain too, you know?

Well, go on and ask!

If you don't ask, how would you know we don't want to talk?

Sometimes it's not that they don't want to talk — they really just got beaten into a rage.

Being looked down on and treated so differently like this, if they confessed right away, wouldn't that make them look afraid of torture?

Do they still want their reputation or not?

They have backbone too, you know?

Thinking of these unwritten rules, the heroes stared at Chen Liutao and Qu Zhixing as if fire were shooting from their eyes.

No wonder they found these two disagreeable no matter how they looked at them — so they were Embroidered Uniform Guard! (End of chapter)