Chapter 943
Chapter 943
Pan Yun put down her teacup and stood up: "Okay, I'll go take a look."
Miaohe stared at her expectantly.
Pan Jun patted her head and said, "Don't worry, I'll be back tonight."
It's not far from Onsenzu Port to Nanao Port. For Pan Jun, it's just a short flight of half an hour by jumping onto the Sanbaoding.
After all, it's a launch start, so the speed is self-controlled.
When Pan Xiaohei came out of the cauldron, its eyes were blurry. It glanced at Pan Jun, who remained expressionless, and couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid of heights anymore?"
Pan Yun glanced at it and said, "I'm afraid of heights, not airsickness."
The Seven Tail Harbor was being cleaned up. The heroes used wooden buckets to draw water from the sea and wash all the bloodstains into the sea. More than ten corpses were laid out on the shore, all of which were carefully covered with burlap.
Pan Jun frowned slightly, stepped forward and lifted the burlap sack, and saw that the person inside was dressed as a Japanese, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" A female warrior carrying a broom to sweep up the blood quickly stopped her: "Young lady, you're not from around here, are you? I've never seen you before."
Her voice attracted the attention of many people on the shore. Tao Yanbai, who was squatting down to fetch water, glanced back, was about to pull up the bucket, when he suddenly turned back, his eyes lighting up. Ignoring whether the water would splash out, he grabbed a bucket and ran over, shouting, "My family! My family!"
Upon seeing that it was Tao Yanbai, everyone dispelled their doubts, smiled at Pan Yun, and turned to get back to work.
Tao Yanbai dropped the wooden bucket and rushed over, excitedly lowering his voice: "Junior Uncle, are you here to take us back?"
Pan Yun nodded: "Yes, where is your senior brother?"
Tao Yanbai pointed to a spot and led him to find someone.
Wang Cong was talking to two Japanese men with a smile on his face, followed by two Imperial Guards.
Pan Jun paused slightly, not stepping forward, but pulling Tao Yanbai aside to speak: "Did we win this battle?"
“We won, but Senior Brother doesn’t seem very happy,” Tao Yanbai said, scratching his head. “Especially today, after driving out the Da Nei clan, he’s been looking unwell.”
Pan Yun seemed to be deep in thought.
Soon, Wang Cong sent the two Japanese away and brought over the Imperial Guards.
Upon seeing Pan Yun, his expression softened considerably, and his steps became lighter. He led her into the checkpoint to speak with her.
The two Japanese men watched from afar, puzzled, and asked, "Who is that person? Why is he wearing a veiled hat?"
The women of the Ming Dynasty are very fierce. When the fighting broke out yesterday and today, the women on the battlefield didn't wear veils. This one is so clean, she must have come from somewhere else.
"They might have come from Omori Township."
That was the main base of the Han people, so this time, Wang Cong transferred many people from Dasen Township.
Upon entering the room, Pan Yun removed her veil, and two Imperial Guards immediately bowed, saying, "This humble servant greets the Imperial Preceptor."
Pan Yun waved his hand and asked Wang Cong, "How did the fight start?"
“This is the second time,” Wang Cong said. “Before the new emperor ascended the throne, the Japanese navy attacked Korea and invaded the waters of the Ming Dynasty. They secretly colluded with the Japanese pirates. Fortunately, our Ming navy won a great victory. At that time, Omori Township and Nanao Port were attacked.”
The two Imperial Guards immediately added, "Grand Preceptor, it seems the matter of the Omori Village Silver Mine has been leaked, and some ministers in Japan seem to know about it."
“I know, I know,” Pan Yun said. “Omori Village was first given to me by the Yamana family. Later, my Ming Dynasty envoy spent real money to buy it from the Japanese shogunate. With the land deed in hand, it is my Ming Dynasty’s territory!”
He added, “The port of Onsenzu-cho is divided equally between me and the Masuda family. My share has already been presented to the Imperial Court, so half of Onsenzu-cho port is also part of the treasury of the Great Ming Dynasty. As for Nanao Port, it goes without saying that it was ceded to me by the Ōuchi clan after their defeat. Because the Ōuchi clan massacred my coastal people, I presented this port to the Imperial Court. On the territory of the Great Ming Dynasty, it is naturally protected by the soldiers of the Great Ming Dynasty and will abide by the laws of the Great Ming Dynasty. Anyone who violates these laws will be punished!”
The Imperial Guards breathed a sigh of relief, and Wang Cong also let out a breath, laughing, "I told you it was nothing, but you were all worried about being punished by the court."
“We are protecting our country, how could the court punish us?” Wang Cong patted their shoulders and said, “Go back and tell Lord Kuang and the others to rest assured that if the court asks, my junior uncle will plead for you.”
Pan Yun: "What kind of favor are you asking for? His Majesty is very stubborn. He will only reward you if he knows about this."
The two Imperial Guards were overjoyed and immediately said, "We'll go tell the soldiers this good news right away."
Knowing that they had just met and would have plenty to talk about, they gave up the space to them.
As soon as the two Imperial Guards left, Wang Cong started cursing: "Junior Uncle, the Yamana clan has lost its mind. How dare it collude with the Ouchi clan to try and seize Qiwei Port while we are not paying attention."
The two Imperial Guards hadn't gone far when they heard this. They exchanged a glance and then quickened their pace to leave.
Pan Yun: "Do you want to seize the port, or do you want to seize the silver and goods?"
She said, "If I wanted to seize the port, wouldn't it be better to wait until you return home and the typhoon hits before making my move?"
“They had no idea that a strong wind would come ashore. In Japan, strong winds don’t come ashore every year, and even if they do, it doesn’t necessarily mean this place,” Wang Cong said. “They found out that we were leaving yesterday, so they took the opportunity to make their move, wanting to seize the port and also to steal the silver and goods.”
Fortunately, the soldiers guarding Qiwei Port were alert and became on guard when they saw many strangers suddenly appearing in the town.
After last year's battle, the soldiers were more vigilant, and the crew members were also more cautious.
When the conflict broke out, the soldiers guarded the port, while the ships immediately sailed out of the harbor. In addition, a group of martial arts heroes were going back with the ships, so they did not lose ground when the fighting started.
Upon receiving the news, Wang Cong immediately assembled a team and brought the Clippers to his aid.
Are the casualties serious?
Wang Cong said in a low voice, "Eighteen people were injured, including twelve soldiers, six of whom died. There were three soldiers, two knights, and one crew member."
Pan Yun exhaled and said softly, "Use the best medicine to heal them, and cremate all the victims and bring them back."
Fallen leaves return to dust; we must bring them back to their hometown.
Wang Cong agreed.
Pan Yun turned around and asked, "So, the person in charge of Japan here at Nanao Port is now a member of the Yamana clan, not the Nobuda clan?"
“After all, the Yamana family is the head of the Nobuda family. Starting last November, several Nobuda family members who were on good terms with us were transferred away and replaced by Yamana, Fukuya.”
"In that case, let's find the evidence and drive them all away. From now on, Qiwei Port will be entirely in the hands of us Han people."
"Huh?" Wang Cong blinked. "But didn't you sign a contract with Shinta Masuda..."
"They colluded with the Ouchi clan; they were the ones who broke the contract first. We initially used them because we were short-handed, but now we have imperial troops stationed here, and so many chivalrous heroes. What is there to worry about?"
Do you really think all the people in the martial arts world are here to dig for silver?
Their work projects are numerous; not to mention the distant ones, they can earn a lot just by acting as bodyguards for merchants.
Wang Cong said with distress, "But we know the truth, yet we haven't found any evidence."
Pan Yun glanced at him and said, "Leave this matter to the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
“They’ve interrogated them. Those ronin are pretty tough. As soon as they were caught, they committed suicide.” Pan Yun: “Hand them over to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. They have their own methods.”
Tao Yanbai muttered, "What can they do? The person is dead, they can't even force a confession out of him."
“We don’t need to worry about that. Everyone has their own expertise. Just tell them what you want, and they’ll get it for you.” Pan Yun looked at Wang Cong with exasperation: “Do you really think the court sends the Embroidered Uniform Guard here just to handle these trivial matters for you?”
Wang Cong: "Didn't the late emperor send the Embroidered Uniform Guard here to keep an eye on Lord Kuang and his group, to prevent them from embezzling silver?"
Pan Yun said meaningfully, "Regardless of the late emperor's original intention, here we share the same interests with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so we should be of one mind and one heart. What's the point of always fighting among ourselves? You are familiar with Lord Kuang and the others, so when you have time, advise them that people should have a long-term vision and look outward."
Wang Cong murmured, "Look outside?"
He looked toward Heian-kyo (Kyoto) in Japan.
Pan Yun slapped him on the head: "Where are you looking? I told you to look outwards, but don't be so obvious about it."
Wang Cong felt that his junior uncle had said all the good and bad things.
To avoid being beaten again, he quickly changed the subject and asked, "Junior Uncle, why did you come all the way to pick us up?"
Pan Jun coughed lightly and asked in a low voice, "How much silver have we earned in the past six months?"
Wang Cong immediately understood: "Junior Uncle is short of money!"
Pan Yun touched her nose.
Wang Cong reported the accounts: "By May of this year, the account had 120,000 taels of silver, but after deducting 30% for labor, there was still 15% for consumables, which I have withdrawn in total as 66,000 taels."
Pan Yun frowned: "So little?"
Wang Cong looked at her speechlessly: "Junior Martial Aunt, you don't even care about 66,000 taels of silver for half a year anymore?"
He exclaimed in amazement, "Truly worthy of being called the Imperial Advisor."
Tao Yanbai: "Truly worthy of being called the Imperial Advisor!"
Pan Yun: "Shut up, I've done a few big things at home and I need money."
Wang Cong asked, "How much do you want?"
Pan Yun sighed: "At least 100,000 taels."
Wang Cong grinned and said, "Of course, it's not enough to just mine silver, but don't forget, Junior Uncle, I also have three ships."
Wang Cong pulled out a stack of account books and handed them to her, saying proudly, "Take a look."
Pan Yun opened the book, quickly skimming through it, then paused slightly: "This..."
Wang Cong said, "The money I withdrew from the mine's accounts has all been invested in maritime trade. Thanks to the blessings of the Taoist Ancestor and Mazu, everything has gone smoothly for the past six months. Whether it's returning to Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, or going south to Ryukyu or north to Jianzhou, all my travels have been smooth. After landing, I haven't gone very far. I just trade directly with local merchants. I can make a lot of money from each transaction, plus..."
He patted the two jade pendants hanging from his waist and said with a smile, "Including what I earn here, I make just as much as I do from the mine."
Pan Jun exclaimed, "Maritime trade is really profitable! It's more profitable than mountains of silver. It's a gold mine! The imperial court really shouldn't have kept the sea ban indefinitely."
Wang Cong felt this most deeply over the past year and wholeheartedly agreed. He looked at Pan Jun expectantly and said, "Junior Uncle, I've collected a few pieces of fine jade. Could you help me carve a few more spatial jade stones? That way, even if we don't add more ships, we can still carry more goods."
Pan Yun stroked her chin and looked him up and down: "Now that you mention it... how are you going to pay taxes on the things in your space?"
Wang Cong's eyes darted around, glancing sideways at the rooftop, and he remained silent.
Pan Jun pondered, "It seems that if Taoist magic spreads widely in the future, we'll have to find a way to install a machine at customs that can identify spatial magic arrays."
Wang Cong: "...No, there's no need for that, is there? How many cultivators in the world can cultivate Yuan Power? And even fewer can transform their internal energy into Yuan Power, let alone those who can afford spatial magic artifacts."
Pan Yun glanced at him and said, "Just because we can't now doesn't mean we can't in the future. We need to think long-term."
Wang Cong then leaned closer: "Then this jade..."
"Give it to me, what kind do you want? My cultivation has improved again, and my hands are becoming more and more steady, so I can shrink the spatial array even more."
Pan Yun looked him up and down: "Is it a jade pendant or jade ring? It can't be a jade bracelet, a ring would be fine too..."
“Ring, ring,” Wang Cong said, “This jade is one I carefully selected, and its spiritual energy is much stronger than the ones we bought before.”
Pan Yun nodded.
Wang Cong then took out the jade, and the three of them immediately began designing around the table.
The three were having a lively discussion when the door was suddenly pushed open, and Miaozhen stood in the doorway with her back to the light, looking at them.
Tao Yanbai immediately stood up and said in a panic, "Oh no, I forgot to tell my junior sister."
Miaozhen looked at them with a cold face.
Wang Cong also remembered and said awkwardly, "Junior sister, you're not going to wait for us at the beach all this time, are you?"
Miao Zhen said with a stern face, "You said you had to go back to Da Sen Township tonight and set off for the return trip tomorrow."
Miaozhen looked at Pan Yun.
Pan Jun immediately stood up: "I'll go with you to see the garrison here now, and then I'll fly you back to Dasen Township right away. I've already met Miaohe; she's supervising the loading of the cargo onto the ship."
Miao Zhen's expression softened a bit, then she looked at Pan Jun with a slightly aggrieved expression, her eyes reddening: "Junior Uncle, can we all go back now?"
Pan Yun smiled and nodded: "You can go back now."
The garrison left to guard this port was only a centurion, who also obeyed Lord Kuang of Dasen Township, and his position was not as high as that of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Therefore, Pan Yun met with the Embroidered Uniform Guards along with him.
According to Pan Yun, they will come tomorrow to take away the ashes of the fallen soldiers. In addition to the pension given by the imperial court, Pan Yun will provide an extra payment.
"This is the Ming Dynasty's overseas border. Without support, your situation is more difficult than that of other border guards. In the future, I, Pan Jun, will provide additional compensation to all those who die in Japan while defending the Ming Dynasty, to comfort their heroic souls."
With tears welling in his eyes, the centurion patted his chest and said, "If the Imperial Preceptor has any orders, this humble general will gladly die for them!"
Pan Yun: "Hold Seven Tail Harbor!"
The centurion roared, "Yes!"
Therefore, when he heard Pan Yun ask the Embroidered Uniform Guard to "find" evidence proving that the people of the Seven-Tailed Port Mountain Naga clan colluded with the Ouchi clan, he did not curse the villain as before, but thought to himself: The Imperial Advisor is indeed the Imperial Advisor, and he does not care about trivial matters.
The Imperial Guards instantly understood Pan Yun's unconventional approach; he meant they were to do the dirty work.
However, they had no qualms about doing this, because aside from the lack of evidence, the Yamana clan did indeed collude with the Ōuchi clan. (End of Chapter)