After General Wang led his troops to slaughter the dozens of Japanese pirates at the city gate, he ordered their heads to be severed.
On one side of General Wang’s saddle hung a head, taken from one of the two surrendering pirates he’d personally killed as they knelt.
His elite cavalry guards, at the city gate, had cut down thirty-two surrendering pirates, those with heads now dangling from their saddles.
As for the infantry, they’d claimed over twenty heads, the soldiers with trophies hanging them at their waists.
“Quickly clean the battlefield, sever the heads of all the pirates who died in the siege, these heads belong to everyone, of course, I mean those who followed me out of the city, as for those who stayed inside, sorry, no share for them.”
General Wang ordered the heads of the recently fallen pirates to be cut off, promising to divide them among the soldiers who’d followed him out.
“General, you’re brilliant! Following you out of the city was the best decision of our lives.”
“We’d die for the General!”
The soldiers naturally raised a thousand hands in agreement, showering General Wang with flattery, fewer people splitting the heads meant more for them, with hundreds still manning the city walls, less competition for merits was a win, they’d never object.
General Wang, basking in the praise, laughed heartily and cursed, “Enough with the damn flattery, get to work, cut off those pirate heads, we’ve still got to chase down more, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! Promotions and riches hinge on today.”
“Rest assured, sir, ten breaths, and we’ll have it done, no delay in chasing the pirates!”
The soldiers laughed uproariously as they took the order, scrambling to sever the heads of the fallen pirates, soon collecting over three hundred from the siege.
As for the dozens blown apart by cannon carts, it was a pity, only eleven heads were intact enough to claim, the rest either blasted away or too mangled to use.
The soldiers hung their haul on saddles or waists.
For a moment, it felt like the barbaric Qin era.
“Haha, look at you all, fighting with heads dangling, a true pack of tigers and wolves, for a moment it’s like I’m back with the fierce old Qin, with this display alone, the pirates are already trembling before we strike, not to mention they’re routed now, fleeing like stray dogs, scattered and broken.”
General Wang surveyed his men, laughing with satisfaction, these four hundred-plus heads were enough to earn him a promotion.
But this was just the start, ahead lay fields teeming with pirates, he reckoned he could harvest at least a thousand more heads, Zhu Ping’an rose three ranks with battlefield merits, why couldn’t he?
“All thanks to the General’s brilliant leadership, defying all doubts, leading us out to chase the pirates, feast on meat, and sip the broth.”
“One pirate head’s worth fifty taels of silver, and there’s plenty more scrambling away up ahead…”
The soldiers flattered him while greedily eyeing the fleeing pirates in the distance.
Those weren’t just pirates, they were walking fifty-tael silver prizes and chances for rank and glory.
“Hahaha, exactly, plenty more pirates running up ahead! Charge! Kill them all, promotions and riches are ours today!”
General Wang, watching the panicked retreat, grinned wide and laughed, swinging his broadsword forward, ordering his men to charge and reap more heads.
“Kill!”
A thousand soldiers roared with excitement, brandishing their weapons, chasing after the fleeing pirates.
Soon, the cavalry caught up to the nearest group, a ragged band of just over ten.
They charged in, cutting them down like melons, slaughtering the stragglers with ease.
The infantry, though slower, had numbers, targeting lone or scattered runners, swarming and encircling, they quickly intercepted over twenty isolated pirates, dispatching them in moments.
Another thirty-plus heads were claimed, adding to the saddles and waists.
General Wang and his men grew even more exhilarated, looking ahead at the fleeing pirates, this time they didn’t even wait for his command, charging forward on their own.
“Haha, don’t run, my fifty taels of silver…”
“Kill, promotions and riches today, miss this chance and it’s gone forever.”
The soldiers shouted with fervor, surging ahead to kill.
Morale was high, today was meant for his rise, General Wang grinned, spurring his horse to follow.
After chasing nearly a li, they caught up to another scattered group of over fifty pirates, split into ten-odd clusters, among them seven or eight old men, supported as they fled.
“Such old bones still playing pirate, truly courting death, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!”
General Wang spotted the white-haired old pirates, sneered mockingly, picked out one supported only by a juvenile, spurred his horse, and charged with a mighty swing.
His cavalry and infantry followed, howling as they pounced on their chosen targets.
“Great General, no, we’re not pirates!”
“Great General, my grandson and I were captured by the pirates, we’re villagers from Xiliu Village just ahead, not pirates, I’m half in the grave, how could I shame my ancestors by becoming a pirate? My grandson’s only thirteen, old and young like us, how could we be pirates…”
The young man and old man cried out in panic, the old man even revealing their home to prove it.
“Same old excuses! Look at your bird-like heads and pirate rags, still daring to claim you’re villagers, hmph, think I’d fall for that?! You old fool, rotten from top to bottom, didn’t expect villagers at Suzhou’s doorstep to join the pirates! I’ll clean house for your ancestors! Take this!”
General Wang spat, yanked his reins, charged forward, and swung his broadsword in a mountain-cleaving strike.
“Grandson, run…” The old man, seeing the danger, shoved the boy aside, shouting desperately.
Swish!
General Wang’s blade flashed, a white arc, and the old man’s head flew from his neck.
“Grandpa, Grandpa, you damned official, not killing pirates but my grandpa, I’ll fight you!”
The thirteen-year-old, seeing his grandfather die before him, rage boiling over, rushed at General Wang with bare fists.
“Little whelp, perfect timing.” General Wang, unfazed, bellowed, and swung backhand.
Another head soared into the sky.
“Haha, not one can fight! Pirates are nothing!”
General Wang flicked the blood from his blade, laughing uproariously, brimming with ambition, looking down on all pirates.
Even if Wang Zhi came, he’d have to kneel and call me Grandpa!
Two more heads adorned General Wang’s ornate saddle, one old, one young, eyes wide with fury, unresigned in death.
