In no time, Suzhou, Changshu, Taizhou, Chaozhou, and other parts of South Zhili were engulfed in flames and smoke. Countless villages and towns were plundered by Japanese pirates, who killed, set fires, and looted without restraint, committing every imaginable atrocity. Tens of thousands of innocent people fell victim to their brutality.
Northern Zhejiang, including Jiaxing and Hangzhou, also faced invasions and raids by the pirates. However, thanks to Zhu Ping’an’s urgent orders for local preparations, most residents took refuge in walled cities, resulting in far lighter losses compared to South Zhili. Still, some who didn’t escape in time suffered at the hands of the pirates.
In such chaotic times, no place was entirely safe.
Zhu Ping’an left 1,000 Zhejiang troops to defend Shaoxing, sent 500 to reinforce Jiaxing, and another 500 to bolster Hangzhou.
For larger cities in southern Zhejiang, like Ningbo and Taizhou, he tasked Yu Dayou with dispatching troops to assist in their defence.
With limited forces, difficult choices had to be made, prioritising the protection of these major cities.
As the sun set, the sky was red, the clouds were red, and the land at the village entrance was red—half from the glow of the sunset, half stained with the blood of villagers. Corpses lay scattered, motionless in the cold wind.
A flock of crows circled overhead, cawing eagerly.
*”The cherry blossoms of my hometown bloom romantically, Yumi no longer needs to worry about hairpins. Tarō, I work from dawn to dusk in the Great Ming, reaping bountiful rewards…”*
The pirates, carrying sacks of loot and leading stolen cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep, hummed makeshift tunes with smug satisfaction, returning with their spoils.
*”The people of the Great Ming are so wealthy. I regret not coming sooner. Last year, when that bastard Watanabe called me, I should’ve joined him.”*
*”Hahaha, I nabbed a gold bangle, two gold earrings, and a bundle of silk clothes—I’m rich! Let’s hurry back, eat, sleep, and get up early tomorrow to raid another village.”*
*”The people here are like pigs, haha. I slept with his wife right in front of him, and he just knelt and begged for mercy. He’s big and burly but didn’t dare fight back. I had her twice right there, killed her when I was done, then chopped him up. No challenge at all.”*
*”The Great Ming is great—weak people, loads of money. Absolutely fantastic.”*
On their way back, the pirates gleefully boasted about their haul and shared details of their plundering, each one brimming with excitement.
As night fell, the Tuolin stronghold was ablaze with light, campfires twinkling like stars in the sky.
Xu Hai, Ma Ye, Matsuura Shimosaburō, and Ryūzōji Nobutake held a bonfire feast to celebrate the day’s gains.
Jars of looted fine wine were unsealed, filling rough porcelain bowls to the brim.
The stolen cattle, pigs, and sheep—except for the horses kept as war mounts—were slaughtered, gutted, and skinned. Coated with oil and salt, they were roasted on spits or simmered in pots, the aroma of sizzling meat and bubbling broth wafting for miles.
Groups of drunken pirates, their heads spinning, danced wildly or dragged captive women to the ground to assault them.
They were in ecstasy, as if they’d returned to their homeland or ascended to the clouds.
*”This is the life! I was meant to live like this—gorging on meat, guzzling wine, and taking as many women as I want.”*
A newly joined pirate let out a triumphant howl, convinced that becoming a pirate was the best decision of his life. A capable man like him should’ve been living this way all along—this was his destiny.
*”I should’ve come to the Great Ming sooner. I didn’t know I was this good at fighting. Heh, when I return to Matsuura, I might even become a samurai lord. Damn it, every good man in Japan should make a trip to the Great Ming.”*
A newly arrived Japanese pirate fondled the gold and silver jewellery in his pocket, daydreaming about returning to Japan as a samurai, his grin stretching ear to ear. Every good man in Japan should come to the Great Ming.
Matsuura Shimosaburō wandered among the men, asking about their spoils, astonished by the sheer abundance of their haul. He drank bowl after bowl in celebration, returning to the high platform reeking of alcohol. Kneeling beside Xu Hai, Ma Ye, and Ryūzōji Nobutake, he exclaimed:
*”Yoshi, yoshi, no wonder it’s the Great Ming! In just one day, we’ve plundered so much gold, silver, and treasure. It’s truly a land of gold, flowing with honey and oil. Now I understand why my lord is so keen on conquering the Great Ming.”*
Ryūzōji Nobutake couldn’t help but nod repeatedly, adding, “Seeing is believing. I knew the Great Ming was wealthy, but I didn’t realise it was *this* wealthy. Today’s plunder alone rivals a year’s tax revenue from my lord’s domain.”
*”Hahaha, this is nothing. Today was just a small test. We only raided villages and towns. The real wealth of the Great Ming lies in the cities. Compared to cities, villages and towns are like beggars next to tycoons. My General Ryūzōji, General Matsuura, you haven’t seen the true riches of the Great Ming yet,”* Xu Hai laughed heartily, pouring each of them a bowl of wine.
*”The cities are practically mountains of gold and silver,”* Ma Ye chimed in. *”Villages and towns can’t compare.”*
*”Nani? Is it really that extreme?”* Matsuura Shimosaburō asked in disbelief.
*”Extreme? No, no, my General Matsuura, I’m not exaggerating one bit. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to sack a county town, and you’ll see I’m not exaggerating at all,”* Xu Hai said with a smile.
*”If we could take Suzhou, Hangzhou, or Yingtian, hahaha, the gold, silver, and jewels there—our ships could load up for seven days and nights and still not carry it all. Take any one of those cities, and your lord could unify Japan without ever worrying about money.”*
Ma Ye painted a grand vision for them.
*”All our ships, loading for seven days and nights, and still not enough… How rich must that be?”* Matsuura Shimosaburō’s jaw hung open.
*”Take Suzhou, Hangzhou, or Yingtian, and our lord could conquer the world without worrying about funds.”*
Ryūzōji Nobutake swallowed hard, equally stunned.
Both were floored by the picture Ma Ye painted, unable to fathom the Great Ming’s wealth. This was truly a blessed land bestowed upon Japan by the heavens, a treasure trove granted by the Sun Goddess.
*”When I return, I’ll fully support my lord’s plan to conquer the Great Ming. The more troops we send, the better!”*
*”One more man means one more share of gold, silver, and treasure!”*
“We must take at least one of the cities Ma Ye mentioned—Suzhou, Hangzhou, or Yingtian. No, we’ll take them all!”
“With enough gold and silver, my lord will surely unify Japan, ascend to the capital, and conquer the world!”
Ryūzōji Nobutake resolved firmly in his heart.
Free to read.
