“Zhejiang Army scouts—nothing special.”
Hidden in the reed marsh, the Japanese pirates watched the retreating figures of the Zhejiang scouts and smirked. So this was the Zhejiang Army? They couldn’t even find the ambush. Their fear of the Zhejiang Army dissipated significantly.
“The Zhejiang Army only relies on their firearms to act tough. Without those, they’re nothing. Look at the level of their scouts. If we don’t give them a chance to use their firearms, they’re helpless,” Ma Ye seized the moment to disparage the Zhejiang Army, dispelling his men’s fears and boosting their morale and fighting spirit.
“Right, don’t give them a chance to shoot, and they’re done for,” the pirates nodded, finding Ma Ye’s words utterly convincing.
The Zhejiang Army’s strength lay in their firearms. Without the chance to fire, their guns were just fire pokers.
The Zhejiang Army was a toothless tiger—a big kitten. The pirates were a pack of wolves, ready to tear the kitten to shreds.
“Brothers, today the enemy is in the open, and we’re in the shadows. This ambush will surely succeed. Once the tripwires do their work, don’t say a word—just charge and hack. When we mix with them, they won’t have a chance to shoot. This time, we’ll make them pay in blood, leaving them no place to be buried!”
Ma Ye gritted his teeth, rallying the pirates in a low voice.
“Blood for blood!”
The pirates echoed through clenched teeth, their voices low. Whether veteran or new, they all bore deep grudges against the Zhejiang Army.
The battle at Suzhou, the fight at the valley—who among the surviving pirates hadn’t lost friends or family to the Zhejiang Army?
Though the pirates in the reed marsh kept their voices low, their morale surged.
Anticipation!
They eagerly awaited the Zhejiang cavalry’s arrival, the tripwires being pulled, the cavalry tumbling into chaos, their charge into the fray for a massacre, and the moment they’d claim Zhejiang heads.
With the scouts gone, the Zhejiang pursuers would soon arrive. The pirates in the reed marsh stared south, their eyes burning with expectation.
They didn’t wait long.
They’re here.
They’re here.
The sound of hoofbeats grew from distant to near. Zhejiang cavalry appeared on the southern path, drawing closer to the ferry crossing.
“Finally here. Listen up: let the first hundred or so riders pass before pulling the tripwires. All wires must be pulled at once to create maximum chaos. Then everyone charges immediately, mixing with the Zhejiang troops so they can’t shoot. After that, it’s all in our hands! Blood for blood—today’s the day!”
Ma Ye scanned his men, issuing orders in a hushed tone.
The pirates were raring to go.
But to their disappointment, when the Zhejiang cavalry reached the ferry crossing, they didn’t press forward. Instead, they reined in their horses, halted on the grassy area before the crossing, and dismounted.
More Zhejiang troops arrived, all dismounting as well.
“What’s going on? Did the scouts spot us and pretend they didn’t?” Ma Ye wondered, seeing the cavalry stop at the crossing, suspecting the scouts had discovered them.
“Damn it, we were fooled by the scouts! They must’ve seen us—why else would they stop there?”
“Should we charge now?”
“Are you mad? At this distance, we’d give the Zhejiang Army time to react and open fire on us.”
The pirates exchanged glances, suspecting the scouts had detected them, their opinions divided.
“No, if they’d spotted us, they wouldn’t react like this. They’d have surrounded us by now,” one pirate disagreed.
“Then why are they stopped there?”
The pirates whispered among themselves.
“Look! They’re fetching water from the river, and some are starting fires. They’re setting up camp to cook and fill their stomachs!”
“So they’re eating. What a bunch of gluttons. Honestly, my stomach’s growling too.”
The pirates noticed some Zhejiang troops fetching water, others digging simple stoves and lighting fires. They realised the Zhejiang Army was pausing at the river to rest, cook, and eat before continuing the pursuit.
“Look, that one in the distinctive armour—isn’t that a high-ranking Zhejiang officer? So many are guarding him.”
A sharp-eyed pirate spotted a group of Zhejiang troops escorting a figure in noticeably finer armour and whispered to those nearby.
“Bloody hell, that’s Zhu Ping’an! It’s him! That deceptively honest but cunning face—I’d recognise it even if it turned to ash.”
A veteran pirate instantly identified Zhu Ping’an. His teeth nearly cracked from grinding. He’d seen Zhu Ping’an at Suzhou, the man who killed his brother and two nephews—a face he’d never forget.
“It really is Zhu Ping’an! Heaven has a path you didn’t take, and hell has no gate, yet you barge in. Perfect, just perfect!”
Ma Ye, seeing Zhu Ping’an escorted by the Zhejiang troops, couldn’t contain his excitement, taking a deep breath. He was thrilled.
Ma Ye hadn’t expected Zhu Ping’an to personally lead the pursuit. This was a golden opportunity. Whether he captured Zhu Ping’an alive or took his head, Ma Ye’s prestige would instantly surpass Xu Hai’s—and by a wide margin!
This was Zhu Ping’an!
How many times had Xu Hai been defeated by Zhu Ping’an? At Suzhou, he nearly lost everything!
If Ma Ye could take down Zhu Ping’an, his achievements and prestige would far outstrip Xu Hai’s. The Tuolin pirates back at base would admire him, flocking to his banner. The Tuolin stronghold would be his to command.
“Listen up, pass it down quietly: keep your eyes on Zhu Ping’an. Let every Zhejiang soldier go if you must, but don’t let Zhu Ping’an escape. Capture him alive if possible, but if not, it doesn’t matter—dead or alive, he must not get away!”
Ma Ye, trembling with excitement, issued the order, stressing that Zhu Ping’an must not escape, dead or alive.
The pirates quietly relayed the command, and soon every pirate knew Zhu Ping’an was their top target.
“The Zhejiang Army are such gluttons—let them gorge themselves to death!”
“Eat, eat, eat—hope you choke!”
Hidden in the reed marsh, the pirates lay on the cold, snow-dusted ground, with icy winds whistling overhead and their stomachs growling. Compared to the Zhejiang troops sipping hot broth, they couldn’t help but curse them out of envy and resentment.
“Hah, let them eat. This is their last meal. Once they’re done, we’ll send them to their graves!”
“Right, their last meal. Let them eat. They won’t get another chance after this.”
The pirates, clutching their growling stomachs, glared at the feasting Zhejiang troops, cursing through gritted teeth.
