The rise of the poor

After the Zhejiang army left the north gate, the Songjiang Prefecture garrison commander immediately ordered his soldiers to close the city gate.

Close it tightly! The prefect is supposed to close the city gates, but just now, the Zhejiang governor, Zhu Ping'an, used force to threaten to open them! They've left, so we have to close the gates immediately to explain to the prefect.

In addition, if the Zhejiang army suffered a defeat in pursuing the Japanese pirates and the pirates launched a counterattack, the closed city gates could buy them some time.

The garrison of Songjiang Prefecture watched as the orderly ranks of the Zhejiang army disappeared down the road, and they began to laugh and chatter amongst themselves.

"Hehe, tell me, how come the Zhejiang army is so bold? They let the Japanese pirates escape, they couldn't be happier. They even chased after them. They say you shouldn't chase a desperate enemy. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered. If the Japanese pirates get too angry, they should turn around and beat them up. They won't be able to handle it and will be crying in the middle."

"I wonder if they returned with a full load of loot from their pursuit of the Japanese pirates, or if they were utterly annihilated by them."

"Hehe, you've returned with a full load. You really dare to dream. The Japanese pirates kill without blinking an eye. The Zhejiang army only won temporarily by launching a sneak attack when the Japanese pirates were attacking the city. Now they are recklessly pursuing the Japanese pirates, which is definitely courting death."

"Come on, the betting has started! Those who bet on the Zhejiang army to win, bet on this side; those who bet on the Zhejiang army to lose, bet on this side. Once you've placed your bets, no one is allowed to back out. After you've placed your bets, we'll wait for the results."

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it! I’ll bet a tael of silver on the Zhejiang army losing the battle. Haha, if I win, I’ll go and support Sai Diaochan’s business.”

"Old Huo, I gave you a chance but you didn't do it. This is a sure win, but you're still being stingy. Watch me, I'm betting on the Zhejiang army to lose. I'm betting one tael of silver. This time I'm going to stay at Widow Wang's house by the half-closed door for a month. Let me tell you, that Widow Wang's ass is really killing me. I'm so tired of it."

“I bet on the Zhejiang army to win, I bet, I bet three taels of silver.”

"Damn it, Huang Laoxi, you're really going to lose! Those three taels of silver are your military pay saved up for almost half a year! Didn't you say you'd save up ten taels of silver and then go home to marry my sister Xiuxiu?! You've bet it all at once, and even bet on the Zhejiang army to win! You're going to lose everything! Do you still want to marry my sister Xiuxiu?!"

“Zhang Mazi, how long will it take me to save up ten taels of silver? It’s been three months since I’ve been paid. I don’t know when I’ll be able to save up ten taels of silver. I was thinking that if I did what your sister did, the bride price would be lower, but who knew your father and mother would ask for such an exorbitant amount? I have to take a gamble, or I’ll end up a bachelor like you!”

"If you give the bride price to my family, I'll have enough to marry A-Juan from the next village."

As the laughter subsided, an old gambler spread a cloth on the ground and set up the betting table, attracting a large crowd. People eagerly pulled out copper coins and silver coins from their pockets and placed their bets with great enthusiasm.

They shrink back from battles, but when it comes to gambling, they're all incredibly eager to participate.

About half a day later, the sun set, and the Songjiang Prefecture garrison waited in vain for the Zhejiang army to return.

"How do we settle this?! The Zhejiang army still hasn't returned by this time?! What about our bet?"

"Hehe, how do you calculate it?! The Zhejiang army went and never came back, they were wiped out by the Japanese pirates on time, they can't come back."

"Holy crap, something terrible has happened! It's the Zhejiang Governor, Lord Zhu Ping'an, leading the team! The top scholar, the governor, the minister—if something happens to Lord Zhu, that's a momentous event!"

"Ha, where is our Governor Zhang?! Governor Zhang is much higher in rank than Lord Zhu, yet he was also taken to the capital and executed! Lord Zhu showed off his abilities by only taking three thousand Zhejiang soldiers and leaving a few hundred in the city to help us quell the rebellion. He only took two thousand Zhejiang soldiers to pursue the Japanese pirates, whose numbers were several times greater. Wasn't that asking for trouble?"

"It's impossible that even Lord Zhu was captured. Lord Zhu is the governor, and he has skilled guards protecting him."

"Even the most skilled martial artist fears a Japanese sword. Even the leader of the martial arts alliance couldn't defeat a few dozen enemies on the battlefield."

The sun had already set, and the Zhejiang army still hadn't returned. Everyone had a bad feeling about this, thinking that the Zhejiang army was finished, and the governor was finished too. They had all been defeated and killed, their pursuit failed and they were even raped. They were all doomed.

"Hey, you old gambler, hurry up and settle the score! The Zhejiang army isn't coming back, they've suffered a crushing defeat! We won! Hurry up and settle the score! Sai Diaochan hasn't been booked yet, if we're late, she'll be taken! If I go, I'll just have to eavesdrop and beg that guy to be gentle and not break her!"

"You old gambler, hurry up and settle the accounts. I've missed Widow Wang so much! Haha, I've got some money this time, I'll make her try a few more tricks."

"Settle the accounts, settle the accounts, you old gambler, settle the accounts now."

Some of the defenders who had bet on the defeat of the Zhejiang army were already impatient and kept urging the old gambler who ran the book to quickly settle the accounts and get his money.

The defeat of the Zhejiang army was fantastic news for them; they had won money and could now indulge in a life of luxury.

"Why are you in such a hurry? The sun has only just begun to set, it's not even dark yet, and we don't even know for sure whether the Zhejiang army will win or lose."

"What if we win?"

Those who bet on the Zhejiang army to win were unwilling to accept this outcome, and they argued vehemently against closing the betting market at this point.

A minority of people bet on the Zhejiang army to win. Their bets on the Zhejiang army to win are not because they trust the Zhejiang army much, but because they have a gambler's mentality. Most people bet on the Zhejiang army to lose, and even if they win, it will only be a small win. Few people bet on the Zhejiang army to win, so if they happen to bet correctly and win, they will gamble on turning a unicycle into a horse-drawn carriage!

"What if? It's so late, and the Zhejiang army still hasn't returned. They must have been wiped out by the Japanese pirates."

"That's right, stop dragging it out and settle the bill quickly. I'm looking forward to going to Widow Wang's house for a good time!"

"Old Huang, look, I warned you not to bet on the Zhejiang army to win, but you didn't listen. Now it's all over, all over!"

"Settle the account quickly!"

The soldiers guarding the city wall were in complete chaos, some urging, some objecting, almost overturning the old gambler's stall.

"You can shout all you want, but don't touch my stall. If you knock it over, everything's over and it won't count anymore," the old gambler said, protecting his stall.

Chaos reigned on the city wall.

"Fuck!"

"Fuck!"

"Fuck!"

Suddenly, a scathing "Holy crap!" rang out from the city wall.

"What the hell are you doing, you monkey? What the hell are you cursing about?!" The people on the city wall looked up and saw a guard pointing outside the city, cursing incessantly as if he had a red-hot iron rod in his mouth. They couldn't help but curse.

"Look outside the city! Isn't that the Zhejiang army returning? What's that long string of things they're leading?! It looks like Japanese pirates!"

The garrison soldier nicknamed Monkey pointed outside the city and said in a trembling voice.

"What?! The Zhejiang army is back, leading a long line of 'I'm crying?!" Everyone turned their heads in disbelief, looking in the direction the monkey was pointing.

Sure enough, the Zhejiang army appeared on the road in the distance. Their black iron-colored cotton armor resembled a torrent. On one side of this torrent of black iron armor, there was indeed a long line of figures. They recognized them all too well; they were indeed Japanese pirates!

The Zhejiang army is back, and they've captured a whole bunch of Japanese pirates!

The group exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting a look of utter shock and disbelief, as if they had witnessed something truly bizarre. (End of Chapter)