I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 110: On a dark and windy night, it is time to kill the Japanese and serve the country
Prefect Xu led Lin Shisan, Sun Yue and Shen Weijing to the back hall of the Cangzhou prefectural government.

In the rear yamen, a group of officials and gentry had been waiting for Lin Chuanfeng for a long time.

In the Ming Dynasty, "imperial power did not extend below the county level, and gentry controlled the entire world."

There were only so many officials and clerks in a county. The ones who really managed the common people were often the gentry in front of Lin Shisan.

They are either the patriarchs of the local clans, or they have the honor of being a scholar or a juren. They are all people who can make a big hole with just a fart in their hometown.

Everyone took their seats. Prefect Xu invited Lin Shisan and Sun Yue to sit at the top seats.

Since Shen Weijing went south this time as Lin Shisan's follower, he stood beside Lin Shisan and served him.

This made Lin Shisan feel a little embarrassed. We were all the same as the general flag, so how could I sit while you stood, or I eat while you watch? We would have to divide the women later, wouldn't it be awkward if I got one and you didn't?
So Lin Shisan said, "Prefect Xu, my servant has been drifting with me on the canal for three days and is really tired. Can you give him a seat?"

Prefect Xu nodded and ordered someone to add more seats.

Before the banquet began, Prefect Xu first "presented treasures" to Lin Shisan.

Lin Shisan was the royal messenger. Wherever he passed through, local officials would naturally present rare treasures to the emperor through him.

If the emperor likes the treasures presented by the local officials and is greatly pleased, then getting promoted and making money will be a piece of cake, right?
Look at Yin Zhengmao. A few years ago, he was promoted directly from the military official to the deputy envoy of Guangxi by giving golden turtles to Emperor Jiajing.

Prefect Xu said: "Your Majesty respects Heaven and loves the people. We, as ministers, work hard every day to repay your kindness."

"This time, Lin Chuanfeng came to our Cangzhou. We Cangzhou people finally have a chance to honor the emperor through you."

"Come on, bring it up."

A government servant brought up a bird cage covered with a cloth.

Prefect Xu smiled and said, "Lin Chuanfeng is an expert in bird appraisal. Can you take a look at this bird for us?"

The officer lifted the cage cloth and saw a thrush in the cage.

Lin Shisan took a look and stood up from his seat: "Is this a general king-level thrush? It is rare in the world and you can't find it by chance!"

After saying that, Lin Shisan walked quickly to the bird cage and said, "Please look, everyone. This thrush's head is thick, large, square and flat. This is a rare toad head. This is one of the generals."

"Look at its eyebrow shape. The white of the bird's eye circle is connected along the upper edge into a narrow line, extending all the way to the side of the headrest. This is called the clear eyebrow line. This is the second sign of a general king."

"Its eyes are as clear as sapphires. This is the third sign of a king."

"The bird's legs are like beef tendons, its feet are thick and its fingers are short. This is the fourth sign of a general being a king."

"With these four characteristics, if the bird's song is clear and loud, it will be a rare king-level thrush in the world."

Lin Shisan was talking when Huamei called out a few times as if she could understand what he was saying.

Everyone held their breath and concentrated. Lin Shisan listened attentively. Then he said, "The cry was melodious and lingering. This is the king-level thrush! I have only seen it in books before."

Prefect Xu praised: "Oh, it's said that Lin Chuanfeng is an expert."

Lin Shisan asked: "Is it produced in Yunnan, Guizhou or Shaanxi?"

Prefect Xu replied: "Yunnan and Guizhou."

Lin Shisan guessed, "You will need at least four thousand taels of silver to buy it back to Cangzhou."

Prefect Xu said, "It cost five thousand taels. Because a bird dealer from Zhejiang raised the price, we spent an extra thousand taels."

Lin Shisan said, "Good, good, good. You have put so much effort into this. I think the Emperor will be very pleased to see it."

When Prefect Xu heard this, his mouth opened like a toad: "Ah, then I'll borrow Lin Chuan to give you a good advice."

Lin Shisan said, "I have some errands to do on this trip south. It's inconvenient to bring such a precious bird with me on the road. I'm afraid it will suffer."

"I think it would be better for me to keep it in your government office first and come back to get it when I return. What do you think?"

Prefect Xu immediately agreed: "Yes. We will take good care of the precious bird and wait for Lin Chuanfeng to come back and take it."

After offering the living treasure Huamei, Prefect Xu started to offer the dead treasure.

For the royal messenger, treasures are divided into "dead and alive". Living treasures can move, while dead treasures cannot move.

Cangzhou Cangzhou is a state of the sea. It is close to the sea. Prefect Xu presented a string of pearls. This string of pearls came from the East China Sea.

Each pearl in this string is the same size, round, smooth and flawless. What is even more rare is that the pearls are micro-carved to depict the story of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea.

Lin Shisan looked at the string of pearls and praised, "What a rare treasure. Just like the thrush, I will come to Cangzhou to get it on my way back."

After presenting the living and dead treasures to the emperor, it was time to present the "human treasure" to Lin Chuan.

Prefect Xu clapped his hands, and the servants and maids began to serve the dishes. The dishes included all kinds of delicacies from land and sea, needless to say.

Prefect Xu said with a smile, "With fine wine and delicious food, how can we not have beautiful women to cheer us up? Come on, let the Star Picking Class come up."

Cangzhou is both the hometown of martial arts and the hometown of acrobatics in the Ming Dynasty.

A dozen young women walked quickly onto the small singing and dancing stage in the dining hall at the back of the yamen. Each of these women was as lithe as if they had no bones. The crowd cheered at their various judo techniques.

Prefect Xu laughed and said, "Lin Chuanfeng doesn't know this. Shanxi has Datong women, Hangzhou has West Lake boat girls, Shandong has Taishan nuns, Yangzhou has Yangzhou skinny horses. We in Cangzhou have Shuirou opera girls."

"The circus troupe travels all over the country. The women in it are of course, ah. Hahaha."

Lin Shisan nodded: "Ah, there is such a thing."

Prefect Xu said, "Before we go to bed, please ask Lin Chuanfeng to pick a few and take them back to his room. Also, ask Sun Xiaoqi and that little brother to pick one each."

Lin Shisan thought: The worst thing to do in the officialdom is to be unsociable. I am going south this time to fight against the Japanese pirates. If I offend a prefect as soon as I land, then this trip south will be off to a bad start.

Therefore, for the sake of a smooth journey and for the great cause of resisting the Japanese pirates, I will suffer a little loss and obey your orders.

Thinking of this, Lin Shisan chuckled and said, "Then I won't be polite!"

Sun Yue was also very happy. He said, "Prefect Xu really takes good care of us."

Prefect Xu said, "As you should."

Sun Yue was already getting impatient: "Xu Zhifu, I eat fast and I'm full. I have a problem. I get sleepy when I eat too much."

After saying that, he yawned.

Lin Shisan cursed in his heart: Look at your useless appearance. What a shameful thing.

Prefect Xu said, "Ah, Sun Xiaoqi, quickly pick a woman to help you go down and rest."

Sun Yue had already picked one out, and pointed. The woman came over and saluted him.

Sun Yue was impatient, so he got up and took her to live together.

Lin Shisan didn't feel cold in his bed at night. He picked a 22-year-old woman. The woman who had been in the martial arts world for a long time was indeed extraordinary, and she also had judo. Lin Shisan felt like he was in the clouds that night.
The next morning, Lin Shisan said goodbye to Prefect Xu and led the sleepy Sun Yue and Shen Weijing back to the official ship. At the official ship, he saw Tang Shunzhi practicing martial arts with a sturdy man.

I think that man is the successor of Bajiquan from Mengcun, Cangzhou.

Tang Shunzhi's steps were steady and his punches were fierce. He used the killing boxing skills in the army.

The strong man was defeated in a short time.

Lin Shisan sighed: "Our Doctor Tang really has the legacy of the Han and Tang dynasties. Although he is a scholar, he is also an outstanding martial artist."

Shen Weijing said, "From what I know, Doctor Tang's abilities are far more than just one-on-one combat. He has the ability to defeat ten thousand enemies."

Lin Shisan exclaimed: "Ten thousand enemies?"

Shen Weijing nodded: "That's right, Ten Thousand Enemies! He is also proficient in Zhouyi Bagua, and calculated that his life span is not long. He went to Zhejiang this time, nominally to supervise the war, but in fact to recruit two disciples, so as to learn the method of Ten Thousand Enemies and not to cut off his descendants."

The official ship sailed south through Dezhou, Linqing, Liaocheng, Jining, Shandong, and then entered Huai'an Prefecture through Suqian.

Lin Shisan enjoyed all the splendor and wealth along the way. Cheng Yi alone collected nearly 15,000 taels. That was an endless supply of delicacies, endless beauties, and endless money.

The canal from Huai'an to Yangzhou was blocked, so everyone had no choice but to get off the official ship and take the land route instead.

During this trip south, Liu Shouyou gave Lin Shisan two Beisi General Flag Teams with 100 guards. Each of these 100 people was armed with a gun and a crossbow. It was obvious that they were different from ordinary guards.

When the bandits saw this group of troops, they had to take a detour.

By dusk, they were still thirty miles away from Xuyi County, Huai'an Prefecture, and they planned to find a place to camp and rest.

The sharp-eyed Lin Shisan suddenly discovered that there was a village ahead, with thick smoke billowing out.

When everyone arrived at the village, they were shocked by the tragic scene. The bodies of the people were everywhere, and it was no exaggeration to say that the blood flowed like a river.

Almost all the houses were burned down, and the smell of burning human flesh could be smelled for miles.

Sun Yue took a deep breath and said, "Is this village attacked by bandits? These bandits are so cruel and ruthless."

Tang Shunzhi squatted on the ground and examined a corpse: "From the wounds, they were killed by Japanese swords. If my guess is correct, there are Japanese pirates here."

Lin Shisan frowned: "Japanese pirates are appearing here? This is Xuyi! Isn't it said that Zhejiang and Fujian are the places where the Japanese pirates are rampant?"

Tang Shunzhi said: "Japanese pirates are everywhere. Even along the Shandong coast, let alone Xuyi?"

Suddenly, a lieutenant from the Northern Pacification Division ran over and said, "Reporting to General Lin and General Shen, we have discovered that the people in this village are not encountering humans, but beasts!"

Lin Shisan followed the captain to the front to take a look. After a while, he returned.

Lin Shisan did not say anything about the bloody scene in front of him. Because he could no longer speak, he lowered his head and began to vomit crazily.

Tang Shunzhi said sternly, "Lin Chuanfeng, the mission of these 100 Jinyiwei is to escort you to Hangzhou. They only obey you and General Shen."

"Looking at the remaining smoke in the village, the pirates should not have gone far. I would like to borrow your 100 Jinyiwei to avenge the people of this village."

Lin Shisan immediately agreed: "We, the Jinyiwei, are all passionate men. We will listen to you on how to avenge the people."

Shen Weijing was a little worried: "We don't know exactly how many Japanese pirates there are. If there are few, it's fine. If there are many, we still have a big job to do."

Tang Shunzhi said: "I just surveyed the west of the village. The Japanese pirates should have retreated from the west of the village. Judging from the footprints, their number is not large. This should be a small group of Japanese pirates with a scale of dozens of people."

Lin Shisan said, "What are you waiting for? Let's fight! The Jinyiwei brothers all hold guns, crossbows, and sharp swords. They are well-equipped."

"If you ignore the Japanese pirates and do evil, when you return to the capital, not only us, but even Governor Lu will not be able to afford to lose this person."

Tang Shunzhi said: "Well, send five groups of scouts westward, each with two people. Once we find out the location of the Japanese pirates, we can make plans."

Lin Shisan did as he was told and ordered the remaining ninety people to camp outside the village.

After dinner, Tang Shunzhi found Lin Shisan and Shen Weijing.

Tang Shunzhi said: "In military affairs, success comes with one move, but failure comes with two or three. Do you know what this means?"

Lin Shisan said, "Basically, it means that you can't issue orders to multiple people in a war. I understand. General Shen and I have never fought in a war. We are willing to entrust you with full authority to command one hundred comrades."

Tang Shunzhi said approvingly: "You are a straightforward person."

About an hour later, the scout came back panting.

He reported to Lin Shisan, Tang Shunzhi and others: "We have found out. There are about fifty Japanese pirates, camping about fifteen miles west of us. They have kidnapped seven or eight women. Those beasts are..."

Tang Shunzhi said: "We will avenge the women. Can you tell me what the terrain is like near the Japanese pirates' camp?"

The scout explained the terrain in detail to Tang Shunzhi, and Tang Shunzhi drew a map on the ground while the scout explained.

After the drawing was finished, Tang Shunzhi had a rough idea in his mind.

He gathered all the Jinyiwei and said, "We are going to raid the Japanese pirates tonight. I will divide you into ten teams. Each team will have a captain and a deputy captain."

"If one person in the team dares to retreat, the entire team will be killed."

Lin Shisan shouted loudly: "Kill the Japanese to serve the country. If anyone retreats, not only will the whole team be killed, but I will also report to the chief treasurer and have his entire family executed!"

All the Jinyiwei comrades expressed their views: "We are all men who pee while standing. We will never be cowards."

"That's right. They say that our Northern Pacification Division can only bully and kill people. This time we have to show the world that we can also kill foreign enemies and protect our country."

Tang Shunzhi thought to himself: Military pay is morale. These Jinyiwei usually receive adequate military pay and are well-fed. Naturally, they are much better than the hungry guards. Morale can be used.

Thinking of this, Tang Shunzhi said, "Okay. I'll assign tasks next."

Next, Lin Shisan witnessed Tang Shunzhi's military talents.

Tang Shunzhi was almost half lying on a chair, laying out the plan for tonight. When laying out the plan, he almost precisely knew what each lieutenant should do.

After finishing his instructions, Tang Shunzhi said, "Alright everyone. Check the muskets, crossbows, and swords immediately. Set off in two quarters!"

After saying that, Tang Shunzhi took a Tang sword from the horse's back. When he drew the sword, the blade was illuminated by the moonlight and shone with a cold light.

Lin Shisan didn't know how to use a knife, but Shen Weijing did. Shen Weijing praised, "What a good knife!"

Tang Shunzhi ignored Shen Weijing and recited to himself: "The Zhao guest's Hu tassels are swaying, and the Wu hook is shining like frost and snow. The silver saddle shines on the white horse, which gallops like a meteor."

"Kill one person in ten steps and leave no trace in a thousand miles. When it's done, brush off your clothes and hide yourself and your name."

Somehow, after listening to Tang Shunzhi's recitation, a strange thought flashed through Lin Shisan's mind: I'm afraid that not a single one of these Japanese pirates will survive tonight.

On a dark and windy night, it is time to kill the Japanese and serve our country.

One hundred Jinyiwei comrades, led by the "scholar" Tang Shunzhi, headed westward under the cover of night.

(End of this chapter)