Xu Di had made thorough preparations, but he had a bunch of useless teammates. The Jurchens who had already disembarked rode fast horses and stormed into the county town. In the darkness of night, there was no one in the town. They spotted the large mansions, kicked open the gates, and went in to burn, kill, and loot.
Soon, pitiful cries echoed through the small town. Xu Di's men were far fewer than those brought by the Japanese pirates. Thinking of those who had already entered the town, Xu Di mounted his horse and rode to the Huang County government office.
The county government office was locked, so Xu Di went directly to the back office. He knocked on the door but no one answered, so he had to climb over the wall to enter the back office.
There wasn't a single light in the back courtyard. Xu Di knew there must be someone inside. Seeing that the gatehouse door was tightly shut, he knocked a few times, and someone inside asked in a trembling voice, "Who is it?"
Xu Di said loudly, "It is I, Xu Di, the magistrate of Penglai County."
The gatekeeper hesitated for a long time before opening the door a crack. When he saw that it really was Xu Di, he said with a mournful face, "Lord Xu, you've finally come to save our lives! What kind of villain has come to our county today?"
Xu Di asked him, "Where is your Lord Liu?"
The gatekeeper said, "Our Lord Liu didn't rest in the back office last night, I don't know where he is."
Upon hearing this, Xu Di frowned and asked, "Then what about your county magistrate? Where does he live?"
The gatekeeper shook his head, thinking of the sounds of fighting and killing on the street outside. Xu Di sighed and said, "When you see your Lord Liu, remember to tell him that it was I, Xu Di, who said that today, I, Xu Di from Penglai County, came to wipe out the bandits in Huang County. It has nothing to do with your Lord Liu from Huang County."
The gatekeeper didn't understand what those words meant. Xu Di had his eye on the horses that the Jurchens had brought, and those horses were worth a lot of money.
Xu Di jumped off the wall again and followed the sound of crying to a house.
A group of Jurchen soldiers broke into the house. Xu Di's team was specially trained and best suited for such a sneak attack. After quickly eliminating the Jurchen soldiers, Xu Di had someone send the dozen or so warhorses back to Penglai.
Compared to Penglai, Huangxian had much more arable land. This was also because Japanese pirates used to land in Penglai. As a result, Huangxian's economy was much better than Penglai's, and there were significantly more wealthy households in the county than in Penglai.
After Xu Di had killed all the Jurchens and Japanese pirates in the house, a steward-like man pulled Xu Di aside and asked, "Hero, may I ask your name? Our family will certainly reward you handsomely."
Xu Di waved his hand and said, "Quickly close the door and make sure everyone in the house is safe. If any more Japanese pirates come in, remember, your lives are the most important thing."
That night, Xu Di visited several families and led his men to kill several groups of bandits. When it was broad daylight, he stood at the highest point in Huang County and looked out to the sea. He saw that the ships that had come ashore were on fire, and he knew that the Japanese pirates on the coast had been wiped out.
Some houses in the county town were also set on fire, but fortunately the fire was put out in time and there was no major damage. Xu Di took stock of his men and led them to the seaside.
The battlefield by the sea was fiercely fought all night, leaving behind many dead bodies. The Japanese pirates and Jin soldiers who could be captured had been tied up with ropes. The wounded soldiers of our side were also treated by the accompanying military doctors on the seashore. Although the ships had been burned, they could still be used after simple repairs. Xu Di ordered his men to take the bodies of the Japanese pirates and the prisoners and set sail for Penglai. He himself led a group of men back to Penglai by land.
Just after passing through Huangxian County, they saw Liu Zhenyuan, the county magistrate of Huangxian, standing by the roadside with some men. Upon seeing Xu Di, he quickly bowed.
Xu Di returned the greeting and said, "Lord Liu, I see that there have been casualties in your county as well. The Japanese pirates and the Dengzhou garrison have been completely wiped out. Lord Liu can rest assured."
Liu Zhenyuan, a man in his forties, always had a smile on his face. It was said that he was the illegitimate son of an old and prestigious family in the capital. After passing the imperial examination, he spent his days working in the Six Ministries. This time, no one knew whose connections he had to get him a position as magistrate in Huang County.
Liu Zhenyuan smiled and said, "Lord Xu, I had business to attend to in Dengzhou Prefecture last night and did not return all night. I only learned about the Japanese pirates' night attack when I returned this morning. I am very grateful to Lord Xu for your help."
Xu Di chuckled and said, "I also came from there by boat with the Dengzhou garrison. Lord Liu, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."
Liu Zhenyuan quickly stopped him, saying, "Lord Xu, the Japanese pirates were wiped out on my Huang County territory. Shouldn't you leave behind the corpses and prisoners of those pirates?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Di threw his head back and laughed heartily, saying, "Lord Liu, you must have misunderstood something. When I went to your residence last night to give instructions, I made it very clear that since you insisted on staying indoors, I had no choice but to lead my men to help you clear out the bandits in the city. What, are you trying to rip me off after I've served my purpose?"
Although Liu Zhenyuan was also a county magistrate, he was half a rank lower than Xu Di, so he quickly bowed and said, "Lord Xu, it's really because I wasn't here last night."
Xu Di leaned close to Liu Zhenyuan and whispered, "I know very well what you did last night. I'll tell you the truth. Don't even think about getting the slightest advantage from me this time. There's no reason for someone who's afraid of death to be so self-righteous. Lord Liu, don't you agree?"
Liu Zhenyuan's expression changed immediately. Xu Di sneered twice, mounted his horse, and said loudly, "Lord Liu, many families in the city were robbed by Japanese pirates last night. You should hurry back to the city to appease the people. After all, you are the magistrate of Huang County."
Watching Xu Di's retreating figure, Liu Zhenyuan's face darkened. A staff member beside him whispered, "This Lord Xu is really arrogant."
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