"Alright, if we keep fighting, the sun will set!" Qin Mo's lazy voice rang out again, separating the two who had been fighting for half an hour. The physical abilities of the two had once again refreshed Qin Mo's understanding of them.
Kaihime leaped forward first, drawing her sword and bowing. Lin Yongqian returned the bow neatly, though his slightly trembling legs made his posture look a little awkward. The fight he'd just witnessed had made him inwardly shout, "Are you blind? Didn't you see the Crown Prince standing there? If I hadn't kept up my martial arts skills all these years, I'd probably have made a fool of myself today. Next time we have a one-on-one duel, I'll fight you to the death..."
"Try his men. If they're capable, keep them. Our wounded soldiers' camp is definitely short-handed." The wounded soldiers' camp is a place no soldier wants to go. If you're the one suffering, then wail and scream. If you're the one taking care of the wounded, then listen to their wails! The ever-present aura of death can drive a person insane.
If there were female nurses, the situation would be greatly improved, after all, this is a proven effective solution in another world. Men tend to be exceptionally brave and optimistic in the presence of women.
“We’re here to be samurai, not to be caretakers.” Kaihime’s lips remained stubborn, but the anxiety in her eyes had vanished.
"You are a samurai, no one denies that, but our wounded soldiers also need protection. Are you willing to protect them?"
"My lord, Narita Kai is at your service." Kai-hime had no more complaints. "Protecting a man"—what an incredible thing this was! A tremendous sense of accomplishment filled her heart.
“My lord… my… monthly salary…” A warrior kneeling behind her timidly tugged at the hem of her robe.
"My lord... I wonder how much our monthly salary is?" Kaihime felt her face burning, but since it concerned the future of over twenty girls, she couldn't not ask. Her original intention was to go to Daxia for a year or two to work hard, save up a generous dowry for them, and then return to find good families to live peaceful lives.
“If they have some martial arts skills, then they are equal to men. You can receive the monthly salary of a brigade commander.”
Upon hearing Qin Mo's words, the group of girls fell silent, obediently lowering their heads and kneeling in respect.
Lin Yongqian quickly arranged for a dozen armored soldiers and the remaining female warriors to test their skills, and the results far exceeded everyone's expectations. These girls, who were at most fifteen or sixteen years old, were quite skilled, even stronger than some formal warriors. It seemed that they had been carefully trained, giving Lin Yongqian the feeling of having struck gold.
After dinner, Qin Mo sat in the main seat, while Lin Yongqian stood to the side to answer questions. His father was Qin Lan's old subordinate and could sit comfortably in front of Qin Mo, but Lin Yongqian didn't have that kind of influence; standing was his proper place to speak.
"Eiken, you've been recruiting ronin on a large scale. What are the reactions of the surrounding daimyo?"
"Your Highness, as you advised, upon arriving in Edo, I first sought an audience with the most powerful 'Kanpaku,' Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and promised to provide a stable supply. As expected, he ignored our recruitment of warriors. Your Highness's strategy is truly remarkable; I admire it."
"Alright, we can flatter you later. How many vacancies are we still short of?"
"Your Highness, we are still short about 1,500 men, but we estimate that we can recruit them in less than ten days."
"See if there are any ships going to Daxia. If so, hire them no matter the cost. We don't have enough ships. If we wait for the ships from Hirado to reach Daxia and then return, it will take at least another month."
"Your subordinate obeys. If we had started trading earlier, we wouldn't be in this situation now, with not even enough ships." Lin Yongqian wasn't about to miss the chance to put Allen in a bad light.
These past few days, after seeing the prices in Japan, he was filled with regret. If he had started in maritime trade earlier, he would have become incredibly wealthy by now, with at least ten or eight concubines, and the top courtesan of Yue Lai Lou would never have fallen into another man's arms. If he had a lot of money, perhaps he could try again to see if he could… repair the school.
"Go find Allen if you dare, and see how he treats you." Qin Mo knew what Lin Yongqian meant. Allen had previously led them to explore the seas, searching for traces of sea creatures. He had no intention of doing business with them. Elves are libertarians; you can't expect them to accommodate you if they don't want to do something.
Lin Yongqian shrank back. If he went to question Allen, Allen probably wouldn't do anything to him, but would just beat him half to death. That guy's temper is not as beautiful as his appearance.
In Edo Castle, on a street in the north of the castle, few pedestrians ventured. The winding street obscured the view, making it impossible to know where it led.
Qin Mo, accompanied by Allen and a dozen guards, found the street under the guide's directions. After winding through several turns, they finally saw a shop. They knew it was a shop only because of the dark black sign hanging above the entrance.
The signboard features a large hammer, its engraving appearing quite rough, yet it evokes a rugged beauty in those who see it, revealing the extraordinary nature of this place from just one signboard.
"This is the master's shop. He's a man of his word, and they all speak Daxia language. This is the most suitable shop for you, sir." The guide eagerly pushed open the door and bowed, gesturing for Qin Mo to enter. The room was sparsely furnished, making it seem somewhat empty. There were no busy staff members attending to customers; only a large, plump woman was dozing in a chair behind the counter.
The guide didn't wake the woman; he just looked at Qin Mo with a troubled expression.
Qin Mo smiled, casually tossed a piece of silver to the guide, and waved for him to go first. The guide bowed deeply, lowered his head, and left.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com