Di Ming

Chapter 67 Night Discussion

Chapter 67 Night Discussion
"Young Tiger, give it a try!" Qi Jiguang exclaimed joyfully. "If it really works, you'll be the benefactor of Daishan Island!"

What a father! Zhu Yin hadn't even started his injections yet, and his benefactor was already booked.

Zhang Cha, Ding Hongying, and the others, seeing that Zhu Yin was a boy, could hardly believe that he had such abilities.

But seeing that even Commander Qi had confidence in him, he couldn't help but feel more confident as well.

It was only then that people realized that the boy and girl had very different demeanors.

There was an indescribable air about him. He seemed very precious and extraordinary. Despite his young age, he commanded respect!
Even among the sons and grandsons of the wealthy and powerful, very few possess the undeniable charisma of this golden couple.

Is this child the young master of Commander Qi?
Ding Hongying couldn't help but slightly part her lips. She had previously addressed Commander Qi as her grandmaster. So, according to seniority, this arrogant young master, several years younger than her, was her elder?
But then Zhu Yin took the strange needle in his hand, picked up his father's arm, inserted it into the meridians, and then pushed the needle.

What kind of acupuncture technique is this?
Everyone was completely bewildered. However, they were psychologically able to accept it.

Isn't it normal for patients to receive acupuncture? This must be a rare and miraculous acupuncture technique.

By the time the antitoxin serum was injected into Ding Huogen's body, Zhu Yin was already drenched in sweat.

Ning Qingchen, who was in Galo's arms, was also covered in a cold sweat.

You scoundrel spy, you made such a fuss giving me the injection, I almost wasted a whole dose of medicine.

At least the injection was successful.

Zhu Yin wiped the sweat from his forehead and, following Ning Qingchen's previous instructions regarding drawing characters, said:
"The last dose of antitoxin has been administered. Next, we'll use topical medication."

He then took out disinfectant and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as hemostatic drugs, and applied them to Ding Huogen's wound.

"Young Master," Madam Ding's face flushed slightly as she couldn't help but ask with concern, "My husband..."

Everyone stared intently at Zhu Yin, and for a moment they regarded this child as their pillar of support.

Zhu Yin felt an intense, almost tangible gaze upon him, which made him feel immense pressure.

"Don't have too high hopes, everyone. Although this medicine is extremely precious and hard to come by, I can't be sure if it can save General Ding from the clutches of the King of Hell."

"If General Ding can wake up in half an hour, then he will have been spared from death."

Zhu Yin, of course, couldn't make any definitive statements, lest he lose face.

Qi Jiguang said, "You have done your best in this matter, and even used the last dose of precious medicine. Even if it has no effect, you have done nothing wrong."

After saying that, he pointed to Zhu Yin and said to everyone, "His name is Zhihu. He is my adopted son and my successor. He is the one."

Zhihu? There are people with the surname Zhi, but this surname is quite rare.

"Greetings, Young Master Zhi." Zhang Cha and the others quickly bowed.

Cao Xin, who could speak, said, "Young master is intelligent and precocious, truly a phoenix in its prime and a tiger in its bud. He will surely carry on the legacy of General En in the future."

This young master is not only in charge of the island lord's life, but also the general's adopted son. They should treat him with respect and courtesy, and not regard him as a child simply because of his age.

Zhu Yin quickly returned the greeting with a cupped hand:
"I have heard Father talk about you brothers before. Though you are in the sea, your hearts are with the Han people. I admire you very much. Today, seeing such heroes as you brothers, I am so fortunate."

Seeing his horned hair, delicate face, and childlike voice, yet acting like a little adult, everyone couldn't help but nod in approval, but no one laughed at him.

The commander-in-chief has truly chosen a fine adopted son. No wonder he wants him to inherit his mantle; he's mature beyond his years, probably a prodigy, a rare talent indeed.

Ding Hongying hesitated, wanting to get away with it.

Wang Huaizhen reminded her, "Hongying, don't you call the Marshal your grandmaster? Your father's 'Xinyou Sword Technique' was created by the Marshal, and his sword technique was also taught by the Marshal."

"So, Brother Zhi is your martial uncle? Why don't you pay your respects?"

Wang Huaizhen was a serious person, and he spoke with great solemnity.

How can the sons and daughters of the Han people not know etiquette and determine seniority based on age?

Seeing that the elders were all looking at her with intense eyes, Zhu Hongying had no choice but to bite the bullet and say:

"Niece Ding Hongying greets Uncle Hu. Uncle, please accept my bow."

After saying that, he bowed to Zhu Yinlian with a strange feeling in his heart.

Zhu Yin nodded solemnly and said, "Niece Hongying, you needn't stand on ceremony. I just have nothing of value to offer you as a gift."

Ning Caiwei said in a serious tone, "I have a jade bracelet, which I will give to my niece Hongying as a gift when we meet."

Ding Hongying couldn't help but glance at Ning Caiwei and blink.

No, who are you? You're a few years younger than me, yet you call me Hongying's niece?
Just because you're good-looking?
Where's your bracelet?

Zhu Yin quickly said, "She is my fiancée, and her surname is Ning."

Helpless, Hongying could only bow again and say, "Hongying greets Aunt Ning."

Just then, Madam Ding exclaimed with delight, "My husband is awake! My husband!"

Ding Huogen let out a muffled groan and then opened his eyes.

"father!"

"My men!"

"Island owner!"

Everyone was overjoyed and crowded around.

"Li Yang, you've finally been rescued!" Qi Jiguang patted Ding Huogen's hand. "I almost didn't get to see you again."

"The General?" Ding Huogen rubbed his eyes. "The General?!"

"Who else could it be but me?" Qi Jiguang laughed loudly. "Twenty years have passed, and you've grown so old you don't even recognize me?"

Ding Huogen is now certain that Qi Jiguang has indeed arrived.

His pale face suddenly lit up with an expression of extreme joy, and he struggled to stand up.

"General! Your humble servant..." Ding Huogen's tears welled up in his eyes.

"Lie down!" Qi Jiguang pressed him down. "You've just woken up, you're weak, you need to rest."

Zhang Cha laughed and said, "Island Lord, rest assured, the Japanese pirates and piracy have been dealt with by the Commander-in-Chief. Matsuura Tadanobu, Tian Guisheng, and Shi Yongzhen have all been executed, and Li Dan has been placed under house arrest."

"We were in a critical moment when the commander arrived... It was the commander who saved us."

He recounted the whole story, and Ding Huogen was at a loss for words.

"My lord... I never imagined that it would be you who saved us again. Your kindness is immeasurable, and we can never repay it in this lifetime..."

"Liyang," Qi Jiguang said with emotion, "we were like father and son back then, you don't need to say such formal things."

He pointed at Zhu Yin and said, "You were wounded by a poisoned arrow, but my adopted son Zhihu saved your life with acupuncture and a precious medicine."

"Without him, I couldn't have saved your life."

Ding Huogen looked at Zhu Yin, clasped his hands in gratitude, and said, "Brother Zhihu, I am deeply grateful and will not say anything more."

Zhu Yin returned the greeting, saying, "No matter how precious the medicine is, it can't compare to Brother Ding's life. What's the point?"

The way everyone looked at Zhu Yin now carried not only gratitude but also a sense of closeness.

This sense of closeness pleased Zhu Yin greatly.

Madam Ding's gaze softened with affection.

Ning Qingchen was speechless, having been tricked again by this cheap brother-in-law, this dog-headed spy.

But he was holding my script.

I am the doctor, and the medicine is mine. This professional honor of saving lives originally belonged to me, Dr. Ning.

So angry.

Zhu Yin knew, of course, why his adoptive father called him Zhihu (智虎).

Zhihu led his adoptive father's old troops and, under the guise of pirates, recaptured Zhoushan.

However, it was Zhu Yin who took the imperial examinations and entered officialdom.

The godfather went to great lengths to do this.

He wanted to both defend Zhoushan with his old troops and recover the coastal territories abandoned by the imperial court using alternative methods.

He also needed to ensure that once he was integrated into the civil service, he could take care of these former subordinates. Even if he couldn't be recruited again in the end, he had to make sure his former subordinates had a way to survive.

In this way, he also had a team at sea, which provided him with military support for smuggling, trading, fighting against Japanese pirates and bandits.

Thus, he had two identities: Zhu Yin, the civil official, and Zhihu, the pirate.

Isn't this dual identity just like Zheng Zhilong's later one?

My adoptive father has realized that with the imperial court relinquishing its maritime power, the only way to "pacify the seas" is through Chinese pirates!
If the imperial court cannot be relied upon, then only Chinese pirates can fill the void left by the court at sea and guard the maritime borders for China. Therefore, this group of Chinese pirates must be controlled and cannot degenerate into true pirates.

My adoptive father is using a flexible approach to build a navy that will fight for China.

His identity is too sensitive, his fame too high, and he's too old, so he can only retreat behind the scenes.

My own child is actually the most suitable candidate.

Throughout the Ming Dynasty, no one knew of a person named "Zhihu".

Indeed, later scholars described his adoptive father as having "extraordinary strategic skills and unconventional methods." This assessment is truly apt.

His innovative methods of military training, creation of new weapons, tactics, and martial arts, his willingness to bribe powerful officials regardless of his reputation, his unscrupulous attempts to curry favor with the wealthy and powerful, and his borrowing money to pay off debts and seizing spoils to repay them all demonstrate his abilities.

My godfather is a ruthless man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals!

They don't stick to old rules and don't play by the rules.

However, his purpose was to protect the country and its people, and to resist Japanese pirates and defend the border. Because it was out of public interest, his "ruthless methods and disregard for reputation" were understood by later generations.

By allowing himself to take control of the Zhoushan pirates in the name of Zhihu, he played an unconventional card!

If it were a civil official, they would never have been able to do it.

At this moment, Ding Huogen looked very ashamed and apologized, saying:
"General, when you were transferred to the north, I fell out with the civil officials of Zhejiang and was bullied by them in every way. I had no choice but to defect to the sea. I am guilty and beg you to punish me according to military law..."

Qi Jiguang sighed, his face, sculpted like axe and knife, was full of the vicissitudes of life and regret.

"Li Yang, I am already aware of the details of this matter."

"After the great victory against the Japanese pirates, the military generals were in high spirits, and the martial spirit gradually rose in the southeast. Martial arts schools became more and more popular, and the military examinations became more and more popular. The civil officials in the court could no longer sit still."

“They look down on us military men, are wary of us military men, and are even more afraid that the world will admire military men. Therefore, they suppress military generals, shut down martial arts schools, abolish the military examination system, deliberately delay military pay, and reduce military funding.”

Qi Jiguang's tone became even colder as he spoke.

“During those days, life was tough for all warriors. The ostracism and bullying you suffered back then were intentional on their part. Now that the Japanese pirates have been pacified, they want to dampen our spirits.”

"That's why I was transferred to the north. Yu Dayou's merits went unrewarded, and many people with outstanding military achievements were not only not promoted but were also dismissed."

"In recent years, I have seen the events of that year more and more clearly, and my heart has grown colder and colder."

“Your defection to the sea must have been out of necessity. How could I bear to blame you? As long as you don’t collude with the Japanese pirates to commit evil on land, that’s fine.”

"It is the imperial court that has wronged you. You have already done more than enough by shedding blood and sweat for the imperial court."

"General..." Ding Huogen's eyes welled with tears, "With such understanding from you, General, I would die without regret..."

"General!" Wang Huaizhen roared, "General, you have fought in the south and north for decades. Your merits deserve to be made into a duke, and even a marquisate would be too much of a disservice. Yet you won't even be given a count!"

"That's not all, they even dismissed the commander-in-chief from his post and stripped him of his military power! How can the people of the world accept this?"

"This damned court, with a foolish emperor and treacherous officials everywhere, why should the commander protect it? Why don't you lead us to occupy the entire Zhoushan and establish ourselves overseas? I bet the incompetent Wanli Emperor and his ministers can only sigh in despair!"

"Yes!" Cao Xin said, "With the commander-in-chief in charge, what do we have to fear from the Japanese pirates and the red-haired devils? We can block up this maritime trade route, collect tolls, and we won't have to worry about not having a way to survive!"

Zhang Cha said, "Alright, the commander-in-chief has just arrived today, and you're already forcing him to become an outlaw? Let's discuss this matter again; the commander-in-chief has his own plans."

Qi Jiguang listened to Wang Huaizhen and Cao Xin's words, but he was not angry at all, and his expression was very calm.

Ding Huogen and Zhang Cha were both secretly pleased to see this.

The commander-in-chief did not get angry. Could it be that he was also disillusioned with the court and was considering abandoning it?
If the commander-in-chief could take the lead again, there would be great potential for maritime endeavors.

Sure enough, as soon as the commander returned, he swiftly and decisively annihilated the formidable enemy on Daishan Island.

But is the commander really willing to take action?

Given the commander's loyalty to the Ming Dynasty, it's probably difficult.

His family is... a family that has enjoyed the finest food for generations!
Qi Jiguang stood up and said, "Li Yang, take good care of yourself. We'll catch up properly in a few days."

"Yes." Ding Huogen obediently lay down. "Thank you for your trouble, Commander."

Qi Jiguang left the ward, and Zhang Cha and others followed him out, directly ushering Qi Jiguang into the council hall and offering him a seat in the commander's seat.

They discussed the matter overnight.

Qi Jiguang naturally sat down in the main seat, with Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei standing on either side of him.

"General, the preliminary results have been tallied," Zhang Cha said, about to state the specific numbers, but Qi Jiguang waved his hand.

"No rush. How many brothers have been killed or wounded? Have the island's inhabitants suffered any losses?"

Zhang Cha was taken aback, then suddenly remembered that after every battle, the commander-in-chief always asked about casualties and losses first, without exception.

After all these years, the General hasn't changed at all.

"Reporting to the commander, the island's inhabitants have all taken refuge in the waterways, and there have been no casualties. Forty soldiers were killed in action, and one hundred and nine were wounded."

"Fortunately, the commander-in-chief arrived in time; otherwise, the casualties would have been much greater."

Qi Jiguang nodded, his expression somewhat somber. "They all have families on the island, right? The relief grain and cloth will be distributed first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yes!" Zhang Cha accepted the order and continued:
"The enemy ships are all sunk, but unfortunately, we didn't capture a single one. We captured six breech-loading cannons and general's cannons, and twenty-four smaller cannons such as tiger-squatting cannons..."

"More than 300 light cotton armor sets, more than 40 heavy cotton armor sets, 7 sets of Ming armor, more than 160 matchlock guns, more than 130 bows, and 60 Japanese swords..."

Qi Jiguang said, "It's a bit of a pity that we didn't capture enough. But, there's more!"

Zhang Jia immediately understood, "Does the commander mean the ship from Peach Blossom Island?"

Qi Jiguang sneered: "Peach Blossom Island was originally a pirate island that colluded with Japanese pirates, and has forgotten its ancestors. I only promised to spare Li Dan's life, but I did not promise to let him continue to be the master of Peach Blossom Island."

"Now that Li Dan is in our hands, his men still think he is our true ally and will not be wary of us."

"You acted overnight, luring all the Peach Blossom Island pirates ashore under the pretense of inviting them for a victory celebration, and then waiting until they were drunk..."

"Tie them all up, confiscate their weapons, and seize their warships and firearms."

Zhang Cha smiled and said, "This humble servant obeys!"

Qi Jiguang added, “You must keep my coming to Zhoushan a secret and not let it reach the ears of the officials on land, otherwise they will surely impeach me.”

"Also, immediately notify the people to go home and prepare to bury the fallen soldiers overnight."

Everyone replied in unison, "We will obey the commander's orders!"

“There is one more thing,” Qi Jiguang said. “Shuangyu Island, under Matsuura Tadanobu, must be empty, but the people who have been trafficked there must be rescued overnight.”

"Zhihu!"

"Here!" Zhu Yin, who knew exactly what was going on, quickly stepped forward.

"Cao Xin!"

“Here!” Cao Xin also stepped forward.

Qi Jiguang said, "Once we've dealt with the pirates on Peach Blossom Island, you two will lead three hundred armored soldiers and two warships to Shuangyu Island tonight and wipe out the Japanese pirates' lair!"

"Yes, sir!" Zhu Yin and Cao Xin accepted the order together.

An hour later, it was midnight.

A warship quietly left Daishan Island and headed southwest under the cover of night.

The team leaders were Zhu Yin and Cao Xin.

……

Shuangyu Island, a Japanese pirate stronghold.

At this time, the water village only had a few dozen people guarding it.

Everyone is eagerly awaiting Matsuura Tadanobu's triumphant return.

Suddenly, two ships appeared in the Japanese pirates' field of vision.

"Lord Zhongxin must have returned victorious!"

"Let's prepare to welcome Lord Chungshin."

Inside the pavilion of the water fortress, the young Cen family girl, whose hands and feet were bound, was blushing.