The Imperial Guards, like Yama, slaughtered until the Empress cried out for help.

Two days later, the Zhenfu Division.

Shen Qing lay under the sycamore tree in the courtyard. It was already winter, and the courtyard was full of fallen leaves. The antique decorations around them created a unique atmosphere.

The scholar walked in carrying a porcelain bowl: "Boss, I've found something delicious again."

Shen Qing slowly opened her eyes as she lay on the recliner: "Oh? You found it again?"

The scholar placed the porcelain bowl on the table and lifted the lid of the dish: "Hehe, ginger duck."

A fragrant aroma wafted over, and Shen Qing sat up: "Ginger duck? I really have to try it."

Shen Qing picked up her chopsticks and put a piece in her mouth. It had a slightly spicy taste, a sweet wine flavor, and a warming sensation in her stomach. This was the perfect food for the cold weather.

The scholar, standing to the side, quickly took out his booklet and noted down ginger duck in the column where Shen Qing liked to eat.

At a glance, I can see that I have already written down hundreds of dishes.

While eating, Shen Qing asked, "How's it going outside these past two days? How's the interrogation of those Japanese pirates going?"

The scholar closed the booklet: "The Japanese pirates' story is still being investigated. These past two days, those centurions have been acting like madmen, they haven't slept a wink."

"Judging from this situation, I feel that it won't be long before the interrogation is over."

Immediately afterwards, the scholar chuckled.

"The outside world is where things get interesting."

"Boss, your move of making an example of them has really scared them."

"I heard that the families in the city, which are similar to the Yuan family, have opened their granaries to distribute grain. The refugees outside the city are really enjoying the blessings of the adults."

"Those martial arts sects are even more outrageous; they've all started searching for Japanese pirates in the city on their own initiative."

"And your reputation as the 'Salvator Yama' has also spread throughout Beiyun City."

Shen Qing nodded in satisfaction. The principle of "pacifying the internal before resisting the external" remains unchanged throughout history.

The biggest enemy of Jiashui County is still the Japanese pirates, and Shen Qing doesn't want his backyard to be on fire while he's fighting outside.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. Old Li rushed into the courtyard, his face full of excitement, and he was holding a token in his hand.

"Boss, there might be a big discovery among the Japanese pirates. Take a look at this."

As he spoke, Old Li handed over the token. Shen Qing took it and saw that it was a silver token with a black snake drawn on it.

"What is this?"

Old Li quickly explained, "Commander Xu said it seems to be a token from an army of Japanese pirates. People with such tokens in the Japanese pirates are all of high status."

Shen Qing chuckled, stuffed the last piece of ginger duck in the bowl into his mouth, and then stood up.

"Let's go take a look."

Soon, Shen Qing arrived at the prison.

Upon entering the prison, they saw Zhang Shan and Xu Dashan fighting Japanese pirates.

Zhang Shan, his face dark, slapped the Japanese pirate across the face.

"Will you tell or not?"

The Japanese pirate hissed, "Baka!"

"Hey!" Zhang Shan turned to look at Xu Dashan: "Xu Dashan, he's insulting us."

Xu Dashan grabbed the Japanese pirate by the neck: "Say that again?"

As he spoke, he landed several hook punches on the Japanese pirate's abdomen.

The Japanese pirates were convulsing, spitting out saliva, and muttering repeatedly, "Yamete, Yamete."

Xu Dashan grabbed the Japanese pirate by the collar and lifted him up, yelling, "What do you mean, 'ya'? I'll show you!"

A tear welled up in the eye of the Japanese pirate, who shouted in broken Wu Chao dialect, "Keep asking me if I'll tell you or not."

"What do you want me to say? Just ask!"

Xu Dashan paused for a moment, then turned to look at Zhang Shan: "Didn't you ask?"

Zhang Shan shrugged.

"I thought you asked."

Just then, Shen Qing walked up behind them: "Are you two playing around?"

Zhang Shan scratched his head and chuckled.

Shen Qing directly held the token in front of the Japanese pirates: "Which army does this token belong to?"

The Japanese pirate swallowed hard: "It's...the Black Serpent Army."

The two men exchanged a glance. Black Serpent Army?

Shen Qing continued, "What is your rank in the Black Serpent Army?"

"No... I don't hold any official rank, I'm just a lowly soldier..."

Shen Qing waved his hand: "Old Li."

Old Li immediately understood and came over with a small knife. Zhang Shan and Xu Dashan immediately understood and lifted up the Japanese pirate's clothes.

While the Embroidered Uniform Guards might not be as coordinated in other matters, their coordination in matters of torture is so perfect that they seem to have been born of the same mother.

The Japanese pirates panicked immediately, shouting in terror, "I'll talk, I'll talk! I have an official position! I'll talk! No!"

But since Shen Qing didn't speak, Old Li and the others naturally didn't stop.

Old Li used a knife to cut a gash in the waist of the Japanese pirate, then grabbed the skin and pulled it off forcefully.

A sound of flesh being torn apart.

The Japanese pirates were literally skinned alive.

The intense pain pierced the minds of the Japanese pirates, but the pain was so intense that they could not even cry out.

The Japanese pirates' mouths gaped wide open. Shen Qing waved his hand, and the group retreated.

"What is your rank in the Black Serpent Army?"

The Japanese pirate trembled as he said, "Ashigaru general... ashigaru general."

In the Japanese pirates' army, the position of foot soldier commander was equivalent to that of a centurion, who managed a force of about a hundred men.

What brings you to Beiyun City?

"To gather information."

"So where is your Black Serpent Army now?"

The Japanese pirates paused for a moment, but only for a fleeting instant. Old Li, carrying a small knife, returned, and the pirates hurriedly shouted, "In Wangyue Valley! Wangyue Valley!"

Zhang Shan and Xu Dashan exchanged a glance, and the scholar immediately took out a map of Jiashui County that he carried with him and began to search.

He quickly found the location of Wangyue Valley, and his expression changed drastically.

"Boss! Come quick! This Moon Gazing Valley is in the wrong place! It's not far from our Beiyun City!"

Shen Qing glanced at it and saw that Wangyue Valley was only a hundred miles away from Luoshui City, which was already considered very close.

Xu Dashan's face darkened instantly, his eyes blazing with anger, and he pinched the bloody wound on the Japanese pirate's waist with his right hand.

"What are you Black Serpent Army doing here? How did you sneak in?! Speak!!!"

The Japanese pirates screamed in pain.

"I'll tell you! We've received news that the Beihe Army has suffered heavy losses and retreated to Maple Leaf Mountain. If the Beihe Army isn't wiped out, it will be a major threat to us. So we plan to launch a surprise attack at sunrise tomorrow and wipe out the Beihe Army."

The scholar quickly located Maple Leaf Mountain: "Boss, Maple Leaf Mountain is indeed nearby, only about thirty miles from Moon Gazing Valley."

Shen Qing pondered the files he had been reading over the past few days. He would also send a copy of the battle reports from the front lines to the Zhenfu Division. Shen Qing was aware of the news that the Beihe Army had suffered heavy losses. After continuous fighting, the army of five thousand men had been reduced to less than two thousand men, so they had retreated to the rear.

Shen Qing chuckled: "They really know how to pick their timing. The Beihe Army just finished fighting and retreated to Red Maple Mountain only three days ago."

"We've only just begun to rest, the wounded haven't fully recovered, and our military equipment is completely depleted and hasn't been replenished yet. We're at our weakest point."

"If the Japanese Black Serpent Army is also a complete unit, with five thousand against two thousand, then the Northern River Army is truly in grave danger."

The scholar looked somewhat worried: "Boss, what should we do?"

"Gather together, let's go to Maple Leaf Mountain."

The scholar swallowed hard, clenched his fist, and sweat beaded on his skin. "Boss, are we going to attack the army? That's a full five thousand men."

Shen Qing laughed, a wild and unrestrained laugh.

"So what if there are five thousand people?"

Five thousand people, that's quite a big order!