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Yang Lian overturned the desk to block, and the sword above was unsheathed like a dragon. The sword flashed, and a spark was drawn. The bodies of the three assassins had not yet fallen to the ground, and the remaining four had changed their formations, and the steel knives formed a cold light under the moonlight.

"The Beidou sword formation of the guard post. Humph, what a courage!"

Blood gushed out of the wound on Yang Lian's left shoulder, staining his plain official robe dark red. He suddenly sneered, and swung his imperial sword diagonally upwards, the blade colliding with the first steel knife, and dazzling sparks burst out. The assassin's palm cracked, but he gritted his teeth and changed his move, the blade slid down along the sword body, and cut Yang Lian's wrist directly.

The other three knives attacked from blind spots at the same time. One chopped at the knee, one stabbed at the back, and the last one flew out of his hand and went straight for the throat!
Yang Lian leaned back suddenly, the flying knife brushed past his nose, bringing up a few strands of broken hair. He twisted his heel, and the sword drew a half cold moon. With a "clang" sound, the steel knife that attacked from behind broke.

The Broken Blade Assassin cried out in surprise, but before he could finish his words, Yang Lian's sword had already pierced his throat. But the blade flashed from the left, leaving a bloody wound on his waist.

Yang Lian groaned, but his sword became even more powerful. With a move called "Jade Belt Around the Waist", his sword slashed against the back of the attacker's knife, cutting off three of his fingers.

The dust on the beams suddenly fell down.

Yang Lian saw the tiles above his head tremble slightly, and knew something was wrong. Just as the four knives were about to close in, he kicked over the desk. The heavy rosewood chopping board stood up with a bang, and ink and memorials splashed everywhere.

"boom--"

A black shadow broke through the roof and rubble fell like raindrops. Ren Woxing's black robe fluttered, and his palms pressed down on the four assassins' heads slowly but quickly.

The assassin in front was about to raise his knife to block, but he saw that the palm suddenly turned a strange blue-gray color, and a hint of coldness seeped out of the fingertips.

"Crack!"

The teeth-grinding sounds of bones cracking rang out one after another.

The first assassin's head was shrunk into his chest, the second's spine was bent into an arch, and the third's limbs were twisted in opposite directions. The last assassin turned around and tried to escape, but was grabbed by Ren Woxing and flew back like a puppet.

"Star Absorbing Technique?!"

Yang Lian's pupils suddenly shrank.

Ren Woxing's palm suddenly caved in, forming two terrifying whirlpools. The assassin twitched violently in midair, his skin shrank and withered at a speed visible to the naked eye, and finally turned into a skeleton covered with human skin.

Ren Woxing flicked his sleeves to shake off the wood chips, stepped on the still twitching corpse with his boots, turned his head to look at Yang Lian, and raised the corners of his mouth:
"Master Yang is frightened."

"Kill!!"

The shouting and screaming outside the yard suddenly approached.

Ren Woxing's ears moved slightly, and his black robe fluttered without wind. Yang Lian endured the pain and held the sword to his chest, but saw a hole exploded in the east wall. Amid the flying rubble, twenty crossbowmen filed in, wearing cowhide combat boots, with standard quivers hanging from their waists, holding crossbows in uniform postures, clearly elite soldiers who had been trained for years.

Liu Bojing stepped on the rubble and entered the inner room, his right hand on the hilt of the knife, his left hand holding a bloody head. Yang Lian recognized that it was the captain of the Jinyiwei on duty tonight.

"Lord Yang is meeting with the Demon Cult at night..."

Liu Bojing suddenly froze all over, staring at the bronze plate that Ren Woxing was shaking at his fingertips - the six small characters engraved in the center of the coiled dragon pattern, "Imperial Envoy to Command the Eastern Depot", were particularly eye-catching in the blood.

"hehe…"

Ren Woxing smiled sinisterly and walked forward slowly.

"Prefect Liu is so bold that he even dares to touch the imperial envoy?"

"This... this is a misunderstanding... Your humble servant... Your humble servant..."

Liu Bojing's Adam's apple rolled and cold sweat flowed down his temples.

The servants behind him suddenly attacked, and three swords slashed at Ren Woxing's back at the same time.

"puff!"

Ren Woxing waved his hand back without even turning his head.

"Ah ah ah..."

The three servants seemed to have hit an invisible wall. Their chests collapsed and the blood mist that sprayed out condensed into strange blood beads in the air, which were actually inhaled by Ren Woxing!
Yang Lian suppressed his nausea, and the tip of his sword trembled slightly. Liu Bojing's trouser legs were suddenly soaked, and the stench mixed with the smell of blood filled the room.

"Take it down."

Ren Woxing shook off the limp Liu Bojing, turned to Yang Lian and showed him his white teeth: "Master Yang, the fun has just begun."

...............

East of Hangzhou City, 3:15 am.

The sky was covered with lead-gray clouds, and the damp air, wrapped in the smell of the river, seeped into the cracks in the bricks of the city wall. A layer of bluish-white mist floated on the surface of the canal, and the branches of the weeping willows hung down to the water, and the dewdrops on them fell into the river from time to time, causing tiny ripples.

There were seven black-sailed boats parked on the shore, their tarpaulins covered with water droplets. The extinguished lanterns on the bow were hanging crookedly, with dark red stains on the lantern covers and intermittent blue smoke coming out of a few burnt wicks.

“Knock-knock-knock-…”

The sound of horse hooves came from far away, breaking up the water on the bluestone slabs. The black warhorse of Duke of England Zhang Weixian suddenly stopped at the dock, and the water splashed by the iron hooves splashed on the moss on the shore.

He was wearing heavy black iron armor, with oil-soaked linen wrapped around the seams of the armor, and the sharkskin scabbard of the imperial golden knife on his waist was shining coldly. He held the reins in his left hand, and his right hand was on the hilt of the knife, his thumb unconsciously stroking the Taotie pattern on the hilt of the knife.

"My Lord, the spy has reported."

Deputy General Chen Yuan stepped forward quickly, the quiver on his waist making a metallic clanking sound. The hem of his chain mail was still dripping with water, and he had obviously just returned from the wetlands: "Twelve Japanese pirate warships, carrying three hundred dead soldiers, are hiding in the reed marsh three miles away. They are also accompanied by private soldiers from local clans, flying the banner of the Cao Gang."

Zhang Weixian's Adam's apple moved slightly, and his eyes swept across the swirling fog at the bend of the river. The old scar on his left eyebrow bulged slightly as he frowned, casting a long shadow in the morning light.

The warhorse suddenly neighed and pawed the ground with its front hooves. He reached out and pressed the horse's neck, feeling a slight tremor in his palm.

"Today, no one will be left alive!"

The three hundred soldiers of the Firearms Battalion moved silently. The bird gunners untied the cowhide gunpowder bags and passed the fuse through the gun clamps. Their movements were skillful but slow. The humid air slowed down the burning speed of the fuse, so they had to light it in advance.

Twenty Portuguese cannons were pushed onto a makeshift earthen platform. The gunners used bamboo cleaning rods to clean the barrels. Tung oil soaked in rags dripped onto the ground and quickly seeped into the cracks between the bricks.

"Check the fire door."

Zhang Weixian rode his horse through the formation, speaking in a low voice.

Hearing the sound, the soldiers lowered their heads and checked whether the ignition hole at the tail of the gun barrel was blocked.

Zhang Weixian stopped in front of a new recruit, whose fuse was swaying in the wind and whose hands were shaking uncontrollably.

"Take a deep breath."

He reached out to steady the recruit's gun: "Look into my eyes, the pirates are not supernatural beings."

"Yes! Your lord!"

The recruit's Adam's apple rolled and he nodded vigorously. When the matchlock burned the medicine pool, the sparks fell on the back of his hand, burning it. In the distance, the sound of oars breaking water came. Dark shadows emerged from the mist. Twelve warships were sailing side by side. On the bow stood Japanese pirates wearing deer horn helmets, with Japanese swords wrapped in red silk at their waists. Round shields were hung on both sides of the ship, with skulls painted on the shields. On the civilian ships behind, dozens of strong men held hook-and-sickle spears, and the sails were embroidered with the dragon heads of the Cao Gang.

Yin Shi.

In the reed marshes of the canal tributaries, dew condensed on the tips of leaves. The skull and crossbones flags hung on the bows of the Japanese pirate warships drooped, becoming heavy due to the water vapor.

The leading Japanese soldier in red armor, Takenaka Yoshiyasu, raised his hand and pressed the Kiku-ichimonji sword at his waist, and the shark skin rope knot wrapped around the hilt of the sword slid between his fingers.

"It's too quiet."

Takenaka Yoshiyasu suddenly warned in a low voice in Japanese, and the old wound on his Adam's apple rose and fell with his voice. The twenty Japanese pirates behind him pressed down the hilts of their swords at the same time. On the civilian ship on the left, Wang Jiu, the second in command of the Cao Gang, clenched his hook-sickle spear with his nine fingers, and the iron finger guard collided with the spear shaft, making a dull sound.

"Shh! Shhh~~"

The sharp sound of a copper whistle pierced the morning mist.

At the moment when Takenaka Yoshiyasu's pupils suddenly shrank, the crackling sound of burning tinder came from deep in the reed marsh.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The first row of musket fire ripped through the thick fog, and the sound of lead bullets breaking through the air was like hundreds of iron nails hitting iron plates at the same time. The Japanese pirates in the front row were knocked over with their shields, and the iron nails on the edges of their shields pierced deeply into the calves of their companions behind them.

Suddenly, screams spread everywhere.

Yoshiyasu Takenaka instinctively raised his sword to block, the blade collided with the lead bullet, sparks flew, and his knuckles became numb from the shock.

"Baga! Get out of the boat!"

Yoshiyasu Takenaka roared and retreated back to the cabin. Before he finished speaking, the second wave of bird gun fire rang out.

"Bang bang bang!!"

The awning of the civilian ship on the right suddenly exploded, and two Cao Gang members were pierced through the abdomen by lead bullets, with their intestines dragging on the deck.

"boom--"

The roar of the Portuguese cannon was heard immediately, and the first shell landed in the center of the fleet. Wood chips mixed with minced meat flew into the sky, dyeing half of the sail red.

Yoshiyasu Takenaka's eyes were red with anger. He kicked open the hatch and jumped onto the deck. He saw that the mast of his warship had been cut off by a cannonball, and smoke was still coming out of the broken part. He drew out his sword and cut off the arrows flying towards him. The tip of the sword deflected a Ming soldier who was aiming his gun.

When the third Portuguese cannonball flew past the side of the ship, he finally saw the densely packed soldiers of the firearms battalion on the river bank - the musketeers were loading gunpowder, and the fuse burned extremely slowly in the humid air.

The moment Takenaka Yoshiyasu's sword cut the ship's cable, the broken fibers of the cable shot out like arrows and pierced into the neck of the Japanese pirate behind him.

"Spread out and go ashore!"

The roar shook the boat planks, the muscles under the red armor were tensed due to the force, and the sweat seeping out from the gaps between the armor plates was mixed with the smell of gunpowder. More than a dozen Japanese pirates jumped into the river, stepping on the floating corpses. The muddy river water flooded over their waists, and the splashes caused by the Japanese swords when they entered the water were mixed with minced meat.

The reeds on the riverbank suddenly shook violently, and three hundred sword and shield soldiers broke through the grass. The Ming soldiers in the front row knocked their shields against the bluestone with a dull sound, and the sabers in the back row were raised high above their heads.

"kill!"

With a roar, the blade slashed towards the pirates with the sound of wind. One pirate raised his ribs to block, and at the moment when sparks flew, the hook-and-sickle spear suddenly appeared from under the shield, hooked his ankle and pulled violently. The pirate fell backwards, and the back of his head hit the stone slab heavily. Before he could stand up, the saber had already slashed into his chest.

The moment Wang Erzhu's hook-and-sickle spear wrapped around the Japanese pirate's neck, he felt the iron hook piercing his flesh from his palm. The Japanese pirate swung his knife backhand, and the sharp blade cut off his little finger. The severed finger fell into the mud, and the severe pain made Wang Erzhu's eyes explode with white light. He roared and used his broken arm to press down the opponent's wrist holding the knife, and his knee slammed into the Japanese pirate's elbow. With the crisp sound of dislocated joints, the Japanese pirate screamed and let go of the knife handle. Wang Erzhu grabbed the Japanese knife, stabbed it into the opponent's abdomen with his backhand, and his intestines slid down the blade to the ground.

Yoshiyasu Takenaka rushed to the river bank, stepping on the bodies of his companions, with waterweed still hanging on his red armor. His sword split the Ming army's shields, and sawdust flew everywhere. Suddenly, he felt a burning pain on his back. When he turned around, he saw smoke coming out of the short gun in Zhang Weixian's hand.

The lead bullet flew past the shoulder blade, leaving a charred dent on the red armor in an instant. The smell of burnt skin mixed with the smell of blood penetrated into the nostrils.

"idiot!"

Takenaka Yoshiyasu roared and rushed forward, the arc drawn by the sword made a sound of breaking through the air. Zhang Weixian swung his sword sideways to block, the two blades collided, and Zhang Weixian suddenly threw out the iron chain, and the iron hook accurately wrapped around Takenaka Yoshiyasu's ankle.

The moment Takenaka Yoshiyasu staggered to his knees, the golden sword had already pierced his right shoulder, and blood flowed out along the blade. He knelt on one knee with all his strength, and swung the sword at Zhang Weixian with his last bit of strength.

The Duke dodged sideways, and the golden sword swept across, and the sharp blade easily cut off the neck. Takenaka Yoshiyasu's head rolled to the ground, his eyes staring at the Kikuichimonji sword stuck in the mud, with a ferocious look still on the corner of his mouth.

Seeing their leader dead, the remaining bandits screamed and fled in all directions.

When they retreated to the riverside, they suddenly saw dense bamboo chevaux de frise erected in the reed marsh.

The musketeers poured the shotgun shells into the gun barrels. At the moment when the fuse was close to the medicine pool, a Japanese pirate tried to charge with his shield raised.

"Bang bang bang!"

Lead sand spurted out, and the shield was instantly riddled with holes. The Japanese pirate's face was covered in blood, and his teeth and broken bones splattered on his companion's face.

"My lord, be careful!"

With a cry of surprise, a blood-soaked Japanese pirate rushed over, wielding a naginata.

Before Zhang Weixian turned around, three crossbow arrows had already broken through the air, two of which pierced the pirate's shoulders and one pierced his knee. The pirate fell to his knees, but still crawled on his injured leg, his bloody nails scratching five deep marks on the bluestone slab.

Zhang Weixian walked forward slowly, and the moment the golden knife fell, a column of blood splattered on the black cloak, spreading dark red flowers on the fabric.

As the last few Japanese pirates jumped into the river, countless bamboo spears suddenly emerged from the water. The soldiers of the Water Ghost Camp emerged from the depths of the reeds, their oiled cowhide armor shining black in the sun.

A Japanese pirate grabbed a bamboo spear and tried to turn over, but the Ming army underwater grabbed his ankle tightly. He thrashed and struggled on the water, bubbles constantly coming out, until he finally sank to the bottom of the river, leaving only trails of blood spreading on the turbid water.

The thick fog gradually dispersed.

Dark red blood clotted on Zhang Weixian's golden knife, and the blood dripping from the tip of the knife seeped into the cracks in the blue bricks. The bodies of Japanese pirates and dead soldiers were lying in all directions on the river bank, some still holding their knives, and some with half of their bodies soaked in the river water.

Chen Yuan wrapped his severed finger with a cloth strip and was checking the prisoners' badges. His expression became more gloomy every time he turned over a badge.

"My Lord, I have twelve tokens of the Cao Gang and nine wax seals of the Wangzhi Chamber of Commerce."

Chen Yuan came over holding a blood-stained cloth bag, with dirty water still dripping from the bag: "Seventeen people are alive, three of them are Japanese interpreters."

Zhang Weixian bent down to pick up the half-broken deer-horn helmet of the Japanese pirates, and rubbed the cherry blossom pattern on the top of the helmet with his fingertips. Broken ship planks were floating on the surface of the canal, and the sound of the gong for the opening of the market in Hangzhou City came from afar.

"Pass the order,"

The golden sword was sheathed, and the friction sound of the chain mail was crisp and piercing: "All ships are taken to the military port for inspection, and the living ones are interrogated overnight. In addition..."

Zhang Weixian stared at the looming city tower in the distance, and the scar on his left eyebrow twitched slightly: "Send someone to keep an eye on the Lu family dock. I want to know the entry and exit records of their warehouse before midnight."

The morning breeze blew across the battlefield, picking up a few wisps of unburned fire. The dark red sparks fell on the wide-open pupils of a Japanese pirate's corpse and gradually went out.

(End of this chapter)