In the Ming Dynasty, I became invincible simply by extracting memories!

Needless to say, when the group of generals returned to the council hall of the Great City, all eyes turned to Shen Lian as he stepped forward with a bow. Deng Cheng's teacup hovered in mid-air, Tang Kekuan's hand, which was stroking his beard, stopped at his chin, and even Yu Dayou narrowed his eyes slightly. This Imperial Guard had only been in the army for a few days, yet every word he uttered hit the nail on the head. Now that he had taken the initiative to speak, no one dared to treat him lightly.

"Please speak, Mr. Shen." Yu Dayou put down his bamboo cane and gestured for him to continue.

Shen Lian walked to the map, first pointing his finger at the ship-shaped markers at sea, then slowly moving it inland. "Commander Yu, esteemed generals, in my humble opinion, while the current situation appears precarious, there is actually a crucial point that even Wu Ping himself has not noticed."

"What's the key?" Deng Cheng put down his teacup and asked impatiently.

Instead of answering, Shen Lian asked, "Generals, please consider this: Wu Ping controls the seas, and his fleet can come and go freely. Why did he specifically choose to attack Dacheng?"

Tang Kekuan frowned and said, "Dacheng is the gateway to Chaozhou, and its strategic location is naturally due to its military value."

"That's only one reason," Shen Lian shook his head. "General Tang, think about it again—Wu Ping has several thousand men and dozens of ships of various sizes. If he really wanted to attack the city, why didn't he strike directly before our reinforcements arrived? At that time, the city would only have less than four hundred remnants under Gu Cheng's command, which could be taken in one fell swoop. Why did he wait?"

There was a moment of silence in the council chamber.

A glint of light flashed in Yu Dayou's eyes as he slowly said, "He's waiting."

"Exactly." Shen Lian turned to face the crowd. "Wu Ping's true intention is not to capture Dachengsuo, but to use the sea as a means of maneuver to force the Ming army to deploy defenses at multiple points and be forced to divide their forces. The Japanese pirates' ships can come and go freely, and they can choose any point to land and harass us. Today they harass Dachengsuo, tomorrow they attack Zhelinzhai, and the day after they attack Nan'ao—forcing us to set up defenses everywhere, spreading our forces thin, and exhausting ourselves. Once our forces are scattered and worn down, he can concentrate his forces for a decisive blow and sweep us down. This is Wu Ping's real plan."

Deng Cheng slammed his fist on the table, causing the edges of the map to curl up: "That son of a bitch is even more vicious than the Japanese pirates!"

"There's a second layer." Shen Lian's finger continued moving across the map, pointing to the location of Meiling in Zhao'an. "Wu Ping's alliance with the Japanese pirates—do you all think he's genuinely allied with them?"

Tang Kekuan shook his head: "Of course not. Wu Ping, though of humble origins, is quite ambitious. How could he willingly serve under someone else?"

"Exactly," Shen Lian said. "Wu Ping has never been sincere in forming an alliance. He's just using the Japanese pirates as cannon fodder. Look around—those who have landed and set up camp now are only Japanese pirates and some of Wu Ping's miscellaneous troops. Wu Ping's main force, core supplies, and military equipment are all left on the large ships at sea and haven't come ashore easily. He's using the Japanese soldiers as the vanguard while his main force follows to wear us down. Only when the Japanese pirates have nearly defeated us will his main force come up to reap the rewards. If the Japanese pirates are worn down by us, he'll be even happier, as it will be a legitimate excuse to incorporate the remnants and expand his own power."

These words peeled back the layers of Wu Ping's scheme, and the generals in the hall exchanged glances, their expressions turning grave. They had fought against Wu Ping for many years and knew him to be cunning and shrewd, but they had never seen his thoughts analyzed so thoroughly as Shen Lian had.

Yu Dayou gave Shen Lian a deep look, a look that was a reassessment of the young man's worth.

"And what about the third floor?" Yu Dayou asked.

Shen Lian turned and pointed to the location of the Great City: "The third level is precisely the opportunity to break the deadlock right now. Wu Ping has set up such a large formation, but he hasn't attacked the city directly. Why? Because he can't figure out the city's strength. He knows nothing about our reinforcements' strength, deployment, or morale after they entered the city. He's sending scouts, spreading rumors, and launching probing attacks to test our strength. More importantly, he's wary of Commander Yu. This gap in our assessment and wariness is the perfect opportunity for us to strike first and intimidate them."

"How do you take the initiative?" Deng Cheng stood up abruptly, his eyes shining.

Shen Lian said slowly and deliberately, "We launched a surprise attack overnight, heading straight for the Japanese pirate camp outside the city."

The council chamber fell into a sudden, deathly silence.

A moment later, Tang Kekuan suddenly stood up, his expression changing drastically: "The Japanese pirate camp has five hundred men, its fortified camp is well-defended, and its patrols are thorough. Mr. Shen, your plan—"

"That's too risky." Deng Cheng frowned as well. "We can't take all 1,000 of the Yu family's troops in Dacheng with us. At most, we can take 300 elite soldiers. Sending 300 men to attack a camp of 500 men is a night raid, and it's a Pyrrhic victory."

Shen Lian did not rush to refute, but waited for them to finish speaking before calmly saying, "I understand the concerns of you generals. But I would like you to consider two more questions: First, are those five hundred men in the Japanese pirate camp Wu Ping's direct subordinates or Japanese pirate ronin?"

"They are Japanese pirates and ronin," Tang Kekuan replied immediately. "The scouts reported very clearly that Wu Ping's main force is at sea."

"Secondly," Shen Lian continued, "if the Japanese pirate camp were attacked, would Wu Ping send his elite troops ashore to provide relief?"

The hall fell silent once more.

Tang Kekuan slowly sat back down, the anxiety in his eyes gradually turning into a thoughtful glint. Deng Cheng scratched his beard, understanding Shen Lian's meaning.

"No," Yu Dayou said, his voice authoritative and steady. "I have dealt with Wu Ping for many years. He sees the Japanese pirates as pawns and would never sacrifice his own loyal troops for a pawn when the enemy situation is unclear."

"Exactly," Shen Lian said, cupping his hands. "Therefore, I assert that if our army launches a surprise attack on the Japanese pirate camp at night, Wu Ping will simply stand by and watch. The Japanese pirates will be attacked and wounded, but Wu Ping will not send troops to their aid. Instead, he will use this opportunity to weaken their strength. Our army can take advantage of the suspicion and distrust between the Japanese pirates and Wu Ping. Furthermore, if we can kill the Japanese pirates and burn their camp in this battle, we can wash away the previous dejection and low morale of the Great City, and let the defending soldiers see that the Japanese pirates are not invincible."

Yu Dayou pondered intently, his initial cautious observation gradually turning into attentive listening and slight nods, until now, his eyes gleamed with a sharp light. This young man, despite his young age, possessed a profound understanding of military strategy and the intricacies of human nature and the overall war situation. Every word he spoke was not mere theoretical speculation, but rather a clear calculation of Wu Ping's intentions, the strengths and weaknesses of the Japanese pirates, and the merits and demerits of the Ming army.

"This plan is extremely risky," Yu Dayou said slowly. "If it is leaked, Wu Ping's army and the Japanese pirates will attack from two sides, resulting in the annihilation of the entire army. Mr. Shen, are you really willing to lead the team personally?"

Shen Lian clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble general is willing to sign a military pledge."

"Good." Yu Dayou slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "Deng Cheng, listen to my command! Immediately select three hundred elite elite soldiers and prepare gunpowder and firearms. Deng Cheng will be the commander-in-chief, and Shen Lian will be the deputy commander. We will launch a night raid on the Japanese pirate camp outside the city."

Deng Cheng clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble general obeys!"

"Wait a minute."

Everyone turned around and saw Gu Cheng, who had been standing in the corner, step forward. This centurion of the large city garrison had a sallow complexion and sunken eyes, but his steps were unusually firm. He walked to Yu Dayou and knelt on one knee: "Commander Yu, this humble general requests to accompany the army."

Yu Dayou frowned slightly: "Gu Cheng, you have guarded Dacheng for many years, which is not easy. Even if you have not made any great achievements, you have certainly worked hard. Why take this risk?"

"That's why." Gu Cheng raised his head, his eyes reddening. "This humble general has been stationed at Dacheng for many years, but has failed to protect the people of this region. In this chaotic world, the villagers are displaced, and the brothers have either fled or scattered. Commander Wang... he had no choice. Prefect He of Chaozhou said that the overall situation should be prioritized, and that Dacheng was old and dilapidated, with few soldiers and generals, and could not be defended. He transferred Commander Wang to defend Chaozhou Prefecture. Before leaving, Commander Wang told this humble general that he was not afraid of death, but that he could not waste the troops of Chaozhou Prefecture in this city that was bound to fall. He did not expect... he did not expect that Commander Yu would personally lead troops to rescue us, thinking that the court would at most send a detachment to deal with the matter."

Gu Cheng's lips trembled, tears streaming down his face. "If Lord Wang knew that Commander Yu had come in person, he would crawl back even if he had to. Commander Yu... I heard that Mr. Shen used his own money from handling cases to pay the brothers' wages. Only then did I realize that the court still has good generals and loyal ministers. I may not have much skill, but I am familiar with the local terrain and know the deployment of the Japanese pirate camp. Please let me go. I want to kill a few Japanese pirates and avenge the villagers who died under their blades."

Yu Dayou looked at Gu Cheng kneeling on the ground. This was a centurion who had guarded the city for many years and watched helplessly as his soldiers deserted from 1,200 to less than 400. This low-ranking officer, abandoned by his superiors and forgotten by the court, was kneeling there with his back straight.

"Granted." Yu Dayou bent down to help Gu Cheng up, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "You guys, look after each other. I'll be waiting for you to come back from the city wall."

The group gathered around the map and began to discuss the specific details of the surprise attack.

Deng Cheng pointed to the location of the Japanese pirate camp and said, "The Japanese pirate camp is three miles behind the mudflats to the north, backed by a pine forest and facing an open saline-alkali land. The patrols change every half hour, and there are two layers of sentries at the camp gate. Forcing our way in is definitely not an option."

Shen Lian said, "If we can't force our way in, then we'll sneak in."

"How do we get away with this?" Deng Cheng frowned. "Although the Japanese pirates are lax in discipline, they're not blind. A few hundred men sneaking through will be spotted by the patrols halfway there."

Shen Lian pondered for a moment, then his gaze fell on Gu Cheng, and he suddenly asked, "General Gu, are you a local?"

Gu Cheng was taken aback: "This humble general is from Raoping, Chaozhou. I was born and raised here."

"So you can speak the local language? And understand the local customs?"

"Of course I know. I can speak Raoping dialect, Chaozhou dialect, and Hakka dialect." Gu Cheng asked, puzzled, "Why is Mr. Shen asking this?"

Shen Lian turned to Yu Dayou: "General Yu, I have an idea. Since the Japanese pirates are spreading rumors in the coastal villages and towns that their 100,000-strong army is about to land, trying to get the people to surrender, let's play along."

He paused for a moment, then explained his plan in detail: "We will select honest and reliable villagers from the surrounding area, and choose some old, weak, sick, and disabled soldiers from the army to disguise themselves as refugees. Led by General Gu, they will dress up as local gentry, bring wine, meat, local specialties, and of course women, and pretend to come to join the relief army to distract the Japanese army so that the main force can make its way in the shadows."

"And what happens after you enter the camp?" Deng Cheng pressed.

Shen Lian's gaze fell on Yi Dong and Yi Xia, who were standing in the corner of the hall, holding the knife for him. Yi Dong was the first to notice Shen Lian's gaze, paused for a moment, then her expression changed drastically, and she instantly understood what this young master Shen was thinking.

"No." Yi Dong spoke first, her voice as cold as ice. "Young master, you want us sisters to fight on the front lines, even through mountains of knives and seas of fire. But to dress up as women to entertain the troops is absolutely unacceptable."

"That's more dangerous than fighting on the front lines." Shen Lian interrupted her, his gaze serious. "Listen to me. General Gu will disguise himself as a local gentry and lead his men to offer wine and meat. You two will dress up as courtesans accompanying him, heavily made up, and feign seduction. The Japanese pirates will lower their guard at the sight of women. What you need to do is serve the pirate leader drinks by getting close to him. When they are seven or eight tenths drunk, when their guard is at its lowest—"

"Make your move," Yi Xia said, taking over the conversation. She was calmer than Yi Dong, but her eyes were full of resistance. "Young Master, my sisters and I have been learning killing techniques since we were little, not... not that kind of method."

Shen Lian's voice was gentle and expectant: "That's precisely why I'm sending you. Ordinary women, if they entered the Japanese pirate camp, probably wouldn't even be able to stand properly. You have martial arts skills, you can protect yourselves, you can react quickly, and you can take their lives in an instant. No one but you can do this."

Yi Dong bit her lip and turned her face away. Yi Xia was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "We're pretending to be courtesans, so what about you, young master?"

Shen Lian said, "General Deng and I will lead three hundred elite troops and lie in ambush outside the camp. When you give the signal, and chaos erupts in the camp with flames shooting into the sky, we will charge in."

Yi Dong turned to Shen Lian and asked, "What if we hadn't sent the signal?"

Shen Lian met her gaze: "When the appointed time arrives, General Deng and I will rush in to find you."

Yi Dong's eyes reddened slightly, and she quickly lowered her gaze, saying in a low voice, "We'll dress up however you say, young master."

Next came the intensive preparations. Deng Cheng went to select three hundred elite suicide soldiers—his criteria for choosing men were simple: fearlessness, speed, and skill with a knife. Most of these three hundred men were veterans of the Yu family army, having followed Yu Dayou in battles at Wangjiangjing, Cengang, and Zhelin; each bore scars and had a fierce glint in their eyes. Deng Cheng explained tonight's operation to them, and not a single one hesitated; instead, they were all eager to fight. Liu Da was among them—this captain who had charged ahead during the wage protest was now the first to step forward and volunteer: "General Deng, old Liu owes Commander Yu and Mr. Shen a life. Tonight, I will repay that debt."

Gu Cheng went to a nearby village. He found several honest farmers who remained and explained the risks and benefits. Going to the Japanese pirate camp tonight would be life-threatening, but if successful, the city would be safe. Four men stepped forward. One was an old fisherman whose two sons had died when the pirates massacred the village; another was a salt merchant whose livelihood had been cut off by the pirates who had seized his salt boat; the other two were local tenant farmers who had lived there for generations and were unwilling to leave their homes. All four said the same thing: "General Gu, we will go with you."

They changed clothes behind closed doors, one for winter and one for summer. They found two slightly worn silk skirts at the only secondhand clothing shop in the city that was still open, and also obtained rouge and face powder from who-knows-where. Half an hour later, when the door opened, Shen Lian was stunned for a moment.

Yi Dong wore a light red jacket with an apricot-yellow handkerchief tied around her waist. Her long hair was styled in a low bun, with a silver hairpin tucked diagonally into her temple. Her features were already strikingly beautiful, and the makeup accentuated her captivating allure. However, her large strides and stiff waist, resembling a marching step, betrayed her true nature.

Yi Xia wore a light blue jacket, her hair was styled in a low bun, and her makeup was light. She was more slender than Yi Dong, which made her appear more natural in feigning weakness, but the coldness in her eyes was undeniable.

"It's so uncomfortable." Yi Dong gritted her teeth and tugged at her skirt. "Wearing this thing is even more uncomfortable than wearing armor."

Shen Lian suppressed a laugh and said seriously, "Remember, you are courtesans, not female generals. Walk slowly, be flexible, and speak in a coquettish tone. When you see the Japanese pirates, call them 'Sir' in a sweet voice. They will bring Han interpreters. Just stick close to the interpreters and don't speak directly to the Japanese pirates."

Yi Dong's lips twitched. Yi Xia, however, remained calm, simply saying, "Don't worry, young master. We sisters may not be good at acting cute, but we can kill."

As night deepened, the moon hid behind the clouds, leaving the sea shrouded in darkness. In the distance, the campfires of the Japanese pirates flickered like the eyes of a pack of lurking beasts.

As planned, the group split up and quietly made their way to the Japanese pirates' camp.