Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

The next evening, Han Zhong hurriedly led his men to the county government office to meet Yang Ling. Han Zhong was already 40 years old this year, with a rough and sturdy appearance, thick eyebrows, big eyes, and upturned noses. He looked like a sturdy warrior and was obviously not a good person.

"Your Highness," Han Zhong clasped his fists and bowed, with a look of doubt in his eyes, because he had never seen Yang Ling and had no idea about his background.

Yang Ling asked with a smile: "Commander Han, are you from Jiangyin?"

Han Zhong nodded and said, "I am from Jiangyin."

"Well, Jiangbei is densely forested and has many strongholds. How can you be sure that your stronghold was built by this group of bandits who roamed here?"

Han Zhong said: "Your Excellency, you may not know that this group of bandits is the largest refugee group north of the Yellow River in Hebei. Every time they capture a county town, they always flee after looting. This time they raided the mountain stronghold again. I guess this group of bandits is hiding in a nearby mountain."

Yang Ling nodded slightly and said, "Commander Han's analysis makes some sense. I asked you to come here this time because I want you to help eliminate this group of roving bandits. I wonder if you are willing to do so?"

"I am willing. Your Excellency just need to give the order, and I will go through fire and water without hesitation!" Han Zhong answered without hesitation.

Yang Ling secretly praised this fellow as a real man, and asked with a smile: "Well, I will directly issue an order to wipe out all the bandits in the village. How do you plan to act?"

Han Zhong said: "Reporting to the Lord, I have organized people to search the nearby mountains and forests to find the dens where the bandits are hiding."

Yang Ling nodded with satisfaction and said, "Well, since Commander Han has already made arrangements, I feel more at ease."

"I will arrange it right away."

After Han Zhong finished speaking, he hurriedly left the room. Looking at Han Zhong's receding back, Yang Ling's mouth curled up in a cunning smile.

"Hehe, I just want to force the Japanese pirates out." Yang Ling snorted coldly.

The reason why the Japanese pirates were able to wreak havoc on the island for so long was that they were elusive and came and went without a trace. As long as the Japanese pirates did not show up, no matter how hard the government and the rebels searched for them, it would be in vain.

Although Yang Ling knew the location of the Japanese pirates' lair, he was unable to do anything about them. After all, the pirates were too secretive and had launched surprise attacks on the stronghold several times in a row, but were eventually destroyed by the government and the rebel army, and he gained nothing.

But now the situation has changed. Since the Japanese pirates chose to set up a base in Jiangyin, it means that they have a stronghold here. Yang Ling decided to take advantage of this favorable situation to lure out the Japanese pirates and destroy them.

Yang Ling acted as he thought and immediately called everyone together to discuss how to suppress the bandits. They eventually decided to divide the group into three groups.

Yang Ling personally led three cavalry patrols to pursue the pirates in three directions: east, west and south. Yang Ling personally led 800 elite cavalry to search along the edge of Poyang Lake to prevent the pirates from escaping from Poyang Lake. Other units acted according to the plan, and the main force was still gathered outside the mountain stronghold, ready to attack or intercept at any time to ensure the success of the suppression of the pirates.

That night, Yang Ling personally led 800 elite cavalrymen, hiding during the day and moving out at night, following the sound of water and birds singing, and soon found the hiding place of the Japanese pirates.

Poyang Lake sparkles in the night, with water vapor filling the air and the moon shining brightly. Against the backdrop of the moon, Poyang Lake seems to be covered with a silver-gray gauze.

Eight hundred elite soldiers quietly crossed the bushes on the shore and advanced slowly under the cover of night, only stopping to lie in ambush when they approached the target location.

Yang Ling took out a tinder, lit it, held the oil lamp high, and looked at the environment in front of him by the light of the flame.

The terrain here is quite complex, with hills, canyons, and gullies densely packed together. If it were a plain area, one would definitely get lost. Fortunately, the mountains here are relatively gentle slopes, so the field of vision is relatively wide, enough for 800 elite soldiers to search and scout the enemy.

After carefully observing the terrain, Yang Ling quickly determined that this should be the hiding place of the Japanese pirates. However, the distance was a bit far, about thirty steps away. Yang Ling couldn't help but frown. If he continued to search blindly like this, the efficiency would definitely be low.

When Yang Ling was deep in thought, he suddenly heard a splash of someone falling into the water. Yang Ling turned his head and saw Li Fucai jumping into the water and then jumping onto the shore.

"Sir, we found the hiding place of that gang of bandits!" Li Fucai said excitedly.

Yang Ling said happily: "Take me to have a look."

Li Fucai immediately led the way, and Yang Ling and others followed Li Fucai to the lake.

The group walked around the reeds by the lake and soon saw many tents built by the pond not far ahead.

"Sir, that group of bandits set up camp by the pond, probably to prevent the government troops from encircling and suppressing them. What should we do now? Should we sneak in at night and kill them?"

Yang Ling shook his head and said, "No, let the brothers stay on guard and we will take action after daybreak."

Li Fucai was surprised when he heard this and said, "But sir, you absolutely cannot do that. That gang of bandits is extremely fierce. If we rush in like this, it will be easy for us to be wiped out. Please think twice."

Yang Ling waved his hand and said, "No problem, I will make my own arrangements."

Li Fucai could not help but smile bitterly. He knew the temper of the new commander, who was even more stubborn than a stone in a toilet. So he had to follow the order and retreat, and arranged for his men to guard the surrounding area.

Yang Ling stood by the reed marsh and observed for a while. Seeing that there was nothing unusual, he returned to the cabin to rest.

As the night deepened, the lake became calm. Occasionally, huge waves in the center of the lake rolled up, hitting the shore and splashing water.

Yang Ling tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. He would sit up from time to time to stretch his waist and muscles.

"Ouch!" Suddenly, Liu Jinding's scream was heard from outside.

"Manager Liu, what's the matter?" Yang Ling immediately got out of bed, pushed the door open and ran to the deck.

Liu Jinding was seen squatting on the ground with his hands covering his buttocks, his face flushed red.

"It hurts so much. I accidentally touched the wound on my butt. It hurts so much!" Liu Jinding shouted with gritted teeth.

Yang Ling couldn't help but laugh and cry when he saw this: "Aren't you injured? Your wound hasn't healed yet, yet you're jumping around. Hurry up and apply some medicine and bandage it."

As Yang Ling spoke, he pulled up Liu Jinding and dragged him into the cabin, then helped find a medical kit and removed the bandages for him.

Liu Jinding's buttocks were wrapped in thick white gauze, and blood seeped through the gauze, staining it red. Yang Ling couldn't help but frown. The drugstore owners he knew were all big and strong men, not as delicate as Liu Jinding, whose skin was so tender that water could be squeezed out.

Yang Ling took out the anti-inflammatory ointment, tore off the gauze, and gently applied it to the wound. The ointment melted when it came into contact with heat, and the wound instantly felt cool and comfortable. It turned out to be icy, no wonder it was so refreshing, not as pungent as the smell of soju.

The ointment was quickly absorbed, and the wound was almost healed, so Yang Ling let go of his hand.

Liu Jinding raised his buttocks and looked at the wound. He found that the blood had indeed stopped flowing. He heaved a long sigh and said to Yang Ling embarrassedly, "I am really sorry to trouble you to treat my wound. This dinner tonight is on my table."

Yang Ling waved his hand and smiled, "Why are you being so polite, Manager Liu? You are so young and you have already become a thousand households. Your future is limitless. You owe me the money for the wine, and I will naturally ask for it in the future." "Thank you for the compliment, sir!" When Liu Jinding heard that Yang Ling not only did not blame him but also praised him, he couldn't help but be ecstatic, and the expression on his face became even more respectful.

While the two were talking, Li Fucai hurried back to report: "My lord, I have found out that the pirates are indeed living in a nearby mountain stronghold. I found several temporary wooden houses near the lake, but the pirates have already gone to bed and will probably not wake up until midnight. Should we take action now?"

Yang Ling's eyes turned slightly, and he asked thoughtfully: "How many Japanese pirates are there?"

Li Fucai replied, "The exact number is unknown, but there are at least more than 20 people. It's probably because they were attacked by soldiers last night and they evacuated early. Otherwise, there would definitely be more than this number of people. I estimate that there are at least 40 to 50 people."

Yang Ling thought to himself: "It seems that these pirates are not ordinary bandits, but well-trained armed personnel."

Thinking of this, Yang Ling couldn't help but reveal a solemn expression. Since this group of Japanese pirates dared to rob the imperial prisoners, they were obviously not good people. They must be eliminated as soon as possible, otherwise it would cause big trouble.

Thinking of this, Yang Ling made a prompt decision and ordered: "Lieutenant General Li, you immediately send out scouts to the nearby villages to gather information. Liu Jinding, you are responsible for gathering the brothers to ambush nearby. When we take action later, you will be responsible for responding."

"Yes!" Everyone agreed and each performed their duties.

It was late at night, the wind was cold, and the lake was calm. Yang Ling and his soldiers hid in the reeds and waited for dawn.

Before the morning of the next day, Yang Ling led his team to the small island in the northwest corner of the lake.

Yang Ling, along with several personal guards, quietly boarded the island.

The island is not very big, with only three or four mu of farmland, surrounded by lush bamboo forests. There is a river winding down the east side of the island.

Yang Ling and his men set up a sentry post in a hidden place on the west side of the island to prevent the enemy from attacking in the middle of the night. Then they quietly waited for dawn under the shade of the trees.

Although Yang Ling had no experience, he judged from his rich experience that the enemy would definitely send out patrols after dawn, so he needed to wait patiently and try to resolve the battle before dawn.

Time flies, and soon the sun rises to mid-sky.

As the morning light begins to rise, the lake surface shimmers with light, as if covered with a thin coat of scales. The mist on the lake surface also slowly dissipates, revealing the beautiful scenery of the clear blue water and the waves.

Yang Ling and his soldiers hid in the dense bushes, patiently waiting for the prey to take the bait. Soon, they heard footsteps. Yang Ling immediately held his breath and listened attentively.

Soon, more than a dozen Japanese pirates emerged from the reeds on the west side and walked slowly south along the river bank.

Although the number of Japanese pirates was small, they were all strong and muscular, as tall and strong as iron towers. They were obviously elite soldiers who had fought in many battles. They carried Japanese swords, long bows and arrows on their backs, and horizontal swords on their waists, obviously planning to go out hunting.

Yang Ling saw the equipment of these people and could not help but secretly gasp: Damn, these bastards are really ruthless, they are equipped with such complete equipment, even matchlock crossbows. Fortunately, I organized people to build fortifications in time, otherwise it would be dangerous today.

However, Yang Ling still did not dare to neglect it. After all, he was fighting alone, and if he made a mistake, he might be doomed. Yang Ling immediately ordered: "Manager Liu, you take three people to follow these pirates, and the others are ready. As soon as the pirates step into the range, shoot them."

"As ordered!"

Liu Jinding led three Jinyiwei and quickly caught up with them, sticking close to the shore.

Yang Ling then whispered to Li Fucai: "Fucai, order your men to set up the artillery positions immediately and be ready to fire at any time. Remember to aim at those pirates."

Li Fucai stood at attention and agreed, then turned and left.

Yang Ling led the remaining soldiers to retreat into the bushes, waiting for the Japanese pirates to approach. If the Japanese pirates dared to cross the line, he would ensure that they would never return.

After about a cup of tea, the Japanese pirates finally arrived at the designated location. They pulled the bowstrings to their full extent, put on feather arrows, then slowly squatted down and began to observe with telescopes.

Yang Ling knew that the Japanese pirates were looking for a suitable ambush location, so he did not rush them and waited patiently for them to find the best ambush spot.

After observing on the shore for a full quarter of an hour, the Japanese pirates finally selected their target. They stood up, took the bows and arrows from their backs, and skillfully inserted them into the saddles. Then, they approached the hiding place of Yang Ling and his men with scimitars in hand, obviously ready to attack.

Yang Ling waved his arms, signaling his brothers to prepare for battle.

After a while, the distance between the two sides was less than five meters. At this time, Yang Ling shouted fiercely: "Shoot!"

Dozens of sharp arrows shot through the air, instantly overwhelming the Japanese pirates. The Japanese pirates obviously did not expect Yang Ling and his men to ambush them in this place, and they were caught off guard and were shot to the point of crying for their parents.

Yang Ling was shocked when he saw this. He didn't expect these Japanese pirates to be so fierce. They didn't fight back even when being beaten. People with this kind of character should never be underestimated.

Just as a dozen Japanese pirates were shot dead, a dozen of them rushed to the shore, grabbed bows and arrows and shot at Yang Ling and his men.

Yang Ling was furious, he drew his sword and rushed forward, only to see a cold light flashing and dozens of arrows falling to the ground.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, others also jumped ashore and fought with the Japanese pirates. The scene was in chaos, with shouts and screams everywhere.

The ferocity of the Japanese pirates was beyond Yang Ling's expectations. After a brief fight, Yang Ling felt under tremendous pressure. These Japanese pirates were like a pack of wolves and were not afraid of death at all.

What made Yang Ling even more worried was that some of the pirates used Japanese swords. Yang Ling had seen with his own eyes that even with serious injuries, they could still struggle to get up and continue fighting. It was really terrifying.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Yang Ling decisively gave the order: "Retreat in batches!" After saying that, he was the first to run back.

The other soldiers didn't bother to take cover and ran as fast as they could. In the blink of an eye they ran into the dense reeds.

Yang Ling ran in the front and soon left the battle circle. Yang Ling just breathed a sigh of relief when he suddenly saw two more Japanese pirates chasing him from a distance. He couldn't help but get furious. He stopped, pointed his sword at the two, and shouted: "What? Are you guys done yet?"

When the two Japanese pirates saw Yang Ling's appearance, they stood there in a daze, at a loss as to what to do.

Seeing this, Yang Ling snorted coldly: "If you dare to take another step forward, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The two Japanese pirates smiled bitterly at each other, sighed unwillingly, and returned to the reed marsh.

Yang Ling shook his head secretly: It seems that these Japanese pirates are more difficult to deal with than rumored. It may not be easy to defeat them.

Yang Ling turned around and called out to Liu Jinding and the others: "Come on!" (End of this chapter)