Captured a Japanese Pirate Spy

The moment Zhang Biao heard this, his eyes flew wide open. He drew his saber, pointed it at the Nut Cake seller, and barked:

"You bastard, you've got some nerve! In broad daylight, you dare extort money and molest a respectable woman? Hand over all your silver and come with us to the yamen!"

The short, stocky man's face changed, but he forcibly held himself back. He took several bits of broken silver from his pouch and handed them to Zhang Biao with an ingratiating smile.

"Sir Officer, I really didn't extort or molest her. Please take these bits of silver for drinks and spare this lowly one!"

Standing to the side, Huang Shaojie watched his expressions closely. Through the Insight Technique, he noticed something unusual about the Nut Cake seller's demeanor.

If an ordinary peddler saw Imperial Guards draw their sabers, he would surely turn pale with fright and drop to his knees to beg for mercy on the spot.

Yet a trace of anger had flashed across this Nut Cake seller's face just now, only for him to force it down afterward.

How could a mere peddler dare feel anger toward the Imperial Guard?

That was clearly far from normal!

Moreover, the Nut Cake seller's accent sounded somewhat stiff, unlike that of someone from the Central Plains.

Could it be that this Nut Cake seller was not from Great Chu?

Zhang Biao accepted the broken silver the Nut Cake seller offered, weighed it in his hand, and sneered. "I told you to hand over all your silver. Didn't you understand? Do you want to enter the Imperial Guard's Imperial Prison?"

A vicious glint flashed through the Nut Cake seller's eyes, but he still took a deep breath and endured it.

He untied the money pouch from his waist, handed it to Zhang Biao, and said with a flattering smile, "Sir Officer, may I leave now?"

Zhang Biao took the pouch and reached inside, grabbing handfuls of small silver pieces. There were several dozen of them, amounting to at least a dozen taels of silver.

He took out several pieces of broken silver and returned them to the beautiful woman. The woman thanked him profusely before leaving.

Then Zhang Biao waved at the Nut Cake seller. "Get lost! If I catch you extorting people again, you won't be so lucky next time!"

If they brought this Nut Cake seller to the yamen, the silver would have to be turned over to the authorities. Zhang Biao was not that foolish.

Besides, the Nut Cake seller had not committed any major crime. Their Imperial Guard had no energy to spare for such trivial chicken-feather-and-garlic-skin matters.

Taking the chance to skim a little profit was the proper way.

"Thank you, Sir Officer!"

The Nut Cake seller practically gritted out those words as he pushed his cart and prepared to leave.

"Stop." Huang Shaojie suddenly shouted coldly.

The Nut Cake seller stopped and turned around. He seemed to be doing his utmost to contain the anger in his heart. "Does this Sir Officer have any other business?"

Holding the birdcage in one hand, Huang Shaojie slowly strolled forward. "You don't look like a man of Great Chu. Where exactly are you from?"

The Nut Cake seller's eyes shifted as he said, "This lowly one is a rustic from the barbarian lands of the south, so my official speech is not standard."

Huang Shaojie shouted coldly, "Even southerners do not have your accent. I say you are surely a Japanese pirate spy from Japan. Come with us to the Imperial Guard yamen!"

Huang Shaojie had only meant to bluff the Nut Cake seller, but to his surprise, the man's face changed. With a savage grin, he said:

"Baka! I originally didn't want to stir up trouble, but since you've seen through me, then die!"

With that, the Nut Cake seller swung his slicing knife at Huang Shaojie.

Zhang Biao had just been about to advise Huang Shaojie not to meddle in other people's business. Wouldn't it have been much easier for the two of them to split the several dozen taels of silver fifty-fifty?

But who would have thought that this Nut Cake seller truly was a Japanese pirate spy!

The instant the Japanese pirate swung his blade, Zhang Biao drew his saber and slashed at him.

Zhang Biao had entered the Imperial Guard through the proper examinations. His martial cultivation had now reached the Postnatal Fifth Level, making him one of the more outstanding Imperial Guard Captains.

Yet when his saber slashed at the Japanese pirate, the man easily dodged it and kicked Zhang Biao flying more than twenty feet away.

Bang!

Zhang Biao crashed heavily to the ground. His blood and qi churned, and he spat out a mouthful of blood on the spot.

On the other side, Huang Shaojie flashed aside to evade the Japanese pirate's slash, while the parrot in the cage shrieked in terror:

"Murder! Murder! Somebody save me!"

"Squawk again and I'll pluck you bald!"

Huang Shaojie rebuked the cheap bird in the cage, then leapt into the air. His legs swept like the wind toward the Japanese pirate.

This was the second stance of the Wind God Leg: Strong Grass in the Wind!

Three leg shadows shot toward the Japanese pirate like lightning. This Japanese pirate's martial cultivation had reached the Postnatal Eighth Level, already one minor realm below Huang Shaojie. How could he possibly withstand Huang Shaojie's Peerless Martial Art, the Wind God Leg?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

All three kicks struck the Japanese pirate. A spray of blood burst from his mouth as he was sent crashing heavily four or five dozen feet away, grievously wounded and unable to rise.

Huang Shaojie walked over to Zhang Biao, helped him up from the ground, and asked with concern:

"Brother Zhang, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I won't die."

Zhang Biao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, took out a pill for internal injuries issued by the Imperial Guard, and swallowed it.

"Who would have thought that Nut Cake seller was actually a Japanese pirate! Brother Huang, so you were a master hiding your true abilities. Please forgive my disrespect!"

Zhang Biao clasped his hands toward Huang Shaojie, his face full of admiration.

He had originally looked down somewhat on this newcomer who had entered through the back door, but now he discovered that the man's strength was actually so formidable.

Even he, at the Postnatal Fifth Level, had been seriously injured by one kick from that Japanese pirate. This showed that the pirate's martial arts were far superior to his own, at least around the Postnatal Seventh or Eighth Level.

Yet Huang Shaojie had kicked the pirate away in a single move. Zhang Biao was utterly astonished. This new kid's martial cultivation had to have reached at least the Postnatal Peak Realm.

The two escorted the Japanese pirate back to the Imperial Guard's Ninth Station and reported the matter to Zhu Shi.

When Zhu Shi heard, he was both shocked and delighted!

Huang Shaojie had been introduced by him. As long as the young man did not cause trouble for him, Zhu Shi would have thanked the heavens; he had never expected this pampered young master to accomplish anything.

Yet this pampered young master had captured a Japanese pirate spy while patrolling the streets!

Furthermore, according to Zhang Biao's account, the Japanese pirate's martial arts were not weak, yet Huang Shaojie had subdued him in one move.

Zhu Shi could hardly believe it. Huang Baiwan's son was actually a master?

Damn it, if he had such excellent martial arts, why the hell had he needed to enter through the back door?

Still, it was good. Zhu Shi had gotten fifteen hundred taels of silver for nothing.

Now that Huang Shaojie had captured a Japanese pirate spy, Zhu Shi, as his sponsor, gained considerable face as well.

At once, Zhu Shi happily went to the battalion commander's office and reported the matter to Xiao Qiuyue.

"Captured a Japanese pirate spy? Take me to see him."

The moment Xiao Qiuyue heard this, she immediately rose and went with Zhu Shi to the main hall of the Ninth Station.

In the main hall, the Japanese pirate was trussed up like a dumpling. Huang Shaojie and Zhang Biao sat on a long bench, waiting.

Several other Imperial Guard colleagues had also come over to have a look after hearing that a Japanese pirate spy had been captured.

When they saw Xiao Qiuyue arrive, all the Imperial Guards rose and clasped their hands in salute.

"Greetings, Battalion Commander Xiao!"

Xiao Qiuyue acknowledged them. Her eyes fixed on the tightly bound Japanese pirate for a moment before her gaze shifted to Huang Shaojie and Zhang Biao.

"I heard from Zhu Shi that the two of you captured this Japanese pirate while patrolling the streets?"

Zhang Biao clasped his hands and said, "Reporting to you, my lady, that is correct."

Then Zhang Biao recounted the entire course of events from beginning to end.

After listening, surprise appeared on Xiao Qiuyue's cold, beautiful face, and her starry eyes turned toward Huang Shaojie.