Governor Hu Zongxian of Zhili and Zhejiang

After being informed, Ding Hong, the garrison commander of Chongwu Garrison, met with Bai Xiaowen and his companion.

Beside Ding Hong was a middle-aged scholar in a blue robe, who was reviewing the roster of soldiers in Chongwu Garrison.

When Bai Xiaowen introduced himself, he said that he and his companion were Daoist Gate disciples who had been traveling and practicing their faith when they came to help the imperial court after witnessing the rampant Wokou Pirates.

Before fabricating this lie, Bai Xiaowen had already learned from the scholar Xie Sheng that the Ming Dynasty in the Jiajing Plane World still valued Daoists.

During the early Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Zhang Zhengchang, the founder of the Orthodox Unity School, and bestowed upon him the title of "Zhengyi Successor True Man" and a silver seal, equivalent to the rank of a second-grade official. For several emperors afterward, Mount Longhu remained the Daoist Gate Daoist sect.

The current Jiajing Emperor is a devout follower of Daoism, bestowing upon many Daoist priests official titles such as "Junior Guardian" and "Minister of Rites," and even having them participate in court affairs.

Sure enough, upon hearing that Bai Xiaowen and his companion were disciples of the Daoist Gate, Ding Hong, the garrison commander of Chongwu, whose expression had been indifferent, became somewhat serious. He nodded and said, "You two are highly accomplished disciples of the Daoist Gate. May I see the ordination certificates issued by the successor master of Mount Longhu?"

Bai Xiaowen shook his head and said, "We two are disciples of the Mysterious Sect and have always cultivated in seclusion. We do not belong to the Mount Longhu lineage, so we have never had ordination certificates."

The slightly serious expression on Chongwu Garrison Commander Ding Hong's face relaxed again, and he said calmly, "Since you don't have ordination certificates, how can you two prove your identities? What if you are spies sent by the Wokou Pirates? Wouldn't that be dangerous? Please forgive me, but I cannot receive you."

Bai Xiaowen shook his head and said, "Lord Ding, we don't have the ordination certificate, but my fellow disciples and I can still prove our innocence."

He then took out the "Chen Duyan's Token" and showed it to Ding Hong, saying, "This is the evidence that the two of us killed Chen One-Eye, the leader of the Wokou Pirates. Please examine it, Lord Ding."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged scholar behind the document raised his head and exclaimed in surprise, "Chen One-Eye? Which Chen One-Eye? Could it be Chen Bao, under the command of the notorious bandit Ye Mazi?"

Bai Xiaowen said, "I don't know this person's real name, but there's no mistake that he was a general under Ye Mazi, the Boss Tier of the Wokou Pirates."

The middle-aged scholar stood up and said with delight, "Chen Bao is exceptionally fierce. Several days ago, he plundered Quanzhou Prefecture and broke through the Quanzhou Prefecture City, causing great suffering to countless gentry and common people. If you two truly kill Chen Bao, I will certainly report this achievement to the Governor-General."

The garrison officer Ding Hong quickly introduced him to Bai Xiaowen and his companion, "This is Master Wang, a staff member under the Governor-General."

The middle-aged scholar nodded and smiled, "My name is Wang Quan."

Bai Xiaowen was relieved and handed the token to Wang Quan. Wang Quan, after examining it using some unknown method, exclaimed with delight, "This is indeed the token of the Wokou Pirates Chen Duyan's Token! Your merits are genuine and credible, without a trace of falsehood. With your participation, the Japanese pirate rebellion in the southeast will be quelled soon!"

Prompt message:

"You have gained the approval of Wang Quan, a retainer of Hu Zongxian, the Left Vice Minister of War, concurrently serving as the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate and Governor-General of Zhili and Zhejiang."

"You have joined the Anti-Pirate Ming Army Faction."

"Your reputation with the Anti-Pirate Ming Army Faction has greatly increased, and your current reputation level is: Friendly."

"Your reputation with the Pirate Wu Ping Faction has decreased; your current reputation level is: Indifferent."

"Your reputation with the Pirate Zhang Lian Faction has decreased; your current reputation level is: Indifferent."

"Your reputation with the Pirate Matsuura Takanobu Faction has decreased; your current reputation level is: Indifferent."

A long string of notification messages, dozens in total, each representing a different group of Wokou Pirates. This was the impact of joining the Anti-Pirate Ming Army Faction.

Of course, these "indifferent" Wokou Pirates forces do not include the "Ye Mazi" and "Xu Hai" camps. Because of killing Chen One-Eye and forcibly sailing away, Bai Xiaowen and his companion had already earned hatred in the Pirate Ye Pockmark Faction, while the Pirate Xu Hai Faction had earned hostility.

It is worth mentioning that most of the leaders of these Wokou Pirates forces had China surnames, with only a handful having actual Japan names such as Matsuura Takanobu, Shin Kuro, and Shisuke.

After joining the Anti-Pirate Ming Army Faction, Bai Xiaowen took the opportunity to ask, "May I ask, sir, when will we be able to see the Governor-General?"

Wang Quan clearly regarded Bai Xiaowen and his companion as extraordinary individuals with certain special skills. As the saying goes, "Having mastered both literary and martial arts, one can sell them to the imperial court." It was only natural that they would want to gain a foothold in the world after learning their skills in the secluded Daoist Gate.

Wang Quan nodded and smiled, "No rush, the Governor-General is currently in Quanzhou Prefecture City to ensure the safety of the people. I am here on the Governor-General's orders to inspect the one garrison and three outposts of Quanzhou Prefecture. Chongwu Garrison is the second one. After I finish my inspection, I will take you back to Quanzhou Prefecture City to meet the Governor-General and report your achievements."

Bai Xiaowen didn't have that much time to wait for Wang Quan to check the troop roster. The administrative efficiency of the Great Ming government was low; by the time Wang Quan finished checking, it would probably take several days.

Bai Xiaowen couldn't very well go to Quanzhou Prefecture alone without Wang Quan. To meet the powerful Governor-General of Zhili and Zhejiang, he and Li Shuyi, being commoners, certainly couldn't do it on their own; they needed Wang Quan as an introducer. Besides, Wang Quan also wanted to introduce the two of them, as this would improve his standing in the eyes of Governor-General Hu Zongxian.

"Master, I heard that the Governor-General is pacifying the people in Quanzhou Prefecture. I wonder if it went smoothly?" Bai Xiaowen asked.

Wang Quan shook his head. "How could it be smooth sailing? Quanzhou Prefecture was breached by Wokou Pirates, and almost every gentry and wealthy family was in mourning. All the gold and silver they had accumulated over the years were looted... You don't know, these gentry had made connections with many high-ranking officials in the capital who could speak on their behalf. Even the Governor-General has to be quite careful."

Bai Xiaowen understood that Hu Zongxian, as the Governor-General of Zhili and Zhejiang and the Commander-in-Chief of the Anti-Wokou Ming Army, held great power but also great responsibility. With the fall of Quanzhou Prefecture, he would definitely face impeachment memorials.

"Rest assured, Master Wang, I can share the Governor's burdens..." Bai Xiaowen said with a smile, "Please look at this."

Bai Xiaowen took out the items one by one, including antiques, calligraphy and paintings, as well as gold, silver and jade artifacts, all of which were rare treasures taken from the cargo hold looted by Chen One-Eye.

"This... Zhao Qianli's ' After the Red Cliffs Painting '? A bronze tripod from the first year of the Huanglong era? ' The Collected Works of Han Changli '?..."

Wang Quan's eyes widened.

Ding Hong, the garrison officer standing to the side, was slightly taken aback and said, "Master Bai is a highly accomplished disciple of the Daoist Gate, how could he possess so many rare and precious treasures?"

After calming himself down, Wang Quan said, "Master Bai, these things must have been rescued from Chen One-Eye's cabin, right?"

Seeing Bai Xiaowen demonstrate his ability to "take items from his Storage Space," Ding Hong and Wang Quan became much more respectful towards him, addressing him as "Master." However, Bai Xiaowen looked too young, quite different from the white- Universe in the Sleeve Daoist they had in mind, so they added the word "Little" before his name.

Bai Xiaowen laughed and said, "Master Wang has such sharp eyes that he saves me the trouble of explaining."

Wang Quan said, "How could I not see it? The list of losses presented to the Governor-General by the various powerful families of Quanzhou Prefecture includes this painting, Zhao Qianli's ' After the Red Cliffs Painting '..."

Bai Xiaowen nodded and said, "Master Wang, after I killed Chen One-Eye, I also seized his ship. I haven't had time to sell the treasures in the hold yet. I think if I hand these valuables over to the Governor, it should be easier for him to pacify the people."

Ding Hong, standing to the side, nodded. "Of course."

"Then please, Master Wang, take us to Quanzhou Prefecture as soon as possible to pay our respects to the Governor-General," Bai Xiaowen said.

Master Wang frowned and said, "That's true, but I still have duties to perform..."

Bai Xiaowen handed the copy of "The Collected Works of Han Changli" along with a jade brush washer to Wang Quan, then pushed two gold items towards Ding Hong, the garrison commander of Chongwu, and said with a smile, "Master Wang, these are just a few gifts, please accept them with a smile."

Master Wang was slightly surprised, then his face flushed slightly, and he forced himself to say, "What kind of person do you take me for? These..."

"Although I managed to retrieve a batch of treasures from the Wokou Pirates Chen One-Eye, quite a few items were still lost, including this copy of ' The Collected Works of Han Changli,' this Song Dynasty brush washer, and these gold artifacts..." Bai Xiaowen sighed dramatically, "I've done my best, but alas, human strength has its limits."

Ding Hong smiled knowingly, "Yes, it's already commendable that Master Bai was able to salvage a batch of treasures. As for the lost items, it's just bad luck for the owners."

"Master Wang, what do you think?" Bai Xiaowen asked, noticing the hesitation on Wang Quan's face.

Wang Quan coughed and said somewhat embarrassedly, "You're right... It's already fortunate that some of the treasures stolen by the Wokou Pirates were recovered. I suppose those wealthy families and gentry couldn't ask for more."

"My lord, you are wise." Bai Xiaowen smiled.

Wang Quan: "Um... Master Bai, shouldn't this ' After the Red Cliffs Painting ' also be among the lost paintings?"

Bai Xiaowen was slightly taken aback, then laughed and handed the famous painting by Zhao Boju to Wang Quan: "That's exactly right."

Li Shuyi silently pursed her lips. Corruption was rampant in the Great Ming's officialdom; even a lowly clerk would seize any opportunity to embezzle.

As the saying goes, money makes things easier, so Wang Quan immediately decided to cancel the mission of inspecting the garrison and the three posts, and took Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi by carriage to Quanzhou Prefecture City.

That evening, Bai Xiaowen met Hu Zongxian.

With Wang Quan's introduction and explanation, Hu Zongxian was completely convinced of Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi's identities and treated them with great respect. As a high-ranking governor and regional official, his actions were truly worthy of being called courteous to scholars.

This was also because Bai Xiaowen's killing of Chen One-Eye and bringing back a ship full of valuables truly resolved a difficult situation that Hu Zongxian was facing at the time.

Bai Xiaowen didn't concern himself with the subsequent fate of this shipment of goods; he simply handed it over to Hu Zongxian. Whether Hu Zongxian kept the goods or distributed them to the gentry was his own business.

This was also Hu Zongxian's preferred approach. Given the powerful position of Yan Song and his son, his personal character couldn't be compared to that of an upright official like Hai Rui. Just like this ship of goods, Hu Zongxian would certainly embezzle most of it...

However, Bai Xiaowen still believes that an official like Hu Zongxian is better than Hai Rui... The reason is simple: Hu Zongxian was capable and historically quelled the Japanese pirate raids. As for Hai Rui... apart from his incorruptibility and his memorials criticizing the emperor, he really didn't leave behind any remarkable political achievements.

Of course, the statement that "he did not leave behind any outstanding political achievements" is relative to Hu Zongxian's achievements in suppressing the Japanese pirates, and does not mean that Hai Rui was a completely mediocre official.

Regardless, after Bai Xiaowen loaded a ship full of goods and Chen Duyan's Token, Hu Zongxian was naturally overjoyed. Bai Xiaowen immediately received further hints from the Spirit Realm Rules. He not only received a reward of 1,000 Merit Points, but his relationship with Hu Zongxian also reached the level of acquaintance.

Now that he had become somewhat familiar with Hu Zongxian, Bai Xiaowen took the opportunity to inquire about the upcoming bandit suppression plans:

"Lord Hu, my fellow disciple and I killed Chen One-Eye this time because we were outraged by the atrocities committed by the Wokou Pirates. I would like to ask, when does Your Excellency plan to send troops to exterminate these Wokou Pirates? We are willing to lead the charge!"

Hu Zongxian waved his hand and smiled. Wang Quan, who was beside him, quickly explained, "Master Bai, you may not know this, but the Wokou Pirates come and go like the wind, and they have no fixed abode, making them very difficult to deal with. It is impossible to achieve victory in one battle; we must proceed cautiously."

Bai Xiaowen bribed a ship full of goods, not to listen to these excuses. He said to Hu Zongxian, "In that case, please, Governor, allocate me a squad of capable sailors. I am willing to go to sea to fight the Wokou Pirates!"

Hu Zongxian shook his head and laughed, "Master Bai, that's impossible. You don't hold any military rank, how can the imperial army be entrusted to a commoner like yourself? If word gets out, I will definitely be impeached."

After a pause, Hu Zongxian continued, "If Master Bai is willing, he can be incorporated into my army. With your merits, you could easily become a captain, let alone a scout."

In the Ming Dynasty, a detachment consisted of three squads, or nine "shi" (a unit of ninety men). Five detachments made up a "zong" (another unit of four hundred and fifty men). If Bai Xiaowen could command four hundred and fifty capable sailors, he would dare to confront the Wokou Pirates fleet head-on.

Why didn't Bai Xiaowen dare to fight back when he was being pursued by Xu Hong, the skinny pirate Boss Tier under Xu Hai's Wokou Pirates? Why could he only shoot down the enemy's sails and ropes to escape? The reason is that he couldn't beat him.

If they were only facing their Boss Tier Xu Hong, then of course there would be no problem. But when they were ganging up on Xu Hong, his fleet of hundreds of pirates wouldn't just sit idly by and watch the show. Among them, there were at least a hundred Elite Tier pirates. Even if Bai Xiaowen and Li Shuyi were one or two levels higher, they would not be able to defeat him.

In the past, Bai Xiaowen's kills of Boss Tier were always pre-planned. He would either eliminate the opponent's allies first, or strike at their heart before they could regroup. He would also recruit a group of men to fight them off, creating the illusion that he and Li Shuyi were dueling the Boss Tier. To kill Advanced Boss while surrounded by a group of Elite Tier? That was unrealistic.

However, Bai Xiaowen could not actually join the army; he made up a reason to refuse. "My sect's teachings forbid those who cultivate Daoism from becoming officials."

If Bai Xiaowen were to join the army, he would inevitably be under Hu Zongxian's control, making it difficult for him to act freely and seek personal gain. If Hu Zongxian were to issue an order for Bai Xiaowen to defend a certain city for half a month... and if no Wokou Pirates were to invade, how could Bai Xiaowen possibly find a chance to fight? To rashly go into battle would be considered dereliction of duty, which could result in demotion at best and execution at worst, something Bai Xiaowen was well aware of.