The tall fu boat, the fluttering Ming Dynasty flag, and the general standing proudly at the bow—all of this told the Koreans at Jeju Island’s port that the Heavenly Soldiers of the Ming Dynasty had arrived.
In fact, Yun Tianyang’s boat had barely approached Jeju Island when they were discovered by the Korean small boats patrolling the area.
Upon seeing that it was a Ming Dynasty warship, the patrolling soldiers immediately sent someone to inquire about the situation, while also dispatching a fast boat to report to their superior officer.
Before long, a person dressed in official attire boarded the boat.
“I am sorry for not coming out to greet the Heavenly Soldiers of the Ming Dynasty upon your arrival, General, please forgive me~”
He hadn't even gotten close yet, but his voice had already reached Yun Tianyang’s ears. With such standard Ming Dynasty Mandarin, who would believe he was a Korean?
However, this was not surprising. At this time, Korea considered itself a 'Little China' in every aspect, from daily life to clothing, from their King's palace to the attire of their officials, everything imitated the Ming Dynasty.
Especially some nobles and high-ranking officials, who took pride in speaking fluent Ming Dynasty Mandarin and possessing elegant calligraphy, as if without these skills, one was not fit to be an official in Korea.
This person should be someone with authority.
With the main person here, Yun Tianyang no longer put on airs. He cupped his hands and bowed, saying, “I am Yun Tianyang, a Youji Jiangjun (Guerilla General) of the coastal defense under General Wu Weizhong, the Ming Dynasty’s Coastal Defense Commander.”
Since he was here to deceive, he might as well make a bold claim. Yun Tianyang directly stated he was a Youji Jiangjun (Guerilla General) of coastal defense.
The Ming Dynasty’s military system was chaotic: Wei garrisons had one system, mercenary soldiers had another, and there were various other temporary titles. Yun Tianyang simply couldn't make sense of it all.
The Ming Dynasty Coastal Defense Commander Wu Weizhong, whom he mentioned, was his original superior.
And this so-called Youji Jiangjun (Guerilla General) of coastal defense was not something Yun Tianyang just made up on the spot; there really was such an officer in their Jisanxie Southern Camp troops.
The position of Youji Jiangjun (Guerilla General) itself had no specific rank, and the matters he managed could be significant or minor. The actual extent of his power depended on his specific duties.
For example, a Youji Jiangjun (Guerilla General) under Wu Weizhong was like a firefighter: when there was no war, he patrolled the four directions to guard against Japanese pirates; when war broke out, he was a firefighter, going wherever he was needed.
Moreover, Yun Tianyang felt that the position of Coastal Defense Youji Jiangjun (Guerilla General) was neither too high nor too low, just right.
If he claimed a higher official position, whether they believed him was one thing. Even if they did, then all the officials, big and small, of Jeju Island would probably come to personally greet him, and it would be difficult not to be exposed then.
If he directly said he was a Ba Zong, then this identity was simply too low; even with the Ming Dynasty’s backing, it would be somewhat undignified.
“Nice to meet you, nice to meet you.”
Upon hearing that Yun Tianyang was a Youji Jiangjun (Guerilla General), the Korean official couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
If a high-ranking official had come, that would have been a lot of trouble.
“This humble official, Quan Huan, a Jwarang of the Ministry of Rites of Korea, greets the General.”
Although it wasn't a particularly high-ranking official who came, he was still not someone a mere Jwarang of the Ministry of Rites could offend.
Korean official titles were very similar to those of the Ming Dynasty; many positions were simply renamed.
For example, this person named Quan Huan, his Ministry of Rites was actually the same as the Ming Dynasty’s Ministry of Rites, and this Jwarang was roughly equivalent to the Ming Dynasty’s Langzhong.
This man clearly wasn't from a prominent family; his clothes were simple, and Yun Tianyang could even see calluses on his hands as he cupped them in a bow.
“Hmm, your Mandarin is very good,” Yun Tianyang praised with a smile. “I’ve been to Korea, and it’s rare to hear someone speak as fluently as you.”
Everyone likes to be praised, and it costs nothing to praise someone.
“It’s merely the result of diligent practice; it doesn’t warrant the General’s praise.”
Hearing Yun Tianyang acknowledge his Mandarin, although the man was humble in words, his small expression clearly showed his pride.
“May I ask, General, if your presence here is for official business? Do you have any dispatch documents?”
Looking at Yun Tianyang before him, Quan Huan respectfully said, “Please forgive me, General. Jeju Island is adjacent to the front line, and Japanese pirates frequently harass us, so this humble official and others must act cautiously.”
After speaking, he bowed again to Yun Tianyang, showing proper etiquette.
Of course, Yun Tianyang had no documents. He immediately winked at Zhou Yong, signaling him to speak.
“Hmph! Do you know who my General is? He was the first to ascend Pyongyang, a fierce general who personally boasted of his achievements before the King of Korea!!! If not for my General, all of you would now be subjugated slaves!”
Zhou Yong’s furious roar was like a sudden clap of thunder, startling Quan Huan so much that he trembled violently.
First to ascend Pyongyang? Quan Huan couldn't help but murmur to himself.
Even though he was far away in this godforsaken place of Jeju Island, he still knew the situation on the mainland and naturally understood the significance of being the first to ascend Pyongyang.
But why would a general who was the first to ascend Pyongyang come to sea???
Quan Huan was filled with doubts, but looking at the glaring Zhou Yong beside him, he had no choice but to suppress these questions.
Judging by Zhou Yong’s demeanor, if he dared to ask one more question, that brute might just draw his sword and chop him down.
It must be said that although Ming Dynasty soldiers had a very low status domestically, often being treated like beasts of burden by those civil officials, abroad, they were still very imposing.
After a brief moment of thought, Quan Huan forcibly suppressed his unease and quickly cupped his hands again, bowing to Yun Tianyang: “This… this… I did not know the General was such a fierce general, this humble official… this humble official was rude!”
“My Korea is a small country; how could I have the honor of meeting a Heavenly General like you? If there was any disrespect, I hope the General will be magnanimous.”
Then followed a barrage of flattery directed at Yun Tianyang. It must be said that for these Korean officials, they had spent two hundred years studying how to flatter the Ming Dynasty, and a series of continuous praises made even Yun Tianyang feel utterly comfortable.
As for Zhou Yong, there was even less to say. If Yun Tianyang hadn't told him to play the villain in advance, he would probably be grinning and laughing heartily right now, so carried away he wouldn't know who he was.
“Ahem, alright, no more nonsense.”
Yun Tianyang coughed twice, and Quan Huan promptly reined in his flattery.
“Hmm, I won’t say anything else. I was ordered to patrol the sea to guard against Japanese pirates. During this time, I encountered a small group of Japanese pirates and pursued them all the way here. Have you seen them???”
Yun Tianyang was direct, getting straight to the point.
He couldn't help but be direct; in his previous life, he was a civil engineering dog, and in this life, he was an uncultured soldier. He didn't understand those flowery words, so it was better to be straightforward.
“Japanese pirates? This…”
As soon as these words came out, Quan Huan was startled again. Where would Japanese pirates come from in broad daylight???
He quickly cupped his hands and said, “General, please listen. Our Korean navy patrols here day and night. Since the truce, we have never seen any trace of Japanese pirates!”
“Hmph, is it truly that you haven’t seen them, or that you don’t want to see them?!”
Yun Tianyang spoke sarcastically, pointing to his damaged sails, “You yourself look back; could these cannon holes on the ship have been made by me with a cannon?”
Quan Huan subconsciously followed Yun Tianyang’s finger and looked. Indeed, the warship was covered in traces of intense combat, from top to bottom. Looking down again, although the deck had been cleaned, he could still vaguely see some dark red bloodstains in the cracks of the deck.
Could it really be Japanese pirates???
“Or are you colluding with these Japanese pirates???”
Yun Tianyang’s questioning words came again. Faced with such a damning accusation, Quan Huan quickly denied it: “No, no, this… this humble official truly doesn’t know…”
If the Ming Dynasty army thought they were colluding with Japanese pirates, then they would be doomed.
Quan Huan’s small face turned pale with fright. He quickly bowed to Yun Tianyang, continuously explaining and hoping Yun Tianyang would not misunderstand. This accusation was too serious; he truly could not bear it.
Yun Tianyang was too lazy to listen to his nonsense and again glanced at Zhou Yong, this time signaling him to be more aggressive.
Seeing this, the brute immediately drew his sword from its sheath, the gleaming blade directly pressed against Quan Huan’s neck: “You’re spouting nonsense! Do you think I’m blind?”
“We chased those Japanese pirates all the way, and they were clearly heading this way! But they disappeared near Jeju Island. I think you Koreans are clearly colluding with Japanese pirates, intending to rebel!!!”
Twice in a row, and this time with a drawn sword, the fellow named Quan Huan was so frightened that he directly collapsed onto the ground, cold sweat beading on his forehead, shouting, “I wouldn’t dare! General, spare my life!”
These were not Heavenly Soldiers of the Ming Dynasty; they were clearly bandits!
Quan Huan was greatly terrified, fearing that these military ruffians would directly chop him down.
With the nation in such a difficult state, his King certainly wouldn't dare offend the Ming Dynasty army for a mere Jwarang of the Ministry of Rites, especially a fierce general who could be the first to ascend Pyongyang. If that happened, he would truly have died in vain.
He thought of his years of hard study, how he finally managed to get the official position of Jwarang of the Ministry of Rites, but because he wasn't from a prominent family, he was