"Hahaha, the wind has risen, and it is still an east wind. God is really helping me. It's a dark moon and a high wind, and I kill people and set fires."
Xu Hai felt the east wind on the Japanese boat and couldn't help laughing, shouting for God's help.
"With God's help, our trip will be successful!"
"The good wind carried me to Sioux City with its power, hahaha."
"It seems that we can arrive at Suzhou City earlier than expected. Hahaha, we are already here before they wake up from their sleep."
Hojo Dosan, Maye, Chen Dong and others couldn't help laughing.
All the Japanese pirates were very optimistic. They boarded the boat at the second watch, arrived at Taicang Haikou at the third watch, and were right under Suzhou's nose at the fourth watch. The river turned around and Suzhou was very close at hand, only thirty miles away.
Now that the east wind had picked up again, their Japanese ships were able to reach Suzhou City earlier than expected. The defenders must still be sleeping.
With a sudden attack, they would definitely be able to capture Suzhou City easily.
There are mountains of gold, silver and jewels that countless young ladies from Suzhou are waiting for them to seize.
The Japanese pirates became more and more excited as they thought about it. Their paddling hands were full of strength and they were not tired no matter how hard they tried. The boat was as fast as flying.
swish swish
One by one, the Japanese boats followed the curvature of the river and turned a corner. They were only thirty miles away from Suzhou.
The Japanese pirates were even more excited and were already imagining the wonderful life of burning, killing and looting after entering Suzhou City.
However, what they did not notice was that when their Japanese boat just turned around the river, six people were lying on the ground deep in the dead trees beside the river, staring at them without blinking.
The night was as thick as ink, and the dead trees were thick and lush. The six people lay on the ground again, holding grass in their mouths, and made no sound. They were well ambush, and no Japanese pirates found them.
These six people were one of the fifteen rangers sent by Zhu Pingan.
After the Japanese boat turned from the river, the six people slowly retreated into the woods behind them and untied their horses from the trees.
The horses also bite sticks in their mouths and fasten them with ropes on both sides of their faces to prevent them from making any noise.
The six people mounted their horses and rode towards the high-slope beacon tower one mile away without stopping.
There are four soldiers on duty in front of the beacon tower, two are sleeping on the hay bed, and two are on night watch.
The night watchman quickly spotted the six people riding their horses. Before they could ask why you were here, they heard the six people riding their horses shouting, "Light the fire quickly. That beacon fire is a warning at night. The Japanese pirates are coming."
Got it!"
"The Japanese pirates are coming?!"
When the two men on duty heard this, without saying a word, they quickly lit the torch with a fire stick and extended the torch to a pile of beacon fires that had been prepared long ago.
The two people who were sleeping on the thatched bed also heard the noise and quickly got up to help light the beacon fire.
The beacon fire pile is made of hay, dry firewood, etc., and is also covered with grease. When the torch is touched, it will burn brightly.
Soon it was in flames.
"Okay, the beacon fire has been lit. Everyone quickly mount their horses and sound the gongs to warn the people that the Japanese pirates are coming!"
"The Japanese pirates came from the river. There were seventy or eighty Japanese boats, and the number of them must be twenty to thirty thousand."
"We heard clearly that many of them were talking like birds. They must be Japanese pirates."
"Hurry up and remind the people to hide and don't be blocked by Japanese pirates in the village."
The rangers on horseback breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the beacon lighted up. When the beacon lighted up, their main mission was completed.
Next, it was time to ride a horse as a warning to alert the people nearby.
All the rangers mounted their horses and each held a gong. Under the arrangement of the captain, they formed two-by-two groups and galloped toward nearby villages and towns.
"Boom, boom, boom"
Loud gongs sounded again and again.
"The Japanese pirates are coming. Folks, please pack up your things quickly and hide." The rangers' warning sounds came one after another.
Soon, one village after another was alarmed. When people heard that the Japanese pirates were coming, they hurriedly packed up. They quickly packed their food, dry food, and clothes into their bags, and ran out with the old and the young.
Japanese pirates kill without blinking an eye. Once they come to a village, they kill them all, rob them all, and burn them all, just like inhuman beasts.
There are many places to hide outside the village, in fields, woods, caves, meadows, and rivers.
As long as you are not blocked by Japanese pirates in the village, hide in the wild, and your luck is not too bad, it is generally not easy to be found by Japanese pirates.
Japanese pirates usually come to the village and don't bother to go to the wild to find people. They don't have much manpower and energy.
Xu Hai and others on the Japanese ship on the river were still imagining the divine soldiers descending from the sky and taking over Suzhou City in a surprise attack. Suddenly, they heard someone shouting that there was a fire.
"What's on fire?! Which ship is on fire?! Bastard, are you looking for death? Haven't I already told you that no fire is allowed on the ship! We are about to arrive in Suzhou City, can't you bear it with such little effort?!"
After Xu Hai and other Japanese chiefs heard this, they got angry and cursed.
"Chief, it's not our boat, it's on fire on the shore, about a mile away from the river."
The Japanese pirate under his command pointed in the direction of the shore behind and explained.
Xu Hai and others looked along, and sure enough they saw a raging fire burning on a high slope more than a mile away from the shore. The flames were soaring into the sky. The flames were at least seven or eight meters high. The flames spread far away and were clearly visible on the ship.
"Whose firewood pile was set on fire? Or whose house was burned down?" The Japanese pirates began to rejoice.
Xu Hai frowned, feeling vaguely that things were not that simple.
"Listen, why do you feel the sound of gongs?" Another Japanese pirate with sharp ears vaguely heard the sound of gongs and asked in confusion.
"I guess the watchman in the village discovered that there was a fire. Let's beat the gong and call for people to put out the fire." A Japanese pirate said.
"Well, that makes sense." The Japanese pirate nodded after hearing the sound of the gong, feeling that the explanation made sense.
"Look, there seems to be a fire in front of you. Is it on fire in front of you? No, what's going on? Is there something evil today? Why are there so many places on fire?!"
After a while, several sharp-eyed Japanese pirates discovered that there was also a fire seven or eight miles ahead.
It's not just this place.
Soon, someone discovered that there was a fire in a place far to the south.
The Japanese pirates felt that something was wrong. What was going on? Why were so many places on fire today?!
"No! It's not a fire! It's a beacon! Damn it! We were exposed, someone found us, and lit a beacon to warn! Damn it, when did Suzhou Prefecture set up beacon towers, and there were so many!"
Xu Hai was the first to react. His body suddenly shook violently, his face full of ambition instantly turned livid, and he cursed through gritted teeth.