How can we find out the number of Japanese troops in Pyongyang? This is the main task of Shi Lang, Ye Ruliu and Xie Yuan to enter the city to investigate, and it is also the primary problem currently facing the three of them.

For this reason, when Shi Lang's night expedition to Zhengyang Fort failed to get any useful clues, the three of them held consecutive meetings to discuss how to solve this problem.

They negotiated a variety of solutions, but almost every one of them had flaws of one kind or another, and in the end they were rejected one by one. For example, Xie Yuan suggested whether it was possible to capture a high-ranking Japanese military officer alive by scratching his tongue and obtain the required information through interrogation. This plan seemed feasible, but at that time, it was almost difficult for the Japanese army to distinguish who was an officer, who was a soldier, and the size of the officer, and even if he was lucky enough to catch a high-ranking Japanese general, who could guarantee that he would know the number of defenders in Pyongyang? If this method is not successful, it will have a very negative impact on the follow-up investigation activities, and it may also affect Zheng Zai's family. For this kind of plan with a high risk coefficient and a difficult to guarantee the success rate, it is absolutely impossible to implement it as a last resort.

The three of them pondered for several days, but they could not come up with a practical plan.

Investigative work was interrupted.

Just when the three of them were at a loss, things took a turn for the better. In the afternoon of this day, Zheng Zai rushed home from outside, and he scolded as he walked into the door: "The little Japanese devil of the dog day still wants us to make cotton clothes for you." It's just wishful thinking. Look at you not to freeze to death! ”

"Who provoked you again?" Cao Lixiang saw her husband coming back, and hurriedly stepped forward to ask.

"Who! Fucking little Japanese devils. Zheng Zai looked angry, clutching a crumpled roll of yellow paper in his hand.

"Why did the Japanese provoke you?" Cao Lixiang asked.

"On my way back today, I saw a lot of people gathered around the wall to see some signs. I squeezed over to take a look, and it turned out to be a notice for the Japanese people to attract investment. It's getting cold, and the Japanese people want to recruit merchants like us to make cotton clothes for them, and the conditions are relatively favorable. It is said that many people have signed up to participate. Do you think these people who signed up are traitors? You can't keep your eyes on money, right? No, I took advantage of people's lack of attention and took all the notices on this street to remove. Madame, throw all this waste paper into the stove and burn it, and see who still signs up! Zheng said again, throwing the yellow paper in his hand on the ground.

"Well done, hateful little Japanese devils, you still want us to make cotton clothes for them, think beautiful!" Cao Lixiang said, picked up the roll of yellow paper from the ground, and walked towards the stove.

"Eldest sister, don't burn it yet." Ye Ruliu heard the conversation between Zheng Zai and his wife and walked down the stairs. He was followed by Shi Lang and Xie Yuan.

"I'll take a look at the notice." Ye Ruliu said.

Cao Lixiang handed the notice to Ye Ruliu.

Ye Ruliu took the notice and put it flat on the table, Shi Lang and Xie Yuan came over, and the three of them looked at the content of the notice on the yellow paper together.

After reading the notice, Shi Lang and Ye Ruliu raised their heads to look at each other almost at the same time, and the two looked at each other with a smile: Just make a fuss about it!

The Korean Peninsula has a temperate monsoon climate, and winter comes early. Under the control of the Siberian cold snap, the winters in North Korea are unusually dry and cold. Nowadays, seeing that winter is coming, the Japanese army in the city needs to prepare winter clothes for winter. However, a few days ago, Konishi Yukichang received news that the Japanese navy had suffered repeated defeats on the southeast coast of Korea, and was defeated by the Korean naval division led by Yi Sunsin, the general of the Korean navy. The ships transporting supplies from the Japanese mainland were also blocked by the Korean naval divisions, and it was difficult to deliver the reserve supplies needed by the Japanese army in front of them on time in a short period of time.

Most of the Japanese troops in Pyongyang came from the southwestern part of the country, where the winter is warmer. If you don't prepare your winter clothes in advance, the consequences will be unimaginable.

In order to ensure the smooth passage of his troops through the winter, Konishi Yukichang could only use local materials, and he ordered people to put up notices, hoping that local merchants would process cotton clothes for the Japanese army in the city. He offered a decent price for this.

If Zheng Zai and his wife are helped to win this deal smoothly, the number of Japanese soldiers in the city can be known according to the number of cotton clothes ordered by the Japanese army. Shi Lang and Ye Ruliu thought of this almost at the same time after reading the notice.

This should be a good plan, if it can help Zheng Zai and his wife successfully win this deal, not only can they find out the number of Japanese soldiers in the city, but also can ensure the safety of Zheng Zai and his wife to the greatest extent. As long as Shi Lang, Ye Ruliu and the other three do not reveal their identities in the implementation of the plan, Zheng Zai and his wife will not be implicated, and the army to aid North Korea will arrive soon, I am afraid that before Zheng Zai and his wife deliver cotton clothes, the Japanese army in Pyongyang has been wiped out.

"What the hell are you two doing? Confused me. Xie Yuan saw Shi Lang and Ye Ruliu smiling at each other, and was a little confused for a while.

"Secrecy for now." Ye Ruliu said mischievously, she was deliberately hanging Xie Yuan's appetite.

The first step in the implementation of the plan was to convince Zheng and his wife to get their consent.

The work of convincing Zheng Zai and his wife was carried out at dinner. At the beginning, Zheng Zai did not agree to negotiate this deal with the Japanese people, he hated the Japanese people, and he did not want to bear the infamy of a traitor.

In the end, it was Cao Lixiang who did her husband's work, she asked her husband to look into her eyes and asked, "Do you want to avenge your dead parents?" ”

"Of course, do you still need to ask?"

"So how can you avenge your dead parents?"

"Of course, it's to kill the Japanese people."

"How can we kill all the Japanese people, rely on you?" Cao Lixiang deliberately showed a look of disdain.

"Rely on me...... Of course...... No......"

"What did that guy come all the way for?" Cao Lixiang said, looking at Shi Lang and the three of them with his eyes.

"Yes...... It's to help us fight the Japanese people. Zheng lowered his head again, no longer daring to look into his wife's eyes.

"People help us, but we are shrinking turtles ourselves?" Cao Lixiang held up the chin of her husband who was sitting next to her with her hand, and her eyes were a little aggressive.

"I ...... I am...... I don't want to be a traitor. Zheng Zai was a little weak-hearted.

"Traitor? In order to get rid of the Japanese people earlier, you can't stand this grievance? You're still not a man? Cao Lixiang continued to be unrelenting.

"Madam, I don't disagree with this matter, you can discuss it again......" Zheng Zai's tone relaxed.

"Discuss the fart, this matter is settled!" Cao Lixiang didn't wait for Zheng to finish speaking, so he agreed alone.

"Okay, okay, it's all up to Madame, that's it." Zheng couldn't resist his wife, so he nodded in agreement.

"I'll just say that Brother Zheng is not the kind of person who doesn't know anything." Shi Lang wasted no time in exiting the round.

"That's it, Brother Zheng, you really have to do it yourself." Ye Ruliu echoed Shi Lang.

"No problem, it's up to me." Zheng Zai heard Shi Lang and Ye Ruliu lift himself up, and he was in a happy mood, and the sense of humiliation in his heart that was strongly suppressed by Cao Lixiang was swept away.

Zheng Zai and his wife passed this hurdle smoothly. But then the question is, how can we get the deal off smoothly?

"It's best to get through the pass of Konishi Yukito directly." Xie Yuan said.

"That's a good point, but how can you get close to Konishi Yukicho?" Ye Ruliu said thoughtfully.

"I have a candidate, and through her recommendation, I may be able to meet President Konishi." Zheng Zai said.

Next, Zheng gave you a detailed introduction to the middleman he was talking about.

The most famous building on the street was the Bonwol Pavilion, an antique three-story building that was the most famous brothel in Pyongyang at the time. The old bustard of Fengyue Pavilion bought a little girl from other places many years ago, who was said to be from a large family, and named her Liu Yingying.

"This Liu Yingying is really a natural beauty, although she is young, she can look beautiful and moving!" Zheng couldn't help but lick his lips when he said this.

"Do you frequent that filthy place?" Cao Lixiang, who was eating, saw her husband's eyebrows fluttering, and she was immediately jealous, she didn't care about the presence of guests, grabbed her husband's ear with her hand, and asked loudly.

"Oops...... Wife, tap tap! You're about to pull your ears off. How dare I go to that kind of place? These are all things that I heard from friends in the business field. Zheng Zai hurriedly explained and begged for mercy.

"I don't dare!" Cao Lixiang let go of his hand, and his anger did not subside.

Zheng rubbed his ears that were hurt again, and glanced at the guests present with some embarrassment. Shi Lang and the three of them bowed their heads to eat cleanly, pretending not to see it.

Zheng stabilized his mind again, and continued to continue above while eating:

"This old bustard of Fengyue Pavilion naturally regards Liu Yingying as the pearl of his palm, and hires a master to train him carefully. This Liu Yingying is not only beautiful, but also smart and clever, after the careful training of the old bustard, chess, calligraphy, painting, etiquette, music and dance are almost proficient in everything, she has just turned 16 years old this year, and it can be said that the country and the city are ......"

Zheng Zaizheng spoke energetically, and when he saw his wife glaring at him fiercely, he was speechless for a while. Seeing that Shi Lang and the others were eager to hear what was going on, he paused and continued:

"Many dignitaries, dignitaries, wealthy businessmen and tycoons in Pyongyang have long been staring at this budding flower bone, and they can be said to be salivating for Liu Yingying. This old bustard is a strange commodity to live in, and he wants to sell Liu Yingying's first night right at a good price. Prostitutes competed for bids, and it was said that the prices were unimaginably high. But this Liu Yingying is dead or alive, and holds the belief that she only sells her art and does not sell herself, no matter how the old bustard coerces and seduces, she has never lost her body. The old bustard had no choice but to obey Liu Yingying's wishes and agree that she would only sell her art and not her body. Even so, Liu Yingying's art room is full of guests every day, and being able to see Liu Yingying's wonderful demeanor is also a kind of psychological comfort for those toads who can't eat swan meat. After the Japanese invaded Pyongyang, the supreme commander of the Japanese army, Konishi Yukinaga, heard about Yoo Yeong-ying's affairs out of nowhere, so he visited Fengwoljeong many times. This old guy is quite cultivated, every time he goes to Fengyue Pavilion, he just goes to Liu Yingying's art room alone, while carefully tasting the sake specially prepared for him by the old bustard, while squinting his eyes and admiring Liu Yingying's piano and trick arts. After being intoxicated enough, he politely praised and complimented Liu Yingying, and then left Fengyue Pavilion. ”

"What do you mean...... Do we do the work on Liu Yingying? After listening to Zheng Zai's introduction, Ye Ruliu asked thoughtfully.

"Yes." Zheng Zai said.

"But I don't know if people want to see us." Shi Lang is not optimistic about Liu Yingying's clue.

"Why don't we try it first, after all, we don't have a better way to get close to Konishi Yukicho at the moment." Xie Yuan said in a consultative tone.

"Money can make ghosts grind, as long as we spend the money, I don't believe she can't see us." Zheng Zai looked confident.

"Brother Zheng, it seems that you have to break the bank again." Ye Ruliu said slightly apologetically.

"Sister, don't look at us as a big family, but we have some savings, as long as we can defeat the Japanese people as soon as possible, money is not a problem." Cao Lixiang said generously.

"That is, as long as I can defeat the Japanese people as soon as possible, I am willing to go out in person and go to the soup and fire, and I will not give up!" Zheng Zai was a little excited to get the support of his wife.

"Then thank you brother and sister-in-law!" Shi Lang saw that Zheng Zai and his wife were resolute, so it was inconvenient to say anything.

"However, I'm going to talk ugly ahead, don't think nonsense when you see that little goblin, otherwise, I won't pick your skin!" Cao Lixiang was a little worried about her husband.

"Madam, don't you know what kind of person I am? I just have the heart of that thief and I don't have the courage of that thief! Zheng Zai hurriedly comforted his wife.

"You can't have the guts of a thief!" Cao Lixiang has to inch in, and he does not give up.

"Okay, madam, that's what I did when I saw Liu Yingying, okay?" Zheng said again, making a funny appearance of closing his eyes hard.

"you." Cao Lixiang was amused by her husband, and he affectionately slapped Zheng Zai.

"I think one of the three of us will choose to accompany Brother Zheng together, and it will be good to act when the time comes." Ye Ruliu proposed.

"Yes, yes, yes, that's a good idea!" Cao Lixiang still didn't seem to be worried about her husband going alone, she heard Ye Ruliu's proposal, and recklessly interjected in agreement.

"Don't interrupt!" Zheng dragged Cao Lixiang with his hand again.

Cao Lixiang also felt that it was a bit reckless to interject casually when the team was discussing business, so he quickly lowered his head and stopped talking.

"And who is to go?" Shi Lang already had a candidate in mind, he deliberately raised his voice, and at the same time looked at Xie Yuan fixedly. Ye Ruliu had already understood Shi Lang's intentions, and deliberately turned his head to look at Xie Yuan with Shi Lang.

"You see—I—that—that's right." Xie Yuan actually wanted to accept this errand very much, and he also understood that Shi Lang and Ye Ruliu had already seen through his inner thoughts, and seeing that Shi Lang and Ye Ruliu were looking at him tacitly, he deliberately dragged out his tone in a funny way and sold Guanzi.

This time to see Liu Yingying, Xie Yuan is undoubtedly the best candidate. As the translator of the emperor's imperial chamberlain, Xie Yuan is erudite and well-informed, and he is proficient in Chu Yun and coquettish Tang poetry and Song poetry. He is free and easy by nature, and it should not be difficult to adapt to the occasion of adjusting the wind and the moon. Besides, Fengyue Pavilion is a mixed place, often frequented by Japanese people, if the 'Flower Butterfly' Izumo Kumi is in Pyongyang City, Shi Lang and Ye Ruliu will have a greater risk going to Fengyue Pavilion than Xie Yuan.

The five finally agreed: Zheng Zai and Xie Yuan went to Fengyue Pavilion to visit Liu Yingying.