Apart from the three relatively large groups of pirates along the southeast coast, the other pirates numbered in the dozens or hundreds, and they often occupied a small island, making that their hideout. In the past few years, because Yu Cheng had moved the fishing village ten miles inshore, they had to go much deeper inwards to loot the villages and towns. Hence, they often carried out one operation every three months.
As there were few people and boats, they did not have much grains stored. Ever since Fan Zijin went missing and the Guangdong Navy deployed a massive searching operation, the pirates had never gone ashore. Currently, their rice jars at home were almost empty.
Those tempted to strike again immediately dismissed such thoughts when they saw the corpses hanging on the poles. In less than two days, the patrolling navy brought back more than a dozen pirates who had surrendered, all of which were from Great Qi.
