Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3918 Not supporting in times of crisis, not helping when things are about to fall

On the city wall of Xu County, the garrison saw Guan Yu's army break camp and rise up, with banners pointing north and dust billowing into the distance. After a long while, they were stunned, and then suddenly burst into a deafening cheer!

Many people were so excited that they threw down their weapons, hugged and jumped with their comrades, and beamed with joy!

It felt as if a huge boulder, weighing a thousand pounds, that had been pressing on my heart for so long had finally been removed today!
The joy and happiness I felt were simply indescribable!

However, along with the overwhelming joy of surviving a disaster came the sudden relaxation of nerves that had been taut for so long, and an immense sense of exhaustion began to surge involuntarily...

"He's gone! That Guan Yu is really gone!"

"They must have seen that my capital, Xudu, is well-fortified and heavily guarded, and knew they couldn't take it, so they gave up!"

"So much for being a 'warrior capable of defeating ten thousand men,' he's nothing special! Even he had to obediently retreat beneath the walls of my Xudu city."

"..."

Various optimistic, excited, and even arrogant and incoherent remarks began to spread haphazardly.

The soldiers guarding the city threw away their weapons and took off their armor, preparing to eat, drink, and rest.

Even ordinary minor officials began to invite friends and hold banquets, seeking a life of debauchery.

Even the common people in the city were busy packing their baskets and carrying poles, rushing out of the city to gather firewood...

The smiles that had been absent from people's faces for many days reappeared, and people in the city began to talk about when martial law would be lifted. Merchants were planning to reopen their businesses, as if the crisis had completely passed and peaceful days had returned.

Only atop the city wall, Xun Yu's brows did not relax; instead, they furrowed even more tightly.

He held onto the edge of the battlement, gazing northward with a deep, penetrating look, his worries deepening.

He sent out scouts in multiple waves to investigate.

Although it has been confirmed that Guan Yu did indeed head north and leave a certain area of ​​Xu County, if Guan Yu really went north to plunder without regard for anything else, the damage he caused and the chain reaction he triggered might be far greater than what happened at the gates of Xu County!
When people's hearts are in turmoil, it's more terrifying than when the political situation is chaotic!
When Zhang Miao rebelled in Yanzhou, Xun Yu was not worried at all. Xun Yu knew that Zhang Miao was ambitious but incompetent, all talk and no action. So, although the momentum was good at the beginning, it could not last.

Later, as expected...

But things are different now.

The General of the Flying Cavalry, especially General Fei Qian, had the ambition to change the world and eliminate the old and establish the new!

How can we underestimate him and think that Guan Yu's northward march will bring peace and tranquility?
Xun Yu issued several orders in succession...

He demanded that the four gates be strengthened, that vigilance not be relaxed due to the enemy's retreat, that the defense level remain unchanged, and that no one be allowed to leave their post without authorization.

He urged the armed forces in the surrounding areas that had been summoned to accelerate their convergence and assembly in the designated area outside Xuxian County, so as to form a substantial force as soon as possible.

At the same time, he dispatched more elite scouts, sparing no expense, to keep a close watch on the movements of Guan Yu's army along the way, and intelligence reports had to be submitted several times a day!
However, Xun Yu's cautious approach, based on the overall strategic situation and a precautionary measure, was not understood or accepted by others.

Having just experienced the euphoria of being "lifted out of the siege," a pervasive sense of optimism and complacency filled the county, making Xun Yu's orders seem out of place.

Is it even a case of "worrying unnecessarily"?
However, regardless of the circumstances, there was bound to be some disappointment and frustration. As a result, in Xu County, whether it was military generals, city officials, or even ordinary soldiers, few people listened carefully to Xun Yu's reminders or carried them out diligently.

People are more inclined to believe that the crisis has vanished with Guan Yu's departure...

However, good times don't last long; happy days are always short-lived.

The first troubles that erupted were unexpected by everyone.

It wasn't Guan Yu who caused the problem; it was that reinforcements had arrived!
The arrival of these "reinforcements" should have been a cause for celebration, but instead, the entire county of Xu was plunged into wailing after their arrival!
What kind of place is Xu County?
It is a strategic location in Shandong, a major city in the Central Plains, and a place that many of the "reinforcements" would never have come to in their entire lives!
They waved the banner of "loyalty and loyalty to the emperor," but their primary objective was quite practical...

Demand money, provisions, and weapons as rewards, and try to gain some extra benefits!

Initially, the city gates of Xu County could not be completely closed to these nominal "reinforcements," otherwise it would immediately provoke conflict and earn them the infamy of being a "suspected righteous army." Therefore, forced to open the city gates only partially, a large number of reinforcements poured into the city like a flood bursting its banks…

With the arrival of these "reinforcements," Xuxian County became extremely crowded and chaotic.

These outsiders rudely occupied courtyards, streets, and even requisitioned private homes, resorting to violence if anyone resisted.

They flocked to taverns, restaurants, and markets, indulging in lavish meals and drinks, often racking up debts on credit. This led to constant conflicts with local merchants and residents, with reports of fights, brawls, and robberies surfacing daily.

Even worse, some rogue soldiers, under the guise of "searching for Guan Yu's spies" and "assisting in maintaining order in the city," engaged in rampant looting and extortion, forcibly breaking into people's homes, directly robbing them of their property, and harassing women!
In just a few days, the once relatively orderly town of Xuxian suddenly became chaotic!

Public security deteriorated rapidly, and public discontent was boiling over!
Xun Yu had to divert a great deal of precious time and energy from dealing with Guan Yu and arranging the overall strategic plan to deal with these headache-inducing messes.

The chaos and depravity in and around Kexu County far exceeded Xun Yu's expectations...

It wasn't a matter of "lack of discipline and unruliness" at all, but rather the most glaring concentrated display of the ills of the lower classes in the Han Dynasty!
These "reinforcements" summoned by Xun Yu were not the "good men" Xun Yu had originally planned to recruit, who still had land and family to rely on, could be moved by loyalty and righteousness, or had a sense of duty to protect the people and the country!
They weren't even the private soldiers or retainers of local clans or powerful families!
They were not local thugs, but rather wandering ruffians!
They are the scoundrels, hooligans, and frivolous individuals who, in their daily lives, are idle, fond of fighting, and use cunning methods to mingle in the streets and alleys!
These people were recruited not out of a sense of responsibility for the fate of the nation, but because of the generous reward and the rare opportunity to make extra money!

In the chaotic situation of "wartime", not only can violence be vented legally or semi-legally, but property can also be looted without restraint!
Besides these thugs and ruffians, there are also various kinds of "criminals"!
"To atone for one's crimes by performing good deeds," huh?

Should we give those who make mistakes a 'chance'?

And here comes the opportunity!

These people have absolutely no loyalty to the government; their hearts are filled only with resentment and a yearning for freedom. Given the chance, their first thought is to escape or seek revenge. But whether it's escaping or seeking revenge, their first priority is to make money!
Thus, he and the local thugs, ruffians, and wandering knights hit it off immediately!
They have experience in committing crimes, the determination to carry them out, and even possess armed forces...

So, among the "reinforcements," are there any that are "better"?
Yes, that's true.

For example, some were forced into marriage by borrowing money at exorbitant interest rates from local powerful families, or were tenant farmers renting land from powerful families due to personal dependence.

These people are relatively better off, but...

It's only slightly better!
These people were often burdened with heavy debts or personal constraints, and were forcibly assigned to the army by their masters as "reinforcements" to appease Xun Yu. However, deep down, they often harbored resentment towards their oppressors!

Who wants to go bankrupt by taking out a loan at exorbitant interest rates?

Aside from being perverted, in the Han Dynasty, who didn't become a live-in son-in-law because they had no other choice?

In a way, even sons-in-law were considered better, since they were merely dependents in some form. But what about those tenant farmers who sold themselves, their entire family's future, and even their children to landlords and powerful families? Were they truly acting entirely "voluntarily"? When Cao Cao's authority was at its zenith and the law was still in effect, even such a rabble could perhaps be forcibly united and driven to complete simple combat missions by the harsh military law and Cao Cao's terrifying power.

However, the situation is completely different now!
With only eight hundred cavalry, Guan Yu was able to force Xun Yu, whose city of Xudu was heavily fortified and defended by thousands of soldiers, to close the gates and refuse to fight. Xun Yu could not win the battle even after days of verbal attacks!
There were also reports that Cao Cao's main force had suffered repeated defeats in Guanzhong and Heluo, and was in dire straits after retreating to Sishui Pass. Although the authorities tried their best to suppress these reports, some whispers still managed to reach the ears of these "reinforcements" through various channels...

Thus, the long-suppressed greed and hatred deep in these people's hearts, under the most primitive speculative mentality, are like ferocious beasts breaking free of their cages and shackles, and begin to show their hideous fangs without restraint!
Those who are purely driven by profit become even more reckless and daring.

They were not satisfied with the meager rations Xun Yu provided daily and the empty promises of reward money; they were more proactive in "acquiring" what they believed to be their due "life-risking money"!
Extortion, forced buying and selling, taking whatever they want!
Even worse, some formed small groups to plunder villages and hamlets outside the city that didn't have time to escape into it!
Guan Yu didn't even have time to fight, and the villages that were undamaged ended up in great trouble in the hands of these people!
The pockets of many "soldiers" quickly swelled...

The 'bloating' of some people has in turn stirred up even more restless thoughts!
Seeing Xun Yu trapped in an isolated city, with the Flying Cavalry Army eyeing him from the outside and the people inside in a state of panic, they felt that following this "Lord Xun" was a dead end, and that the day the city fell would be the day they died. They thought it would be better to find some opportunities to make a fortune!
Even more ambitious people began to plan that if they could find a way to escape and join the seemingly invincible General Fei Qian, and offer him information on the defenses of Xu County, wouldn't they be able to atone for their crimes and even make a fortune?
Even without such "ambition," those who harbored resentment towards their original identities and deep grievances against their oppressors, including but not limited to sons-in-law, impoverished families, and merchants who were driven to bankruptcy by powerful figures, gradually found their "kindred spirits" in the chaos.

They gathered in the dirty corners of the barracks, in a sheltered spot by the city wall, and their private conversations had long since shifted from how to survive to a furious outburst...

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could take advantage of the chaos and behead that scoundrel who harmed our industry?"

"If the world truly changes one day, I will surely march back to my hometown, reclaim the land that was forcibly seized, and skin that arrogant steward alive!"

"That's right! That wretched woman who treats me like a pig or a dog! I'll make sure her whole family is wiped out!"

They began to yearn for a change of regime from the bottom of their hearts!
They yearn for and hope that the oppressive order that oppresses them will be completely broken down and rebuilt!

So that they will have the opportunity to take revenge and trample those who oppressed them in the past!
This sentiment made them completely uninterested in defending the so-called capital of the Han Dynasty, and they even secretly hoped that it would soon fall into chaos...

At first, Xun Yu didn't notice these deeper emotional fluctuations. He simply acted like a firefighter, suppressing unrest wherever it occurred and dealing with chaos wherever it arose. He believed it was merely a matter of lack of discipline and lax military discipline...

He ordered his trusted troops to intensify patrols, and if they encountered anyone robbing, murdering, or raping, they were to be executed without mercy in public, their heads displayed at the camp gate. At the same time, he summoned all the camp leaders and reiterated the strict military law, emphasizing that "extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures," intending to deter lawlessness and restore order…

But...

Xun Yu seriously underestimated how terrifying the centrifugal tendencies and long-brewing violence of these people at the bottom of society could be once they were stirred up after three or four hundred years of oppression under the Han Dynasty!
High-pressure tactics that might have been effective in the past are now not only failing to have the desired deterrent effect, but are instead like a spark that ignites even more flames of resentment!
"See? The Xun family is going to discard them after they've served their purpose!"

"He's from a powerful local family in Xu County, and we're outsiders sent to our deaths. They're using our heads to establish their authority!"

"There's clearly no hope of defending the city. That old scoundrel Cao Cao can barely protect himself, yet he wants us to be buried here with him, and then beheaded? What kind of logic is this!"

Similar rumors and indignant discussions, fueled by panic and resentment, spread and escalated rapidly like wildfire among the reinforcement battalions.

The already weak cohesion, which was barely maintained by a few rewards and harsh punishments, was instantly shattered!
The outlaws were the first to rebel, which led to a small-scale mutiny!

They attacked the Xu County regular army squad that came to quell the unrest and try to restore order, seized weapons, burned tents, and then scattered with a roar!

Some, carrying the gold, silver, and valuables they had looted over the past few days, fled without hesitation into the nearby mountains and forests, preparing to return to their old ways and become outlaws...

Some simply fled for their lives in what they perceived as a "more promising" direction...

This "more promising" direction naturally leads to the direction of the Flying Cavalry!
Xun Yu was caught off guard.

When he realized the situation was not right, he mobilized all the troops he could control and barely managed to suppress the most intense mutiny strongholds, saving the core area of ​​Xu County and the four gates, preventing the chaos from completely spreading to the city center.

However, Xun Yu completely ignored the temporary camps of those "reinforcements" outside the city.

By daybreak, the "reinforcements" camp was in complete disarray.

The camp was in complete disarray, with broken weapons and corpses lying haphazardly everywhere.

The so-called "reinforcements" have almost vanished into thin air!
These "reinforcements" not only failed to increase Xuxian's defenses by the slightest, but also caused even greater destruction before their collapse, leaving behind a scene of devastation and an even more turbulent situation.

It was as if a swarm of locusts had swept through, devouring the last bit of vitality and order around Xuxian County!

Xun Yu believed himself to be "protecting his home and country," and thus assumed that these "reinforcements" would share his sentiments...

How can this be?

Xun Yu, who rose to power from his former position, undoubtedly cared deeply for the world; however, he had been away from the grassroots for far too long…

Back when he was teaching the Book of Changes at the Xun family's old residence, he encountered some scholars from humble backgrounds and ordinary people. Now, he has been serving as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat for a very, very long time...

Xun Yu still believed that the people of Yingchuan were still the same as before, with fields, houses, and carriages, and even if they didn't have horses, they had donkeys...

In reality, Yingchuan is no longer what it used to be!
Indeed, Cao Cao has gained considerable wealth over the years by conquering Jizhou, taking Hebei, unifying Xuzhou and Qingzhou, and seizing Jingzhou. This has also brought prosperity to the area surrounding Xuxian. However, this "considerable wealth" has not enabled the common people of Yingchuan to live a better life!

The reason is simple: a large amount of hot money poured into Yingchuan, and the biggest beneficiaries were naturally the ruling class at the top. They used this share of the profits, which had grown "invisibly," to make extravagant purchases and live a life of luxury. But the problem is that the common people of Yingchuan were still living in the "small-scale peasant economy" touted by the gentry from Shandong and the Central Plains!
With a large influx of hot money, the ruling class and those who benefit from it want to use this money to eat well, drink well, and use the best things. Isn't that a bit much?

However, in a small-scale farming economy, productivity is suppressed and constrained!

Farmers simply don't have that many surplus supplies!

In years of disaster, farmers certainly suffer, but in years of plenty, farmers without sales channels can only watch helplessly as their crops rot in the fields!
So, would farmers in a small-scale farming economy proactively expand production?

The upper echelons of Yingchuan have increased their spending spree. They want to drink, eat meat, and buy, buy, buy. They're rich!

Driven by this hot money, ordinary people at the bottom of society used grains that were originally meant for seeds to brew wine and abandoned their fields to hunt!

Why?
Cash on delivery, immediate settlement, and at a high price, are you in?

If hot money continues to flow in, this problem will not be exposed; at worst, people will just live beyond their means.

But now that Cao Cao's support is insufficient, these negative consequences are becoming apparent.

Economic downturn leads to business bankruptcies and farmers suffering.

Sell ​​yourself, sell yourself; sell your child, sell your child; sell your future, sell your future...

In addition, Cao Cao seized some of the land from the defeated and implemented the military-agricultural system, but he did not follow Fei Qian's example and did not distribute the land to farmers. As a result, the number of self-cultivating farmers around Yingchuan has not only not increased in recent years, but has actually decreased!
Xun Yu thought that in the face of foreign enemies, perhaps it was impossible to talk about "defending the country", but at least there were people who "protected their homes". However, he did not realize that many people in Yingchuan had lost their "homes" and what else could they protect?
Just as the chaos inside and outside Xu County reached its peak, and Xun Yu himself was in a state of utter distress, the scouts who had been sent to keep an eye on Guan Yu's movements came running back with a terrible message!

Guan Yu, Guan Yunchang, is back in action!