Ming Dynasty: Summoning game players at the beginning

Chapter 268 Good evening

In the early morning, when it was still light, the sight hidden in the dark shot towards the deserted path in the distance.

The cold wind howled in the deep woods, and there was also the crackling sound of burning dry wood.

Thatched huts were built with branches and straw. The volunteers, who were born as commoners and slaves, gathered around the campfire. Campfires were burning in the forest, and the pigs, chickens, ducks and fish hunted were roasted on wooden racks.

This was the largest rebel force in the vicinity, with a total of 1,500 people.

Ever since the Tartars took control of the royal court, the heavy taxes and levies became increasingly heavy. Unable to bear it any longer, Jin Wu gathered the hungry people and rose up in rebellion.

He led the volunteer army to kill officials and rebel, rob the rich to help the poor, and forcibly gathered a team of more than a thousand people.

The coarse rice and meat of prey that the slaves dared not ask for on ordinary days became readily available to them. They vented their anger as "untouchables" and no longer had to look at the faces of the two-class masters.

Such a wonderful "life" is the freedom and happiness that slaves like Jin Wu have never experienced in generations.

However, the volunteer army was too weak after all, with poor combat effectiveness and few soldiers. Not to mention expelling the Tartars, they could not even defeat the noble lords. If this continued, they would be wiped out.

Some people suggested that he hold high the banner of "expelling the Tartars" and win the secret support of the anti-Tatar nobles in order to gain strength.

He was willing to raise the banner of justice and recruit volunteers who were also poor people, but he hated the nobles.

Jin Wu's decades of life experience told him that cunning nobles could never be trusted.

He and his ancestors had been deceived many times by the nobles—

Decades ago, the anti-Japanese patriots who served the royal court could not even get the simplest "elimination of lowliness" in the end, and continued to sink into the lowly slavery.

If he worked for the nobles, what could he do if his promise was broken in the end?
Some people chose to leave the team and join the anti-Taoist officials, but he chose to fight to the end.

Even if he was torn to pieces, he wanted those noble lords to hear the roar of his slave before his death.

Just as the encirclement and suppression army surrounded the mountains and forests and was about to go deep into the mountains to attack and kill them, Jin Wu suddenly discovered that the encirclement and suppression army had retreated.

It turned out that it was Prince Li Hao who persuaded the Ming army to enter Korea to fight, defeated the Tartar defenders in one fell swoop, and opened the northwest gate to Korea.

While feeling fortunate, he also sensed an opportunity for change in North Korea's political situation.

There will inevitably be a decisive battle between the Ming and Qing dynasties, and no matter who wins, there will be a major reshuffle of the political situation.

As a lowly person born as a slave, he did not dare to dream of changing the dynasty. The small country of Korea was also an insurmountable mountain in his heart.

He was not against the royal family, but hated the yangban class. He could only use the volunteer soldiers under his command to promote "united front values" and force the royal family to compromise with him.

So he decided to train volunteers in the mountains and wait and see how the situation would develop.

But he wanted to sit back and relax, while his other brothers were eager to participate in this major military and political change.

Beside the bonfire, the firelight reflected on everyone's faces, and his brother Jin Liu excitedly recounted what he had seen and heard in the past few days -

The Ming Dynasty soldiers came riding on "Sky Dragons", flying over the walls of Yizhou and descending from the sky. At the same time, they used magic to create tens of thousands of "afterimages", making it difficult to distinguish the enemy's situation.

It was not until they landed and started fighting that the Tartars realized that there were only a few hundred heavenly soldiers. Before the Tartars defending the city could react, the heavenly soldiers killed their leader, and tens of thousands of their "pro-Tatar" auxiliary troops were wiped out.

Jin Wu immediately pointed out the logical flaw, "If the celestial soldiers really had the 'heavenly magic', why did they travel all the way here, instead of descending to Hanyang and taking the head of the slave chief directly?"

My younger brother was slightly taken aback, then added, drawing on his own experience, "These heavenly soldiers are all kindhearted people. They don't burn, kill, or plunder. They originally planned to march straight to Hanyang, but seeing the starving people everywhere along the way, they couldn't bear it anymore. So they left a hundred or so people in each state city to help the hungry, treating this foreign land like their own home."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard that too. Those heavenly soldiers always shout out after doing good deeds, and they've finished their side quests to gain reputation, brothers..."

Side quest? Found it?
What is this?

When Jin Wu heard the chaotic language, he felt his head buzzing as if he was being bitten by mosquitoes.

My younger brother continued to add that the heavenly soldiers had strict military discipline and neat formations, and when they marched it was like a steel whip hitting the ground, with great momentum.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed that marching could be so beautiful.

"Those celestial soldiers also said that although North Korea was poor, it was still worth revitalizing. They wanted to start from scratch and ensure that all North Koreans had enough to eat. They said this was the celestial soldiers' mission and that there would be meritorious service and rewards..."

"Not only did the heavenly soldiers not burn, kill, or loot, they also helped us to have enough food. Is this true?" A group of volunteer leaders cast fiery glances at him in disbelief.

"It's more real than silver!" My brother's eyes widened with joy. "I saw with my own eyes when the Heavenly Soldiers entered Pyongyang. They didn't steal a single grain of rice or piece of cloth, and they didn't even attack the women. They walked straight into the barracks. Except for playing music and singing during the day, they didn't harass the civilians at all!

The Heavenly Soldiers also said that the righteous soldiers who dared to resist the Tartars were all heroes, and they welcomed them to join the Royal Army to wipe out the Tartars who had usurped control of Korea.

"How, how is this possible!" Some people couldn't believe their ears.

Soldiers these days are no different from bandits and robbers. Suddenly someone said that such an army does not burn, kill, loot, or rape, and even works hard to help the people. It is simply unbelievable.

No matter how strict the army is in this world, it would not go to such an extent, right?

Jin Wu has been dealing with nobles and warriors for half his life, how could he not know what kind of people they are?
It is better to expect the sun to rise from the west than to expect the nobles and soldiers to provide food to the people.

When Jin Wu heard his brother's ridiculous words, he felt that his reason would not allow him to listen any longer. Even a three-year-old child could not be fooled by such words.

"That's nonsense!" Jin Wu's shoulders trembled with anger, and he pointed at his brother's nose and cursed, "Did you take money from the nobles and try to trick us into selling ourselves to them? I told you long ago that the Yangban can't be trusted. They're short of soldiers right now, and they want you to work for them. Once you drive out the Tartars and secure your position, they'll treat you like a rag to be thrown away after use!"

"Brother, I know you hate noble masters, but the Crown Prince is different. He is really worthy of allegiance." The younger brother repeated the rumors he had heard about the Crown Prince, such as how rewards and punishments were clear, how he personally participated in labor, and how everyone, whether they were nobles or slaves, were treated equally.

Jin Wu shook his head, his brows twisted into knots. "Nonsense! All the nobles are the same. If they weren't greedy and treacherous, if they weren't smiling but hiding a knife, they would plot against you and eat you up completely! Otherwise, why would we leave our homes and endure the bitter winter here?"

"If you don't believe me, come with me and see for yourself. The Heavenly Soldiers and the Crown Prince are parked in Pyongyang Prefecture."

"Don't believe his nonsense! He wants to trick us into going to Pyongyang and getting busted by the yangban!"

"If I had bad intentions, why would I be the only one back this time with my brothers?" The younger brother earnestly persuaded Jin Wu, "Brother, please trust me for once. The Crown Prince is wise and just. If we join him, we will surely be able to abolish our slave status and perhaps even become middlemen to benefit future generations..."

Even if you don't want to be with the Yangban, you should still consider your brothers and their relatives, right? "

Seeing his brother's furrowed brows falter, the younger brother pressed on, "Could it be that you intend to wait until the Crown Prince drives out the Tartars and inherits the throne before you come out and join him? By then, we won't be righteous soldiers, but rebels against the royal court. And when His Majesty summons the Heavenly Guards to encircle and suppress us, and descends from the sky, where will we be able to hide?"

These words almost convinced Jin Wu, but the ugly faces of the yangban suddenly appeared in front of him, and it seemed that the end of working hard and being abandoned would be in the near future.

"I don't agree with you taking...risks..."

Jin Wu looked around, hoping to get the support of the smaller leaders. However, he was surprised to see that most of the leaders were listening with gusto, seemingly bewitched by the magical "spell" and eager to explore the mysterious forbidden area. Only a few of the smaller leaders sided with Jin Wu.

Jin Wu felt that it was bad, as his younger brother had persuaded most of the people to "separate" with just a few words.

He finally realized that the volunteers were physically and mentally exhausted after fighting for dozens of days.

They encountered fairy-tale hope, just like encountering a brightly lit hut in the cold wind, and couldn't wait to get in to keep warm and avoid the cold.

No one will refuse hope, and no untouchable will not want to become a free man, or even a big man enjoying wealth and glory.

"Brother, come with me... We killed the corrupt officials and rebelled together, and now let's go home together..."

Faced with his brother's sincere invitation, Jin Wu opened his mouth, seemed to be hesitant to speak, then shook his head and sat down dejectedly on the straw mat, staring blankly at the crackling campfire.

Jin Wu finally made his response.

He did not cooperate with the yangban nobles.

So the younger brother left, and his words inspired thousands of volunteers to follow him. Even the volunteers around him were persuaded, and a total of thousands of soldiers went to Pyongyang together.

However, a large group of volunteers temporarily stopped in the mountains outside Pyongyang and waited, and only dozens of leaders entered the city to negotiate surrender.

The defenses of Pyongyang City were loose on the outside but tight on the inside. Jin Liu and his companions announced their identities and purpose of visit, and were quickly escorted by the guards to the Crown Prince's residence.

Along the way, Jin Liu heard some new good news: seeing the powerful force of the heavenly army, the Tartars were planning to abandon Korea and flee to the northeast.

In this way, they can restore order in North Korea without even going through a bloody battle.

The threat from the Tartars is about to be eliminated, so does the Crown Prince still need the help of volunteers?

With a nervous mood, Jin Liu and others followed the pace of the defenders obediently.

The snow on the city streets was cleared away, and the stench of feces and urine, which could be smelled from a distance inside and outside the city, was greatly reduced.

The carts and horses loaded with excrement and urine were transported together, and all the civilians and slaves in the city were mobilized to work. The men forged weapons and armor and carried supplies, while the women wove plain cloth and bamboo baskets.

Other leaders also witnessed the achievements of the heavenly soldiers with their own eyes. In the past, no two-team army would care about the "sanitation and health of the city", and the feces and urine in the slums would be dumped around at will.

Every densely populated area is a large cesspool, and the stench can be smelled from miles away.

Jin Liu couldn't help but sigh. Such obvious changes have taken place in such a short time. If Tianbing was given a year, wouldn't North Korea be turned upside down?
However, they had only walked halfway when they encountered a group of hundreds of armed men.

An official picked up a stack of wanted posters, compared Jin Liu's appearance with that of the other leaders, and immediately asked, "Are you Jin Liu, the slave of the Ningbian Zhao family?"

After receiving a halting "yes", the official asked other leaders one by one, and they all answered in the affirmative.

"Hmph, that's correct." The official's calm expression suddenly turned ferocious and angry. He raised his finger and pointed, roaring, "Tie up all these traitors!"

Hundreds of knife-wielding guards rushed over and pinned Jin Liu and others to the ground, which immediately caused the leaders to cry out in injustice.

"We killed the Tartars, we are not traitors!"

"We are the volunteers who have come to join the Crown Prince's residence!"

"Let me go! Let me go! Is this how the Crown Prince treats his meritorious officials?"

While escorting them out of the city, the guards punched the struggling leader of the militia.

Soon, dozens of people were beaten and blood was oozing from the corners of their mouths.

When their hands were tied behind their backs and they were ordered to kneel in the snow outside the city, many leaders had already begun to regret their actions.

Some people looked at Jin Liu in confusion, some people's eyes turned red and they lamented that they had trusted the wrong person, and some people's eyes were filled with anger as if to say, didn't you say that it would be safe to join the prince?

Jin Liu also felt aggrieved. Could it be that something went wrong or there was a misunderstanding?

"For a slave to kill his master is already a grave and unforgivable crime. Yet, you dared to kill the governor. This is a rebellion against your superiors and is truly abhorrent to both humans and gods!"

"We rebelled because we could no longer bear it!" Jin Liu continued to defend himself. "The governor was corrupt, oppressed the people, and secretly colluded with the Tartars. We killed him to enforce justice! We are innocent!"

"Haha, officials who break the law will be punished according to the law of the land. What right do you slaves who murdered your masters have to interfere? You are disrupting social order and confusing hierarchy. This is a heinous crime. Sluts should serve their masters honestly. How dare you trespass and rebel! Kill them and uphold the law of the land!"

After hearing this, Jin Liu and the other leaders suddenly realized that they had been deceived.

The Crown Prince's statement that he welcomes the volunteers is all lies. It is a lie to trick them into joining the game, just to catch them all in one fell swoop.

The talk of abolishing slavery and rising to prominence by following the prince is simply nonsense!

It turns out that my brother was right.

The Yangban have never changed; they are always wolves in sheep's clothing.

Now that the Tartars were about to flee, they no longer needed the help of the righteous soldiers and began to investigate the "faults" committed by the righteous soldiers in an attempt to correct the country's moral principles.

In the final analysis, they never took slaves seriously and thought they were worse than pigs, dogs, horses and mules!
Jin Liu not only had a bitter smile on his face, he was really a hopeless fool, actually thinking that some nobles would have a "change of heart" and give them fair merits.

As the sound of the executioner's guard drawing his sword came from behind his head, Jin Liu sighed and wished he could say to his brother in person that he was wrong.

Brother, you are right.

I could hear the roars and sobs of many leaders, and dozens of heroes had been killed by him.

Guilt and regret condensed into countless steel needles that pierced his internal organs. Jin Liu suddenly felt that even if he died a thousand times, it would not be enough to compensate for this failure.

Perhaps it was an illusion before death, Jin Liu seemed to see the figure of his brother Jin Wu——

My brother came quickly from a distance with hundreds of people, as if he had been observing the "surrender affairs" nearby and rushed out to help when he discovered an accident.

However, before his brother could even get close, Jin Liu heard several powerful roars from behind him, "Spare his life!"

Jin Liu turned his head and saw a young man in armor standing at the door, followed by hundreds of soldiers. They were in high spirits and full of murderous intent.

Next to the young man stood a civilian dressed in plain white cloth, panting heavily as if he had just finished a thrilling long-distance race.

If this familiar face of the young man is not the prince's, then who else could it be?
(End of this chapter)