Ming Dynasty: Summoning game players at the beginning

Chapter 43 How to Rule the Country with These Insects

Since midsummer, the drought in the north has become increasingly severe, and refugees fleeing famine have fled eastward in droves to beg for food.

The gates of Shangcheng County were tightly closed, and all the yamen runners and able-bodied men were stationed on the walls to assist in patrols. People were allowed to leave the city but not enter. Only soup kitchens were set up on the official road a few miles away to ease public grievances.

There was no way to make a living in the county town, and the food in the few porridge stalls was gradually decreasing. The refugees had to gnaw on tree bark, eat sawdust, and cook wild vegetables. They couldn't digest or excrete the messy food they ate, and countless refugees died of bloating.

Recently, several porridge stalls have appeared two and a half miles outside Zhaojiazhuang. It is said that the head of the Zhao family is kind-hearted and wants to do good deeds for the elders in his family.

It’s just that these porridge stalls are puzzling. Not only is the porridge thick and the vegetables fragrant, but they serve two meals a day, and you can occasionally taste a hint of soy sauce.

Although the faint smell of soy sauce is like a small boat in the surging river, it is better than nothing and is a rare "blessing" for the refugees.

But there is one very strange thing. Food is distributed from the porridge stall every day, but no refugees leave Zhaojiazhuang.

The Zhao family members themselves were also surprised. How could their Zhao family distribute porridge and grain?

Distributing porridge is usually done by the government. Even if the Zhao family did it themselves, they would not distribute food so lavishly, otherwise it would attract thousands of refugees.

Seeing that the number of refugees who had gathered in the past few days had gradually swelled to several thousand, the Zhao family became restless, and the clan leader even summoned all the clan members and tenant farmers to go up the wall to help defend the city.

Although these thousands of refugees were pale and thin, they had regained some strength after a few days of "free porridge".

The Zhao family didn't know who was distributing the porridge, but the amount of porridge was limited after all, and it was impossible to supply the refugees with it until the autumn planting.

It is also difficult to count on government aid. At present, all the governments are encircling and suppressing the remnants of the rebels, and military supplies are very tight. The administrative team of Shangcheng County was almost wiped out, and it is in a state of "brain disorder".

If the hungry refugees were instigated by scoundrels, the consequences would be disastrous.

The head of the Zhao family immediately sent someone to the county town to report the news, hoping that the county town could allocate some troops to rescue the Zhao family.

Just as the patriarch was worried, he suddenly saw a group of armed men walking out from the end of the distance.

The more than 200 people were in high spirits and looked very majestic. They were not afraid at all even when facing a crowd of thousands of refugees. They even had the leisure to open their food bags and take out their dry and crackling steamed buns to hand out to the refugees around them.

"Oh oh oh!" The refugees immediately let out low cries and reached out to grab it. Sometimes ten hands were placed on one steamed bun.

If any relatively strong refugees tried to rob women and children, they would be severely beaten by these armed men.

As the armed men approached, the head of the Zhao family saw that it was Zhao Gui who was leading the attack.

"Open the door quickly! I'm back with reinforcements - these are all the servants of Mr. Li in the south." Zhao Gui's mouth curled up high. The more than 200 servants behind him gave him the confidence to not be afraid of thousands of refugees.

The news of the county soldiers' defeat had already spread throughout the county, but no one dared to take it seriously.

Seeing Zhao Gui and other familiar faces returning, he felt both afraid and happy. He was afraid that the local militiamen who had traveled with Zhao Gui would not be able to come back, and that the beggar bandits would defeat the county soldiers, thus greatly boosting their prestige. Zhao Gui was so happy that he brought more than two hundred servants in neat military uniforms.

No matter what happens to the county town, Zhaojiazhuang is definitely stable.

However, the old patriarch still could not let these servants into the village. After all, they were foreign armed elements and could not be easily trusted.

So Zhaojiazhuang threw down a few bamboo baskets and dragged Zhao Gui and others into the village.

"Uncle San, why don't you let these friends into the village? I went through so much trouble to get them from Master Li in the name of protecting the territory and the city." Zhao Gui said.

"Which Master Li?"

"That's Master Li who wiped out the bandits in Black Wind Village!"

"Oh! It's him." The clan leader pointed at the people outside the village. "These are his servants. How could they be so disciplined and brave?"

"Who is this old man? He has a team of servants like this." "Another team?" The patriarch opened his mouth in surprise.

"I promised Master Li to compensate these servants with money and food. They have worked hard to go out to the village to suppress the bandits. How can I let them stay outside and starve? Open the gate quickly!" Zhao Gui shouted to the servants.

"No!" the clan leader hurriedly stopped him, then said to his nephew, "They are outsiders after all, so be careful and you'll be safe. Your fourth uncle was ambushed by the beggars because he was impulsive and reckless. Even if you don't care about yourself, you should still consider the elderly, women, and children in this village!"

"Okay." Zhao Gui felt that with the support of more than 200 servants, he could stand tall in front of his former elders. In the past, he would never dare to make demands. "But you have to provide meat and wine for the brothers."

"Okay, you are guests after all, I will provide you with enough wine, meat and steamed buns!" The clan leader immediately gave orders and lowered the wine and meat in baskets to reward the brothers.

But the servant who got the food was not satisfied. He picked up the yellow dirt on the ground and threw it at the farm. "Zhao Gui, you bastard! We are here to help you under the orders of the boss, and you are so stupid that you won't even let us into the farm. You think we are just guard dogs!"

"Draw it up!"

"I'm mad at your ancestors for eighteen generations!"

Along with the words flew dirt and gravel, and one of the stones even hit the elder of the Zhao family, causing blood to flow out of his forehead.

"Ah! Murder! Murder!" The elder of the Zhao family wailed in pain, and was immediately carried away by the younger generation.

"Are these the reinforcements you brought back?" The Zhao family head's eyes were like a sharp knife, stabbing Zhao Gui's waist and making him slouch.

"Then Master Li also said that these people are unruly..."

"Unruly? I think they're full of banditry. They're ready to kill people if they disagree with you. How can they be servants of a respectable family?" The clan leader's voice was firm. "We'll give them wine and meat for three days at most. After three days, tell them to go wherever it's cool!"

"Yes," Zhao Gui replied timidly, his previous arrogant attitude gone. He cursed these servants inwardly, wondering if they couldn't just be patient. They had to make such a small matter awkward...

Zhao Gui inadvertently turned his head to look into the distance, and suddenly saw that something was not right with the crowd of refugees.

Thousands of people seemed to be gathered into several circles by an invisible force, and strangers holding sharp blades stood in the middle of the hollow circles.

"The whole country is suffering from a severe drought, refugees are everywhere, and yet the imperial court keeps increasing military pay year after year, disregarding the lives of the people. Why should we be left here, watching our wives and children eat firewood and go hungry, and finally end up having to sell our children and still live in poverty for the rest of our lives? Why?"

"We are all starving to death. We will starve to death if we have no food, and we will die if we rebel. Do you want to wait to die here?" A sonorous roar exploded in the crowd.

The refugees were silent, but the strong man hiding in the crowd roared loudly, "Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!"

"Zhu Ming is dead, and he who has begged for life shall reign supreme. In the year of Jiashen, it is auspicious to slaughter a pig!"

"The government won't help, the gentry are unkind! A tyrant is in power, and evil is rampant. We are upholding justice for the people and raising the banner of justice to clear up this turbid world for the people!"

"Those who want to live, come with us! Those who want to die of starvation on their knees, sit here and wait for death!"

Hundreds of strong men hiding in the crowd immediately raised their flags, and some even dug out several thick logs from the ground.

"The food is in Zhaojia Village. Those who fight alongside us will be rewarded with three dou of grain. Those who break into the village will be rewarded with a dan of millet. There will also be rewards for wives, children, and the elderly! If you want to live, follow us!"

The leader of the armed men shouted loudly and rushed towards Zhaojiazhuang with his brothers holding high the flag.

Hundreds of soldiers were in high spirits, and the refugees behind them, armed with pots, pans, and axes, were like an endless black torrent.

"Rebellion!" The head of the Zhao family screamed in fear, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Don't be afraid, there are reinforcements outside the village!"

Zhao Gui tried to comfort himself until the more than 200 servants were engulfed by the rising tide.

(End of this chapter)