The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 224 The First Uprising in Huangzhu Village

In the autumn of the sixth year of the Chongzhen reign (1644), within the territory of Zhaohua County, Baoning Prefecture.

The rice has long been harvested, leaving only dense stubble standing in the autumn wind, revealing this rare bumper harvest.

However, the farmers in the fields showed no joy on their faces; instead, they all looked worried and distressed.

The rice that had just been harvested was requisitioned by the government before it could even be properly stored.

Farmers worked hard all year, but in the end, they didn't have a single grain of rice left. How are they going to get through this winter?
Even so, the government was still not satisfied. The levies imposed on the capital had been collected, but did that mean they didn't have to collect their own benefits?

As a result, one after another, tax collection teams composed of tax officials and yamen runners were dispatched to continue to ravage the villagers.

One of the groups rushed into Huangzhu Village, south of Zhaohua County.

The head tax collector was a fat man named Li Wei, with a face full of scars and a pair of triangular eyes full of greed and tyranny.

As soon as he entered the village, he led his men straight to the home of Yang Shusheng, the grain manager of Huangzhu Village.

Yang Shusheng is over sixty years old. He has been honest and upright all his life and is highly respected in the village.

Faced with Li Wei's urging, he hunched over, almost kneeling on the ground, pleading desperately:
"Sir, Huangzhu Village has indeed paid its taxes for this year. Look, this is the tax receipt just issued by the county; it's written very clearly on it!"

"Now every household is completely out of food; we simply can't afford to give any more!"

Li Wei snatched the document, not even bothering to look at it, and tore it to shreds.

He pulled a yellowed booklet from his pocket and slammed it heavily on the table.

"Fuck your mother's fart!"

He pointed at the booklet, spitting as he roared.

"This yellow register clearly records that there are 182 households in your Huangzhu Village. After calculation, it has been found that you have underpaid grain tax by 42 households! You must make up the difference today!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Shusheng was struck dumb.

Huangzhu Village only has a little over 100 households in total, so how come there are 42 more households with unpaid wages out of nowhere?

He explained, his voice trembling:
"Sir, this...this is an old register from who-knows-when! How can you use it to determine taxes?"

“There aren’t this many households in our Huangzhu Village anymore! Please investigate! Please investigate!”

"Clear?"

Li Wei grinned maliciously and swung his large, fan-like hand out without warning.

"Snapped!"

A resounding slap landed hard on Yang Shusheng's face, making him stagger and see stars.

"Old man! Do you think you can fool me?"

Li Wei pointed at Yang Shusheng's nose and cursed fiercely.

"You must pay the back wages in full today, not a single penny less! If you don't pay, I'll tear your old bones apart to atone for your crime!"

Yang Shusheng covered his burning face, his heart filled with bitterness and helplessness.

As the grain manager, the summer and autumn seasons were the most difficult for him.

On one side are the villagers they see every day, and on the other side are the collection tasks imposed by the imperial court.

Over the years, he has often used his own money and scraped together funds to help his fellow villagers make up for the shortfall.

Fortunately, his son Yang Ping was a merchant in a nearby village and town, and was able to do some small business; otherwise, the family would have been bankrupted long ago.

Faced with Li Wei's coercion, Yang Shusheng had no choice but to return to the village and go door-to-door urging them to pay.

As expected, the villagers' homes were already empty.

They were already ripped off by paying taxes before, and now they have to pay nearly half of their taxes out of thin air. How can they possibly come up with that money?

Left with no other choice, Yang Shusheng had to return empty-handed to report back.

When Li Wei saw this, he immediately went wild.

He didn't believe Yang Shusheng's explanation at all, and thought that these troublemakers were deliberately resisting taxes.

"You've rebelled! You're plotting a rebellion!"

Ignoring the old grain chief Yang Shusheng's desperate pleas, he waved his hand and led his yamen runners, charging into the village like wolves and tigers.

Doors were smashed and grain was looted; houses were demolished and belongings were seized. In an instant, the entire Huangzhu Village was filled with cries and curses.

But there was nothing of value left in the village, and the ruthless yamen runners, after a long day of work, had gained very little.

Seeing this, Yang Shusheng seized the opportunity to kneel on the ground and pleaded with them again:

"Sir, the villagers have absolutely no surplus grain! Even next year's planting grain has been confiscated!"

"Please, have mercy and leave us a way to live!"

Li Wei failed to find any money or grain, and his anger had nowhere to go.

Looking at the troublesome old man in front of him, he grew angrier and angrier. He kicked and punched him repeatedly, blaming all the mistakes on Yang Shusheng, the grain manager who had failed to raise grain effectively.

"You old geezer! It's all your fault! You must have hidden the grain!"

Yang Shusheng, being of advanced age, could not withstand such a beating. He was soon beaten to the ground, bleeding from his mouth and nose, and on the verge of death.

Even so, Li Wei was still not satisfied and ordered his men to tie up Yang Shusheng, intending to take him back to the yamen to be sentenced for the serious crime of "embezzling tax grain".

Just then, Yang Shusheng's son, Yang Ping, rushed back in a flurry of activity.

He had just returned from a business trip to the next village when he witnessed his father being kicked down and beaten.

Seeing this, his blood rushed to his head, and his eyes turned bloodshot, as if they were about to bleed.

Yang Ping threw down the load on his shoulder, took a step forward, rushed to the front of a farmer's woodshed, grabbed a wood-chopping knife, and was about to rush out and chop down the tax collectors.

"Ping-ge'er! Wait a minute!"

"Yang Ping! Calm down!"

Several villagers were shocked to see this and quickly stopped him.

Yang Ping panicked. He struggled violently and angrily questioned these "well-meaning" villagers:
"These tax collectors have come to collect taxes, and my father is speaking up for you!"

"You're not going to help me, fine, but instead you're blocking me?"

Where is your conscience?

He pointed to a man in the crowd:
"Liu Sanxi! That year when you were hunting, you were gored in the leg by a wild boar. My father sold everything he owned to pay your tax bill. Have you forgotten?"

As he spoke, he pointed to another one:
“Lu Dazhi! That year, when your eldest son fell ill, you spent all your savings on doctors. Who paid the grain tax for you?”

"And your Zhao Wei family! Your Zhou Zhi family! Which one of you hasn't received favors from my father?"

"Now, you're just going to stand by and watch these bastards beat up my father, and do nothing?!"

Upon hearing Yang Ping's question, many people present lowered their heads in shame, not daring to meet his gaze.

Looking at these apathetic villagers, Yang Ping felt a surge of anger and a chill run through him.

"Fine! If you guys won't go, I'll go myself!"

"Killing one today is enough to break even, killing two is a bonus!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Sanxi, who had just been called upon, quickly stood up:

"Brother Yang, don't be impulsive!"

“These tax collectors and yamen runners are government officials. Killing them would be tantamount to killing officials and rebelling.”

"That's a capital offense!"

A resolute glint flashed in Yang Ping's eyes:
"Kill them if you want! At worst, I'll just run to Long'an Prefecture and join the rebels!"

"It's better than living such a wretched life, worse than that of pigs and dogs, under the rule of the imperial court!"

Yang Ping was originally a traveling merchant, and recently he had become quite familiar with the group of merchants from Longwu Prefecture, and had heard a lot of news about Long'an Prefecture.

Now that his father has been beaten to the point of near death, Yang Ping can no longer care about anything else.

So be it!

Yang Ping suddenly flung himself away from the villagers' grasp, grabbed a wood-chopping knife, roared, and charged toward Li Wei, the head tax collector, who was not far away.

"You corrupt official! I'll fight you to the death!"

At this moment, Li Wei was still immersed in anger and never expected that among these honest and simple farmers, there would actually be someone who dared to resist.

By the time he heard Yang Ping's roar, the heavy woodcutter's knife had already landed on his head.

"Pfft!"

With a muffled thud, the sharp blade cleanly and decisively slashed into Li Wei's neck.

Blood splattered all over Yang Ping's face like a fountain.

At that moment, time seemed to stand still. All the tax collectors and ordinary people present stared in disbelief at this bloody scene.

"Murder! Murder! The common people have killed officials and rebelled!"

One of the tax collectors was the first to react, letting out a terrified scream.

The scream served as a signal. The surrounding constables snapped out of their daze, drew their swords, and surrounded Yang Ping.

Yang Ping wiped the blood from his face and struggled to dodge the attacks of the constables. He knew he had no way out.

He raised the blood-dripping machete in his hand, and with all his might, let out a deafening roar at the stunned villagers behind him:

"The villagers have rebelled! Let's fight these bastards!"

"Since the government won't give us a way out, then we'll fight our way out ourselves!"

He remembered the slogans those "businessmen" had taught him and shouted them with all his might:
"Equal distribution of land and exemption from taxes! The hungry will be fed!"

The villagers of Huangzhu Village were shocked when they saw Yang Ping take action, but this shock was quickly replaced by a strange sense of pleasure.

This sense of exhilaration stems from the anger that lies dormant deep within.

Everyone understands the principle that "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down." After so many years of being obedient subjects, they have long been accustomed to accepting whatever comes their way, and no one dares to take the lead in rebellion.

Now that they saw Yang Ping step forward, the suppressed fighting spirit in their hearts was finally ignited!

"Damn it, fight them!"

"Ping-ge'er is right, killing one is enough!"

Someone in the crowd shouted first, and then all the villagers started moving.

They grabbed hoes, carrying poles, and machetes, and surged towards the yamen runners not far away like a tide.

The news of Huangzhu Village killing the tax collector and openly rebelling spread like wildfire throughout Zhaohua County.

Furthermore, under the banner of "equal land distribution and tax exemption," Yang Ping contacted several nearby villages that were also driven to desperation, and quickly assembled a force of over a thousand people.

"Outrageous! A bunch of unruly people! They've gone too far!"

Upon hearing this news, Tian Zhengyu, the magistrate of Zhaohua County, flew into a rage in the main hall of the county government office.

"Go to Guangyuan Prefecture immediately and request the Lizhou Guard to send troops!"

"We must wipe out these unruly people, leave no one alive!"

Soon, the officers and soldiers of Lizhou Guard arrived.

Yang Ping, along with the villagers from several villages, fought back with great courage and determination.

However, the gap between them and the regular army of the imperial court was simply too great.

What weapons could these common people possibly have?

Their equipment consisted mostly of farm tools and wooden sticks, lacking proper equipment such as armor and firearms.

Even more fatally, they lacked systematic training and could only rely on sheer numbers to launch attacks. If they failed in their first battle, they would have no choice but to flee.

Originally, Lizhou Guard had been wiped out by Jiang Han's troops, but after Jiang Han left, the government conscripted several thousand soldiers from elsewhere and reoccupied Lizhou Guard.

Although these garrison soldiers were not as strong as the elite border troops, they were more than capable of annihilating this group of peasant soldiers who had just put down their hoes.

The Lizhou Guard only sent two sentries and more than 400 guards, yet they still managed to rout Yang Ping's force of more than 1,000 men, causing heavy casualties.

The peasant army was no match for them and could only flee south into the mountains.

In this critical moment, Yang Ping remembered the group of "merchants" from Long'an Prefecture.

He remembered that those people had told him he could contact them anytime if he had any ideas.

Coincidentally, the caravan operating in the Zhaohua area had not gone far, and the leader, Ma Xu, was active in Weiziba, not far away.

Upon hearing the news of the rebellion in Huangzhu Village, he immediately led his team back. Finally, in a mountain valley near the Jialing River, he found Yang Ping and his men, who were surrounded and almost in dire straits.

Seeing that the peasant army was surrounded and about to be completely annihilated by the government troops, Ma Xu immediately ordered the entire team to put on their armor and prepare to meet the enemy.

His squad consisted of forty-two men, each a carefully selected elite soldier, disciplined and extremely fast.

Without saying a word, the soldiers immediately bent down and took out the swords, armor and weapons hidden under the cart, and removed the cart frame from the horses.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they transformed from a caravan into a well-equipped border guerrilla unit.

At Ma Xu's command, the team immediately split into two lines and rushed towards the mountain pass not far away.

Meanwhile, in the mountain valley, the government troops were frantically hunting down the remaining peasant soldiers.

Suddenly, a government scout came running back, stumbling and crawling:

"General Lü! Something terrible has happened! There's a small squad outside, and they're heading straight for us!"

"They seem to have ill intentions!"

Upon hearing this, the leading garrison commander, Lü Tao, was extremely disdainful:
"What's the panic! How many people could a mere squad possibly have?"

The scout replied, panting heavily:
"I didn't see it very clearly, but there were probably forty or fifty people."

Upon hearing this, Lü Tao found it hard to believe. He subconsciously thought that the group that had come was just a bunch of insignificant farmers.

"How many? Forty or fifty people?"

"I thought you meant at least one sentry, just forty or fifty farmers. How could he possibly fight against four or five hundred of my men?"

"Isn't this just a way to give me military merits?!"

"Pass down the order: the rear guards turn around and prepare to engage the enemy!"

But when the squad rushed out of the valley and got close, the smile on Lü Tao's face froze instantly.

There were forty or fifty men, all clad in armor and helmets, their equipment dazzling, including swords, shields, and firearms.

What kind of farmer is this?
If you said these were the elite border troops of the Nine Border Regions, Lü Tao would believe you.

Before Lü Tao could react, Ma Xu in the team had already given the order to charge.

He took the lead, pulled out two dark iron lumps from his pocket, lit the fuse, and threw them with all his might into the government troops' ranks.

boom! boom!
With a deafening roar, flames exploded amidst the ranks of the government troops.

Before the soldiers on the other side could react, they were instantly blown to pieces, the thick smoke carrying lead bullets that relentlessly reaped lives among the crowd.

The soldiers on the perimeter were also stunned by the explosion, their ears ringing, and their formation was thrown into chaos.

"Brothers! Follow me and charge in!"

Seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Ma Xu roared and led his fierce soldiers to plunge into the government army's ranks.

This was a complete massacre.

Ma Xu's veteran soldiers worked in perfect coordination, with those wielding shields charging forward to block and parry, while those with swords followed closely behind to slay the government troops; archers and musketeers guarded the flanks, constantly unleashing firepower in all directions, making the government troops afraid to advance.

These garrison soldiers could at most put on a show of might in front of a loose peasant army, but they were no match for this fierce and ruthless border army.

In a single exchange, the front ranks of the government troops were slaughtered as easily as cutting melons and vegetables.

Lu Tao and his personal guards tried to step forward to resist, but they were spotted by sharp-eyed archers. Two arrows struck him squarely in the face, and he fell straight down on the way to the charge.

"Commander Lü is dead! Run!"

Seeing their commander fall to his death on the spot, the garrison soldiers dared not resist any longer. They dropped their weapons and ran away.

The battle was over in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and even the peasant soldiers in the mountain valley were still confused about what had happened.

At this moment, Yang Ping was still preparing to lead his men in a desperate fight, but then he heard a deafening roar and a shrill scream from outside.

He mustered his courage and led his men forward to investigate, only to witness a scene he would never forget.

The four or five hundred government troops who were just besieging them are now being chased by a force of forty or fifty men, fleeing frantically all over the mountains and fields.

After driving away the government troops, Ma Xu successfully made contact with the peasant army led by Yang Ping.

His decision to personally lead the rescue team this time was based on clear strategic considerations.

Ma Xu spent several months lying in wait in northern Sichuan. He discovered that even if they, as outsiders, shouted the slogan of "equal land distribution and tax exemption" to the heavens, the people of Baoning Prefecture would not dare to stand up and rebel.

He needed a banner, and Yang Ping, the leader of the Huangzhu Village uprising, was undoubtedly the best candidate.

His deeds are enough to inspire countless people who are still hesitant.

However, these peasant armies that dared to be the first to stand up and resist were often no match for the government troops' encirclement and suppression.

This elite force under Ma Xu's command can perfectly make up for the peasant army's lack of core combat power.

One is famous, the other is powerful; they each get what they need.

And just like that, the two sides reached an agreement.

Ma Xu ordered his men to send news of the peasant uprising in northern Sichuan back to Long'an Prefecture as quickly as possible.

Subsequently, he officially took over command from Yang Ping and led this group of peasant soldiers to wander through various villages in northern Sichuan, encouraging more people to stand up against the tyranny of the Ming Dynasty.

Jiang Han was overjoyed to receive the news from Baoning Prefecture.

The public resentment in Baoning Prefecture has been ignited, and the government's attention will be drawn to the flames of war that are spreading everywhere.

If not now, when?
He acted decisively, summoning a messenger:
"Go! Send a messenger at full speed to inform General Shao of Jiangyou County to reorganize his troops."

"Ten days from now, troops will be dispatched simultaneously from both the north and south to Baoning Prefecture!"

(End of this chapter)