Huangming

Chapter 453 The popular uprising has run rampant, and unexpected changes are arising from within.

Mid-July of the second year of the Tianqi reign.

Datong.

The midday sun hung overhead, so scorching it could crack stone slabs. In the fields on the outskirts of the city, the millet that should have been heading had withered into yellow, withered ropes, its leaves curled into tubes that crumbled at the slightest touch.

The riverbed of the Sanggan River was mostly exposed, and the pebbles at the bottom were scorching hot from the sun. Even the drought-resistant sea buckthorn drooped its branches.

More and more refugees gathered at the city gate. They were dressed in tattered clothes, some barefoot with blisters on their feet, clutching empty earthenware bowls in their hands, their eyes filled with despair.

The government hasn't distributed relief grain for half a month. If the drought continues like this, we'll just have to wait to starve to death.

The back courtyard of the General's Mansion was a bit cooler than the outside.

Wang Wei, dressed in a plain silk robe, lay on a rattan chair, waving an ivory fan with the image of "Asking a Boy Under a Pine Tree" painted on it, but it could not dispel the restlessness in his heart.

On the small table next to it was a bowl of freshly brewed chilled plum juice, with water droplets dripping down the rim of the bowl.

"What exactly is Xiong Tingbi up to?"

Wang Wei slammed his fan down on the small table, his tone full of doubt.

He has already sent three groups of people to Xuanfu to gather information. Those who returned all said that Xiong Tingbi was either discussing matters with Ma Shilong in the governor's office every day or inspecting the newly reclaimed land in the suburbs. He never mentioned coming to Datong.

However, the situation in Datong is about to spiral out of control.

The refugees in Zuoyun and Youyu counties had long been restless due to drought and famine. Last month, there was even an incident of refugees robbing a grain shop. If he hadn't sent his servants to suppress it, things would probably have descended into chaos.

"Father-in-law, don't worry."

A young man dressed in a blue martial arts uniform walked in from the corridor; he was Liu Zhenbang, Wang Wei's son-in-law.

He held a secret letter in his hand, a smug look on his face.

"Just now, someone from Zuoyun County reported that the refugees have been contacted. If we give them a little push, we can get them to make a fuss."

Wang Wei glanced at him, his brows furrowing even more deeply:

"Give me a push? How? If Xiong Tingbi doesn't come now, and the peasant uprising really escalates, the first person the court will hold accountable is me, the deputy commander-in-chief. Do you expect me to go and quell the rebellion?"

His original plan was to use the chaos caused by the refugees to force Xiong Tingbi to come to Datong.

Then, let the refugees wear down Xiong Tingbi's military strength, and then use the power of the Prince of Dai to put pressure on Xiong Tingbi, forcing him to acknowledge his status as the "General of Datong" and even tacitly approve his false reporting of military pay and private seizure of land.

However, Xiong Tingbi was slow to arrive, and the discontent among the refugees grew stronger. If this dragged on any longer, things might get out of control.

Liu Zhenbang walked to the rattan chair, leaned down and whispered in Wang Wei's ear:
"Don't worry, father-in-law, we don't need to actually quell the rebellion."

"On the surface, you send a troop of soldiers to Zuoyun, making it appear as if you are going to 'suppress the rioters'."

Secretly, he had his men cut off the refugees' food supplies and then told them that the county government's granary had grain stored up and that the Datong Prefecture's treasury had silver.

As long as they dare to rob, they can survive.

Wang Wei stopped fanning himself, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes:
"Cut off their food supply? Let them rob the county government? Wouldn't that just make things worse?"

"It's better if this gets out of hand!"

Liu Zhenbang laughed, his tone full of cunning.

"If the refugees seize the county government office and then cause trouble at the gates of Datong Prefecture, the imperial court will definitely panic."

At that time, they will only urge Xiong Tingbi to come to Datong to quell the rebellion, and will never blame their father-in-law.

After all, you've already 'suppressed the unrest'; the rioters were too fierce, and you didn't have enough men."

He paused, leaned closer, and spoke even softer:

“When Xiong Tingbi arrives, he will have to deal with the refugees first, so he won’t have the energy to investigate your affairs.”

And you, under the guise of 'suppressing the rebellion,' are doing two things:
First, they will falsely report casualties, including the losses from your embezzlement of military funds and over-allocation of personnel over the years, all of which will be included in the "losses from suppressing the rebellion." In that case, the imperial court will only provide compensation and will not pursue the matter further.

Secondly, under the guise of suppressing the displaced people, those garrison commanders who disobey you can either be charged with "colluding with bandits" and executed, or have them "die in battle" amidst the chaos of war. In this way, military power in Datong will be completely in your hands.

"Falsely reporting casualties?"

Wang Wei's eyes suddenly lit up.

This method is exactly the same as the grain official's "fire dragon burning the granary"!
The grain official burned down the granary to cover up the losses from the resale of grain.

He used the pretext of reporting casualties during the suppression of the rebellion to cover up the evidence of embezzling military funds and over-staffing!

In that case, with no one left to testify, even if the court had suspicions, it would have no way to produce evidence.

"And then there's the Prince of Dai."

Liu Zhenbang seemed to see through his thoughts and added another sentence.

"You recently gave away twenty acres of fertile land in the south of the city and three silk shops on the west street to the Prince of Dai. The Prince of Dai accepted your bribes, so how could he not speak up for you?"
Even if Xiong Tingbi wants to investigate you, he still has to think carefully.

"The Prince of Dai is a member of the imperial family. For him to harm you is to slap the Prince of Dai in the face. Will the court tolerate him?"

These words completely dispelled Wang Wei's concerns.

He sat up straight, picked up the plum juice from the small table, took a sip, and the coolness slid down his throat, instantly dispelling his agitation and leaving only the excitement of calculation:
"Okay! Just do as you say!"

He slammed the bowl down on the small table, his tone resolute.

"Go and make the arrangements now:"

First, they cut off the food supply to the refugees from the brothers in Zuoyun County.

Second, send someone to tell the refugees that the county government has grain.

Third, send five hundred guards to Zuoyun, making it appear as if you're suppressing them. Remember, don't actually fight; just create a commotion!

"Don't worry, father-in-law, I'll take care of it right away!"

Liu Zhenbang bowed deeply, his smile widening.

As long as chaos erupts, the father-in-law can seize the opportunity to secure his position as the General of Datong, and his son-in-law can also rise to prominence.

Watching Liu Zhenbang's hurried departure, Wang Wei lay back down in the rattan chair and started fanning himself again.

希望
The situation may indeed unfold as he predicted.

the other side.

Zuoyun County.

The vermilion gate of the county government office was tightly closed.

In the main hall.

County Magistrate Guo Guang slumped in his official chair behind his desk. His blue official robe was wrinkled, and the collar was stained with sweat and dust. A few strands of his once neatly combed hair had fallen down and stuck to his oily forehead.

He clutched a crumpled piece of paper in his hand, on which was a message sent this morning by Liu Zhenbang, a confidant of Wang Wei:

"If the refugees cause chaos, do not obstruct them; simply close the government office and await reinforcements."

"Do not obstruct... await reinforcements..."

Guo Guang muttered to himself, his voice filled with despair.

He had just come down from the corner tower of the rear government office and saw with his own eyes that thousands of refugees were densely packed in the open space outside the county government office.

Some of the young and strong men held wooden sticks and hoes in their hands, their eyes filled with a fierce glint driven by hunger.

What alarmed him even more was that there were several men in the crowd dressed in gray cloth short jackets, who were teaching the refugees how to form ranks and slash with wooden knives and guns.

Those were Liu Zhenbang's men, specially sent by Wang Wei to "train" the refugees.

"These aren't just refugees, they're rebelling!"

Guo Guang slammed the note on the desk, his voice trembling with tears.

He served as the magistrate of Zuoyun County for three years. Although he could not be considered an honest official, he had not done anything immoral. But now, he had become a pawn on Wang Wei's chessboard.

Wang Wei wanted to use the chaos caused by the refugees to force Xiong Tingbi to come to Datong. As the county magistrate, Xiong Tingbi would either be accused of "incompetent governance" or have his head chopped off by the rioters. There was no third option.

He had considered rebelling.

Last month, he secretly sent someone to Xuanfu to deliver a letter to Xiong Tingbi, intending to expose Wang Wei's embezzlement of relief grain and his instigation of refugees. However, the letter was intercepted by Wang Wei's men as soon as it left Zuoyun County.

The next day, Wang Wei's confidant waved the account book showing him the tax embezzlement he had made three years earlier, and said only one sentence: "Magistrate Guo, those who know when to yield are the heroes."

He completely chickened out.

Wang Wei was the deputy commander-in-chief of Datong, wielding military power and backed by the Prince of Dai. Crushing this lowly county magistrate would be easier for him than crushing an ant.

"If only I had listened to Sun Chuanting and Xu Guangqi..."

Guo Guang clutched his hair, filled with deep regret.

After last autumn's harvest, Sun Chuanting and Xu Guangqi brought sweet potato seeds to Zuoyun County to promote them, saying that the crop was drought-resistant and high-yielding, and could yield a harvest even in years of disaster. They also taught farmers how to plant it.

However, Wang Wei sent someone to deliver a message saying, "Sweet potatoes are a foreign product and should not be promoted in Datong."

Fearing offending Wang Wei, he used the excuse that "farmers were unwilling to plant" to send Sun Chuanting and Xu Guangqi away. In the end, those sweet potato seeds rotted in the county government's warehouse.

He saw it a few days ago when he went to Datong Prefecture on business and passed through Datong County.

The ridges of the fields there were planted with sweet potatoes, and the vines climbed all over the ground. The farmers were busy digging up the sweet potatoes.

The magistrate of Datong County told him that although there was a drought this year and the millet production had decreased by 70%, the sweet potato harvest was plentiful and enough for the people to get through the winter. Even the number of refugees had decreased by more than half.

At the time, he scoffed, thinking that the magistrate of Datong County was trying to curry favor with Xiong Tingbi. Now he realizes that he was the short-sighted fool.

"Your Excellency! Your Excellency! Something terrible has happened!"

at this time.

A bailiff rushed into the main hall in a panic, his face pale.

"The refugees...the refugees have started banging on the door! They're shouting 'Open the granaries and distribute grain, or we'll burn down the county government office!'"

Guo Guang suddenly stood up, staggered to the front door, and looked out through the crack in the door.

Outside the county government gate, refugees were frantically banging on the door with sticks and stones, making loud "bang" sounds.

In the crowd, several of Liu Zhenbang's close associates were shouting loudly:

"Guo Guang is hiding grain from us! Charge in! Kill him! Seize the granary!"

"Stop crashing! Stop crashing!"

Guo Guang shouted out instinctively, but his voice was drowned out by the noise outside.

He knew there wasn't much grain left in the granary.

Most of the relief grain was taken by Wang Weike, and he embezzled a portion of the remaining amount. Now, there are only a few hundred bushels of moldy millet in the granary, which is not enough to satisfy the refugees.

"If the people are well-fed, who would want to rebel?"

Guo Guang leaned weakly against the wall, and tears finally streamed down his face.

When he first took office, Zuoyun County was not wealthy, but the people could still make a living, and there weren't so many vagrants on the streets.

But this year, when the drought struck and millet production decreased, instead of thinking about disaster relief, he followed Wang Wei in withholding grain and wages and pressing for the collection of Liaodong taxes, driving the people to the brink of despair.

Now, the refugees can no longer survive and are about to rebel, but he, the county magistrate, can only watch helplessly.

"Boom~"

The vermilion wooden gate of Zuoyun County Government Office was smashed to pieces by the refugees, and broken wooden beams flew out with wood chips.

Tens of thousands of refugees, like a flood bursting its banks, rushed into the county government compound, wielding sticks, hoes, and even sharpened bamboo strips, their murky eyes filled with hunger and madness.

"Stop! Just grab the food, but don't kill anyone!"

Liu Zhenbang’s three cronies squeezed in front of the crowd, one of them, a burly man with a fierce face, held up his waist sign and shouted at the top of his lungs.

They were sent by Wang Wei to "control the situation." According to the plan, the refugees only needed to rob the county government's granary of grain, make a scene, and then disperse. This would not harm Guo Guang, one of their own, and would also keep the commotion within manageable limits.

But the refugees in front of them were already blinded by hunger and would not listen to any advice.
Some people had already rushed along the corridor into the inner hall, shouting "We need to get grain from Guo Guang!" The scene was about to get out of control.

Just then, the crowd suddenly parted to make way.

A burly man carrying a rusty spear walked out step by step.

He was about thirty years old, his face etched with the marks of time, and a long scar on his left temple that stretched from his brow bone to his jaw, making him look particularly fierce.

The tattered short jacket he wore was stretched taut by his muscles, and his exposed arms were full of strong tendons with thick knuckles, clearly indicating that he was someone who worked hard or practiced martial arts all year round.

This man was Zhang Tianlin, a refugee from Yan'an Prefecture, Shaanxi Province. He fled to Zuoyun three months ago and quickly became the leader of the refugees thanks to his excellent martial arts skills and kind-hearted nature.

He often shared his belongings with the elderly and weak, and when he encountered thugs who bullied the refugees, he dared to fight them with a wooden stick, gradually becoming a "backbone" in the hearts of the refugees.

"Stealing food?"

Zhang Tianlin stopped and thrust his spear into the ground. With a "thud," the spear pierced the crack in the blue bricks, making everyone around him shudder.

How many days have we been starving?

The children cried for food, the old people collapsed from hunger by the roadside, and Guo Guang, on the other hand, spent his days drinking and eating meat in the county government office, and the grain in the granary was piled up so high it could burst the roof, yet he wouldn't even give us a single drop of porridge!

What's the point of keeping such a corrupt official around?

"Yes! Kill Guo Guang!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, and soon it turned into a chorus of shouts.

Liu Zhenbang's confidant's expression changed drastically, and the man holding the waist tag hurriedly stepped forward: "Zhang Tianlin, stop causing trouble! Deputy Commander Wang has ordered that no one be harmed!" "Deputy Commander Wang?"

Zhang Tianlin sneered, her eyes full of disdain.

"If he really cared about us, would he have let us starve until now?"
I think he and Guo Guang are cut from the same cloth!
Today, not only must Guo Guang be killed, but all the local gentry and tyrants of Zuoyun County must also be executed.
These words ignited the spirits of the refugees, and their previously scattered ranks instantly became organized. They raised their weapons and followed Zhang Tianlin into the inner hall.

Liu Zhenbang's confidants tried to stop him, but Zhang Tianlin pushed them away.

The confidant was pushed back several steps, bumping into a pillar. He felt a tightness in his chest and dared not go forward again.

Inside the main hall, County Magistrate Guo Guang, who had just run back from outside, was hiding behind a screen, trembling.

Hearing the shouts outside, he knew he couldn't escape. Just as he was about to come out and beg for mercy, he saw Zhang Tianlin rush in with a spear.

"Magistrate Guo, we meet again."

Zhang Tianlin stared at him; the scar looked particularly ferocious in the firelight.

“Last month I begged you for food rations, and you had the constables throw me out, calling me a ‘troublemaker.’ Do you remember?”

Guo Guang's face turned deathly pale. He knelt down with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Hero Zhang, spare my life! I'll give you all the grain in the granary, and I'll even give you my own possessions. Please don't kill me!"

Zhang Tianlin ignored him, raised her spear, and a cold light flashed.

With a "thud," the spear pierced Guo Guang's chest, and blood dripped from the spear tip onto the ground, staining the carpet red.

Guo Guang opened his eyes wide, blood gushing from his mouth. He tried to say something, but could only make a "hoarse" sound. Finally, his head lolled to the side, and he breathed his last.

The county magistrate and his two advisors were terrified and turned to run away, but were stopped by Zhang Tianlin's men.

Zhang Tianlin, carrying a blood-dripping spear, caught up in a few steps and thrust the spear repeatedly. In just a moment, three more corpses appeared in the inner hall, and blood flowed down the threshold into the courtyard, staining the bluestone slabs red.

Liu Zhenbang's three confidants stood at the courtyard gate, watching this scene, their faces turning pale.

The man holding the waist sign trembled:

"It's over...it's completely over..."

They originally only wanted to let the refugees plunder the grain, but unexpectedly Zhang Tianlin appeared, not only killing Guo Guang, but also shouting "Down with the landlords and distribute the land!" This was no longer a simple peasant uprising, but a rebellion!
Zhang Tianlin, carrying a long spear, walked out of the inner hall, stood on the steps, and shouted loudly to the surging refugees:
Guo Guang is dead!
Now, let's go open the granary and distribute the grain to the elderly and weak!

The rest of you, come with me, let's raid the home of the local gentry, Mr. Li, in the east of the city.

His granary is bigger than the county government office; if we confiscate his property, we won't have to worry about food for half a month!

"Alright! I'll follow Brother Zhang!"

The refugees cheered and followed Zhang Tianlin toward the granary, while the rest, armed, surged toward the east of the city.

Liu Zhenbang's confidants watched the departing crowd, at a loss for what to do.

They wanted to send a message, but were afraid of being discovered by the refugees.

They wanted to stop her, but they were no match for Zhang Tianlin.

They could only watch helplessly as the situation in Zuoyun County, like a runaway horse, completely deviated from Wang Wei and Liu Zhenbang's plans and raced headlong in an uncontrollable direction.

After seizing the grain, Zhang Tianlin distributed it to the people.

His prestige among the refugees grew ever higher.

but
Zhang Tianlin was not satisfied with just these achievements.

"Zhang San, Li Si!"

Zhang Tianlin called out the names of two refugee leaders.

"Take fifty men to the prison and smash the doors open! The brothers inside have been wronged by the government. Let them out and rebel with us!"

The two men whose names were called immediately responded with "Okay!" and ran towards the prison in the backyard of the county government office, carrying wooden sticks.

Most of the prisoners in the jail were farmers who owed taxes or poor people who were falsely accused of theft. When they heard the banging on the jail door, they were initially panicked, but when they saw that it was refugees rushing in, they immediately burst into cheers.

"Thank you, my good man! Thank you, my good man!"

A prisoner with a full beard rushed out and grabbed Zhang San's hand.

"The government has imprisoned me for half a year just because I owe two bushels of grain. I'll fight you!"

In less than half an hour, all two hundred-plus prisoners in the jail were released. Each of them held a short knife and a wooden stick that they had snatched from the jailer. They surrounded Zhang Tianlin, their eyes full of gratitude.

They already hated the government, and now that they had a powerful backer, they were naturally willing to risk their lives for Zhang Tianlin.

"Wang Er, Zhao Wu!"

Zhang Tianlin shouted again:

"Take a hundred men and go check the remaining grain in the county granary, as well as the private granaries of the local gentry!"

Transport all the grain to the square in front of the county government office and distribute it according to the number of people!
We must let the people of Zuoyun know that if they follow us, they will have food to eat!

These words immediately caused an uproar among the refugees.

Wang Er and Zhao Wu, along with their men, took the land deeds they had seized from the county government office and went door-to-door to check the granaries of the local gentry.

Those gentry who usually oppressed the people were terrified when the refugees came to their door with knives and guns. They didn't even dare to resist and could only watch helplessly as their grain was taken away.

Soon, small mountains of millet and sorghum piled up in the square, and poor people who had heard the news formed long queues.

Some elderly people, upon receiving the grain, immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Zhang Tianlin:

"Zhang Haohan, you are truly a living Bodhisattva!"

After calming the people down, Zhang Tianlin turned his attention to the county government's constables and archers.

These people were originally hiding in a corner, trembling, fearing that they would be purged by the refugees.

Zhang Tianlin walked up to them, her tone softening:

"You're all just trying to make a living too. As long as you're willing to follow me, I'll let bygones be bygones."

You are familiar with the streets and alleys of Zuoyun and the background of the local gentry. From now on, you will follow me to investigate private granaries and guard the city walls. This will be beneficial for you!

The constables looked at each other, and the lead archer mustered his courage and asked:

“Zhang Haohan, if I follow you, will I really have food to eat?”
If the government comes to suppress us, we…

"Is the government coming to suppress us?"

Zhang Tianlin sneered and patted the knife at her waist.

"If they come, we'll fight! We have so many brothers and plenty of food, what are we afraid of?"
"If you don't come with me, when the authorities arrive, they'll just pin the blame on you, and you'll all die anyway!"

These words struck a chord with the constables.

They usually suffer from the government's mistreatment and their salaries are not enough to support their families. Now that they have a way to make a living, why would they hesitate?

More than thirty constables and archers knelt down in unison:
"We are willing to follow Hero Zhang!"

For the next three days, Zhang Tianlin was busy.

He ordered his constables to reinforce the walls surrounding the county government office, and set up sentry posts on the city walls, dividing the able-bodied men into three shifts to take turns guarding the walls.

They also selected prisoners who knew some martial arts and taught the refugees basic fighting skills.

Although it was just some chopping and parrying, it gave the refugees a bit more confidence.

By the fifth day, the situation in Zuoyun County had completely changed.

The refugee group, which originally numbered only a few thousand, grew to more than 20,000.

Not only were there local poor people from Zuoyun, but also people from surrounding villages and towns, and even a dozen deserters from Datong Garrison came.

These deserters were owed wages for three months and couldn't even get porridge. They heard that Zuo Yun had food to eat and could join Zhang Tianlin in rebelling against the government, so they secretly ran away.

Just then, two men dressed in blue cloth gowns, accompanied by several servants, swaggered into the county government office.

They were Liu Zhenbang's confidants, one named Li Chongsan and the other Wu Yan.

A few days ago, they had no troops at their disposal, so naturally they lacked confidence.

With five hundred elite troops behind us, we naturally have plenty of confidence.

Li Chongsan walked up to Zhang Tianlin, his chin held high:

"Zhang Tianlin, you've got some nerve!"
"Dare to kill the county magistrate and distribute the grain?"

Wu Yan then threatened, "If you know what's good for you, stop right now, return the grain, and obediently follow our instructions."

Otherwise, the five hundred elite soldiers from outside the county will swarm in, behead you all, and hang your heads on the city wall as a warning!

Zhang Tianlin leaned against a pillar in the county government office, toying with a short knife in his hand, his eyes full of disdain.

"hehe."

Zhang Tianlin scoffed, stood up, and approached Li Chongsan and Wu Yan step by step.

"Wang Wei is a corrupt official."

He embezzled military pay and misappropriated relief grain, causing the people to starve to death. Now he wants to use us to force Xiong Tingbi to come to Datong.

You're all cut from the same cloth!

Li Chongsan and Wu Yan's expressions changed drastically: "You...you dare to insult Commander Wang?"

What's wrong with scolding him?

Zhang Tianlin's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"The people are suffering because of you officials and gentry!"

You've made a big fuss to make us scapegoats and expect us to obey your orders?

That's a joke!

He slammed his hand on the table, making the bowls and plates on it jump.

"Today, I, Zhang Tianlin, will act on behalf of Heaven to kill all of you parasites and restore justice to the people of Shanxi!"

Li Chongsan and Wu Yan were so frightened that they took two steps back. They did not expect that Zhang Tianlin would not only be unafraid, but also dare to challenge them in public.

Wu Yan forced himself to remain calm: "Don't be ungrateful! Deputy Commander Wang has troops under his command. With just one order, he can raze Zuoyun to the ground!"

"Smash Zuo Yun?"

Zhang Tianlin laughed, a laugh that was exceptionally arrogant.

"Then let him try! I have 20,000 brothers here, food, and city walls. No matter how many he comes, I'll kill them all!"

He changed the subject, his eyes sharpening.

"However, you can make me obey if you want."

Have Wang Wei send over a thousand knives, five hundred bows, and twenty thousand arrows.

With these guys around, I'll follow your orders for now.

If you don't have it, then stop talking nonsense!

He didn't want to obey at all; he clearly wanted to take the opportunity to trick Wang Wei into handing over weapons and to expand his own power.

Li Chongsan and Wu Yan exchanged a glance, knowing that further arguing was pointless; Zhang Tianlin's power was too great for them to control.

The two could only grit their teeth and say, "Fine! We'll go back and tell General Wang. You wait!"

After saying that, he hurriedly left the county government office without even looking back.

Watching their hasty retreat, Zhang Tianlin's lips curled into a cold smile.

He walked to the square in front of the county government office, looked at the more than 20,000 brothers gathered there, and shouted loudly:
Brothers!

Once we've recovered and mastered our martial arts, we'll attack Datong Prefecture, kill all those officials and gentry, and divide up their land!

If we can't win, we'll go back to Shaanxi.

The people of Shaanxi are suffering too. When the time comes, we'll raise an even larger force and let the Ming emperor know that we, the people, are not to be bullied!

A deafening roar erupted in the square:
"Follow Zhang Haohan! Kill the officials and gentry! Distribute the land!"

Zhang Tianlin stood on the city wall, gazing in the direction of Datong Prefecture in the distance, his eyes filled with ambition.

Zuoyun County has already become his territory. Next, he wants to expand his influence to Youyu, Shuozhou, and even the whole of Shanxi.

He knew this path would be difficult, that he might fail, that he might die, but he wasn't afraid.

Since he has nothing left anyway, he might as well take a gamble and maybe he can make a name for himself.

Outside of Zuoyun County, his reputation had already quietly spread.

The people of the surrounding counties and prefectures, upon hearing that there was a Zhang Tianlin in Zuoyun who killed the county magistrate, distributed grain, and rebelled against the government, were all tempted to join him.

Those people who couldn't get enough to eat and were exploited by the government began to secretly flee to Zuoyun, gathering under Zhang Tianlin's command like rivers flowing into the sea.

A popular uprising meticulously planned by Wang Wei completely slipped out of his control and turned into a storm sweeping across Shanxi.

At the heart of the storm was Zhang Tianlin, a ruthless bandit from Shaanxi.

(End of this chapter)