Huangming

Chapter 490 The People's Hearts Are Scattered, the Governor of Sichuan

Even knowing that Wang Haoxian was determined, Xu Chengye, risking execution, still advised Wang Haoxian:

"Master! You mustn't!"

He bowed and kowtowed, saying, "We were able to occupy Jiaxing and Suzhou entirely thanks to the grain and provisions support from the gentry of Jiangnan."

Although they are greedy and stingy, they control the mulberry orchards and granaries. Without their supplies, the food for 100,000 brothers will not last long!
If we were to attack the gentry of Changzhou now, confiscating and looting their property, the gentry of Suzhou and Jiaxing would be in a state of panic. Who would dare to send us grain then?

They're probably going to turn around and surrender to the government troops!

We urge the leader to reconsider and rescind his order!

These words were so earnest that even the guards standing to the side held their breath.

Although Xu Chengye is Wang Haoxian's most trusted strategist, he has now angered the cult leader and is likely to meet a tragic end.

"Think twice?"

Wang Haoxian slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly. He stared at Xu Chengye, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
"I've been thinking about this for three days and three nights! Not whether I should rob it, but how much I should rob!"

He strode up to Xu Chengye, his words filled with violence.

"Which of you gentry didn't get rich by sucking the blood of the common people?"

His house was piled high with gold and silver, and his granary was overflowing, yet he would make excuses to even buy his brothers a cotton-padded coat!
We begged you for grain before, but you used 'the government is cracking down hard' as an excuse.

Now that I'm in trouble, you've probably already secretly contacted the government troops, haven't you?

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Haoxian suddenly bent down, grabbed Xu Chengye by the collar, and yanked him up.

In the candlelight, his face was contorted with rage, and the murderous intent in his eyes was almost palpable.
“I ask you! Are you one of my men, Wang Haoxian, or the dogs of those gentry?”

"If you dare to side with outsiders and speak up for those parasites..."

Wang Haoxian paused, a sinister smile creeping onto his lips. His other hand rested on the sword at his waist, the scabbard scraping against the blade with a swishing sound, the threat unmistakable.

Xu Chengye was so frightened that he trembled all over, and cold sweat streamed down his temples, soaking his collar.

He struggled to kowtow, his forehead hitting the blue brick floor with a dull thud.

"Master, spare my life! Your subordinate is utterly loyal to you, heaven and earth bear witness!"

My heart is only for the leader, the Buddha, the sun, and I have no other thoughts whatsoever!

"I was just confused for a moment, afraid of jeopardizing the leader's cause; I was absolutely not biased towards the gentry!"

As he spoke, he kept kowtowing, and a large, red, swollen bump quickly appeared on his forehead.

Wang Haoxian stared at him for a long time. Seeing that he was so frightened that his face turned pale, and that it didn't seem like he was faking it, he let go of him and pushed him to the ground.

"In that case, go and get on with the business."

Wang Haoxian straightened his wrinkled brocade robe, his tone regaining a touch of cold calm.

"Issue my order: all gentry in the eastern and southern parts of Changzhou Prefecture must move to Suzhou with all their belongings within ten days. Those who disobey will have their homes confiscated, their male members sent to the army, and their female relatives sent to the military camp!"

"Yes Yes!"

Xu Chengye scrambled to his feet, not daring to utter another word. He simply lowered his head, clutching his aching neck, and slowly retreated from the hall.

As he reached the door, he couldn't help but glance back. He saw Wang Haoxian staring intently at Wuxi on the map, his eyes filled with malice, and a chill ran down his spine.

He quickened his pace as he left.

As soon as Xu Chengye stepped down, General Li Tietou strode in.

His face still bore unhealed scars from the defeat at Changzhou, yet he fawned over Wang Haoxian with an obsequious expression.
"Master, I've said it before, these scholars are the most unreliable!"

Xu Chengye may appear loyal, but isn't he secretly speaking up for the gentry?

"We, the people who have lived on the edge of a knife, are still the most trustworthy!"

He had hoped to receive some praise, but to his surprise, Wang Haoxian suddenly turned around, his eyes filled with anger, and slapped him across the face.

"Believable?"

Wang Haoxian's voice was like ice.

"In the Battle of Changzhou, you led five thousand elite troops to charge into the enemy lines, and they collapsed before the government troops' chariot formation even got close!"

You led 100,000 brothers to a complete defeat, utterly disgracing this leader!
You piece of trash, you dare call yourself 'credible'?

Li Tietou was knocked back, half his face instantly swelling and turning red, but he dared not utter a single complaint. He quickly knelt on one knee, bowing his head low.

"Master, please calm your anger! Your subordinate is incompetent! Your subordinate is willing to atone for your sins by personally training the troops!"

If I cannot train an elite force within three months, I am willing to offer my head in retribution!

"Three months?"

Wang Haoxian sneered and kicked him in the shoulder.

"I can't wait three months! I'll give you one month! If your soldiers are still this vulnerable after one month, you can get the hell out of here as 'Heavenly General'!"

"Yes! I obey my orders!"

Li Tietou kowtowed repeatedly until Wang Haoxian waved his hand, at which point he clutched his aching shoulder and retreated in a disheveled state.

Silence returned to the lobby, broken only by the crackling of the burning candlelight.

Wang Haoxian walked to the desk, picked up the vermilion brush, and circled the towns around Wuxi one by one.

He knew in his heart that plundering the gentry was like drinking poison to quench thirst, but the rebel army had just suffered a defeat and morale was low. Only gold, silver and women could stabilize people's hearts.

As for future supplies?
He had no time to think that far ahead; he only wanted to loot Wuxi before the government troops arrived, take his wealth back to Suzhou, and then make further plans.

the other side.

Wuxi Chamber of Commerce.

This courtyard, usually used for discussing silk and grain transactions, was now crowded with gentry and merchants from the eastern and southern routes of Changzhou Prefecture.

The ebony doors were wide open, and the octagonal table inside was packed with people, each with an unconcealable anxiety on their face. Even the usually talkative silk merchant was now frowning and silent.

Gu Yuncheng was dressed in a whitewashed scholar's robe. As the younger brother of Gu Xiancheng, the leader of the Donglin Party, he still maintained the aloofness of a scholar despite having joined the rebel army. At this moment, he sat upright and solemnly.

An Qian, the head of the An family in Wuxi, Zou Bancheng, one of the three richest men in Wuxi, and Shao Kai, the dean of Erquan Academy, all had solemn expressions.

"Military Advisor Xu has arrived!"

Just then, someone whispered, and the hall fell silent instantly, with all eyes focused on Xu Chengye.

Xu Chengye, having just been humiliated by Wang Haoxian, forced a calm expression, walked to the main seat in the hall, took a sip of tea, and then slowly began to speak:
"I have summoned you all here today because I have important matters to discuss."

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Yuncheng stood up first, his tone tinged with a hint of probing:

“Strategist, the rebel army has just suffered a defeat in Changzhou Prefecture, and we are all uneasy.”

I wonder if today's summons is for training troops and procuring provisions, or if there is another purpose?
If the leader needs manpower and resources, my Gu family is willing to contribute five hundred shi of grain, hoping to stabilize the situation as soon as possible.

As soon as he said this, the others echoed his sentiments.

An Qian said he was willing to donate three thousand taels of silver, Zou Bancheng promised to dispatch ten cargo ships to transport supplies, and Shao Kai said he could have the academy disciples help copy the proclamation to appease the refugees.

"Yes, strategist."

Zou Bancheng stopped pacing, walked into the hall, and spoke urgently.

"We are now all in this together, sharing both glory and ruin! We must never repeat the crushing defeat we suffered outside Changzhou!"
If the government troops attack, how will those of us who have joined the rebel army survive?
The most urgent task is to train our troops quickly and defend Wuxi!

Looking at everyone's anxious expressions, Xu Chengye felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.

These people talk about "standing together through thick and thin," but in reality, they are only donating a small amount to protect their own businesses.

He raised his hand and waved, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"The leader is aware of everyone's intentions."

However... Changzhou Prefecture has many elite troops, and we currently lack sufficient forces, so it may be difficult to stay in Wuxi for long.

The leader's intention was to first withdraw to Suzhou Prefecture to reorganize and defend, and then plan a later move once a strong army had been trained.

He met the sudden somber expressions on everyone's faces and uttered the second half of the sentence with difficulty:

"Therefore, I ask that you all pack your belongings within ten days and evacuate to Suzhou Prefecture with the leader."

"what?!"

These words exploded like a thunderclap in the hall.

Gu Yuncheng slammed his hand on the table, pointing at Xu Chengye, his voice filled with disbelief and anger:
“Military Advisor Xu! We joined the righteous army to protect our hometowns and homes, not to leave our homes!”

Wuxi is my root; the Gu family's ancestral hall and ancestral home are all here. How can I just leave like that?

An Qian's face turned deathly pale instantly, and his voice trembled as he said:
“Go to Suzhou Prefecture? We have no one to rely on in Suzhou. If we go there, won’t we be lambs to the slaughter?”
Is Master Wang trying to use us as a burden, or is he taking this opportunity to seize our assets?

"well said!"

Zou Bancheng was even more enraged. He rolled up his sleeves and was about to step forward when he was held back by the people around him.
"Xu Chengye! That's not what you said when you tried to persuade us to join the traitors!"

You said Wang Haoxian was the "chosen one" who would protect us "wise men," but what happened?
After suffering a defeat, they want to push us into a fire pit!

"These aren't righteous soldiers! They're clearly bandits! Robbers!"

Chaos erupted inside the hall, with shouts of cursing and questioning filling the air.

Some people slammed their fists on the table and shouted angrily, some covered their chests and sighed, and some secretly wiped away their tears.

Most of them had been operating in Wuxi for generations, and their family property and land were all there. Once they moved to Suzhou, they would not only have to give up their ancestral property, but also be subject to Wang Haoxian's control, and their future would be bleak.

Xu Chengye sat in the main seat, listening to the insults and questions around him, feeling his temples throbbing.

He wanted to explain, to say that it wasn't his idea, but the words that came out were just a cold warning:

"Gentlemen, things have come to this point, and we have no choice but to follow the leader."

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his voice carrying a hint of helplessness and a touch of threat.

"The leader has decreed that anyone who does not relocate with the army within ten days will be treated as a 'traitor,' and their entire family will be exterminated without exception!"

"Confiscate their property and exterminate their entire clan?!"

These words instantly amplified the insults in the hall. Everyone was trembling with anger, pointing their fingers at Xu Chengye and cursing him for "aiding and abetting evil." However, some people slumped in their chairs, their eyes vacant, clearly terrified.

Looking at the chaos before him, Xu Chengye knew that staying any longer would only make things worse. He abruptly stood up, pushed through the crowd, and strode out of the lobby.

The cold rain outside the courtyard hit my face, carrying a biting chill.

Xu Chengye leaned against a pillar of the gate tower and let out a long sigh.

Wang Haoxian's move completely chilled the hearts of the gentry. Previously, the rebel army was able to expand rapidly in Jiangnan thanks to the gentry's provisions and connections. But now, by forcibly relocating them, not only will they lose the support of the gentry, but they will also make those who have pledged allegiance in Suzhou and Jiaxing wary. In the future, it will be extremely difficult to win people's hearts again.

"With morale low, this team will be really hard to lead."

He muttered to himself, "Wang Haoxian is not a ruler I can rely on!"

Perhaps I should start thinking about my options.

But then she realized that she and Wang Haoxian were already in the same boat.

From the day he joined the Fragrance Cult, he had no way out.

Wang Haoxian told him to go east, but he dared not go west.

He wouldn't dare to go easy on them if they ordered his house to be searched.

Even knowing that the road ahead is a pit of fire, one can only close one's eyes and jump in.

now.

Inside the Chamber of Commerce.

The insults and abuse were incessant.

"A bandit is a bandit!"

Gu Yuncheng's voice was filled with gritted teeth and anger, and his white beard trembled slightly with rage.

"When Xu Chengye came to persuade us, he said something about 'jointly building a great cause and protecting the people's territory.' But now, after a defeat, he's forcing us to abandon our homes and businesses and go to Suzhou."
How is this any different from bandits kidnapping someone?!

He stood up, paced back and forth a couple of steps, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, his tone full of disappointment:

"When Emperor Taizu rose to power, how much respect he had for us scholars and gentry!"
Tax reductions and exemptions, along with preferential treatment of local notables, were the only ways to win the hearts and minds of the people of Jiangnan.

Wang Haoxian is a different story. He has neither the great talent of Emperor Taizu nor the benevolence to save the world. He only knows how to plunder and exploit, yet he wants to emulate Emperor Taizu in establishing his rule over Jiangnan.

That's utterly delusional!

These words struck a chord with everyone, and some couldn't help but nod in agreement:

"Master Gu is right! We joined him in the first place because we were afraid of the chaos of the soldiers raiding our homes and wanted to protect our family property, not because we wanted to follow him and suffer a life of wandering!"

Gu Yuncheng sneered, straightened his scholar's robe, and his tone suddenly became firm:
"Although I, Gu Yuncheng, do not have the prestige of my elder brother, Duke Xiancheng, I still know that 'a good bird chooses a good tree to perch on.'"

Wang Haoxian is no wise ruler; I cannot remain in Changzhou Prefecture.

He bowed to the crowd.

"Everyone, see you later."

Having said that, he turned and left.

Gu Yuncheng's family fortune consisted mostly of land and a few private schools passed down from his ancestors; there wasn't much to move.

He must be taking advantage of the chaos to escape to Nanjing and join the government troops.

The atmosphere in the lobby grew increasingly heavy.

An Qian stroked his goatee, but his expression was quite unpleasant.

He was the biggest bookseller in Wuxi, with tens of thousands of rare books in his home, as well as more than a dozen bookstores and printing workshops. These things would take more than ten days, or even a month, to move them all.

"Brother Zou."

He turned to Zou Bancheng, who was sitting next to him, and lowered his voice.

"Gu Gong is gone, what are we going to do? My bookstores and printing presses will be a burden if we move them to Suzhou, but if we don't move them, Wang Haoxian will really confiscate our property!"

Zou Bancheng's face was gloomy. He was one of the three richest men in Wuxi. His family's treasury was piled with hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, as well as more than a dozen silk shops and two mulberry gardens.

But a moment later, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, clearly indicating that he had made up his mind.

"What else can we do? Wang Haoxian is trying to swallow up our entire fortune!"
Once we get to Suzhou, we'll be like meat on his chopping board, to be chopped however he wants!
In my opinion, we should run away!

"escape?"

An Qian was stunned for a moment, then a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

"But what about the family and the money?"

"Send someone to escort the family members to the prefectural city first, as it is close to the territory of the government troops and is safe for the time being."

Zou Bancheng lowered his voice and leaned close to An Qian's ear.

"I've already had some of the silver melted down and cast into inconspicuous silver ingots, which are hidden in the cargo ship's compartment. They'll be transported away via the canal first thing tomorrow morning."

We'll carry some of the remaining cash with us; that'll be enough.

As for those shops and mulberry orchards, let's leave them for now.

Where there is life, there is hope!

Following Wang Haoxian is a dead end!

Several local gentry members, overhearing their conversation, gathered around, and one of them eagerly asked:

"Master Zou, what about us? We want to escape too, but we don't have as many connections as you!"

Zou Bancheng glanced at them and sighed:

"Hide any silver you can, and send your family members away as soon as possible."

Starting tomorrow, we'll leave in batches, without alerting Wang Haoxian's people.

There's a ferry crossing east of Changzhou Prefecture. I know the boatmen there; they can take us to Jiangyin in the middle of the night, and from there we can transfer to Nanjing.

Once we reach the territory controlled by government troops, we'll be safe.

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded, and their previously panicked expressions regained a glimmer of hope.

Someone immediately stood up, saying they needed to go back and make arrangements for the funeral.

Some people surrounded Zou Bancheng, asking him about the details of the ferry crossing.

Some people recalled Xu Chengye's warning and couldn't help but curse:
"Xu Chengye is a fool too. Following someone like Wang Haoxian, he'll lose his head sooner or later!"

The people in the hall gradually dispersed, leaving only Shao Kai, the dean of Erquan Academy. He sat there, looking at the empty hall, and sighed softly.

He originally intended to use Wang Haoxian's influence to warn the emperor, but now it seems that this was just wishful thinking.

"They're just a mob after all."

Shao Kai muttered to himself and slowly left the Chamber of Commerce lobby.

On the surface, Wuxi City remains calm, but beneath the surface, undercurrents are surging.

The gentry were busy moving their families and hiding their valuables. The soldiers sent by Wang Haoxian to monitor them noticed something unusual, but due to their lax discipline and focus on plundering the people, they did not take it seriously.

No one knew that this "relocation order" triggered by Wang Haoxian not only completely lost the hearts of the gentry in Changzhou Prefecture, but also had a huge impact on the gentry in Suzhou, Songjiang, and Jiaxing.

Those gentry who were originally observing the situation began to secretly contact the government troops after hearing about the plight of the gentry in Changzhou. Some even secretly sent them provisions and pay, hoping for leniency in the future.

Wang Haoxian was still immersed in the dream of "plundering to pay the military," unaware that the fire he had lit with his own hands had already burned down to his very foundation.

Once people's hearts are scattered, it's as difficult as climbing to heaven to bring them back together.

The flames of war in Jiangnan had not yet reached Bashu, a thousand miles away.

But by the end of winter in Chongqing, the winds were already biting cold.

Unmelted icicles hung from the eaves of the main hall of the government office. The cold wind, carrying the dampness of the Jialing River, lashed against the vermilion gate, making a low "whooshing" sound.

Inside the hall, Xu Keqiu, the governor of Sichuan, was holding a stack of petitions, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a mosquito.

"Snapped!"

The complaint was slammed heavily onto the table, and the words "Shizhu soldiers disturb the people" on the Xuan paper swayed.

Xu Keqiu stared at the top document, which was signed by the people of Ba County, Chongqing Prefecture, with their handprints.

Some say the soldiers from Shizhu forcibly seized civilian houses, others say they robbed street vendors of their goods, and still others say they raped women during night patrols.
"This is simply unreasonable!"

He muttered a curse under his breath, his tone full of frustration.

"Are the three thousand White-Spear Soldiers that Qin Liangyu brought here to guard against She Chongming, or to bring disaster to the people?"

"His Majesty, with a single imperial edict, elevated this woman to the position of Commander-in-Chief of Sichuan, bestowing upon her a python robe and jade belt, and the title of Vice Commander-in-Chief—the same rank as me, the Governor!"

Last year, in the first year of the Tianqi reign, Emperor Zhu Youxiao issued an imperial edict ordering Qin Liangyu, the Pacification Commissioner of Shizhu, to lead 3,000 White Spear Soldiers to Chongqing. He also exceptionally appointed her as the Commander-in-Chief of Sichuan and granted her the title of Vice Commander-in-Chief.

The reason given was "to guard against any unrest by She Chongming, the Pacification Commissioner of Yongning," but in Xu Keqiu's view, this was clearly a pawn sent by His Majesty to restrain him because His Majesty feared that he had too deep a foothold in Sichuan.

"She Chongming is very obedient, why would we need to be on guard?"

Xu Keqiu sneered, his eyes full of disdain.

Last year, She Chongming took the initiative to write a letter requesting to lead his troops to Liaodong to fight against the Jurchens. Although the emperor rejected his request, his "loyalty to the emperor" was more reliable than that of Qin Liangyu, a foreign "female general".

"Jiangnan is in such a mess now. Wang Haoxian has already captured Jiaxing. Further south are Hangzhou and Yanzhou, and past Quzhou is my hometown!"

The Xu family had been operating in Quzhou for three generations, owning tens of thousands of acres of fertile land and more than a dozen businesses. If they were caught up in the chaos of war, all their wealth would be gone.

"Instead of letting Qin Liangyu's White-Spear Army do nothing in Chongqing, it would be better to transfer them to Jiangnan to quell the rebellion!"

He rubbed his hands together, calculating in his mind, but the idea that had just taken hold quickly died down.

"But without the imperial decree to mobilize troops, how could Qin Liangyu listen to me?"
She is the commander-in-chief personally appointed by His Majesty; she probably only cares about the imperial edict and not about me, the governor.

He sat back down in his chair, picked up the cold tea and took a sip, feeling even more depressed.

The battle report from Jiangnan arrived three days ago, saying that although the government troops outside Changzhou Prefecture had won a battle, Wang Haoxian still occupied Suzhou, and 100,000 rebels had not dispersed.

At this rate, Hangzhou Prefecture probably won't last long. Quzhou Prefecture is only 300 li away from Hangzhou. Once Hangzhou falls, the rebel troops will go down the Qiantang River, and our hometown will be in danger.

"If we could get Qin Liangyu to go to Jiangnan, we could not only resolve the crisis in our hometown, but also bring this important figure out of Chongqing—a win-win situation!"

But how can I get her to leave?
Without the imperial decree, Qin Liangyu would never move; but if she waited for the imperial decree, the rebel troops in Jiangnan might have already reached Quzhou.

Xu Keqiu was pacing back and forth in worry when he suddenly heard footsteps outside the hall. A bailiff lifted the curtain and entered, kneeling on one knee.
“Your Excellency, She Yin, son of She Chongming, the Pacification Commissioner of Yongning, is requesting an audience, saying he has important matters to report.”

"She Yin?"

Xu Keqiu was taken aback for a moment, then a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

She Yin was She Chongming's eldest son. He had a more fiery temper than his father and rarely came to Chongqing Prefecture except to handle the affairs of Yongning Pacification Commission.

They suddenly came to visit today, saying they had "important business"?
What's he up to?

(End of this chapter)