A family of loyal martyrs, starting with nine wives to continue the family line.

Han Dashan kicked over the wine jar on the table.

Wine was spilled all over the floor, and the faces of the newly crowned rebel leaders all changed, but none of them dared to speak first.

Old Zhou sat at the head of the table, his injured leg propped up on a wooden stool, twirling a fine knife he had just stolen in his hand, without even lifting his eyelids.

Why did you kick the wine jar?

Han Dashan glared at him.

"I'm so upset!"

Old Zhou scoffed.

"If you're going to block me, then curse me. What kind of skill is it to kick away the wine? This wine was delivered by a grain merchant from Bianzhou; it's very expensive."

Han Dashan became even more popular.

"Expensive? We've conquered the world, and Wei Zhao only gave me four towns! Four towns! Tens of thousands of my men followed him from Dongfeng Valley to the capital, how many brothers died? And in the end, all he gave me were four wretched towns!"

The rebel kings lowered their heads, and no one responded.

They all understood.

Han Dashan wasn't just angry about the four towns.

It was because the first thing Wei Zhao did after he sat on the dragon throne was to bring them back to the rules of the court.

Zhou Laodao finally looked up and glanced at Han Dashan.

"You're only realizing this now?"

Han Dashan's chest heaved violently.

"You already knew that?"

"I understood it when I was in the Taiji Hall."

Old Zhou slammed the knife onto the table:

"Wei Zhao is rewarding people for their merits, not for the territory they're granted. He talks a good game, talking about how the common people will live and about the new martial laws—it sounds reasonable. But if we really followed his plan, what would be left of us?"

He grinned, but it was a cold laugh.

"All you're left with is the title of marquis. Go back and kowtow to the local officials?"

Han Dashan clenched his teeth so hard they made a grinding sound.

He had indeed submitted to Wei Zhao.

He was truly impressed by the battle at Dongfeng Valley.

He also submitted to the Imperial Guards surrounding the capital.

Wei Zhao dared to fight, dared to kill, and dared to drag Lu Song off the imperial carriage.

Han Dashan used to think that it wasn't shameful to work for this kind of person.

It is permissible to submit.

He couldn't hand over his troops, give up the land he had conquered, or listen to his former officials press him with the law.

He crawled out of a pile of dead bodies.

Why should all the benefits end up going to the imperial court?

"So I've rebelled."

Han Dashan said in a low voice, "I'm not going to be a slave to the Wei family."

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the people in the room lit up.

Correct.

That's exactly what they wanted to hear.

Old Zhou saw it and cursed inwardly.

A bunch of bastards. They were acting all high and mighty just now, but now that they hear someone is holding the line, they've all come alive.

But he also knew that this kind of person could be used.

As long as they remain greedy, they can remain bound together.

"Wei Zhao can't worry about us right now."

Old Zhou slowly began, "That's why we dare to sit here."

A gaunt rebel king tentatively asked:

"Brother Zhou, do you really think so? Wei Zhao... is not someone to be trifled with."

Old Zhou looked at him.

"Scared?"

The man blushed.

"It's not that we're afraid, it's that he wiped out 100,000 Imperial Guards. Wang Jing died by his spear, and Lu Song was also captured and imprisoned in the Taiji Hall. With so few of us, if we really want to fight him head-on..."

"A head-on clash?"

Old Zhou laughed out loud.

"Who's going to confront him head-on? Have you lost your mind?"

Han Dashan frowned.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Old Zhou tapped the rough map on the table with the tip of his knife.

"drag."

One word.

The room fell silent.

Old Zhou pointed in the direction of the capital.

"What does Wei Zhao lack right now? He lacks money."

Han Dashan didn't say anything.

He may be rough, but he's not stupid.

Along the way, everyone knows that Wei Zhao's money and supplies are all supported by the old property of the Su family and the Wei family in Jiangnan, as well as those merchants who bet on the new dynasty.

Golden City, White Bone Tomb, East Wind Valley, outside the capital.

Which battle doesn't cost a fortune?

Armor needs repair, knives need mending, horses need feeding, wounded soldiers need treatment, and surrendered soldiers need to be fed.

No matter how wealthy Jiangnan is, it is not a treasure trove.

Old Zhou continued:

"No matter how good Su Qingyun is at accounting, she can't calculate money appearing out of thin air. Wei Zhao now has to support the Wei family army, support the surrendered Imperial Guards, appease the capital, and set an example for the people. Do you think he'll suddenly have money just because he's on the throne?"

He gave a cold laugh.

"The dragon throne doesn't generate money."

That's a rough way of putting it, but it hits the nail on the head.

The fear on the faces of the rebel kings lessened somewhat.

Han Dashan slowly sat down as well.

"There's still grain."

Old Zhou moved the tip of his knife to the Bianzhou-Chenliu line:

"Don't you know what the price of grain is like now? A shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice has tripled in price. The four major families in the capital have grain in their hands, but who were they close to before?"

Someone immediately chimed in.

"Lu Song".

"right."

Old Zhou nodded:

"They used to live off Lu Song, but now that Lu Song has fallen, won't Wei Zhao eliminate them? Would they dare not be on guard?"

Han Dashan's eyes lit up.

"Therefore, they will not immediately hand over the grain to Wei Zhao."

"Unless Wei Zhao begs them."

Old Zhou's smile grew even colder:

"But given Wei Zhao's personality, would he really beg?"

No one spoke.

"It was the right thing to empty the Bianzhou granaries," Han Dashan said.

Old Zhou glanced at him.

"You only realize it's right now?"

"I knew it was right just now!"

"Bullshit, you were just worried that it might push Wei Zhao too far."

Han Dashan's face darkened.

"I'm just being cautious."

Several rebels chuckled, but dared not laugh too loudly.

Old Zhou didn't tear him apart anymore, and continued:

"With the supply lines blocked, even if Wei Zhao wanted to send troops, he would have to think twice. If he were to target the capital's granaries, the capital would panic. If he were to target Jiangnan, the waterways would take time. If we simply block the routes through Bianzhou, Chenliu, and Qingxu, his supply convoys would have to detour."

One of the rebel kings hurriedly asked, "What about the four major families? Should we send someone to make contact with them?"

Old Zhou narrowed his eyes.

"Of course."

Han Dashan frowned.

"Can they believe it?"

"Believe it for nothing."

Old Zhou cursed, "Those people are even more afraid of death than we are. But because they're afraid of death, they'll play both sides. If Wei Zhao wants to eliminate them, they'll hide their grain. If we give them a way out, they'll know what to do."

Han Dashan thought about it and felt that what he said made sense.

That's how powerful and wealthy families are.

They'll kneel before whoever wins.

Wei Zhao hasn't truly won yet.

At least until their ten rebel kings were eliminated, the four major families dared not pledge all their grain supplies to the new Wu Dynasty.

This is the opportunity.

Old Zhou pointed the tip of his knife toward the capital region again.

"There are also recruits."

This time, many people's expressions changed.

The most practical thing is manpower.

How did Lu Song acquire 500,000 new troops to block Wei Zhao?

They were captured.

Around the capital, young and strong men had long been conscripted in successive waves.

Those who died in the White Bone Tomb, those who died in the East Wind Valley, those who died outside the capital—how many of them didn't even have their bodies recovered?

Now, in those villages, many families are left with only the elderly, women, and children.

Wei Zhao wants to recruit soldiers again?

What can we use to conquer?

Han Dashan grinned.

"He can't possibly drag widows and babies into this, can he?"

The words were crude, but no one in the room laughed.

Because everyone knows that this is Wei Zhao's biggest difficulty right now.

Wei Zhao had a sense of shame.

He declared upon ascending the throne that he would ensure the people's well-being, that farmers would have land, and that the border regions would have sufficient grain and armor.

The message has been shouted out.

If he were to forcibly conscript people again, he would be the one to lose face first.

Old Zhou said, "So the troops he can use are just a few: the Wei family army, the reorganized Imperial Guard, Xiao Guanyin's Xianyuan cavalry, Tuoba Yue's Qiang cavalry, and a few righteous armies that are willing to obey his orders."

He paused.

"But these soldiers also need to be wary of the Holy Fire Cult."

The room fell silent again as soon as the words "Holy Fire Sect" were uttered.

Han Dashan's smile faded a little.

He didn't like that group of people.

It's not because the Olympic flame has corrupted the religion.

It's because those people were too quick to snatch people up.

They had just started chanting "to distribute land on behalf of Heaven" when the Holy Fire Cult turned around and shouted "join the cult and you'll have food to eat, land to share, and no taxes to pay."

These words are harsher and more venomous than theirs.

Whom do the common people listen to?

Of course, they can give you food immediately if you listen.

"The Holy Fire Cult is troublesome."

Han Dashan said in a muffled voice:

"There are already 300,000 people in Qingzhou."

One of the rebel kings turned pale.

"Three hundred thousand refugees, once they are pushed towards the capital..."

"Then Wei Zhao would dare not touch us."

Old Zhou answered quickly:

"If he doesn't take care of the Holy Fire Cult, Qingzhou, Yuzhou, and Yanzhou will all fall apart. If he takes care of the Holy Fire Cult, he won't have time to take care of us."

Han Dashan stared at the map, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.