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

Zhao Qiniang picked up the military report, but after reading only two lines, her expression changed.

"Your Majesty, this matter cannot be delayed any longer."

Wei Zhao looked at her.

Zhao Qiniang usually speaks with a touch of江湖气 (jianghu qi, a kind of chivalrous spirit), daring to laugh and curse, and even in the Taiji Hall she doesn't quite act like a proper marquis.

But at this moment, her fingers gripped the edge of the paper so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"explain."

Zhao Qiniang put the military report back on the table, her voice lowered.

"The Holy Fire Sect is ten times more troublesome than the White Lotus Sect."

Li Huai was stunned for a moment.

"Ten times? Lord Zhao, don't scare me. The White Lotus Sect caused quite a stir in the Baihe area back then."

Zhao Qiniang glanced at him.

"When the White Lotus Rebellion was causing trouble, the people still knew we were human. The Holy Fire Rebellion is different."

Wei Zhao tapped his fingertip lightly on the imperial desk.

If rebels still consider themselves human, they can negotiate, be afraid of death, and be good at settling scores.

But if they think they are following God, then it's all over.

People are afraid of knives.

People who believe in God are sometimes not afraid.

Zhao Qiniang continued:

"In the Holy Fire Cult, Zhang Yan isn't called Zhang Yan, but Taiping Xianshi. The altar masters below him say he's the incarnation of the Holy Fire, able to foresee famine and predict life and death. A bowl of talismanic water can cure all diseases. Burning a piece of yellow paper to ashes and mixing it with well water will ensure the survival of an entire family."

Wei Zhao remained silent.

Of course he knew the talisman water was fake.

All claims of curing all diseases, bringing the dead back to life, or conjuring up thousands of grains with a wave of one's sleeve are nothing but lies and deception.

The question is, do ordinary people really not know?

not necessarily.

Some people may know that the water won't save their lives, but they will still drink it.

Because if you don't drink, you have no hope at all.

When people are starving, they don't die from their stomach first, but from their heart.

That's disgusting.

Wei Zhao suddenly felt a tightness in his chest.

The knife could cut Zhang Yan.

A knife cannot cut through the eyes of those driven to the brink of despair.

Seeing that Wei Zhao was silent, Zhao Qiniang slowed down her tone.

"Your Majesty, I used to work for the White Lotus Sect. People in that kind of place aren't necessarily all bad at first."

Wei Zhao raised his eyes.

Zhao Qiniang pursed her lips.

"It's true. Many religious groups started out as a few people who couldn't make a living and got together. Some could cook porridge, some could identify herbs, and some could read and write petitions for widows. The people felt that the government didn't care about them, but the religious groups did, so they followed them."

She paused.

"Later, as the population grew and the food supply dwindled, the government launched a siege, and people died. There was no turning back."

The hall fell silent.

Li Huai held the account book, his lips moved, but he didn't dare to interrupt.

Wei Zhao leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the military report.

Qingzhou has 300,000 people.

Three hundred thousand refugees, three hundred thousand starving people, three hundred thousand people forced out by the old Wei dynasty layer by layer.

This is not an army.

This is a flood caused by hunger.

You can call it a thief, but it will still charge forward.

If you try to block it with a knife, it will die right before your eyes.

One hundred thousand people died, and another two hundred thousand more were left.

Even if another 200,000 people die, more will continue to emerge from Qingzhou, Yuzhou, and Yanzhou.

Because the firewood is still there.

The fire will not go out.

Wei Zhao cursed inwardly.

That old dog Lu Song died too easily.

He turned the world into this mess, and now that he's dead, all the mess has fallen on the shoulders of the new Wu Dynasty.

The people are now cursing not the old Wei dynasty, nor Lu Song, but the new Wu dynasty for its moral failings.

They're really good at shifting blame.

Zhao Qiniang said softly, "The Holy Fire Sect has become somewhat demonic now."

Wei Zhao squinted.

"Demonic transformation?"

"They are no longer just trying to survive."

Zhao Qiniang said, "Many people have truly come to regard Zhang Yan as a god. If the altar master says to go east, they go east. If the altar master says the county magistrate is a demon, they kill the county magistrate. If the altar master says that anyone hiding grain is a desecration of the sacred fire, they rush in to steal it. Even if there is a sword formation in front of them, as long as someone holds up the sacred fire flag and shouts 'Peace descends upon the world,' they dare to charge forward."

Wei Zhao closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.

Not blaming the people does not mean condoning the Holy Fire Cult.

Zhang Yan could exploit the starving people, feign supernatural powers, and travel north to the capital under the guise of peace.

If 300,000 refugees were to flood into the capital region, what would become of the capital?

The counties and prefectures along the way will be coerced, granaries will be burned and looted, powerful local lords will retaliate, government offices will collapse, and rebel kings will take the opportunity to attack from the side.

In the end, it will be the ordinary people who die.

Good people die, bad people die, the elderly and children die together.

He cannot allow the fire to reach the foot of Kyoto.

Zhao Qiniang looked at him, her voice lowered.

"Your Majesty, I actually feel that the Holy Fire Sect's initial goal may not have been rebellion."

Wei Zhao looked at her.

Zhao Qiniang gave a bitter smile.

"I've never met Zhang Yan. But judging from their methods, they probably started by opening soup kitchens, taking in refugees, burning land deeds, and killing a few county officials and local tyrants who had driven people to their deaths. As more and more people followed them, and the government couldn't control them, they had no choice but to keep going."

She pointed to the military newspaper.

"Now, 300,000 people call him their wise teacher. Even if he wanted to stop, the altar masters below wouldn't let him. The hungry people wouldn't let him stop either. Because if he stopped, everyone would scatter and die."

Wei Zhao understood.

Many rebellions are not initially aimed at seizing the throne.

People who couldn't go on huddled together, and as they huddled together, more and more people joined in, with fire behind them and only one road in front of them.

In the end, the leader had no choice but to rebel.

Wei Zhao rubbed his temples.

Those rebel kings like Han Dashan and Zhou Laodao are easy to deal with.

Chopping is chopping, seizing grain is seizing grain, confiscating land is confiscating land.

Wei Zhao felt no guilt whatsoever at killing them.

But how many of the 300,000 members of the Holy Fire Cult are truly rebels?

How many women are just trying to get their children a bowl of porridge?

How many of these tenants were coerced into joining the scheme?

How many of them were displaced people forced into having no land and no food by powerful and influential families?

Cut them all in one go?

What's the difference between him and Lu Song?

Not cutting it?

If we let them go north, the people of the capital should be buried with his benevolence.

Wei Zhao looked at the military map, his fingertips pressing lightly on the route from Qingzhou to the capital.

We have to fight.

But we can't just kill.

The gods of the Holy Fire Cult must be shattered, Zhang Yan's sorcery exposed, and the altar master and the key figures who have manipulated the people beheaded.

The common people should be separated, the refugees should be given food, those who surrender should be kept alive, and those who wish to return to their fields should be resettled.

It's easier said than done.

Every step of the process requires money and supplies.

Fortunately, Fang Fuyao's military merit system has been opened up.

Li Huai investigates corrupt officials, Su Qingyun raises grain, Zhao Qiniang understands religious sects, Hua Jieyu investigates the altar master, and Nie Yinniang can kill key members.

This situation is not unbreakable.

It just has to be fast.

Wei Zhao looked up.

"Zhao Qiniang".

Zhao Qiniang immediately clasped her hands in greeting.

"Your subject is here."

"You will join the army."

Zhao Qiniang paused for a moment.

Wei Zhao said, word by word:

"You must tell me everything about the Holy Fire Cult: how they spread talisman water, how they gather followers, how they establish branch altars, and how they make the people believe in Zhang Yan. I don't need you to lead the charge; I want you to peel back their tricks, layer by layer."

Zhao Qiniang lowered her head.

"Your subject understands."

"Li Huai".

Li Huai quickly knelt down.

"Your subject is here!"

"You will remain in the capital. Within three days, compile a complete list of all available grain, silver, and officials. While I am away, you will oversee the court. Anyone who dares to delay military rations will be immediately investigated and their accounts sealed off."

Li Huai's Adam's apple bobbed.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I dare not speak of anything else, but when it comes to checking accounts, I can even find the land deeds next to their ancestral graves."

Wei Zhao almost laughed.

it is good.

These words may sound crude, but they are much more palatable than the nonsense spouted by the Ministry of Rites.

A moment later, Wei Zhao's voice was frighteningly calm.

"Get ready."

Several people in the hall looked up at the same time.

Wei Zhao looked at Zhao Qiniang.

"Three days later, I will personally lead the expedition."

Zhao Qiniang's lips moved slightly.

Wei Zhao did not give her a chance to persuade him.

"Let's deal with the Holy Fire Cult first, this big problem."