Chapter 222 - 160: Rebellion Breaks Out (Part 2)
Seeing how vicious and unfeeling these wolf-like government constables were, a few shouts suddenly rang out from the crowd.
"With taxes this high, we’ll starve if we pay up this year! We die if we pay, and we die if we don’t. To hell with ’em, let’s rebel!"
"That’s right! Everyone, let’s get ’em! Kill these bastards!"
"..."
A chorus of shouts erupted from the crowd. Instantly, their eyes wide with fury, they charged the government constables.
The government constables sneered. They had some martial training, after all, and were much stronger than these farmers. This sort of thing had happened before.
All they had to do was make a move and kill a few of the ringleaders, and the rest of the crowd would lose their nerve.
But this time was different.
Just as the constables were preparing to suppress the uprising, arrows shot from an unknown location, instantly felling the most martially skilled among them.
The remaining constables were immediately swallowed by the tide of furious farmers.
Having shed blood and killed government constables, there was no turning back.
In that instant, the farmers who had been honest and dutiful just a moment before became outlaws.
At the same time, this very scene was playing out in over thirty towns and villages under the jurisdiction of Wenxi County.
Soon, these farmers, forced into ’rebellion,’ amassed a force of tens of thousands and began to march on Wenxi County Town.
~~~~~~~
’This is Daqiu Town. It really has fallen into chaos... people have actually rebelled!’
This was the third market town Fang Yue had passed through since entering Xiahe County.
Without exception, they all looked as though they had been ravaged by bandits.
Fang Yue learned from fleeing refugees that the local farmers, unable to bear the oppressive taxes, had killed government constables and risen in revolt.
From the news he’d gathered over the past few days, the rebellion was growing in scale. A group of Martial Artists was active within the Rebel Army, and it was precisely their presence that allowed a rebellion, which should have been easily suppressed, to continue expanding.
’It seems the contents of that letter from the Blood Dragon Platform were true after all.’
’Sigh... these waters run deep.’
Even Fang Yue found it hard to imagine that an underground organization whose name he had barely heard could truly incite such turmoil.
’And from the looks of it, the entire Shanyang Prefecture is about to fall into chaos.’
’But now is clearly not the time for such thoughts. I have to get to Xiahe County Town as soon as possible.’
Fang Yue took a deep breath and immediately sped off toward Xiahe County.
He traveled day and night, finally spotting the walls of Xiahe County Town on the afternoon of the second day.
When he reached the gates of Xiahe County Town, Fang Yue found a long queue of people already lined up.
Villagers, with their families in tow, made up the line. It was clear most of them were refugees.
The queue stretched as far as the eye could see.
There must have been tens of thousands of people.
Fang Yue, of course, wasn’t about to wait foolishly in line. He pushed his way to the front gate, revealed his status as a Martial Scholar, and entered the town with ease.
At a time like this, Xiahe County would certainly not turn away a Martial Scholar. After all, one more Martial Scholar was worth a thousand soldiers.
He would be of great significance in defending the town.
~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, in the main hall of the Fang Family Mansion in Xiahe County Town, candles were already lit. The entire Fang Family was gathered there.
"What are we going to do? How could those people dare to rebel? Even the Official Army was defeated! What are we going to do? My Zhi’Er is still in Wenxi County, I have no idea how he’s doing!"
Ms. Chen’s face was etched with worry, her eyes were red, and she paced anxiously around the hall.
The others remained silent, their own thoughts a chaotic mess.
After all, they had never experienced anything like this.
In the past, there had been villages and towns that protested the tax burden, but they were always either swiftly suppressed or the people simply became refugees and fled.
Never before had a situation like this occurred, where they formed a massive Bandit Army and were about to attack the county town itself.
If those bandits breached the town’s defenses, the entire town would be in peril.
"Mother, don’t worry," Fang Cheng said reassuringly. "I’m sure Zhi will be fine. He’s a Martial Scholar!"
"Yes, yes, Fang Cheng is right. Zhi’Er will be fine," Father Fang added, nodding quickly.
Just then, a servant suddenly ran in to announce that the Second Young Master had returned.
The Fang Family, who had been shrouded in gloom just a moment ago, immediately beamed with joy.
"Father, Mother, I’m back." Just then, Fang Yue walked into the main hall.
Seeing that Fang Yue had truly returned, everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Zhi’Er, you’re finally back!" Before he could say more, Ms. Chen eagerly grabbed his hand, her eyes welling with tears as she spoke with emotion.
The family then spent some time catching up.
Time passed slowly. In the blink of an eye, it was the third day of Fang Yue’s return to Xiahe County Town.
On this day, a bright yellow banner was finally raised outside the town walls.
The banner was embroidered with a Blood Dragon on one side and the two words "Wu Cheng" on the other.
’Prince Wucheng?’
Hearing this, a name immediately surfaced in Fang Yue’s mind.
Prince Wucheng was the current Emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty’s own uncle. Rumor had it that the throne should have rightfully belonged to Prince Wucheng. However, his older brother—the previous Emperor of Great Wei—had seized the throne through treacherous means.
’Is Prince Wucheng finally going to seize the throne from his nephew?’
’So, Prince Wucheng is the one behind the Blood Dragon Platform.’
’Did his plans in the Divine Capital fail, leaving him no choice but to raise an army in rebellion?’
’But can he really succeed with just these conscripted farmers?’
At the same time, far away in Shanyang Prefecture’s Observatory, Hui Hengli stared at a Chaotic Celestial Phenomenon Instrument in the great hall.
His expression was incredibly grim.
On the bronze, spherical Chaotic Celestial Phenomenon Instrument, dozens of lights flickered erratically. Several had even gone out completely.
"That Prince Wucheng... He knows this is impossible, so is he willing to sacrifice all of Shanyang Prefecture for a desperate gamble?!"
Hui Hengli gritted his teeth, his face contorting in fury.
Throughout the Great Wei Dynasty’s Two Capitals and Thirteen Prefectures, every prefecture near a border possessed a Chaotic Celestial Phenomenon Instrument.
This object was a Divine Artifact passed down from antiquity. Its only function was to mark the various nodes of suppression and confinement.
If these nodes were stable, they would appear as a point of light.
A closer look would reveal that these nodes corresponded to the various county towns within Shanyang Prefecture.
If a county town was breached, the corresponding node would break, and its light would go out.
Once more than half the lights were extinguished, the ancient seal would break.
And at that time, the ancient enemies who had long been suppressed would return to the mortal realm.
"To do such a thing for his own selfish gain... He deserves to be killed! Damn him!" Hui Hengli clenched his jaw, his eyes flashing with a cold light.
"Men! Relay my orders! Inform the Mansion Master of this matter and have him make a decision at once!"
"Yes, my lord!"
An old man in grey robes by his side responded.
~~~~~~~
"Lord Fang, the County Magistrate requests your presence."
On the second day of the Rebel Army’s siege of Xiahe County Town, men from the Government Office arrived at the Fang Family’s home.
The walls have ears. Despite the Fang Family’s repeated orders to keep it a secret, the Government Office had learned of Fang Yue’s return.
Liu Zheng would never pass up the opportunity to use a Martial Scholar, especially one who had achieved Great Success in Marrow Transformation. This was even more true given the past conflicts and grudges between him and Fang Yue.
A person like that was naturally meant for the front lines.
"I understand. I’ll go at once." Fang Yue nodded and left the Fang Family home with the messenger.
The streets outside were under martial law, completely devoid of pedestrians.
Fang Yue soon arrived atop the town wall, where he saw Liu Zheng dressed in a suit of armor.
"Heh heh, I never expected my dear nephew Fang Yue to return to our Xiahe County. This is truly a joyous occasion! With your help, I am now even more confident in our defense of the town."
Liu Zheng spoke before Fang Yue even had a chance to open his mouth.