Chapter 4: Chapter 2: Forced to Rebel
An uproar from the crowd was inevitable.
They had been refugees for days, passing through countless counties and cities, but none would take them in. They weren’t even allowed to enter the county seats. Such a massive tide of refugees was a heavy burden for any local government.
Moreover, the drought was widespread, and these counties and cities were already struggling. They couldn’t even care for their own people, let alone these outsiders.
At most, they would offer porridge for two or three days before sending soldiers to drive them away, forcing them to keep moving.
But by now, the refugees had reached the end of their rope. Their food and supplies were long gone. If this continued, death was all but certain.
They had finally received reliable news in Yanping City: The Court’s relief grain had arrived in True Martial County.
They had come here full of hope, only to be told that True Martial County would not let them in?
How could they not be in an uproar?
"Let’s go! We’ll go together and see if these officials will help us or not! If they really won’t, then there’s nothing more to say—we’ll rebel! We just want to live! What have we done wrong?!"
"That’s right! If they won’t feed us, we’ll rebel!"
"Rebel!!!"
The crowd’s anger erupted in an instant.
The constant pressure of life and death finally boiled over.
This band of starving refugees was pushed to the very brink of rebellion.
According to the laws of Great Yu, rebellion was punishable by the execution of nine generations of one’s clan.
But forget nine generations... what about ten?
They were starving to death!
Why would they care about any of that?
Qin Fang, his expression grim, moved with the crowd without a word.
...
True Martial County was a relatively unknown county seat within Funan County.
Though not famous, it was nestled by mountains and water, boasting beautiful scenery.
The city was built against a mountain, with high walls and tightly shut gates. Atop the gatehouse, a line of armored soldiers stood in formation, a defensive posture clearly meant to repel a siege. Bows and crossbows at the ready, their gazes were sharp as they waited.
Outside the walls, a massive crowd of tattered refugees had gathered. A dark, pressing mass of at least tens of thousands, and their numbers were still growing. Even these elite armored soldiers felt the immense pressure, their nerves stretched taut.
"Open the gates! Open the gates! Let us in!"
"We are subjects of Great Yu, just like you! On what grounds do you deny us entry?!"
"Open the gates! Open the gates!"
"We need food! We want to live!!!"
The refugees screamed, their voices shrill with desperation.
Inside the city, night had not yet fully fallen, but every household had barred its doors and windows. Still, people peeked out from behind their window lattices, watching the situation unfold.
"What are we going to do? I heard the refugees have surrounded the city! If they break through the gates... what... what will happen to us?!"
The townspeople within the walls were also sick with worry.
As the saying goes, refugees are no different from bandits!
Faced with such a huge number of refugees, a single misstep in controlling them could lead to an utter catastrophe.
The entirety of True Martial County would be ruined!
While the people both inside and outside the walls worried, Yang Zhenwu, the County Magistrate of True Martial County, paced atop the gatehouse. Clad in a scarlet robe, his face was flushed with anger. The noise from outside grew louder, and he could faintly make out treasonous shouts like "Rebel! Rebel!
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