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Zhang Xianzhong's locust army was unstoppable in Huguang, and they were like a hot knife through butter. Huguang General Yin Xianmin and Changsha garrison commander He Yide both surrendered to the enemy. This meant that Zhang Xianzhong not only did not suffer any losses, but instead grew rapidly. The total number of rebels had reached three or four hundred thousand.
And it is still growing at an alarming rate, like an overwhelming torrent, spreading in all directions and sweeping away everything.
After Changsha, the rebels quickly captured the important cities of Hengzhou and Yongzhou in southern Huguang, looting and slaughtering people wantonly. The cries of the people in distress reached the sky, and the officers and soldiers from all over the country fled in fear.
Yizhang, Chenzhou in Hunan, borders Shaozhou. Before the rebels reached Chenzhou, the officers and soldiers of Lechang, Ruyuan, Renhua and other counties under Shaozhou's jurisdiction "fled."
Wang Sunlan, the deputy envoy of Nanshao, asked the governor's office for help. The governor's office sent 700 people. However, upon hearing that the rebels were powerful and brutal, the 700 people scattered the next day and fled for their lives.
Li Xiannong, the commander of nearby Lianzhou, heard the news and rebelled. When the people of Shaozhou heard about the rebellion, they abandoned the city and fled, carrying their old and young. Shaozhou became a deserted city in one day. Upon hearing that the fake official set up by the bandits had issued an edict, Wang Sunlan was so frightened that she hanged herself.
Soon, the rebels occupied Wuling County, Changde Prefecture, the hometown of former Prime Minister Yang Sichang. Yang Sichang and his father Yang He had both led troops to encircle and suppress the rebels. Zhang Xianzhong had once suffered a great loss at the hands of Yang Sichang. After the rebels occupied Wuling County, they retaliated against the Yang family. The women were raped to death, and all the men were beheaded for public display.
Zhang Xianzhong was still not satisfied, so he personally sent a token: "According to Zhu (Zhu) the thief Yang, in the past he mobilized the troops of the whole country and dared to resist the heavenly army. Fortunately, I died at my sword early. Now I am passing Wuling, and I found his houses, land and fields, and his grave is here. It is not enough for you to just refuse to surrender, why do you tie up the gentry and common people in your hometown and set up groups everywhere? Kill all nine clans, dig up all the graves, burn all the houses, and return the occupied land and fields to the common people. Anyone who captures one person with the surname Yang will be rewarded with ten taels of silver, and anyone who captures his descendants and brothers will be rewarded with a thousand gold coins. This token is presented to the government."
As soon as the token was issued, not only did all the living members of the Yang family die, but even their ancestral graves were dug up and all the remains were destroyed. When the news of this horrific incident spread, the officials, gentry and wealthy families were terrified and fled in panic.
Zhang Xianzhong's vanguard was now approaching Pingxiang, Jiangxi. Hearing about the tragic situation in Huguang, the whole of Jiangxi was in a state of panic. The officials and people in Pingxiang and Wanzai, which were the first to be hit, fled upon hearing the news.
Some fled to Nanchang Prefecture, while more people went to Ganzhou.
The reason why more people chose to flee to Ganzhou was that Lü Daqi led an army of 80,000 soldiers led by Zuo Liangyu and was heading south through Nanchang, intending to block Zhang Xianzhong's rebels outside Jiangxi. However, Zuo Liangyu's army had poor military discipline and was plundering by nature. They committed rape, looting and other evil wherever they went. They were no worse than Zhang Xianzhong's rebels in causing harm to the people.
Lü Daqi had no troops and could only rely on Zuo Liangyu's troops. Anyone with a little strategic vision would know that if Jiangxi was lost again, the entire south of the Yangtze River would become Zhang Xianzhong's possession. In order to protect Jiangxi, Lü Daqi could only let Zuo Liangyu's troops plunder wantonly without any restraint.
With rebels in front and bandits behind, officials and civilians from Pingxiang, Yuanzhou, Xinyu and other places had to flee south to Ganzhou. Ganzhou prefect Yang Tinglin was well-known for his integrity and had just put down a rebellion in southern Jiangxi on his own. Everyone felt that Ganzhou would be safer.
At this time, the four gates of Ganzhou City were locked, and the atmosphere was extremely tense and strange. It could be said that a storm was about to come, and a storm was inevitable. Qin Mu, who was in the eye of the storm, was under extremely heavy pressure.
Yang Tinglin’s life and death not only concerns him all the time, but also affects the direction of his destiny.
After asking Zhu Yijin to issue an order for the troops from Huichang, Xinfeng and other places to immediately gather in Ganzhou City, Qin Mu walked into the back court with heavy steps.
The back court was silent and even the maids and servants tried to walk as lightly as possible. The smell of medicine filled the air in Yang Tinglin's bedroom. Yang Zhi, who had been guarding her father's bedside for two days and two nights without eating a single grain of rice, looked haggard and pale. She had fainted several times. As soon as she woke up, she went back to guard her father's bedside and no one could stop her.
Her mother, Yang Chen, was not in much better condition, with her hair disheveled, her eyes red and swollen, and she was staggering as she stood.
There was a round table outside the screen. Three old doctors were discussing a prescription in a low voice. When they saw Qin Mu coming in, they quickly stood up and saluted.
Qin Mu felt guilty and didn't know how to face Yang Zhi and Yang Chenshi. He bowed to Yang Chenshi without saying a word, but Yang Chenshi didn't even raise her eyelids, as if she treated him as air. He then walked to the table and asked the three doctors, "How has the prefect's injury improved?"
"Your Excellency, the wound on the prefect's chest is slowly healing, but the high fever has not subsided and his breathing is rapid. According to our judgment, there is probably a slight injury to his lungs and the blood stasis has not yet dispersed. The three of us are discussing a different prescription. If the blood stasis can be dispersed, the prefect will hopefully get better."
"What if it doesn't disperse?"
"this... ... ... ."
"Hurry up and prescribe the medicine. If you can't cure the prefect, I will hold you accountable."
Yang Zhi slightly raised her heavy eyelids and looked at Qin Mu with a lifeless gaze. Qin Mu walked to the bedside and touched Yang Tinglin's forehead, which felt very hot. He felt even more guilty towards Yang Zhi. Although he had no intention of hurting Yang Tinglin, it was a fact that Yang Tinglin was injured by his knife.
"Zhi'er, don't be like this. As the saying goes, good things come naturally to those who are lucky. Father-in-law will definitely get better. You and mother-in-law should go back to your room and have a rest. I'll be watching over you here."
Yang Zhi seemed not to hear what he said and did not react at all. Looking at her pale face, if this continued, Yang Tinglin might be fine before she fell down.
Qin Mu couldn't bear it any longer, so he reached out and picked her up, intending to force her back to her room to rest. Unexpectedly, Yang Zhi didn't struggle this time. Perhaps she was too weak to struggle, and she let Qin Mu carry her back to his room.
As soon as he entered the room, Qin Mu ordered Momo and Ruoruo who were following behind him: "Go get some porridge, quickly."
Yang Zhi had just laid down on the bed, but she struggled to sit up again, holding Qin Mu's hand as if she had something to say.
Qin Mu brushed the messy hair on her forehead and said softly, "Zhi'er, lie down quickly and rest for a while. After Momo and the others bring the porridge for you to drink, we can talk about anything else, okay?"
Yang Zhi shook her head and said weakly, "My husband, I want to ask you something. Can you tell me frankly?"
"Ask me. We are husband and wife, so we should be honest with each other. No matter what it is, as long as you want to know, I will tell you the truth."
"Husband, do you... do you intend to rebel against the Ming Dynasty?" Even though she was already very weak, after asking this question, Yang Zhi couldn't help but reveal a nervous look in her eyes as she looked at him.
Qin Mu didn't expect her to ask such a question. He was under great pressure and couldn't help but sigh: "Zhi Er..."
"Husband, please tell me that you have no intention of rebelling against the Ming Dynasty, right?" Yang Zhi asked nervously.
"Zhi'er, listen to me. I swear to heaven that I never had any intention of rebelling against the Ming Dynasty, but..."
“But…..but what?”
"But my dear father-in-law, this time... I have been pushed to the edge of a cliff, with no way out..."
"No, my husband. If you rebel, my father's good reputation will be ruined. Even if he can be saved this time, he will have no face to live on. How can I live in this world? My husband, I beg you, please don't rebel, okay?"
After Yang Zhi finished speaking, tears were already falling like beads. It is said that if you marry a chicken, you follow the chicken; if you marry a dog, you follow the dog. But her father was seriously injured by her husband's knife. The torment in her heart can be imagined. At this moment, her body was trembling slightly, like an elk in the ice and snow;
Qin Mu felt heartbroken when he saw this. He held her tightly in his arms, patted her back gently and said, "Zhi'er, there are some things you don't understand, and I can't explain them clearly at the moment..."
"No, my lord, I want to hear you speak clearly today, otherwise I can only die to be free from the sin in my heart."
"Okay, Zhi'er, listen to me. Now our Ming Dynasty is corrupt, and Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong and his ilk are constantly rebelling. The country is in ruins and the people are living in misery. However, the Liaodong Jurchens are like the rising sun, with their military power growing day by day. They have been blocking the border for years as if they were in an empty land. If this continues, it is very likely that the Jurchens will reap the benefits, and the incident of the barbarians ruling the Central Plains will happen again. I can't bear to see this happen. Although I had troops before, I didn't intend to rebel against the Ming Dynasty. Everything I did was for the future to fight the Tartars. Zhi'er, can you believe what I said?"
"I... believe it, because you are my husband. My husband, you have to promise me that you will never rebel, otherwise..." Yang Zhi stared at him for a long time. She was extremely weak, and after she answered softly, she almost fell asleep.
Qin Mu looked at his unconscious wife, feeling mixed emotions. Now, did he have any choice? Rebellion, or not
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.(To be continued..)
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