Chapter 13 Seeking Refuge

Zhou Jing returned to his room. Before long, the guest attendant led three people inside.

"Greetings, Zhenren." The three of them cupped their hands in salute, their attitudes respectful.

"No need for formalities."

Zhou Jing casually replied, carefully assessing the three men.

These three court military officials were all tall and strongly built men in their prime. They were not wearing armor at the moment, but rather casual clothes.

The white-clad man in the lead was Ma Zhen, the commander appointed by the imperial court. Behind him were two other assistant generals: Huang Ping, wearing green robes, and Yuwen Yan, wearing blue robes.

The imperial court would not tolerate any mistakes in this military campaign. These three men were recommended by Grand Secretary Pang, so they naturally had real abilities. However, they were also descendants of meritorious nobles, from families of dukes and marquises, so they were also considered to have connections.

The three men introduced themselves briefly and then sat down at Zhou Jing's invitation.

"His Majesty has appointed the three of us to lead the troops to suppress the bandits. I presume Zhenren knows why we have taken the liberty of visiting."

Ma Zhen spoke in a stern voice, without a hint of a smile.

Zhou Jing nodded and said calmly, "If I am not mistaken, General Ma is here to invite me to join the army on this campaign?"

"That is precisely the case." Ma Zhen solemnly clasped his fist. "Bandit leader Chen Feng is exceptionally brave and martial. We hope that Zhenren will lend us a hand. We receive the Emperor's salary and should share his burdens and devote ourselves to the country."

"General Ma is concerned about the country and its people, truly a loyal minister and good general, a blessing for the court."

The other party's opening remarks were so politically correct that Zhou Jing had nothing to say in response and could only smile and offer a compliment.

"Then, what does Zhenren think?" Ma Zhen asked, speaking directly.

Zhou Jing casually flicked his horsetail whisk and said in a calm tone, "His Majesty also has this intention and mentioned it to me long ago. Although I have not fully recovered, I am willing to do my part for the court and help you defeat the bandits."

Ma Zhen's eyes lit up, and he said with a solemn expression, "With Zhenren's help, this general will surely pacify the Lake Yang bandits, take Chen Feng's head back to the capital to present to His Majesty, eliminate a thief for the court, let the people of the world see the fate of bandits and rebels, and also vent some anger for Zhenren."

*Go for it. I believe in you.*

Zhou Jing smiled and said nothing.

Having settled the matter directly, the group began to chat, building rapport and getting to know each other.

Zhou Jing gained a simple understanding of the three men. Ma Zhen was a seasoned military commander with a rigid and serious personality, accustomed to unquestioning obedience in the army, exuding a dignity that unconsciously made people afraid to approach him, but he restrained himself somewhat in Zhou Jing's presence.

Huang Ping was a silent type, barely uttering a word. Yuwen Yan, on the other hand, was more glib, often flattering people.

Zhou Jing noticed a common thread among the three: although their personalities differed, they all displayed, to varying degrees, the superiority and arrogance of aristocratic sons.

However, this arrogance was selective. Facing someone like himself, they naturally controlled their temperament and would not deliberately reveal it.

Zhou Jing reiterated his rules, that he would not cause unnecessary bloodshed and that he would be an honorary staff officer who could listen to important matters. Ma Zhen readily agreed.

Having accomplished their objective, Ma Zhen and the other two rose to take their leave, departing with satisfaction.

Zhou Jing took a sip of tea and watched the three men's figures disappear into the distance, a smile curving the corners of his lips.

In his eyes, these three high-spirited court generals were merely three victims about to walk into the tiger's den, sacrificial offerings for Chen Feng's rebellion.

...

Before the impact of the great defeat at Tianwang Stronghold had dissipated, the imperial court drew elite troops from various regions to suppress Chen Feng, claiming an army of 400,000 men, setting out from several routes to Lake Yang, once again causing a stir throughout the land.

Now, the only one in the Green Forest who could truly be called a hegemon was Chen Feng of Lake Yang. The other powerful bandits in various regions were far inferior to him. Dragon King Stronghold had become the leading force in the Green Forest, attracting attention from all sides.

As the imperial court's troops continued to gather, gradually approaching Lake Yang, the villagers fled in all directions, and wealthy gentry and nobles entered the city to take refuge, more and more people paying attention to the progress of the situation, and rumors spread among the people.

Some said that the imperial court had personally dispatched troops, and would certainly be unstoppable, easily wiping out the bandits. Others said that Chen Feng was invincible, and this time would be no different from the past.

Upon learning of the imperial court's attack, Dragon King Stronghold also began to urgently prepare for battle.

It was now the change of seasons from summer to autumn in the fourteenth year of Xinghe.

Lake Yang, Mount Yue, Dragon King Stronghold.

Dark clouds covered the sky, and the west wind blew fiercely.

Ten thousand troops lined up in formation, and all eyes, whether of leaders or soldiers, were focused on Chen Feng on the high platform.

The Great Master Chen Feng had personally ordered that today they would hold a mobilization speech, announcing to the entire army.

Zhou Jing stood on the high platform, surveying the countless faces.

He had already returned once, switching his traversal target, and was now in Chen Feng's body, personally in control, in order to do something major, to formally announce his rebellion to the world.

Zhou Jing had originally wanted to let Dragon King Stronghold rest for a while longer, to integrate the newly surrendered captives, but the imperial court directly sent a large army to attack, taking advantage of their weakness, and there was no time to rest.

Since the imperial court's intention to kill was so firm, and the entire stronghold shared a common hatred, this could be used as an opportunity to make an issue of it.

Anyway, if they lost, everyone would surely die. If they won, the imperial court would suffer heavy casualties and lose face. In the eyes of ordinary people, there would be no chance of reconciliation... Might as well take this opportunity to openly rebel, completely oppose them, and launch a major uprising to boost morale.

The atmosphere in the field was quiet and solemn, with only the sound of the west wind snapping the banners.

Zhou Jing took a deep breath, amplified his voice with his inner energy, and said loudly, "The imperial court sees us as thorns in their eyes and wants us dead. Now, they are sending 400,000 troops to suppress us, claiming to be the legitimate authority and wanting to annihilate us, this group of rioters and rebels. How can we sit and wait for death?"

Zhou Jing gave an opening speech, observing the expressions of the crowd, noticing tension and anger in their faces.

He paused and continued:

"The world is unfair. The imperial court is full of corrupt officials who only care about their own interests, speaking of seeking justice for the people, but in reality, they use exorbitant taxes to suck the blood and plunder the wealth of the people, all for their own extravagant desires.

I know that most of you brothers are from poor families. After a year of labor, you barely earn enough to survive, and it is difficult to save any grain. When disaster strikes, your families are ruined in an instant. The fruits of your labor mostly turn into the fine clothes and jade delicacies on the tables of the nobles and landlords, while you can only eat chaff and wear rags, continuing to pray for a good year to survive.

But in the past few years, there have been disasters everywhere. The disaster relief funds have been embezzled by corrupt officials time and time again, resulting in widespread refugees, starving corpses everywhere, and people living in misery... But have the princes and nobles ever taken a look? With high walls and vermilion gates blocking their view, have they ever cared about your lives? Even in the midst of disaster, their mansions are still brightly lit and filled with song and dance every day?"

These words, amplified by his powerful inner energy, swept through the entire field.

The soldiers present, countless in number, were mostly from poor backgrounds. Hearing these words, they couldn't help but recall the scenes of cautiously dealing with the powerful figures when they were obedient citizens, their chests gradually rising and falling.

Zhou Jing swept his gaze over the soldiers one by one, and said in a deep voice:

"This group of powerful officials, corrupt ministers, and evil gentry are like parasites clinging to the great land, devouring the marrow of the people, stealing the country's wealth, and still claiming to be superior, lording over us commoners, taking our lives and demanding whatever they want.

This damned world has been so unfair for thousands of years... But why is this so? Everyone has one head and the same blood flowing through their veins. Why can they enjoy happiness generation after generation, while we mud-legged people can only struggle to survive?"

No one in the army answered, only gritting their teeth, tightening their cheeks, and staring straight at him.

Zhou Jing exhaled and said:

"Even if one day the land is fertile for thousands of miles and the yield per acre increases tenfold, you will still only be able to keep a very small amount of your labor. No matter how much you harvest, whether you can live a comfortable life is still up to the nobles and powerful officials. They say how much you have to hand over, and if you don't pay enough, you will be punished according to the law. Those who accept adversity can only fantasize about good things falling from the sky. If you don't pick up knives and guns, you will always be oppressed. If you don't let them know that a common man's anger can splatter blood five steps, they will never look at you with respect... But how many evil-doers can I kill by myself?

Now, the imperial court wants to kill us all. Since we are irreconcilable, then let's rebel against their mothers! No matter what princes and nobles they are, everyone has only one head. They want us to die, and we won't let them live! The powerful and wealthy gentry who have oppressed you have enjoyed the blessings of generations. If you don't avenge this lifelong hatred now, when will you!"

Zhou Jing spoke louder and louder, and finally, like a thunderclap, the sound waves swept through the entire army. He raised his arm and shouted:

"They rely on the heavens to deceive the people and call themselves lords. Wealth must be evenly distributed, and the powerful must be killed! Kill! Kill! Kill them until the imperial treasury burns to ashes and the streets are filled with the bones of the nobles!!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

In the next moment, the army roared, shaking the clouds.

Guo Hai Shen and the others listened with surging hearts, feeling a burst of resentment accumulating in their chests, and also raised their hands and shouted violently.

For a time, the sound waves were like rolling thunder.

*Crack!*

At the same time, lightning flashed in the dark clouds.

Immediately afterward, a drizzle began to fall, gradually turning into a torrential downpour.

Zhou Jing raised his arms high and roared:

"All soldiers, listen to my orders, follow me to start an uprising!"

"Uprising!!"

*Whirr*

Countless soldiers shouted, raising their weapons in unison.

At this moment, with a loud rumble, a thunderbolt tore through the gloomy sky.

The pale lightning illuminated tens of thousands of knives, spears, swords, and halberds pointing toward the sky, as well as the disheveled and burly figure standing on the high platform of the military formation, raising his arms.

The fleeting lightning seemed to freeze this scene, turning it into a scroll engraved in time.

—— *Great Xia History*:

[In the fourteenth year of Xinghe, "Martial Ancestor" Chen Feng gathered hundreds of thousands of people and launched an uprising in Lake Yang, Mount Yue, historically known as the Chen Feng Rebellion.]