In the eyes of the yamen runners, the old woman was being unreasonable, obstructing their work. They knew their superior would reprimand them if he arrived and saw this. Unconsciously, they put a bit more force into their actions, and the old woman was flung to the ground.
The old woman’s son saw this and thought, “How can this be? My mother, at her age, is pushed down and can’t move for a long time.” He rushed forward to help her, disregarding everyone’s attempts to stop him.
“Oh, it hurts so much!” the more he helped her, the louder the old woman cried. He then lifted her horizontally and intended to take her to the doctor.
The yamen runner quickly stepped forward to stop him. “You can’t leave. You’re supposed to depart soon.”
“My mother is in terrible pain. Didn’t you see? Today, no matter what, I have to take her to see a doctor.” The man looked at them with a determined gaze. If his mother were to die because of this, he would be an unfilial son and live with regret forever. What meaning would life have then?
“Military orders are like mountains. From now on, you are a soldier. No matter how big the matter, you cannot desert your post or disobey orders.” The yamen runner felt that he had to suppress the man no matter what, otherwise, if everyone followed his example, what authority would he have left?
The man stubbornly hoisted his mother onto his back. Seeing that the man wasn't listening to him, the yamen runner issued a final stern warning: “This is your last chance. If you dare to disobey, we won’t be polite. Swords are merciless, and today we will surely let them taste blood.”
The man looked at the murderous intent in their eyes. He didn’t care if he died, but his mother was still on his shoulder, waiting to be treated. He looked at the onlookers with a mixture of grief and indignation. “With their attitude, if we go to war, will we even survive? We have parents above and wives and children below. As long as the Emperor is merciful and doesn’t go against the Third Prince, they can continue to shelter us. For us common folk, who becomes Emperor doesn’t matter, as long as we can live well.”
Seeing that he had stirred them, and that their faces showed thoughtfulness, for after all, no one wanted to die in vain, he continued, “Today, I must take my mother to the doctor. Anyway, it’s death on the battlefield. If I fight them with all my might now, there might be a glimmer of hope. At worst, I can defect to the Third Prince later.”
“Defect to the Third Prince, defect to the Third Prince…” After this conscription, many families had disputes. Many were unwilling to sacrifice for their families. Hearing that they still had a chance to live, those who had already despaired immediately perked up.
“They’re rebelling, rebelling!” The yamen runners looked at the dark mass of people with some panic.
Originally, they had intended to draw their swords and cut down a few people to scare them and quell the situation. They hadn't expected that some clever individuals would pick up the sticks leaning against the wall, discarded bricks, and stones to use as weapons. Facing death, everyone unleashed their infinite potential. A few yamen runners exchanged glances and quickly fled.
Seeing that the situation had stabilized, someone sat down on the ground, close to tears, and asked, “What do we do now? Is this considered rebellion? If the Emperor investigates, will we all die and even implicate our families?”
It was better when he didn't speak. Everyone was immersed in the joy of victory. Once he pointed it out, some began to feel fearful. At this moment, they looked for the culprit, wanting to ask him what way out there was, only to find that he had already slipped away in the chaos.
Those with connections began to take their families and truly go to seek refuge with the Third Prince. Those without connections could only return home tremblingly, knowing without a doubt that a bloody storm awaited them at home.
They originally thought that someone would come to hold them accountable very soon. However, they waited and waited, but no one came. Instead, the Third Prince returned with his army. When they heard this news, they couldn't help but feel a bit elated. As long as the Third Prince overthrew the Emperor, their lives would be saved.
Little did they know that scenes like theirs were occurring in various places across the Heavenly Dynasty. If there was hope, it was one thing. But if there was hope, and they died needlessly because those in charge didn't act, no one would tolerate it.
Seeing that the time was right, the Third Prince quickly led his army out of the city and headed for the capital. If he delayed any longer, the Emperor would turn around and send people to suppress the internal rebellion first before dealing with him. By departing now, he could tie up all the Emperor's forces and attention, thereby winning a glimmer of hope for those common people.
Along the way, their journey was smoother than expected. They had anticipated several tough battles, but it turned out that not everyone could stand firm until the end. Some had already been dissatisfied with the court. Seeing someone opposing them, and realizing they couldn’t defeat the opposition, they didn’t want to be dragged down for a shared sacrifice. They united with a few others, tied up the opposing leader, opened the city gates, and welcomed the Third Prince. Su Dan Novel Network.
Thus, they reached the capital without any effort, where the Emperor personally presided.
“I say the same thing: as long as you are willing to surrender, I will not pursue past grievances. We are all men of integrity. We have elders above and children below; you are their pillars. I have six hundred thousand troops behind me. I believe you all know how to choose,” the Third Prince began by trying to win hearts and minds.
“Do you think everyone is a rebel like you? The soldiers under my command are loyal and serve the country. A true man dies on the battlefield,” the Emperor said, knowing without looking that the minds of those behind him were wavering. He wanted to stabilize them.
“This is the biggest joke I’ve ever heard. To suppress me, you’re willing to collude with the Xiongnu and treat the lives of our dynasty’s citizens as worthless. Dare you swear to heaven that you have no selfish motives? This empire was won by me and my subordinates. Now, to survive, I want to reclaim it. What is wrong with that?” The Third Prince wasn't trying to argue with him but rather to win the hearts of the soldiers on both sides. As long as their minds wavered, when they attacked the city gates, the losses would be smaller.
“I am the Son of Heaven. Why should I swear to you? Your words are baseless rumors! Come, let us work together to defend the capital. As long as we protect the capital, I will enfeoff you all as officials, without leaving anyone out.” Facing each other in battle, he was already at a disadvantage. If he let the other side continue speaking, they would quickly lose their fighting spirit. He wanted a quick resolution.
“If you dare to swear today, I will still respect you as a man. I advise you one thing: fortune favors the bold, but you must have a life to live it. Do you think these tens of thousands of men of yours can defeat my subordinates?” The Third Prince didn't give up even the slightest opportunity to gain an advantage for himself. The opposing soldiers were indeed wavering, but they didn't show it, because they knew that with the Emperor’s cruelty, any move they made would result in immediate execution.
The Emperor had the archers ready. To his surprise, the opposing side sat down on the ground. He felt as if his punch had landed on cotton. What was the use of all his long preparations and protracted verbal sparring?