On the day of Lidong (the beginning of winter), the declaration of "purging the court of corrupt officials" in Chaori City quickly spread from Chaori City, and within a few days it spread throughout Beiliang. The Qianji Camp also sent people on horseback to bring the news back to the capital.
Like a pebble thrown into water, creating ripples, beneath the surface, a surging undercurrent is already churning.
Upon hearing this news, the people of Beiliang were overjoyed that the barbarian hordes who had wreaked havoc on Beiliang had finally been wiped out. They no longer had to worry about them entering the country to burn, kill, and plunder. Peaceful days had finally arrived.
But amidst this joy, there was also an overwhelming anger.
Where does this anger originate? It originates from the imperial court and from treacherous officials.
With treacherous officials in power, deceiving the emperor, and harboring evil intentions, there will never be peace!
Some are happy, some are angry, and naturally some are sad.
Within the territory of Beiliang, the remaining bandits were filled with fear. They knew that when they rejected the mountain bandits of Beichuan, not a single one was spared; they were all killed by this iron-fisted Prince Zhenbei. Such methods were terrifying.
Who knows who the Prince of Zhenbei will eliminate next?
When will this sword fall on my head?
Amidst their anxiety, the bandits finally received some rather good "good news".
The Prince of Zhenbei led his army to the Beiku Grassland.
He's no longer in Beiliang!
This news was exhilarating, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Some bandits even secretly cursed him, hoping he would die on the North Ku Grassland.
He's dead, and I can still live a carefree life. But if he comes back, I'm afraid he'll start the purge again.
But when news of Asahi Castle spread, the bandits felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave.
Not only did he not die, he also wiped out all the Hu horses in the Beiku Grassland, and... with such swift and decisive methods, leaving no one alive, killing them all!
Now this invincible steel blade has returned to Northern Liang. Where will it strike next...?
As a result, everyone felt insecure.
then--
On this day, in a certain mountain, outside a certain mountain village.
A hundred or so burly men gathered together with solemn expressions, each carrying a bundle on their backs.
The seven-foot-tall man at the head of the group had a solemn expression. He clasped his hands in a fist salute and looked at the crowd, saying:
"Brothers, Prince Qin... uh... has returned from the Northern Grasslands, and he killed... killed quite a few Hu horses, or rather, he killed them all."
He paused for a moment before continuing:
"As I said last night, it's not sustainable for us to keep doing this kind of work. Sooner or later, we'll all meet a violent end."
"If we turn back now, there will still be a chance. But if we wait until the day the Prince comes up the mountain, I'm afraid we'll be doomed."
"It would be better to go down the mountain as soon as possible, find a proper job, and live a few more years."
"Brothers, it's fate that we met. Now that we're parting, who knows when we'll meet again? The green hills remain, the clear waters flow on, and we'll meet again someday!"
Having said that, the seven-foot-tall man picked up his bundle and prepared to descend the mountain.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than someone in the crowd shouted:
"Boss! Let's get the brothers involved! We'll just find any job!"
Upon hearing this, the seven-foot-tall man broke out in a cold sweat and immediately shouted, "Don't call me boss! I'm not a boss! I'm from Sunjiakou in Jun'an County, and my name is Zhu Ba!"
He looked around at the crowd and shouted, "After we come down the mountain, everyone do your own thing. Don't say you've been up the mountain or been in the bandit camp before. If anyone finds out, you'll be beheaded!"
"You all don't need to follow me."
Someone in the crowd shouted, "Old...Old...Zhu Ba, isn't the Prince talking about 'purging the court of corrupt officials' and heading to the capital with a large army? I think the Prince is up to something big. We've all been through thick and thin, so why don't we join the Prince's ranks and, through our own hard work, perhaps one day we can even earn a title and secure a good future for our families!"
Zhu Ba raised an eyebrow and then said, "There is some truth to that, but everyone has their own ambitions. If any of you brothers want to join the Prince's ranks, then it wouldn't hurt to give it a try."
"But... everyone needs to keep their mouths shut. If their past identities are revealed, forget about joining the army, they might even end up dying on the spot!"
Someone in the crowd laughed and said, "How could that be! We're all brothers who'd stick our necks out to each other. Who would be so loose-lipped as to gossip outside?"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone burst into laughter.
Amidst the laughter, someone suddenly blurted out, "There are a few brothers in the village who love to talk in their sleep, and others who ramble on after drinking too much..."
The laughter stopped abruptly as the voice faded.
In the silence, a deep, muffled voice could be heard from the crowd:
"I'm going back to farming anyway. Most of the other mountain villages have disbanded and moved down the mountain, so no one is stealing our food anymore."
My family still has a few acres of poor land. I heard that the prince has reduced the grain tax considerably, so farming is a comfortable way to make a living.
Then someone else chimed in:
“My family doesn’t own any land. I’m planning to go to the Beiku Grassland. There are no Hu horses there now. The prince also said that people with nowhere to go can go to the grassland to graze their horses. It seems like a good place.”
"Yes! That's what I'm planning too. The Beiku Grassland is fertile and fertile, so it would be a good place to make a living in the future. Many places in Beiliang are too barren."
"Speaking of which, it is indeed a good thing that Your Highness conquered the Beiku Grassland. Living will not be so tiring from now on."
A cacophony of voices rose up one after another, and Zhu Ba couldn't help but smile slightly as he watched his brothers chatting animatedly.
Then he said in a loud voice:
"Brothers, all that has passed is but a prologue!"
"From now on, let's each accept our fate and live well, wherever we are!"
As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the crowd laughed and said, "Boss, what did you mean by the first half of that sentence? It sounds so literary, we roughnecks can't understand it! Were you a schoolteacher before you joined the bandits? Haha."
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