The ragtag group of pig butchers was known as the "Muddy Waters Army".
These people, who had gathered together because of the flood, initially conquered Qingshui County too easily, and Zheng the butcher—that is, the pig slaughterer—and his men were triumphant for quite some time.
Then, with renewed vigor, they crushed all the major families in Qingshui County.
Logically speaking, they shouldn't have succeeded so easily, given the large number of people in the clan and the many servants in their household.
After inciting some slaves, Zheng the Butcher chose to storm the county government office directly.
At the same time, some people were ordered to open the city gates, allowing more refugees to enter the city.
These ordinary people, who are usually ignored by the wealthy, suddenly unleash astonishing power at this time.
Perhaps because they had committed too many evils, the slaves in the wealthy households also seized the opportunity and directly turned against them.
Driven by the sight of blood, the group became even more enraged, determined to settle all old and new scores, and turned Qingshui County upside down.
Initially, this rabble was quite well-regarded among the people, as everyone had long suffered under the oppression of corrupt officials and wealthy landowners, and their lives were far from easy. Their rebellion brought them a sense of relief.
The good times didn't last long; they were rejected by the people after only a couple of days.
These people were originally burning, killing, and looting in the county. Apart from the county magistrate and wealthy families, they gradually lost their minds and even invaded the homes of ordinary people. Some were even killed in the street, which made the people disgusted with them. They went from being favored to avoiding them.
Privately, the people called them the "Muddy Waters Army".
After Zheng the Butcher gradually regained his senses, he actually considered stepping back, but none of the people around him agreed, and he himself was reluctant to give up the power and wealth at hand.
Those who followed Butcher Zheng had very simple thoughts.
Having tasted the sweetness of wealth, who would want to go back to the old ways? Gold, silver, jewels, women, and power—all were acquired overnight.
And with Butcher Zheng leading the way, the sky can't fall on them no matter how hard it tries.
Who says ordinary people aren't cunning? They are, in fact, quite cunning.
In order to prevent his men from deserting, and driven by desire, the Muddy Waters Army began to expand outwards.
The first to be affected was Fenghe County, which is closest to Qingshui County.
It's unclear whether the magistrate was afraid of ending up like the magistrate of Qingshui County, but upon hearing the news, he immediately fled with his family and servants.
The Hunshui army easily captured Fenghe County without lifting a finger.
This success has given the Muddy Waters Army a huge boost of morale.
Many more people saw the potential profits, and even those who wanted to back down couldn't bear to stop.
Having integrated personnel from two counties, the Hunshui Army grew even larger, forming a rebel force of over three thousand men.
Don't think it's too little; it's already quite a large organization.
Just as this mob was celebrating their victory with great joy.
Ouyang Cheng and his troops finally arrived.
Fenghe County, the backyard of the county government office.
Butcher Zheng was leisurely drinking his wine and flirting with the maid beside him.
The dancers in the center are the dancers from the brothels of Fenghe County.
Those sitting on either side were people who had rebelled with Butcher Zheng from the very beginning.
Now they all have titles and have become people they never dared to dream of before.
The crowd drank and watched the dances, accompanied by maids, creating a lively and extraordinary scene.
"Congratulations, General. Fenghe County has been captured by us. Next is Mo County. This county is a major ink-producing county and must be wealthy."
"Hahaha, that cowardly Magistrate Fenghe doesn't even have the courage to fight us. He must have heard of our reputation."
“We have a good reputation. Even if we were to face them head-on, they would be no match for us. We are not like them; they have never even seen blood.”
"Come on, let's drink! Let's drink!"
"Dry!"
"It's a pity that the magistrate ran away too fast, otherwise I could have seen what it's like to have a woman from the magistrate's family, hehe."
A tall, strong man with bronze skin, who used to work as a farmhand for a wealthy family.
He spoke recklessly while revealing a lewd smile and exchanging glances with the men next to him.
The people around them laughed, and everything was understood without being said.
"The general is incredibly powerful. We should all follow the general's lead, conquer a few cities, and then we can become local tyrants, living like gods."
"That's right, we swear to follow the general to the death!"
"I swear to follow you to the death!"
"I swear to follow you to the death!"
As they talked, they started shouting work chants.
Those guarding outside listened with envy; if they had followed from the beginning, they would be living a life of luxury now.
It's a pity, but it's okay. Keep working hard, take a few more cities, and they'll be sitting inside too!
"Boss, boss!"
Suddenly, someone came in shouting.
"What are you yelling about? Don't you know the generals are celebrating their victory?"
That scoundrel was also among them, and his mood was ruined, making him extremely unhappy.
He immediately slammed his fist on the table and stood up, shouting angrily.
All eyes turned to him, and the little scoundrel felt extremely satisfied, becoming even more arrogant.
"What boss? You should call me General. If you barge in without a proper reason, I will hold you accountable."
The messenger panicked and knelt down.
"Reporting to the general, an army has arrived outside the city! We hear it's from the garrison!"
"What?!"
The room erupted in uproar.
The scoundrel who had been shouting earlier had already lowered his head and dared not say another word.
Butcher Zheng's hand trembled slightly. After all, he had killed many people and his murderous aura was heavy, but he managed to remain calm at this moment.
But glancing around, everyone avoided eye contact, and Butcher Zheng's eyes darkened.
He had no choice but to speak up.
"How many people have come, and what are they doing now?"
"General, several hundred men have arrived, but they all came on horseback."
Ouyang Cheng and his group arrived on horseback; otherwise, they wouldn't have arrived so early.
He was already being generous by sending five hundred men to deal with this rabble.
The city gates of Fenghe County were tightly closed, so Ouyang Cheng had someone shout a message directly from the city gates.
"Listen up, rebels! Surrender now and we'll only punish the ringleaders; if you resist, you'll face certain death!"
Zheng the Butcher led his men to the city gate and heard these words. His face immediately turned cold.
These words are a death warrant!
Not everyone in the Muddy Waters Army is of one mind.
There are those who try to take advantage of the chaos and expand their businesses, while others simply want to live an honest life.
When opinions differ, it's not unforeseen that things might fall apart.
After all, before this, everyone was just an ordinary citizen, except for those in higher positions who gained a lot of benefits.
Most people just go with the flow, thinking they can make a quick buck and go home. Who would want to live a life of constant danger?
Everyone thought that the law would not punish everyone, and that with so many people, the government could not possibly arrest them all.
Once things have calmed down, everyone can go back to their hometowns to farm and be honest, hardworking farmers.
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