Zhang Qi roared, "After so many days together, I believe you all know what kind of person I am. I dare to swear on my life that she is worthy of our trust. I truly want to save us, save the people, and fight against the imperial court!"
Xiao Tianmo, and the old man who had sought death at the banquet, also stepped forward.
“I was originally a sergeant in Zhuanghe. I’m sure many people who stayed in Zhuanghe still remember me. I’ve met too many people, but this young lady is one of the few I admire. I’m old, but I want to say that I respect her and I believe in her. I believe she can lead our team well!”
Since Xiao Tianmo and Zhang Qi had both said so, Su Jin had no choice but to back down.
The sand and gravel stopped abruptly, leaving only the wind still howling.
Everyone looked intently at the woman on the platform; her strength far surpassed that of anyone else present.
To most people, he was just an ordinary soldier; he had no right to choose who was in command.
The eight people on the platform had become leaders over the past few days, and since they all acknowledged Su Jin, the people below naturally followed suit.
A large number of people came to the left.
Only a small number of people were still hesitant. Some of them wanted to go home and were unwilling to join the army from the beginning, while others were naturally used to following Chen Zhen's reckless behavior and were unwilling to acknowledge Su Jin's actions.
Su Jinxia withdrew her chill, and her clear voice carried on the breeze.
“I know that a large number of people are unwilling to join the army and are forcibly conscripted. Perhaps they have wives, children and elderly parents at home. I can understand that.”
"But what I want to say is that the world is already so bad. If men are not willing to fight, then who will protect our loved ones? The court is corrupt, bandits are rampant, and natural disasters are constant. If you don't fight, you can only wait for charity. If someone gives you charity, you can live. If no one gives you charity, you will only have one way out: death."
"Why did the rebels rise up? It's because they couldn't even get charity! What are you hesitating for?"
Su Jin then proceeded to explain.
What she wanted to tell everyone was that someone understood their heartache and helplessness!
Joining the army is not just about dying, but about facing death and then surviving.
This principle has always been true, but Chen Zhen's actions have frightened people and made them lose trust in the army.
Gradually, many people began to move to the left again.
Suddenly, someone shouted from the crowd: "What are you afraid of! Even if you're not as bad as Chen Zhen, are you?"
“I think this young lady is an exceptional person, with superb martial arts skills and the ability to understand our difficulties. What more could we ask for in a leader like her?”
"It has always been the case that if you kill the leader, his subordinates will be taken prisoner and will naturally submit. There is no room for choice."
"The Lord has given us a choice; that is an honor for us. I will accept!"
"Yes, that's right!" the crowd shouted, raising their arms in celebration.
“Those who are unwilling to submit are probably still eyeing Chen Zhen and want to continue their misdeeds!” Zhang Qi’s eyes gleamed with malice as he stared at the few people standing in the middle.
If they insist on not submitting to the authorities, they will most likely be treated as Chen Zhen's accomplices.
So they whispered among themselves for a while, and then all stood on the left.
But everyone saw these people.
In the end, not a single person was left behind; they all surrendered.
Ultimately, it was the inevitable trend of the times. Su Jin's move was so effective that the soldiers below had nothing to say and would obey orders without question.
"Line up!" Su Jin gave the order.
Everyone lined up again.
Su Jinxia said firmly, "From today onwards, all actions that harm the people must cease. Everyone must abide by military discipline and must not abandon their posts. Those who disobey orders will be punished according to military law!"
Afterwards, Su Jin made a simple division of the military forces and arranged for the army's immediate needs for food, clothing, and lodging.
In the following days, Su Jin and his men focused on reforming military discipline.
Su Jin did not show up again; everything was carried out by Zhang Qi and Xiao Tianmo.
That day, a guard rushed in to report that the team that Fu Yu had led away claimed they had not found Chen Zhen and had returned.
Without hesitation, Su Jin ordered the execution.
They were already heading towards death when they risked their lives for Chen Zhen.
Unable to defeat them, Fu Yu fled with the few remaining men, only to fall into Shen Qianxue's hands.
After being subjected to severe torture, Fu Yu confessed that there was a woman in the carriage, but he had no idea who she was or where she came from.
Su Jinxia had intended to keep it a secret, and Fu Yu was excluded, so he didn't know much.
But the woman's information was enough to surprise Shen Qianxue.
Who could this skilled woman be, participating in the uprising?
I have never heard of such a person.
Shen Qianxue always felt that she was both very far away from the answer and very close at the same time.
News from Fugu City has finally arrived.
The city lord's mansion was burned to the ground, and after the fire was extinguished, dozens of corpses were found. The corpses were so badly disfigured that it was impossible to identify them.
The maids in the mansion recalled the banquet that day.
They said the wine was drugged, and everyone was paralyzed. Then, a strange man came out wielding a sword.
As for who he was, they didn't find out.
As for women, they were not mentioned at all.
Su Jinxia and her entourage only stayed at the manor for half a day, and not many people knew about them. When Su Jinxia left, she even cleaned up any traces of her visit.
Therefore, finding her is not easy.
Based on what Fu Yu said, Shen Qianxue suspected that Chen Zhen had died in the fire.
He guessed that someone had taken control of the rebel army from within before Phoenix Pavilion and led them back to Zhuanghe.
Zhuanghe is now off-limits to both entry and exit, and Phoenix Pavilion has no spies in such a remote place as Zhuanghe, making it extremely difficult to gather information.
But Shen Qianxue was still unwilling to give up on this team.
Four or five thousand people—that's a very large force.
If they cannot be used for our own purposes, they may become our enemies in the future.
The situation reached a stalemate for the time being.
Su Jinxia paid no attention to Shen Qianxue's numerous suspicions outside; she was busy with the construction of Zhuanghe.
The city comprises twelve villages, which is not a large area overall. With a river nearby, it is relatively prosperous and can at least be self-sufficient in the short term.
Su Jin first rectified the army and government, so that soldiers would no longer bully the people, but would patrol daily to clear out hooligans and bandits, allowing everyone to live and run their businesses in peace.
The city then stabilized.
Under Su Jin's leadership, everything gradually returned to normal.
The people gradually realized that they had welcomed a good and wise ruler, and they praised this leader, whose name they did not yet know, and even spontaneously called him "King Zhuang".
The king who protects Zhuanghe.
It was late at night, and Su Jin was still discussing matters with his capable generals and officers.
A city has too many things to deal with.
"We can't stay closed off forever. Only by allowing goods to circulate with the outside world can the city come alive." The speaker was a former government official who had now been promoted to prefect.
Xiao Tianmo was an old acquaintance of his and personally recommended him.
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