Chapter 109 Poaching Qin Shubao: The Rebel Army Recruits Him
After seeing everyone off, Django checked the system in his room.
After this battle, the system has undergone significant changes.
Originally, it was just a county town, and the staff structure was limited to county-level positions. But now…
How did they manage to pull this off involving three provinces and six ministries?
Moreover, Jiang Ge tapped on another flag in the system image besides the imperial court and himself, which had the character "Xu" written on it.
Who is this?
——
The battle ended quickly. The villagers killed five soldiers, captured three, and the rest fled. But there was no joy of victory on their faces, only fear and confusion.
"We...we killed the soldiers..." an old man said, trembling. "This is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family..."
Zhang Baichuan stood on higher ground, looked around at the crowd, and said, "Fellow villagers, we have no way out. The government will not let this matter rest. We are going to die anyway, so we might as well fight our way out!"
"But...but how can we possibly compete with the government?" someone asked.
"The people are suffering from disaster, and their lives are in dire straits. As long as we raise our voices, there will surely be those who respond." Zhang Baichuan's eyes shone with unwavering determination. "Although I, Zhang Baichuan, am but a scholar, today I am willing to live and die with you all!"
Li Dashan was the first to step forward, saying, "I'll fight you! Anyway, my wife and children are dead, I don't care about my life!"
"I'll do it too!"
Count me in!
"If this corrupt official won't let us live, then we'll rebel against him!"
Shouts rose and fell. Zhang Baichuan nodded. "Good! Today we swear here and now: 'We will not rest until the tyranny is overthrown!'"
He ordered the captured soldiers to be brought up, asking, "Do you want to live or die?"
The soldiers knelt and begged for mercy, "Hero, spare our lives! We come from poor families and were forcibly conscripted..."
“Alright,” Zhang Baichuan said, “take us to the county government granary.”
That night, a ragged but spirited group quietly made their way towards the county town. Li Dashan led the way, a knife he had seized from a soldier clutched in his hand. In the moonlight, his eyes were cold and resolute.
Yingzi Gou'er, he thought to himself, I will seek justice for you.
The city walls of the county town appeared exceptionally tall under the moonlight. Zhang Baichuan gestured for everyone to stop. "The granary is near the east gate, heavily guarded. We need to outsmart them."
He had several agile young men follow the captured soldiers, pretending to escort disaster victims as they approached the city gate.
"Halt! Who goes there?" someone shouted from the city wall.
One of the soldiers shouted as Zhang Baichuan had instructed, "We are under the command of Constable Wang, and we have arrested a few troublemakers!"
The soldiers guarding the city muttered a few words and lowered the drawbridge. The moment the city gate opened, Li Dashan and his men, who had been lying in ambush, rushed in.
"Kill them!"
Before the soldiers guarding the city could react, they were disarmed. Zhang Baichuan ordered the city gates to be opened, and even more villagers poured in.
"Where is the granary?" Li Dashan grabbed a soldier and asked.
"Behind the county government office..."
"Split up!" Zhang Baichuan ordered. "One team goes to the granary, and the other team follows me to the county government office!"
Li Dashan led more than twenty strong men and rushed towards the county government office. The yamen runners panicked; some knelt down and begged for mercy, while others turned and ran. The magistrate slipped away through the back door, only to be caught red-handed by villagers lying in ambush.
When the granary doors were smashed open, everyone was stunned. It was filled with grain, enough to feed the entire county for six months.
"Corrupt official!" an old man cried, kneeling on the ground. "We're saved...we're saved..."
Zhang Baichuan ordered the distribution of grain and opened the county government's treasury to distribute silver to the disaster victims.
As dawn broke, the county town had changed completely. Zhang Baichuan declared in front of the county government office: "From this day forward, we will no longer be oppressed by the imperial court! Those who are willing to follow me dare to change the world!"
Respondents flocked to the event. Standing beside Zhang Baichuan, Li Dashan gazed at the rising sun and felt a glimmer of hope for the first time.
However, he knew that the real battle had only just begun. The imperial court would never stand idly by while a county town rebelled. But at this moment, he was no longer afraid. He had weapons, he had food, and more importantly, he had brothers who would share life and death with him; they would eventually fight their way out.
"Brother Zhang," Li Dashan said, "what do we do next?"
Zhang Baichuan gazed into the distance, "Let's contact other affected prefectures and counties, and unite all the people who can't survive. Let's raise our swords together."
Li Dashan nodded and gripped the knife tightly. This knife would drink the blood of his enemies, for Yingzi, for Gou'er, and for all the unjustly killed souls.
The morning sun shone on the bluestone slabs of the county town. Li Dashan stood in front of the county government gate, steel knife in hand, vigilantly scanning the street. Three days ago, this was where the county magistrate swaggered around; now it had become the command center of the rebel army.
"Brother Dashan, Mr. Zhang wants you to come over." A young man ran over to deliver the message.
Li Dashan nodded, gave a few instructions on guarding the area, and strode towards the backyard. Along the way, he saw long lines of people in front of the granary, each with a long-awaited hope on their face. Zhang Baichuan ordered the granaries to be opened and the grain distributed; each person would receive three liters of rice, enough to get through these difficult days.
In the study in the backyard, Zhang Baichuan was bent over his desk, examining maps and documents left behind by the county government. He looked up, his eyes dark and swollen, clearly indicating he hadn't slept all night.
"Da Shan's here, have a seat." Zhang Baichuan rubbed his temples. "How are the city's defenses arranged?"
Li Dashan straightened his back. "As you instructed, all four gates are guarded, and a sentry post is set up every fifty paces along the city wall. However..." He hesitated for a moment, "Most of my brothers have never fought a battle before. If the government troops really come, I'm afraid..."
"I see."
Zhang Baichuan sighed, "But things have come to this, we have no other choice." He pointed to the map, "According to the prisoners, the news will reach the prefecture in as little as three days. The prefect will not sit idly by, we must be prepared."
Li Dashan clenched his fist, "Kill as many as they come!"
Zhang Baichuan shook his head. “Brute force alone won’t work. We are outnumbered and poorly armed; we must outsmart them.” He pointed to a valley on the map. “Black Stone Valley is the only way in from the prefectural city. If the government troops attack, this is the best ambush point.”
"Mr. Zhang!" A gruff voice interrupted their conversation. Wang San strode in; he was a burly man in his early thirties with a face full of scars, a former butcher from the village. "I just received news that the disaster victims in the neighboring county heard that we've taken over the county seat and want to join us! Why don't we press our advantage and take over the surrounding counties in one fell swoop?"
Zhang Baichuan frowned. "We cannot be rash. Our foundation is not yet secure; rash expansion will only disperse our forces."
Wang San disagreed, saying, "Morale is high now, we should strike while the iron is hot! It will be too late if we wait for the government troops to arrive!"
Watching the two argue, Li Dashan understood that Wang San had a point, but he trusted Zhang Baichuan's judgment more. This former schoolteacher, though seemingly frail, had a far-sighted vision than anyone else.
“Brother Wang,” Li Dashan interjected, “Mr. Zhang is right. Let’s first defend the county town, and wait for more people to come and join us before we start planning for development.”
Wang San snorted coldly, "Woman's compassion!" and then turned and left.
Zhang Baichuan watched Wang San's retreating figure with deep concern.
Just then, a rapid bell rang out from outside—it was the alarm signal they had agreed upon.
"Oh no!" Li Dashan jumped up and rushed out the door.
A large crowd had already gathered on the city wall, all gazing nervously into the distance. Li Dashan squeezed to the front and looked in the direction the guards were pointing—dust billowed in the distance, and a troop of men was rapidly approaching.
"Are they government soldiers?" someone asked, trembling.
Li Dashan squinted, then suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, "No, they are disaster victims!"
Sure enough, a group of ragged civilians arrived, men and women, some even dragging children along. When they saw the rebels on the city wall, they waved and shouted excitedly.
"Open the door! Open the door quickly! We've come to seek refuge with Mr. Zhang!"
Zhang Baichuan had already arrived at the city wall. After careful observation, he ordered the gates to be opened. Nearly a hundred refugees poured into the city, all of them pale and emaciated, some with injuries.
An old man knelt before Zhang Baichuan, tears streaming down his face. "Mr. Zhang, please save us! The magistrate of the neighboring county heard you were rebelling and, fearing the disaster victims would follow suit, sent troops to suppress you, killing many people... We simply cannot survive..."
Zhang Baichuan helped the old man up, his face grave. Li Dashan, upon hearing this, was enraged—these corrupt officials, instead of providing disaster relief, were slaughtering civilians!
"Don't be afraid, folks," Zhang Baichuan announced loudly, "once we're here, we're all one family. Go get your food and get some rest."
After the refugees dispersed, Zhang Baichuan immediately convened a meeting of his core members. Besides Li Dashan and Wang San, there were several other young people who had distinguished themselves during the uprising.
“The situation is more urgent than expected,” Zhang Baichuan said. “The neighboring county has already begun to suppress the rebellion, and the troops from Qingzhou Prefecture are probably already on their way.”
Wang San slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's strike first before they arrive!"
"Reckless!" a young scholar named Chen Sanlang retorted. "We are only a few hundred men; how can we possibly stand against the imperial army?"
"Then what do you suggest we do? Just sit here and wait to die?" Wang San glared angrily.
Seeing that another argument was about to break out, Zhang Baichuan raised his hand to stop it. "Alright! The most urgent task is to strengthen the city's defenses and train the militia. Dashan, you are in charge of training the able-bodied men; Wang San, you lead the men to reinforce the city walls; Chen Sanlang, you take stock of the food and supplies and prepare for a long-term defense."
The men accepted their orders and left. Li Dashan walked out of the county government office and saw that the streets were already bustling with activity. The newly arrived refugees were being settled in, women and children were being given food, and able-bodied men were being organized to carry supplies for the city's defense.
The entire county began to bustle with activity, all for one goal.
He walked to the drill ground, where hundreds of young men had already gathered. Upon seeing Li Dashan, they all bowed in salute—this peasant who had displayed bravery in the uprising was now one of the important leaders of the rebel army.
"What are we practicing today, Brother Li?" a boy asked excitedly.
Looking at these farmers, most of whom had never handled weapons before, Li Dashan felt a heavy weight in his heart. They were facing well-trained soldiers; could they win this battle?
"Practice marching first," he shouted. "The most important thing on the battlefield is to obey orders and follow commands without question!"
For the next two days, the county town entered a state of tense preparation for war. Zhang Baichuan worked day and night to formulate a defense plan; Li Dashan led more than three hundred able-bodied men in drills day and night; the women and elderly were also busy, making arrows, moving stones, and boiling water. Everyone understood that a life-or-death battle was about to begin.
On the third day at dusk, the sentry finally sounded the alarm—the soldiers were coming!
Li Dashan rushed up the city wall and saw a dark line slowly moving on the distant horizon. As he drew closer, the dark line became clearer—it was a neat military formation, a forest of swords and spears, banners fluttering in the wind. At the forefront was a troop of cavalry, their armor gleaming coldly in the setting sun.
“At least five hundred men…” Li Dashan gasped. This was a regular army, not the menial servants of the county government.
Zhang Baichuan was already standing beside him, his expression grave but not flustered. "Pass down the order: prepare to meet the enemy according to plan."
Before nightfall, the government troops set up camp a mile outside the city. On the city walls, the rebel army stood ready for battle. Li Dashan inspected the defenses and encouraged the brothers guarding the city. When he reached the north gate, he found Wang Sanzheng whispering with a dozen or so men.
"Brother Wang, what are you discussing?" Li Dashan asked.
Wang San turned around, a strange glint in his eyes. "Brother Dashan, let's not beat around the bush. Mr. Zhang is a good man, but too bookish. When the government troops attack the city tomorrow, those of us doing the hard labor will be the main force. How about..."
Li Dashan's heart tightened. "Not as good as what?"
"Why don't we make a decision ourselves!" Wang San lowered his voice. "I've observed that the government army's commander-in-chief's camp is right in front of that grove of trees. Tonight, I'll lead my men over there, kill that corrupt official, and the government army will be thrown into chaos!"
"Nonsense!" Li Dashan shouted angrily, "You're courting death! The government troops are heavily guarded; how could you possibly succeed?"
Wang San sneered, "You're scared? Don't forget how your wife and children died!"
These words pierced Li Dashan's heart like a knife. He grabbed Wang San by the collar, "I hate those corrupt officials more than anyone! But dying won't avenge us! Mr. Zhang has a complete plan, and we must follow his orders!"
Wang San shook off his hand and said sullenly, "Do as you please!" Then he left with his men.
Feeling uneasy, Li Dashan immediately went to report to Zhang Baichuan. Upon hearing the report, Zhang Baichuan frowned deeply. "Wang San is impulsive; he might cause trouble. Dashan, take a few reliable men and keep an eye on him. We absolutely cannot let him act on his own!"
That night, Li Dashan and his men kept watch near Wang San's residence. Sure enough, around midnight, Wang San led a dozen or so men and sneaked out of the city gate. Li Dashan quickly led his men to follow.
"Brother Wang, stop!" Li Dashan stopped them a hundred paces outside the city.
When Wang San realized his scheme had been exposed, he flew into a rage, shouting, "Li Dashan! Are you trying to block my way?"
"I'm here to save your life!" Li Dashan pointed to the distant military camp. "Look!"
Following the direction he pointed, everyone saw that the outer perimeter of the military camp, seemingly relaxed, was actually densely populated with hidden sentries. Even more frightening, figures could be vaguely seen in the woods where Wang San planned his attack—there were men lying in ambush!
"This is a trap!" Li Dashan whispered. "The government troops deliberately created an opening, just waiting for us to take the bait!"
Wang San suddenly realized what was happening, and broke out in a cold sweat. The group quietly retreated back into the city, and Li Dashan immediately reported to Zhang Baichuan.
"Just as I expected," Zhang Baichuan sneered. "This General Zhao certainly knows how to use troops. However..." A glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes, "He's using a trick against us, why don't we use a trick against him?"
Li Dashan was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Zhang Baichuan drew several lines on the map. "Since General Zhao has set up an ambush in the woods, he must have anticipated our attack. We might as well feign falling into his trap, lure his ambush troops out, and then..." He pointed to a small path, "...we'll circle around to their rear from here and wipe out their camp!"
Li Dashan's eyes lit up. "Brilliant plan! But who will lure the enemy, and who will launch the surprise attack?"
“Wang San wants to fight, right? Let him lure the enemy in,” Zhang Baichuan said. “As for a sneak attack… we need to find someone who is both bold and careful.”
"I'll go!" Li Dashan said without hesitation.
Zhang Baichuan looked at him and slowly nodded, "Alright, but you're only taking twenty elite soldiers with you, so be careful."
In the darkness before dawn, Wang San, following plan, led fifty men in a feigned raid on the government army camp. Sure enough, as soon as they approached, the ambush troops emerged from the woods. Wang San and his men feigned retreat, leading the pursuers in the predetermined direction.
Meanwhile, Li Dashan led twenty skilled men, circling around to the rear of the government army camp along a hunter's trail. Under the cover of the morning mist, they silently eliminated several sentries and infiltrated the camp.
"Split up," Li Dashan ordered in a low voice. "Five men go burn the grain and fodder, five men go set fire to the stables, and the rest of you come with me to the central command tent!"
Soon, fires broke out in all directions of the government army camp, and chaos reigned. Li Dashan led his men towards the largest central tent, only to run into several guards. A fierce close-quarters battle ensued; Li Dashan cleaved one guard down with a single stroke, while the others were dealt with by the rebel soldiers.
Lifting the tent flap, a middle-aged general was putting on his armor inside. Upon seeing someone intrude, he immediately drew his sword. Li Dashan recognized him as Zhao, the adjutant.
"Traitor!"
General Zhao shouted and thrust his sword forward.
Li Dashan parried with his sword, and the two began to fight inside the tent. Zhao, the military officer, was highly skilled in martial arts and wounded Li Dashan's left arm in just a few rounds. But Li Dashan fought with increasing ferocity. Remembering his wife and children who had died tragically, his anger turned into strength. He cleaved Zhao's sword in two with a single stroke, and then swept his sword across Zhao's thigh.
Lieutenant General Zhao collapsed to the ground, his face deathly pale. "You...you dare to kill an official appointed by the imperial court..."
Li Dashan stomped on his chest, the tip of his knife pressed against his throat, "When the imperial court didn't treat us like human beings, did they ever think about today?"
A flash of light, and blood splattered across the camp.
With their commander killed, the government troops were thrown into chaos. At this critical moment, Zhang Baichuan personally led the main force out of the city, joining forces with Wang San's troops to attack from both sides. The government troops, having lost their commander, were routed, fleeing in panic and leaving behind more than a hundred corpses.
The rebels achieved a great victory, capturing a large quantity of weapons and armor, and more importantly, gaining confidence in fighting the regular army. When Li Dashan returned to the city carrying Zhao Canjiang's head, the rebel soldiers cheered wildly.
"Brother Li is awesome!"
"We won! The imperial troops are nothing special!"
"Follow Mr. Zhang and Brother Li, and overthrow the imperial court!"
Zhang Baichuan stood on high ground, looking at the cheering crowd, but his face showed little joy. Li Dashan walked over, "Mr. Zhang, we won, why aren't you happy?"
“This is just the beginning,” Zhang Baichuan said in a low voice. “The imperial court will not let this go. Next time, there will probably be more than five hundred people.”
Li Dashan nodded, gripping his knife tightly. "Kill as many as they come!"
He had drawn power from the sword, and had no attachments.
Post-battle inventory revealed that the insurgents had suffered fewer than fifty casualties, but had annihilated over a hundred enemy soldiers and captured more than thirty. Even more encouraging was the fact that the captured equipment was enough to arm two hundred men, along with more than a dozen warhorses.
Zhang Baichuan ordered a grand funeral for the fallen and released the prisoners, leaving only a few notorious officers to await public trial. This move won the hearts of the people, and even some prisoners voluntarily joined the rebel army.
The news spread like wildfire. Impoverished people from surrounding counties and prefectures flocked to the cause, and in just three days, the rebel army grew to over two thousand men. Zhang Baichuan organized these men into units, led by experienced commanders, and trained them day and night.
Li Dashan was appointed commander of the vanguard, leading five hundred elite soldiers. He was no longer the farmer who only knew how to swing a hoe; the battles honed his will and broadened his horizons. Every day after training, he would seek out Zhang Baichuan to study military strategy, making rapid progress.
That night, Li Dashan was polishing his sword in his tent when Zhang Baichuan walked in.
"Dashan, there's something I need to discuss with you." Zhang Baichuan's expression was grave. "Our scouts report that the prefect is furious and has already requested the imperial court to mobilize a large army. In at most half a month, we will be facing an enemy several times our size."
Li Dashan put down the knife. "Mr. Zhang, what are your plans?"
“Holding out in this isolated city is a dead end.” Zhang Baichuan unfolded the map. “I plan to take the initiative and capture Qingzhou Prefecture before the imperial army arrives!”
Li Dashan was startled. "Qingzhou Prefecture has high walls and thick defenses, with over a thousand soldiers guarding it. We..."
“A direct confrontation is out of the question,” Zhang Baichuan said, pointing to a river on the map. “But according to reliable sources, the prefect of Qingzhou has already mobilized troops from surrounding counties to defend against us, leaving many areas vulnerable. We can use a feint attack…”
Just as the two were plotting, a guard rushed in, "Report! We've caught a spy! He says he came from the prefectural city and has important intelligence!"
Zhang Baichuan and Li Dashan exchanged a glance. "Bring him in!"
The man brought in was thin and small. He knelt down as soon as he entered the door. "Mr. Zhang! I'm not a spy, I've come to surrender! That corrupt official Zhou Shichang... to raise funds for the army, he levied three times the taxes, and those who couldn't pay were forced into hard labor... My brother was worked to death... I hate it!"
Zhang Baichuan helped him up. "Tell me slowly, what information do you have?"
The man pulled a slip of paper from the sole of his shoe. "This is a map of the city's defenses. I risked my life to steal it. The west gate is the weakest point because it's a cliff; they thought no one would attack from there..."
Li Dashan leaned closer to look at the map, his eyes lighting up. "Mr. Zhang, perhaps we can..."
Zhang Baichuan pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "Heaven is on my side! Dashan, summon all the battalion commanders, we need to make some careful plans!"
Five days later, a strange convoy appeared outside the west gate of Qingzhou Prefecture. It looked like a merchant caravan, but it was transporting many carts covered with cloth. The guards became alert and ordered them to stop and inspect the vehicles.
"Sir, please have mercy," the merchant-looking leader bowed and scraped, "We're delivering silk to the prefect..."
While the guards were inspecting the goods, the merchant suddenly attacked, stabbing a guard in the throat with a dagger—this man was none other than Wang San! At the same time, the tarpaulin covering the cart was lifted, and dozens of fully armed rebel soldiers jumped out.
"Kill them!"
Caught off guard, the garrison at the west gate was quickly dealt with. Wang San led his men to open the city gate, and the main force of the rebel army, which had been lying in ambush nearby, rushed in. Li Dashan charged at the forefront, killing officials and soldiers indiscriminately, as if he were in an empty field.
It turned out that the defense map was genuine. To defend against the rebel army, Zhou Shichang had deployed his main forces to the east and south gates, leaving only a small number of troops at the west gate, believing that the natural cliffs would be sufficient to stop any attack. Little did he know that most of the rebel army consisted of mountain people who could climb cliffs and scale mountains as easily as walking on flat ground.
When Zhang Baichuan led his large force into the prefectural government office, Zhou Shichang was still asleep. When he was dragged out of bed, the usually domineering prefect was so frightened that he wet his pants and knelt down begging for mercy.
"Spare me! I...I was just following orders..."
"Ordered?" Zhang Baichuan sneered. "Ordered by whom to starve the people? Or ordered to slaughter the disaster victims?"
In full view of the crowd, Zhou Shichang and a group of notorious officials were executed. The people applauded, and many joined the rebel army on the spot.
After capturing Qingzhou Prefecture, the rebel army gained considerable momentum. Zhang Baichuan opened granaries to distribute grain and abolished exorbitant taxes, winning widespread support. In just ten days, the rebel army expanded to more than 5,000 men and controlled three surrounding prefectures and counties.
Li Dashan stood on the tall city wall of Qingzhou Prefecture, gazing into the distance, lost in thought. Not long ago, he was a farmer toiling in the fields, but now he was a general commanding thousands of troops.
If my wife and dog were still here...
"Missing home?" Zhang Baichuan appeared beside him without him noticing.
Li Dashan shook his head. "My home is long gone. Now I just want to follow Brother Zhang and seek justice for the poor people of the world."
Zhang Baichuan patted him on the shoulder, "The road ahead is long. The imperial court will not sit idly by and watch us grow stronger; even greater challenges lie ahead."
"I'm not afraid." Li Dashan gripped the hilt of his knife tightly. "I've been given a second chance at life anyway, so I'll risk it all!"
Just as the two were talking, a fast horse galloped into the city, the rider covered in blood.
"Report! The imperial court has dispatched a large army! The vanguard is already a hundred miles away, numbering at least ten thousand! The commander is... General Weiyuan, Lu Zhiyun!"
Zhang Baichuan's expression changed drastically.
It should be noted that Lu Zhiyun was a famous general of the time who had suppressed many rebellions without ever suffering a defeat.
Seeing Zhang Baichuan's expression, Li Dashan knew a formidable enemy had arrived. But he felt no fear; instead, a surge of adrenaline welled up within him.
"Brother Zhang, how do we fight?"
Zhang Baichuan took a deep breath, his gaze hardening once more. "Order all battalions to prepare for battle!"
Whether they can win is another matter, but he's prepared to go all out. They're now directly confronting the imperial court, and by any measure, their chances of winning aren't very high.
Just then, Li Dashan hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped forward and lowered his voice, saying, "Brother Zhang, I know that Songyang County is full of hidden talents. There's a man named Qin Shubao who is considered the best in the world." He paused, a hint of awe flashing in his eyes, "This man possesses superhuman strength and wields the golden mace with unparalleled skill. He once single-handedly repelled hundreds of bandits. A few days ago, the First Prince sent someone to recruit him, but they completely ignored him..."
Zhang Baichuan raised an eyebrow, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. Someone who could turn away even the First Prince was no ordinary person. If he could gain this person's assistance…
The odds of winning have greatly increased!
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Author's Note: I'm planning to make a New Year's bonus episode where Qin Shi Huang and Liu Bang are having dinner together [Let me see!]. Are you all interested? Let me know if you have any side stories you'd like to see [Let me see!].
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