Chapter 517: What Happened in the Dream
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Initially, their actions were aimed at robbing the rich, with the distributed food genuinely benefiting the poor. Their rallying cry opposed collusion between government officials and merchants, harsh taxes, and the Imperial Court’s exploitation of the common people. They sought to arm themselves and coerce the Imperial Court into negotiation, hoping for their demands to be met.
The movement gained traction, attracting more individuals who believed in their cause. However, what started as a fight for the commoners’ benefit soon devolved into chaos.
No longer content with robbing the wealthy or acquiring food, gold, and treasures, they began targeting even ordinary citizens. Those who didn’t willingly surrender their possessions faced violence. After brutalizing resistant homeowners, they still seized their belongings.
This descent into lawlessness didn’t stop there. Spotting young and attractive girls, they captured them, distributing the captives among themselves. The men who contributed the most to the looting and violence were rewarded with these captured individuals, becoming their wives or concubines—subjected to serve in every aspect of life.
In essence, the captured individuals were for their pleasure.
While some local thugs profited from this ruthlessness, many regretted the turn of events. Yet, it was too late to reverse the tide.
Increasing numbers of unfamiliar men infiltrated the small county. Trained akin to regular army soldiers, these individuals possessed martial skills and displayed ruthless behavior.
Resorting to violence, they brutally suppressed those who resisted or expressed regret about their actions, culminating in the simultaneous killing of dozens of dissenters. Unaccustomed to such ruthless tactics, the inhabitants of the small county were eventually coerced into submission.
The outsiders made veiled threats, insinuating that those unwilling to fight to the death might endanger their families. Faced with such stark ultimatums, people had no choice but to suppress their anger and comply.
Their ruthless tactics extended to recruiting young, able-bodied men, forcefully compelling them to join their ranks. This strategy significantly augmented their numbers, surpassing ten thousand members, with several thousand having undergone formal training.
Establishing a training base in the county city and fortifying the original castle, they aimed to govern Three Flowers County as a small kingdom. In Qin Silong’s recollections of his dream, Deputy General Wang, a middle-aged military officer under Old General Cheng, commanded 10,000 regular troops and recruited an additional 5,000 temporary soldiers.
Arriving with a force of 15,000 soldiers, it took Qin Silong a month to seize Three Flowers County. During this period, he sought reinforcements from General Chen, securing an additional 3,000 soldiers.
The battles at the entrance of Three Flowers County resulted in the loss of around 5,000 soldiers over three engagements, predominantly comprising temporarily recruited recruits. The castle was assaulted five times, resulting in nearly 10,000 casualties, with countless bodies accumulating during the assaults.
Despite their efforts, a considerable number of well-trained individuals managed to escape to the mountains, successfully evading pursuit, as the soldiers were too exhausted to give chase at the time..