Fu Shanhe

Chapter 486 A Sea of ​​Fire

"When the wise king descends to earth, peace will reign throughout the land!"

"The sacred flame of the white lotus will burn away all injustice in the world!"

……

Along with the killings, the White Lotus Sect's iconic slogans were also introduced to the Jiangnan Academy.

The people attending the celebration were stunned, and the scene suddenly descended into chaos.

Even if someone is completely oblivious to what's happening around them, they still know what the White Lotus Sect is.

Being attacked by these lunatics at our doorstep would be extremely dangerous.

"Master, the area outside is full of White Lotus Sect members!"

"Those lunatics, they kill anyone they see!"

"This is how to do ah?"

The middle-aged man said in a panic.

The Jiangnan Academy's strength lies in its powerful official connections.

If anything happens, just give the local government a heads-up, and someone will naturally help you handle it.

Apart from the last White Lotus Rebellion, when the academy was attacked, no one dared to cause trouble there under normal circumstances.

A few servants are enough; there's no need for many guards.

Now that we are suddenly attacked by the enemy, we naturally cannot stop them.

"Quickly send someone to the yamen to ask for help, and organize everyone to leave through the back door!"

Qiu Wenxuan said through gritted teeth.

He hated the White Lotus Sect traitors who disrupted the celebration to the core.

What should have been a grand event turned into a farce after being disrupted like this.

From then on, when people in scholarly circles mentioned Jiangnan Academy, the first thing that came to mind was "this farce".

Neither the teachers and students of the academy nor the guests attending the celebration were ordinary people.

Even if just a few die, it will cause a lot of trouble.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

As soon as the back gate of the academy opened, they were greeted by a hail of bullets.

"what!"

"what!"

……

Then came screams of agony as countless teachers, students, and guests were riddled with bullets.

The bloody scene terrified everyone, causing them to flee in panic within the academy.

His escape did not earn him any mercy, but instead led to an even bloodier massacre by the "White Lotus Cult".

Someone tried to use their silver tongue to gain a chance at survival, but their head flew off right at the start.

The thugs who joined the battle were all there to kill, giving them no chance to negotiate.

In a panic, Qiu Wenxuan fled back to his bedroom, lifted the bed curtains to hide inside, only to find it already packed with people.

"you……"

After exchanging awkward glances with the others, Qiu Wenxuan swallowed back the words he was about to say and squeezed his way in.

Deep down, he kept comforting himself—"A wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall."

Given the special status of Jiangnan Academy, the government would immediately send people to its aid as soon as it learned of the changes that had occurred here.

They will be rescued as long as they survive the first wave of enemy attacks.

As for organizing a counterattack and fighting the enemy to the death, that's not something scholars should do.

……

Governor's Yamen.

"You're saying the White Lotus Rebellion is attacking Jiangnan Academy?"

Zhuang Yuanjia rubbed his eyes and asked.

The news was so shocking that he almost wondered if he was dreaming.

The Jiangnan Academy is located in the city of Nanjing.

Although there were no heavy guards, patrol officers were almost always on duty.

It wouldn't be easy for a group of armed White Lotus rebels to infiltrate the city.

How can one evade the patrolling constables and storm into Jiangnan Academy?
"Sir, someone outside has reported the case, and that's what they said."

"I have no idea what exactly happened!"

Lu Haizhi said with a troubled expression.

"Three lifetimes of misfortune, and I am a county magistrate; three lifetimes of evil deeds, and I am a neighboring provincial capital."

Although the position of prefect was higher than that of county magistrate, Nanjing's special political status made up for it.

Not only did they have to work under the governor's nose, but they also had the Nanjing Six Ministries pressing down on them from above.

Life was already frustrating enough, and then this tragic thing happened.

Upon receiving the news, they did not dare to delay and immediately dispatched officials to provide assistance.

However, those people in the government offices are good at bullying ordinary people, but they are clearly not enough to suppress rebels.

Sending them there for rescue is more politically significant than militarily significant.

Knowing the seriousness of the consequences, he immediately ran to see the governor.

"bump!"

Zhuang Yuanjia slammed his hand on the table.

It couldn't have happened earlier or later, but of all times it had to happen.

The city's most elite troops had been sent out to quell the rebellion two days prior, leaving the city's military forces at their weakest.

"Someone's coming!"

"Pass down the order to immediately notify the Ministry of War, and instruct the Nanjing garrison to send troops to quell the rebellion."

Notify all officials and their servants in the city to go to the Jiangnan Academy to suppress the rebels!
Anyone who dares to ask for leave will be treated as a traitor!

Zhuang Yuanjia wasn't sure how much of a role it would play, but he knew things had gotten out of hand.

Given the special status of Jiangnan Academy, he, as the local official, is certainly to blame for this incident.

Taking responsibility is a minor issue; what's more immediate is that this will exacerbate the chaos in the Jiangnan region.

Now we can only hope that the army will march south quickly. Only when the army arrives in the region can the court take the initiative.

Deep down, he had a vague idea about this sudden incident.

The fact that such a large commotion could be stirred up in Nanjing must mean that someone provided convenience to the rebels.

Only two groups of people dare to do this, and have the capability to do it.

During the White Lotus Rebellion, the Wu Kingdom was established in the Jiangnan region, attracting many people to join, including scions of prominent families.

Although the imperial court carried out a purge during the suppression of the rebellion, there were always some who escaped.

Especially those scions of powerful and influential families, as long as they change their appearance, they can hide themselves with the help of their family's resources.

He survived, but his career prospects were definitely over.

Their political backgrounds were unclear, and they hid in the countryside, making it impossible for the imperial court to find them.

Once someone stands out, they will immediately face a deadly fate.

Living in a dark corner all day long, cut off from the previous life of pleasure and debauchery, one can't help but feel resentment.

No matter how stifling their lives may be, they still have far more resources at their disposal than ordinary people.

It's possible that they secretly have connections with the rebels and are taking advantage of the chaos to launch a major attack.

Besides this group, the most suspicious are the noble families.

There seemed to be an alibi, but the accident happened right after the troops left.

It doesn't seem like a coincidence at all; it seems more like a premeditated act.

Suspicion is one thing, but one shouldn't speak recklessly without evidence.

Unless we capture them alive and trace the mastermind behind it, this will remain an unsolved mystery.

……

Time ticked by, and screams from outside continued to echo in my ears.

The people hiding under the bed were extremely nervous, fearing they would be discovered by the enemy.

"Headmaster, this can't go on!"

"If reinforcements are slow to arrive and the rebels keep killing like this, they will eventually find this place."

"Is there a secret passage in the academy that can send us away?"

The man in purple robes asked.

Everyone turned their attention to Qiu Wenxuan, hoping for a miracle.

"Gentlemen, this is an academy."

Aside from those traitors, who dares to cause trouble here!

Qiu Wenxuan said irritably. If there really was a secret passage, he would have escaped through it long ago; why would he stay here to wait for death?

The Jiangnan Academy was built in the early years of the founding of the dynasty, during the dynasty's heyday, and the issue of war was not taken into consideration at all.

Moreover, the Jiangnan Academy is backed by the gentry of Jiangnan; even if one doesn't respect the monks, one should respect the Buddha.

As long as you kneel down quickly enough, even if there's a change of dynasty, this place won't be affected.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Why is there smoke?

"Oh no! The rebels have set fire!"

Realizing this, they could only watch helplessly.

The screams outside never stopped, proving that the killing was still ongoing.

Going out now would mean certain death.

Staying here is not a long-term solution.

The Jiangnan Academy is a wooden building, and the fire set by the enemy will eventually spread over there.

Even before the fire reached them, the increasingly dense smoke could kill them.

They weren't the only ones struggling with this dilemma; everyone hidden within the academy was caught in a life-or-death choice.

They either went out and were killed by the enemy, or they stayed behind and were burned to death by the fire or choked to death by the smoke.

……

"Get up, all of you!"

"Immediately proceed to the Jiangnan Academy to quell the rebellion!"

No matter how angry the middle-aged general was, the soldiers remained listless.

As an army treated like a stepchild, it was common for the imperial court to delay paying their soldiers' wages and provisions.

The limited funds and provisions were all invested by the Nanjing garrison in their own personal guards, while the other soldiers were conscripted from the common people as corvée laborers.

Now the Nanjing garrison commander has taken his personal guards and gone out with the main force to quell the rebellion, leaving behind only unfortunate souls who brought their own money and provisions to work.

They don't pay a single penny, it's pure free work, who would be willing to risk their life for that!

"You bastards, you..."

After a fit of rage, Shi Qingchen realized he was talking to a brick wall.

He used too many historical allusions, and the soldiers in front of him couldn't understand what this Minister was saying at all.

"General Liu, is this the army you've trained?"

Shi Qingchen questioned him sternly.

If lecturing the soldiers is useless, then talk to the generals.

Nanjing held a special political status, and the garrison commander was always a Duke, while the Minister of War served as an advisor and liaison in handling military affairs.

Now that the garrison commander has led troops out to quell the rebellion, Shi Qingchen, the advisor and strategist, has become the highest-ranking person in the camp.

"Your Excellency, the elite troops in the camp have all been taken out by the garrison commander to quell the rebellion."

The remaining people were all from various places who came to perform corvée labor, and they were rotated about once a month.

The imperial court did not provide funds or provisions, so training was out of the question.

If anyone is to blame, it's the governor's office.

The imperial court ordered them to contribute to the funds, so they used these people to offset the debt.

This matter has been reported to the Ministry of War; you should know that.

General Liu's answer left Shi Qingchen speechless.

After all that, it turns out that these soldiers in front of me are all temporary workers.

They really know how to have fun.

However, in the Great Yu Dynasty, there were already many bizarre things done in order to save money, so one more wouldn't matter.

Since it was corvée labor, all military pay and provisions were saved.

The government doesn't need to pay its share of the military pay, and the military doesn't need to come knocking on our door every day to collect payments.

In peacetime, this approach could indeed significantly reduce military spending.

But when the time comes, these makeshift soldiers can be a real pain.

"Bastard!"

Even so, since I'm wearing this uniform, I have to fulfill my duties.

"I hereby order you to immediately lead your troops to Jiangnan Academy to annihilate the traitors!"

Shi Qingchen said angrily.

This bizarre operation was successfully completed, and the saved military funds naturally included a share for him.

However, doing things behind closed doors is one thing, but getting exposed is another.

"Your Excellency, please issue a farewell allowance first!"
Without financial incentives, people won't be motivated.

General Liu said with a smile.

Suppressing the rebellion is impossible.

He was instructed by his superiors to stall for time.

As a result, the Duke of Chu, who was in charge of the defense, led his troops away to escape, all in order to shift the blame afterward.

According to the rules of the Great Yu Dynasty, whoever is the highest-ranking person in charge is the first person responsible.

In the absence of a garrison, the military affairs counselor is responsible for coordinating military and political affairs, effectively serving as the highest-ranking official.

If the imperial court were to hold Shi Qingchen accountable for failing to send troops to the rescue in time, he would be the one to take the blame.

"Alright, give each person one tael of silver and get them moving!"

Shi Qingchen gave the order indignantly.

Without prior budgeting, and with the Ministry of Revenue likely not to acknowledge the expense afterward, this money might end up having to be taken from his own pocket.

He was naturally not in a good mood when he had to take money out of his own pocket.

"My lord, the price of the silver for the expedition is no longer this high."

According to current regulations, each soldier receives five taels, and officers…

Before General Liu could finish speaking, Shi Qingchen's expression changed on the spot.

Suppressing a rebellion within Nanjing city limits, not a distant expedition, shouldn't be that expensive!
They hit him on the head with a bamboo pole, clearly showing they didn't take him, the Minister of War, seriously.

"Bastard!"

"All you think about is money; have you ever considered the imperial court?"

Shi Qingchen's reprimand had no effect whatsoever.

Seeing the adjutant demand money, the soldiers grew bolder and joined in the commotion.

After some haggling, the departure fee was finally reduced from five taels to three taels.

However, this was only the beginning of the trouble, as the soldiers in front of them did not believe the promise at all.

It's one thing to want money, but the real problem is that these people demand cash before they'll do anything.

What normal person carries that much cash with them when they go out?
After dawdling for more than an hour, and even after talking themselves hoarse, the soldiers still hadn't left the barracks.

No amount of coercion or enticement could have any effect.

He considered killing someone to establish his authority several times, but ultimately refrained from doing so.

There was no way around it; the few officers he led weren't qualified to cause trouble in the camp.

If these soldiers are angered and a mutiny is triggered, the consequences will be even more serious.

With no other option, Shi Qingchen had to go back and raise the money first.

……

The garrison troops were slow to move, and the clerks of various government offices were also performing exceptionally well.

If you can dawdle, don't speed up.

It took more than two hours to assemble the team before they set off for Jiangnan Academy.

More than three hours have passed since the incident.

At this moment, Jiangnan Academy had been reduced to a sea of ​​fire.

Unexpectedly, influenced by the White Lotus sect's slogans, some White Lotus spies who had escaped the net mistakenly believed that their own army had returned and began to create chaos throughout the city.

If any disturbances are discovered along the way, the constables will certainly have to suppress them.

The delay on the way caused them to miss the rescue window entirely.

The battle broke out at 9:00 AM and continued until 3:00 PM, but no soldiers or officers appeared.

The occasional, hapless constables who arrived were riddled with bullets before they even understood what was happening.

"Master, the scouts have arrived at the agreed time. We should withdraw now!"

After scanning the sea of ​​fire ahead and confirming that the cleanup work was complete, the young man immediately gave the order:

"withdraw!"

……

(End of this chapter)