Red Mansion: Seizing Jiangdong, starting with pirates

Chapter 16: Daiyu in danger

Those were not lights at all, but a huge fire burning throughout Jinhai.

The people who were originally as weak as lambs quickly turned into demons after being stained with blood.

The whole city was shrouded in burning, killing and looting.

The governor of Jinhai was in complete disbelief when he heard the news.

How is it possible? How could those untouchables rebel?

Although those untouchables were labeled as traitors, he knew that they were not traitors! They were all good citizens not long ago, so how could they rebel for no reason?

Is it because they lost their jobs?

Is it because I want to use them to gain credit?
Is it just such a small matter that you are rebelling?

Troublemakers, troublemakers! They are indeed born to be rebellious!

The prefect cursed angrily and led his men to go out to investigate.

He naively wanted to maintain the situation, because if he left it alone, he would lose his official position if he was investigated later, and he might even be killed.

The result was naturally what everyone expected. The prefect was reduced to pieces as a fourth-rank official by the attack of the mob.

In comparison, the general is much smarter.

How could a mere general like him quell such a large-scale rebellion in the city?

The general acted decisively, took a few trusted men, put on linen clothes, robbed a night-scented carriage, and fled out at night.

He is going outside to mobilize troops.

The city is definitely beyond saving now. All he can do now is to make up for his mistake and gather his subordinates to block these rebels in the city, so as to gain defensive merit in the end.

Otherwise, if these anti-rebels were allowed to break out of Jinhai and flee to the capital area, we would be finished.

I heard that the amount of silver and grain collected after the new policy was promulgated this year was twice as much as usual. The emperor was very happy and was rewarding his officials. If a piece of news suddenly came at this time,
"The rebels are attacking!"

One can imagine how shocked the court would be at that time.

If that were to happen, his three clans would probably be wiped out.

The anti-people did not pay attention to the general's movements.

They are just a group of people who are venting their dissatisfaction and have lost their minds.

If there is a qualified leader among this group of people, such as Guo Dahai, they may be able to achieve something.

Unfortunately, Guo Dahai had already been shot dead by Fang Yong with an arrow.

The surviving Tie Niu was simply unable to lead these hundreds of thousands of rebels.

The rebels first attacked the government office, then some of them burned, killed and looted in the city, while others went to the port.

These people already had a grudge against the Cao Gang, and this trip was for revenge; secondly, there were countless merchant ships traveling to and from the port, carrying all kinds of goods, money and grain, which were all extremely considerable wealth.

The Canal Transport Office was simply unable to stop these anti-people people.

Countless anti-popular people quickly robbed all the money and goods in the port, and then set their sights on the merchant ships.

They climbed up using ropes and hooks, then robbed gold and silver, set fire and killed people.

Some ships had not yet docked, so these people rowed their boats to rush over. When they couldn't climb aboard the large ships, they looked for medium-sized and small ships. The whole port was in chaos.

Fortunately, Fang Yong's ship was relatively large, and these rebels only picked on the weak, so the number of people attacking his ship was relatively small.

Fang Yong ordered his men to use crossbows to fight the enemy, while at the same time urging them to sail away quickly.

Because more and more anti-republicans were coming over from behind, in a black mass, tens of thousands of them. Even if all the weapons and ammunition on Fang Yong's ship were used up, they would not be able to fight against so many people. The only wise thing to do was to leave quickly.

In the chaos, the official ship carrying Daiyu and Jia Yucun approached the Jinhai Wharf defenselessly.

This was an official ship requisitioned by Lin Ruhai for the purpose of sending his daughter to Beijing.

But who would have thought that this would happen.

Because it was at night, the person in charge of driving the ship could not see the riot happening in Qingjin Sea clearly. It was not until the ship was about to enter the port that he discovered that a riot had occurred in the port.

The ship quickly turned around, but it was too late.

They could see the port, and the people at the port could see them. Several small boats loaded with rebels quickly came over.

The official ship that Daiyu and Jia Yucun took was a medium-sized official ship with two floors. It was generally used to transport officials' families, property, or some precious objects. The size of the ship was not small, but its defense was not high, making it a very easy target to attack.

Moreover, in the eyes of the rebels, the two official ships turned around and ran away without hesitation, which made them more certain that the official ships must be transporting very valuable things, so they chased them even faster.

It takes time for a large ship to turn around and set sail, so it is no match for a small boat.

Dozens of rebels swung their water boats, leaving afterimages, and soon caught up with Daiyu's boat.

Throwing hooks and fire bottles, dozens of rebels climbed onto the boat like wolves and tigers.

The guards on the ship also took up weapons to resist, but they were outnumbered after all, and the rebels were increasing in number. After killing a few, dozens more followed from behind, and it was impossible to kill them all.

Jia Yucun came with another boat to help. He took the gentleman's sword and killed two rebels with his own hands under the cover of his guards, but this was just a drop in the bucket.

Countless anti-popular people climbed onto the boat, and Jia Yucun's boat was also affected. Jia Yucun looked back, hesitated for two seconds, then decisively abandoned the boat and escaped alone in a small boat.

Daiyu is very important to him, and Lin Ruhai's recommendation is a stepping stone for his advancement.

But compared with one's own life, all this is nothing.

On the other side, Fang Yong was driving three ships out quickly. There was a thud on the road and the ships hit something.

"Third brother, a small boat was smashed and a person is in the water asking for help."

Fang Yong said: "Don't worry about him, let's keep going."

"That man seems to be a Confucian scholar."

"Oh."

When Fang Yong heard that he was a Confucian scholar, he thought for a moment and said:

"Then rescue the person."

Fang Yong now has a lot of soldiers under his command, but they are all rough and uncouth. He just happens to be in need of a few scholars. Since he is a Confucian scholar, no matter he is a scholar or a juren, he will always be of some use.

Soon, a middle-aged man soaked in water was rescued.

At this time, Jia Yucun had not yet realized that Fang Yong was a pirate. Seeing Fang Yong wearing a brocade robe and having many followers, he thought he was a young master from some family, so he hurriedly said:
"My name is Jia Hua, thank you for saving me, sir."

Jia Hua?

This name sounds familiar.

Fang Yong didn't think much about it and said:
"No need to be so polite. Come on, please ask Mr. Jia to change his clothes first and take good care of him."

Two men immediately came up and prepared to take Jia Yucun away.

Jia Yucun was about to go down when he suddenly thought of Daiyu and others who were still being besieged by the rebels.

His escape before was an act of helplessness. After all, he could not save Daiyu by himself, and would only implicate himself.

But the situation is different now. This young man has many subordinates around him and a strong ship. Maybe he can rescue Daiyu.

So Jia Yucun cut to the chase and said:
"Sir, wait a minute. I have another student, the only daughter of Yangzhou Salt Inspector Lin Ruhai. She is now in prison. Please help her!"

After hearing this, Fang Yong said:

"Okay, okay. Where is she? I'll send someone to check... Wait, whose daughter did you just say she was?"

"Lin Ruhai, the Imperial Salt Inspector of Yangzhou, what's the matter? Do you know me, young master?"

Lin Ruhai...is the Red Mansion!

Fang Yong reacted quickly: "Quick, Li Sheng, get my sword and bow!"

In the room on the official ship, Daiyu's face was pale, her body trembling uncontrollably like a willow in the wind, she bit her teeth lightly, and tightly grasped a pair of golden scissors in her right hand...

Xueyan came over from outside with tears in her eyes and reported:

"Miss, the thieves have already climbed onto the first floor."

Upon hearing this, Daiyu tightened her grip on the scissors and her eyes were filled with the determination to die.

(End of this chapter)