Ancestors, please don't crawl out again.

Chapter 158 The Glorious Golden Age of My Great Qing Dynasty

The tattered procession moved forward, passing through similarly gray villages where villagers, also in dilapidated, watched with curiosity.

But after learning their purpose, they were all so frightened that they hid.

However, some people joined.

These days, it's not uncommon to be so poor that you can't survive.

The Qing Dynasty's prosperous era was maintained by maximally tolerating corrupt officials. Otherwise, why would officials sing praises of a wise and benevolent ruler? Hai Rui, for example, collected 80% of the 2% fire surcharge quota. This wasn't handed over to the government; the quota was paid out, and the official kept a large portion for himself. Of course, in reality, he would use a significant portion to bribe his superiors. Furthermore, wealthy gentry like Chen, who contributed labor, would certainly get a share as well. Local miscellaneous taxes were set by the officials themselves, such as the city gate tax. One year, a commendable official from Ganzhou in the Qing Dynasty was remembered for hiring people to carry grain and cloth out of the city and then back in through a different gate. All the goods were confiscated as tax. Upon learning of the local city gate tax's outrageous nature, he ordered its abolition.

Not to mention the various other exorbitant taxes and levies.

Even a government official's birthday can result in a huge amount of donations being levied.

Of course, it was still done through wealthy and powerful families.

This only includes government officials; it does not include the conquerors from other tribes.

They're the ones who make the big profit.

Corrupt officials exploit and plunder, while foreign conquerors feast on their flesh and drink their blood.

My Great Qing Dynasty kept the Liaodong military pay that Chongzhen had been cursing all the way to the point of national collapse.

Of course, it's no longer called the Liaodong military pay.

After all, it's somewhat absurd for a dynasty to collect additional taxes from the previous one that besieged them, so it's better to just include them in the regular taxes. What's this about never increasing taxes? I won't call it taxes, right? This is the pinnacle of rule. The foreign conquerors provide the military force, slaughtering the people into kneeling, begging-for-life sick men with mountains of corpses and seas of blood. The gentry class and officials from the gentry class maintain the rule for the foreign conquerors, ensuring a stable and sustainable way to exploit them, or rather, to drain their resources to the bone.

At the same time, it uses enslavement ideology to control the people's minds, making them accept this distorted system.

Then, more than two hundred years later, when it was time to cut off the queue, it became the ancestral method.

Perfect rule.

Really.

Our Great Qing Dynasty almost created the most perfect model of governance in ancient times.

The purpose of rule is never a golden age.

Rather, it was to maintain rule.

Enslavement is the perfect means of maintaining rule. If it were to evolve into a caste system, it would be even more perfect. However, this is a bit difficult in this land. It's not that my Great Qing is not trying hard enough, but that the unruly people in this land are too difficult to deal with.

And now this ruling system, which aims at enslavement, is reaching its peak.

"We still have to kill them!"

Yang Feng looked with emotion at the struggling tycoon in front of him.

The latter was held down by several strong young men. In the mansion behind him, the villagers who had followed him were slaughtering his pigs and sheep in a frenzy, dividing up his gold, silver, grain and cloth. His mansion had been set on fire, and the villagers who had followed Yang Feng were roasting meat over the burning flames, just like before.

However, the local villagers watched silently from a distance.

They had been gathered by this wealthy man to repay the emperor's favor. They were not far from Kaifeng. The wealthy man was a student of the Imperial Academy, but he had actually bought his position. It was very difficult for him to pass the imperial examination, and the cost of buying an official position was too high. Unexpectedly, an opportunity had come to him, so he thought he should make a good impression. As long as he could hold out until the imperial army from Kaifeng arrived, he would naturally receive a reward from the court and even rise to prominence. But unfortunately, after the villagers saw Yang Feng in mid-air, they scattered in all directions.

It can fly!
That's a slap in the face!
Then the wealthy man was arrested.

"With a wise and benevolent ruler in power, and the Qing Dynasty enjoying a glorious and prosperous era, how dare you rebel?"

The wealthy man howled in grief and indignation.

It's clear he meant it; after all, in his eyes, it truly should be a glorious and prosperous era.

He wore fine silks and satins, which he naturally considered a sign of a prosperous era.

He wouldn't empathize with those mud-covered men wrapped in tattered burlap sacks in winter.

Amid his howling, Yang Feng walked up to him.
He looked at the demon with hatred, while Yang Feng looked at him calmly.

"So, this is what a prosperous era is?"

Yang Feng pointed to the villagers wrapped in tattered cotton wadding and burlap sacks.

"If the common people can keep their leaders alive and not be buried in ditches, then it is a prosperous age. The Qing Dynasty is unified and His Majesty is wise, so it is of course a prosperous age. You demons use sorcery to wreak havoc on the world. When the royal army comes, all of you will be exterminated. At that time, it will be a delusion to want to be obedient subjects again. Today you scoundrels have destroyed my whole family. In the future, I will be remembered for my loyalty and righteousness, and you will be reduced to ashes as traitors."

You are thieves!

You're all thieves!

The wealthy man howled like a mad dog.

Then the young men began whipping him with sticks without any hesitation.

He screamed in agony as he was whipped, but the blows instantly shattered his courage, and he immediately began to beg for mercy.

Yang Feng waved his hand, signaling the young men to stop. Then he stretched out his right hand, and an energy blade appeared instantly. The gentry stared in astonishment at the pale golden, almost translucent energy blade. Then Yang Feng made a light slash, and his arm was severed. Because the blood was sealed at the same time as the arm was cut, the gentry didn't even have time to react. By the time he came to his senses, his arm had already been picked up by the wild dogs waiting nearby.

"what……"

He then screamed in utter terror.

Then Yang Feng shook the energy blade, and the energy blade suddenly swelled up.

"Immortals, immortals, I was blind and ignorant. I beg you to spare my life. I swear to follow you to the death."

The wealthy man screamed like a madman.

And he also lay on the ground, kowtowing frantically.

Therefore, he did not truly intend to be loyal to the Qing Dynasty.

He's just not fully awake yet.

Having been used to being arrogant and domineering, it was inevitable that he would be momentarily disoriented when faced with such a scene. However, after being hit by the stick and witnessing this terrifying scene, he immediately came to his senses. It was as if the three blows shattered the Qing Dynasty's spirit, and he realized that he was one of his own.

So who is the thief?

Yang Feng said.

"The Qing, the Qing demons, it's the Qing demons! The Qing demons have seized control of the Central Plains, slaughtered the people, and committed countless atrocities. They even dredged up the Yellow River back then, and in recent years they've been levying exorbitant taxes and plundering the people's wealth to support themselves. The more officials they extort, the happier they are. The magistrate of Lanyang County extorted seventy percent of the people's wealth, used forty percent to bribe a prince, and even gave the Imperial Household Department thirty thousand taels of silver. He received a commendation from the Ministry of Personnel and was promoted as a capable official. The Qing demons also openly sell official positions. I, a student of the Imperial Academy, bought my position through connections with a Duke of Zhenguo in the capital. Originally, if I had enough money, he could have helped me buy a magistrate position. He even said that prefects and governors also have to pay a price, and that they can all be bought with money."

They are the real thieves.

Thieves who stole our land and gold and silver.

I, a humble man, wish to follow the immortals, to slay the demons and cleanse the world of its filth.

The wealthy man continued to scream.

Yang Feng stood up with satisfaction, looking at the villagers who had followed him and the local villagers who had gathered to watch.

The latter were clearly different; they were all whispering among themselves.

"Did you hear what he said? I won't force you today, but I will do as he said, to exterminate the Qing demons and sweep away the stench. If you are willing to follow me, then follow me, and I will make sure you all eat meat, and your descendants will all eat meat."

Yang Feng said.

In fact, he had to resolve the issues between the people and him.

Simply coercing someone cannot last long; coercion must be combined with natural disasters.

Without natural disasters, there can be no real coercion, but making them feel the allure of wealth and glory is a different story. However, his encouragement is not very effective in this regard; if it is the local gentry who encourage them, the effect will be different.

"You fools! The gods are real gods, but how can the government troops, no, the Qing demons, possibly defeat them? If you follow the gods, you'll have meat to eat, and if you follow the gods, you'll conquer the world and enjoy wealth and honor, with your wives and children becoming dukes and marquises for generations to come."

The wealthy man, like a loyal dog, couldn't wait to yell at the villagers.

The villagers instantly came to their senses.

"I don't care about anything else, I just want to eat meat!"

A young, strong man roared.

"Yes, meat! I want to eat meat!" "Following the immortal master means you'll get meat!"

……

More shouts rang out.

The wealthy man knelt at Yang Feng's feet with a fawning smile, like a dog waiting for a bone.

"You're willing to come with me?"

Yang Feng shouted at the villagers.

"I will obey the divine deity."

The villagers shouted in unison.

"Yes, follow the immortals and listen to their words!"

The wealthy gentleman continues to play the role of a loyal dog.

"Then let's grind him to ashes first!"

Yang Feng pointed at him and said.

wealthy gentry...

He chose it himself!
He had already told the villagers that following the gods was a sure thing, that they would have meat to eat, and that they would enjoy wealth and honor, with their wives and children becoming nobles for generations. So the villagers believed him, since they had always listened to him in the past. Then the villagers lifted him up and threw him into a raging fire.

"Come on, I'll take you to eat meat!"

Yang Feng looked at the wealthy man struggling in the sea of ​​fire and then called to his men.

An hour later.

Kaifeng.

"Kill, kill the Qing monster!"

Yang Feng roared as he charged toward the city wall.

The next moment, his halberd slammed into a Qing soldier holding a bow and arrow. The halberd pierced the latter's body instantly, and the latter screamed in agony. As Yang Feng charged, he crashed backward into another Qing soldier, the halberd piercing his body and embedding itself in the Qing soldier's chest. Yang Feng, holding his halberd, charged through the two Qing soldiers, skimming along the arrow emplacements at high speed across the city wall, causing the Qing soldiers in front of him to fall one after another.

He then leaped upwards, carrying two Qing soldiers as he charged straight at the city wall.

Just as they collided, the wings on his back suddenly folded up and enveloped his entire body.

Simultaneously rotating at high speed.

He crashed into the city wall like a giant golden rifled cannonball.

The wings of soul energy instantly tore everything apart.

Then, having pierced through the city wall, he burst out on the other side and soared straight into the sky.

"Kill! Kill the Qing demons!"

"Quickly, put the ladder up!"

……

A burst of excited roars erupted outside the city.

Meanwhile, the Qing soldiers on the city wall were fleeing in terror.

This demon's magic was too terrifying, completely beyond their comprehension.

In fact, they had no idea what had happened.

It happened so suddenly.

Even the governor and commander of Kaifeng only learned of a sorcerer leading a band of bandits heading towards Kaifeng after receiving a message from the student. The commander, however, completely disbelieved it, treating it as a joke, thinking the student had mistaken refugees for bandits. "In our peaceful and prosperous Qing Dynasty, there are no bandits!" he thought. While there were indeed refugees, the governor remained clear-headed, knowing the student wouldn't fabricate such a story, and thus dispatched cavalry to investigate.

As a result, the latter encountered Yang Feng's troops, who were marching towards Kaifeng, halfway there.

The latter has expanded to more than two thousand people.

This could already be considered banditry.

That's why the Qing army defended the city.

As for facing the battle...

Fight my ass.

There are no heavy troops here.

Our Great Qing has three generals in Henan: Nanyang, Guide, and Huaiqing, while Kaifeng is only directly under the command of the governor. Rather than risking going out of the city to fight the demons, it is better to hold the city and wait for reinforcements.

but……

I never expected a demon to be so ruthless!

Yang Feng, who had just taken to the skies, swooped down again. The Qing soldiers on the city walls raised their bows and arrows, and muskets, but to no avail; his defensive system was unaffected by the Imperial Seal. Braving the arrows and bullets, Yang Feng swept over the city wall once more, his halberd not thrusting forward, but rather dragging it horizontally to the side. The Qing soldiers fled in terror, only to be caught by the halberd's blades and, with Yang Feng's high-speed flight, flung off the wall. He then spun rapidly, his wings enveloping him, crashing into the city tower.

The already crumbling city gate collapsed with a deafening roar.

At the same time, the troublemakers outside had already climbed the ladders up the city wall.

Yang Er was the first to scale the city wall.

He picked up a spear discarded by the Qing soldiers and hurled it at the fleeing Qing troops below.

The spear struck a general squarely.

The latter screamed in agony as the spear pierced his body and fell from his horse.

"I killed a Qing demon!"

Yang Er shouted excitedly.

Then he picked up a knife, without thinking of anything else, and rushed straight to the ramp, charging down the city walls. The ramp was still crowded with Qing soldiers, who were running down in panic. At the same time, Yang Feng's figure flashed past again, causing the Qing soldiers to panic even more. Yang Feng, rushing downhill, quickly collided with them, swinging his knife wildly. He didn't know how to use it, but such a simple action didn't require special practice. He gripped the knife with both hands, standing behind the surging Qing soldiers, wildly hacking at the heads in front of him.

The Qing soldiers who were slashed screamed in agony.

But no one turned back to fight. Even if one Qing soldier had turned back, he could have easily defeated the farmer who was killing someone for the first time in his life.

but……

Not a single person turned around.

The ones in front are running recklessly.

Those behind were desperately pushing those in front, trying to escape.

They crowded downwards like that.

Behind them, Yang Er gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands and kept hacking away. He even closed his eyes, as the bloody scene was somewhat unsettling. But he continued to slaughter hundreds of Qing soldiers, charging down the horse path into Kaifeng City, while more civilians who had picked up weapons followed him down the road.

The Qing army quickly collapsed at the foot of the horse trail, though some were not killed...

Yang Er could not inflict serious injury.

Because he didn't know how to use a knife, his cuts weren't straight.

Even if they were chopped off, the Qing soldiers at least had a big hat to cover their heads.

But many were slashed and injured.

Therefore, many of the fleeing Qing soldiers clutched their heads or shoulders and screamed in pain before running away without regard for anything else.

Yang Er charged straight towards the city gate, then swiftly opened it. The waiting civilians cheered and swarmed in. Above them, Yang Feng spread his wings, pressing down on the fleeing Qing troops in the streets, and began another high-speed dive...

(End of this chapter)