Ancestors, please don't crawl out again.

Chapter 160 The Kangxi Emperor's Golden Age is Gone
By the Immortal Venerable...

The name was quickly adopted and popularized.

In short, the unruly commoners, intimidated by the Immortal Venerable's volatile temper, began to complete their own militarized formation at the fastest speed.

According to the Baojia system, ten households formed a Pai, ten Pai formed a Jia, and ten Jia formed a Bao, which was equivalent to one thousand households. However, due to the deaths and disappearances of the gentry and commoners, a Bao could not possibly have one thousand households. In fact, it was never possible to have one in the past. In short, they used whatever they had, and would fill any gaps later. Thus, a camp with a varying number of people, but generally between five hundred and one thousand, could be established. The same applied to detachments, with varying numbers of people. However, a camp still consisted of ten detachments. The camp commander was elected by the entire camp, and then the camp commander appointed the detachments.

However, those who dared to take up official positions at this time were definitely those who were determined to follow the Immortal Venerable and who also had a certain prestige among the common people.

Moreover, they not only manage the military, but also the civilian population, making it the most efficient organizational system.

By nightfall, Yang Feng had amassed an army of 100,000.

There are still more than 300,000 people in Kaifeng.

The number had already reached 380,000 by the end of the Ming Dynasty. This figure was based on the Baojia system (a system of mutual responsibility and household registration) within the city when Li Zicheng besieged Kaifeng.

Of course, the vast majority of these 100,000 troops are only capable of carrying farm tools.

Therefore, the most urgent task is to complete the armament as soon as possible.

But the Celestial Venerable wouldn't concern himself with such trivial matters.

In fact, the Celestial Venerable doesn't care about anything at all...

He couldn't say anything, but there was one thing he still cared about. Before he seized a temple and closed the doors to announce a period of seclusion, his only order was that all women in the city, regardless of age or profession, must unbind their feet. He also said that when he came out, he would personally check, and if he found any who hadn't unbound their feet, he would kill their entire family. It wasn't just the woman who was killed, but her whole family.

This was the first and only order he issued after reprimanding the people of the city.

The order has been carried out thoroughly, after all, there are still thousands of corpses there. No one believes that the Immortal Venerable would kill the entire family of those who hadn't put their feet down after he came out.

However, because he completely ignored the issue of arming, the battalion commanders had no choice but to find their own solutions with their battalions. Manufacturing weapons was simply too late; the Qing army might arrive tomorrow. Therefore, the limited weapons available, such as broadswords and spears, were only given to the elite troops. Those with even less advanced weapons had to be modified from farm tools. A broken hoe, sharpened to a point, became a short spear; a red-hot shovel with a blade forged into a broadsword—you can imagine whether those could actually kill someone. And the iron fork was undoubtedly already quite perfect.

hoe...

This is clearly a heavy-duty halberd.

Even those clad in heavy armor would kneel down with a single blow from a hoe.

Bows and arrows are hard to find substitutes for, but fortunately, catapults are easy to make; a simple cannon is just two supports and a crossbeam.

He can't throw hundreds of pounds of stone projectiles, but he can throw ten pounds of blue bricks.

Even if Ao Bai were reborn, he would have to go back if a ten-pound brick were smashed on his head.

……

Finally, as the sun rose on a new day, when the Immortal Venerable walked onto the city wall, he was met with a heavily fortified defensive line.

The unruly people who were bowing to him were holding all sorts of strange weapons.

"What is this?"

He stopped in front of a burly man and looked curiously at the weapon in the latter's hand.

This thing is shaped like an Aztec obsidian saw sword, but unlike that, it has clearly broken pieces of cast iron clamped on it.

More accurately, it's cast iron slag.

"Reporting to the Immortal, I am just a porter. I couldn't find anything else. The only iron tools I could use at home were a kitchen knife and an axe. Fortunately, I have a lot of strength, so I used this wooden stick. However, the wooden stick was not good enough, so I went to the blacksmith and picked up some scrap iron. I clamped it with a cut-up carrying pole, tied it tightly, and that's what it became."

The burly man said with some shame.

"That's creative. I'll reward you when you slay the Qing demon."

Yang Feng said with satisfaction.

The burly man was so excited that he quickly kowtowed.

In reality, this thing is quite powerful; it can only withstand a few blows at most. After all, it is already quite heavy, and the pig iron on it is sharpened. This thing is much more powerful than the obsidian saw sword, as obsidian is not as sturdy as pig iron slag.

Then Yang Feng walked up to the group of burly men and looked at the batting poles erected behind them.

"This looks familiar. It's true that the wisdom of the working people is universal."

He said.

This thing is similar in concept to the bamboo poles he made when he forced the young men of Poyang to block the Shimen Pass.

However, this method mainly utilizes the elasticity of bamboo. They drilled holes in the parapet, inserted a thick bamboo pole, tied a ten-meter-long thick hemp rope to one end, and tied a wooden section weighing several tens of kilograms to the other end. They then grabbed the wooden section and pulled it backward, eventually bending the bamboo pole into a bow before suddenly releasing it. The wooden section was then violently flung out by the elasticity of the bamboo and crashed onto the ground outside the city. If anyone was below, their brains would inevitably splatter.

"But how do you reuse them?"

Yang Feng asked.

"Reporting to the Immortal Venerable, that's easy!"

A burly man quickly answered.

Then he turned around and pulled the bamboo pole straight back through the hole.

"Okay, I was too hasty."

Yang Feng said.

……

He watched with great interest from the city wall.

Although most of them were just wild ideas, these people still used all their wisdom to design the weapons they could for the imagined battles.

"Is this for leveling the land?"

Yang Feng stood next to something that looked like a wolf's fang and said with emotion.

This thing is just a rectangular, thick wooden frame, except that the bottom of both long sides is covered with half-foot-long triangular nails, as thick as a thumb. If you hit someone on the head, the nails could go right through their mouth. Although the triangular nails are spaced far apart, they are enough to ensure that you won't escape unscathed. Of course, you don't really need this, since a piece of wood this thick would be fatal if it hit your head.

"Reporting to the Immortal Venerable, it's about leveling the land. There are oxen pulling it in front, and people standing on top of it. As the oxen run in front, the clods of soil in the field are broken up, and the weeds are also stirred up."

The people next to him quickly explained.

"This is what it means to make the best use of people's talents and resources!"

Yang Feng said.

Then he looked at the soldiers on the city wall who were clearly eager to fight.

They are now considered his soldiers, after all, they already have weapons and are ready to fight for future wealth and glory.

"Then let me see what you're capable of. Do you want wealth and glory? Do you want your wives and children to be granted titles and honors for generations to come? Kill the Qing demons!"

He said.

At that very moment, he soared into the sky.

Before the soldiers on the city wall could react, the golden light representing the Celestial Venerable appeared on the horizon. A flash of fire followed, black smoke shot into the sky, then a thunderous explosion. Beneath the smoke, countless flags emerged. Chaos erupted on the city wall. Everyone cried out in panic for their comrades, some even instinctively trying to flee. However, the battalion commanders and captains faithfully performed their duties; after all, they had no way out.

Amidst their shouts, curses, and even kicks, the hastily drawn soldiers prepared for battle in a chaotic and even bewildered state.

But the golden light in the sky still hadn't returned. This made them even more panicked.

"This is the Celestial Venerable wanting to see our abilities. Those who want wealth and glory should work hard and show the Celestial Venerable that we are not useless!"

Yang Er roared.

"Everyone, perk up!"

"The time has come to kill the Qing demons."

……

The battalion commanders and captains were also shouting.

Although they were trembling, that was to be expected.

After all, they might have been laborers, farmers, or small vendors just two days ago, but now they are facing a real war.

Yang Feng, who had already disappeared into the sky, watched them with great interest.

Meanwhile, the Qing army's cavalry had reached the city gates. A civil official, clearly one who had escaped earlier, was escorted by cavalry and read the imperial edict to the unruly civilians on the city wall. The content was, of course, very simple: His Majesty the Emperor had granted them a pardon if they could repent, open the city gates, surrender, and hand over the sorcerer. Of course, no one believed this. Everyone knew that once the gates were opened, the city would be massacred. Back in the day, Yangzhou was even willing to pay money.

It didn't delay the massacre of the city either.

In fact, the Qing troops outside the city were clearly very excited. After all, they had not fought for many years. This year could be described as a golden age for the Great Qing, enough for future generations of bondservants to sing praises to Ma Ge. In places like Henan, the Green Standard Army was getting worse and worse. After all, they were not loyal to the government. How could they make money if they did not fight, burn, kill, loot, or massacre the city?

The meager military pay had to be embezzled by the superiors first.

So they were truly filled with fervor as they launched a counterattack on Kaifeng. The thought of having a former provincial capital to burn, kill, and plunder filled the Green Standard Army soldiers with the clatter of their swords.

The civil officials who failed to deliver the imperial edict immediately withdrew, while the main Qing army arrived without any preparation, perhaps deeming it unnecessary. In any case, the Qing troops who reached the walls of Kaifeng immediately began their assault, carrying ladders. The moat was negligible, as it was nearly dry at this time of year. Driven by a thirst for burning, killing, and looting, the Qing vanguard, laden with ladders, quickly rushed into the moat, wading through waist-deep water to reach the city walls.

The soldiers guarding the city wall were still staring blankly.

They didn't know what to do either.

"Fight!"

Suddenly a soldier shouted.

The next moment, flames shot out of the musket in his hand.

A Green Standard Army officer who was holding a knife and urging his men forward suddenly swayed, staring incredulously at the smoking musket.

The soldier looked at him in disbelief.

Then the Green Standard Army officer fell.

"I killed a Qing demon!"

The soldier shouted excitedly.

The soldiers guarding the city wall suddenly became fully awake.

"Kill the clear demon!"

Yang Er roared, brandishing his spear.

Without hesitation, he threw it at the Qing soldiers outside the city.

The spear instantly pierced the Qing soldiers' bodies.

At the same time, a whooshing sound swept overhead. He instinctively shrank his neck and then turned to look at the soldiers.

The latter had just released the logs they held; the logs, flung from the bamboo poles, whistled past. They and Yang Er rushed towards the parapet, only to see the logs, along with the ropes behind them, fly past the bamboo poles and strike a Qing soldier who was setting up a ladder. The soldier instinctively looked up, and the heavy logs, weighing dozens of kilograms, slapped him across the face, instantly turning his face into a splatter of blood and flesh. At the same time, all sorts of things flew off the city wall: stones, bricks, spears, even a few arrows and bullets. Some were even seen pouring molten gold from ladles—this stuff had been boiling continuously—and even more outrageous, some were simply carrying buckets and pouring it down.

The Qing army, which was originally just testing the waters, saw that these unruly civilians on the city wall were really going to hold out, so of course they wouldn't really fight to the death. They didn't hesitate to throw down the ladders and turn around and run away.

They even threw away the dead and wounded.

Of course, it would be strange not to throw it away.

"The Qing demons have been defeated!"

……

A wave of jubilation swept across the city wall.

But the next moment, flames erupted from the front of the Qing army formation outside the city, and cannonballs whistled through the sky.

But at the same time, a golden light shot straight up from the sky and into the ground. The next moment, the Qing army's cannons were blown away by the explosion of the gunpowder barrels.

"Long live the Immortal Lord!"

Yang Er raised his arms and shouted.

"Long live the Immortal Lord!"

Countless shouts echoed from the city walls.

Amid their shouts, the Qing army's cannons were blown away one by one in the flames of the explosions.

Completely stunned, the Qing soldiers stared in terror at the sky, at the figure with outstretched wings that swept past them at high speed. The figure held a strange weapon, its tip flashing with fire and spewing out conspicuous smoke. Then, bullets struck the ground, and the gunpowder barrels that were hit exploded into flames. The Qing soldiers hit fell amidst splattering blood and flesh...

Of course, Yang Feng was just carrying his old Maxim gun, with an extra ammunition box. Although he also had a rotary machine gun, he preferred the original feel of it.

A machine gun that can't spew out thick smoke like black powder isn't interesting enough.

As the Qing army fled in terror, the last cannon was blown away by the explosion of the gunpowder barrel.

Then Yang Feng transformed into a golden light once more and flew up, disappearing into the sky.

"Qing Yao, do you dare to come again?!"

Yang Er roared excitedly.

"Qing demons, do you dare to attack the city again?!"

The soldiers defending the city roared with equal excitement.

The general commanding the Qing army silently watched the arrogance of these unruly people, but he was clearly a clear-headed commander. The situation was rather strange. It was obviously just as those who had escaped said: there was a god or demon in the city. And even if there was no god or demon, as long as the people in the city really fought to the death to defend it, a city of this level was not something he could take down with his small force.

The Green Standard Army generals at this time were not like the abstract figures of the First Opium War era. Most of the generals at this time had experienced war, such as Yue Zhongqi, who had already taken over his father's position.

Any city, if its inhabitants truly fight to the death to defend it, is not easily conquered with the technology of this era.

Besides, this matter is already quite significant, far exceeding the scope of his concern. If it were easy, he wouldn't mind taking credit, but since it's not easy, he shouldn't create trouble for himself.

Once all the other departments are in place, even if we fail, there will be someone to share the burden.

Flags waved behind him, and the Qing troops who had been lined up dispersed and began to set up camp outside the city.

This scene caused even more jubilation on the city wall. The soldiers were extremely excited, after all, they had so easily repelled an attack by the Qing demons, and they hadn't even suffered any casualties, while dozens of corpses were left at the foot of the city wall.

So this Qing demon is nothing special!
(End of this chapter)