Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 328 You think you can just take them in like that? Why should I?!
On the great river, sails and masts are like clouds.

Hundreds and thousands of ships, with their sails billowing like a wall, sailed onward in a magnificent procession.

"The east wind blows today."

On the massive ship, as tall as a city wall, Lin Dao gazed at the great river and recited, "I borrow the east wind to sail the great river, and the meteor shower startles Youliang. The righteous armies of the world are one family, united in hatred to destroy the Yuan Dynasty."

"What a beautiful poem! What a wonderful poem!"

Lan Yu and the others behind him exclaimed in admiration, "King Ming is skilled in both literature and martial arts; we are all ashamed of our own inferiority!"

Chang Yuchun, who was still suspended from his post and was following him as an attendant, glared at his brother-in-law.

'Such a fawning child, what will he be like when he grows up?'

Just then, Lin Dao turned around, and everyone was smiling, except for Chang Yuchun, whose face was stern.

He raised an eyebrow slightly. "Chang Yuchun, what do you think?"

Chang Yuchun then revealed a tough-guy smile.

"The Ming Dynasty's poets are full of talent~"

Even if Yue Fei were resurrected or Jiaxuan were reborn, they would not be even a fraction as great as the Ming Emperor.

I looked up at the sky, but I didn't see any thunderbolts in the clear sky.

Relieved, Lin Dao slowly shook his head. "Among martial artists, no one can surpass these two in poetic talent."

"With your thick eyebrows and big eyes, there's no need for such flattery."

He raised his hand and pointed at Lan Yu and the others, saying, "Don't follow their example."

Seeing Chang Yuchun's embarrassed expression, Lin Dao took the initiative to continue, "You must fight well in this campaign against Chen Youliang."

"Once you have rendered meritorious service, you will be reinstated to your original position."

Everyone knew that Chang Yuchun's suspension was only temporary.

After all, the reason he disobeyed military orders was because he was worried about the safety of the Ming King, which was a matter of great righteousness.

Now that the King of Ming had given his personal approval, everyone smiled.

Chang Yuchun, on the other hand, simply stepped forward and bowed.

"This humble general requests permission to fight and slay the enemy chieftain Chen Youliang!"

"Commendable courage," Lin Dao sighed with satisfaction.

Looking out over the Yangtze River, he thought, "Chen Youliang is also a hero of his time. If he is willing to submit, it is not unreasonable to give him a chance."

The portrayal in film and television dramas is extremely insulting.

Chen Youliang's army was a righteous army that genuinely fought against the Yuan army.

In the end, it's all just a matter of the victor becoming king and the loser becoming a bandit.

Wuchang Road, Hanyang City.

Chen Youliang, with his large hands and feet, dark complexion, and dignified appearance, was receiving Lin Dao's envoy.

"Hu Weiyong, the chief clerk under the Ming King, was granted an audience with the Chancellor."

Hu Weiyong performed a long bow, not the kneeling bow commonly practiced during the Yuan Dynasty.

The kneeling ceremony used in China to erase dignity originated in the Yuan Dynasty.

The Mongols brought their master-servant system to China, where slaves were deprived of the luxury of dignity.

Lin Dao does not use this method; he abolishes kneeling and adopts the rituals of the Han and Tang dynasties.

“The messenger of the Ming King.”

Chen Youliang, who had been a fisherman in his early years, chuckled, rubbing his large, calloused hands. "Let me guess, you've come to persuade me to surrender?"

Xu Shouhui clashed with Ni Wenjun and others, resulting in both sides suffering heavy losses.

Chen Youliang seized the opportunity to act as the mantis stalking the cicada, devouring the remaining forces of both of them.

He then proclaimed himself the Pingzhang Zhengshi of Huguang Province and seized power.

The reason they did not claim the title of king or emperor was because there was a wise and powerful king in the country.

In order to reduce the impact of Xu Shouhui and others, Chen Youliang moved the center of his rule from Qizhou to Hanyang.

He originally planned to unleash his full potential and dominate the surrounding areas after he had sorted out all the internal factions.

Unexpectedly, Lin Dao launched a surprise attack with his army first.

This is truly infuriating.

"No."

Knowing this was a rare opportunity to shine, Hu Weiyong smiled and shook his head.

"The Red Turban Army of Huguang Province were also soldiers under the command of the Ming King."

"Now, it's just a matter of returning to one's homeland."

The rebel army in Huguang was mainly composed of followers of the White Lotus sect and Maitreya followers.

In chaotic times, when people can't survive, if a religious sect is willing to give you a bowl of thin porridge, will you join or not?
Of course I bought it.

This is why sects like the White Lotus sect flourished in various regions.

After they started their uprising, they also used the name of the Red Turban Army.

At the time, it was to use the pretext of righteousness.

Unexpectedly, they have now actually taken over as the master.

"Are you stupid?"

Chen Youliang, whose skin was tanned dark from years of fishing on the Yangtze River, immediately scoffed.

"You think you can just take us in like that? On what grounds?!"

“That’s right!” Zou Pusheng and the others immediately shouted, “Just because he has the title of Ming King, he thinks he can recruit us?”

"Go and have your spring and autumn dreams!"

Hu Weiyong remained calm and composed until their clamor subsided before speaking.

“You are all right.”

"Because my lord is a wise king!"

He took a breath and said, “My lord is a wise and benevolent king, with a million soldiers, over a thousand warships, and countless provisions and military supplies.”

"Our massive army is coming in force, enough to block the river and fill the city!"

"If you do not obey, you will be reduced to dust!"

Lin Dao, this Ming King, is not comparable to that puppet, the Little Ming King.

He is truly capable.

Not only do they possess strength, but they also have a distinguished military record.

Envoys have the confidence to negotiate when they go abroad.

Zou Pusheng and the others argued for a while longer, but their voices noticeably quieted down.

They also knew about the Ming King's whereabouts.

The Yuan dynasty's million-strong army was defeated, sweeping across Jiangdong and Lingnan.

It is also blessed by many miracles.

Especially since they were operating under the banner of the Red Turban Army, and many of them were actually followers of the White Lotus sect.

The suppression based on moral principles made them subconsciously feel somewhat guilty.

As the noise subsided, everyone's attention turned to Chen Youliang.

At this time, the Tianwan regime was in the hands of this man. After a moment of silence, Chen Youliang raised his eyelids.

"If you want us to serve you, you have to show us your abilities."

Hu Weiyong frowned. "Does the Grand Councilor mean to fight a battle?"

“That’s right.” Chen Youliang stood up and walked up to Hu Weiyong. “Our brothers have all fought their way through blood and fire.”

"If I don't fight, I won't be able to explain myself."

“If the King of Light is strong enough, we will be willing to serve him.”

Hu Weiyong frowned, displeased. "If we play first and then resign, the conditions will be different."

He is an envoy.

The difference in merit between persuading someone to surrender now and surrendering after a fight is enormous.

"Hahahaha~~~"

Chen Youliang laughed heartily, patting his chest. "I used to be a fisherman!"

He pointed to Zou Pusheng and said, "He used to be a blacksmith for the Mongols."

He then pointed to Zhang Bixian, saying, "He used to cut hay for the Mongol people's pastures."

Finally, he gestured to Zhang Dingbian, "His family sells insurance in the fishing village."

The insurance mentioned here is not the kind of insurance in the modern world that doesn't cover this or that.

To put it bluntly, it's a protection fee levied on the people by a powerful organization.

Zhang Dingbian is a key figure in a dynamic organization.

The kind that's extremely good at fighting.

"We all come from poor backgrounds."

Chen Youliang solemnly replied, "Now that I've enjoyed wealth and status, it's nothing special."

"Even if it's just for a lowly soldier, or even if they simply kill us all, I'll still accept it!"

A hero from humble beginnings, with an inherent air of chivalry.

Simple benefits and bribery are more effective for scholars.

Hu Weiyong's various attempts to persuade him failed, and he had no choice but to return and inform the Ming King of the matter.

"Demonstrate strength?"

"no problem."

Lin Dao nodded. "They are all anti-Yuan rebels; it would be unwise for them to kill each other."

He has always firmly grasped the core issues.

That is to oppose the Yuan dynasty and to cleanse the filth that has accumulated in the local area over thousands of years.

He was willing to accept anyone who was anti-Yuan and had not committed any heinous crimes.

Chen Youliang and his forces also wiped out many of the Mongol Yuan forces in the Huguang region, as well as the powerful local families.

Lin Dao would only agree with these things, not criticize them.

Of course, this cannot be considered a merit he made in the army.

Another point is that there were too many civil and military officials from the Jianghuai region in the army at that time.

Although a county is enough to establish a country, one cannot truly rely solely on the people of a county.

The two sides agreed to a duel outside Hanyang City.

Chen Youliang's side had no choice but to accept that they lacked sufficient strength.

After all, Lin Dao didn't give him ten years to expand his strength and build up a large army of hundreds of thousands of skilled warriors.

With such a large gap in strength, one can only resort to unconventional methods.

Lin Dao, on the other hand, did not want the anti-Yuan rebels to kill each other.

This led to a rather strange duel.

Chen Youliang and his men stood on the riverbank, looking in bewilderment at the dozens of ships that slowly sailed to the center of the river and anchored.

"What's this?"

They were puzzled, "The waterway is cut off? We still have to keep going!"

Amidst the confusion, the Red Turban Army soldiers on the ship quickly departed in numerous small boats.

The Tianwan Army became increasingly puzzled, wondering what the Red Turban Army was up to. The crowd began to whisper among themselves, and a commotion gradually rose.

Soon, the roar of the engine could be heard.

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a massive steel behemoth, kicking up countless clumps of mud as it approached the riverbank.

The muzzles of the quadruple anti-aircraft guns were pointed at the captured old Yuan Dynasty ships in the river.

'Knock knock knock knock~'

Amidst the terrifying sound of tearing through the air, a dense hail of bullets swept across the river.

The tracer rounds left obvious ballistic marks, and everyone watched as the shells whistled past, smashing and burning the wooden boats one after another.

Chen Youliang and the others were completely dumbfounded.

This unprecedented scene deeply shocked them.

too frightening.

As the shelling ended, the wooden boats on the river were all turned into blazing torches.

Amidst the continuous crackling of flames, the boat gradually disintegrated and drifted downstream under the influence of the river current.

Amidst the whirring of machinery, the anti-aircraft guns turned towards the Tianwan army.

To the soldiers of the Tianwan Army, those cannons still emitting white smoke looked like dark passages leading to the underworld.

Flak leveled, court martial.

This thing can blast a ship to pieces; if it hits a person, they'll be torn to pieces.

When the cannons were pointed at them, the soldiers of the Tianwan Army became restless.

"Let's vote!"

Chen Youliang shook his head repeatedly, a bitter smile on his face. "With a celestial artifact right in front of us, how can we fight?"

Humans cannot imagine things they have never seen.

Faced with a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun they had never seen before and whose power was immense, they could only rely on the most powerful thing in their minds to verify it.

Magical implements of immortals.

How could ordinary mortals possibly contend with such a divine weapon?

After being disarmed, Chen Youliang and his men came before Lin Dao with their hands behind their backs and bowed deeply to apologize.

"Is this the end?"

Lin Dao, standing atop the anti-aircraft gun, uttered words tinged with regret.

"I recently received something amazing, and I'm planning to show it to you all."

Since the King of Ming had spoken, the conversation naturally couldn't just stop there.

Immediately, someone chimed in, "May I ask, Your Majesty, what kind of wonderful thing is this?"

Lin Dao chuckled.

"Self-propelled artillery!"

(End of this chapter)