Qing Yao

Chapter 321 Who Wants to Rebel!

The arrogant cavalry of Fubiao were thrown into chaos by the sudden attack of the Caobang. However, under the command of Li Zhong, the deputy general quickly recovered and the heavily armored Caobang brothers quickly regained their footing. The Caobang brothers, who had no armor and no numerical advantage, were no match for the Caobang brothers who were only driven by anger. They gradually fell into a disadvantageous position and had to retreat to their camp under the leadership of Ye Zhigui.

The Nian prisoners who were working were shocked by what they saw not far away. Seeing the infighting among the government troops, some prisoners thought of taking advantage of the chaos to escape, but they quickly gave up the idea.

After three days, they realized that Lord Zhao had no intention of killing them. If they behaved themselves, they might still live, but if they had any other thoughts, they would lose their lives.

Then they saw the Yangzhou soldiers who had been guarding them and treating them well being driven back by the Qing cavalry who came from who-knows-where. Some of the Nian prisoners wanted to go forward to help, but dared not go forward rashly.

Just as they were hesitating, the Qing cavalry broke through the Yangzhou soldiers' defenses and rushed into the camp, where they began to wield their knives against the unarmed and clueless refugees.

The disaster victims, who had just caught their breath and rekindled their hope, never dreamed that the soldiers would massacre them again. They ran around in panic in the camp, and many of the newly erected sheds were knocked over once more.

The commotion at the South Camp caused panic in the other camps. If the soldiers hadn't tried their best to maintain order, there would probably have been another massacre in broad daylight.

Several battalions of soldiers and transport men under Zhao An's command rushed to the South Camp. At this time, the Fubiao cavalry, protected by armor, were killing and burning people everywhere in the South Camp. The deputy general in charge, Li Zhong, not only did not stop his men from killing innocent people, but also personally killed several Nian prisoners who were kneeling on the ground begging for mercy.

Seeing everything before him, Ye Zhigui gritted his teeth in anger. His knife had been chipped in several places from repeatedly slashing at the Qing soldiers' armor. Enraged, he threw the knife aside, grabbed a shovel used for digging hooks, and charged forward to continue fighting the Qing soldiers.

Slap them directly on the foreheads of the Qing soldiers; if you can't reach their foreheads, slap their unprotected calves.

"These treacherous people have rebelled! Kill them all!"

A sentry barked and pointed his blade at an old woman who was mending clothes for a transport soldier.

The old woman was so frightened that she didn't even have the strength to dodge. Suddenly, a skinny, filthy boy rushed out from a nearby shack and pounced on the officer with the knife, biting him hard on the calf!

"what!"

The sentry cried out in pain, kicked the child away, and swung his sword downwards without hesitation.

"I am Zhao Youlu, stop right now!"

Like a thunderclap, a terrifying roar echoed from afar.

The roar seemed to contain boundless rage and thunderous pressure, instantly drowning out all the noise of the battle.

Accompanying this was a figure galloping through the chaotic crowd on horseback.

Immediately behind was Zhao An, who couldn't ride a horse!

The days of hard work had left Zhao An with sunken eyes and bloodshot veins, but deep within his eyes was a furious rage that seemed ready to devour everything.

Several guards, along with dozens of personal bodyguards, rode horses and mules, braving the chaos to go against the flow of the panicked crowd.

Seeing that the governor's men were even targeting children, Zhao An was furious. He disregarded his own safety and forcibly reined in his horse, resulting in a heavy fall from the horse. Ignoring the pain, he stumbled to his feet and angrily pointed at the governor's officer who was staring at him blankly: "I am Zhao Youlu, the governor of Anhui. Put down your knife!"

The officer was probably stunned by Zhao An, who was thrown in front of him on horseback. He did not put down his long sword. Then, he suddenly felt a pain in his right hand holding the sword. When he looked closely, he saw that a round blood hole had appeared out of nowhere on his right wrist.

The intense pain caused the officer to drop his longsword on the spot, clutching his bleeding right wrist and letting out a heart-wrenching scream.

This scene caused an instant deathly silence in the vicinity. Zhao An was also startled and turned his head to look. Not far away, a prisoner holding a slingshot was also looking at him.

Without time to think, Zhao An nodded to the Nian rebel prisoner, then looked at the group of Fu Biao soldiers who had stopped nearby. His expression was extremely gloomy as he scanned their faces one by one, finally settling on the face of Li Zhong, the deputy general who was surrounded by a group of personal guards.

"Who are you? Why don't you kneel before me!" Despite his inner rage, Zhao An's voice remained calm.

“I am Li Zhong, a second-rank deputy general, while Lord Zhao is merely a third-rank circuit intendant. Even if he is temporarily acting as governor, according to the rules, I should not kneel before you!”

After saying that, Li Zhong coldly pointed to the corpses of the Fubiao soldiers who had been killed by the canal gang's transport men, "I came here on the orders of the Governor, but these unruly people under Lord Zhao's command dared to attack my troops with weapons. This is simply rebellion. I demand an explanation from Lord Zhao!"

"rebel?"

Zhao An slowly raised his hand, pointing to the child who had just escaped death, lying in the mud not far away with his chest rising and falling slightly, and then to the women and children of the disaster victims trembling like frightened birds in the nearby shack.

"What I see is not a rebellion, but the imperial soldiers slaughtering innocent civilians. Li Zhong, don't you owe me an explanation?"

After saying that, Zhao An's voice suddenly rose, making Li Zhong's eardrums ring, "What are you doing if not killing innocent people and claiming credit for them!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhong became enraged and retorted, "Lord Zhao, stop spouting nonsense! I am a second-rank deputy general of the imperial court. It is not your place to question me, much less to point fingers here. I will definitely report today's events to the governor and impeach you for condoning your subordinates' insubordination and unauthorized injury to government troops!"

Li Zhong certainly couldn't let Zhao An accuse him of killing innocent people and taking credit for them, so he simply tore off the mask of politeness and brought up his superior, Zhu Gui, to intimidate Zhao An.

However, he underestimated the courage and determination of the man in the yellow jacket in front of him.

"Oh?"

Zhao An narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sharp and cold as a knife. "You mean that just because you're acting on the orders of the governor, you can override the imperial decrees for disaster relief and comforting the people? You can ignore this ravaged land of Huaibei? You can wantonly slaughter the people that the emperor cares about?"

Li Zhong frowned slightly but did not answer.

Seeing this, Zhao An suddenly turned to the side and pointed to Suzhou City behind him, pointing to the still-burning embers of the cremated corpses below the city wall. "Prefect Li Wenzhi's head is now hanging on the city gate, the blood still wet, so that you may know that this Prefect Li is a lesson for you, Deputy General Li!"

After saying that, he drew the Ebilun sword from his waist. Although the sword was damaged, the blade still gleamed with a chilling light after it was drawn!

"Do you recognize this sword? I doubt you do. This sword is the Ebilun Sword, bestowed by the Emperor himself. For you, Li Zhong, to die by this sword is a stroke of good fortune. Guards, seize Li Zhong, strip him of his official hat, and execute him on the spot! Anyone who dares to obstruct will be considered a rebel and their entire family will be exterminated!"

Zhao An's voice was resolute.

It's true that he was a third-rank official, and it's also true that Li Zhong was a second-rank official, but he was the living Ebilun of the Qing Dynasty!

Let alone a second-rank deputy general, even a second-rank general would have perished under this blade.

"Whoo!"

The four guards left behind by Qingyao roared in unison and charged toward Li Zhong like tigers released from their cages.

Ebilun knife?!
Li Zhong felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively walked backward.

"Protect your lord!"

Several of Li Zhong's personal guards, their eyes bloodshot with rage, drew their swords to protect their master.

"We are the imperial guards, are you trying to rebel?!"

A fierce glint flashed in the eyes of one of the guards, and he pointed his steel knife directly at the group of Li Zhong's personal soldiers.

(End of this chapter)