Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 582 Luo Tianxuan Returns (6,000 words)

The sky gradually darkened.

The lonely lanterns on the city gate tower illuminated the severed limbs and broken bodies inside and outside the city walls.

The snow is getting heavier and heavier.

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, and as the blood drained from the corpse, the body, losing its temperature, gradually became cold and stiff, unable to continue melting the snowflakes.

Slowly, a layer of fuzzy white covered the corpse.

It seems that the filth and dirt are being buried by purity.

laugh.

In such a simple and serene setting, the sound of a dress being torn seemed very discordant.

ah ah ah ah...

The young woman finally awoke with a start.

At this moment, the woman's feelings are probably hard to describe.

The death of her husband in the defense of the city was already devastating for this young woman, like the sky had fallen. Then she watched helplessly as her parents-in-law were killed before her eyes, and her only son had his head chopped off. Blood gushed from his slender neck, and his small head rolled on the ground, his wide-open eyes filled with indescribable fear and pain.

The moment your neck is slashed with a knife must be incredibly painful.

At this moment, the young woman's expression was beyond description. Her once beautiful face was now twisted beyond recognition, her wide eyes seemed to have split open at the corners, and two scarlet marks rolled down her eyes.

is blood.

It also resembles tears.

She struggled and screamed like a madwoman.

With a sharp scratch, her fingernails grazed the face of a Japanese pirate, leaving several bloody marks. The pirate, who hadn't expected to be scratched by a young woman, looked even more ferocious. He raised his hand and slapped the young woman hard across the face.

Several finger marks suddenly appeared on her fair cheeks.

He struggled so hard that his ears were ringing, blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and several of his teeth seemed to have become loose. Even so, the young woman was still struggling desperately. Another Japanese pirate had to step forward and forcefully hold down the young woman's body to give his companion the opportunity and time to strip her naked.

"You bastards, what are you doing?"

Some angry shouts came from the side.

However, they were some peasant soldiers who were clearing the battlefield, and some ordinary people who were searching for the remains of their relatives. They still had the most basic kindness in their bones, and in the end they could not bear to watch this horrific scene unfold before their eyes, and they shouted angrily.

Dozens of young and strong men walked towards them, each carrying a tool such as hoes and shovels. Although these tools were not as lethal as regular swords and knives, being hit by one would certainly not be pleasant.

More and more people are flocking in.

In a short time, the number of people increased from dozens to hundreds.

The two Japanese pirates finally stopped what they were doing, but there was no fear on their faces. Instead, they smiled sinisterly, and out of the corner of their eyes, they could see many of their companions gradually approaching them.

"Damn it, you beast."

"What do you want? Get lost."

A burly young man carrying an axe shoved a Japanese pirate in the chest, causing the pirate to stumble back a few steps. Although he didn't recognize the woman, they were both from Dongshan Prefecture, and he couldn't let a bunch of shorty bully him.

However, just as the young man bent down to help the woman up from the ground, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a cold glint in the corner of his eye, and instinctively leaned back, trying to dodge it.

However, he was just an ordinary civilian, lacking the quick reflexes of a martial artist, and certainly not a seasoned veteran with a natural sense of danger. He only managed to dodge slightly before the Japanese sword struck his arm heavily.

A thick arm was severed.

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah……

The young man screamed in agony, but the next second, with a soft thud, another Japanese sword pierced his stomach, spinning viciously.

Immediately afterwards, a large group of Japanese pirates rushed forward, howling.

The Japanese swords flashed up and down, the sound of blades piercing flesh echoing throughout the room.

The snow-covered ground, which had just quieted down a bit, was once again enveloped by piercing screams. Blood splattered on the snow, blooming like vibrant plum blossoms.

These ordinary people didn't intend to completely break ties with the Japanese pirates; they simply wanted to protect the people of Dongshan Prefecture. But the Japanese pirates were different; they came to kill... No, that's not right. Perhaps in their eyes, they never considered the people of Dongshan Prefecture as human beings.

In addition, the fighting skills of ordinary people were too weak. They couldn't even beat the weak local soldiers, so how could they be a match for these ferocious Japanese pirates?
From the very beginning of the conflict, it was a one-sided massacre.

The men kept retreating. Some, seeing the situation was not good, had already hidden inside the city, huddled behind cover and trembling. Others were filled with anger and trembling, as if they wanted to rush out and fight these beasts, but in the end they did not have the courage. Still others stared wide-eyed, their faces full of fear, but also filled with uncontrollable doubt. Weren't these Japanese pirates the reinforcements invited by the noble Yang family?
Aren't they allies?
Why would they turn on their own people?

For the first time, the people of Dongshan Prefecture, who had always trusted the Yang family implicitly, began to look at them with suspicion.

Blood, screams, flying heads, falling limbs... Such scenes seemed to stimulate the ferocious nature of the Jurchen barbarians. They licked their lips, roared incomprehensible languages, and joined the slaughter.

The Jurchen warriors were far more formidable than the short-statured Japanese pirates. The already dire situation became even more irreversible. In a short time, almost all the men still alive outside the city walls had been slaughtered, leaving only a group of desperate women and children, who had no idea what fate awaited them.

When these Jurchen barbarians and Japanese pirates finally put away their weapons, hundreds more corpses lay on the ground. Then, laughing wildly with excitement, they walked towards the women, grabbing one in twos and threes and dragging them aside.

Amidst the swirling snow, desperate screams echoed the devil's feast.

"Stop! Stop now!"

A man rushed out of the city, trying to stop the tragedy.

It is Yang Guoxuan.

Yang Guoxuan was also from the Yang family, and he had the pride of a noble family. Normally, he didn't care much about these peasants. However, the current situation was different. The people of Dongshan Prefecture were the foundation of the Yang family. He didn't simply want to stop this devil's carnival, but he didn't want to watch the Yang family's base be destroyed by the Japanese pirates and Jurchens.

He didn't want the public support that the Yang family had built up over decades or even centuries to be destroyed like this.

However, before Yang Guoxuan could rush forward, an arm was placed in front of him, blocking his way. Wanyan Guangzhi had a slightly smug smile on his face as he watched the scene unfold with great interest.

This is right.

This is the scene that should appear when the Jurchens face the Han people.

Song Yan is just an outlier.

"Young Master Yang, what are you trying to do?" After admiring the scene for a few seconds, Wanyan Guangzhi turned to Yang Guoxuan, his blood-stained hand casually patting Yang Guoxuan's shoulder, leaving several handprints on his luxurious silk robe. "Our brothers have crossed mountains and rivers, even the vast ocean, to help your Yang family. Now that we've finally driven back the Ningguo government troops, can't we at least enjoy ourselves?"

Another shorter man walked to the other side of Yang Guoxuan; he was the leader of this group of Japanese pirates.

Masakazu Nagano!

Generally speaking, the Japanese pirates were not particularly large in scale.

Most pirates are groups of a few hundred people, and a group of a thousand or more is considered a large force. This is especially true of the Japanese pirates along the coast of Zhao. This time, the 30,000 Japanese pirates were formed by combining more than a dozen forces. The situation on the border of Ningguo is an anomaly among anomalies.

Masakazu Nagano was the leader jointly elected by more than a dozen leaders.

From his appearance, apart from being slightly shorter, this man was not much different from the scholars of the Central Plains. He always had a faint smile on his face: "Young Master Yang, they are just a bunch of lowly commoners, why bother with them?"

"Could it be that Young Master Yang intends to ruin the friendship between the Yang family and the Jurchens and Japanese because of this group of lowly people?"

"Wa" was the self-designation of the Japanese at that time.

In Han Chinese culture, "倭" (Wa) carries a connotation of being short or small, but in Japan, it has no derogatory meaning. It is estimated that in a few decades, as Japanese culture awakens, they will voluntarily abandon the term "倭" and instead use "大和" (Yamato) to refer to themselves.

Looking at Wanyan Guangzhi and Nagano Masaichi, who were blocking his way from the left and right, Yang Guoxuan's heart sank. He knew that he didn't hold much of a place in their hearts, and it was almost impossible to stop the revelry in front of him.

He ultimately underestimated the situation.

He naively believed that with the help of the Japanese pirates, the Xiongnu, and the Jurchens, along with the people who were attached to the Yang family, he could easily seize the world. However, he forgot that no matter whether they were Japanese pirates, Xiongnu, or Jurchens, they were essentially just a group of uncivilized beasts. And the behavior of beasts naturally clashed with the hearts of the people he wanted to win over.

Yang Guoxuan was powerless to stop this tragedy. He could only place his hopes on his father, whose words carried considerable weight; perhaps he could… However, as Yang Guoxuan looked behind him at Yang Hexing, his heart sank. Yang Hexing frowned slightly, as if the horrific scene before him had offended his eyes. But he made no attempt to stop them, merely glancing at them casually before his face broke into a warm smile as he approached Wanyan Guangzhi and Nagano Masakazu: “Respected Great Khan, Lord Nagano, thank you both for traveling so far to help us.”

"As the patriarch of the Yang clan, I am deeply grateful."

Just then, as Yang Guoxuan had instructed, the stewards arrived with carts laden with silver, each cart loaded with boxes. Yang Hexing's smile deepened. He gave a signal, and servants opened the boxes, revealing the gleaming silver that reflected the greed and excitement in Wanyan Guangzhi and Nagano Masakazu's eyes.

"This is a small token of my appreciation from the Yang family. Please accept it with a smile," Yang Hexing said.

Yang Guoxuan's expression changed, and he was about to speak when Yang Hexing stopped him with a stern look.

Yang Hexing had his own plans. The army composed of peasants was too powerful. In just one city defense battle, there were 40,000 to 50,000 casualties. The compensation would amount to more than 2 million taels of silver. Instead of giving this hard-earned silver to these useless slaves, why not hand it over to friendly nations?
At least the Jurchens and Japanese pirates were truly formidable fighters.

Two million taels of silver is probably enough to hire them to help me conquer Ningguo, right?
Let the Japanese pirates and the Xiongnu do the fighting, while I can stay in the background and take the opportunity to train the Yang family's army.

Looking at it this way, it's still a good deal.

“Oh, dear Mr. Yang, you are truly a generous gentleman.” Nagano Masaichi’s eyes burned with greed, and he spared no praise or promise: “Mr. Yang, rest assured, the Yang family and the Japanese have been old friends for decades. If the Yang family is bullied, we Japanese will never turn a blind eye. Every brother under my command is willing to raise his Japanese sword for the Yang family.”

"Hehe, Patriarch Yang, rest assured, I believe the friendship between the Yang family and the Jurchens will last forever." Wanyan Guangzhi said with a smile as his rough fingers stroked the cold silver.

After a brief pause, Wanyan Guangzhi spoke again: "However, I have a small request, and I wonder if Patriarch Yang can grant it!"

"Great Khan, please feel free to speak," Yang Hexing said generously.

“It’s very simple. As Patriarch Yang knows, my brothers are all rough men. They’re like wolves on the grasslands, their knives never idle. So… after this, if we can capture a city, could you allow us to plunder it for three days first?” Wanyan Guangzhi asked with a smile. “Of course, Patriarch Yang, rest assured, Dongshan Prefecture is Yang’s territory, and we will absolutely not touch it.”

Looting for three days?

Yang Hexing frowned.

Three days was enough for these greedy beasts to plunder nearly half of the city's wealth.

"If Patriarch Yang agrees, the Jurchens will not ask for any other compensation besides grain. What do you think?" Wanyan Guangzhi spoke again.

Yang Hexing's furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and a smile returned to his face: "Of course it's possible."

“In that case, I would also like to make a small request.” Nagano Masakazu smiled: “As you know, my brothers spend most of their time at sea, so their physical needs are much stronger than those of ordinary men. Therefore, in addition to plundering, could you provide some women… Hmm, I understand. The number doesn’t need to be too many, three thousand will suffice.”

"Of course, like Wanyan Sang, the Japanese will not ask for any other compensation."

Yang Hexing's smile grew even wider: "It's a small matter."

"In that case, I wish us a pleasant cooperation?"

"Pleasant to work with."

The three men burst into laughter.

However, Yang Hexing did not notice the undisguised contempt in the eyes of Wanyan Guangzhi and Nagano Masaya as they laughed.

He wantonly betrayed his own people, giving away women of his own kind to others for their pleasure... He is truly a despicable and shameless man worthy of contempt.

Neither Wanyan Guangzhi nor Nagano Masakazu noticed the fleeting chill in the depths of Yang Hexing's eyes.

They're probably all scheming against each other.

After Nagano Masakazu and Wanyan Guangzhi left with a full haul, Yang Guoxuan's voice finally rang out from the side: "Father, you shouldn't have done this. All the reputation our Yang family has built up over the years will collapse because of this."

"Reputation?" Yang Hexing chuckled. "What does that matter? The thirteenth prince is dead. Only after his death did I realize that so-called reputation is actually worthless. No matter how high the reputation, it can't outweigh the crime of murdering the emperor in the street. In that case, what use is reputation?"

“Popular support might collapse.” Yang Hexing sighed. “But look at them, which of those peasants dares to stand up now? They’re just a bunch of bullies who pick on the weak and fear the strong. What use is such popular support? As long as our Yang family has absolute, overwhelming power, even without popular support, it won’t be a big problem. When a knife is held to their throat, even the most rebellious person will behave.”

"These peasants have truly disappointed me. If they had performed better in the battles against the government troops, I would have given them a chance... But for now, we should focus our attention on other things."

"Use silver to send the Jurchens and Japanese pirates to the front lines, while we seize this rare opportunity to cultivate our own army. We must accelerate the production of weapons and armor, and spend the silver on those ruthless individuals who dare to fight and kill." Yang Hexing sighed and turned to look at Yang Guoxuan: "On the other hand, we also need to arrange a group of people to contact Wanyan Guangzhi and Nagano Masaichi's subordinates. We can promise them money, women, and even high-ranking positions and generous salaries."

"I want to gradually drain Wanyan Guangzhi and Nagano Masakazu, and completely transform their power into our own."

Once Wanyan Guangzhi and Nagano Masaichi's subordinates have been completely absorbed, the force that they have been focusing on cultivating should have already taken shape.

By then, who in the vast Ning Kingdom will be their match?

A hint of disappointment and sorrow was faintly visible on Yang Guoxuan's face.

My father is getting too old.

He's over seventy.

It's because they lacked the wisdom and shrewdness of their youth. If they were ten years younger, or even just five, they wouldn't have made such a foolish decision.
The man's excited roar and the woman's desperate cries still echoed in my ears.

The devil's feast continues.

Yang Guoxuan's body stiffened strangely. He vaguely sensed something and looked up to see many people around him, their gazes either numb or angry, and a deep disappointment that seemed to be directed at the Yang clan members.

Perhaps only at this moment did these people finally understand that the Yang family was no different from other prominent families.

The Yang family is truly doomed this time!
……

It was the end of October in the twentieth year of Ninghe.

The first musket was manufactured.

The stock is curved like a bird's beak, and its shape clearly shows that this gun was developed based on the Ming Dynasty's arquebus.

The Ming Dynasty arquebus can be considered the pinnacle of Ming Dynasty firearms. With a barrel length of 1.3 meters and a caliber of approximately 20 millimeters, it fired round lead bullets and featured a rear sight and front sight. Its effective range was about 150 meters, and using a paper-cased firing mechanism, it could fire three to four rounds per minute. Due to its long range, high accuracy, and strong armor-piercing capabilities, the arquebus was considered a mainstay weapon against Japanese pirates. Qi Jiguang praised it, saying, "Among all weapons, the arquebus is the best," and it was widely used by his army.

However, the Ming Dynasty's arquebuses were complex to manufacture and cost a lot of money, and by the end of the Ming Dynasty, they were completely replaced by the three-barreled arquebus.

The handguns produced by the Pingyang workshop clearly referenced some more advanced designs from later generations. The barrel was extended to two meters, the effective range was about three hundred meters, and even the match cord was replaced by flint... So, to be precise, this gun should be considered a flintlock gun.

In a parallel universe, during the eighth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, weapons expert Bi Maokang invented the percussion flintlock musket. However, Bi Maokang's self-propelled flintlock musket ultimately failed to gain widespread adoption. On one hand, Bi Maokang was ousted from his post by eunuchs and lost political support; on the other hand, the peasant uprisings at the end of the Ming Dynasty, coupled with the Manchu invasion, left the court with no time to promote military industrial innovation. Subsequently, during the Qing Dynasty, the Qing court regarded horsemanship and archery as the "foundation of Manchuria." Although the Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors possessed flintlock hunting rifles, they refused to equip the entire army with them. In the first year of the Yongzheng Emperor's reign, a ban on the manufacture of firearms was issued, prohibiting civilian research and development of firearms with a death penalty for violators. This actively suppressed the development of firearms in China, ultimately leading to the overall backwardness of China's firearms technology.

As Song Yan played with the musket in his hand, he vaguely saw the prototype of the Divine Machine Battalion.

The craftsman who invented the firearm was appointed as the vice president of the Academy of Natural Sciences by Song Yan, and was rewarded with 10,000 taels of silver and enjoyed the treatment of a fifth-rank official.

As I said before, Song Yan never hesitates to reward truly skilled individuals.

……

In the twentieth year of Ninghe, in the eleventh month.

Yang Hexing led his Jurchen cavalry and tens of thousands of Japanese pirates as the main force to attack Tongan Prefecture.

Because most of the troops in Tongan Prefecture had already been mobilized, the city's garrison numbered only a few thousand, which was powerless to resist the overwhelming Yang family rebel army. When the army pressed in, the prefect of Tongan surrendered the city.

Subsequently, the Jurchen barbarians and Japanese pirates burned, killed, and looted in Tongan Prefecture, and did not sheathe their weapons for three days.

Tens of thousands of civilians in the city were killed or injured, and women and children were all abducted.

The entire city was awash in blood, a veritable hell on earth.

Meanwhile, to the west of Ningguo, the governors of two prefectures defied the imperial edict and declared rebellion. The new emperor, Luo Tianshu, showed no intention of compromise and dispatched Zhao Gaizhi to lead the Eastern Mausoleum Imperial Guards to suppress the rebellion. At the same time, he appointed Ban Cheng, the Minister of War, as the General Who Pacifies the Rebellion, leading 40,000 troops from the Golden Guard and Silver Feather Guards in an attempt to crush the Yang clan's rebel army.

In December, the Prince of Jin in southern Ningguo claimed that there were treacherous officials in the court and, under the pretext of "purging the court of corrupt officials," set out from the south and headed straight for Dongling.

Just a few months after Emperor Ninghe was assassinated in the street, the vast Ning Kingdom had fallen into complete chaos.

Meanwhile, Luo Tianxuan, who had been missing for several months, finally returned to Pingyang quietly... However, Luo Tianxuan was not the only one who returned to the Prince's Mansion.

And Emperor Ninghe's three daughters!

(End of this chapter)