The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 123 The bandits' loot is limited, but Cao Cao's soldiers' harm is endless.

This was Wang Shih-hu's first time partnering with Cao Wen-zhao, and he naively thought that the Guan-Ning soldiers would at most just plunder some grain.

But the ferocity of this group far exceeded Wang Shih-hu's imagination.

Hundreds of Guan Ning soldiers swept through Lijia Village like locusts.

At first, they simply broke into homes and looted supplies such as grain, cloth, and livestock.

Although the villagers were terrified, they thought that as long as they could spend money to avoid disaster, they might be able to save their lives. Most of them dared not speak out and let the soldiers ransack their homes.

But when they ran out of things to rob, the greed and cruelty inherent in these Guan Ning soldiers completely erupted.

They were no longer satisfied with robbing property; instead, they used these unarmed civilians as objects to vent their bestial desires and kill!

"This young lady is really pretty."

"You delicate-skinned girl, come here to me!"

A Guan Ning soldier, covered in blood, grinned and dragged a young woman hiding in a woodpile out. Ignoring her cries and struggles, he began tearing at her clothes in broad daylight.

The other soldiers around did not stop them; instead, they let out lewd laughter.

The woman struggled desperately, but the soldier kicked her to the ground and then smashed a scabbard on her head, knocking her unconscious on the spot.

Blood gushed out, but the soldier didn't care at all. He skillfully unbuttoned his trousers and indulged his lust.

The others just smiled and went off to find their own fun.

"You old fool! You still dare to hide grain? You're asking for death!"

At the other end of the village, several Guan Ning soldiers, enraged at not finding any grain, slashed down an old man with white hair who was kneeling and begging for mercy, splattering blood all over the wall.

Even worse, some people kill purely for amusement.

A group of cavalrymen drove the dozen or so able-bodied men who remained in the village out of the village like livestock.

Seeing the group of young men run far away, they leisurely mounted their horses and chased after their respective "prey".

The Guan Ning soldiers chased after the group of young men like rabbits, constantly poking and provoking them with their spears.

Watching the able-bodied men scream and wail in front of them, rolling and dodging on the ground, the cavalrymen felt immense satisfaction and let out bursts of ear-piercing laughter.

They looted all the valuables, raped the women, and killed all the able-bodied men, but they were still not satisfied.

These beasts locked all the old, weak, women and children inside the house, then lit torches and set the house on fire.

The raging fire instantly engulfed the entire village, and thick smoke billowed straight into the sky!
The crackling sound of burning houses, mixed with the cries of the people, excited the soldiers, who laughed wildly without restraint.

In just half an hour, a once peaceful and quiet village was completely transformed into a living hell!

Charred corpses were everywhere, and the air was filled with a strong, nauseating stench of burning and blood.

Wang Shih-hu reined in his horse at the village entrance. Looking at the hellish scene before him, his stomach churned, and his face turned extremely pale.

Although his Qin soldiers often engaged in looting, they still had some principles.

With Wang Shih-hu keeping them in check, these Qin soldiers would at most plunder some valuables, but they wouldn't massacre villages and kill people for fun.

Seeing the cruelty of the Guan Ning soldiers, many Qin soldiers showed reluctance and disgust, and some even quietly turned their heads away.

Wang Shih-hu could no longer restrain himself. He abruptly turned his horse around, found Cao Wen-zhao who was watching coldly, and asked in a deep voice:
"General Cao, we are soldiers of the imperial court, ordered to suppress the bandits!"

Why would someone commit such a heinous act against unarmed, law-abiding civilians?

"I have nothing to say about robbing some grain and property, but why, why must you exterminate them all, slaughter the entire village and burn the hamlet?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Wenzhao slowly turned his head, looking at Wang Shih-hu with an expression as if he were a fool, a mocking smile playing on his lips:
"Commander Wang, your question is ridiculous."

"In chaotic times, human life is as worthless as grass. What does it matter if a few ignorant commoners are killed?" He gestured towards Yanmen Pass.

"Besides, don't those bandits rob the people?"

"How much cleaner is the area they pass through than this?"

"We'll just burn everything down and say it was those bandits who did it. Who can find out?"

"Why make such a fuss and act like a woman?"

Wang Shih-hu was speechless for a moment, never expecting Cao Wen-zhao to be so shameless, and could only stare at Cao Wen-zhao.

Seeing that he was still unconvinced, Cao Wenzhao's tone became increasingly impatient:
"Commander Wang, your Qin soldiers followed me from Hequ to Yanmen, enduring wind and rain, fighting bloody battles. Aren't they hungry?"

"The next village will be yours. Let your men replenish their supplies properly, how about that?"

Cao Wenzhao earnestly advised:

"We are both commanders of troops, don't we know what kind of people the imperial court is?"

"You Qin soldiers are starving like beggars because your pay isn't coming through. You're going hungry, and I'm worried sick for you!"

"We're guests here, isn't it only natural for us to earn some extra money?"

"An army without provisions will scatter, and without rewards will become lazy. Surely you, Commander Wang, understand this principle?"

Wang Shih-hu was so choked up that he couldn't speak for a long time.

He knew that Cao Wenzhao had some truth to what he said; it was common for military pay to be delayed, and the soldiers did indeed need to eat.

The Qin soldiers under his command looted largely because they were forced into it.

But damn it, when has the imperial court ever delayed paying the military pay of your Guan Ning Army?

Despite receiving the most generous rations and the best equipment from the Ming Dynasty, they still chose to kill for pleasure, massacring villages and burning hamlets.

Why not use that ruthlessness against the Eastern barbarians?
These are hardly the officials and soldiers protecting the land and its people; they are beasts a hundred times more ferocious than bandits!

Wang Shih-hu attempted a final effort to awaken Cao Wen-zhao's conscience.

He pointed to the burned-down Li Family Village and said through gritted teeth:
"But these are all good citizens who are loyal to the imperial court!"

There's a saying that goes, "We should love the people as our own children."

Cao Wenzhao scoffed:
"Love the people like your own children?"

"Commander Wang, don't you even consider who said this?"

"These are the words of those old men sitting in the capital. How dare you and I talk about loving the people like our own children?"

Cao Wenzhao's smile vanished instantly, his tone turning icy.

"Whether they live or die, whether they are loyal to the court or to the rebels, what does it matter to me?"

"Only military merit matters. If I kill Wang Jiayin, I might be promoted to general."

"Once I become a general, it won't be too late for me to 'love the people like my own children'!"

Having said that, he was too lazy to waste any more words with Wang Shih-hu, and suddenly cracked his whip, making a crisp snap.

"Pass down the order! Form ranks and advance!"

"We must reach Ningwu Pass before nightfall!"

(End of this chapter)