Reborn as a Cube Man in the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 494 If...

Northern Shaanxi.

Inside the tent, Bu Zhanni sat in the main seat, listening to his personal guards report: "Chief, quite a few troops have already headed to Shanxi."

"I heard that Zuo Guazi has arrived in Shanxi. Although Wang Jiayin is still in northern Shaanxi, he has sent a lot of his troops to Shanxi ahead of time. I believe that they will gradually move to Shanxi soon."

"When do we set off?"

Buzhanni said slowly, "No rush. Let them scout ahead first. We don't know the situation in Shanxi yet."

The guard frowned: "But Shaanxi is becoming increasingly difficult to stay in these days."

Bu Zhan Ni sighed, "I know, that's why we can't rush things. We'll wait until the people ahead have figured out the situation, and then we'll go over in a few months."

"We really can't stay in Shaanxi any longer."

A scout entered: "Chief! A large group of people have arrived outside, requesting an audience and saying they want to join us."

He looked up, untouched by mud: "Where do you come from?"

"They look like government troops."

Buzhanni sat up straight: "Government troops? Let them in."

A group of strong men were led into the camp.

The leader was tall and had a calm demeanor.

It was Li Zicheng.

Although their armor was worn and tattered, it was not covered in mud, and it was immediately obvious that these men were all skilled soldiers.

"Excellent!" Buzhanni laughed, "With you all here, I'm truly like a tiger with wings!"

Li Zicheng clasped his hands in a fist and said, "You flatter me, Chief."

"Brothers, where do you come from?"

Li Zicheng replied, "We are originally from Mizhi, Shaanxi."

Buzhanni thought for a moment and said, "Mizhi is indeed a harsh place. Why should I settle down here?"

Li Zicheng said with a bitter smile, "I was originally a courier for the imperial court. I thought that with this job, I could still support my family. Who would have thought that the imperial court would abolish the courier stations, and my livelihood would be cut off overnight."

"After returning to his hometown, he was exploited by local tyrants, and his family suffered another misfortune. He could no longer stay there, so he had no choice but to lead his brothers to join the army, hoping to make a living by serving as soldiers and getting food."

"But the journey to the capital is long and the supplies are running out. The wounded and sick soldiers have no one to care for them. I cannot stand by and watch my men starve to death. I have no choice but to lead my troops away."

The tent was quiet for a moment.

The firewood in the brazier crackled and sparked.

Looking at the person in front of him, Buzhanni had a hint of emotion in his eyes.

He was yet another person forced into rebellion by the imperial court.

That's pretty tragic.

"So, you took these brothers and started your own operation?"

Li Zicheng nodded: "Yes, I have no intention of fighting for the world, nor do I want to cause chaos. I only ask to find a way for my brothers to survive."

There was no comment on not getting muddy; it was just a change of topic.

"You're from Mizhi, so you've traveled all the way south from northern Shaanxi to find me?"

"That's right." Li Zicheng nodded.

Bu Zhanni stroked his beard thoughtfully, muttering to himself, "No wonder, so he didn't pass through Hancheng, that's why he was able to find me!"

Li Zicheng had excellent hearing and naturally overheard the whispers. He immediately asked, "Hancheng? Is there something special about it?"

Buzhanni raised her head, glanced at him, and smiled: "It's no harm in telling you. You'll find out sooner or later anyway."

He stood up, walked to the tent entrance, and looked south: "Hancheng is in a special place; we all call it the Immortal Realm."

"There are cattle and sheep everywhere, and plenty of food. We won't have to worry about food and drink. As long as we can get in, we'll never have to go hungry again in this lifetime."

Li Zicheng's eyes lit up.

If such a place really exists, wouldn't all the brothers have a way to survive?

As if seeing through his thoughts, she turned around without getting involved and asked, "Have you ever killed anyone?"

Li Zicheng did not hesitate at all: "I have killed people, but they were all people who deserved to die."

He remained calm and composed, without the slightest hint of evasion.

A nod without getting involved: In other words, you admit you killed someone.

"Yes."

“Then you can’t get in,” Bu Zhanni shook his head. “Even if you did get in, you would suffer a torment worse than death. That kind of pain is much worse than being tortured.”

"What do you mean?"

Do you know what hell is?

Li Zicheng frowned.

"hell?"

"good."

Buzhanni's expression was solemn, without a trace of joking: "That place is a true hell. Those who go in are tortured every day, without end."

"No one who has taken a life will escape punishment."

Li Zicheng sneered, "If there truly is a hell, how dare those corrupt officials, powerful tyrants, and bullies in this world act with such impunity?"

"I don't believe it!"

There is no argument if you don't get muddy.

He simply stared silently at Li Zicheng.

The tent fell silent.

Li Zicheng's cold smile faded.

He could tell clearly that the person in front of him was not just joking.

After a long silence, Li Zicheng spoke again: "If we don't say anything and just live a peaceful life inside, that should be alright, right?"

Without getting muddy, he chuckled and asked in return, "Brother Li, why do you think we call that place the Immortal Realm?"

Li Zicheng's heart skipped a beat: "You mean, there are immortals there?"

The mud-free man nodded: "Indeed, since this is a land of immortals, do you think it can escape the eyes of the immortals?"

Li Zicheng remained silent, but he was still unwilling to accept defeat.

"I still have many brothers under my command who have never killed anyone."

"not necessarily."

The mud-free man shook his head: "I ask you, along your journey, have you ever stolen any grain?"

Li Zicheng's expression stiffened slightly: "We did plunder, but we plundered the county's granaries. That grain should have been given to us by the imperial court in the first place."

Buzhanni bluntly stated, "You think that's grain the government owes you, but that grain is meant to be distributed to the people. If you take it all, how will the people in the city survive?"

Li Zicheng fell silent.

Since they didn't want to get muddy, they didn't continue the topic.

Enough said. If Li Zicheng escapes, then so be it.

He waved his hand and laughed, "Never mind, you'll know these things in time."

"Someone come here!"

A personal guard entered the tent.

"Take Brother Li and the other brothers down to settle them in, and treat them to good wine and meat."

"yes!"

Li Zicheng clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Chief."

They left the camp.

Li came over to Li Zicheng's side and lowered his voice:

"Uncle, was what the chief said just now true?"

Li Zicheng looked up to the south and slowly said, "Hancheng is only a few hundred miles from here."

"If it's just a fabrication, it won't be long before it's exposed."

"Besides," he paused, "if that place truly offered a life free from want, and there was no danger inside, why would these people continue to stay here, living a life of constant danger?"

Li Guo was taken aback: "What does Uncle mean?"

Li Zicheng said, "I think this matter is most likely true."

"But the price that leader mentioned is probably real, otherwise, given their personalities, they would have all moved in long ago."

"Where would I still be a bandit in this desolate wilderness?"

Li Guo sighed: "If that's really the case, then it's a pity."

Li Zicheng did not respond.

However, a thought involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

If I hadn't left Mizhi back then, if I had set off a few months later, would I have been able to enter that immortal realm as a refugee?

Perhaps, everything will be different.

But he only held onto that thought for a moment before suppressing it.

What's past can never be changed.

Li Zicheng took a deep breath and looked away.