Water Margin: I am Zhu Biao

Chapter 102 Death by Flogging!

"A riot?"

Zhu Biao's brows furrowed suddenly, a mixture of surprise and a sense of absurdity rising in his heart.

This word is too heavy, so heavy that the small Zhu Family Village private army camp simply cannot bear it. There are only three hundred people, and they are all from the same clan and surname.

Even if bones are broken, tendons remain connected; how can a chicken feather camp be anything but?

"Zhu Jiu, what exactly happened? Tell me in detail."

"Those who were not selected harbored resentment. Now that their food was different and they were secretly instigated by others, they clashed with the selected soldiers."

Zhu Jiu was Zhu Biao's most valued attendant. He was quick-witted and articulate, and could explain the situation in just a few words.

"No one has died yet, but several have been injured. The two groups are still in a standoff, but the tension is escalating, and they've all drawn their knives."

Zhu Jiu didn't explain everything clearly, but Zhu Biao understood.

There are two root causes for the conflict.

First, the obvious differences in treatment.

The monthly stipend and food of the militia camp were indeed better than those of the Zhu family soldiers. The monthly salary had increased by 50%, and an extra meal was added every day. Every three days, they could also eat meat.

However, all of this happened after the camps were separated.

Right now, everyone is still working together in the same pot, and everyone is sleeping on the same communal bed.

Zhu Jiu just mentioned that the meals were different, which clearly indicates that someone deliberately treated them differently in advance.

This man is undoubtedly connected to Zhu Gui, the second steward in charge of the barracks' food. Presumably, Zhu Long suffered a setback yesterday in the tiger-hunting incident and has started to cause trouble again.

Second, instigation from the shadows.

When there are more than a hundred people, they come in all shapes and sizes. Even family members will inevitably split into two groups if there are more than three of them.

The Zhu family's three hundred soldiers were naturally divided into various factions, in addition to the naturally formed formation of soldiers born into the family and recruited from outside.

Those in charge of the affairs, including the captains and sergeants, were vaguely divided into three factions.

The factions of Zhu Long and Zhu Hu are the largest, and the rest are neutral, implicitly supporting Zhu Biao.

The fifty-odd soldiers selected by Zhu Biao covered three factions, but this move inadvertently created space for the eldest and second eldest to sow discord from within and without.

Ultimately, this is the bitter fruit of Zhu Chaofeng's laziness in governance and his tendency to turn a blind eye to everything.

"Damn it! I can't stand this damn place anymore!"

As he spurred his horse and galloped towards the fortified village, Zhu Biao pondered to himself.

"There are only four days left until New Year's Eve. After the third day of the Lunar New Year, I will move to Tiger Sorrow Gorge to set up camp. Even if I have to climb ice and lie in snow, I will never come back."

In the backyard of the Zhu family, at the training ground, three hundred family soldiers were divided into three groups facing each other.

The group of about fifty men on the left are the selected soldiers, while the group of over a hundred men on the right are the unselected soldiers.

The remaining hundred or so people, led by Luan Tingyu, were positioned in the middle.

The guards on both sides gripped their swords and axes, their eyes bloodshot and their expressions ferocious, ready to fight to the death at the slightest provocation.

Luan Tingyu, sweating profusely, roared, "What do you want to do? Are you rebelling? Have you forgotten the family rules? No fighting among family members, or the whole family will be expelled from Zhu Family Village!"

Upon hearing this, both sides immediately changed their expressions and calmed down a bit.

Just then, someone from the private soldiers on the right who had been eliminated shouted, "Instructor Luan, no fighting or infighting! Are we just supposed to stand here and let ourselves be slaughtered?"

Someone else fanned the flames, saying, "Exactly! We're all just men with no guts, so why do those scoundrels get to eat meat? And they even call me trash!"

"And that glutton, Tongniu, ate three bowls of meat in one meal. Does he even deserve to be called a glutton?"

"Coach Luan! Don't stop him."

On the left, Bronze Bull was instantly enraged. He swung his iron bar forward two steps and roared, "You son of a bitch! Whether you deserve to eat meat or not, let's settle this with our fists!"

Immediately, someone on the other side shouted, "Come on! Who's afraid of who's a son of a bitch!"

People on both sides shouted and squeezed towards the middle at the same time. The centrist faction led by Luan Tingyu was visibly flattened and thinned.

call out!call out!

Just then, two whistling arrows rang out one after the other.

The entire training ground fell silent abruptly, everyone froze, and then began to slowly retreat.

"Brothers, charge! Let's fucking kill them!"

Among the disqualified guards, some were still making a ruckus, only to be pointed at and cursed by their retreating comrades: "Damn you! Didn't you hear the whistle? The young master is back from hunting tigers! Do you want to die?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of loud hooves came from the direction of the fortified village ahead. In order to get there as quickly as possible, Zhu Biao even rode his horse straight into his house.

As they passed through the third courtyard, they saw Zhu Chaofeng being held tightly by the brothers Zhu Long and Zhu Hu.

"You two wretched creatures, why are you pulling me like this? Let go of me!"

Zhu Long: "Father, I'm doing this for your own good!"

Zhu Hu: "Yes, Dad, those scoundrels have been driven mad by the third son. If they really start fighting, what if you get hurt?"

Just then, Zhu Biao rode up on horseback, and Zhu Long and Zhu Hu were immediately taken aback and somewhat afraid.

Zhu Chaofeng, however, felt a great sense of relief.

"My dear child! You're finally back."

"9

Zhu Biao didn't say a word or linger at all. He just nodded slightly to him, glared at his two older brothers, and rode away.

"Hiss!"

At the edge of the training ground, Tan Tou suddenly stopped. Zhu Biao took the opportunity to leap off his horse. Then, with his hand on the hilt of his sword and a cold face, he strode towards the crowd with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger. Lin Chong, Wu Song, and Pang Qiutang followed closely behind.

Although there were only four of them, the soldiers felt as if several ancient ferocious beasts were coming towards them, and their backs went cold. They instinctively retreated.

Call ~

Luan Tingyu breathed a long sigh of relief and quickly led the neutral faction to the side.

Zhu Biao nodded to him, then went straight to the space between the two groups, stood still, and his cold gaze swept over each person like a blade.

"Put that knife away!"

Suddenly, he roared angrily.

Clang!

Some of the more timid ones threw their knives on the ground, while the others fell silent and put away their weapons.

"Master Luan, bring the family discipline!"

He first called out to Luan Tingyu, then turned to the selected family soldiers.

"You are all under my command now. Regardless of the reason, you have already violated military law by fighting with your comrades and drawing your swords."

"Each person receives ten strokes of the military rod; is that acceptable?"

Bronze Bull threw his iron rod to the ground first and said in a deep voice, "I am the young master's soldier, and I obey his orders. I did indeed do it. Bronze Bull is convinced and will take the beating!"

"I admit defeat, take the beating!"

The selected soldiers were mostly quick-witted and guessed that Zhu Biao wanted to take the opportunity to establish rules, so they all gritted their teeth and agreed.

"Alright! Master Luan, carry out the execution immediately!"

"Here you go!"

Luan Tingyu responded and led his men to rush over. They first knocked down the bronze ox, then pulled down its pants and began to beat it.

Snapped!Snapped!

The sound of the board hitting flesh was chilling.

In the blink of an eye, ten lashes were finished, and Tong Niu's buttocks were already covered in blood. He struggled to get up, but he was very tough and didn't utter a sound.

Zhu Biao glanced at him and said mercilessly, "Ten men in a group, beat them! If you have any guts, shut your mouths."

Snap snap snap~

Immediately, the entire training ground was filled with the sound of clapping boards.

Strangely, there wasn't even a scream, only an occasional suppressed groan.

In a short while, all the selected soldiers had been beaten, and they all stood in place with their legs apart, supporting their waists and hips, but their eyes were arrogant and they glared at the opposite side.

At this moment, Zhu Biao quickly walked in front of them.

"I am the commander-in-chief. If you make mistakes, I shall also be punished."

After saying that, he suddenly collapsed to the ground with a thud.

"Master Luan, you must carry out the execution yourself; you must not show favoritism!"

"Here you are."

Luan Tingyu frowned slightly before pursing his lips in agreement.

Snap~ Snap~

The training ground was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone was trembling with fear. The dull thud of the boards hitting the ground felt less like hitting Zhu Biao's backside and more like hitting their hearts.

The selected soldiers, who hadn't even let out a scream just moments before, now had red eyes and silently shed tears.

"Does this punishment vent your anger?"

After being flogged, Zhu Biao, his face flushed, endured the pain and looked at the troublemaking unselected soldiers with a cold tone.

No one answered, so he continued, "Now that my soldiers have settled their accounts, shouldn't it be time to settle yours too?"

At this point, he suddenly raised his voice and roared, "Who's stirring up trouble in the shadows? Step forward now! Otherwise, everyone get out of Zhu Family Village!"

wow~

As soon as he finished speaking, the unselected soldiers retreated as if avoiding snakes and scorpions, instantly revealing a few of them.

With just a quick glance, Zhu Biao already knew what was going on: they were all Zhu Long and Zhu Hu's confidants.

Some of these people were clever enough to try to retreat with the main group, but they were pushed back by their companions.

"Beating him to death!"

Zhu Biao turned to Luan Tingyu and said coldly.

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