12dz Chapter 638 Only the weak steal from the weaker.
Chapter 638 Only the weak steal from the weaker.
It can't possibly be worse than the imperial court, can it?
Is that supposed to be a compliment?
With these questions in mind, the old shopkeeper embarked on his journey.
Liu Bang didn't even give him the specific location; he just told him to inquire along the way.
At times, the old shopkeeper even wondered if he had gone mad, believing such nonsense.
What rebel leader wouldn't even know where his own troops are?
Even if one trusts others under their command, they would never go this far, would they?
You have to understand that in a rebel army, only those who have both soldiers and generals can be leaders!
If the hearts of soldiers and generals are won over by others, then the leader is nothing more than an empty puppet!
Anyone with ability and ambition would not do such a thing.
Am I going crazy?
"How could you actually believe him!"
On the deserted, secluded path, the longer the old shopkeeper walked, the more he mocked himself.
Everything Liu Bang said was so bizarre that even Liu Bang himself found it hard to believe.
After traveling for about six or seven days with such doubts, he finally saw a village with inhabitants, and judging from the smoke and fire, there were quite a few residents!
Without the slightest hesitation, he headed straight for the village.
These days, it's not easy to find a village with a large population!
It's almost unbelievable that so many people could gather together like this these days!
"Stop right there! What are you doing? Where did you come from?"
As he approached the village entrance, before he could continue, several people wielding swords and knives jumped out from both sides and surrounded him.
The old shopkeeper: "..."
Although he wasn't very literate, he could still recognize the bright Chu character on the small flags behind those people.
It seems like he actually bumped into it by sheer chance?
"You are...the army of the Great Chu?"
He forcefully swallowed the word "rebel" from the word "rebel army".
Upon hearing this, the leader nodded.
"I am a squad leader in the Chu army."
"You've come here because of your reputation, haven't you? But you're too old to go to the battlefield. I'll take you to see the squad leader. If there are no problems with your identity, you can stay in the village and farm or something."
"Farming? In this famine year, do you even have any seeds left?"
Upon hearing these words, the old shopkeeper was stunned.
These days, everything edible, from grass to tree roots, has been completely devoured.
How could a village still be able to preserve the seeds?
But then his expression changed again.
He made the connection to the fact that the other side was a rebel.
Where do seeds come from?
What gives them the confidence to persevere until harvest time?
It was stolen!
They were all stolen!
This was the only possibility he could think of!
"You looted the people?"
Seeing his expression, the Chu army sergeant immediately understood what he was thinking.
"The grain and seeds were indeed looted, but they were not taken from the people."
"As the Overlord said, only the weak will steal from the weaker. We, the Chu army, are the strong, and our military might will only be directed against the stronger!"
"Most of the supplies in the village were looted from the mansions of the Zhu family princes who used to lord it over in various places. A small amount came from the homes of court officials. As for the common people, not only were they not harmed in the slightest, but the tyrant also ordered us to distribute quite a lot of them."
"Of course, the Tartars outside the Great Wall also looted a lot, but the problem is that Wu Sangui, that corrupt official, guarded the border and couldn't transport the loot in."
"Well, it's alright. The border will be ours sooner or later. When we make the Tartars pay for their blood debt, we'll never be short of food again."
Listening to his seemingly complaining yet actually boastful explanations, the old shopkeeper's eyes had already turned red.
Only the weak will steal from the weaker.
That one sentence alone stirred his emotions.
They targeted the princes of the Zhu family, the gentry, and even the Tartars outside the Great Wall, but never the weaker common people.
This is the true meaning of a righteous army!
"Do you have any evidence to prove what you've said?"
The old shopkeeper asked in a trembling voice.
He was afraid that what these people were saying was a lie.
"Evidence? What kind of evidence do you need?"
"The people from all around gathered under the command of the Overlord. Those selected joined the Chu army, while those not selected were responsible for farming and weaving."
"Just go in and take a look. As long as you're not a lackey of the gentry or the princes, or a Tartar, you can settle down in the village."
"Putting everything else aside, I guarantee you'll have a place to shelter from the wind and rain, and I guarantee you'll have two meals to eat every day, no problem."
The sergeant, while exuding confidence, also explained patiently.
Not long ago, he had shared the same concerns as the old shopkeeper.
Only by entering this ever-growing village and joining the Chu army can one truly understand how incredibly brave and powerful the Hegemon-King was, and how ingenious and shrewd his strategist was!
"Yes, I understand. I came here with a mission."
"The person who sent me hopes to see the Overlord or the God of War, and has something to tell them."
As soon as the old shopkeeper said this, he saw the faces of the people in front of him change color.
"Who is directing you? What is your purpose?"
"Although I don't think an old man like you can threaten the Overlord, he's extremely busy and not just any cat or dog is qualified to see him!"
"If you're not here to seek refuge, then leave quickly."
The sergeant even waved his hand to chase them away.
People sent by other forces?
No matter what their purpose is, even if they are there to offer birthday wishes, he would absolutely not let them in!
What a joke! The Overlord has already said that he will not accept any form of appeasement, nor will he join forces with any power.
The Great Chu was born to be an enemy of the world!
……
"I must say, he truly lives up to his reputation as Xiang Ji."
"Only he could utter such domineering and arrogant words."
"But Old Zhu, I'd like to ask you now, what are your thoughts?"
The squad leader had just revealed the source of the food and money that Xiang Yu and Han Xin needed to recruit these troops.
Apart from a few supplies that came from gentry and those smuggled in from outside the Great Wall, most of them were contributed by the princes of the Zhu family.
If nothing unexpected happens, at least the Zhu family princes surrounding that village have already been slaughtered like pigs.
Old Zhu: “…”
What else can we do besides sit and watch?
"In the end, it was because we were too short-sighted. We originally thought that since we had obtained the throne, it was only right that our descendants should live a better life."
"I never expected that these vassal kings, branching out from one another, would turn out to be so tyrannical and oppressive towards the people."
"Let alone Xiang Ji killing him, even if he hadn't killed him, if it were us, we would have gone on a killing spree just the same."
He is not a heartless person, but he is also not a soft-hearted one.
Faced with the situation at the end of the Ming Dynasty, he would not let any of those who deserved to die go unpunished.
Whether they were gentry or feudal lords!
"But I really didn't expect that Han Xin and Xiang Yu could create such a paradise in the chaos of the late Ming Dynasty."