Han Ji

Chapter 162 The Yellow Heaven Re-establishes

Chapter 162 The Yellow Heaven Re-establishes itself (Part 2)

He recalled how, when he first arrived in Yizhou ten years ago, he was full of vigor and ambition, thinking that he could make a name for himself here, amass wealth, get promoted, and return to Luoyang to become one of the Nine Ministers.

What now?

Ma Xiang's fire will burn him to ashes.

He closed the window and walked back to the table. He opened the wooden box, inside were gold ingots, golden and neatly stacked.

He took one out and held it in his hand.

Cold and heavy.

run?

It's not too late to run now. Take a boat from the South Gate down the Tuo River to Jiangzhou, then transfer to Jingzhou.

If he runs away, all the hard work of the past ten years will be gone. The position of governor, the wealth he accumulated, the connections he cultivated...

He was not reconciled.

Xi Jian put the gold ingot back and closed the wooden box.

Guard.

Let's take a gamble.

February 3rd, midnight.

The snow fell, fine and scattered, drifting obliquely in the wind. On the west gate tower of Luoxian, the lights were dim, with only two lanterns swaying on the battlements, their glow a hazy yellow.

Wang Shao, wrapped in an old fur coat, huddled in a corner of the arrow tower, a gourd of wine in his hand. He had already drunk half a gourd; his face was flushed, and his eyes were glazed over.

The ten gold coins in his arms were heavy and hurt his chest.

Ten.

He had never seen so much money in his entire life.

The man surnamed Wu said that after the matter was accomplished, there would be ten more.

Twenty gold ingots, two hundred thousand coins... That's enough for him to go back to his hometown, buy land, build a big courtyard, marry two wives, and live comfortably for the rest of his life.

Defend the city?

What a load of crap.

In this world, officials get rich while soldiers die. Wang Shao has been a soldier for twenty years and is still just a squad leader. His monthly salary isn't even enough to gamble a couple of times.

On what grounds?

He unscrewed the gourd and took another swig. The wine was cheap and spicy, making him grimace.

Footsteps came from the stairs.

A young guard peeked out: "Squad leader, the shift has changed."

Wang Shao waved his hand: "Understood."

He stood up unsteadily, walked to the edge of the battlements, and looked down.

Below the city, all was pitch black, with only the snow reflecting off the icy surface of the moat, making it appear eerily white. In the distance, the fires from the rebel camp flickered like will-o'-the-wisps.

The time is almost up.

He turned to the young garrison soldier and said, "You, go and wake up the brothers. Tell them... tell them there's a situation, assemble."

The young garrison soldier was taken aback: "Commander, what's going on?"

"Go when I tell you to!" Wang Shao glared.

The young garrison soldier dared not ask any more questions and ran down the city wall.

Wang Shao walked to the city gate winch and placed his hand on the thick iron chain. The chain was icy cold.

He took a deep breath and pulled hard.

The winch turned, the chains rattling. The city gate slowly opened a crack, a foot, two feet...

In the darkness outside the city, figures moved about.

Dozens of dark figures slipped in silently, each carrying a knife. The leader was a scarred man, the very same suicide squad leader chosen by Ma Xiangqin.

"Captain Wang?" the scarred man whispered.

Wang Shao nodded and pointed to the city wall: "Up there... there are about twenty brothers left. I've had them assemble... You..."

The scarred man grinned: "Understood."

With a wave of his hand, he ordered his men to split into two teams: one to go up the city wall and the other to control the city gate.

The screams soon rang out, short and muffled, mostly drowned out by the sound of wind and snow.

Wang Shao leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and his hands trembled violently.

Don't blame me.

If you have to blame someone, blame the world.

At the Earth God Temple in the north of the city, Ma Xiang, clad in armor and holding a sword, gazed towards the west gate.

The snow fell heavier and heavier, turning the world into a vast expanse of white, obscuring the city lights.

Wu Si rushed over: "Master Ma! We've succeeded! The west gate is captured, the signal has been given!"

A glint of light flashed in Ma Xiang's eyes.

He mounted his horse, raised his sword, and shouted: "All troops! — Attack the city!"

The sound of drums shook the heavens.

Fifteen thousand men poured out of the camp like a black tide, surging towards the west gate. Torches were lit, and thousands upon thousands of them converged into a fiery dragon in the snowy night, roaring as they rushed towards the city walls.

The west gate was wide open.

The rebels poured in and encountered almost no significant resistance. Most of the garrison was transferred to the north and east gates, leaving only Wang Shao's hundred or so men at the west gate, some of whom died or surrendered.

Urban warfare broke out again.

But this time, it happened in Luoxian County.

Xi Jian was dragged out of bed by his personal guards.

"My lord! The west gate has fallen! The rebels have entered the city!"

Xi Jian's mind went blank.

He jumped off the bed barefoot, grabbed his official robes haphazardly and put them on, his hands shaking so much that he couldn't even button them up.

"Hold on! Let Commandant Zhao hold on!"

"Commander Zhao...is dead in battle!"

Xi Jian's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

It’s over.

It's all over.

His guards lifted him up: "My lord, let's go through the south gate! We'll take a boat!"

Yes, by boat.

Xi Jian scrambled to his feet and rushed out with his personal guards. The governor's mansion was in complete chaos; maids and servants were running around crying and shouting, and valuables were being looted.

He ignored all of that and headed straight for the back door.

In the back alley, they ran into a group of rebels.

"This corrupt official is here!"

A flash of light appeared.

The personal guards fell.

Xi Jian screamed, turned to run, but was kicked to the ground. He lay on the ground, looked up, and saw a scarred face; it was Ma Xiang.

"Lord Xi," Prime Minister Ma grinned, "how have you been?"

Xi Jian stammered, "Spare me... Spare my life... I have money, I'll give it all to you..."

Ma Xiang ignored him and looked around.

This was the back alley of the governor's mansion, narrow, paved with bluestone slabs, and flanked by high walls. The snow was falling heavily, landing on Xi Jian and quickly accumulating into a thin layer.

"My younger brother," Ma Xiang suddenly said, "was called Ma Yan. He died of exhaustion in a salt well last winter. When his body was brought up, he was just skin and bones."

Xi Jian was stunned.

"You raised the salt tax, saying the salt workers were worthless, and that you'd just hire them again if they died." Ma Xiang squatted down, staring at him. "Remember that?"

Xi Jian's face turned deathly pale.

He remembers.

At the end of last year, the salt workers rioted, and when the report came up, it was confirmed that he had indeed said those words.

"I...I was wrong..." he cried, "Spare my life, I...I'll give you all my wealth..."

Ma Xiang shook his head and laughed. "What a fool. Even if I kill you, your entire fortune will be mine."

He stood up and drew his knife.

The blade flashed.

Blood spurted out, splashing onto the snow, a glaringly red color.

Xi Jian stared, a hoarse sound coming from his throat, his hands scratching at the snow, leaving several bloody streaks. Then he stopped moving.

Ma Xiang sheathed his sword and looked at a trusted confidant beside him: "Cut off his head and hang it on the city gate."

"yes!"

A trusted confidant stepped forward and swiftly brought down the knife.

Ma Xiang turned around and walked towards the main hall of the governor's mansion.

The snow is still falling, landing on my shoulders, melting, and then piling up again.

He walked steadily, step by step.

Behind them, the sounds of battle and flames filled the air in Luoxian County.

But he was unusually calm.

Brother, I've avenged you.

He entered the main hall, which was empty except for a few lamps still lit. In the main seat sat the governor's chair, made of rosewood, carved with cloud patterns, and with gold-plated armrests.

He walked over and sat down.

The chair was wide, and he was thin; he sank halfway into it.

But I feel very at ease.

Wu Si rushed in, his face covered in blood, but excited: "Master Ma! The treasury is occupied! Grain, money, weapons, countless quantities!"

Ma Xiang nodded.

"Issue the order," he said, "open the granaries and distribute grain; every citizen in the city should receive a share."

"yes!"

Wu Si ran out.

Ma Xiang sat alone in the hall, listening to the noise outside.