Chapter 1484: Chapter 468: A Chance for Reversal and Brutal Oppression, Frost Ash Association Branch, The Dawn of Uprising_5
"So many people, why worry about not completing the quota?"
.........
Qingwu Village, with more than eighty thousand people in total, has about over four thousand at the Earth-digging Realm Limit. Naturally, during the day, these people are still in their dreams, unaware that Zhang Long and the eight deputy managers have quietly decided on their cruel fate for the next two months.
This is how the world works—a single document from the higher-ups can directly change the fate of thousands of households at the bottom. In the harsh and hierarchical Moao River region, this is even more severe.
On the night of August ninth, the village head of Qingwu Village and Subordinate Bureau Chief, Zhang Long, along with eight deputy managers, directly halted all gathering and hunting activities. They then summoned all the household heads of the village to announce the new grain harvest rules for the year.
The announcement of the new rules caused an uproar throughout the village.
Particularly those four thousand people at the Earth-digging Realm Limit, who were as if mourning the death of their parents, raising voices of questioning and resistance, with some even opposing outright.
Unfortunately, those questions and objections were all for naught, especially after Zhang Long ordered the County Guard Army to brutally kill five people, silencing all discordant voices immediately.
On August tenth, the annual grain harvest officially began.
In Qingwu Village thereafter, the sound of wailing echoed almost daily. Chen Cang and Cai Qiu, both still green, would hang green cloth strips at the door to show solemnity during major events. In less than two months, green cloth was hung at the entrance of over a thousand households in the village.
Under the same regulations of the Four Vassals of Moao River, only slaves could use cloth. This scene of green cloth at every household clearly signified that this year’s grain harvest was an extremely tragic man-made disaster for the million slaves across the sixteen Slave Villages in the Lu River Valley, including Qingwu Village.
During this period, the situation in other villages was unknown. Starting from the first day, almost every night in Qingwu Village, there were voices of resistance and opposition, but eventually, they were all suppressed by Zhang Long and his men. Some at the Earth-digging Realm Limit, unwilling to go and die in the rice fields, tried to escape with the help of their families, but none succeeded. Once caught, not only were they executed on the spot, but their families were also implicated and punished.
Following the principle of using waste and intimidation, Zhang Long devised a punishment method that required going to the west of the village to pick rice, with the rule that once five stalks were picked, the punishment would be considered over.
The problem was that all those at the Cold Resistance Level and Earth-digging Realm Limit were there, and those remaining were mostly ordinary Earth-diggers or even those at the Logging Realm. For them, going to the rice fields was no different from courting death.
Under Zhang Long’s extremely brutal suppression, the voices of resistance in the village grew increasingly fierce at the start, but by the end of October, they suddenly and uncharacteristically disappeared.
By early October, there were no more cries or objections every night before setting out. Everyone seemed to have accepted their fate and followed Zhang Long and others to the rice fields obediently.
Yet in their eyes, there was clearly something more—something indescribable and indistinct.
Zhang Long, the eight deputy managers, the Subordinate Bureau members, and the one hundred County Guard soldiers didn’t notice; they thought their bloody suppression had finally worked, making everyone completely submit.
Seeing the rice piles in the village’s main hall warehouse growing taller and approaching this year’s quota amount, their smiles naturally grew broader, and their hearts filled with joy.
October 15th, 299th year of the Caiqiu Calendar, late night
In a basement of a civilian’s house north of Qingwu Village.
The dim firelight reflected thirty-seven weary faces, of which only six were elderly, with the rest mostly middle-aged.
They were mostly in a disheveled state, not only fatigued in their eyes but also covered in brown dust, yet at this moment, their pupils showed a faint glimmer of light as they looked at the middle-aged man in a blue cloth garment leading them.
"Everyone, it’s been thirty-five days since the last gathering. What have we gathered here for again today? Everyone should know in their hearts,"
As they heard the leading middle-aged man’s words, the people below immediately spoke up:
"Damn it, there’s no way to live, what are we waiting for!"
"My son can’t hold on any longer. If he goes a few more times, he’ll certainly die. Leader, just give the order! Zhang Long and those bastards don’t treat us like humans anymore!"
"How many have they driven to death? My eldest brother and two nephews have already died in the rice fields, and I fear it won’t be long for me either."
"Leader, my District Two has already developed over two thousand members. Many have had family members die in the fields recently, and they keep asking when the uprising will happen!"
"As long as the leader gives the order, my District Three’s nineteen hundred members will immediately respond. Rather than dying slowly like this, it’s better to rise up. Even if the revolt fails, I’m resigned to my fate!"
"Leader Hong, in previous years, we had too few members to make a difference, but now all eight districts combined have over ten thousand members. As soon as you give the order, they will gather, and Zhang Long and those scoundrels will be thoroughly exterminated."
"Zhang Long and the eight deputy managers, plus more than ninety subordinates from the Subordinate Bureau, and those hundred County Guard soldiers, total just over two hundred people. Even counting their die-hard followers in the village, it’s only two to three thousand. We have enough people, what are we afraid of?"
.........
"Calm down for now!"
Hong Xicheng saw the passionate faces of everyone and a gentle sense of excitement flickered in his eyes. However, he quickly raised his hand to signal them to calm down. Once they quieted, he spoke in a deep voice, "I know everyone is holding a lot of anger right now, wanting to revolt immediately. But there is not a shred of possibility of success in revolting now, and everyone should be aware of that..."
Pausing, he glanced around the group before continuing, "Including me, the branch only has thirty-seven people at the Cold Resistance Level. Though we say there are over ten thousand members, there are just over fifteen hundred at the Earth-digging Realm Limit;
On Zhang Long’s side, including the people from the Subordinate Bureau and those hundred County Guards, and even counting their lackeys, they have at least 300 at the Cold Resistance Level. The most crucial is that County Guard Army squad, though they number only 100, they are fully equipped with Ten Thousand Forged Weapons, Thousand Forged Armor, and with their combat skill, they could stand against thousands of rabble. Even with our ten thousand members plus our people, we truly have no chance of winning."
On hearing Hong Xicheng’s words, the faces of the thirty-six present immediately fell into a sense of despondency.
They also knew the truth of Hong Xicheng’s words.
But at this rate, they saw no path to survival.
"Leader, we must try even if there’s no chance!"
"Exactly, it’s death either way, we might as well take a gamble!"
......
"Leader, when you first recruited us into the Frost Ash Association, you made the three codes of the association very clear. I still remember them: First, overthrow the tyranny of the Chu Family and restore our livelihood; Second, refuse all harsh taxes and preserve our means of living; Third, abolish the Six-class System and pledge equality for all.
Each code is a matter of life or death. Having agreed to join the Frost Ash Association, it means our heads are already tied at our waists. I’ve long been unafraid of death, my life is worth nothing, and I’d rather fight Zhang Long and his men than die in the rice fields!"
The enthusiasm below remained stirring, and upon hearing the last person bring up the three codes of the Frost Ash Association, everyone instantly grew somber.
This included Hong Xicheng.
He suddenly looked up, the weak light reflecting in his eyes seemed like a flame was emitting from them. Facing everyone, he spoke solemnly, "The three codes of this association, just like you, are etched deeply in my heart as well!"
He continued with a solemn expression, then a few traces of excitement seeped in, "Don’t worry, everyone, the day of uprising isn’t far off. I’ve summoned you today to deliver good news..."
Hong Xicheng paused and continued, "A message from the Yanling Headquarters has arrived. Little Dragon Head has sent word that, by this month at the latest, he will dispatch people to assist our uprising. As soon as Little Dragon Head’s people arrive, we will immediately rise up!"
Little Dragon Head?
The expression of the thirty-six people present visibly trembled at his words.
