Late Han Dynasty: Did the Yellow Emperor truly descend?

Chapter 73 [Unintelligible text], refund my money!

With Li Sheng deliberately keeping it under wraps, by the time the news reached the central army camp, the entire army was in an uproar.

Chen Yuan was in his tent planning how to settle his troops after returning to Xiapi when he suddenly heard a commotion outside. He frowned.

"What's going on outside?"

Chen Yuan asked.

Xu Sima also looked outside and urged the guards standing at the door to hurry up.

"Why aren't you going to investigate?"

"promise!"

The guards hurriedly left, but a short while later, he ran back, panting and pale, shouting.

"Something terrible has happened! The captain... the soldiers are scrambling for their pay!"

"Dispute over salary? Explain yourself!"

Chen Yuan felt a vague unease.

"Commander, Commander Xu, the soldiers are protesting their pay! They say they won a battle, but their wages are delayed, and they demand an explanation!"

Chen Yuan's face immediately darkened.

"Payment..."

The imperial court's funds have indeed not yet been allocated.

Throughout this march and battle, the army's expenses were entirely covered by the funds raised by each county. Although Xiapi County was wealthy, it had already reached its limit in terms of feeding the people and horses.

Chen Yuan didn't not want to pay salaries; he simply couldn't afford to.

"Captain, should we send someone to reason with them?"

Xu Wen asked tentatively.

Chen Yuan glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Reason? In this situation, who's going to reason with them? Who dares to?

Those soldiers were all armed; if more than a thousand of them really started a commotion, his few dozen personal guards wouldn't stand a chance.

Seeing that Chen Yuan remained silent, Xu Wen pondered for a moment and suddenly remembered someone.

"Captain, I have a plan."

"Zizhang, hurry up and speak."

"That Li Sheng has a small reputation among those peasants. Why not let him persuade those soldiers? He has always been respected in the army, and he might be able to keep them in check."

Chen Yuan remained silent for a moment, the image of Li Sheng's reddened eyes from that day flashing through his mind.

"Go, bring him here."

The guards obeyed and left.

Chen Yuan's face turned ashen as he listened to the growing commotion in the distance.

He never expected that, just as he was about to get home, these peasants would dare to act so recklessly!

When Li Sheng was summoned, he appeared calm and composed, as if he were completely unaffected by the turmoil in the camp.

He approached Chen Yuan and bowed with clasped hands.

"Ming Gong."

Chen Yuan looked at him, his gaze complex. Then he stood up and walked to Li Sheng, his tone much gentler than usual.

"Li Sheng, you saw it yourself, the soldiers in the camp are rioting over their pay. The imperial court's pay hasn't been allocated yet. It's not that I, the commander, am unwilling to pay, but I'm simply powerless to do so."

He paused, looking into Li Sheng's eyes.

"You have prestige in the army. Go and talk to them and ask them to wait a few more days. Once we return to the county town, I will certainly ask the magistrate for instructions. The imperial court will not owe you anything."

Li Sheng kept his head down, making his expression unreadable.

"Your Excellency's kindness is greatly appreciated; I will certainly do my utmost."

Chen Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to pat him on the shoulder.

"Go. If this succeeds, I, the captain, will not treat you unfairly."

Li Sheng raised his head and looked at him with an inscrutable expression.

"promise."

He turned around and strode out of the tent.

Seeing Li Sheng's confident demeanor, Chen Yuan felt much more at ease.

However, he didn't notice that Li Sheng revealed a very faint smile the moment he turned around.

Li Sheng strode into the crowd, and the soldiers, seeing him arrive, did not give him an inch.

Once public opinion is stirred up, it's not so easy to control.

Fortunately, he had a backup plan.

Liu Lu stood in the crowd, like an opinion leader. When he saw Li Sheng walking over, his eyes lit up and he shouted loudly.

"Brother Sheng is here! Brothers, listen to what Brother Sheng has to say!"

The crowd quieted down, and all eyes turned to Li Sheng.

Li Sheng found a high platform nearby, climbed up, and looked around. Hundreds of eyes were fixed on him, some expectant, some angry…

He was silent for a moment, then spoke.

"Brothers, I just went to see Commander Chen."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Commander Chen sent me to persuade you to wait a few more days, saying that once you return to the county town, he will definitely find a way to pay your wages."

A chorus of boos erupted from the crowd.

"Village Chief Li, do you believe it?"

Someone asked loudly.

Li Sheng did not answer directly; his voice suddenly deepened and became slightly hoarse.

"Brothers, I know you all need money, but the court is really in dire straits, and I haven't received a single penny of my salary."

An even louder uproar erupted from the crowd.

"If even Village Chief Li can't get his money, how can we?"

"Those officials are just fooling us!"

"Don't trust them!"

Just then, several "plants" that Liu Lu had arranged beforehand started shouting at the top of their lungs.

"That's right! Those officials have plenty of money, but they just won't give any to us! Look at their horses, look at their armor, wasn't every single one earned with our blood and sweat? They eat the meat, but they don't even leave us a drop of soup!"

The truth was like a sharp knife, piercing the heart of every soldier.

Yes, those powerful people eat the meat, but they won't even leave them the soup.

Li Sheng stood on the high platform, his face gradually turning sad, as if he had been "persuaded" by these words.

Everyone glared at him, waiting for his answer.

Finally, Li Sheng jumped off the platform and came into the crowd, his eyes red and his voice hoarse but firm.

"Brothers, I, Li Sheng, am just like you, from a poor background. I have suffered the same hardships you have endured. I also want what you desire."

He took a deep breath, suddenly raised his right fist, and swung it forcefully.

"Since the government won't give it to us, then we'll go and ask for it ourselves! Brothers, follow me, let's take back what's rightfully ours!"

"Demand payment! Demand payment!"

"Fuck your mother, give me the money!"

A roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami echoed across the wilderness.

More than a thousand people followed Li Sheng and surged toward the central army like a tide.

Inside the central command tent, Chen Yuan listened to the sounds outside the camp, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.

Didn't he send Li Sheng to persuade him?

Judging from this, why are all those peasants heading towards the central army?

Soon, Li Sheng led a group of civilians to surround the central army camp.

Upon seeing that Li Sheng was leading the way, Chen Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

He then turned and angrily rebuked.

"Li Sheng! What are you doing here with them?! Are you planning a rebellion?!"

The moment the word "rebellion" appeared, the crowd seemed to be stunned, and their voices subsided slightly.

Seeing that the crowd seemed to be intimidated by him, Chen Yuan softened his tone and put on a show of sympathy.

"I know you've been misled! You want money, does the court not give it to you? But the mobilization of the army and the allocation of funds and provisions all follow procedures. Your disturbance will only make things more difficult! Go back and behave yourselves. I assure you that once you return home, your wages will be paid in full within three days!"

After saying that, he turned his head slightly and spoke urgently to the guards beside him in a low voice.

"Go quickly and quietly bring the central army over. Prepare them with full armor and bring in the archers. Don't let anything show for now. Wait for my orders."

His words, a combination of intimidation and coaxing, softened the blow and caused the people to look at each other in confusion, their initial surging momentum gradually subsiding.

Seeing this, Li Sheng knew all too well that things were about to go wrong.