Late Han Dynasty: Did the Yellow Emperor truly descend?

Chapter 79 Use Titles in Formal Situations

That night, the campfires lit up the sky.

Although the founding ceremony had ended, the people from various villages were far from sleepy. The camp was filled with excited discussions, and the air was thick with a restless yet satisfied atmosphere.

But Li Sheng did not allow this relaxation to last long.

He instructed Liu Wu to relay a message to the leaders of each camp, telling them to gather in front of the central command tent in half an hour, as there were important matters to discuss.

Some people had doubts in their hearts, and some even wondered if Li Sheng was sending these leaders over at this time to take the opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop so that he could completely concentrate power.

But regardless, Li Sheng's reputation preceded him, and no one dared to be negligent. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the leaders of various villages gathered in front of the central army camp.

At this moment, torches were placed around the outside of the tent, illuminating the area as if it were daytime.

Li Sheng didn't wait for them to come to him in the tent; instead, he stood outside. Beside him stood several brothers, including Liu Wu and Li Feng. Dozens of burlap sacks and wooden boxes were piled on the ground, bulging and full, their contents unknown.

Seeing his behavior, the others put aside their speculations and dissatisfaction.

"Li Sheng certainly knows how to act appropriately!"

Seeing that most of the people had arrived, Li Sheng nodded.

"Brothers."

Li Sheng spoke, his voice loud and clear.

"Everyone just got our things back, which is a great joy. But I also know that some people got more, some got less, some got the good stuff, and some only got some scraps. That's each person's skill, and I, Li Sheng, won't interfere. Those things are yours to keep. No one is allowed to be envious, and no one is allowed to fight over them."

The audience nodded in agreement; these words resonated with them.

Li Sheng then changed the subject.

"But we, the Taiping Army, value 'public good.' If we continue to plunder indiscriminately like we did today, we will never achieve anything great. Just now, I had Liu Wu seize the soldiers' camp and also found this batch of grain and supplies. These things, in principle, belong to our Siyang Township. But I, Li Shengxian, will set an example for everyone!"

He raised his hand and pointed to the dozens of sacks and wooden crates behind him.

"Inside, there are 300 shi of grain, 20 bolts of silk, 80,000 copper coins, and some miscellaneous ironware and cloth. It's not much, but it's still a considerable fortune."

A buzz of discussion arose from the audience, their eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Li Sheng raised his voice.

"Tonight, I'm bringing these things out as a reward for the entire army! Everyone gets a share, regardless of how much you looted! I hope you'll distribute them to the brothers below according to their numbers, ensuring no one is left out!"

Upon hearing this, the village leaders looked at each other in disbelief.

Is there any reason to spit out meat that's already in your mouth?

"Brother Li Sheng, are you serious?"

One of the village chief's trusted confidants asked the question bluntly.

Before Li Sheng could answer, Liu Lu corrected him with a stern face.

"Brother, now is the time to discuss important matters, please address me as Alliance Leader!"

The man was taken aback. Seeing that everyone was looking at him, he scratched the back of his head.

"Oh, Li... Alliance Leader Li! Are you serious?"

Li Sheng waved his hand, indicating that it was alright.

"While I, Li Sheng, may not be considered a gentleman, my words are always true. All these things will be distributed to the brothers in each village!"

Hearing Li Sheng confirm it again, they finally believed that their leader was serious.

This leader of the alliance is indeed as the rumors in the village say: so benevolent, righteous, generous, and chivalrous!

Looking at the supplies piled up on the open ground, everyone cheered excitedly.

"Leader Li!"

"Leader Li!"

"Long live the Taiping Army!"

The cheers grew louder and louder.

The village leaders who hadn't managed to grab much were so moved that tears welled up in their eyes.

Li Sheng raised his hand to quiet the noise down before continuing.

"But after we've distributed all this, we need to think carefully about what to do next."

His tone became serious, and his gaze swept across every face in the audience.

"Brothers, tonight we killed the local tyrants and seized their supplies. This news won't stay hidden for long. By daybreak tomorrow, it might already be in the county. Then the government will surely send troops to suppress us. Think about it, with just over a thousand of us, can we withstand a siege from all sides by the government army?"

The crowd quieted down, and many people looked worried.

"Then... what should we do?"

Someone asked in a trembling voice.

"What should we do?"

Li Sheng's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"There's only one way: strike first!"

He stretched out his finger and pointed southwest.

"Xiapi County is less than half a day's journey from here. The county garrison has only two or three hundred soldiers, the armory is full of weapons and armor, and the granary is overflowing with grain. Moreover, County Commandant Chen Yuan is still in our hands. If we can use him to trick the city gates open, we can take the county without bloodshed!"

His gaze became intense.

"Once we capture the county seat, we'll have city walls to defend, and armories and granaries as our backing. We can attack or defend as we please. At that point, it won't be so easy for the government to touch us!"

The crowd looked at each other, some excited, some hesitant.

Seeing what everyone was thinking, Li Sheng added another sentence.

"Brothers, think about it. How many days will the little stuff you've looted last? Since we've already rebelled, we're bound to take the county seat. Even those Yellow Turban rebels in the capital managed to occupy a city, so why can't we?"

These words were like a fire, instantly igniting everyone's greed and fighting spirit.

"Let's do it!"

"Take the county seat!"

"Following Leader Li, we'll live the high life!"

Shouts rose and fell, and morale soared.

Li Sheng nodded in satisfaction and raised his voice.

"Alright! Since the brothers are all of this mindset, then I, Li Sheng, will make it clear: tonight we will reward the entire army, let them eat and drink their fill, and get a good rest! Tomorrow at dawn we will prepare food, eat, and immediately set off on a forced march straight to the county town! We'll catch them completely off guard!"

He paused, then added his instructions.

"Chiefs of all villages and hamlets, listen to my command: Upon returning, maintain strict discipline within your ranks and ensure no word leaks out. Before our departure tomorrow, no one is permitted to leave the camp without authorization. Anyone who tips off the others will be punished along with their entire village!"

"promise!"

The village leaders clasped their hands in greeting and accepted the order.

With a wave of his hand, Li Sheng distributed grain, silk, and copper coins directly to the village leaders.

"Distribute the spoils! After you've collected them, go back and rest up. Tomorrow we'll take the county town!"

Cheers once again echoed through the night sky.

Watching everyone orderly carry away the money and goods, Li Feng leaned close to Li Sheng and whispered.

"Brother Sheng, if we want to win over the hearts of the villagers, why don't we just distribute this money directly?"

Upon hearing Li Feng ask this question, Li Sheng nodded inwardly.

After so much training, they've finally learned to think about these things proactively.

Of course, Li Sheng didn't think his old brothers were stupid; rather, it was their past status as small farmers that limited their thinking.

But now they know they're overthinking things, which is certainly a good thing.

Li Sheng glanced at his other brothers.

"Is that what you think too?"

Everyone scratched their heads.

"Yeah, Sheng-ge, this is all money! Even if it's going to be divided up, it should be us who get to share it!"