PFC Chapter 74 Taking Control of the Entire Army
Chapter 74 Taking Control of the Entire Army
"Brothers!"
Li Sheng suddenly took a step forward, his voice booming like a bell.
"We're not rebelling! We just want our money back. Is that rebelling? If we wait three days, it'll be too late! We want our money now! Now!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the crowd instantly found their leader.
"Yes! Now!"
"Village Chief Li is right. Will he still keep his word in three days?"
The shouts grew louder and louder, and the retreating footsteps were pulled back, the crowd gathering again, even more tightly than before.
Chen Yuan's face turned ashen, and he was about to say something when another voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.
"Don't listen to this corrupt official's nonsense! Three days? That's just a bunch of deceitful tricks!"
Liu Lu shouted in the crowd, his face flushed.
"Look over there, everyone! That corrupt official just sent his guards to mobilize troops! The local strongmen's retainers are already on their way, their swords sharpened, just waiting to kill us!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd fell silent, then a buzzing sound of panic rose up like a swarm of wasps disturbed.
Just as he was feeling anxious and uneasy, a hand reached out from beside Li Sheng and heavily placed into his palm.
Li Sheng looked down and saw a curved blade. He looked at the person who had come and saw that it was Li Feng.
The two exchanged a glance, and Li Feng nodded affirmatively.
While the entire camp's attention was drawn to that, he had already led his men to kill the soldiers guarding the weapons and distributed the swords, spears, and armor.
Li Sheng gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, raised his head, and held the curved blade high above his head.
The blade's tip pierced straight into the sky.
"Brothers!"
Li Sheng's voice was rough and scorching.
"Come with me! Let's take back what's ours!"
"Take back what belongs to us!"
Hundreds of brothers shouted at the same time.
The crowd was instantly stirred, and thousands of throats roared at the same time. All panic, hesitation, and retreat were crushed by this roar at that moment.
Like a flood bursting its banks, the crowd surged forward, following Li Sheng's raised scimitar, towards the depths of the central army camp.
The guards in front of the central command tent tried to defend themselves with their spears, but the blades were already kissing his throat.
A single sword against a spear, effortless!
Li Sheng swung his sword, and the blood of his guards sprayed onto the tent flap, like a blooming red flower.
Chen Yuan was terrified and retreated back into his tent.
Li Sheng did not linger and walked straight in.
Behind them, Liu Wu and Li Feng led their men in a single file, brandishing their swords and spears, their cold gleam making the tent shine brightly.
Inside the tent, the faces of the high-ranking officers in the army changed when they saw Li Sheng standing there covered in blood, sword in hand.
"Li Sheng! You!!"
Li Sheng didn't look at him, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the tent. His voice wasn't loud, but it was like an iron nail hitting a wooden board.
"Don't move. If you move even slightly, I can't guarantee you'll still be able to stand and talk."
The group looked at each other, some of them already reaching for their swords.
Liu Wu took a step forward and slammed the back of his knife hard into the man's hand. The sound of bones cracking was crisp, and the man screamed and fell to the ground clutching his wrist.
"I told you not to move."
Liu Wu grinned.
Outside the tent, hundreds of soldiers surged through the central army like a tide, cutting off and surrounding the entire camp.
The retainers of those powerful families only arrived after hearing the news, but when they got closer, they found that their masters were all in Li Sheng's hands, with knives to their necks, and their faces were ashen.
"Put down your weapons."
Li Sheng stood in front of the tent, looking at his troops without fear.
"Your masters are all in my hands. If you make a move, they will be the first to die."
"What are you standing there for? Listen to Commander Li and put down your weapons!"
The soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment. Finally, with a clang, the first knife fell to the ground, followed by a series of sounds of metal objects hitting the ground.
Li Feng led his men forward and confiscated all the weapons of the retainers, then drove the men aside to guard them.
At this point, the entire army was under their control.
Li Sheng re-entered the central command tent.
Chen Yuan had already been seated on the mat, several captains were squatting in the corner, and Xu Wen was huddled behind the table, trembling all over.
Li Sheng pulled up a chair and sat opposite Chen Yuan, speaking in a calm tone.
"My lord, have the brothers received their pay?"
Chen Yuan's lips trembled slightly as he forced himself to remain calm.
"The imperial court... the imperial court's funds haven't been allocated yet, I've already said that..."
"In such a large military unit, over a thousand people only ate enough rations for a little over a month. You're saying there wasn't enough money?"
Li Feng calmly pointed out from the side, his voice not loud, but every word was piercing.
"Captain, could it be that you yourselves embezzled the pay?"
The expressions of the people in the tent changed drastically, and some of them subconsciously looked at Xu Wen.
Xu Wen's face was as white as paper, and cold sweat poured down his forehead.
Li Sheng's gaze slowly shifted and landed on Xu Wen.
"Is it Xu Sima?"
Xu Wen shuddered, his teeth chattering.
"Li...Village Chief Li..."
"Isn't it Commander Xu who is in charge of the army's provisions and supplies?"
Li Sheng's voice was very soft, as if he were asking about something trivial.
Xu Wen opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.
Li Sheng didn't urge him, but just watched him quietly.
"I...I..."
Xu Wen's lips trembled for a long time before he finally broke down and knelt down on the ground with a thud.
"Commander Li, spare us! The army's victory was too swift; the remaining provisions and supplies have already been sold off, and everyone in the tent has taken them..."
He simply gave up and started to do whatever he wanted.
"Xu Wen! Stop pulling and tugging at me!"
The others in the tent were afraid of getting into trouble.
Li Sheng stood up and drew the curved sword from his waist.
A flash of light.
Xu Wen's screams abruptly stopped, and a head rolled to the ground, blood gushing from the cavity and splattering onto Chen Yuan's robes.
Everyone froze, their pupils contracting in disbelief at what they were seeing.
The Xu family members, Li Sheng just killed them like that?
Li Sheng wiped the knife clean on Xu Wen's corpse, sheathed it, and turned to face the people in the tent.
"Gentlemen, all the army's funds and provisions were embezzled by Commander Xu, who angered the troops and was killed by the mutinous soldiers. Does anyone have any objections?"
Seeing that Li Sheng was going to define the matter, everyone shook their heads.
"No objections, no objections!"
Li Sheng nodded in satisfaction and waved to the person beside him.
"Tie up all of you distinguished guests!"
"promise!"
His men quickly took out ropes and tied them up.
Seeing that they were about to be bound by shackles, everyone panicked.
"Li Sheng, you..."
Li Sheng ignored them and walked straight out of the tent.
Looking at the people eagerly waiting outside the tent, Li Sheng shouted loudly.
"Brothers."
His voice carried out, and the people in the wilderness fell silent.
"The pay is gone. But it's not that the imperial court didn't pay; these corrupt officials embezzled it."
He kicked Xu Wen's head away.
"That scoundrel from the Xu family, he's in charge of supplies and provisions. He's already admitted it. He's been ripping off military supplies, eating our flesh, and drinking our blood."
An angry roar erupted from the crowd.
"These corrupt officials are all greedy and despicable; they deserve to die!"
"Killing him would be too easy!"
"Give me my money back!"
Li Sheng raised his hand to quell the commotion.
"Although the money is gone, the provisions and supplies are still here. Since the government won't give them to us, we'll take them ourselves!"
He waved his hand.
"Fellow villagers, take back what's yours!"
The thousands of people were stunned for a moment, and then erupted into a thunderous cheer.