noveltune Chapter 1 Return
Chapter 1 Return
In 184 AD, seven years had passed since Emperor Ling of Han, Liu Hong, changed the era name to Guanghe.
According to the custom of the Eastern Han Dynasty, when disasters occurred, the reign title would be changed in order to pray for the elimination of the calamity.
The name "Guanghe" is derived from the meaning of "glory and harmony, yin and yang in balance," but this is merely a superstition of "avoiding misfortune with an auspicious name." Changing the era name did not change the current social status quo.
From the first year of the Xiping era (172 AD) to the seventh year of the Guanghe era (184 AD), in these short twelve years, natural disasters occurred continuously throughout the Han Dynasty.
Floods, droughts, locust plagues, earthquakes, and epidemics—all sorts of calamities have struck one after another in various prefectures and kingdoms, plunging the common people of the Han Dynasty into dire straits.
As for relief from the imperial court and government officials? Don't even think about it!
Not imposing additional exorbitant taxes and levies is already considered a reduction in the burden on the people...
Although it was only shortly after the New Year, the people of the land felt no joy.
The excitement and celebration belong to the powerful clans; all that's left for the common people is the arduous spring planting season.
Meanwhile, in Xiapi County of Xuzhou, far from the capital Luoyang, the parched land welcomed the first rain of spring.
The sky was filled with dark clouds, creating a sense of oppressive gloom.
Moments later, large raindrops hit the dry soil, splashing up dust and filling the air with the unique earthy smell of rain.
On a road in Xiapi County, blood mixed with rainwater flowed on the ground, making the air even more foul-smelling.
A group of people, their heads wrapped in yellow turbans and dressed in coarse linen clothes, carrying short knives and long sticks, were surrounded in the middle, with many corpses lying on the ground.
Meanwhile, the county soldiers on the perimeter, dressed in leather armor and wielding ring-pommel swords and iron halberds, stared at them menacingly.
At this moment, a soldier who appeared to be a leader stepped forward and addressed the people who were like trapped beasts.
"Your schemes have been exposed by the county magistrate! If you surrender now, given his merciful heart, you might still have a chance to live. But if you resist to the end, those corpses that have been beheaded will be your fate!"
Rainwater pelted his leather cap, running down the straps onto his face.
The people simply gripped their weapons tightly and did not respond.
Seeing the bandits resist so stubbornly, the officer coldly gave the order.
"Since that's the case, kill them!"
"promise!!!"
The soldiers roared like thunder, closing in on the encirclement and closing in step by step.
Seeing the county magistrate's coercion, one of the people shouted to boost morale.
"Brothers! The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise! The Great Teacher has received the Mandate of Heaven. Our deaths here are paving the way for the Yellow Heaven! Killing one is enough, killing two is a bonus! Even if this place is stained with blood today, when peace is restored, we will all be redeemed! Do not disgrace the yellow turbans on your foreheads! Charge with me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he brandished his broadsword and charged at the soldiers in front of him.
Inspired by his words, the people behind him, determined to die, shouted "Heaven is dead" and followed closely behind.
Their united will was so strong that even the county soldiers who were besieging them were shaken.
However, their clashes are not determined by their mental will.
If they hadn't blindly charged into the enemy lines, they could have slowly engaged the government troops in battle. But now that their formation was disrupted, they were at a disadvantage.
Amidst the rain, the glint of swords and the spray of blood mingled together.
Although the county soldiers forming the formation were not elite field troops, the forest of halberds and iron spears relentlessly pierced the Taiping Dao followers who charged forward.
"Pfft!" "Pfft!"
The first few Taoists were pierced by the weapons and staggered a few steps before falling to the ground. However, the other Taoists behind them did not retreat but stepped on their corpses and continued to charge at the government troops.
The officer who gave the order was clearly taken aback by the ferocity of these "bandits." His body trembled as he shouted sharply, "Hold your ground! Form ranks! No retreat!"
At the same time, he was wielding a halberd and stabbing at the bandits in front of him.
As the occasional rumble of spring thunder echoed across the sky, the fighting on the ground intensified.
The fearless Taiping Dao followers clashed with the government troops who had formed a battle formation. Blood flowed freely, and both sides suffered casualties, but the government troops generally had the upper hand.
As the halberds and spears were thrust out and retracted repeatedly, fewer and fewer civilians dared to resist.
Only five or six civilians, their morale shattered and trembling, remained standing there, holding wooden spears.
The leading officer wiped the blood splattered on his cheek, shook his aching arm, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Pah! What a bunch of crazy moth thieves!"
At this moment, a soldier beside him leaned closer and whispered, "Brother, should we kill all these bandits?"
Hearing his subordinates' question, he slowly shook his head and shouted at the last remaining thieves.
"You lot, you've reached this point, why don't you surrender immediately! I told you, my cousin is the county magistrate Sun Wentai, a kind-hearted man. The bandit leader has already been beheaded. If you surrender now, you might still have a chance to live!"
Upon hearing this, the entire battlefield fell into a deathly silence.
Corpses lay strewn on the ground, and the remaining civilians were on high alert, exchanging glances with complex expressions.
Just then, before they could make a decision, a sudden change occurred.
As thunder rolled across the dark clouds and lightning illuminated the earth, a "corpse" that had long been stabbed to death suddenly sat up.
"Whoosh!"
This sudden turn of events caused both the confident government troops and the remaining civilians to take a half-step back in shock.
The "corpse" that had sat up slowly opened its eyes.
Li Sheng awoke from the endless void.
He felt an intensely itchy, healing sensation from a wound on his left chest, making him want to scratch it.
At the same time, the strong smell of blood and rainwater also entered the nasal cavity.
Another bolt of lightning!
Light, color, sound, and taste bring his world to life.
Just as everyone present was experiencing a mental breakdown due to the immense impact, Li Sheng stood up from the ground.
He understood everything before him.
This was not a dream; he had indeed woken up from the corpse that shared his name, or rather, this was him.
He is both Li Sheng in modern society and a farmer who believed in the Way of Peace in Xiapi County during the Eastern Han Dynasty.
He truly awoke from the void!
Feeling the boundless power surging from his body, Li Sheng casually picked up a wooden spear from the ground and pointed it horizontally at the soldiers in front of him.
"All of you, come at me together."
The stunned county sergeant finally came to his senses, and at the same time, several sounds of swallowing saliva were heard.
"Is this...is this a god or a ghost?"
The leading officer tightened his grip on his halberd, shouting with a fierce but weak voice, "This is sorcery! It's a trick by the Taiping Dao sorcerers! Since we killed him once, we can kill him a second time! Soldiers, listen to my command! Charge! Follow me and kill him!"
He charged towards Li Sheng at the forefront, with his soldiers following closely behind.
At this moment, the six remaining Taiping Dao followers behind Li Sheng also joined him in battle.