CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 76: FIGHT THEM TO THE END

Don’t be fooled by this group of villagers listening to him; it’s only temporary.

The people’s hearts are still scattered, merely intimidated by his force, it’s temporary.

Whereas the court and government’s intimidation and deterrence are deeply ingrained, rooted in the Great Song Dynasty people for over four hundred years.

Don’t be fooled by this group of people listening to him now, but once enough government officials come, even if Chen Mo tells them to resist, they wouldn’t dare.

The saying goes, "The people do not fight against the government."

This kind of mindset is very hard to change.

If not, why would they be oppressed so severely, exploited so heavily, yet still dare not resist? Firstly, this is the case, and secondly, they lack a leader.

Thus, as the leader, Chen Mo naturally wants to break their mindset.

He must lead them to openly fight with the government; only winning and driving the government officials away can make them see they can resist the government, naturally dispelling their inner fear of it.

And only by driving the government officials away can their concerns be dispelled.

Chen Mo can prove he can truly protect them.

The promised division of land can be realized.

Only then can Chen Mo unite them as one.

Only then can they provide him with some help.

But for now, he needs to stir them up.

He gave Han Wu a glance, signaling everyone to quiet down.

Soon, Han Wu shouted vigorously: "Everyone quiet down, Immortal Master Chen has words to say."

The commotion gradually subsided.

Chen Mo, bathed in a purple aura, surveyed the crowd, saying: "You have come to this point, did you bring yourselves here? No, it was forced by the court, by the dog officials in the county town.

We just want a few acres of barren land, to live the life of spring sowing, summer cultivating, autumn harvesting, just want something to eat, is there anything wrong with that?"

"No wrong." Zhang River was about to speak when beside him, Han Wu suddenly shouted vigorously, followed by twenty people from Da Han Village echoing after him, making Zhang River’s gaze momentarily prickly.

"We just want something to eat, but the dog court won’t allow it. The hunting tax, body tax, fishing tax, land tax, every kind of tax oppresses us, not to mention we occasionally have to bear labor conscription, working ourselves to death. Yet even so, the government doesn’t care, outside the city looting, pillaging, the government never intervenes, treating us like pigs and sheep, we have no way to complain, no way to appeal, even tolerates the Qinghe Gang ransacking villages, tolerates Qinghe Gang oppressing us..."

Chen Mo’s voice was full of passion; people’s emotions were stirred.

"But even then, has the government stopped? No, the government started drafting, yet treats unfairly, starting the draft outside our city, they want to separate our wives, scatter our families, they want us dead."

When speaking of death, Chen Mo’s voice heightened before saying, "We have endured hardships, managed to escape, save our lives, yet they still won’t let us go, now they want to take our wives, children, and parents, do you consent..."

"No consent!" This time Zhang River spoke first.

Just as he was about to give Han Wu a provoking glance, the latter raised his bloodstained official saber, shouting, "Dog government bullies too much, grandfather had long enough of these dog officials’ rubbish, let’s fight them."

After saying this, Han Wu wasn’t finished speaking, glancing at Chen Mo, he continued: "Immortal Master Chen, my life is yours from now on, wherever you say to go, I’ll go."

Zhang River: "..."

Other people from Da Han Village hesitated not a bit, responding one after another:

"Fight them, let’s fight them."

The villagers were also stirred, feeling as though a fire was burning in their hearts:

"Fight them, since they don’t want us to live, then we won’t let them live either."

"Alright, all are courageous men."

Chen Mo nodded with satisfaction, then drew the Tang Blade from his back, loudly proclaiming: "Fight them!"

"Fight them!"

Others also shouted together.

Eight hundred strong, a shout rang out, astonishing in momentum.

...

At this moment.

The late morning.

All constables from the government office mobilized and dispatched two hundred defense troops to leave the city and make arrests.

They divided into several teams, going to various villages to make arrests.

Of course, the government isn’t foolish; they didn’t charge the group going to Impatiens with treason, but rather desertion.

According to the Great Song Dynasty laws, any soldier fleeing, the government could arrest their wives and children for interrogation, to pursue their whereabouts.

After all, on charges of treason, how many would they need to arrest, the government office couldn’t hold them all.

Of course, Han San, as the leader in killing officials, who also incited people to flee, was naturally charged with a serious crime, implicating his nine clans.

Xiaogao Village, more than thirty defense troops and several constables had already arrested the wives and daughters of those deserters in the village, brought them into the village.

Preparing to interrogate the deserters’ whereabouts.

"Boss, not good, there’s... rogues killing into the village."

"Ah..."

The Decurion in charge of Xiaogao Village, upon hearing the voice, looked over, just glimpsed a soldier appearing in sight running towards him, the next second, that soldier fell into a pool of blood.

The killer was a lad in black, wielding a straight saber.

Behind him, followed hundreds.

Soon, they surrounded them.

Seeing Chen Mo strike down an official soldier without a word, the villagers’ faces still reflected panic, yet under the great momentum, they didn’t retreat.

That Decurion forced himself calm, swallowed hard, shouted fiercely: "Reckless commoners, you dare..."

Before finishing the word, a blade flash fell upon his face.

With a cry, the Decurion fell to the ground, body split in two, immediately silent.

"Ah..."

The wives and daughters arrested by the officials, some timid ones fainted directly.

Those officials and constables, seeing this scene, their legs went soft, quickly seizing the deserters’ wives and daughters as hostages, shouting for Chen Mo not to come closer.

Chen Mo approached step by step.

"Don’t come closer, if you come closer I’ll..."

Before finishing the words, Zhang River, Han Wu, and others had somehow gotten behind them, their great sabers hacking into their backs.

With a muffled groan, before the officials could react.

Those deserters from Xiaogao Village suddenly rushed up.

Blood splattered, bloody entrails scattered across the ground.

When they rescued their wives and daughters, seeing those dead officials, constables, ears buzzing, feeling dizzy, what the people beside said was somewhat unclear.

Once they gathered themselves, looking again at those dead officials, constables, no longer was there terror, instead their eyes sparkled with excitement, only feeling their whole body boiling with hot blood.

With the "experience" of Xiaogao Village, upon Chen Mo’s command to slay the officials of Liu Village and other villages next, they rushed forward.