People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 163 Almost there
"The Yellow Turbans are coming!"

This sentence appeared in every place in Guangyang County along with the Yellow Turbans' conquest. For the common people, this was a disturbing reality. No one knew what their fate would be after the Yellow Turbans came.

Although the flow of information was slow in this era, the Yellow Turbans had already taken root in neighboring Yuyang for four or five years. Even if it was slower, the people could still communicate with each other.

Many people have heard sporadic stories about the Yellow Turbans' deeds, which has led to many people who have had difficult lives fleeing to Yuyang in the past two years.

But more people are skeptical about these rumors. After all, the Yellow Turbans are still considered rebels in their eyes, and even if the government has some faults, it is still the most authoritative authority in the hearts of the people.

It is hard to say that a rebel can do better than the government.

But now they don't have to believe it. The officers and soldiers were defeated by the Yellow Turbans, and the whole Guangyang was exposed to the Yellow Turbans. No matter whether the Yellow Turbans were good or bad, the people of Guangyang could only accept the reality of being ruled by the Yellow Turbans.

"The Yellow Turbans are not good people. We suffered a lot when the Yellow Turbans broke out a few years ago. My eldest son was captured by the Yellow Turbans and then killed on the battlefield by the soldiers as a traitor."

"That happened many years ago. This Yellow Turban is different from the previous ones."

"What's the difference? They are all rebels. My son died because of the Yellow Turbans. I don't trust them. They are capable of anything, including robbing things and women!"

"The Yellow Turbans in Youzhou have all died a long time ago. The current Yellow Turbans are all from outside. This group is a righteous army!"

In Ji County, officers and soldiers fled in panic, and the Yellow Turbans chased them closely, leaving the common people in fear and anxiety facing the remaining Yellow Turbans.

Some people have heard of or even seen the style of the Yellow Turbans of Natural Dao, and they are looking forward to it.

However, more people are very resistant to the current Yellow Turbans because of their preconceived impression of the earliest Yellow Turbans.

The crowd had different attitudes and inevitably there were some arguments, but when someone shouted along the street "The Yellow Turbans are entering the city", all the arguments stopped.

Not only did the people who were resisting run back home in panic and close their doors, but even those who had just made their defenses were a little nervous and went home.

Although those who understood the Yellow Turbans' style were not very afraid, they still followed the crowd and hid.

Soon, the streets of the city were filled with the sound of orderly footsteps. One could feel the powerful momentum of the Yellow Turbans just by listening to them, which made the common people hiding in the houses secretly astonished. No wonder they could chase away the government soldiers. The momentum of their march alone was very impressive.

Someone secretly peeked out the window and saw a line of well-equipped Yellow Turban soldiers guarding the street. Then, in the empty middle road, a group of people surrounded a young man in his twenties.

Looking at this posture, they knew that this must be the Yellow Turban leader who was rumored to be able to cause lightning strikes.

The entire city could hear the huge roar during the battle, which was the same noise as thunder. This made them believe the rumor that the Yellow Turban leader could use lightning magic.

As the leader walked forward, the soldiers on both sides also walked away.

The people were confused and didn't know what to do.

At this time, the Yellow Turbans in the rear were already going from house to house, beating gongs and shouting that they would distribute supplies in front of the government offices, asking each household to register on their own.

This is still the old trick of the Yellow Turbans. There is no better way to establish the first step of relationship with the people than to directly distribute money and food.

As expected, as soon as this was said, every household became restless, and those who were already familiar with the Yellow Turbans' style knew that this could not be faked, and immediately ran happily to the government office following the Yellow Turbans' footsteps.

Of course, they ran in a hurry, but they didn't forget about other neighbors. They shouted as they ran: "This is all true. Folks, come together. You can get it when you come. It's like this in Yuyang!"

Seeing this situation, the others finally couldn't sit still anymore and opened the door and ran to the government office.

More and more people came, and when they arrived at the government office, they saw a shocking scene. There were piles of supplies in front of the office, and a large circle of Yellow Turban soldiers surrounded the place tightly outside, occupying two entire streets before they could put the supplies.

What they didn't know was that this was only the first batch of supplies, most of which were money and food prepared by the officers and soldiers to defend the city. But in the end, the officers and soldiers never got a bite of the food as all the money went to the Yellow Turbans, saving the Yellow Turbans the effort of sealing off and searching the city.

Moreover, the Yellow Turbans have already begun the process of liquidating the assets of the aristocratic families and powerful people. As the work progresses, there will soon be more and more of these materials.

In addition, the people could clearly see a large group of people kneeling in front of the government office. They could recognize many of them, as they were all nobles in the city in the past.

These nobles were experiencing all kinds of life that they could not normally see. Some of them humbly begged for mercy from the leader, some insulted the leader fiercely, and some just remained silent with a look of despair on their faces.

But soon these people calmed down, because as the leader waved his hand, rags were stuffed into everyone's mouths, and they were escorted away. Judging from the direction they were heading, that place should be the government prison cell.

“You see, I said that the Yellow Turbans of Natural Dao are not the same kind of people as the Yellow Turbans a few years ago.

Not only will they distribute money and food to us, but they will also help us to seek justice. All the evil deeds done by those nobles in the past will now be settled and punished. Even the government can't do this for us!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone around fell silent. Most of the matters that the government could handle were matters between the common people. Once it involved powerful families, no one would say a word.

After all, to be honest, the government needs the support of the aristocratic families to govern the local areas, so naturally it does not have much power to restrain the local tyrants.

But now look at the Yellow Turbans, they have captured all the nobles and masters, this is a real thing!
"And that's not all. The Righteous Army will also confiscate all the land of these nobles and distribute it to the people for cultivation!"

Some people became more and more excited as they talked, because they had seen these things with their own eyes in Yuyang before, but for various reasons they could not leave their hometown, so they could only envy others.

Now that good things have finally happened to them, they are so happy that it is impossible not to be overjoyed: "The Yellow Turban Volunteer Army only collects 20% of the tax, and there are no other taxes or levies!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the people around them gasped. They simply couldn't believe these things.

It was a luxury for them to even divide the land, let alone such a tax system.

Even so, many people remain skeptical.

But when the Yellow Turbans really started to register and distribute supplies, the doubts in their hearts immediately disappeared. They had real stuff in their hands, which could not be faked at all.

Later, the leader of the Yellow Turbans stood up and announced in public the move to distribute the land and the abolition of miscellaneous taxes. All the people were convinced and fell to their knees at once, and the Yellow Turbans couldn't even shout to get up.

"The Yellow Turbans are a righteous army, a true righteous army!"

"The rumors are actually true. If I had known earlier, I should have brought my family to Yuyang. Otherwise, why would I have lived such a miserable life in the past two years!"

"Our leader is really a reincarnated god who came to save people from suffering. He should be the one to rule us and be the emperor!"

It was still the same old combo, and Xu Chen saw the people crying with excitement.

This reaction is not an exaggeration at all. Land is the foundation of people's survival, and taxes determine their quality of life. In the eyes of the people, what the Yellow Turbans give is more important than the sky.

The authority that the Han Dynasty had built up here over hundreds of years was completely destroyed by the Yellow Turbans in just one day.

But this doesn't make Xu Chen happy, because this is what the people deserve.

Xu Chen felt that it was not something to be happy about if he thought that just returning the people's things to them and letting them get the fruits of their labor would make them grateful.

"Master, after four years, it is finally our turn to be the master of Youzhou!" Tian Shitou, who was standing beside him, couldn't help but sigh.

Xu Chen looked at the lively scene in the distance, smiled and nodded: "Yes, now in Youzhou, others will look to us for support, but Youzhou alone is not enough, we must make the whole of China listen to our voice."

Upon hearing this, Tian Shitou could not help but look towards the south. It seemed that his gaze could penetrate the mountains and rivers and see the vast territory of the south.

The world is so vast that I wonder how long it will take the Yellow Turbans to conquer it all.

In just four years, they were able to go from a remnant army to where they are today. This was something Tian Shitou had never dared to imagine.

The Yellow Turbans have still not taken over the entire Youzhou, but the situation has changed from the enemy being strong and we being weak to being evenly matched, and now from being evenly matched to the enemy being weak and we being strong. This is a change in the offensive and defensive situation.

After four years of instruction from Xu Chen along with other officers, Tian Shitou is no longer the rough and ignorant young man he used to be. He understands very well that war is fought for population, land and other resources. If officers and soldiers are defeated even when they have all the advantages, there will be no chance of fighting in the future.

It was only a matter of time before Youzhou was completely conquered, and Tian Shitou had a feeling that this time would not be too long.

"Liu Yu now only has three counties in the western part of Youzhou. I think in another two years, we should be able to take them all and truly control the entire Youzhou!" Tian Shitou's eyes flashed with excitement and expectation, as if he had foreseen that day.

"Two years?" However, when Xu Chen heard the two-year estimate, he shook his head: "It won't take that long."

Tian Shitou was stunned. Although he was confident in the Yellow Turbans' strength, he felt that they had become very radical after two years.

"Liu Yu's words are not enough to cause us trouble, but the Han court will not sit idly by and watch us. They will definitely increase their pressure in the future. Can we really take over the entire Youzhou in a short time?"

Xu Chen's eyes became deep, and he looked towards Luoyang unconsciously: "The court will soon be unable to take care of these things."

(End of this chapter)