People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 224 Establishing Prestige
The gathering of brothers from all over the Yellow Turbans was naturally a happy event worth celebrating, but after one night, the atmosphere in South City became somewhat awkward and tense.

Under the south city gate, a row of more than 400 people were kneeling on the ground. These people were not officers and soldiers, but the Qingxu soldiers who were on friendly terms with the Xuanxia Yellow Turbans yesterday. Behind them, each of them stood a Xuanxia soldier with a stern face and holding a wooden stick or a long sword.

There were also many Qing Xu soldiers standing around with complicated expressions. Some of them glared at him, some were in disbelief, and some felt sympathetic.

But when they looked up at the top of the city wall, they all fell silent, because their leaders Guan Hai and Zhang Rao were standing obediently on both sides of the Natural Master on the top of the city wall, and had no reaction to the scene below.

Guan Hai and Zhang Rao looked at each other. It was not that they didn't want to react, but that they couldn't react.

Now the South City has been completely controlled by the Xuanxia Yellow Turbans. As long as they see the Yellow Turban soldiers in their strong armor and sharp weapons, they will not have any other ideas at all.

Moreover, these guys who were arrested had it all their own fault. Tian Shitou below has explained the reason very clearly.

"I, Xuan Xia, will not pursue the past, but last night our army took over South City and repeatedly issued military discipline and teachings, but some people still committed crimes in defiance of the law. More than 400 people committed crimes such as looting, killing, and humiliation!"

Tian Shitou was wearing a black armor and looked around with cold eyes. The prisoners kneeling on the ground lowered their heads under his gaze, and an atmosphere of panic instantly filled the entire city gate.

Tian Shitou had no mercy on them, and neither did the Xuanxia soldiers who were guarding the area and preparing for the execution.

Although these people were once brothers of the Yellow Turbans, they are now just sinners in the eyes of the Xuanxia soldiers.

This is also the reason why Xu Chen dared to implement military discipline without hesitation, because the Xuanxia soldiers today are no longer the bandit army with lax military discipline and corruption, but reformed warriors of faith with lofty ideals.

Dealing with these so-called Yellow Turban brothers who committed crimes and eliminating the scum in the team will not only not discourage the Xuanxia soldiers, but will instead cater to their feelings.

A true warrior with ideals would absolutely be ashamed to associate with scum.

At this time, Tian Shitou pronounced the fate of these scums: "Today, here and in front of the heavens and the people of this place, we will convict and punish them according to religious law and military discipline. Those who commit minor crimes will be caned, and those who commit serious crimes will be put to death!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire city wall fell silent for a moment, and the Qingxu soldiers who were watching were all shocked at the ruthlessness of the Xuanxia Yellow Turbans.

After all, these Qingxu soldiers had already surrendered, but the Xuanxia Yellow Turbans were still merciless to these brothers, and none of the hundreds of criminals were spared. They were all punished, or even executed directly!
They all felt that the Xuanxia Yellow Turbans were serious. These military disciplines and teachings were not just empty words, but were actually powerful chains.

The onlookers were all silent, and the parties involved, such as the prisoners Qing Xu, found it hard to accept. For a moment, they all cried for their parents or cursed, and some even peed and defecated in embarrassment.

If one listens carefully, there are many voices among these people who attack Xu Chen by name.

But this did not make Xu Chen angry at all, it only made the eyes of the Xuanxia soldiers standing solemnly on the side even colder.

To these soldiers, they could endure humiliation and injury, but they could not tolerate anyone humiliating their leader. They could not wait to punish these bastards to shut them up.

Fortunately, they didn't have to wait too long. Tian Shitou snorted coldly and waved his hand to order: "Execute!"

Following his order, more than a hundred Yellow Turbans raised their long swords with stern faces, then lowered their gazes to the necks of the prisoners kneeling on the ground in front of them. A cold light flashed, blood splattered, and more than a hundred heads rolled on the ground. Everything was clean and neat, and it was over in the blink of an eye.

Many civilians and Qing Xubing had not yet reacted before they witnessed more than a hundred death row prisoners being executed.

After that, the top of the city was instantly dead silent. Blood and death are always the most exciting things to stimulate people's hearts. Xu Chen saw the awe and fear on the faces of many Qingxu soldiers and felt that he had achieved his desired goal.

The religious and military discipline forged with blood is the most solid. When he was in exile, he also used this method to build his army.

After the execution of those guilty of serious crimes, the remaining less than 300 prisoners had to undergo varying amounts of beatings depending on the circumstances. Soon the dull sound of flesh being hit could be heard from the top of the city wall, and every time it was heard, it was accompanied by screams from the punished.

When all the punishments were carried out, the authority of military discipline instantly stood up in Qing Xubing's heart.

They knew clearly what would happen if they violated military discipline and teachings, and the bloody scene before their eyes was the most direct portrayal!
"Remember, we the Yellow Turbans rebelled against the Han Dynasty not to become generals or prime ministers, but to overthrow all the injustice in this world. We were once common people, and we also suffered from the hardships imposed by the nobles and the government. If we do the same thing as the Han Dynasty and the nobles today, then there is no need for the Yellow Turbans to exist!"

Tian Shitou's cold voice echoed in the silent scene, and everyone was shocked.

The Qingxu soldiers suddenly woke up. Yes, why did they put down their hoes and took up the swords? It was because they could not bear the exploitation and torture of the nobles and the government! But what are they doing now?
Someone looked at the silent people behind him, and then lowered his head in shame.

It’s not that they don’t have empathy for ordinary people. After all, they were once the same sufferers. It’s just that the long life in exile has made them forget their original intentions.

If it was your family who suffered the disaster last night, how heartbroken would you be?

"We, the Yellow Turbans, are here to save the world, not to bring suffering upon it. If you want to join our religion, you must respect equality and rights. If you cannot share the same aspirations as us, you do not have to force your way into our ranks, because sooner or later you will be punished like those being executed today!"

Tian Shitou looked around at the Qingxu soldiers around him with a very cold tone, and he did not show any mercy because of the brotherhood between the Yellow Turbans.

It is better to say ugly things in advance than to resort to violence later.

And these words were indeed very effective. The Qing Xubing present immediately realized that although the Xuanxia Yellow Turbans and themselves were both Yellow Turbans, they were actually completely different teams. Although they were powerful, they also had constraints.

Even the common people were mostly surprised by the Xuanxia Yellow Turbans. They had never seen an army with such style before.

And they also knew that this army was not just talking big, but was truly practicing this ideal. The people who suffered from looting and assault last night received justice today. Not only did the attackers receive due punishment, but their losses were also reimbursed by the Yellow Turbans.

This action immediately changed the people in the city's view of the Yellow Turbans. Although it was the Yellow Turbans who hurt them last night, it was also the Yellow Turbans who were helping them seek justice now.

In such a world, even officers and soldiers have no rules. An army as reasonable as the Xuanxia Yellow Turbans can only be said to be unique.

Not only that, after the execution, the Yellow Turbans also appointed military doctors to treat the injured and sick civilians at the city gate. This action made the people in the city praise them even more.

Even some people who were having a hard time surviving, after hearing that the Yellow Turbans were heading to Youzhou, actually offered to follow them and migrate with them.

Migrating a large number of people is not an easy task. If the population is forced and plundered, the final result will inevitably become a tragedy like Dong Zhuo's relocation of the capital.

But if the people themselves are willing, the Yellow Turbans will not refuse to absorb the population.

This is also why the Yellow Turbans did not forcibly relocate people from the surrounding areas, but instead chose to go so far to rescue the Qingxu Yellow Turbans, because these people had the willingness to migrate voluntarily.

"Sister, these yellow turbans really seem different. Do you think my husband can come back?"

"I think so. Although they have arrested the noble families in the city, they also said that they will only settle individual crimes. My brother-in-law has never done any evil. If the Yellow Turbans are reasonable, they should release my brother-in-law."

When the military doctor in the city was setting up a free clinic, two sisters were talking with concern not far away.

They were the two women who were released by Xu Chen last night. Although they themselves had escaped from danger, their relatives were still in trouble. The younger sister's husband was from the local aristocratic family, the Yang clan, who were the targets of the Yellow Turbans' attacks on the powerful families.

Now that all the people in the Yang family have been controlled and all their properties have been confiscated, they will have to settle accounts for their personal crimes, which naturally makes them worried.

As she spoke, the elder sister could not help but sigh in her heart. The capital was moved due to turmoil in the capital, and she followed her father's words and came here to join her younger sister Cai Zhenji. However, she did not expect that there seemed to be no peaceful place in the world now, and Taishan County was inevitably trampled by thieves.

The Yang family lost all their property. Even if some people who had never done evil could come back alive from the Yellow Turbans, it would be difficult for them to continue living. Is it still suitable to stay in Nancheng?

Cai Yan raised her head and saw a familiar young man on the top of the city wall. The Yellow Turbans, which claimed to pursue equality and respect rights, were led by this young man.

Moreover, the other party seemed to be practicing these ideas very seriously, otherwise the two sisters would not have been able to come back last night.

She remembered that when her father left the capital, the books he read seemed to have something to do with the Yellow Turbans, but it was so long ago that she couldn't remember the few words they said at the time.

"This leader is not a cruel and unreasonable person. I believe he will not kill innocent people. My brother-in-law has never done any evil in his life, so he will definitely be released. Then we will go to join our father together. The court has moved the capital to Chang'an for some time, and I think my father should have settled down." Cai Wenji retracted her gaze and said so.

Cai Zhenji sighed softly: "This is the only way, I will obey you, sister."

(End of this chapter)