Late Han Dynasty: Did the Yellow Emperor truly descend?

Chapter 68 A Shift in Strategy: Quickly Rebel Against the Han!

He coughed twice, and blood foam spilled from the corner of his mouth.

"But I'm useless. I only fought one battle before... before..."

"You killed a bandit."

Li Sheng said.

Wang Fu was stunned for a moment.

"Your strike cut down a bandit who tried to pounce on you."

Li Sheng's voice wasn't loud, but it was very steady.

"I saw it. Without your cut, that gap would have been torn open, and our brothers might have been in trouble."

That's actually a lie.

Li Sheng didn't see it at all.

In the chaos of battle, he was only focused on wielding his halberd and hacking away, unable to even remember how many people he had killed, let alone notice Wang Fu, a local militiaman who had only recently joined his ranks. Yet, he still said it.

Wang Fu's eyes lit up for a moment, like a candle flame flickering one last time before going out.

"real?"

"real."

Wang Fu smiled, tears still on his face, but his smile carried a childlike satisfaction.

"That's good...that's good...I guess I didn't let my benefactor down..."

He paused for a while, his breathing grew weaker and weaker, and his voice gradually faded.

"My benefactor, my nephew Wang Man is still young. I beg you... could you please..."

"I will take care of him."

Li Sheng said.

"I will take Wang Man with me and teach him."

In fact, even if Wang Fu hadn't said anything, Li Sheng would have done the same. Wang Man is quite clever and still young, which is the perfect age for him to receive new education and new ideas.

Wang Fu's tears welled up again, and this time he did not laugh.

His breathing grew slower and shallower. His eyes were fixed on the sky, a clear blue, with a few white clouds drifting by like cotton wool in a field.

"My benefactor,"

His voice was almost inaudible.

"After I die, will I be able to enjoy bliss in the Taiping Huangtian Palace?"

Li Sheng fell silent.

"Yes, you can go."

Li Sheng said in a low, resolute voice.

"You died for peace, and the gods will take you."

Wang Fu's lips slowly curved into a serene arc.

"Well...that's good...it's just a pity..."

His voice faded, like the last lingering sound of the wind blowing across the wilderness.

"It's just a pity that I... couldn't follow my benefactor... to establish a peaceful and prosperous world..."

Wang Fuqiang held on for a long time before finally falling silent.

Li Sheng held him, motionless.

Li Feng stood not far away, his lips pressed tightly together, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

After a while, Li Sheng gently put Wang Fu down and reached out to close his eyes.

"Take me to see the other injured brothers."

Li Sheng stood up, his voice completely flat.

"Yes."

Li Feng's voice was a little hoarse.

Li Sheng looked at each person one by one. Although he did nothing, each person's gaze became more settled with each look.

Finally, he stood on the riverbank, looking towards the south bank, where the battle was completely over.

Li Sheng remained silent for a long time.

He remembered Wang Fu's words.

"It's a pity that I couldn't follow my benefactor to establish a peaceful and prosperous world in this life."

Wang Fu thought he could go to a peaceful and prosperous heaven after death, but Li Sheng knew that was just a lie to deceive him. When a person dies, they are dead; nothing remains.

The true peace and prosperity that can bring a good life to people like Wang Fu is not in heaven, but in this world.

He recalled the villagers in Xiangyangli, their faces pale and thin, their clothes ragged, and how they cried like children when they received their land.

The number of people suffering under heaven is countless.

As long as the world remains like this, as long as those officials, gentry, and powerful people ride roughshod over the common people, and as long as the imperial court continues to treat the people like cattle and horses, such people will continue to be driven to their deaths and die...

Li Sheng clenched his fist.

He has done some things in Siyang Township and Xiapi County, but can he save one Xiangyang Village, or ten or a hundred Xiangyang Villages?

He is not a savior. He alone cannot save the world. Just like today, even though he is incredibly powerful, people will still die.

The only way to change all this is to rely on the people and mobilize a million soldiers!

Have I been too cautious in my past actions?

They always think about taking things slowly and envision a rural-to-urban approach.

But reality is harsh: if the stage isn't set up first, the people won't come; they'll just watch.

They always do this—follow whoever wins, without realizing that whoever they follow will win.

I made the mistake of being dogmatic.

Before our predecessors went to the countryside to carry out the movement, they had already made a name for themselves throughout the country.

Ultimately, I'm tactically diligent but strategically lazy.

Li Sheng sighed inwardly, but did not overly criticize himself.

He can't compare to true great men, there's no denying that. But as long as he learns from his experiences, he'll eventually find his way to success.

Having figured out the next step, Li Sheng felt his mind suddenly clear.

After this battle—

Go back, raise the flag, and fight against the Han.

"Li Feng, pass down the order to take inventory of the prisoners and regroup to join the main force on the south bank."

His voice was calm.

"promise!"

……

The group carried the wounded and prisoners back to the south bank by wading through the water.

On the south bank of the river, corpses lay scattered about, and the air reeked of blood. Several soldiers who were clearing the battlefield saw Li Sheng and his group approaching and instinctively made way for them, their eyes filled with awe. Li Sheng's blood-soaked appearance made it clear to anyone that he had truly fought his way out of the jaws of death.

He went straight to the central command tent.

Chen Yuan had already received the news and was waiting in the tent.

His armor was still gleaming, his demeanor had regained its composure, and there was even a hint of self-confidence in his eyes.

This resounding victory filled him with an air of triumph and self-satisfaction.

Li Sheng walked up to him and clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"My lord, the bandits on the north bank have been defeated. The defeated enemy has scattered in all directions. Countless heads have been taken, more than three hundred have been captured, and a considerable amount of supplies have been seized. I am fortunate to have fulfilled my mission."

Chen Yuan nodded, his gaze passing over Li Sheng and looking at his colleague beside him.

"good,"

He clapped his hands with a smile.

"I said long ago that the Yellow Turban rebels were nothing but a rabble, all talk and no action! This battle has proven them right. It seems we will surely be able to take back the capital in one fell swoop this time!"

Upon hearing this, the captains in the tent echoed his sentiments, their faces beaming with smiles.

Chen Yuan then turned his gaze back to Li Sheng, looked him up and down, and seeing the blood scabs and wounds all over his body, he only offered a few words of praise on the surface.

"Well done, go and rest for now. I will report today's achievements truthfully."

His tone was flat, as if he were assigning a trivial task.

He didn't ask a single question about the number of casualties.

Li Sheng bowed, took a few steps back, and turned to leave.

Ha, a mob?

I have witnessed the fighting prowess of the Yellow Turban rebels on the north bank; they are certainly much stronger than the refugees who have crossed the river to the south bank.

People like them were the backbone of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, just like the main Yellow Turban force fighting against the true elite of the Han Dynasty on the main battlefield at this time.

Li Sheng vaguely remembered that in April, Bo Cai, the leader of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yingchuan, first defeated Zhu Jun, and then besieged Huangfu Song at Changshe, posing a direct threat to Emperor Liu Hong in Luoyang.

There is certainly no news yet, but when I raise the banner of rebellion against the Han, I will surely be able to get some help from them!