novelAbuy Chapter 4: Even barbarians, as fierce as wolves, must wag their tails and beg for mercy like dogs!
Chapter 4: Even barbarians, as fierce as wolves, must wag their tails and beg for mercy like dogs!
Seeing this scene, Li Qing couldn't help but sigh.
He had been in Linrong County for three years, and this was the first time he had seen the people so jubilant.
They suffered far too much!
The remnants of the Xianbei, Wuhuan, and Xiongnu forces practically treated the Han Dynasty as their own granary.
They repeatedly invaded the territory of the Han Dynasty, plundered property, and caused the people to often face the misfortune of their homes being destroyed and their families being separated!
"The child lost his father, and the wife lost her husband."
"For centuries, these foreign tribes have burned, killed, and looted on the borders of the Han Dynasty, leaving countless people homeless."
"We need a victory to boost morale!"
Xiang Yu nodded silently: "My lord is right."
"Over the years, the people in the border areas have indeed lived a very hard life."
When Xiang Yu arrived in this world, the system had already altered his memories.
Their memories were filled with the brutal killings of Han people by foreign tribes, which fueled their deep hatred for these tribes.
Li Qing's gaze was sharp, and his tone was cold and hard.
"History has proven that these foreign tribes are shameless traitors who betrayed kindness."
"Once the Central Plains dynasties showed signs of weakness, they would seize the opportunity to invade and plunder."
"Therefore, they must be made to experience pain and fear, and be transformed from ferocious wolves into groveling dogs."
"Only in this way can the frontier be at peace."
……
"This humble general is willing to share the burdens of my lord!"
Xiang Yu bowed and clasped his hands in a fist salute.
He glanced at the bloody human head beneath the horse's belly and hesitated slightly.
"My lord, what should we do with these Xianbei heads and the battlefield? Improper handling could have serious consequences."
"The corpses will rot and stink, and may even cause a plague."
Li Qing suddenly exuded a fierce aura.
"Immediately gather all the heads in front of the North Gate and build a mound of skulls!"
"Yanmen Pass has fallen, and Xianbei thugs are running rampant in Bingzhou, ruthlessly slaughtering Han people."
"This mound of corpses is a memorial to the Han Chinese people who were brutally murdered!"
"Throw the corpses of these Xianbei beasts to all the domestic and wild dogs in the city, let them tear them apart!"
This cruel order shocked everyone.
They built a mound of skulls and fed it to stray dogs!
These two orders were the most extreme insults to the Xianbei people, and ran counter to the Han Dynasty's long-standing principles of benevolence and righteousness.
Despite this, no one present raised any objections.
Instead, everyone showed a satisfied expression, because they harbored deep hatred for the foreign race!
Driven by shared hatred, the people of Linrong united and acted together with the Zhulong Divine Cavalry.
Soon, the heads of all the Xianbei soldiers were transported to the outskirts of Linrong City.
Tens of thousands of heads were quickly piled up to form a huge pyramid in the eyes of the people and soldiers!
A fierce wind swept across Linrong County.
The banners of the Candle Dragon Cavalry fluttered in the air, their military spirit rekindled.
Thousands of wild dogs from Linrong County were driven to the battlefield, where the stench of blood and chunks of flesh drove them mad.
They fought fiercely for the bodies of other races, refusing to back down.
May the dead rest in peace!
May the people of Linrong enjoy peace!
"May we Han people stand tall and proud, never again to be invaded by foreign races!"
Li Qing's expression was solemn, and he spoke in a low voice.
The surrounding people were moved by the tragic atmosphere and silently shed tears.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "Long live the Han Dynasty! Long live the County Magistrate!"
Everyone was taken aback.
Immediately, everyone lost control of their emotions and shouted in response.
"Long live the Great Han! Long live the County Magistrate!"
The shouts resounded through the sky and echoed for miles around!
At that moment, the hearts of the people of Linrong County were as firm as a rock!
No one cared about the disrespect in their slogans; all they knew was that, in their despair and helplessness, the emperor had not appeared.
The Guizhou herdsmen stationed in Bingzhou did not appear.
Only the county magistrate saved them!
Logically, the county magistrate should be addressed as "Long live the Emperor!"
Li Qing remained expressionless, showing no emotional fluctuation.
There's no one here, so what's wrong with shouting "Long live the Emperor!" a few times?
As a time traveler, he had no reverence for imperial power.
He is here to fight for the people and the nation, not for the Liu imperial family!
With everyone's support, Li Qing steadily returned to the county government office and issued another order.
"The captured Xianbei warhorses were placed under centralized management."
In this era, horses were rare, and Xianbei warhorses were the cream of the crop, extremely precious.
Even if you don't use it, you can sell it for a high return.
"Yes, sir!"
"Open the granaries at Linrong! The entire army must eat their fill tonight, with unlimited supplies!"
"Yanmen Pass has been breached, and the Xianbei army has poured in, numbering over two hundred thousand!"
"Tomorrow, we must eliminate even more Xianbei enemies!"
……
The next day.
"Your Excellency, Magistrate."
A middle-aged scholar entered and spoke respectfully.
The minor officials in Linrong have all fled. This is Dong Zhong, the advisor newly appointed by Li Qing yesterday.
Although he was not a famous minister, his intelligence reached 62 and his political acumen was 76, which far exceeded the level of ordinary people.
He was very adept at his job as a secretary.
Li Qing rubbed his temples and asked directly, "What is it?"
After bowing, Dong Zhong stated bluntly: "I have investigated the situation in Linrong County, and the most pressing problem at present is the shortage of food."
Before an army goes into action, it must ensure that it has sufficient food and supplies.
Cao Cao's victory over the stronger Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu was largely due to his burning of Yuan Shao's grain supplies.
The reason why Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition to the Central Plains failed was because of problems with the supply of food and fodder, which forced him to retreat!
This highlights the critical importance of food and fodder supply.
Dong Zhongdao said, "Linrong County is located on the frontier, with a harsh environment, so we can't grow much grain, and we also lack manpower, so our grain reserves are already limited."
"Last night, the magistrate opened the granaries to distribute grain as a reward to the entire army, which led to a significant reduction in grain reserves."
"Currently, the grain in the granary is only enough to sustain the Candle Dragon Cavalry and the city's residents for three days."
"Is this all that's left?"
Li Qing frowned.
Dong Zhong's assessment was clearly overly optimistic.
The members of the Candle Dragon Riders all possess extraordinary strength, and their appetites are much greater than those of ordinary people.
Their Dark Night Steeds consumed more fodder than ordinary horses.
After precise calculations, the existing food supplies can only last for one day.
Once the Xianbei cavalry launches an attack, the Zhulong Divine Cavalry will meet the enemy on empty stomachs.
Li Qing absolutely will not allow such a thing to happen!
Dong Zhong firmly said, "Magistrate, it's only March now, and there are still three months until the harvest season."
"We cannot solve the food problem in a short period of time."
"Currently, there are only two feasible solutions: The first is to requisition grain from all residents of the county, with each household retaining only basic rations and the rest being collected to supply the army."
"But the problem with doing this is that most residents live in poverty, and even if there is a small amount of surplus food, it is not enough to support the army in the long term."
"Also, we should immediately write to the imperial court for assistance; this is our second option!"
"If the imperial court can allocate sufficient grain, the problem can be solved!"
Li Qing frowned and let out a cold laugh.
Having served as a county magistrate for three years, he was well aware of the corruption in the Eastern Han Dynasty's officialdom!
Should we ask them for food?
absurd!
This request is very likely to be intercepted by the governor of Shuofang County, or it may not even reach the governor of Bingzhou!
After a moment's thought, Li Qing's eyes immediately flashed with coldness.
He announced loudly, "Dong Zhong, you are in charge of collecting grain from the city's residents!"
"Be ruthless and merciless towards foreign tribes, but kind and compassionate towards the common people, and make sure they have enough food!"
"Yes, sir!"
Dong Zhong clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"Xiang Yu!"
Xiang Yu swiftly entered the county government office, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Your humble servant is here, awaiting your instructions, my lord!"
He was tall and imposing, and even though he had no intention of killing anyone at this moment, he still made Dong Zhong feel oppressed.
Li Qing took out the map, his tone resolute.
Dong Zhong and Xiang Yu both stared intently at him, wondering what he was going to do.