Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

Zhao Ju, a loyal small landlord of the Four Great Families, was also among the crowd scattering and fleeing.

He felt equally terrified.

They've started!

These government soldiers have really started!

Their hastily formed peasant army was a motley crew.

Under the onslaught of the southward army, they had no power to fight back, not even a semblance of resistance, and collapsed and fled in an instant.

As soon as these government soldiers took action, the Four Great Families of Xuzhou Prefecture were finished.

Run!

Run fast!

Not only out of the prefectural city of Xuzhou, but also out of Xuzhou, out of Jiangnan, only then would it be safe!

Zhao Ju ran, his courage shattered, running in fear.

He wanted to take his entire family, old and young, and flee from the whole of Jiangnan.

Ancestral property, land, none of it was as important as their own lives.

The small landlords and wealthy peasants in the crowd had the same idea as Zhao Ju.

Run!

Run far away!

Not only did they not step forward to organize the fleeing crowd.

On the contrary, they were among the fastest to run, fearing that they would be caught up by the army behind them if they were even a step slow.

On the city wall of Xuzhou Prefecture, the heads of the Four Great Families, seeing this scene, were immediately so frightened that their legs went weak, their whole bodies trembled like sieves, their faces pale and devoid of blood.

"They've started... the government soldiers have started!"

The Zhou Family Head pointed to the chaotic battlefield in front of him, stammering, his heart filled with despair.

The Li Family Head's face was gloomy as he gritted his teeth, saying each word slowly: "I'm not blind, I can see it!"

"It's over! It's all over! What should we do? Are we all going to die?!"

The Sun Family Head collapsed to the ground, his face ashen, his eyes dull, as if he had already been sentenced to death.

The Wang Family Head didn't say a word, but was so anxious that he felt a darkness before his eyes and fainted backward onto the ground.

"Family Head! Family Head, what's wrong with you!"

"Old Wang, Old Wang, wake up!"

"Press his philtrum, quickly call a doctor to come and see!"

"..."

The Wang Family Head's fainting made the already nervous crowd even more panicked.

Everyone was busy for a while, and fortunately, the Wang Family Head quickly opened his eyes and regained consciousness.

"Worthless! A bunch of good-for-nothings! These rebellious people are all useless!"

The first thing the Wang Family Head did upon regaining consciousness was to curse loudly at the peasant army fleeing below the city.

But even if he cursed fiercely, it was to no avail.

The Wang Family Head looked sadly at the land outside Xuzhou City, stretching for miles and miles, and couldn't help but shed tears.

This land was all his ancestral property!

"It's gone, everything is gone!"

"The army is right under the city, we're finished, and our land is all gone too!"

The Wang Family Head wept bitterly, filled with despair.

But at this moment, the Li Family Head still said optimistically: "No, everyone, don't be impatient, things haven't reached the point of no return yet."

"Whether it was the previous attack on the prefectural and county yamen, or the current confrontation with the army below, these were all the good deeds of those rebellious people, what does it have to do with us?!"

The Li Family Head forced a smile, desperately drawing a pie in the sky for the other three family heads, telling them not to give up hope.

"Didn't Tang Fang say before that His Majesty still needs to use our influence in Xuzhou Prefecture to appease the people?!"

"Then we can just agree to them, can't we?"

They now supported the re-measurement of fields, which they had previously strongly opposed.

As long as they could live, anything would do.

The Zhou Family Head and the Sun Family Head looked at each other, with some hesitation in their eyes.

When on the verge of despair, people always have a fluke mentality.

Even if the probability of this happening is less than one in ten thousand, they are willing to believe it.

"That's right, that's right, what the Li Family Head said makes sense!"

"Then we... like this, we will immediately open the city gate to welcome this army into the city, and then we will claim that we had to close the city gate because of the rebellious people besieging the city."

"Good, this is a good idea! Then we will take the initiative to propose to help His Majesty appease the people and assist His Majesty in re-measuring the land in Xuzhou... maybe this matter will pass!"

"At most, we will just have less land now, and when this storm passes, we will have ways to get the land in Xuzhou Prefecture back!"

In a few words, the heads of the Four Great Families rekindled their hopes.

Without delay, they were about to do so immediately.

The Li Family Head looked at a middle-aged man beside them, wearing military uniform and with a resolute face: "Commander Cui, quickly order your men to open the city gate!"

The middle-aged man looked at the chaos below the city, without saying a word, just frowning tightly, revealing a thoughtful expression.

His name was Cui Zhu, and he was the commander of the Xuzhou Garrison, commanding the garrison soldiers of the entire Xuzhou Prefecture.

On the night in Pei County, if Cui Zhu hadn't been fueling the flames from behind, secretly helping, the peasant army wouldn't have broken through the Pei County Yamen so easily.

Cui Zhu had tens of thousands of mu of garrison land under his command, all of which were fields seized from the military households under his command.

Originally, he thought that following these four family heads and Tang Fang from Nanjing, he could pass the test smoothly and protect himself.

But now, Tang Fang has run away, and the four family heads are of little use, he must think for himself, his way to break the situation!

At this time, hearing the words of the Li Family Head, Cui Zhu suddenly focused his gaze on him, his eyes flashing frequently.

"Commander Cui, what are you still hesitating about?!"

"Didn't you hear what I said? Hurry up and get your men moving!"

Cui Zhu didn't speak, just stared at the four family heads, his mind already thinking about how to protect himself through the existing conditions.

Whether it was the previous attack on the county yamen or the current obstruction of the army from entering the city, from beginning to end it was the heads of these four great families who were jumping up and down inside, and it had nothing to do with him.

Perhaps, if he handed over the heads of these four great families to the southward army, it would be considered meritorious service with guilt?

Using the four lives of the heads of these four great families to exchange for his own life, this deal should be very reasonable, right?

Besides, he had no choice now. Waiting any longer would only lead to death…

Might as well take a gamble!

With this thought, Cui Zhu's gaze towards the four family heads changed. The pensive look in his eyes was replaced by a glint of ferocity.

The change in Cui Zhu did not escape the Li family head's notice. He felt a chill run down his spine, and a sudden sense of foreboding washed over him.

"Cui Zhu, what do you intend to do?!"

The Li family head exclaimed in alarm. The next moment, Cui Zhu issued a resolute order: "Men, seize all four family heads!"

Upon hearing Cui Zhu's command, the garrison soldiers on the city wall took a hesitant step forward.

Seeing this, the Wang family head immediately screamed and shouted, "I want to see who dares to touch us four?!"

"Cui Zhu, have you gone mad?! How dare you order our arrest?!"

"Try arresting any one of us, you bunch of commoners! Have you rebelled against the heavens?!"

"…"

The four family heads were shocked and looked around in panic, resorting to threats.

At the same time, members of the four families proactively surrounded and shielded the four family heads.

This tactic proved somewhat effective, as the surrounding garrison soldiers, upon hearing the threatening words of the four family heads, hesitated and glanced at their comrades.

These garrison soldiers had lived in Xuzhou Prefecture for generations. Although the fields they cultivated belonged to Cui Zhu, they still feared the influence of the four great families in Xuzhou Prefecture.

Seeing that his own soldiers dared to disobey his orders, Cui Zhu was enraged.

"Hurry up!"

"Those who hesitate will be punished by military law!"

After Cui Zhu issued this stern warning to the surrounding garrison soldiers, their fear of Cui Zhu outweighed their fear of the four great families, and they rushed towards the four men.

"How dare you?!"

"Stop! Stop at once!"

"Halt! Cui Zhu, you've truly gone mad! Quickly order them to stop!"

"…"

A cacophony of chaotic shouts arose. Cui Zhu's garrison soldiers quickly dispersed the members of the four families, gaining control of all four family heads.

By this point, the four family heads finally understood Cui Zhu's intentions. Their hearts were filled with anger, and they began to curse at Cui Zhu.

"Cui Zhu, may you die a horrible death!!! You plan to use us to exchange for military merit?! Let me tell you! If we die, you won't have it easy either!"

"Cui Zhu, quickly release us! Do you think that capturing us, using us as a pledge of loyalty, will allow you to escape unscathed?! Don't dream! What you've done is enough for His Majesty to have your head chopped off ten times over!"

"Cui Zhu, if you dare hand us over, I'll reveal everything you've done! You'll die too! You'll die too!"

"Cui Zhu, release us quickly! There must be other ways! Don't be rash!"

"…"

The four family heads shouted loudly, resorting to both threats and enticements, but Cui Zhu remained unmoved, instead revealing a cold smile.

"Patriarch Sun is right. You've reminded me that your mouths could ruin my plans, so I must make sure you keep your mouths shut."

The Sun family head's eyes widened, his face turned pale, and a bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Cui Zhu! What do you intend to do?!"

Cui Zhu dropped his smile, a fierce glint flashing across his face, and he issued a ruthless order: "Men, cut off their tongues and teeth!"

"Yes, Commander!"

The surrounding garrison soldiers immediately cupped their fists in obedience.

They forcefully held down the four family heads, preparing to cut their tongues and chop off their teeth.

"Cui Zhu, you dare… Ah, ah, ah!!!"

Before the Wang family head could curse again, excruciating pain erupted in his mouth!

The garrison soldier in front of him was violently smashing his mouth with the hilt of his blade, and three teeth fell out in response!

In just an instant, his mouth was filled with blood.

Before he could scream, the agonizing pain came again and again, and all the teeth in his mouth were knocked out!

The Wang family head struggled frantically on the ground in pain, but he was held down tightly by the garrison soldiers beside him, unable to move.

"Ah! Ah! Ah, ah!!!"

A heart-wrenching scream erupted from his mouth, blood splattering all over the ground, and his face was covered in blood.

But this was not the end. After the garrison soldiers finished knocking out the Wang family head's teeth, they pried open his mouth and pulled out his tongue with tongs.

Then, right before the Wang family head's horrified eyes, a blade came down!

"Ah, ah, ah, ah!!!!!"

The Wang family head let out a scream that echoed through the heavens, and a lump of bloody minced meat was chopped off by the garrison soldiers.

"Ah ah ah!!! Wah ah! Ah! Aba Aba!!"

The Wang family head shrieked, making a series of incomprehensible sounds.

From then on, he could no longer speak a complete sentence.

Besides the Wang family head, the other three family heads were also suffering the same torture.

"Cui Zhu! You despicable villain, may you die a horrible death! Ah, ah, ah, ah!!!"

"Cui Zhu, quickly release me! Let's talk this over, there's no need to make things so extreme! Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!!!"

"Cui Zhu, don't be obsessed! You'll have no good end by betraying us! Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!!!"

The screams from their mouths never stopped, and they struggled and roared madly.

But it was all in vain. The garrison soldiers continued to smash their teeth one after another, and chop off their tongues.

From then on, these four family heads could no longer speak a complete sentence.

Within this short quarter of an hour, the minds of the four family heads underwent a tremendous change.

Despair and regret filled their minds.

They never expected that the first to attack them would not be Zhu Youcheng, but Cui Zhu, who had been in cahoots with them!

Cui Zhu coldly watched all of this, and only after confirming that the four family heads could no longer speak did he issue another order: "Tie them up and押(yā - press, force) them to kneel in front of the city gate!"

"Notify the city gate guards to immediately open the city gate and welcome His Majesty's army to quell the rebellion!"

"Yes, Commander!"

With the issuance of Cui Zhu's orders, the four family heads, who were already half-dead from the pain, were dragged by the garrison soldiers to the foot of the city wall and forced to kneel in front of the city gate.

Subsequently, the garrison soldiers guarding the city worked together to open the heavy gate of Xuzhou Prefecture City.

Xuzhou Prefecture Commander Cui Zhu took the initiative to lead the deputy generals behind him out of Xuzhou Prefecture City, and cupped his fist in salute to the trapped camp army outside the city.

"Your subordinate, Xuzhou Prefecture Commander Cui Zhu, respectfully welcomes the imperial army to enter the city and quell the rebellion!"