Chapter 1408

Xiao Mai: "That's right. If we develop technology, we might have to cut back on food and clothing again. The common people would suffer terribly, with no hope of a good life."

Earth: "So, our rulers here aren't bad. They didn't take such huge steps."

Southern Shaanxi.

Between the mountains, endless mountain fortresses stood.

This was the green forest fortress led by Luo Sha Lian Nishang.

At the center of the fortress, a three-meter-tall statue stood in an open square; each green forest hero stood in line with solemn faces, stepping forward one by one to offer incense.

"Hail our Ancestor Master, thank you for granting us the Dharma."

Recalling their Ancestor Master's divine powers, everyone was awestruck, their devotion utterly genuine.

So miraculous.

Just a few hundred characters of incantation, yet it catapulted their strength to explosive heights, instantly placing them among the world's supreme elite.

And their leader could sweep away an entire mountain into ash with a mere wave of the hand, like a celestial immortal.

In the past, they had dismissed tales of ghosts and gods as the babbling of fools and women; now they believed them utterly.

"The Lord has ordered: cook at Chen hour, march at Si hour, and seize Hanzhong before nightfall."

"Yes."

At this command, the heroes were electrified.

They had cultivated for years, already possessing supreme strength, and had long been eager to act.

Achieving glory and building a legacy—this was a problem no one in any age could escape.

With strength in hand, they naturally no longer wished to remain bandits, but sought to accomplish great deeds.

Fortunately, their leader had long declared his intent to sweep the world and transform heaven and earth.

Now, the moment had finally arrived.

The next day.

Between the mountains, hundreds of riders marched on foot, yet moved faster than galloping horses.

In but a moment, they arrived beneath the walls of Hanzhong.

"Kill!"

No elaborate strategy—only overwhelming force.

A mob surged toward the city gate like wolves and tigers; the city's soldiers panicked, trying to shut the gates, but found the enemy too swift—they were inside the city before they could blink.

Instantly, cries of battle erupted everywhere.

Moments later, the shouts ceased, replaced by the clinking and clattering of falling weapons.

This was the Wanli era; military discipline had long decayed, and the iron army that had once swept away the Yuan Mongols had vanished into the river of history.

Faced with an enemy they could not resist, these city guards had little will to fight—they immediately dropped their weapons and surrendered.

In truth, even if it had been the original Ming army, how many would have had the will to fight such an invincible foe?

Too terrifying!

These men could punch someone clean into the sky, just like Li Yuanba in the tales, their fists as heavy as hammers weighing hundreds of jin.

Even arrows could be caught effortlessly, then flung back to pierce their own bodies.

Firing arrows bare-handed was stronger than bowshots.

How could anyone fight such enemies?

Lian Nishang stood beneath the city wall, not joining the battle, merely watching quietly.

Even so, the battle ended in fifteen minutes—the city's soldiers surrendered, its officials captured.

"Survey land and population, divide the fields equally!"

Inspired by Li Yingqiong's success, Lian Nishang naturally followed suit.

The landlord class was undoubtedly one of the strongest classes in ancient times.

The scholar-gentry were also part of this landlord class.

In ancient rebellions, daring to divide land equally was an act that stirred a hornet's nest—inviting universal condemnation.

For an ordinary person, this would be suicide.

But Lian Nishang was different.

She had the chat group as her backing, possessed overwhelming power to suppress the world, and felt no fear—instead, she burned with passion and fierce determination to shatter the old order and transform heaven and earth.

In three months, Luo Sha led the green forest army to sweep across the entire southwest, and half the world fell into her hands.

The court was shaken!

The scholar-gentry were enraged!

The landlord class trembled in fear.

But the common people quietly hoped.

"If the Heavenly Army arrives, won't we too be given land?"

Interest moves the heart most powerfully.

The common people might not know how to read, but they knew what was beneficial.

If they could receive land, then whether Luo Sha was a green forest bandit or a demon, it meant nothing to them.

What was in hand was more real than anything else.

And these things, the Great Ming court would never divide among them.

"Worthless!"

"All of you are worthless!"

"In three months, half the world has fallen to the enemy—is the Great Ming's army made of idle eaters?"

"And all of you—aren't you usually full of words? Why are you all silent now? Do you really have no solution?"

Zhu Yijun's eyes were bloodshot as he stared down at the ministers, roaring, then sank onto the Dragon Throne, gasping for breath.

He was old!

But even a dead tiger retains its aura!

Especially since he was an aged Emperor—a being more terrifying than any tiger.

When he flew into a rage, those below dared not even breathe.

In truth, it was no wonder he was furious.

For this matter was simply absurd.

In ancient times, what could be accomplished in three months of military campaign?

In three months, you might not even capture a single city.

And yet?

More than half of the Jiangshan of the Great Ming was lost in three months!

Is there anything more absurd than this?

Zhu Yijun even suspected that the ministers had conspired en masse with the Luo Sha, surrendering the Jiangshan of the Great Ming.

Otherwise, even if a million pigs had been stationed to guard half the realm, it wouldn't have fallen so fast.

Suddenly, Zhu Yijun's gaze landed on one of the ministers.

The minister felt the gaze like a blade's edge, and helplessly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, according to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Luo Sha is a Wu Lingaoshou. Why not mobilize the Imperial Palace Guards and martial artists from the Wu Lin to assassinate him? Once the leader is gone, the rebels will collapse on their own."

"Do martial artists from the Wu Lin have this capability?" Zhu Yijun frowned.

Martial artists from the Wu Lin might be formidable in one-on-one combat, but they crumbled when facing regular troops.

As Emperor 3.9, he understood the realm well.

"Your Majesty, though Wu Lin warriors are unskilled in battlefield formations, they are unparalleled in assassination—worth a try."

"Agreed." Zhu Yijun nodded. "Issue my decree: mobilize the Imperial Palace Guards, Embroidered Uniform Guard elites, and martial artists from the Wu Lin to assassinate the Luo Sha. Whoever brings his head shall be rewarded with ten thousand gold and granted the title of Non-Imperial Prince."

"Yes."

"Your Majesty is wise."

The other ministers' expressions were strained as they hastily agreed, though inwardly sneered: "How ridiculous—can this possibly work?"

Can a few martial artists accomplish what a million troops could not?

None of the ministers believed this could succeed.

Zhu Yijun knew it too!

But now the realm was reduced to half—better to gamble than do nothing.

If it succeeded, all the better.