Chapter 168: It's understandable, but not accepted (Bonus chapter for Silver Alliance leader Nuan Yang 1314)

If it were another transmigrator, they might sympathize with Kong Youde for a while.

You say your whole family was harmed by the Tartars, yet the Great Ming forced you to surrender to the Tartars.

You were humiliated at Wu Bridge, and circumstances forced you to rebel.

Otherwise, some might feel Kong Youde was pitiable and his actions understandable.

'He didn't want to~ He was forced~~'

Even taking him under his command, adding one more famous historical figure to his collection.

But none of that holds water with Lin Dao.

Lin Dao only looks at what you have done.

Kong Youde rebelled in Deng Lai, bringing calamity to hundreds of thousands of locals.

Slaughtering old and young, driving men to fill moats as cannon fodder, abducting women to rape, even putting them up for sale.

His beastly conduct was no less than the Tartars'.

A light phrase of 'pitiable circumstances, understandable actions'~

Were the hundreds of thousands of wronged souls in Deng Lai, those women sold like livestock, really deserving of it?

Who will pity them?

The weak's crying is ignored by all, and often overlooked.

Just as history books lightly record 'Great drought, cannibalism~'

A few light words, all blood and tears!

The dead, the wronged, no one speaks for them.

Kong Youde said his luck was bad, and that was true.

But he ran into the serious Lin Dao.

Lin Dao speaks for the hundreds of thousands of wronged souls of Deng Lai!

Glancing at Kong Youde lying in the blood, Lin Dao instructed the bodyguards holding Kong Youde, 'Ride fast to Deng Lai, hand him over to the locals to deal with.'

'Ride fast, before he rots, take him for sacrifice.'

Stepping forward two steps, Lin Dao looked down at the boy kneeling in the mud, 'Who are you?'

The man gritted his teeth and lifted his head, red eyes staring fixedly at Lin Dao, 'Grandfather Feiya Ta!'

'My father is Dolo Beile Degelai!'

The boy's voice was sharp, 'You damn Nikan~ I will~'

'Bang!'

The cursing stopped abruptly.

'Young people have good bodies, fall asleep as soon as they lie down.'

Lin Dao instructed, 'Chop him up, throw him in the river to feed the fish.'

Shandong suffered great drought followed by flood, even Huang Ear would be hard to find, better not harm them.

Walking forward, he came before the next person sporting a money rat tail.

'And who are you?'

This man was held by two bodyguards, still struggling without rest.

He lifted his head to look at Lin Dao, twitched his prominent ears, eyes full of ferocity, 'Grandfather Great Qing Yu Prince Duoduo!'

Friends who kill often know that killing many brings killing intent, despising all living things in the world.

His ferocious and cruel aura was indeed terrifying.

Timid people dare not even meet his gaze.

Duoduo was just like that.

Looking at the mastermind of the Yangzhou Ten Days before him, Lin Dao felt no fear, but laughed out loud.

He held his Beretta, tapping Duoduo's head full of water stains and stubble.

'You actually didn't die on the battlefield?'

When cleaning the battlefield before, they had found corpses of Tartar bigwigs including Jirhalang, Mandahai, Ajige, Geng Zhongming, Adali, Shoto, Shang Kexi, Yue Le, etc.

The high ranks were basically swept clean, only Hao Ge, Duoduo, Dorgon, etc. were missing.

Hao Ge had merged with the dead tree and the earth, impossible to find.

Duoduo, however, was fleeing when blocked by a river; while crossing on a small boat commandeered, the boatman took him into the river and nearly drowned him.

Afterwards the boatman handed him over to the pursuing righteous army.

'Reward that boatman ten thousand taels of silver~ Wait.'

Giving a large sum of silver directly might harm that boatman.

'Like this.' Lin Dao thought, 'After retaking Linqingzhou, find him a large residence in the city, and find a shop for him.'

'Give him a good boat, find a ferry crossing to contract to him for the ferry business.'

'Ask if he has a son; if under eighteen, can recruit him into the Guard Camp.'

Compared to giving silver directly, giving them livelihood security and a future is better.

Lin Dao blinked, meeting Duoduo's gaze, 'Among the Red Barbarian Great Cannons found cleaning the battlefield, are any still usable?'

'The Gongjiang Ying says two can be repaired and used, just not as good as before.'

'Usable is fine.' Lin Dao pointed at Duoduo, 'Send this Tartar to the Gongjiang Ying.'

'Have the craftsmen repair a Red Barbarian Great Cannon, tie him to the cannon muzzle.'

'Cannon fire!'

The bodyguards dragged Duoduo, dragging him through mud and water all the way to the Gongjiang Ying.

Lin Dao, holding his Beretta, advanced once more toward the next Tartar.

"Who are you?"

Along the way he had dealt with dozens of captured Tartar army officers and meritorious nobles.

Lin Dao finally circled around and came before Fan Wencheng and the others.

"Who is Fan Wencheng?"

The named Fan Wencheng suddenly trembled.

He shakily raised his head, his voice choked with sobs: "Commander, I was forced into it~~~"

"If I didn't work for the Tartars, I'd have to die~~~"

"Hmm, understandable." Lin Dao nodded empathetically, "But not acceptable."

'Bang!'

Lin Dao shot Fan Wencheng in the leg, blood spurting instantly.

Fan Wencheng shrieked miserably, trembling like a sieve.

"You truly disgrace Fan Zhong Yan."

Indeed, Fan Wencheng was a descendant of Fan Zhong Yan, his ancestors having served as officials generation after generation in the Great Ming.

Gazing at the handsome Fan Wencheng, Lin Dao fired again, hitting his other leg.

Fresh blood gushed out continuously, mixing with mud to dye a patch red.

The scorching muzzle was pressed against Fan Wencheng's bald head.

'Sizzle~~~'

The muzzle's heat scorched his scalp; Fan Wencheng's snot, tears, excrement, and urine all flowed together, his ugly state fully exposed.

Lin Dao retreated in disgust.

He had wanted to ask him whether, during the Guanning Battle, it was he who contacted Sun Degong's defection.

Given the current situation, better forget it.

"Drag him away." Lin Dao instructed, "Bandage his wounds, don't let him die like this."

Originally in agony, Fan Wencheng, upon hearing this, stopped trembling, and even his wound seemed not to hurt so much.

His eyes, full of hope, looked toward Lin Dao.

'The Commander is sparing me, wants to reuse me?'

In the midst of his beautiful fantasy, he heard Lin Dao instruct the bodyguards: "Ride fast horses to nearby cities, market towns, and villages to buy some Huang Ear back."

"The more the better, and those who have been starving for ages and want to eat meat are even better."

"After buying them back." Lin Dao reached out and pointed at Fan Wencheng, "Throw them into the dog pack, dog fight!"

Fan Wencheng was dragged away, the blood on his legs staining a path behind him.

Lin Dao stepped up to the next person: "Who are you?"

This man trembled all over, his teeth chattering.

From excessive terror, he was unable to speak.

"A Bordered Yellow Banner man." A bodyguard reported, "According to a captive's identification, Third-class Mobei Zhangying Sun Youguang."

"His father is Sun Degong."

"Oh~~~" Lin Dao showed a look of realization, "Sun Degong's son."

Sun Degong, a Guerrilla General of the Guanning Garrison.

Back in the Guanning Battle, Sun Degong surrendered to the old slave, causing the Ming Army's great defeat.

Tens of thousands of Ming Army troops were totally annihilated, and hundreds of thousands of Guanning subjects were either killed, reduced to Tartar slaves and servants, or died on the road of the great retreat.

All stemming from Sun Degong's surrender.

"You Third-class Mobei Zhangying." Lin Dao raised his gun and pulled the trigger at Sun Youguang's leg, "How many people's blood have you stained?"

'Click!'

The magazine was empty.

Lin Dao took out a third spare magazine and reloaded again.

During this process, Sun Youguang remained in a state of extreme terror throughout.

When Lin Dao pointed at his thigh again, Sun Youguang suddenly stiffened and convulsed, then fell straight into the mud after a moment.

"Commander." A bodyguard stepped forward to check and report, "Scared to death."

"Can really scare someone to death?"

Lin Dao shook his head, "Drag him out, chop him up, throw him in the river to feed the fish."

Sun Degong died ten years ago.

His second son Sun Sike had already died in battle when Lin Dao wiped out Abatai earlier.

Now Sun Youguang being scared to death counts as the line completely ending.

But thinking back to the great Guanning retreat, how many died on the road, how many were captured by Tartars as slaves and servants—those alive now are probably not one in ten.

These wronged souls, I imagine, have never left the side of the Sun family.

Now, they can rest in peace.

Lin Dao walked toward the next person: "Who are you?"

"Bao Chengxian."

Bao Chengxian, whose Wujin Shouwei had already turned white, trembled as he begged, "Death is death, I only beg the Commander not to humiliate me."

"Heh~"

Lin Dao was also amused.

"Bang!"

"How many people in the Northern Lands have died miserably at your hands?"

"Bang! Bang!"

"Now it's your turn, and you want to die with dignity?"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"When you slaughtered and massacred others, did you ever think of giving them dignity?"

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"You've lost all face, and yet you want dignity!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"Click!" The bullets were spent again.

Lin Dao, swapping magazines, looked at Bao Chengxian, riddled with bullet holes and fallen in the mud, frowned and spat, "Fooled, I let him die too easily."

"Old bandit! Truly cunning."

Lin Dao, holding his Beretta, pointed at the next one, "Who are you?"

This man struggled desperately and shouted loudly, "Dog bandit! If you have the guts, kill me!"

"The same trick, don't use it a second time."

Lin Dao waved his hand and instructed the bodyguards pressing him down, "Don't mind him anymore, drag him out and wait for Huang Ear to return, Dog Decision."

As he was being dragged away, this man shouted desperately, "I am who I am, sit without changing my surname, I am Yang Fangxing of Guangning~ Ah?!"

The bodyguards punched him several times in the mouth, and he finally quieted down.

The dozens previously pressed down here were either dragged away or disposed of.

At this time, only Ning Wanwo remained, his head still buried in the mud.

Coming before him, Lin Dao looked down at the Wujin Shouwei on the back of his head, "Tell me, who exactly are you?"

"I am a border subject of Liaoyang, my name is Ning Wanwo~"

"You really can talk nonsense." Lin Dao sneered, "The history books say you are versed in literature and history, and have the insight to judge people."

"All sorts of suggestions and strategies were substantive, cutting to the ills of the times, and even said Zu Dashou's surrender was fake, and Lin Dan Khan would flee."

Lin Dao half-squatted and asked, "A border subject, how could he understand these?"

"Tell me, who exactly are you?"

Ning Wanwo finally raised his head.

On his mud-covered face, a monstrous smile appeared.

"Ptooey!"

A mouthful of turbid saliva was spat toward Lin Dao.

Sidestepping to dodge, Lin Dao stood up and looked at Ning Wanwo being pressed into the mud by the bodyguards.

He shook his head slightly, "Forget it, curiosity doesn't need to be that heavy."

"Send him to Dog Decision!"

End of Chapter