Chapter 85

Chapter 85

The conscription notice left all the ordinary people dumbfounded.

Never mind the commotion in the county town, the bailiffs rode out to the countryside, first notifying several large towns near the county seat. Lukou Town, separated from Shilin Town by a mountain, was among them.

By the time the news reached Shilin Town, Zhao Sandi and the others had only been gone for half an hour.

The news struck like a thunderbolt, stirring up waves of shock. The imperial court's conscription order had been issued without warning, sweeping through each county like a storm. Simultaneously, bailiffs, soldiers, and newly recruited militiamen from the prefectural city poured into the countryside in batches. The more reasonable ones checked household registers to count people; the unreasonable ones simply snatched anyone they saw who seemed to meet the age, height, appearance, and strength requirements. They didn't care if they had the wrong man or if multiple men from the same household were taken—they were all hauled away.

The soldiers were different from the bailiffs. They were men who had fought and killed refugees, radiating menace. They were callous and hard-hearted, utterly unmoved by the wailing and pleading of the women and the old grannies—cries that they had grabbed the wrong person, that my boy's too young and doesn't meet the conscription requirements, that he was just tall and sturdy like his late grandfather, that he's the only son left in the family and can't be taken, that the grandson is still young and can't be left without a father, begging the soldiers to show mercy...

They turned a deaf ear, taking whoever they wanted. Anyone who dared to protest or get in their way was met with drawn blades and threats.

Even if there were only three or five of them, the large sabers at their waists and the armor they wore were enough to terrify the simple, law-abiding villagers. When had they ever seen such important figures? Bailiffs couldn't wear armor—that was reserved for soldiers going to the battlefield. These were a bunch of ruthless, murderous fiends!

Even the most shrewish old women didn't dare act up in front of them, fearing they might truly kill.

They could only lie on the ground, blocking the way and wailing: "You can't take my son!! He's my only son!!"

"Anyone who dares defy the Emperor's decree will be executed on the spot." The soldiers pulled out their blades with cold expressions. Before they could take any further action, the old woman was so frightened she scrambled out of the way, rolling and crawling.

Such scenes played out in villages large and small across Qingzhou Prefecture.

Tongjiang Town was no exception.

When the news reached the Village Head's ears, he was stunned, unable to collect himself. He, as the village head, was always the first to hear any news from the county. But this time, he wished he didn't know!

Conscription! Why was there suddenly conscription?!

This wasn't the annual corvée labor, but actual conscription. The document stated it very clearly. The general meaning was that Qingzhou Prefecture was currently suffering from raids by refugee bandits, with countless commoners killed or injured. The number of refugees was so vast that the soldiers stationed in the prefectural city alone couldn't handle it. Therefore, the court was specially issuing this conscription order, hoping the people of Qingzhou Prefecture would unite to drive out the refugees. Those who enlisted would receive the same treatment as border garrison soldiers. In the future, when merits were rewarded, there was even the possibility of raising one's family's standing.

The document was even more blunt, as if afraid the common folk wouldn't understand. It directly stated this wasn't a bad thing—don't think about hiding or running away. Just obediently enlist and become a soldier. It's not like you're really being sent to the front lines with real swords and spears to kill refugees; you're just driving them away. If you have great skill and actually kill refugees, then when merits are rewarded later, peasants can step off the muddy fields, butchers, masons, carpenters—no matter what you did before—can put on official robes, receive silver and rice from the court, not only changing your family's fortunes but even making general.

In the past, when the court conscripted soldiers, they had to go far to the border. Once gone, you might not even know when your parents died, your wife gave birth, or your child grew up. This time is different; you're serving right at your doorstep. When you're not on duty, you can even go home to reunite with your family...

In short, there were many benefits and not a single drawback.

The Village Head clutched the document, his entire body trembling like a sieve. Was he some ignorant fool? This document had undoubtedly been doctored by the officials to deceive the ignorant masses. Clearly, anyone with eyes could see what a sham this conscription was. Was their Daxing Dynasty about to collapse, that they had started conscripting militiamen?!

Drive them away, drive them away—sounds nice. If you don't go kill the refugees, won't the refugees come to kill you? When refugees raise their butcher knives at you, can you just stand there and take the chop?!

As for changing your family's status and becoming a general—such words could only fool a three-year-old child. Who didn't know that among the thousands upon thousands of border soldiers, how many could actually become generals? More often, they had long turned into a handful of yellow earth, their bones buried who knows where. The wind carrying their longing couldn't even blow back to their hometowns—it was too far!

The Village Head's face was pale. Especially since this time, money couldn't be used to substitute for service. What about his two sons? Who would go? He couldn't go himself; he was too old, already past the conscription age. Even if he weren't, they wouldn't take him. His three grandsons: the eldest had just reached the age, the second was two years short, and the youngest was even further from it, still wet behind the ears. The eldest grandson, the younger son—he couldn't bear to part with either... And his eldest son. The eldest had to uphold the family. After he and his wife passed away, the family would rely entirely on the eldest son.

What to do, what to do, what to do...

Just as he was at a complete loss, a group of government soldiers quietly descended on the countryside—about forty or fifty men, split into several groups.

Over a dozen soldiers headed for Taoli Village. Leading the way was a bailiff from the county yamen—the official who came down to the villages every autumn to urge each township to deliver their grain tax to the town. One official was responsible for one area, familiar with the routes and the people. In the past, having connections in the county made things easier. Now, having connections in the county meant, relying on familiarity, they first blocked all the roads leading out of the village and into the mountains.

"Village Head, Village Head! Official Liu has brought many soldiers here!" A villager stumbled to the Village Head's house, banging on the door.

The Village Head's heart sank with a *thud*, and cold sweat instantly covered his forehead. He hadn't expected them to come so fast. He had just received the news, and now the soldiers were here to grab people!

He hastily stuffed the papers in his hand into his robe and hurriedly straightened his clothes. The man outside had a loud voice, and his shouts were heard by the whole family. The Village Head's two sons, three grandsons, his wife, and daughters-in-law all came running out from the kitchen and rooms, each one panicked, not knowing what was happening.

"What's wrong? Grabbing people? Did someone in the village report to the authorities? Or did something happen in another village?" The Village Head's wife fired off a string of questions. For some reason, her heart suddenly felt terribly uneasy, as if something major was about to happen.

"I don't know! Liu Zi and the others were swimming in the river outside the village. From afar, they saw a group of officials with big sabers heading toward our village. The children were scared out of their wits! They ran back to report without even putting their clothes on!" The man had barely finished speaking when a commotion arose at the village entrance. Faintly, they could see two people quickly heading toward the back of the village.

Just as he was wondering what was going on, he saw Official Liu, who was familiar with their Village Head, bowing and scraping to a soldier wearing armor. "This is Taoli Village. The Village Head lives here."

With that, he looked at the man standing at the Village Head's doorway and snapped, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and call your Village Head out! The soldier before me has come from the prefectural city. How dare you show such disrespect?!"

The man looked at the imposing fellow with the large saber at his waist. Hearing he was a soldier from the prefectural city, his legs immediately turned to jelly, and he knelt straight down on the ground. "S-soldier?"

Just as he was about to prostrate himself and kowtow, the door behind him opened.

The Village Head came scurrying out, bowing and cupping his hands. His knees were weak, and he was about to kneel when the soldier shot a dissatisfied glance at Bailiff Liu and waved to the soldiers behind him. "Guard the village entrance and the back of the village. From this moment on, no one is allowed to leave the village!"

With that, he completely ignored the Village Head and instead looked at the cowering villagers gathered around. It was the agricultural slack season, so most of the villagers were present. Ignoring the panic on their faces, he pulled out a notice from his robe and, looking at the crowd, read word by word: "Refugee bandits are wreaking havoc in Qingzhou Prefecture, committing every atrocity—burning, killing, looting. Currently, the northern border is facing intense warfare, the southern border is frequently invaded by foreign enemies, and neighboring prefectures are also experiencing small-scale internal unrest, making it impossible to dispatch troops for support. The court has previously issued a conscription edict. Within Qingzhou Prefecture, all male laborers aged fourteen to forty-five, one from each household, must perform military service. Substitution with silver is not permitted."

"Anyone who resists may be executed on the spot!"

After reading, he held the document up to the Village Head, letting him see the official seal on it. The Village Head tremblingly lifted his eyelids for a glance, then quickly lowered his head in fright.

"Well? Is it forged?" the soldier asked sternly.

Under the villagers' bewildered and somewhat terrified gazes, the Village Head shook his head. "N-no, it's not."

The soldier nodded, then put away the document. He looked at two men who had come to their senses and were about to turn and run, and with a cold expression, waved his hand. "Seize them!"

The soldiers behind him immediately pounced, pinning the two men down. The captured men struggled frantically, about to resist with their lives, when sharp blades were pressed against their necks.

"Let me go! Let me go! I won't be a soldier! I don't want to be a soldier!!"

"Ah—" The other pinned man let out a hoarse, roaring scream. He even ignored the blood flowing from his neck, his body writhing wildly, yet he couldn't break free an inch. A soldier kicked him hard in the back of the knee, and he fell to the ground, his face pressed hard against the dirt, features contorted.

That scream brought everyone back to their senses. The crowd immediately erupted into chaos. The man who had first gone to knock on the Village Head's door, taking advantage of the distraction, scrambled up and ran toward the back hill.

His flight was like poking a hornet's nest. Others started running too—some toward their homes, some toward the back hill, some so panicked they stumbled and fell, not even recognizing the way, just blindly following those in front. The scene descended into utter chaos.

As the men ran, the soldiers gave chase. Meanwhile, the women and old ladies threw themselves forward to block the way, wailing and crying, trying to buy time for their husbands and sons to escape. Several naked children were already scared stiff, watching their mothers being pushed to the ground, their fathers and brothers fleeing madly. Chaos, wailing, the sharp sound of blades being drawn—it all pierced the eardrums...

"Er Yang, run! Run fast! Don't look back!!"

"Why conscription? Why does my son have to be a soldier?! Why?! Isn't killing refugees something you officials are supposed to do?! We just paid our grain tax, so much grain! Why do you still have to drag my son off to kill refugees?!"

"Ahhhhh, you can't take my husband!! I'll fight you to the death!!"

"Damned bastards, you bunch of damned bastards! Don't grab my grandson!!"

The Village Head watched the village instantly turn into a chaotic mess and collapsed to the ground. After returning from Wanxia Village, they had dug cellars in the village, thinking that if refugees came, those who couldn't run could hide in the cellars. They absolutely couldn't end up like the villagers of Wanxia Village, killed and thrown into the latrine pits.

The cellar locations were hidden; no one from outside their village could possibly find the entrances. But now, everyone was scared out of their wits, all running toward the cellars, not caring that so many people were behind them! His head spun, and all he could think was: It's over. It's all over now.

I'm afraid even those who hid in advance are going to be rounded up in one fell swoop!

"Village Head?" The soldier suddenly looked at him.

"Here! This old man is here!" The Village Head jumped in fright, almost prostrating himself on the ground.

"This is an order from the court. I hope the Village Head will cooperate." The soldier withdrew his gaze and looked at him. "Regarding the situation in the surrounding villages, I hope the Village Head will not conceal anything and inform this general fully. We also have our tasks. If the number of conscripts falls short, we'll have to make up the difference from elsewhere."

Seeing the Village Head remain silent, he looked toward the door behind him, implying meaningfully, "Are these your two sons? They look like good material for soldiers..."

"There are six villages, large and small, around Taoli Village: Hekou Village, Dongtou Village, Liziba, Yujiawan... Wanxia Village."

When he mentioned Sunset Village, his voice hitched.

The soldier noticed his odd expression and, out of the corner of his eye, saw an old woman raising a hoe to strike a soldier from behind. His eyes sharpened as he swiftly stepped forward, kicked her to the ground, and pressed his blade against her throat, roaring, "Dare to attack a soldier? How many lives do you think you have?!"

Amid the Village Head's horrified cries, he abruptly withdrew his blade and kicked the old woman away.

"Round them up! Not a single one gets away! Water vats, firewood piles, under beds, inside cabinets, pigsties, cellars... search everywhere!" He'd meant to talk it out with them, but since they didn't know what was good for them, they would all be taken away!

The soldiers showed no further mercy, shoving and kicking aside the women and old ladies who tried to block them. Drawing their swords, they began searching from the first household at the village entrance. They kicked the doors in, ignoring the women's curses and the children's wails, and first smashed the water vats in the courtyards, sending shards and water flying. Finding no one hidden inside, they hurriedly overturned the firewood piles under the eaves. The woman's curses died in her throat, but before she could lunge forward, a soldier grabbed a man trembling in the pine needles and leaves, shoving and kicking him over to his comrades.

Ignoring the woman's protests, the soldier searched the kitchen and pigsty, then moved to the main hall, master bedroom, and side rooms, finally dragging out a boy of twelve or thirteen from under a bed in a side room.

"No! You've taken my husband, you can't take my son too!" The woman lunged forward like a madwoman. "You promised one man per household! Let my husband go to war, take him! Let go of my son, don't touch him!"

"Mom, Mom..." The boy was trembling like a quail, only able to call for his mother.

But the soldier paid her no mind, dragging the boy away and ignoring her pleas and sobs. After tossing the boy into the group of captives, the soldier turned and headed to the next household.

The same thing was happening in Falling Stone Village.

As soon as the soldiers entered the village, Brother Sun, who was bundling firewood halfway up the mountain, spotted them. He and his two sons hadn't been eating or sleeping right lately, constantly keeping an eye on the foot of the mountain. When two soldiers appeared at the base, one after another, he knew they were in trouble.

He immediately took off running into the mountains.

In their village, the same scenario as in Peach Plum Village played out, with the soldiers even more brutal. Those caught trying to escape were beaten first, and after a few examples, the others dared only to hide.

Smash water vats, burn firewood piles, stab under beds, search cellars...

The village descended into chaos—smoke, flames, screams, and wails. People scrambled like panicked ants, fleeing in all directions. Some jumped into the river, thrashing wildly as they swam toward the opposite bank. Others burrowed into mud pits, coating themselves in sludge before lying motionless, trying to fool the soldiers. Some even took up axes to chop at their own arms, figuring the disabled wouldn't be drafted. But most fled into the mountains—some were caught, others escaped by luck. The air was thick with panic and despair.

Everyone was terrified by this sudden, unexpected conscription. Escaping was fate; being caught... was also fate.

Meanwhile, in Peach Plum Village.

The Village Head led seven or eight officials to the next village, East End Village, on trembling legs. Before leaving, he couldn't help but glance back at the line of men and boys bound with hemp ropes. The women and old ladies had screamed themselves hoarse, hurling themselves recklessly at the soldiers, undeterred even when kicked down, rising again to charge like madwomen. His old eyes filled with despair.

Especially when he met his second son's pleading gaze, he instinctively turned away, unable to bear it. Someone... someone had to go to war.

"You said Sunset Village was raided by refugees, with all the men dead or in hiding, leaving only the elderly, weak, women, and children," the lead soldier suddenly spoke, his sharp eyes fixed on the Village Head. "Dozens of bodies burned beyond recognition, thrown into latrines to rot and stink? Are you certain?"

"The villagers helped carry them into the mountains together. It's absolutely true. If you don't believe me, Soldier, just ask anyone," the Village Head replied, bowing and scraping with an ingratiating smile. The soldier's strides were three times his own, forcing him to jog to keep up, making a pitiful figure.

"Where is Sunset Village?"

"In that direction—the most remote of the villages. With my old legs, it'd take over an hour on foot," the Village Head pointed, not daring to meet the soldier's eyes. "Would you like to see for yourself? I can lead the way."

The soldier gave him a smirk but said nothing, simply taking another step forward.