Chapter 771: No Need for Honors
The crack of flintlocks instantly shattered the rebel lines.
The Henan rebels had only joined the main rebel army less than a year prior; they were utterly green, with pitifully low fighting capabilities and abysmal morale. If not for the old, seasoned rebels like the Rebel King and the Dashing General, they would still be fleeing at the mere sight of imperial troops.
In the early years of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, a few hundred imperial soldiers dared to chase tens of thousands of rebels, and that principle still applied to these current Henan forces.
Yi Dou Gu and Wa Guanzi only heard a rapid "bang, bang, bang" from the flintlocks ahead before the rebel soldiers utterly collapsed. Cries of panic echoed through the army as they frantically retreated to the rear.
The front lines pushed into the back, and the contagion of panic spread like dominoes. In a chaotic rush, every single rebel soldier instantly shifted from advancing to retreating.
Yi Dou Gu hadn't even had time to curse "Damn it!" before the fleeing rebels surged forward, forcing him to retreat as well, lest he be trampled by his own men.
Wa Guanzi, employing his nimble footwork, ran incredibly fast, cursing as he went: "Damn it, so flintlocks are really that powerful?"
Yi Dou Gu, using equally swift steps, kept pace beside him: "Bloody hell, I never imagined flintlocks could be this effective. No wonder the Dashing General heard the flintlock troops were coming and immediately bolted south. And here we were, foolishly staying behind to be targets."
The two men sprinted south as if flying, a massive crowd of Henan rebels following close behind them...
Not every one of these rebels was a hardened outlaw. Many were just ordinary Henan commoners, driven to desperation by the twin disasters of floods and droughts, coerced into joining the rebel army simply to survive.
Their will to fight was low. They had hidden at the back during the charge, so they hadn't suffered much from the flintlock fire. Now, in their flight, they couldn't run very fast either, as they weren't eating the same quality of food as the "main rebel forces." They simply lacked the stamina to sprint.
Li Daoxuan swiftly switched his co-sensing back to the ground and ordered: "Pursue them. Capture all the slow-running rebels alive. Don't let them rejoin the main rebel forces."
Padi Tu and Zheng Gouzi immediately understood: the Heavenly Lord wanted more labor reform prisoners!
Good. Gao Family Village could never have too few labor reformees, only too many.
"Chase them!" Zheng Gouzi roared with laughter. "Time to round up some able-bodied men!"
Padi Tu interjected: "Hey, Gouzi! The way you say that makes us sound like bad guys."
Zheng Gouzi asked: "Then how should I say it?"
Padi Tu stammered: "Capture... damn it, I'm not eloquent enough to phrase it right. Brothers, let's go! Let's free them from their sea of suffering!"
Two thousand Gao Family Village Militia members surged forward in pursuit.
Seeing this, Luo Xi naturally had to follow, leading his one hundred and fifty personal guards with an enthusiastic cheer.
Their pursuit sent the Henan rebels into a fresh wave of panic, those lagging behind crying out in terror. They had just witnessed with their own eyes how these strange flintlock soldiers, with a single volley, could make rebel troops fall like swathes of wheat.
It was utterly terrifying!
Now, these terrifying people were giving chase. What were they to do?
An old woman, unable to keep up, stumbled and fell.
Her son immediately rushed to help her, but trying to flee with an elder made them slow. As the pursuers drew closer, the son brandished a woodcutting knife behind his mother and roared, "You sons of bitches, I'll fight you to the death!"
With a flash, Padi Tu leaped in front of him.
The son swung his knife at Padi Tu, but his martial arts were crude, and hunger had made his strike soft. Padi Tu kicked his wrist, sending the knife flying from his hand.
Knowing death was inevitable, the son turned and embraced his old mother, both burying their heads and waiting for the end.
But then they heard Padi Tu's voice: "Hands on your heads, squat by the roadside, and don't move. We won't kill you!"
"Huh?" The mother and son looked up, utterly bewildered.
Imperial soldiers earned great merit by bringing back the ears of rebels. This man wasn't going to kill them? He didn't want the military honors?
Just then, the two thousand militia soldiers collectively bellowed: "Rebels ahead! You're running too slow! You're already within flintlock range! We command you to immediately put your hands on your heads, squat by the roadside, and surrender. Otherwise, we'll be shooting you in the back!"
At this shout, the slower rebels were scared out of their wits. They glanced back and saw that, indeed, the imperial soldiers were quite close. At this distance, if the soldiers opened fire with their flintlocks, everyone would be shot in the back.
Many rebels, already exhausted, obediently squatted down, hands clasped over their heads.
In a rush, nearly ten thousand people squatted.
Only a few stubborn rebels continued to run forward.
Zheng Gouzi raised his rifle, aimed at a large tree not far in front of a fleeing man, and *bang*, a shot rang out. A small hole appeared in the tree, wood chips scattering. The man shuddered all over and finally clasped his hands over his head and squatted down.
Soon after, all the slow-moving rebels were rounded up.
Yi Dou Gu, Wa Guanzi, and the majority of the faster rebels, however, all continued their flight south.
Zheng Gouzi gazed into the distant south at the retreating figures they couldn't catch, and let out a long sigh: "There are too many, far too many. We're only two thousand strong; we can't capture so many rebels, even as prisoners."
Padi Tu replied: "The Heavenly Lord said the rebel problem isn't a military one; it's a social one. No matter how many battles you win, you can't cure it with just fighting. We'll take it slow!"
The two halted their pursuit...
Behind them, Li Daoxuan had just reassembled his two arms—after firing a few shots, several parts had shaken loose and needed replacement. He then reapplied the silicone outer layer, instantly restoring his handsome and dashing Squire Li appearance.
He stepped forward, surveying the nearly ten thousand Henan rebels squatting all over the ground before them.
Zheng Gouzi asked in a low voice: "Heavenly Lord, are all these people going back to Huanglong Mountain Prison?"
"Yes! That's the plan."
As the two spoke, Lian Guoshi caught up, looking utterly bewildered, yet also a little pleased.
He had previously stayed far behind, not daring to advance, and was astonished to see Yi Dou Gu and Wa Guanzi defeated so quickly. Watching from a distance, Lian Guoshi's mind struggled to comprehend it.
Now that the fighting was over, he hurried over to offer praise: "Oh, esteemed generals! You are truly formidable! So many rebels, yet you crushed them in an instant, sending them fleeing, and even captured such a vast number alive! A great achievement, a great achievement! I shall certainly write to the imperial court and request commendations for you."
At these words, Luo Xi jumped in fright: "No, no, please don't petition for honors. You'll get us dismissed!"
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