The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 4 Bonfire and Fox Cry
The cook read the words aloud with trembling hands, and the soldiers immediately erupted in a commotion.

"What's going on? We're just collecting our rations, why are they killing us?"

"Soldiers are entitled to food, that's only right! We just want to eat our fill before we go to war, what's wrong with that?!"

The cook's face turned pale, unsure of what to do, and he could only look to Jiang Han for help. After all, he was the one who brought back this basket of fish.

Jiang Han was putting on a full-on acting performance at this moment. He first pretended to be shocked as he looked at the words on the cloth, then acted as if he suddenly understood and explained:

"Brothers, I remember now! This kind of thing seems to have happened in our Ming Dynasty a long time ago!"

"Does anyone know Qi Wuyi or Qi Jiguang, the famous generals who fought against the Japanese pirates?"

The soldiers looked at Jiang Han, all pricked up their ears, and listened intently.

Jiang Han continued to explain:

"After General Qi passed away, his troops rioted over unpaid wages, and were tricked into going to the drill ground by the then General of Jizhou, where they were all killed!"

He paused, his expression grave, and pointed to the blood-stained cloth:

"The book hidden in the fish's belly is clearly a warning from heaven, reminding us that the old story is about to repeat itself!"

Upon hearing Jiang Han's words, the soldiers' expressions changed drastically, and they began to pac around the camp restlessly.

Some people gripped their weapons tightly, while others cursed loudly. Anger and panic spread rapidly throughout the camp.

While everyone was in fear, Dong Erzhu, who was hiding in the shadows, secretly sprinkled the borax he had bought into the fire.

As the borax heated up and burned, a flame suddenly shot up, and the bright green light instantly illuminated the surroundings, creating an eerie scene.

Seeing that the time was right, Hei Zi, hiding in the tree, immediately began to imitate a fox's cry in a high-pitched voice:

"Upon reaching the training ground, they shall be annihilated!"

In an instant, a sharp sound echoed in the air, soaring straight into the sky.

Upon seeing this strange phenomenon, the soldiers were so frightened that they retreated in droves, huddling together in groups, and even unconsciously throwing their weapons aside.

Some were so frightened that they kowtowed repeatedly to the fire, shouting as they did so:

"The spirits have appeared! The spirits have appeared!"

Jiang Han reached out and gestured for the panicked soldiers to calm down, then shouted loudly:

"Brothers, isn't this Jizhou our destination for this mission to defend the emperor?"

"Think about it, maybe these are the wronged spirits of Qi Jiguang's army from back then, who don't want the old story to repeat itself, so they specially appeared to remind us!"

He then pointed to the green flames beside him, his tone very certain:
"Look at this firelight, it's a chilling green, clearly will-o'-the-wisps from the underworld! In my opinion, this is a warning from the spirits of the dead!"

After this series of actions, the soldiers in the camp were completely convinced. The fear on their faces deepened, and they nodded one after another, muttering:
"The spirits are warning us; tomorrow will surely be fraught with danger! What should we do?!"

The soldiers looked at each other, their eyes meeting, their expressions filled with confusion and fear.

A desperate silence spread through the camp, and the air seemed to grow heavy, making it difficult for everyone to breathe.

In this tense moment, many people turned their attention to Jiang Han, who was standing by the fire.

Jiang Xiaoqi is very knowledgeable and can even interpret warnings from ghosts and gods, which makes everyone trust him more.

"Jiang Xiaoqi, what should we do now? You have to help us make a decision!" someone asked, mustering their courage.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Jiang Han seized the opportunity to climb onto the vehicle frame and shouted to the crowd:

"Brothers! The imperial court isn't paying our wages, and General Wu is even embezzling our rations! Aren't we being forced to fight the Tartars on empty stomachs?!" He surveyed his surroundings, his eyes sharp, sweeping over the anxious faces, his tone growing increasingly fierce:
"We toil and risk our lives, all for a full meal and a few coins!"

"As the saying goes, even an emperor doesn't starve his soldiers. If Wu Zimian doesn't provide rations and pay, what kind of king are we supposed to be?!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers echoed their agreement, and cheers rose and fell.

Seeing this, Jiang Han pressed his advantage, saying:

"We're just begging for food, and this guy surnamed Wu actually wants to slaughter us all!"

"If it weren't for the warning from the spirits, we would probably all be dead by his blade tomorrow!"

His gaze, sharp as a torch, swept over the soldiers present:

"Brothers, there's an old saying that goes, 'It's better to rise up and take advantage than to sit and wait for death!'"

"Today I'll see whether Wu's murderous schemes are more ruthless, or whether our border brothers' goose-feather blades are faster!"

Now that things had come to this, Jiang Han no longer bothered to hide anything. He stood on the vehicle frame, raised his arms, and shouted:
"Brothers, follow me to the central camp to demand supplies and pay! Kill that Wu dog! Go home!"

The soldiers were filled with fervor, raising their weapons and roaring in unison:

"Demand grain and pay! Kill Wu the dog! Go back to our hometown!"

At Jiang Han's command, the soldiers immediately sprang into action, returning to their respective tents, grabbing their weapons, donning their armor, and preparing to launch their uprising.

In an instant, the entire rear camp was filled with the clanging and clashing of metal—armor clashing, swords and spears clashing—the sounds were crisp and loud, and the camp was instantly filled with a chilling atmosphere.

Seeing this, the armored soldiers who were scattered in the corners could only stare helplessly, not daring to make any rash moves.

Firstly, the scene they had just witnessed and Jiang Han's "ghostly warning" were truly bizarre, making them quite uneasy.
Secondly, the soldiers are currently in a state of high morale, and if they go out to stop them, they may be slaughtered as a sacrifice to the flag.

At Jiang Han's signal, they all threw away their weapons and removed their armor.

They sat respectfully around the bonfire that had been glowing green, not daring to make a fuss.

Seeing this, Jiang Han raised the corners of his mouth slightly, whistled, and called Hei Zi and Dong Erzhu back to the team from the shadows.

"Quickly! Follow me, don your armor, and charge into battle!"

He whispered to the two of them, then walked straight to the side, picked up a set of lamellar armor from the ground, and neatly put it on.

The glint of cold light gave him an air of authority and ruthlessness.

Although he still had a leg injury, Jiang Han knew very well that the die was cast and the arrow had to be released.

Right now, the most important thing is prestige and popular support; we can't let someone else gain it for nothing.

Although there might be a risk of being purged afterward, he knew in his heart that the Ming Dynasty only had a few more years to live.

The court will then focus its efforts on the various rebel armies and the Tartars outside the Great Wall, and will have no time to care about his small banner.
If things go wrong, I can simply take these several thousand border troops from Yansui Town and go directly to the rebel leader.

With this thought in mind, Jiang Han felt a surge of determination, and his eyes grew even sharper.

Jiang Han raised his goose-feather saber and shouted to the soldiers who had gathered behind him:

"Brothers, follow me!"

"Demand grain and pay! Kill Wu the dog! Go back to our hometown!"

At a command, more than two thousand soldiers in the rear camp, all fully armed, marched in a mighty procession straight toward the central army camp.

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(End of this chapter)