Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

The fat man's antics immediately confused the Chu soldiers.

The soldier couldn't help but ask, "Sir, you're so old, why are you making such a scene? Aren't you ashamed? Get up."

The fat man resolutely refused to get up: "I won't get up, please, sir, let me stay. If I leave Jiankang City, I'll be doomed. You can't be sending me into the fire, can you?"

"You are a member of the military camp, and your status in Wu Zhao Kingdom is higher than that of ordinary people. Are you worried about not being able to find a place to settle down after leaving here?"

"Sir, you don't understand. We Di people are also divided into different classes. Just having Di blood in your veins is useless!"

"Alright, get up now, stop fooling around."

Just as the soldiers were about to pull the grandfather and grandson away, another group of military camp family members knelt down in front of the city gate, numbering over a thousand.

Immediately, the entire platoon of soldiers guarding the city gate unloaded their rifles and went into high alert.

Upon seeing this, the platoon leader immediately took out his communication jade slip and reported the situation outside the city to Lü Meng.

Before long, Lü Meng arrived at the city gate with a company of guards at top speed.

Looking at the densely packed kneeling heads, Lü Meng asked with a grim face, "What exactly is going on?"

"Reporting to the commander, the families of these military officers are unwilling to leave Jiankang City. What should we do? Should we carry out forced eviction measures?"

Upon hearing this, Lü Meng walked up to the fat man who was still kowtowing with his two grandsons and said, "Get up first. What exactly happened?"

The fat man immediately stood up, looking aggrieved: "Sir, please, don't kick me out!"

Lü Meng: "That's strange. If we let you leave, wouldn't we no longer have to live in fear? Why are you unwilling now?"

The fat man kept shaking his head: "Sir, this matter can't be explained in a few words. If you drive us away, it will cost the three of us our lives."

Lu Meng frowned: "Explain it more clearly."

Just as the fat man was about to explain, he heard a mocking voice from behind him: "Tong Dekang, you really disgrace our Di people by kneeling and kowtowing to these barbarians. If His Majesty finds out, he'll skin you alive."

Tong Dekang turned and glanced at the Di man who had spoken, and said coldly, "Baidu, if you're going to die, don't drag me down with you. In any case, even if I die, I'll die here."

After saying that, ignoring the strange looks from the other Di people, he put on a pitiful expression and said to Lü Meng, "Sir, please, let me stay. If I leave, we're all doomed."

After saying this, he pulled his daughter-in-law in front of him and said, "Please have pity on us, a widow and her orphan."

Lu Meng immediately sensed something was amiss. After a moment of silence, he said, "Wait a moment, I'll go ask the commander."

Then he took out his communication jade tablet, walked to the side, and made a call to Shen Lang.

After a cup of tea, Lü Meng returned to Tong Dekang and said, "The commander said that staying or leaving is voluntary. Those who want to leave can leave, and those who don't want to leave can go home, but they must abide by the Chu army regulations."

"I won't leave, I'd rather die than leave. Thank you, sir, thank you, sir."

Without hesitation, Tong Dekang turned to his two daughters-in-law and shouted, "Juanzi, Xiuer, stop standing there and hurry up and pack your things. Let's go home."

Soon, the daughter-in-law and her companions, carrying several tattered bundles, fled into the city.

Upon hearing this, the other thousand or so people who were kneeling also immediately followed them into the city.

However, most of the military camp families still wanted to leave Jiankang and were unwilling to be controlled by the Chu army.

Fewer than two thousand people voluntarily stayed in Jiankang City, refusing to leave even if it meant death.

Baidu held these people in utter contempt, muttering repeatedly, "Are these people even human? They're a bunch of beasts, a disgrace to the Di people!"

Just then, the military officers and soldiers who came to welcome these Di people arrived outside the city gate.

"Our warriors have come to pick us up! His Majesty is so kind to us!"

Baido was the first to burst into tears.

The other family members of the military camp also cheered, their faces filled with smiles of relief after surviving a disaster.

After Lü Meng quickly handed over the work to the other side, these Di people headed towards Qingcheng under the escort of the Wuying soldiers.

As soon as they left, Lü Meng went to find Tong Dekang.

He had a hunch that Tong Dekang might know something, and seemed terrified of leaving Jiankang City…

More than 20,000 military families, led by 3,000 military cavalry, marched in a grand procession toward Qingcheng.

Jiankang City is 500 li away from Qingcheng. It would take at least half a month to travel with so many people.

Unfortunately, these Di people, who were still hoping to continue living a respectable life in Qingcheng, never imagined that what was about to happen would make them see the true face of Wuzhao Kingdom.

After marching for a day, the troops arrived at a desolate area. After confirming that no one was around, the leading military commander suddenly raised his hand to stop the troops from advancing.

He turned his horse around, pulled out a list, and shouted, "Those whose names are called, along with their families, step forward behind me!"

“Zalari, Bayara, Nata, Sagala, Uyala…”

One by one, those whose names were called stepped forward, dragging their children and family members, and boarded the mule carts specially prepared for their transportation; there were more than 600 people in total.

Those with sharp eyes in the crowd immediately noticed that those whose names were called were all prominent families in the inner city.

Moreover, these were all genuine pure-blooded Di people, possessing great wealth and status, with their family members holding high-ranking positions in the military.

After the commander finished calling out the last name, he coldly put away the list and glanced around at the remaining military camp family members.

"Those whose names were called earlier, go to Qingcheng first."

After he finished speaking, the mule cart carrying those who had been called out began to slowly move towards Qingcheng.

"Sir, what about us?"

Upon seeing this, Baidu bowed and asked.

pop~

His response was a whip.

A soldier from the military camp said fiercely, "Did I tell you to speak? Shut up."

Bai Du clutched his arm where he had been whipped, and looking at the fierce-looking soldiers of the military camp, he couldn't help but shrink back.

"As for you, you don't need to go to Qingcheng."

The commander let out a sinister laugh.

"According to the laws of Wuzhao, the families of military officers also have the responsibility to defend the territory. If the territory is lost, all the wealth of the military officers' families will be confiscated, and men, women, and children will all be exiled to the border as slaves."

"what!"

Upon hearing this, Baidu and the rest of the Di people were all shocked.

But the commander gave them no chance at all: "Now, hand over all the money you have on you."

"No, you can't do this to me!"

Bayh was the first to collapse.

"Both of my sons died in battle on the battlefield of Jiang Kingdom. They shed blood and lost their lives for Wu Zhao Kingdom. You can't treat me like this!"

"You dare disobey the imperial decree? You're courting death!"

The military commander's eyes turned cold, and he decisively pulled a throwing axe from his horse and hurled it at Baidu.

puff-

The sharp axe blade pierced directly into Bayu's chest.

Bai stared in disbelief at his chest, then felt a blur before his eyes and collapsed heavily into a pool of blood.

Even in death, he couldn't believe that he would end up like this.

Ultimately, the families of these military camp members, including Baidu, are either not pure-blooded Di people, or the soldiers they served in the military camp have already died in battle, or there are no longer any people in their generation who meet the requirements for joining the military camp.

In the eyes of the high-ranking officials of the Wuzhao Army, the families of these military officers were actually a burden and a liability. Getting rid of them would also lighten the burden on the court.

"Those who dare to disobey the imperial decree, this is their fate!"

With a roar, the commander's cavalry began to close in furiously.

"Confiscate all their valuables. If they dare to resist, kill them without mercy!"

Upon hearing this, the Wu family members panicked and fled in all directions.

Now, they felt a deep sense of regret.

When the Chu army entered Jiankang, they maintained strict military discipline and did not commit any offenses.

Even in the inner city, they extorted the wealth of the rich, but their own lives were safe.

But now, these military officers and soldiers are nothing but beasts, wanting to seize my money and send me to the border to serve as a slave!

If you knew this would happen, why did you leave?

They ran back to Jiankang City, seeking refuge from the Chu army.

But how could they possibly escape the battle-hardened cavalry of the Wuying Army?

Soon, the cavalry began indiscriminately looting and killing all the military camp families who dared to escape, regardless of age.

Bloody crimes unfolded in this desolate wilderness, and in the blink of an eye, thousands lay dead in pools of blood...