Late Han Dynasty: Did the Yellow Emperor truly descend?

Chapter 81 Winning Hearts and Minds Through a Combination of Kindness and Strictness

After the reward ceremony, Li Sheng did not rest, but instead led Liu Wu and Li Feng to the shed in the west of the camp.

More than three hundred retainers of powerful clans are imprisoned here, all of whom have just been disarmed.

They huddled behind the wooden fence, looking like stray dogs.

The brothers from Siyang Township who were guarding them held spears in their hands and torches that illuminated the surroundings brightly.

Upon seeing Li Sheng approach, the guards quickly performed a military salute, which Li Sheng returned.

"I want to go in and see them."

"promise!"

The guards quickly opened the gates.

After Li Sheng walked in, he glanced at the people inside and got straight to the point.

"I am Li Sheng. You have probably heard of me. I've come to see you all tonight for no other reason than to ask you one question: are you willing to join the Taiping Army?"

There was a moment of silence in the shed, then someone let out a short, cold laugh.

"Join you?"

A bearded man stood up, looked at Li Sheng through the fence, and spoke with a mocking tone.

"Li Sheng, at least we have food to eat and a place to sleep if we work for the Chen family. If we follow you, and you're wiped out by the authorities tomorrow, where will we go?"

As soon as he said this, many people in the shed nodded and whispered in agreement.

"that is."

"You people have killed powerful local tyrants and caused a huge mess. Sooner or later, the government troops will deal with you."

"We're not going to follow them to their deaths."

Li Sheng was not angry. He simply looked at the man and asked calmly.

"What's your name?"

"I will never change my name or surname, I am Chen Ergou."

"Chen Ergou, are you a retainer of the Chen family?"

"So what if it is?"

"How did the Chen family treat you?"

Chen Ergou was stunned for a moment, then raised his head.

"Our master provides us with food and clothing, and we get paid every month. We're much better off than you peasants."

Li Sheng nodded and then asked.

"And what about your land? Do you farm it yourself, or is it rented?"

Chen Ergou's expression changed slightly, and he stammered a few times before remaining silent.

"What's wrong? You're silent when you encounter a difficult question?"

It's okay, if you don't say it, I'll say it for you.

Li Sheng showed no mercy and directly exposed their true colors.

"As far as I know, you must be a tenant of the Chen family. Don't be fooled by your surname, Chen. What good is it? Although the Chen family is kinder than other families, they still have to pay 60% of the rent each year, right?"

And you're expected to work for the Chen family? Is that what you call treating them well?

Chen Ergou opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found himself unable to speak.

Li Sheng ignored him and instead addressed everyone in the shed, raising his voice.

"You're all the same. You work as servants for the powerful just to earn a living. But think about it, you risk your lives for them, do they even consider you human? Your wages are squeezed from the tenants; the armor you wear and the swords you carry are earned with the blood and sweat of your fellow villagers. You shield them from swords and arrows, and in the end, you still have to pay them 60% or 70% of the rent, and your future children will have to be their beasts of burden."

"What, are you so willing to be someone else's dog?"

Lies don't hurt, truth is the knife.

Li Sheng's words directly caused real harm to these powerful landlords and tenant farmers.

Finally, a young voice rang out from the corner, tinged with anger.

"Li Sheng... I admit you're right. But if we don't join the ranks of powerful figures, are we going to become vagrants like them?"

Li Sheng looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young man in his early twenties with a thin, sallow face. This shows that being a lackey for powerful figures doesn't guarantee a good life.

"Our indentures are all in the hands of the master. The land belongs to the master, the house belongs to the master, and even our parents, wives, and children live on the estate. If we go with you, what will we do if the master, in a fit of anger, kicks our parents out and sells our wives?"

As soon as these words were spoken, a buzz of discussion arose in the shed, and many people showed genuine fear on their faces.

"Yes, my parents are still in the village."

"My wife and child live in Wangjiawupu."

"If our master finds out we've rebelled, he'll kill our whole family."

"..."

Li Sheng listened quietly, and only spoke slowly after the discussion had subsided.

"I understand everything you're saying."

His tone became sincere, no longer as sharp as before.

But the next second the tone changed.

"But have you ever considered that if you don't work for me, will your families be better off?"

Everyone was stunned.

Li Sheng's gaze swept over every face.

"In the eyes of the Master, you are nothing more than talking livestock. When they need you, they give you a bite to eat; when they don't, they kick you aside. Your family members are even less than ants in their eyes. Do you think that if you don't rebel, the Master will treat them well?"

Chen Ergou's face turned ugly. He gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Li Sheng took a deep breath and said the most crucial words.

"I know what you're worried about. You're afraid that if you follow me, your master's family will retaliate against your families. I can tell you, at daybreak tomorrow, we'll take Pixian County. At the same time, we'll send men to attack the manors and fortified villages of those powerful families. If you don't participate, I, Li Sheng, can't control what will happen then..."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed!

Seeing that his persuasive tactics had worked, Li Sheng made a firm promise.

He raised his right fist and said in a deep voice.

"Gentlemen, I, Li Sheng, hereby swear: all the brothers and servants who have surrendered to the Taiping Army, your families are the families of the Taiping Army. After we capture the county town, I will distribute land to you, give you houses, and let you live with dignity, no longer being anyone's slaves."

Under his combination of kindness and severity, the shed fell into a deathly silence.

Seeing that no one made a move, Li Sheng pretended to leave.

His half-step turn was like the last straw, breaking down the last line of defense in everyone's hearts.

Chen Erhu suddenly knelt on one knee, lowered his head, and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Commander Li... I, Chen Ergou... am willing to follow you."

His kneeling was like the first domino toppling in the shed. One after another, more than three hundred sergeants knelt down, forming a dark, imposing mass.

"We are willing to submit to the village chief."

"Village chief, we're with you!"

As if freed from their inner shackles, everyone knelt down and wept bitterly.

Li Sheng didn't make them kneel for too long. He personally stepped forward and helped them up one by one, and then said to them.

"Get up, all of you. My Taiping army doesn't practice kneeling. From now on, when you meet, just clasp your hands and call me 'Brother Sheng.'"

The crowd remained kneeling on the ground, unwilling to rise for a long time.

Li Sheng feigned anger.

"Do you expect me, Li Sheng, to help each of you up one by one?"

Everyone then stood up.