A Million Rebels

"Catch him, don't let him escape!"

"Little thief, you even dare to steal my things! See if I don't cripple you when I catch you!"

"Chase..."

Just as the two sisters were talking, a burst of shouts came from outside.

Ha Chi Ngung, already feeling extremely bored in her chamber, heard there was a spectacle to watch and quickly went to the window to push it open, but after several tries, it didn't budge.

Ha Chi Ngung's expression froze, and the force in her hand couldn't help but increase.

"Chi Ngung, this window doesn't open like that."

Ha Chi Tinh said, stepping forward and opening the wooden latch that secured the window.

This was a window that pushed upwards from below. After opening, it needed to be propped up with a wooden stick so it wouldn't close again.

After pushing it open, Ha Chi Tinh supported the window with one hand and held the wooden stick with the other, preparing to prop it up.

Ha Chi Ngung, impatient to see the commotion, squeezed to the front of the window and leaned out to look down.

"Ah..."

Pushed by her, the wooden stick in Ha Chi Tinh's hand slipped and fell downwards.

...

At this moment, Tran Mac was passing below. Seeing the scene of several people chasing and being chased ahead, he, not wanting to cause trouble, moved to one side. As a result, at this very moment, a soft exclamation came from above his head.

Tran Mac instinctively looked up, only to see a wooden stick smashing down from above.

His reaction was swift; his right hand shot out like lightning, snatching the wooden stick that was aimed at his head. At the same time, he saw the two exquisite and beautiful faces by the pavilion window.

Tran Mac was instantly stunned, not by their beauty, but because these two faces were like mirror images, and the black-clad girl among them was the one who had whipped him last time.

On both girls' foreheads, there were two red numbers.

One was 31.

One was 26.

However, before he could speak, the black-clad girl with "31" on her forehead, her expression cold, spoke with harsh words: "What are you looking at? Keep looking, and believe it or not, I'll gouge your eyes out!"

"Chi Ngung, don't be rude!" Ha Chi Tinh hurriedly scolded her younger sister, then bowed slightly, her face full of apology, saying, "This little lady's hand slipped just now and disturbed you, sir. This little lady offers her apologies."

"Sister, why are you apologizing to a commoner? Besides, it didn't even hit him," Ha Chi Ngung glanced at Tran Mac, clad in hemp clothes and looking travel-worn and weary, not even deigning to properly look at him.

"Chi Ngung..." Ha Chi Tinh glared at Ha Chi Ngung, but the latter paid no attention to her older sister, jumping directly down from the window. After landing, she rolled a few times and came to a steady stop.

"Give it here."

She then walked up to Tran Mac, snatched the wooden stick from his hand, her expression indifferent. She clearly didn't recognize Tran Mac, or perhaps, she had never even registered the person she had beaten last time.

Despite meeting twice, in Ha Chi Ngung's eyes, it was as if it were their first encounter.

After snatching the wooden stick, like a black flash of lightning, she chased after the little thief who had run off earlier.

"Whoosh whoosh..."

Within a few breaths of Ha Chi Ngung giving chase, two guards dashed out from the courtyard, following Ha Chi Ngung.

"Chi Ngung!"

Ha Chi Tinh watched Ha Chi Ngung chase off, her brows tightly knitted. But she quickly turned to Tran Mac again, bowed low in a simple curtsy, and said with an apologetic smile, "My younger sister was impolite and offended you, sir. This little lady once again apologizes to you, sir. Please forgive her."

Tran Mac said nothing, merely nodded at Ha Chi Tinh before leaving, his resentment towards the black-clad girl from just now deepening by another degree.

...

Ly Family Cloth Shop.

"Tran Mac."

As Tran Mac was brushing snowflakes off himself outside the shop and had just stepped inside, Shopkeeper Ly Muc recognized him and walked over.

"Shopkeeper Ly." Tran Mac cupped his hands towards Ly Muc and said, "I didn't expect Shopkeeper Ly to still remember me."

"Running a shop, one naturally needs the skill of recognizing people. Last time you sold a wild boar skin here, it left a deep impression on me."

Ly Muc glanced at the bundle on Tran Mac's back and said with a slight smile, "What good merchandise do you have this time?"

There weren't many people in the shop. Tran Mac didn't try to be secretive, directly untying the bundle from his back and opening it.

Ly Muc merely glanced at it, and his heart jolted. Then, after carefully examining Tran Mac for a few moments and pondering for a while, he smiled and said, "I knew Brother Tran was no ordinary person."

"Isn't Shopkeeper Ly the same?" Tran Mac said.

"Interesting." Ly Muc patted Tran Mac's shoulder, then turned his head to the shop assistant inside the cloth shop and said, "Phuc Sinh, go prepare some tea."

"Brother Tran, please come inside." Ly Muc said very politely.

Inside the cloth shop, there was a private room for esteemed guests, which Ly Muc used to entertain important clients. Previously, Tran Mac definitely wouldn't have qualified as an esteemed guest, but now it was different. Being able to hunt a Black Bear in the middle of winter already proved he had this qualification.

"Where are you from, Brother Tran?" Ly Muc personally poured tea for Tran Mac.

"Phuc Trach Village." Tran Mac wasn't modest, picking up the teacup and taking a sip.

"Phuc Trach Village..." Ly Muc muttered to himself, then suddenly said, "To be able to hunt a Black Bear, you are a capable man. Are you interested in joining my Ly family?"

Seeing Tran Mac about to speak, Ly Muc waved his hand again and said, "Brother Tran, please hear me out first."

He tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop in front of him a few times, then looked down at Tran Mac and said, "To tell you the truth, I have inside information. Next year, in early spring, the northern rebels will launch an all-out offensive on Thanh Chau. The northern rebels have amassed a million followers, their momentum unstoppable."

"Is it really a million?" Tran Mac was no ignorant country bumpkin. Some armies in history claiming to have a million troops were often just a bluff; in reality, they didn't even have half that, and that was even including civilians transporting grain and military supplies.

Ly Muc nodded gravely, then lowered his voice and said, "Do you know why the rebels have gathered so many in less than half a year?"

Tran Mac leaned closer, ears pricked: "I'm all ears."

"This band of rebels calls themselves the Thien Su Army (Heavenly Master Army). After they conquer a city, they don't sheathe their swords, plundering extensively for ten days. The money and women in the city belong to whoever seizes them," Ly Muc said in a low voice.

"..."

Unrestrained plunder would unleash the deepest evil in people's hearts.

Moreover, the vast majority of rebels were from the lowest stratum of the populace. Such people, usually severely oppressed, once they vented their frustrations and their evil was provoked, would be far more terrifying than others.

Think about it: noble ladies who were usually high and mighty, whom one would normally have no chance to even interact with, could now, after the city's fall, be turned into playthings beneath one's loins. One could also eat and drink to their heart's content. Such temptation held an immense allure for the disaster-stricken populace.

Tran Mac vaguely guessed the purpose behind the county town collecting entry and overnight fees.

"Once the situation changes, Thanh Chau definitely cannot just wait to be destroyed. At that time, we will have to head south. Currently, our Ly family is recruiting capable men everywhere for the southward retreat. One person's strength is limited. As long as Brother Tran joins us, when the time comes to head south, you can also bring your family and leave together."