Chapter 1163: Rebellion

So Bega had not taken any drastic measures recently. It merely sent a strongly worded letter to Panlong City, ordered Balin to assist Xianyou, and deployed a few demon generals to the vicinity.

Perhaps it felt confident, believing that if gentle persuasion failed, it could always resort to force, which would only delay things by a few months.

It was just the cost of one trial-and-error, and Bega could afford it.

However, the high-ranking officials of Panlong City knew well that Bega's conciliatory approach and hesitation would not last long. If Panlong City had refused outright from the beginning, Bega would at most have chastised it for being ungrateful.

But once Bega saw through Panlong City's true intentions and realized it had been deceived, its reaction would be far more severe than mere indignation.

Because that would mean Zhong Shengguang had been determined to resist to the very end from the start, and his current actions were merely a ploy for deception and delay.

Such a person could only be executed, not subjugated.

Only when Bega realized this would the true storm descend.

He Lingchuan knew that time was in the near future.

On the day news arrived that General Hong had captured Tancheng, the key stronghold of Xianyou, a sudden downpour lashed down from a clear sky. The heavens above were tumultuous, as if countless demons were hidden within, stirring up trouble.

The Chipa Plateau was close to the sky, and thick black clouds seemed ready to press down on Panlong City at any moment.

He Lingchuan stood on the city wall, gazing east, and sighed deeply.

Happy times were always fleeting. After two years of peace and prosperity, Panlong City would soon have to face a powerful enemy once more.

In the true historical timeline, Panlong City had failed to defend the Mao River Plain, which meant it never experienced the significant development it currently enjoyed.

He had originally thought that Panlong City's destiny might have changed as a result.

Now, it seemed this thought had been naive.

Bega accepting Xiluo as a vassal and issuing an ultimatum to Zhong Shengguang were events that had never occurred in the original history.

This implied that Panlong City, in its historical timeline, had perished without even enduring Bega's initial moves.

Bega still had many tactics at its disposal, many of which it hadn't needed to use before.

Now, Zhong Shengguang, General Hong, and He Lingchuan would all have the chance to experience them.

It was currently the 19th year of the Panlong Calendar, thirteen years before Panlong City's historical downfall.

An ominous thought arose in He Lingchuan's mind.

Could his interference and intervention have drastically accelerated Panlong City's historical timeline?

For instance, Bega directly engaging Panlong City was a conflict that, at the very earliest, should have occurred ten years later.

Yet, in the current Panlong world, wasn't it an imminent event?

It seemed all the historical facts he knew about Panlong City had been altered.

Everything was in chaos.

(End of "The Light Stolen from the Shimmering Plains")

***

After the rain, the sky cleared, becoming crystal clear.

Water still clung to the blades of grass, and the quarterly grand market in Yongwang Town was held as scheduled.

Residents from surrounding villages and towns flocked to the market. The open space in front of the Earth God Temple, which had been deserted yesterday, was now lined with stalls selling all sorts of daily handicrafts, grains and oils, smoked meats and sausages, dried fish and vegetables, furs and fabrics. Although the goods were simple, they offered an impressive variety.

Children played and romped near the candy stalls, while young women dressed in their finest.

No matter how hard life was, there was always a moment to forget one's worries.

A group slowly approached, consisting of five or six people herding around thirty fine horses.

In fact, they barely needed to herd them; the horses willingly followed the people in front.

However, as soon as people in the market saw them, their faces fell. The bustling atmosphere suddenly turned quiet.

Someone muttered, "Why are *they* here?"

The horse team, without glancing sideways, skirted the market's edge to the other side, found a spot, settled down, and put up their sign.

They were horse sellers.

Nearby, a leather ball flew past and rolled to the feet of a boy in the team.

He bent down to pick up the ball and saw a five or six-year-old child standing nearby, whose cheeks were red like apples, happily waving at him.

"Mine, mine! Brother Axun, my ball!"

How long had it been since he had seen such friendly outsiders?

He recognized the boy from the last market day. Axun smiled, walked over, squatted down, and handed him the ball. Just as he was about to say a few more words, the boy's mother rushed over from behind and yanked her son away.

"Don't talk to him! Out of everyone, why would you play with *them*?"

She glared fiercely at Axun, warning him, "Stay away from my son! Traitor!"

The smile on Axun's face turned into a bitter one as he watched the woman spit on the ground and quickly pull her son away.

He stood up alone, with no one within a significant distance around him.

This place didn't welcome them either, but Axun was used to it. Moreover, the horses they brought from Chigu Valley were top-notch: robust, sturdy, with large heads and deep bodies, and well-developed tendons, making them excellent for galloping and charging. So, after a brief lull, people still came forward to negotiate and buy horses.

After this small incident, the market regained its liveliness and order.

A first-time visitor to the market discreetly asked a local, "Who are those people?"

"Ying people," the stall owner replied, rolling his eyes, his answer identical to the woman's. "Hmph, traitors."

The visitor grew more curious. "Tell me about it?"

"Do you know about the Battle of Lutai Mountain six years ago?"

"Uh, I think I've heard a little about it."

"Our nine countries and tribes united to fight against Yao State, and it was an extremely difficult struggle. In the Battle of Lutai Mountain, we had a clear advantage. Our chieftain said that if we took Lutai Mountain, Yao State would be finished! But then the Ying tribe and Luodian State suddenly defected, throwing our entire army into disarray, and Yao State seized the opportunity to counterattack," the stall owner said bitterly. "Such an important battle, lost!"

This joint offensive ended in failure.

"Yao State, fighting against nine, still won. They were arrogant and boasted of their power. Meanwhile, our lives have grown increasingly difficult over the years." How could the defeated side fare well? "If these two traitorous factions hadn't turned against us, we would have overthrown Yao State. We wouldn't be in this situation!"

"I see!" the visitor also spat. Internal traitors were hated even more than external enemies; it was no wonder the local residents despised the Ying people so much. "They sided with Yao State, so their lives must be quite good, right?"

Otherwise, what would the Ying people have gained?

"They aren't doing well either!" the stall owner chuckled aloud. "Yao State returned the territories they had taken from them, but, hahaha, the mines there had already been exhausted by Yao State! The Ying people got back nothing but a few useless barren mountains! And to make matters worse, four years ago, they suffered from a rampant horse plague, losing many fine horses!"

The laughter carried on the wind to Axun, who lowered his head.

Six years ago, his father, then chieftain, had agreed to Yao State's terms and betrayed the allied forces. Both Axun and his second uncle had strongly urged him against it, but his father had refused to listen.

Someone nudged his shoulder and whispered, "Don't mind them."

Axun turned and saw Mengmeng, his childhood sweetheart, who had grown up with him.

"Outsiders don't know our difficulties, or the chieftain's difficulties."