Chapter 1674: Chaos City

There were a total of 113 families on the list.

On this snowy night, heads rolled and blood flowed like a river!

Bai Tan also adopted the most efficient method:After each slaughter of a noble or official household, he ordered the grain in their cellars to be dug up and distributed to the refugees following him. No matter how severe the food shortage was in Tianshui City, these wealthy families' storerooms were at least seventy percent full. Each time a cellar was opened, it was met with bursts of cheers. In a year of famine, finding such a hoard was cause for immense joy.

The refugees, so emaciated their chests touched their backs, received the grain and beamed with joy. They eagerly volunteered to lead the charge to the next wealthy household, hoping to be first in line, secure more food, and get more money. This once-in-two-hundred-year opportunity was not to be wasted. Their gratitude towards Bai Tan reached its peak. Bai Tan didn't even need to rally them; the refugee ranks behind him swelled, eventually exceeding 28,000 people, a dark, dense mass as far as the eye could see.

The throng included not only refugees but also many commoners, who joined in the smashing, looting, and burning. The nobles, usually so haughty, and the lords, who once considered them too dirty to even glance at, turned out not to be so invulnerable. They screamed more piteously than commoners when beaten with sticks! Seeing them collapsed on the ground, curled up like dead dogs, the commoners and refugees' eyes widened, their faces flushed crimson, and they roared as they surged forward.

What or how much they looted was secondary; the chance to savagely beat the noble lords was a rare opportunity. Beat them mercilessly, kick them relentlessly! Break their arms, shatter their legs, burn their mouths. Make them kneel, really kneel! Listen to their screams, their wails, their pleas for mercy, their cries! What goes around comes around; finally, it was their turn to be in charge!

It felt incredible, truly exhilarating! If a stick broke, they'd grab another and keep going. Exhausted to the point of foaming at the mouth, they'd snatch a bottle of wine for a boost, then get back up and continue the assault! On that freezing, snowy night, raging fires blazed throughout Tianshui City, reddening half the sky. According to ancient texts, fire signifies prosperity; to truly flourish, one must be as vibrant and fiery as a raging blaze!

It was at this point that Bai Tan personally led his forces to 'sincerely visit' several military officers. Within Tianshui City's defense system, these military commanders held crucial positions, wielding both troops and authority. Examples included the gate guards of Tianshui City's eight gates and the captains of the City Patrol Army. Before the coup, Bai Tan had been the Minister of Justice, holding a position superior to their own commanders. As they were all part of the same system, discussions could be straightforward.

The military officers, having just learned of the Yiao Kingdom's upheaval and the chaos in the Yiao court, were filled with confusion and uncertainty. Their object of loyalty had suddenly vanished, and their paymasters had disbanded. When their former leader, General Bai, extended his patronage, it was natural for some to embrace it. Even if some military officers were reluctant to submit, the dark, menacing mass of over 20,000 people behind Bai Tan, all glaring with the eyes of hungry wolves, made it clear that refusal meant certain death. Under such immense pressure, most military officers complied.

A few, however, stubbornly resisted, pointing at Bai Tan and denouncing him as a usurper who had forgotten his heritage. Bai Tan greatly admired their loyalty and courage. He then surrounded and annihilated them, slaughtering their entire families, old and young, as a stark warning.

Several other military officers, leading troops to suppress the refugee riots, suddenly received the grim news of the coup. After a quick discussion, they decided the city was no longer safe and simply fled Tianshui City amidst the chaos, taking their loyal subordinates with them. Upon hearing the news, Bai Tan did not pursue them. The brief power vacuum after the Yiao King's death was too precious; he had to seize the moment to secure control of the entire Tianshui City! He knew that new challenges would soon follow. That night, the Yiao Kingdom collapsed.

The following evening, Bai Ziqi returned to Tianshui City. On his journey back, he sensed something was amiss as he encountered wave after wave of Tianshui residents fleeing the city. He then realized that Qingyang and the Heavenly Deity had launched the coup ahead of schedule.

Tianshui City remained under a city-wide curfew, with no unauthorized entry or exit. Of course, the Heavenly Palace Cloud Emissary possessed special privileges. As soon as Bai Ziqi entered the city, he felt the pervasive tension; every shadow seemed to hide a threat. Though the markets were open, there were few pedestrians on the streets, and most commoners dared not venture out. Bai Tan's newly reorganized City Patrol Army was already patrolling the streets, arresting suspicious individuals.

On his way to the temple, Bai Ziqi walked through seven or eight streets, acutely aware of countless eyes peeking through door cracks, observing his every cautious move. Passing several large mansions, once grand and securely gated with secluded courtyards, their gates now stood wide open for anyone to enter, their stone steps stained with blood. Bai Ziqi glanced inside as he passed; the meticulously manicured gardens were trampled beyond recognition, and countless scattered bloody footprints on the ground had long since turned into dark stains. He also noticed a pair of legs protruding from behind a spirit screen. The trousers were soiled, but the fabric was visibly exquisite, and the embroidered shoes on the feet were still adorned with a small pink tassel. With each slight movement of the legs, the tassel swayed.

Were there still living people in the courtyard? No. He took another step and discovered two wild dogs behind the spirit screen, gnawing on the corpse of a young girl. With each bite, the corpse shifted. The girl's face was turned towards the doorway, eyes wide open, staring directly at him.

Bai Ziqi couldn't help but reflect, "These Yiao people are truly ruthless and decisive." He knew Bai Tan had employed swift and brutal methods to intimidate the entire city. Such sights were rampant throughout the city. Less than a day had passed since the Yiao Kingdom coup, yet the streets and houses still held numerous unremoved corpses. The scent of blood in the air was so thick it was sickening, making one's stomach churn. Even the vast white snow couldn't conceal the bloodstains on the ground.

Bai Ziqi first went to pay his respects to the Heavenly Deity Miaozhan. While other areas were desolate, temples, both large and small, were overflowing with people, their incense offerings thriving. Faced with sudden upheaval, people's hearts were restless, seeking solace and peace of mind within the temples.

Afterward, Bai Ziqi left the city, heading to You Lake Cottage. He took a shortcut along the waterfront, passing several rows of low houses, and overheard the sound of a man and woman arguing inside, seemingly a married couple.

The husband said, "Do we absolutely have to go to the temple? Can't it wait a couple of days? People are being killed left and right out there; it's incredibly dangerous!"

"You blockhead!" the wife retorted. "The temple is the safest place in Tianshui City right now! Lord Dianke's entire family has sought refuge there! I heard that if the city's nobles don't want their heads to roll, they go to the temple for sanctuary. If everyone important is going there, it must be safe!" She added, "If we hurry to the temple now, we might still find a spot. If we wait too long, others will realize, and the temple will be packed. You'll be turned away and sent back to the street, even if you try to climb over the wall!"

The husband hesitated, "Are you sure we should go? I heard the refugee riots have ended, and they've all been driven back to Kui House. If we leave, all our belongings in the house will be stolen."

"Better to be robbed clean than killed clean," his wife retorted sharply. "How prominent was the Zhu family in the west of the city? Didn't you pass by this morning? There were corpses strewn everywhere! For a moderately prosperous family like ours, when refugees come to smash, loot, and burn, no one intervenes. Now is precisely the most dangerous time!"