Late Han Dynasty: Did the Yellow Emperor truly descend?

Chapter 12 Human Hearts Can Be Used

Meanwhile, Li Feng and his companions were not idle either. While working, they "inadvertently" revealed Li Sheng's deeds.

"You mean Brother Sheng? He's different from us. He's been to the Yellow Heaven and met the God of the Central Yellow Heaven."

"Huh?! What's Huangtianli like? And do the gods look like us?"

"What do gods look like? We can't just say that... But Brother Sheng really does have supernatural powers. Last time, when more than twenty soldiers from the county surrounded us, Brother Sheng single-handedly defeated them all."

"Really? More than twenty?"

When the people heard that Li Sheng had defeated the government troops, they didn't feel anything was wrong at all; in fact, they all seemed to share a common hatred for the enemy.

Their hatred for the corrupt government was no less than anyone else's.

After all, the family members who were conscripted haven't returned yet. If it weren't for Li Sheng and the others' help, this spring planting would have been a huge problem!

"Would I lie to you?"

When Li Feng said this, his tone was flat, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

Considering Li Sheng's behavior over the past few days, everyone couldn't help but believe his words to some extent.

After all, Li Sheng's performance in plowing the fields for others these days was better than even those few oxen; he was clearly no ordinary person.

Half a month, a full half month.

Li Sheng and his brothers plowed all the land belonging to families in the village who lacked labor.

People say that Li Sheng is a kind and righteous fellow.

Some even saw that Li Sheng, this young man, was very capable.

Half a month later, Li Sheng's own few acres of land ended up being the last to be sold.

The brothers wouldn't let him do it no matter what, and insisted on helping him finish the translation.

During the two weeks of production work, twenty or thirty young men from the village came to Li Sheng's door one after another, saying they wanted to work with him.

At this time, the chivalrous spirit of the Han Dynasty was still very strong, and Li Sheng's behavior these days made them feel that he was worth following.

Some were moved by Li Sheng's benevolence, some were touched by the stories of miracles, and many more were desperate and banded together for warmth. The government was still pressing for grain and money, so where else could they go if they didn't follow Li Sheng?

Li Sheng accepted all comers without rushing them to do anything. He simply asked them to be filial to their parents and help ease the burden on their families, knowing that they would be useful in the future.

These twenty or thirty people, plus the original six, make almost forty.

The group of over thirty men, though mostly pale and sickly, were young and possessed a certain amount of courage.

Li Sheng knew in his heart that these thirty-six people were his initial assets, and now he had the capital to make a voice in the village.

So on the evening of the day the spring plowing ended, Li Sheng gathered everyone in his yard, lit a big fire, cooked a large pot of thick porridge, and slaughtered two chickens as a celebration.

It was supposed to be a celebration, but it didn't really mean anything else. It was just a way for the newcomers to get to know each other and get acquainted with the atmosphere.

With over thirty people, the little food Li Sheng could offer was far from enough for them to eat.

Halfway through his meal, Li Feng stood up, holding his bowl.

"Brothers, I have a few words to say."

The courtyard fell silent.

"In the past two weeks, Brother Sheng has led us to cultivate all the land in the village. You've all heard what the villagers are saying: he's kind, capable, and competent. I, Li Feng, have lived for over twenty years and have never admired anyone, but I admire Brother Sheng."

He turned to look at Li Sheng, his gaze intense.

"I heard that the county government is stepping up training for the villagers who are going to serve in the army, in order to defend the city against bandits. What about our village? Our village is only twenty miles away from the county seat. If some bandits really come here, who will protect our parents, wives and children? After all, everyone knows what kind of people those officials in the city are."

Upon hearing this, everyone tensed up, as if sensing something big was about to happen, and they were all somewhat excited.

At this point, Li Shi chimed in, "Ah Feng is right. I've heard that several villages to the north have already started organizing their own militias, with those who have money contributing money and those who have strength contributing strength. What about our village? We still don't even have a decent leader."

"I think our village should also form a local militia team. What do you all think?"

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Several fires crackled and popped, sending sparks soaring into the sky before falling back down.

At this point, Zhao Hu was the first to chime in.

"Brother Stone is right, it's time for us to form a team."

The crowd immediately erupted into a frenzy, like boiling water.

I think this is a good idea.

"Several villages to the north have done it themselves, why can't we?"

"If we're really going to do this, we need someone to lead it, right?"

The discussion grew louder and louder, with everyone chiming in and getting more and more animated.

Everyone quickly reached a consensus: they wanted to form a team to protect the village.

With the direction set, the question of who would be the captain of the local militia naturally came up.

At this moment, Li Feng took two steps towards the fire with the bowl in his hand, and the firelight made the contours of his face stand out clearly.

He looked around, his voice filled with boundless pride:

"Since we're going to form a local militia, we need someone to lead us. I recommend Brother Sheng."

Liu Lu quickly added, "I also recommend Brother Sheng."

Zhao Hu's voice was the loudest: "Me too!"

Of the twenty or thirty new members, some were still looking at each other, but most had already nodded in agreement.

They had all been captivated by Li Sheng's charm during their time together.

Brother Li Sheng goes to the fields earlier than anyone else and finishes work later than anyone else. He's the last to pick up his bowl when it's time to distribute the food, and he even pays out of his own pocket to get medicine for any sick elderly person.

If someone like this isn't in charge, then who is?

Li Sheng sat at the very back, the firelight reflecting on his face. He didn't speak or refuse; he just watched quietly.

All of this was part of his plan.

Then he stood up, dusted himself off, and walked to the fire.

When everyone saw that Li Sheng was about to speak, they quieted down.

"I appreciate the brothers' kindness."

Li Sheng's voice wasn't loud, but it was very steady, and he wasn't intimidated at all by being watched by these thirty-odd brothers.

"I also think it's necessary to organize a local militia. But I have to make this clear from the beginning: this isn't something that can be decided by just a few of us brothers. There are elders, village elders, and heads of households in the village. To organize a local militia, we need their approval. That's the rule, and that's the logic. If we want something to be done sustainably and convincingly, we have to follow the right path and gain everyone's approval."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

"Tomorrow morning, we'll invite the village elders over to discuss this matter in front of the whole village. We'll decide who should take the lead based on everyone's opinion. Brothers, you trust me, Li Sheng, so just support me."

There was a moment of silence in the courtyard, then someone shouted, "We'll all listen to Brother Sheng!" followed by a chorus of agreement.

Looking at the scene before him, Li Sheng nodded inwardly.

All his hard work these past few days has paid off; he truly has people's hearts!