MLMD -Chapter 396 You Play with Words, I Use the Gun

The moment the words “Yue Yang… get back to Shanxi!” were shouted, everyone around changed color.

If the crowd’s earlier disturbance could still be explained as dissatisfaction with the new policies and the collection of commercial taxes, then telling Yue Yang to “get back to Shanxi” had already escalated into a personal attack.

Yue Yang narrowed his eyes, a strange smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. He turned to Ke Zhen’nan beside him and sneered, “Lord Ke, Lord Ma—this is what you call the pillars of the Great Ming? Openly insulting court officials and Ming nobles alike. All those Confucian classics they studied—have they all gone straight into a dog’s belly?”

Faced with Yue Yang’s accusation, Ke Zhen’nan merely said calmly, “On this matter, this humble official can only say that the will of the people must not be defied. As long as the Governor announces the cancellation of the commercial tax and guarantees that no further new policies will be implemented, these people will naturally support Your Excellency.”

“Good… very good—‘the will of the people must not be defied,’ eh?” Yue Yang laughed in anger at the shamelessness of these officials. Taking a deep breath, he said to Chu Di, who had been silent all along, “Lord Chu, it seems the gentry and merchants of Jinan aren’t giving this marquis much face. In that case, there’s no need for us to save theirs. Go ahead and read out my order directly!”

“Yes!”

Chu Di, who had been wearing a dark expression, responded in a low voice. He stepped forward several paces, holding a tin loudspeaker, and shouted to the crowd ahead:

“By order of the Loyal and Brave Marquis of the Great Ming, Grand Secretary of Dongyang Pavilion, Governor of Shandong, and Superintendent of Shandong Transport: in view of the fact that officials, gentry, scholars, and merchants throughout Shandong have wantonly incited the populace to resist the court and sabotage the new policies, and, despite repeated warnings, have repeatedly organized market strikes to threaten the court—Marquis Yue hereby orders that military control be imposed in Jinan Prefecture effective immediately! During this period, no gatherings of more than fifty people are permitted in Jinan Prefecture; no crowds may besiege any government office; no rumors opposing the new policies may be spread. Violators will be punished as enemies of the new policies. Those who refuse to obey warnings may be executed on the spot by the troops! This order is issued by the Shandong Governor’s Office of the Great Ming and takes effect immediately!”

“Military control?!”

As soon as Chu Di finished shouting, not only the troublemaking scholars and merchants in front but even the officials behind Yue Yang were stunned. After a moment, Ma Ke asked in shock, “Governor, what exactly is this ‘military control’? Why has this official never heard of such a thing?”

Yue Yang said indifferently, “Nothing much. It’s simply a method I just thought up to deal with crises. So-called military control means that when war, unrest, or severe threats to public safety arise in a certain area, the army temporarily replaces local government offices in exercising authority and enforces compulsory management over that area. That is what is called military control.”

“What?!”

The moment Yue Yang finished speaking, the officials who had been waiting to see him make a fool of himself were instantly thrown into chaos, followed by a surge of fury. Ke Zhen’nan in particular felt his hands and feet turn ice-cold.

Yue Yang’s words were brutally straightforward: “Let the army replace local government offices in exercising authority.” These words were like steel knives stabbing into everyone’s hearts—including his own.

Without a second thought, Ke Zhen’nan lunged forward in one stride, nearly pointing at Yue Yang’s nose as he roared, “Yue Yang, what are you trying to do? Taking over the authority of government offices is a prerogative of the court! By doing this, are you trying to rebel?”

Smack!

Yue Yang slapped his pointing hand away without the slightest courtesy. His icy voice rang out again by Ke Zhen’nan’s ear: “This marquis may not have that authority—but don’t forget, I have the capability. In my view, rather than letting you useless fools who eat but do nothing squander good grain, it’s better that I do the job for you.”

Yue Yang had already grown deeply disappointed in rotten bureaucrats like Ke Zhen’nan and Ma Ke. Since his arrival in Shandong, not only had they offered him no support, they had obstructed him at every turn. More than half a month had passed, yet reports from below showed that tasks such as land surveys and registering gentry populations had not been carried out at all. Gradually, Yue Yang had lost confidence—hence the idea of “military control.”

Military control meant the army taking over governmental authority, imposing a special form of compulsory management and control over a country or parts of it, certain industries, or specific departments—usually implemented during war, unrest, severe natural disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances.

Of course, such a concept did not exist in this era, but that did not prevent Yue Yang from introducing it several centuries early. Judging from the reaction, however, the officials present were already terrified by this prematurely appearing term.

“You… you’re rebelling… this will exterminate nine generations of your clan!” Ma Ke’s voice suddenly became hoarse, his body trembling like a sieve. His former air of official authority had long since vanished.

“Exterminate nine generations?” Yue Yang scoffed, looking disdainfully at the two highest-ranking officials in Shandong besides himself, who were on the verge of collapsing. “I’d like to see who can exterminate my nine generations. General Chu—full alert! If these people haven’t dispersed within ten breaths, execute them on the spot!”

When he spoke the final sentence, Yue Yang’s voice turned chillingly sinister.

“This subordinate obeys!”

Chu Di shouted loudly, then barked at the surrounding soldiers, “All troops on alert… fix bayonets!”

Clatter… clatter…

At Chu Di’s command, the soldiers immediately took their firelocks from their shoulders and drew bayonets from their waists, fixing them in place. For a moment, the clashing of metal rang out continuously, accompanied by a terrifying cold gleam.

Facing the crowd, Chu Di raised the loudspeaker and shouted, “You have ten breaths! If you do not disperse immediately, you will be executed on the spot!”

Clatter—

Hundreds of soldiers outside the Governor’s Office leveled their bayonets at the crowd. A chilling killing intent instantly filled the street. The air, which had warmed with the rising sun, seemed to freeze solid, an icy chill spreading through the space. The crowd that had been shouting moments before fell silent like ducks whose necks had been grabbed.

After a long while, a hoarse voice finally rang out, “Everyone, don’t be afraid! We are scholars of the Great Ming, the pillars of the state! These soldiers would never dare harm us—otherwise the lords of the court will never let these bandits off! Everyone, charge!”

But the crowd remained completely still. The once-noisy mass sank into a dead silence. The hoarse voice grew anxious and louder: “Everyone, charge! Don’t be afraid—they won’t dare hurt us scholars!”

But this voice had gravely underestimated human nature. Though people may follow blindly, no one is truly foolish. In today’s Great Ming, scholars who could still advance bravely toward cold bayonets were practically extinct. These people were world-class at shouting slogans or undermining things behind the scenes—but when faced with death head-on, all they could do was laugh awkwardly.

Suddenly, Yue Yang pointed toward a spot ahead and shouted, “Men—seize that villain who is spreading seditious lies!”

“Yes, sir!”

As Yue Yang’s command fell, four wolfish personal guards charged into the crowd. In short order, they dragged out a skinny middle-aged man and threw him onto the street like a dead dog. He immediately let out pig-slaughter-like screams—clearly the very man who had been inciting the crowd.

A cold gleam flashed in Yue Yang’s eyes. “This man spreads demagoguery and incites the people to resist the court—his crime is unforgivable. Execute him on the spot!”

“Yes, sir!”

For the Xuan-Da Army, Yue Yang’s orders were carried out without hesitation. Two bayonets plunged mercilessly, one after the other, into the man’s chest. He managed only two screams before his body convulsed and collapsed into a pool of blood. Dark red blood quickly spread across the ground, and a stench of blood rose into the air.

Accompanying that stench was Yue Yang’s cold, emotionless gaze. He swept his eyes over the crowd and said flatly, “The countdown begins now…”

“Ten… nine… eight… seven…”

The icy, pitiless voice carried an irresistible force through the air. Before Yue Yang even reached five, the entire crowd exploded with a roar of chaos. Countless people scattered in all directions, fleeing wildly. Wails and frantic shouts echoed throughout the street. In less than half a quarter-hour, the once-crowded avenue was completely empty, leaving only a ground strewn with trampled shoes—and the middle-aged man lying dead, eyes wide open.

Yue Yang slowly turned and asked the stunned officials beside him, “Lord Ke, Lord Ma, gentlemen—this is what you call scholars who sacrifice themselves for righteousness, full of noble spirit? In my view, if the scholars of the Great Ming are all such greedy, cowardly types, then we can do without them! Oh, and let me add this: there are less than half a month left until the deadline I set for land surveys. If anyone still harbors false hopes and openly obeys while secretly defying my orders, you may take a good look at the fate of this fellow on the ground. If anyone believes their neck is harder than a Tartar’s head, they are welcome to test whether the steel blade in my hand is sharp enough.”

With that, Yue Yang clasped his hands behind his back and walked into the Governor’s Office. The heavy gates slammed shut behind him, leaving a group of officials staring at one another—and ranks of soldiers watching them coldly.

Only then did Ke Zhen’nan, Ma Ke, and the others remember that this Loyal and Brave Marquis was not merely a nobleman—he was a blood-soaked, iron-blooded general. The number of rebels and Tartars who had died by his hand was counted in the tens of thousands. If he truly hardened his heart, the scholars and merchants of Jinan would hardly be enough to satisfy his blade. How laughable it was that they had thought they could pressure him with lofty moral rhetoric and force him out of Shandong.

In truth, Ke Zhen’nan and the others were not ignorant of Yue Yang’s past—they had simply filtered it out subconsciously. In their eyes, no matter how formidable Yue Yang was, he was still a subject of the Great Ming and would never dare act recklessly toward them. Qi Jiguang had been formidable enough, hadn’t he? Yet before the civil official factions, he had still behaved with deference—even calling himself a “running dog” in letters to Zhang Juzheng. How much harsher could Yue Yang be than Qi Jiguang? What they never imagined was that Yue Yang came from another time entirely; the so-called loyalty to the sovereign of this era meant little more to him than empty words.

While Ke Zhen’nan and the others were still reeling, gunshots began ringing out in other parts of Jinan. Hearing them, their faces turned deathly pale. They knew—this must be Yue Yang’s troops moving against the protesting merchants and scholars…

On the third day of the third month of the eleventh year of Chongzhen, Yue Yang, Loyal and Brave Marquis of the Great Ming, ordered the army to suppress the protesting merchants and scholars within Jinan. On that day, more than a hundred scholars and merchants were killed or wounded, and over three hundred hired ruffians and hangers-on were killed. That day came to be known among the gentry of Shandong as the Day of Bloodshed.

On that very same day, the rebel bandits who had besieged Qufu for more than ten days finally breached the city. Qufu was thoroughly looted, and even the Kong family mansion was not spared. The Duke Yansheng escaped with more than a hundred family members, protected by over a hundred household guards and servants, slipping out through a secret passage during the fall of the city. After many twists and turns, they finally arrived in Jinan.

“I didn’t expect this Duke Yansheng to be so lucky—to escape even under such circumstances.”

In the signing room of the Governor’s Office, Yue Yang sat at the table, his gaze unfocused as he pondered. Beside him stood Jiang He, hands lowered respectfully.

Jiang He said with some self-reproach, “My lord, this was my oversight. I never expected the Kong family to still have a secret escape tunnel—thus allowing him to flee to Jinan. This subordinate will immediately redeem this failure.”

“Ah…” Yue Yang waved his hand. “Forget it. Now that he’s already in Jinan, we can’t touch him anymore. Otherwise, I couldn’t bear the charge of killing the Duke Yansheng—the spit of scholars across the realm would drown me.”

Hearing this, Jiang He looked at Yue Yang, hesitating to speak, but ultimately held back.

Seeing his expression, Yue Yang smiled. “You’re thinking—if I’m afraid of the scholars’ denunciations, why did I order troops to open fire on scholars and literati a few days ago, right?”

Jiang He braced himself and said, “That is exactly what this subordinate cannot understand. Since my lord does not wish to become the target of universal condemnation, why give the order to shoot a few days ago?”

Yue Yang sighed softly and pointed at Jiang He. “You… still haven’t grasped my meaning.”

Jiang He lowered his head in shame. “My lord, this subordinate is dull—please enlighten me.”

“Let me put it this way: I ordered the suppression of those scholars and merchants opposing the commercial tax because we were in the right. Collecting commercial taxes is to remit revenue to the court—for the court, for the Great Ming. Even if His Majesty wished to punish me, he would only raise his hand high and bring it down lightly. But if I were to kill the Duke Yansheng, I would be making a mortal enemy of all the scholars under heaven. Li Zicheng and other rebels may kill such people—but I absolutely cannot do it myself. Do you understand?”

“Yes… this subordinate understands,” Jiang He replied.

Though Jiang He did not fully grasp all of Yue Yang’s concerns, he understood one thing very clearly: although he now served as deputy director of the Mountain Division, controlling thousands of overt and covert agents, holding the leverage over many court officials, and even commanding armed forces operating in the shadows—seemingly powerful beyond measure—this power only truly existed when attached to Yue Yang. Without Yue Yang’s support, his strength would be like ice under the sun, quickly melting into nothing.

Therefore, anything Yue Yang forbade him to do, he would not touch—even if a pile of gold lay before him. People who lived in the shadows like him were never favored by officials or the military. Only by clinging to a powerhouse like Yue Yang could he survive. In terms of loyalty to Yue Yang, Jiang He yielded to no one.

The Duke Yansheng, who had fled with great difficulty to Jinan, had no idea he had once again narrowly escaped death. At this moment, he was in the rear courtyard of the Provincial Administration Office, angrily denouncing Yue Yang’s crimes before Ke Zhen’nan, Ma Ke, and others.

“Lord Ke, the fall of Qufu to the rebels is entirely due to Yue Yang’s refusal to provide aid. I will submit a memorial to the court, requesting that imperial agents be sent to arrest Yue Yang and escort him to the capital for punishment. I only hope that you two gentlemen will co-sign the memorial with me.”

Looking at the Duke Yansheng, grinding his teeth in fury, Ke Zhen’nan and Ma Ke exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in each other’s eyes. In the end, Ma Ke forced a bitter smile. “Duke Yansheng, it’s not that Lord Ke and I are unwilling to help you—it’s simply that Yue Yang’s arrogance is too extreme. Even if you submit the memorial, it will be useless, and may instead provoke him into bringing disaster upon you.”

The Duke Yansheng jumped up. “What?! Could he really dare act disrespectfully toward me?”

“Disrespectful?” Ma Ke hesitated before saying, “Duke Yansheng, you’ve just arrived in Jinan and aren’t aware of what happened a few days ago. You probably don’t know—scholars and merchants in the city organized a market strike and gathered a large crowd to besiege the Governor’s Office and argue with him. That butcher then ordered the troops to slaughter the city’s scholars and merchants. Hundreds of them were… were killed by that villain…” By the end, Ma Ke was already in tears, unable to continue.

“What?! Such a thing truly happened?”

The Duke Yansheng was stunned. He had never imagined that such a heartless madman could exist—someone who would even massacre scholars. Was he trying to sever himself from all under heaven? He stammered, “He… he he… how could he dare? Is he not afraid of being jointly condemned by the whole world?”

Ke Zhen’nan sighed. “If he were afraid, he wouldn’t have carried out such wanton slaughter in Jinan.”

The killings Yue Yang carried out in Jinan had indeed terrified countless people. That day, the city was filled with the Xuan-Da Army’s distinctive shrill whistles and gunfire. The blood of hundreds of merchants and scholars soaked the streets. With blood-soaked slaughter, Yue Yang taught the gentry of Jinan a harsh lesson—and drove home a brutal truth:

You have words; I have guns.