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The sun had climbed into the sky, spreading light across the land. The darkness and bloodshed of last night seemed to have passed; hope and beauty had returned to the world.
South of Yong'an, by the Fen River, Zhang Lie had just finished an ambush battle when he immediately received the scout's report, facing an imminent encounter.
Zhang Lie felt somewhat troubled.
Fortunately, it was only dust spotted. The troops approaching from the south weren't right upon them twenty li away, but probably not far off. Twenty li was about half a day's travel. Judging from seeing dust this early morning, this force intended to reach Yong'an County town today…
Zhang Lie's mind raced. He ordered scouts to investigate further, also telling them to be stealthy, avoid detection, then arranged for messengers to report to Yong'an.
Zhang Lie looked around, shouting loudly: "Hurry up, clean up these corpses!" The White Wave remnants on the road needed clearing, but the thick blood odor was problematic…
"Hey! Don't throw them in the river! You idiot!" Zhang Lie turned, saw someone dragging a corpse toward the river, hastily stopped them. "Use your head! Toss it in, it'll float downstream. Then our whole night's work is wasted! Drag them to the back, dig a pit, bury them!"
Zhang Lie rubbed the bloodstains soaked into the ground with his foot. The blood had mixed with the yellow earth, impossible to clean completely. He grabbed a handful of nearby soil, covered it. With too little soil, dampness showed through. Too much, a large lump protruded, even more conspicuous…
Tch, ah!
What to do?
×××××××××××××××××
Inside Yong'an City, the situation was largely settled. Remaining White Wave soldiers were no longer a threat, being gradually hunted down by Fei Qian's troops conducting house-to-house searches.
Surviving commoners in Yong'an City also spontaneously followed Fei Qian's soldiers with clubs and kitchen knives. Some White Wave soldiers tore off their yellow headbands, removed armor, attempting to blend in, but were identified one by one by these commoners, then beaten to death…
Fei Qian's first action upon entering the city was to go to Yong'an's storehouses. What he saw greatly disappointed him. The public granaries were basically empty. Originally four granaries, now three empty, the remaining one not full either, much taken. Probably only because White Wave left some men here guarding the retreat route to Mount Lüliang was this granary not completely emptied.
Money and valuables were plundered clean; weapons, armor—none left, likely all taken south by the White Wave.
Even stored ropes, barrels, etc., were taken. Only large timber, bricks, tiles, iron blocks—construction materials with no direct use for White Wave or temporarily unusable—remained in the public storehouses.
Fei Qian walked a circle inside the storehouses, shook his head. Truly like locusts passing through…
"Post some men to seal it. Many things still needed; whatever's left is good." Fei Qian sighed, speaking to Huang Cheng.
Huang Cheng silently nodded, saying nothing, called a few soldiers to guard the storehouses. Perhaps seeing this scene reminded him of the Yellow Turbans that once ravaged Jing and Xiang; his expression was grave.
South along the street from the storehouses was Yong'an County's government office.
Just approaching the office, Fei Qian felt the White Wave's "hospitality." Around the office, the White Wave had left gifts for Fei Qian: by walls, on steps, across thresholds, piles of "yellow and white matter" here and there.
Unclear what psychology drove these White Wave. Perhaps similar to later-era tourists who must carve "So-and-so was here" on prominent spots…
Most White Wave couldn't write, but that didn't stop them from coming here, defecating on what should be the solemn seat of state power, leaving their mark…
Perhaps this act was their only way to prove they had rebelled against this state power, to prove they had once existed in this world?
The government office's main gate was long broken, hanging askew like a tattered curtain.
Fei Qian avoided the dense minefield at the entrance, frowned, and stepped into the office courtyard. Immediately, a more pungent rotting odor assaulted him.
Though spring was still cold, corpses left unburied for days gradually decomposed, emitting a nauseating stench.
Inside the office, several naked soldiers or guards lay dead in the hall. Their original clothing and armor were likely stripped immediately. Exposed skin showed large black lividity. Swarms of flies circled; maggots crawled in and out of festering wounds.
Fei Qian instinctively raised his sleeve to cover his nose but stopped halfway, shook his head, endured his breathing, and walked towards the main hall.
The county hall was originally for announcements, trying cases, handling administration—a place embodying court dignity. But now, inside the hall…
A ghastly sight.
Several elderly and child corpses lay to one side. A middle-aged-looking man was tied to a pillar inside the hall, throat slit. A young woman lay naked by the stone steps…
A whole family…
"Is this Yong'an's Magistrate?" Fei Qian wasn't sure.
Huang Cheng also frowned. "…Don't know. But given the situation, likely so."
Fei Qian fell silent. After a long while, he said, "Have them properly encoffined and buried."
Huang Cheng assented.
A person dies like a lamp extinguished; all glory and wealth vanish. Perhaps this magistrate once dreamed of achievements, fame, but now was rotting flesh, not even leaving a name.
A soldier ran in from outside, accidentally stepping on a White Wave "gift." Instinctively wanting to kick it off, but seeing Fei Qian present, couldn't make too big a movement. He endured and reported: "South of the city, Commandant Zhang sent a messenger. All White Wave bandits fleeing south from Yong'an have been killed, none escaped! Additionally, a troop of about eight hundred soldiers spotted twenty li away, heading this way!"
Eight hundred, nearly a thousand…
White Wave army?
Why come here?