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This was the reason why the prominent families of Pingyin County had contributed so many resources, to protect themselves from potential pillaging by the rebel army. After all, the imperial army tended to follow certain standards, whereas the rebels had no qualms about disregarding them.

But now, the imperial army had fled, leaving the people of Pingyin County in a state of uncertainty. Although they could resist by closing the city gates, the duration of their defense was unknown.

Moreover, there was no military presence in Pingyin County, only bailiffs and constables from the county government, with rudimentary defenses. The prospect of fending off the oncoming rebel army was daunting.

There was also the issue of what would happen if they resisted until the bitter end, with the city ultimately falling to the rebels. The entire Pingyin County would undoubtedly be ransacked.

Reports from other towns indicated that any town that resisted would be burned and pillaged, leading to the creation of numerous refugees.

Alternatively, if they surrendered without a fight, the outcome may be slightly better, but the rebels were not interested in governing, and would only seek to acquire resources.

Pingyin County was at a loss on what to do, with both options posing great difficulties, and both potentially leading to their demise. The only difference was that one was standing and the other kneeling.

Ten Miles Away.

“Did the Imperial Court’s army retreat?” Tan Zhen’an asked the scout below as he sat on his horse.

“Yes, they have all evacuated, and in the past few days, they have taken away a lot of Pingyin County’s resources,” the scout replied with a lowered head.

“What a bunch of cowards. With this kind of courage, they dare to lead the army into battle!” Hua Shizhong sneered.

“If it weren’t for this group of people, how could we have risen to power? Moreover, if they used Pingyin County to fight us, even if we win in the end, we will suffer heavy losses,” Tan Zhen’an said as he looked at the faintly visible city in the distance. He waved his hand, and the entire army accelerated forward.

Now that the Imperial Court’s army was not here, Pingyin County was already theirs. Whether Pingyin County resisted or not did not matter to Tan Zhen’an, as he had already made ample preparations to plunder the county.

While the people of Pingyin County were still wavering, the city gates of the southern city were already open. Seven or eight of the bailiffs guarding the city were killed before they all surrendered.

They had no choice but to surrender since a Marrow Tempering realm expert was a crushing existence against the bailiffs who were at most at the Body Tempering realm. At some point in time, there were rebel soldiers hiding in Pingyin County.

If the county government was determined enough to defend the city, they would naturally send heavy troops to guard each city gate. However, with such a cautious mentality, the defense of the city gate naturally became a joke.

Chen Fei stayed in his courtyard and listened to the commotion outside. He felt a little irritated.

A few days ago, he had thought that the rebel army would not come, but now, they were right in front of him.

The medical center had closed after receiving the news of the arrival of the rebel army. Chen Fei originally thought about whether he should go to the Zhang family’s place to hide, but after thinking about it, he decided against it.

When the rebel army entered the city, their biggest target was the aristocratic families. If he hid inside, Chen Fei would easily be implicated. Moreover, the Zhang family did not allow Chen Fei to enter the residence, indicating that they did not intend to protect him.

As for whether the rebel army would loot the civilians, it would depend on how low their standards were. If it came to it, Chen Fei could only take things as they come.

At this time, the usefulness of the Disguise Technique was reflected. At least, no one would recognize him.

“In the eyes of an expert, this Disguise Technique probably has some flaws. If there’s a chance in the future, I’ll have to find a stronger disguise technique to learn,” Chen Fei thought as he returned to the pill room. He came to a washbasin and buried his entire face in cold water.

“Clear Heart Technique experience points +1. Experience points +1. ”

As Chen Fei continued to practice the Clear Heart Formula, he found a way to increase his experience points – by burying his entire head in cold water for a period of time. He had become so skilled at the technique that he was nearing perfection. With a clear and calm mind, he was able to make decisions more quickly and confidently.

However, Chen Fei’s ultimate goal was to leave Pingyin County and join the Cloud Sword Sect. He hoped that the stable environment there would allow him to continue to grow and learn. Moreover, he believed that the sect’s access to resources such as medicinal herbs and secret techniques would be much higher than in Pingyin County.

Meanwhile, at the county’s yamen (government office), the local officials and powerful families were gathered to meet with Tan Zhen’an, a military general. Unlike their jovial interactions with the imperial army, the atmosphere was tense and apprehensive.

“Since everyone is here, I will speak,” Tan Zhen’an said with a smile. “You all know why I’m here.”

The county magistrate replied, “General Tan, we will do everything in our power to meet your demands.”

“Good,” Tan Zhen’an said. “Otherwise, if someone fails to comply, we’ll be accused of not providing adequate advance notice.”

He then proceeded to announce the exorbitant sums of money and resources each family was required to contribute. The families were alarmed by the demands, which would drain their resources entirely.

“My Zhou family has not been doing well in recent years, and I cannot come up with that much silver,” one member protested.

“My Zheng family is small and cannot afford this,” another added.

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a flash of light, and they were suddenly covered in fresh blood. The two men who had spoken up earlier had already become corpses.

“This isn’t a negotiation, it’s an order,” Hua ShiZhong said, nonchalantly sheathing his sword. His smirk conveyed amusement at the families’ fear. “If anyone cannot fulfill their obligations, speak up now.”

Two days to pay the money, ten days to deliver the goods. With that, Tan Zhen’an dismissed the meeting, which had been nothing more than a series of orders.

The members of each family glanced at each other, especially at the corpses on the ground, and shuddered involuntarily. The atmosphere was such that one wrong word could mean drawing a sword and killing someone without a second thought.

After the meeting, everyone returned to their respective families and passed on the news. It was clear that lives were being bought with money now, and those who refused to pay had already met their fate at the county yamen.