Springtime Farming: A Happy Wife At Home

Chapter 2296: Su Huai’s Fury

Su Huai was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. Zheng Sangge, shouting sternly, chased after him relentlessly, not giving him a moment to catch his breath. His attacks became even sharper.

The Huaixi army’s momentum was unstoppable; the more they fought, the braver they became. Su Huai felt that in a moment of distraction, his side had been defeated and was retreating.

He shouted desperately to stop the retreat, but it was useless. Even if his voice could carry far enough, saving his own life was more pressing—who would listen to him?

Su Huai cursed, his eyes blazing with fury. He attacked Zheng Sangge wildly, but Zheng Sangge sneered and dealt with him calmly.

Seeing the dire situation, Su Huai’s trusted subordinates desperately tried to dissuade him. In the end, valuing his life, Su Huai retreated resentfully, unwilling to fight any longer.

With his escape, his troops were like water breaking through a dam, quickly defeated. The Huaixi Army chased them down, crushing them completely.

In this direct and “honest” battle, Su Huai led 20,000 troops into the fray, losing more than half and suffering countless injuries.

After returning to Huzhou City, Su Huai flew into a rage.

Ever since he had led his troops to Huaixi, it seemed like nothing had gone smoothly for him, and he hadn’t had a single day without losing his temper.

Red-eyed from his losses, Su Huai was confused and desperate. He decided to use the same tactic again, ordering the forcible conscription of commoners into the army.

However, the generals under him were no longer his old pirate brothers—more than 80% of those men had died, leaving only a few. The current generals were imperial court officials transferred from Jiangning.

All the generals were stunned and objected vehemently, some with intense attitudes. They outright condemned his plan as madness.

Su Huai was furious. Zheng Sangge had mocked him before, and now his own people were defying him. How could he tolerate it?

If the first time he had done this, he had felt a bit guilty, now he was completely self-righteous.

In his mind, he was not in the wrong. What was wrong with conscripting the people? Weren’t they the Emperor’s subjects? They should have no complaints about bleeding and risking their lives. Why couldn’t the people help?

“Don’t you understand the simple principle that if a ruler wants his ministers to die, his ministers have to die?”

Su Huai ignored the generals’ objections entirely. He ordered the capture of at least 5,000 people, stating that this was only the initial stage and more could be taken if needed.

The generals could not accept this at all. The two generals assigned to carry out the order refused. Su Huai, using the excuse of violating military orders, had them arrested, subjected them to 30 lashes, and imprisoned them before assigning someone else to the task.

The remaining generals looked at each other in anger and frustration.

Thus, in Huzhou, a scene reminiscent of what had happened in Hangzhou City unfolded. Countless commoners were forcibly taken by soldiers. Parents, wives, and families cried out in despair—it was a tragic sight.

The wealthy families seemed to sense impending trouble. Panic spread as they began closing their shops, dismissing their servants, and hiding their assets. Many secretly left Huzhou City with their families, planning to return in a few months once the situation stabilized.

Seeing the wealthy families’ actions, the commoners feared that the situation in Huzhou might worsen. The panic spread, and many families decided to flee, hoping to return after some time.

Especially those lucky enough not to have family members forcibly recruited, they wished they could escape overnight. The fear of being caught if they delayed spurred them into immediate action.