325: Chapter 325 Zhang Liang's Scheme

When the sun rose the next day, more than ten people were late, and the last person didn't arrive until noon.

At that time, Peng Yue said apologetically, "I am old, yet you insisted on making me your leader. Now, many people have arrived late for our agreed-upon time. I cannot behead everyone, so I will only execute the last person to arrive."

He decided to kill the person who had arrived last.

But no one took him seriously; they all laughed and tried to persuade Peng Yue, saying, "Why go to such lengths? We simply won't dare to be late again in the future."

Peng Yue's expression turned cold.

Since he had decided to grow and strengthen his power, he firmly believed in one thing: without rules, there can be no order.

Thus, Peng Yue killed the person who had arrived last.

Afterward, he set up an earthen altar and used the head of the last person to arrive as a sacrificial offering to command his followers.

Everyone was greatly shocked and feared Peng Yue; no one dared to look up at him.

Thus, it was only natural that Peng Yue took command of these hundred-odd men.

They committed robberies within the borders of Nan Commandery, and whenever government troops came to attack them, they would flee by boat into the Yunmeng Marsh. Relying on their familiarity with the marsh, they managed to evade the troops' pursuit every time.

The reputation of Peng Yue and the Yunmeng Marsh grew ever greater, attracting a large number of outlaws.

Among these people were those who had committed crimes themselves, as well as Remnants of the Six States who wished to overthrow the Great Qin Empire.

Peng Yue's force grew from over a hundred men to a thousand.

The large number of Remnants of the Six States entering the Yunmeng Marsh meant that, besides Peng Yue, there were five other factions that were no weaker than his.

Peng Yue and the leaders of these five factions all wanted to annex one another, but none were able to do so.

However, after Zhang Liang entered the Yunmeng Marsh, the situation changed.

Zhang Liang had Peng Yue arrange a meeting with the leader of one of the factions, proposing that they join forces to annex another faction.

After that leader agreed, Zhang Liang instead had Peng Yue backstab him. When the two forces met, they launched a sudden attack, catching the other faction completely off guard.

After slaying that faction's leader, Zhang Liang had Peng Yue consolidate the troops and attack another faction.

After consolidating two factions, Peng Yue's force reached over two thousand men.

With Mohist Disciples forging weapons for Peng Yue's force,

the strength of Peng Yue's side grew increasingly powerful.

Under Peng Yue's coercion, they all chose to surrender.

This caused Peng Yue's force to skyrocket to five thousand men.

These men were all young bachelors; once gathered together, their self-confidence swelled to the point of bursting.

In particular, there was one among them named Li Yunlong, who had a booming voice and constantly clamored to attack the county seat.

Zhang Liang knew very well that if this group of men went to attack a county seat,

they would set out in the morning and be squatting in the county jail by evening.

It was impossible for these people to win in a head-on confrontation with the army of Great Qin.

Although Zhang Liang had no intention of attacking the county seat, he had other schemes in mind.

"Do you know about the steam train?"

Zhang Liang asked.

Everyone, including Peng Yue, was stunned.

They were poorly educated and had little worldly experience; they truly had never heard of anything called a steam train.

"Look at this map."

Zhang Liang spread a map of Great Qin across the table.

"This is the Yunmeng Marsh where we are currently located."

"We follow the Yangtze River downstream to reach Kuaiji Commandery."

"There are steam trains in Kuaiji Commandery."

"The railway starting from Chang'an passes through Yingchuan Commandery and Chen Commandery, crosses the Huai River, and enters Kuaiji Commandery."

"The various goods continuously produced in the Chang'an Industrial Zone are transported to Kuaiji Commandery via the railway."