SFS Chapter 545 The Campaign Against Chu
Chapter 545 The Campaign Against Chu
Within Xianyang city, public opinion was being mobilized.
At the same time, Ying Wuyou's propaganda offensive was launched across the Qin state.
The latest issue of the *Da Qin Xin Bao* (Great Qin News) used an eye-catching headline and colloquial language to publicly expose the "crimes" of the Chu state. Besides the official proclamation, the vernacular stories written at Ying Wuyou's behest became a hot topic of discussion in the streets and alleys.
"Look! This is the nobleman of Chu! For his own enjoyment, he forces the people to grow sugarcane, causing them to starve to death!"
"You couldn't even defeat the Baiyue barbarians with an army of 50,000, yet you have the nerve to come and steal our grain?"
"I heard they have some grain on their own border, but they're hiding it, ignoring the lives of the people in the interior! A court like that is doomed!"
In restaurants and teahouses, storytellers vividly recounted "The Record of Evil Deeds of the Chu Nobles".
"...That nobleman Zhao had thousands of acres of fertile land and full granaries, yet he watched helplessly as the people under his rule exchanged their own children for food! An old man knelt and begged for a single grain of rice, only to be beaten out by his servants and die of cold and hunger that very night! His heart was more venomous than that of a snake or scorpion!"
"...The Chu army in Nanyue dared not confront the allied forces head-on, but instead targeted the elderly, women, and children, looting villages and burning houses. Their actions were no different from those of beasts. Fortunately, justice prevailed, and the righteous men of Baiyue rose up in resistance, thus upholding justice on behalf of Heaven!"
"...Most hateful of all, the Chu court knew perfectly well that the economic zone contained the grain of our great Qin, which could save countless people from suffering, yet it strictly blocked the news, only caring about a few border counties, while letting the inland areas turn into scorched earth! What use is such a court?!"
These stories, rich in detail and full of emotion, were artistically crafted and highly persuasive. Listeners were deeply moved, filled with indignation at the corruption and brutality of the Chu state, and filled with anticipation for the "benevolent and righteous army" of Qin. The slogan "Punish the wicked and save the people" began to spread spontaneously among the people of Qin.
Ying Wuyou stood by the window on the third floor of the First Building of Qin, listening to the hustle and bustle of the city. A slight smile appeared on his lips. The seeds of public opinion had been sown and were beginning to take root and sprout.
Now all that's needed is a catalyst. Once that catalyst arrives, and the State of Chu tears off its last fig leaf, everything will be accomplished.
In the state of Chu, the famine in Yingdu had reached its peak. The official granaries were already empty, and although the private granaries of the nobles had surplus grain, they were kept tightly shut, with armed guards patrolling day and night.
Several days ago, starving people began storming the noble mansions. Although they were all eventually killed by the nobles' servants, everyone knew that a large-scale conflict was about to break out.
In the Chu King's palace, King Fuchu of Chu was on the verge of a mental breakdown under immense fear and pressure.
Panic gripped the court, and as everyone pondered their own escape routes, the radical nobles spoke up again, proposing an even more outrageous plan:
"Your Majesty! The current situation is beyond reason! The Qin people's intention to destroy us is obvious, and the people in the country are being misled by them! Rather than waiting to die, we should fight to the death! We have learned that there must still be grain stored in the Qin merchants' warehouses in the economic zone! And those counties on the border, being close to the water, must also have surplus grain among the people!"
"Your Majesty, please order us to organize our private troops, along with some of the remaining city defense forces, to launch a surprise attack on the economic zone and surrounding Chu counties under the pretext of 'eliminating spies colluding with Qin and requisitioning military provisions'! Seizing grain is essential to stabilizing Yingdu and planning for the future! If we act swiftly and create a fait accompli, the Qin may not dare to immediately launch a full-scale war! With grain in hand, we might be able to hold our own!"
This plan was extremely risky. If they were caught, everyone knew the consequences: Qin would definitely use it as an excuse to break the alliance and send troops south.
Faced with the near collapse of the Chu state, King Fu Chu, driven by wishful thinking, tacitly approved the plan. To be on the safe side, King Fu Chu also allocated two thousand soldiers to assist.
A few days later, a force of about 5,000 men, a mix of private soldiers of Chu nobles and a small number of regular troops, suddenly attacked the Qin-Chu economic zone and two neighboring border counties of Chu under the guise of "suppressing bandits" and "collecting grain".
The movements of the State of Chu were quickly discovered by Qin spies hidden within Chu. The news was swiftly delivered to Xiao He's desk, and he made a decisive decision. On the one hand, he urgently evacuated the people and merchants in the economic zone to ensure their safety; on the other hand, he tirelessly organized the transfer of supplies to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Chu army.
When the Chu army stormed into the economic zone, they were astonished to find that the warehouses, which should have been filled with grain and treasure, were completely empty, with only ruins remaining. The busy civilians and merchants had also vanished without a trace.
What the Chu army didn't expect was that a Qin army disguised as ordinary civilians was hiding in the economic zone. These Qin soldiers were already on high alert, waiting for the Chu army to walk right into their trap.
The outcome of the battle was never in doubt. Caught off guard by the Qin army's sudden attack, the Chu army was powerless to retaliate. Their ranks instantly descended into chaos, with soldiers fleeing in all directions and suffering heavy casualties.
Meanwhile, the two counties on the border of Chu were looted by the Chu army. The Chu soldiers were like wolves and tigers, plundering all the people's property, including grain, livestock, and money. Many people rose up in resistance but were brutally slaughtered. In an instant, the two counties were filled with cries of despair and rivers of blood.
The news quickly reached the Qin state, and the people were outraged, with cries of "the Chu invaders are brutal, they must pay with their blood!" rising and falling.
To allow the people to more directly and deeply understand the brutality of the Chu army, Ying Wuyou ordered painters to depict scenes of the Chu army's atrocities.
These painters were all highly skilled artists who used delicate brushstrokes and vivid colors to vividly depict the atrocities of the Chu army on the canvas. Each painting was like a window into the sinful world of the Chu army, allowing people to witness those horrific scenes firsthand.
These paintings not only depict the Chu army's slaughter, plunder, and destruction of innocent civilians, but also reveal their cruelty and ruthlessness. The Chu soldiers in the paintings have ferocious expressions, wielding weapons, and wantonly trampling on life and dignity. The victims, meanwhile, face death and suffering with terror and helplessness.
After organizing these paintings, Ying Wuyou included them in the "New Qin Daily." This newspaper quickly spread throughout the Qin Dynasty. Whether in towns or villages, whether high-ranking officials or ordinary people, everyone knew about the atrocities committed by the Chu army, and their anger had reached a breaking point.
Ying Wuyou had been waiting for this opportunity. She immediately went to the palace to meet the King of Qin and spoke eloquently: "Father, the people of Chu have betrayed our trust and righteousness, brazenly invading our territory and robbing our merchants; what's worse, their military discipline is corrupt, and in broad daylight they act like bandits within our own borders, robbing the people's grain and harming the common people, causing widespread suffering and inflicting the wrath of both gods and men! Such immoral acts cannot be tolerated by Heaven and Earth! I beg Father to make a wise judgment!"
Now that the King of Qin had this excuse, he knew that the long-awaited moment had finally arrived. Everything was "perfect."