"Heaven has died; the Red Heaven shall rise! Treacherous ministers hold court, and the people cannot survive!"
At the same time, amid the mountains and rivers of the east, outside a certain city, several thousand people dressed in simple military robes and carried weapons, shouting slogans at the top of their lungs. They raised their blades high, fury written across every face and killing intent filling their eyes!
"The realm is in chaos now—this is precisely the time to win glory and forge our deeds! We must rise with blade and spear in hand and fight out a future for ourselves! These strange signs beneath heaven foretell the changing of the dynasty's cauldron; they show the court's lack of virtue, and they are the work of those treacherous ministers and traitors!"
At the very front, a tall, powerfully built man with rugged features stood atop an earthen mound, shouting himself hoarse.
Below him, the crowd answered in kind.
On the distant city walls, several graceful young masters clad in brocade and silk watched the scene below and listened to the man's cries. Smug smiles could not help appearing on their faces.
"What chaos is there in the realm? The surrounding prefectures and counties have long been controlled by our Gao Clan. Farther afield, the forces of several other families hold sway as well. If we want them in turmoil, they will be in turmoil; if we want them peaceful, they will be peaceful." The eldest among them was named Gao Huan, an outstanding second-generation disciple of the Gao Clan, peerless in both poetry and painting.
At his side, a young master who looked scarcely more than a boy asked in confusion, "These people only need to investigate a little to know that the leader is lying. How can they still