The formidable reputation of the Five Great Families routed the lineages outside the imperial palace. But the lineages in the other four prefectures were farther from the capital, and with people inciting them, they continued to blockade government offices across the country.
On the afternoon the Five Great Families issued their proclamation, a rumor spread everywhere: the Hall of Punishment was currently handling the Ding Prefecture Rebellion and had no time to spare. Within three days at most, anyone who still dared surround a government office would be deemed to have colluded with the Qing Kingdom and punished for treason without exception.
The rumor caused considerable panic. More than half the lineages besieging government offices withdrew, and some people were so terrified they could not get through the day in peace, preparing to turn themselves in and confess.
Yet more than a hundred lineages continued to blockade government offices across the country.
Yueyang City, Xiang Prefecture.
This place, once called Baling, was the capital of Xiang Prefecture. It had officially been renamed because of the Record of Yueyang Tower.
It was regarded as one of the Fang Party's two main strongholds, the other being Ning'an City.
Yet several days earlier, over a thousand people had flooded into this place, which could be said to lie entirely under the control of Fang Party officials. Even several lineages within the city had joined them. They all crowded outside the Prefectural Office, blocking the entire street so thoroughly that it remained impassable.
Night fell. Beneath the bright Literary Star Light, the people here did not even need lamps. They could move freely, with everything clearly visible.
Quilts covered the ground along the long street. Over a thousand people chatted, ate and drank, or played pitch-pot, liubo, Go, and dice games as though they