Thousands of young and able-bodied men from Eastern Liang Commandery waved clubs, blades, and pitchforks as they advanced toward the South Gate. Tang Tiehan and his sister Tang Qingxuan stood atop the gate tower, leading a thousand soldiers who waited in battle formation. These residents intended to force the South Gate open to welcome the Great Yong army. They knew nothing of the battle outside; in their eyes, Eastern Liang Commandery could not possibly hold, and the Great Yong army would retake it that very day. Faced with the swelling, seething crowd, the Tang Family Siblings could not help growing nervous. Tang Qingxuan whispered, "Big Brother! What should we do?"
Cold sweat covered Tang Tiehan's forehead. "What else can we do? Lord Hu said that if they dare to rebel, we kill them without mercy!" He issued his orders. "Brothers, ready your bows! Anyone who dares take another step forward dies where he stands!"
Tang Qingxuan bit her cherry-red lip and whispered, "But if we kill them, won't we provoke public outrage?"
Tang Tiehan said, "Womanly mercy! We can't afford to worry about all that now."
More and more civilians gathered, and the situation spiraled further out of control.
Just then, someone in the crowd called out, "Fellow townsfolk, we were subjects of Great Yong to begin with! Why should we throw our lives away for Great Kang's muddleheaded emperor? Now the Imperial Court has sent troops to rescue us and bring us back beneath Great Yong's banner. Let's rush out of the city and welcome our army!"
His single call drew a hundred responses, and the crowd surged forward again. Tang Tiehan roared, "Let's see who dares take another step!"
At that moment, a soldier squeezed up beside Tang Tiehan and whispered something in his ear. Tang Tiehan burst