Shen Gongbao stood in a tree on the mountaintop. Sheltered beneath its leaves, he still looked like an old farmer, with both hands tucked into his sleeves.
His narrowed eyes seemed to gaze into the far distance, as though he could see the enemy troops coming and going at the east, west, and south gates, taunting the city.
Faint snores could be heard.
The people of Pingling all believed that their current calamity was mostly the fault of the commandery governor appointed by King Zhou.
That commandery governor was utterly vicious. He had even coerced King Pingling while the king was observing mourning, and now he had long since retreated behind the curtain to control Pingling.
Of course, that was what the common people thought. The nobles and officials within the city had already guessed something of the truth: the commandery governor was most likely just a front.
Quite a few among them were itching to act.
They were also afraid. King Zhou at least had a bottom line. He killed Feudal Lords and tribal chieftains, but he had never slaughtered innocent nobles or ministers.
Take Marquis Li, for instance. Although Marquis Li had been killed, he alone had died. The nobles of Li Territory were still living perfectly well.
Even Marquis Li's son would surely have become a high-ranking official in Li Commandery if he had not courted death by colluding with the Rongdi.
Toward a King Zhou like that, they felt awe, dissatisfaction, and resentment, but unless they were driven into a corner, it was hard for them to take up arms in rebellion.
King Pingling, however, was far too ruthless. One word: kill.
King Pingling was even the first ruler of this era to carry out mass slaughter against groups with standing, such as nobles and ministers.