"We've all seen that. Master is different from them. But even so, they don't believe it," Zhan Dongwen said.
"Give it time. They'll need a while to accept it." Tang Wen waved a hand.
"Master, the new batch of government slaves refuses to submit to discipline. We went to Qingniu Town to take them over, but they actually refused to come.
"And they banded together to resist. Hall Master Mo took a large force of Personal Guards over, but they fought as though prepared to die.
"Hall Master Mo injured a dozen or so of them, but that only enraged them further, and they all closed ranks.
"They refused to come, and Hall Master Mo could do nothing. He was afraid of injuring too many of them.
"So he could only remain in a standoff with them," Li Quan said.
"What exactly happened?" Tang Wen asked, taken aback.
"Don't we have official documents from the authorities? Would they dare defy the authorities? That's a capital offense!" Luo Yiwu interjected from beside them.
"It's no use. They said they'd rather go to prison, be exiled, or even die than sell themselves to outsiders as slaves." Zhan Dongwen shook his head.
"Come on! Let's go take a look," Tang Wen said. The party rode straight for Qingniu Town, joining Mo Dachang's men two hours later.
They found that Mo Dachang and his Personal Guards had surrounded the entire town, while the other side had also organized over a thousand people, who held weapons and glared at them.
"All the men have come forward. Apart from the women and children, even the elderly have joined them.
"There are even some young women. They built a crude barricade from door panels and timber, blocking the entrance to the road.
"The moment our men approach,