Looking out at the endless sea of 300,000 people, Wei Yuan genuinely felt stuffed.

At the moment, the civilian laborers, prisoners of war, and wounded soldiers were all housed within a makeshift enclosure. The area had been transformed into a hastily constructed prison surrounded by crude barbed wire and with a watchtower erected every few dozen zhang.

The prisoners were clearly divided into four groups. The civilian laborers, the private armies, the official troops, and the wounded each occupied a section of their own.

Walking among the crowd, Wei Yuan’s voice echoed throughout the entire prison compound. “Now that you’re here, don’t even think about going back. If an army of three hundred thousand couldn’t take my Qingming, how many do you think it would take to rescue you? Six hundred thousand? A million?

“This military commissioner is an official appointed by the royal court. I possess the authority to establish my own seat and oversee all military affairs. If you follow me, you’ll be a part of the royal army, and you’ll never suffer such a crushing defeat ever again.

“Of course, if you really want to go home, there is a way. In a few days, when the roads are reopened, you may write letters to your families and have them send money to ransom you. If you really have no money, that’s fine too—all you need to do is to work for me for a decade, or serve in my army for five years, to regain your freedom.”

At this point, Wei Yuan flashed a beaming...