Emperor Qiwen walked to the rear of the battlefield and stood upon a tall carriage. Before the stockade of the main camp, a hundred imperial guards stood watch.
He shouted, "The Son of Heaven is here! A heavy reward for anyone who kills the rebels!"
He had expected these words to compel the rebels to surrender or defect, but Emperor Qiwen had not anticipated that his pronouncement would have absolutely no deterrent effect on them. Half of Baili Moyin’s troops were death squads and private soldiers he had raised himself, while the other half consisted of refugees and victims of disaster gathered from various regions. These people had been driven out by the authorities, slaughtered at will, and abandoned to their fates; they had long since wanted to rebel.
Chapter 646