Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

Chapter 833: Fusang Tradition: The Inferior Overthrows the Superior

A playful smile slowly formed on the corner of Su Zhengyang's mouth. He turned around slightly and glanced at Liu Gangding, Gurian and others around him.

"Everyone, I think you will find the following scene very interesting." Su Zhengyang's voice was a little teasing, "Why don't we do something exciting? How about letting these two Fuso's 'elites' stage a life-and-death duel for us?"

Liu Gangding, Gurian and others showed surprised expressions when they heard this.

Su Zhengyang has always been decisive and never drags his feet, so why would he do this?

Su Zhengyang waved his hand, signaling the soldiers who were about to drag Suzuki Taro and Fujita Teru away to stop.

The soldiers quickly carried out the order and untied the two men.

Taro Suzuki and Teru Fujita were caught off guard by the sudden change. They looked at each other with shock and confusion in their eyes.

After a while, Suzuki Taro finally reacted. He struggled to stand up, glared at Su Zhengyang, and asked loudly: "Su Zhengyang! What do you mean? Do you think we are your playthings?"

Fujita Teru was also angry, but more afraid of the unknown.

He clenched his teeth, made no sound, and just stared at Su Zhengyang with eyes full of resentment.

Su Zhengyang smiled slightly, and there was a chill in his smile. "Suzuki-kun, Fujita-kun, you don't have to be so excited."

"I just want to give you a chance, a chance to live. But you need to fight for this chance yourself."

He paused, his eyes moving back and forth between the two of them, finally settling on Suzuki Taro. "Only one of you can survive. And I will give the winner a chance to live."

This sentence was like a bolt from the blue, leaving both Suzuki Taro and Fujita Teru stunned.

They couldn't believe their ears, and they couldn't believe that Su Zhengyang would put forward such incredible requirements.

"Let's have a life-and-death duel, both of you." Su Zhengyang said calmly, "Let me see if your Bushido spirit can be truly reflected at this moment."

Suzuki Taro regained his composure almost the moment Su Zhengyang finished speaking. He turned around quickly and looked directly at Fujita Teru, his tone full of authority that could not be disobeyed: "Fujita, I am your superior. Whether on the battlefield or now, you should respect me. The chance to survive should naturally be left to me."

Upon hearing this, Fujita Teru was stunned at first, then his face suddenly changed and his anger erupted like a volcano.

The anger in his heart had been pent up for a long time, and now he could no longer suppress it.

Fujita Teru suddenly roared, his voice full of despair and madness, as if he wanted to vent all his unwillingness and humiliation.

Then, he pounced on Suzuki Taro like an enraged beast and pinned him to the ground.

"Suzuki Taro! I've tolerated you for so long!" Fujita Teru's voice exploded in Suzuki Taro's ears. "Why do you always snatch my food? Why do you have to enjoy all the good things first? Go to hell!"

Before he finished speaking, Fujita Teru's fists had already rained down on Suzuki Taro's face. Each punch was accompanied by the sound of breaking wind, and the power was so great that Suzuki Taro could not resist it at all.

He let out a series of pig-slaughtering howls, which contained both pain and shock.

Taro Suzuki never thought that Fujita Teru, who seemed weak on weekdays, would have such a crazy side.

"Fujita, are you crazy?" Suzuki Taro wailed in pain and cursed, "How dare you hit me! When I get back, I will kill your whole family!"

However, Fujita Teru seemed not to hear his threat and just swung his fists even more wildly.

His eyes were filled with blood red, as if he wanted to pour all his anger on Suzuki Taro.

"You're going to die anyway!" Fujita Teru roared, "Don't put on that ugly, condescending face in front of me!"

Su Zhengyang sat leisurely on a wide chair, his eyes cold and deep, like a condescending spectator, quietly admiring the fierce entanglement between Suzuki Taro and Fujita Teru below.

A hint of sneer inadvertently appeared at the corner of his mouth, which not only contained a mockery of the dramatic struggle before his eyes, but also revealed a deep understanding and disdain for the unique cultural phenomenon of "the lower class overthrowing the superior" in this tiny country of Fuso.

In the long history of Fusang, the tradition of "the lower ones overthrowing the upper ones" runs through almost the entire history, profoundly affecting every corner of the country's politics, military and even social life.

In short, the so-called "lower-ups" means that the lower-ups challenge and overthrow the authority and rule of their superiors through some means or force. This phenomenon is not uncommon in the history of Japan, from the Genpei War in the Heian period, to the rise of heroes in the Warring States period, to the shogunate turmoil at the end of the Edo period, all of which are manifestations of the spirit of "lower-ups".

The formation of this tradition is closely related to the special structure of Fuso society.

In the feudal society with strict hierarchy, the lower classes often faced tremendous survival pressure and unfair treatment, and "overthrowing the upper classes" became an extreme way for them to seek to change their destiny and realize their self-worth.

It is both a manifestation of the spirit of resistance and an accusation and criticism of injustice.

In the Fuso social system, subordinates are usually extremely respectful to their superiors and dare not overstep the mark in the slightest. But in fact, the suppressed anger in their hearts has long been burning fiercely. As long as the right opportunity comes, it will erupt completely like a prairie fire.

For example, the famous Oda Nobunaga, the Oda family was originally a powerful family in the Owari region.

The other type is that middle and lower-level samurai eventually take over the lord's throne through promotion. For example, Saito Dosan was a lower-level samurai at first, but eventually exiled his lord and became a daimyo.

During the Warring States Period, the process of transformation from shugo, kokumin, and samurai to daimyo was called "the lower class overthrowing the upper class." From this, we can see the two main causes of the lower class overthrowing the upper class: class advancement and the mismatch between name and reality.

Those who truly hold the corresponding power are the shugo and shugo deputies who have good governance in various places, the powerful nobles who have the support of local people, and the promoted and prestigious samurai. They control all aspects of power in politics, economy, and military, but they do not have the corresponding reputation.

Their class has not actually leapt up, even if they have the support of the people, in theory they and their descendants still have to work like slaves for the superiors. This is naturally not what they want to see, so they must "overthrow the superiors".

The essence of the lower class overthrowing the upper class is that in a very serious hierarchical society like the Japanese Warring States period, if the lower class who really hold power want to change their fate of being slaves and achieve class leap, they must take risks. If they succeed, they will naturally be above everyone else, but if they fail, the worst that can happen is that they will still be slaves.

The fight between Fujita Teru and Suzuki Taro becomes more and more intense. Both of them have abandoned their previous identities and concerns, leaving only the most primitive desire to survive.

After feeling the deadly murderous intent of Fujita Teru, Suzuki Taro's eyes suddenly became cold and he no longer held back. He suddenly raised his knee and pushed it towards Fujita Teru's crotch without hesitation with an almost crazy force.

Fujita Teru suddenly let out a heart-wrenching scream, his face turned as pale as paper in an instant, and his body curled up in pain.

However, Fujita Teru did not give up. He gritted his teeth, endured the severe pain, and used all his strength to push Suzuki Taro away from him.

But how could Suzuki Taro let him succeed? He quickly used his weight advantage to pin Fujita Teru firmly under him, and his hands were like iron pliers, tightly strangling Fujita Teru's throat.

The breathing of both of them became unusually heavy, and each of them only had eyes for the other's face twisted by anger and pain. They seemed to have regarded each other as mortal enemies at this moment, and they had only one thought in their minds - to kill each other at all costs!

The muscles in Suzuki Taro's arms were tense, and he put all his strength into the hands that were strangling Fujita Teru's throat.

Although Fujita Teru was at a disadvantage, he twisted his body desperately, trying to find an opportunity to counterattack.