Taiheiki

Chapter 108 Fake Death
"I'm different?" Yuan Tian's heart skipped a beat. He pretended to be indifferent and asked, "Why do you say that?"

"It's simple. You're a fugitive yourself. Wouldn't it be a trap if you reported me?"

"Fugitive?" Yuan Tian was startled and quickly feigned shock and anger. "I'm clearly an honest citizen. You say I'm a fugitive. Do you have any proof?"

"Proof?" Wei Cong laughed. "How could I say such a thing without any reason? Guo Kui, come out and tell me what you know!"

"Here!" Guo Kui, who had been waiting in the corridor, came up to the classroom and told Wei Cong everything he had seen. Wei Cong laughed: "Well, did I slander you?"

Yuan Tian looked at Guo Kui in surprise. He had never expected that his origins would be investigated so clearly in such a short time. He looked at Guo Kui and asked, "Who are you and how do you know all this?"

Guo Kui looked up and received a reassuring look from Wei Cong before answering, "I am a disciple of Nie Zheng of Chaisang. When you sought refuge from disaster under my master's tutelage, I happened to be serving in the hall!"

"It's you?" After hearing Guo Kui's self-introduction, Yuan Tian thought about it for a long time, but still had no recollection. Guo Kui smiled and said, "My dear, there's no need to think about it. In your eyes, a servant like me is no different from a hitching post or railing on the roadside. Besides, it happened two or three years ago. How could you remember it?"

"Yuan Tian!" Wei Cong said with a smile, "Well, I didn't wrong you, did I? Tell me the whole story clearly, so I don't have to send people to torture you, which would be embarrassing!"

Yuan Tian's psychological defenses had been broken by Wei Cong's torment. He sighed, "Forget it. This is my fate. What else can I say? I don't ask for anything else from you. After this is over, just give me a quick death!"

"That's easy. I, Wei Cong, am not the kind of person who enjoys killing and abusing others!" Wei Cong said with a smile, "You said you are from the Yuan family of Chen State. Then let me ask you, what is your relationship with the Yuan family of Runan?"

Yuan Tian was stunned when he heard this. He had never expected Wei Cong to ask about his family background. However, he had memorized these things since he was a child, and they were not secrets. He answered casually, "The Yuan family of Runan is a branch of the Yuan family of Chen State. However, Runan and Chen State are neighbors, and they are of the same clan. Their children often visit each other, just like a family!"

"Given your family's influence in the local area, even if you killed someone, it wouldn't be difficult to get away with it. Why did you flee to the South and not be able to return for several years?"

Yuan Tian hesitated for a moment and replied, "I killed the brother-in-law of the eunuch Zhang Rang. The palace was furious, so I cannot escape punishment!"

"Zhang Rang?" Wei Cong was taken aback. He knew Zhang Rang, the eunuch whom Emperor Ling of Han had addressed as "my father." Of course, Emperor Ling hadn't yet ascended the throne, and given the eunuchs' "new emperor, new ministers" system, Zhang Rang likely hadn't yet become a eunuch, and his power within the palace wasn't nearly as immense as it would have been after Emperor Ling ascended the throne. Still, he was a prominent figure within the palace. Yuan Tian's audacity to murder Zhang Rang's brother-in-law was truly courageous. However, historically, Zhang Rang could have remained in power for another twenty years. Given the average lifespan of the ancients, it was virtually impossible for Yuan Tian to escape punishment and return home.

"Then why did you kill Zhang Rang's brother-in-law?"

"This fellow knew in advance that the imperial court was about to grant a general amnesty, so he brought his followers and guests to attack and kill his own enemy. The county magistrate, in accordance with the amnesty order, pardoned his crime and released him. I couldn't stand it, so I found an opportunity to execute him!"

"They really are the ones who fight when they don't obey. The scholars of the Han Dynasty were indeed fierce!" Wei Cong thought to himself, but he said, "Are there any of the Yuan family in Runan that you are familiar with?"

"The Yuan family of Runan?" Yuan Tian raised his head warily: "Why are you asking this?"

"Nothing special, I just heard of the Yuan family of Runan for a long time! I just want to make some friends with them!" Wei Cong said with a smile.

Hearing Wei Cong's response, the wariness in Yuan Tian's eyes faded slightly. While the Runan Yuan family hadn't yet reached the "four generations of three dukes" of the late Han Dynasty, with students and former officials scattered across the land, three consecutive generations, starting with Yuan An as Minister of Works, had already held the title of Three Dukes. The fourth-generation brothers, Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei, hadn't yet achieved this title, but they were allied with the eunuch Yuan She, the Zhongchang Shi, and had also formed connections with talented individuals. With the support of their fathers and grandfathers, they achieved early success and gained a reputation throughout the land. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that becoming a Three Duke was only a matter of time, and they were already one of the most prestigious families of the time. It wasn't surprising that Wei Cong wanted to befriend them.

"The third generation of the Yuan family has many children, and they have been rich and powerful for many years, holding high positions. I'm afraid they are rare and outstanding talents in the country!"

"Really?" Wei Cong smiled. "That's no wonder. What about the next generation? For example, Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu?"

"The next generation? Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu?" Yuan Tian was stunned by the question. "I haven't heard of them, but they shouldn't have reached adulthood yet, right?"

"Haha, isn't it easier to make friends with younger people?" Wei Cong laughed dryly.

Yuan Tian opened his mouth, at a loss for words. While his family, the Chen Yuan clan, wasn't as prestigious as the Runan Yuan clan, they still had officials. Families like his tended to associate with those older, or around their own age. For someone like Wei Cong, already in his late twenties, to grovel and associate with a group of young men from prominent families, even the Runan Yuan clan's reputation would plummet. From the perspective of the scholars of the time, that was practically the same as social demise.

"That's not a good idea, is it?" Wei Cong laughed dryly. "Forget it, let's talk about making friends with the Runan Yuan family in two years! Now let's talk about how to deal with you! Yuan Tian, do you want to die?" Yuan Tian was stunned by Wei Cong's question. He had already prepared himself for death when he got off the boat, but after being brought to Wei Cong and questioned without being tortured, his original desire to die naturally dissipated. But if he had to say in front of Wei Cong that he didn't want to die, he would be too embarrassed and froze there.

"Since you don't say anything, I'll just assume you want to die! Push him out and behead him!" Wei Cong shouted.

Yuan Tian was startled. Before he could say anything, the bodyguards next to him rushed over, blocked his mouth with a cloth, pushed him out of the door, and then pushed hard on the inside of his knees in the open space outside the door. Yuan Tian's knees softened and he knelt on the ground. Someone twisted his arms, and someone else grabbed his hair and pushed it down, exposing the skin on the back of his neck. The cold wind blew on it, making him covered with goose bumps.

Wei Cong walked up to Yuan Tian and winked at Diwu Deng. Diwu Deng nodded knowingly, drew his sword, held it high, and shouted, "Execute!" Then he chopped down the sword. Yuan Tian, who was kneeling on the ground, only felt a cool breeze, and then was hit on the back of his neck. He screamed and his whole body went limp. He didn't know whether he was alive or dead.

"Fifth Deck, remove his shackles! Help him up!"

Yuan Tian collapsed to the ground, his entire body as if boneless. He was dragged up from the ground. His eyes were bleary and he was startled to see Wei Cong right in front of him. "You, why are you still here? Are you still in the underworld?"

"Haha!" Wei Cong smiled. "Of course I'm still here. I used the back of the knife just now. Are you still alive?"

"Alive?" Yuan Tian was stunned. He subconsciously reached out and touched the back of his neck, only to feel it was wet. When he pulled his hand back, he saw that it was sweat instead of blood. Only then did he realize that he was still alive. For a moment, he didn't know whether to be happy or sad, and he stood there in a daze.

"Yuan Tian, I didn't do that just now to scare you, but to let you know the preciousness of life! If that knife had really chopped you down, you would never have survived! In this world, the Yin and Yang are separated by two things, far and near! I ask you again, do you want to live or die?"

"I want to live, I want to live, I really do!" Yuan Tian answered decisively this time. Wei Cong nodded and said, "That's good. I can let you live, but you've reported me to the county magistrate. This is a heinous crime. How can you atone for your sin?"

"My brother Yuan Hong is on good terms with the Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei brothers of the Runan Yuan family. If you would like to make friends with the Runan Yuan family, my brother can introduce you to them!"

"Alright!" Wei Cong nodded in satisfaction. "Although it's not enough to exonerate you, it's enough to redeem your life! I'll temporarily exempt you from the death penalty, but you have to remember that things in this world can only happen once, and if something like this happens again, even the gods won't be able to save you!"

"I understand!" Yuan Tian lowered his head and felt his whole body was covered in sweat and cold.

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Time flew by like quicksand, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the summer of the tenth year of Yanxi's reign. Since the beginning of June, the weather had been exceptionally hot. The sun rose in the morning, scorching the earth. By midday, only dense trees remained beneath the blazing sun. People, birds, and animals alike sought shelter in the shade, avoiding the scorching sun.

Qian Wen and his companions were resting on the mountainside when they unexpectedly spotted Wei Cong, who was discussing the marching route with his entourage and guide by the stream. He considered whether to stand up and greet them, but the opportunity was lost. A few minutes later, Wei Cong had already mounted his horse and was on his way. Those who had collapsed from heatstroke were left to recuperate and brought back on the return journey.

After noon, Qian Wen and the others got up and continued to lead the pack animals forward, walking downstream along the stream. The stream was filled with pebbles on both sides, and people and animals stepped deep and shallow on them, which could easily cause injuries. The surrounding areas were desolate, and no people or animals had left. Only the stone mountains on both sides rose up bit by bit, gradually forming huge cliffs on the left and right. The tiny team walked through it, as if walking through hell, and everyone was in a panic. Gradually, the stream became thick, and the riverbank was covered with wormwood. Swarms of mosquitoes followed them everywhere, biting people and making them red, swollen, dizzy, and hot.

The sun set and rose again, and two days flew by in the blink of an eye. At least thirty or forty percent of the men had fallen behind, and the food they had brought with them was dwindling. The accompanying horses and pack animals had been eaten one by one, but they were still only half full. On the third day, Wei Cong's own mount collapsed. Standing by, Wei Cong watched as the soldiers dismantled it piece by piece, and sighed with tears in his eyes, "Back in Baqiu, I rode this very horse to defeat bandits several times our size. I never thought I'd have to eat its flesh today!"

Diwudeng, standing by, consoled him, "Don't be sad, my dear. This horse is just an animal. It suffered in the world. Now that it's been stabbed, it won't have to suffer any more. This might be a good thing for it!"

Wei Cong sighed deeply and rolled up his dusty sleeves, revealing the dense red spots on his arms, which were all mosquito bites. "Aden, isn't it a mistake to send troops to conquer these mountain beasts this time? The mountain road is long and there's no telling where it will end. If we keep going like this, I'm afraid everyone will die in the mountains!"

Diwu Deng had never seen Wei Cong look so hopeless and dejected, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond. It turned out that just days after Wei Cong and Lu Ping reached an agreement, Lu Ping had delivered a thousand men, along with food, livestock, and a large quantity of miscellaneous goods, as agreed. This freed all of Wei Cong's men from the heavy labor of felling trees, shoveling iron sand, building houses and dams, and allowed him to reorganize his army. While producing Lu Ping's orders, he also used military force to send envoys to the surrounding villages, demanding hostages and signing an oath: they agreed not to attack, kill, or plunder each other; in the event of a dispute, they would accept Wei Cong's mediation; and in the event of bandits and robbers, they would provide each other with men according to their population.

Seeing that Wei Cong's men were strong and powerful, and that they were not demanding tribute or property, but only wanted the children of the village elders as hostages, the villages saw the idea of forming an alliance and guaranteeing their support as a good idea, and they all agreed. In just over a month, Wei Cong had gathered over a hundred hostages and formed an alliance with over thirty villages, totaling over five thousand men. The number of men in the camp also increased to nearly two thousand. Within a radius of sixty or seventy miles, the "Red Robe General Wei Cong" became the sphere of influence, making him a powerful commander in the entire Yangzhou region.

Just as Wei Cong was happily calculating how soon he could build the dike next to the camp, given the number of people he had. This would not only allow him to better utilize the abundant water resources here, but also open up the fertile mountain valley, potentially creating at least two to three thousand hectares of good land, but tragic news shattered his dreams. A group of Shan Liao people (a minority ethnic group living in the southern mountains at the time, native to the ridges and streams) attacked a village that had just signed an alliance with Wei Cong, looting it completely and taking the young, strong, and elderly abducted.

Upon hearing the bad news, Wei Cong immediately realized that this was a good opportunity to solidify the alliance. He immediately sent envoys to all the villages that joined the alliance to ask for the agreed auxiliary troops. Ten days later, he personally led an army of one thousand people. Among them, only three hundred people were brought by Wei Cong from Chaisang, and the remaining seven hundred people were sent from various villages. They were mainly responsible for auxiliary tasks such as transporting supplies, driving livestock, and scouts.

(End of this chapter)