Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 39 I shall bear the consequences of such a crime…

A north wind howled, and countless tiny ripples danced on the golden surface of Ohno Marsh. As the sun set, countless glistening frost and snowflakes shimmered on the greyish-white land on both banks.

A strong aroma of wine wafted from the bow of the boat. Three chivalrous men, born into poverty, sat on the small boat, drinking heartily and singing while banging on the wine jars. Zhang Chengfu, slightly drunk, struck the boat planks as a drumbeat, his voice as sharp as an eagle's cry.

"East of Pingling, amidst pines, cypresses, and paulownia trees, who dared to abduct Lord Yi?"

Gao Daonu, his face flushed with drunkenness, laughed heartily and sang along loudly.

"Robber Yi Gong, stand beneath the high hall, pay a million taels of silver and ride away!"

Then came Peng Kui's mournful and indignant singing, a testament to his personal experience of the suffering caused by the government's exploitation.

"Two horses galloping, it was truly difficult, but seeing the pursuing officials, my heart ached. My heart ached, blood gushed out, I went home and told my family I was selling my yellow calf!"

Then, Zhang Chengfu took over again and added the last line to the song "Pingling East" that he had already finished singing!
"Selling yellow calves won't even keep them alive! The rats and sparrows in the government granaries are fat as buckets! Kill the officials and redistribute wealth! Heaven is unjust, I will take matters into my own hands!"

After the long song was finished, Peng Gui was deeply moved, and even the pirates and fishermen around him became excited. He suddenly stood up, drew his short sword, tapped the blade, and sang, but it was "The Song of the East Gate," a song that had only recently come out and become the most widely circulated.

"I left through the east gate, not caring to return. I came back inside, filled with sorrow and grief!"

Gao Daonu laughed and continued, saying that he also knew this song and had even sung it while drinking with his fellow villagers from Zhuojun.

"There's not a single grain of rice stored in the jar, nor a single garment hanging on the shelf!"

Then, the surrounding pirates and fishermen couldn't help but draw their knives and shout wildly and excitedly.

"Draw your sword and head to the east gate! Chop down those damned tax collectors!"

All eyes turned to Zhang Chengfu, who gulped down two mouthfuls of wine, recalling countless vivid memories, and once again changed the lyrics and sang aloud.

"I draw my sword and head to the east gate! The house is empty, no one cries: my wife and daughters have long since starved to death, and the tax collectors are pressing me for payment! I'll bury my parents on straw mats in the Yellow Springs, and my starving and sick child cries endlessly until death!"

"Hmph! Fine! My life depends on this knife! I'll laugh as I draw my blade to the sky, and behead all the evildoers in the world! Killing is not my desire, I only wish that no one will be bullied! It's too late for me to go!"

"Alright! Alright! I'm already too late! Let's go together! Let's go together!..."

Peng Gui shouted excitedly, grabbed the wine jar, and drank two large gulps. Then, with red eyes, he grasped the boy's hand and swore an oath.

"The Eastern Peak Emperor is in the East! If the Way of Peace is truly like this, and we truly wish to raise our swords and kill this greedy, wolf-like government... then I, Peng Gui, will go with you! My suffering brothers from Dayeze will also go with you!..."

"Alright! Brother Peng! Let's get thoroughly drunk tonight, and tomorrow morning we'll head back to Chengwu County to pay our respects to my master!..."

"promise!!"

A full moon shone brightly over the night, and the Milky Way reflected in the vast lake. Wang Du lay by the campfire on the shore, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. After a long while, he looked at the small boat not far away, and the three people sleeping soundly on it, and sighed softly.

"A commoner, yet he keeps his promises, travels a thousand miles to uphold righteousness, and is willing to die for his principles... But what if he went a step further? Perhaps, he would resemble a gentleman like you!"

The moon rose and set, the dawn illuminated the east, and smoke rose from the marshland. After everyone had eaten breakfast, Wang Du bid farewell to Zhang Chengfu.

"Heaven bears witness! Zhang Jun, please travel north along the Huzi River back to Dong'e County, retrieve the county records, and bring back evidence of the Cheng family's crimes of land annexation and illegal harm to the people!"

"Good! Your Majesty, this journey is extremely important. You must have reliable men and guards along the way. I will have the three Jiang brothers accompany you back north! The operation must be discreet, and you must return quickly. When you report to the Duan family, do not forget my previous words!"

"Yes! I will never forget!..."

As they spoke, the two men, recognizing each other's talent, bowed to one another. Then, the four horses parted ways and headed north. Zhang Chengfu patted the drunken Gao Daonu on the shoulder, then looked at Peng Gui, who was with five fishermen, and said with a smile.

"Brother Peng! Let's go then! Head south to Chengwu County!"

"Alright! Brother Chengfu, everything's packed, let's go!"

They arrived with six men and six horses, and returned with eight men and two horses. Now, naturally, they had to walk. It took them three days to reach Chengwu County, where they saw the Duan family's vermilion gates lit day and night.

As a wanted pirate, Peng Kui certainly wouldn't go to the Duan family manor. When Zhang Chengfu asked about his residence, he smiled and said...

“We fishermen from Onozawa have nowhere to stay when we enter the city, and we also have to avoid the government. But we always know people in the market outside the city. If Brother Chengfu comes looking for me, just find a fisherman in the market and ask, ‘Where can I buy taiyaki from Onozawa?’ and someone will give you directions!”

"Oh? I can find Brother Peng at the fishermen's market? Great!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengfu looked at the confident Peng Gui, seemingly lost in thought.

These river pirates of Dayeze were wanted by the government, unlike the Taiping Dao, who couldn't operate openly within the prefecture. However, thanks to the extensive water network of Dayeze and their long survival time, they developed a large network of covert supporters in Yanzhou, enabling them to quickly obtain information from surrounding counties.

"If we can organize things a little and ensure the reliability of our manpower, this will be the prototype of an intelligence network! These boatmen who are everywhere are the best spies! And if we can rely on the fishermen in the water network and combine them with the believers of the Way of Peace in various counties... that will become the unique advantage of the Way of Peace, relying on the intelligence network at the grassroots level!"

Many things flashed through Zhang Chengfu's mind in an instant, and his eyes sharpened. But soon, he hid his new plans for rebellion and bowed to Peng Kui in farewell.

"Once my master leaves the Duan family manor... I will invite Brother Peng to come and pay his respects to my master!"

"Excellent! Yes!" The lights in the Duan family manor remained bright, the aroma of wine and meat, the clamor of guests, the music of courtesans, and the singing and dancing of dancers... all displayed the extravagance of the Han Dynasty's elite in a decadent and decadent manner. Within just a few days, the Duan family's "exoneration business" had already spread throughout Jiyin County, and the carriages delivering money had seen an increase in the number of local "heroes".

Zhang Chengfu suppressed his murderous aura, walked through the pine-scented garden, and entered the separate house where the Great Teacher of Virtue lived, kneeling before his master. After he finished recounting his experiences, his master Zhang Jiao's hand stopped on his short beard, his thick eyebrows furrowed, and his face showed surprise and helplessness.

"Chengfu, you went to Onozawa and got to know the pirate leader there? You want him to come and pay his respects to me and become the leader of my Taiping Dao?"

"Yes, teacher! Ōno Marsh is located in the center of Yanzhou, with a network of waterways making it extremely convenient to travel to and from. However, its terrain is extremely complex, with crisscrossing rivers, dense reeds, and numerous swamps. The government army's cavalry cannot deploy effectively, their troops cannot form ranks, and their armored soldiers find it difficult to move through the marshes..."

At this point, Zhang Chengfu could not hide his excitement and laughed.

"Heaven bears witness! I am delighted to see the terrain of Daye Marsh! Such a strategic location is perfect for our Taiping Dao to launch our uprising! Our Taiping Dao's strength in Yanzhou is mainly in the northeast of Dongjun County, especially Dongwuyang north of the Yellow River. It is a flat plain, and although it has a large population, it is completely indefensible!"

Zhang Jiao's expression was serious as he spoke in a deep voice.

"The Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yanzhou was orchestrated by your second martial uncle. Puyang is the capital of Dongjun and guards one of the river passes on the south side of the Yellow River. This major city guarding the river is the Yellow Turban Rebellion's true target!"

"Teacher! Puyang is a major city, the capital of the prefecture, with convenient waterways, garrisoned by the prefecture's troops, and many private armies of powerful clans. If an uprising were to break out, how difficult would it be for the Yellow Turbans of Dongjun to capture Puyang? Even if they managed to capture Puyang by sheer luck, we would have no powerful clans to support us there, and we would lack a foothold in the city. How could we possibly defend such a large city?"

As he spoke, Zhang Chengfu prostrated himself in respect, his expression extremely solemn.

"Heaven bears witness! As long as a single army from the imperial court arrives, the Yellow Turbans of Dongjun will be trapped on the plains along the Yellow River, unable to advance or retreat, and will be annihilated in one battle! Attacking Puyang to the west is a certain death! The only way is to plan ahead and force the Yellow Turbans of Dongjun to move south, first taking Dong'e County and then the military arsenal of the commandery commander..."

"Then, gather small boats and head south into the Daye Marsh, hundreds of miles away. Using the marsh as a base, launch attacks and harassment from all sides! Such a fresh force entering the Daye Marsh will be a thorn in the side of the government army. They will be unable to freely mobilize the grain and supplies of Yanzhou, maintain the supply lines, and focus all their efforts on marching north to Jizhou... And if they enter the Daye Marsh to carry out the campaign, the government army will be unable to maneuver effectively, which will inevitably take a long time, buying time for Hebei!"

"At the same time, from Dayeze eastward, we can control the Wen River to the north, Kangfu to the south, and connect with Taishan County to the east. We can get the Yellow Turbans of Yanzhou to collude with those of Qingzhou, and absorb the righteous men who occupy the mountains around Taishan... Even if the government army gathers tens of thousands of troops to clear out the area around Dayeze, we can withdraw the main force back to the Taishan mountain area and conduct guerrilla warfare. When the main force of the government army leaves and wants to move north, we can return to Dayeze to harass them... Then the situation south of the Yellow River will suddenly come alive!"

"Furthermore, I hope that my Second Martial Uncle will personally oversee this base of operations from Dayeze to the Taishan Mountains! Only his prestige accumulated over many years of teaching here can unite the people, large and small, from all over Yanzhou and Qingzhou!"

After listening to this long-term plan, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao lowered his eyes for a long time, recalling the terrain he had actually traversed. After a long while, he finally spoke, his eyes still lowered.

“Chengfu, the starting point of your plan is the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yanzhou, which originated from my Taiping Dao uprising. We can neither capture Puyang nor gain the support of the Yanzhou gentry, and we are completely unable to resist a single blow from the government army... So we can only avoid battle?”

"Yes, teacher! The strength of the government army is beyond doubt. When the rebel army first rose up, they could only avoid the main force of the government army and the plains where cavalry had an advantage! But as long as the rebel army can survive, they can grow stronger in the constant fighting, especially by continuously breaking through the manors of those local powerful families and wealthy clans to obtain food and weapons! And the Laiwu region of Qingzhou is rich in iron, enough to arm the rebel army..."

Zhang Jiao remained silent for a moment, the deep lines on his forehead deepening, his brows furrowed for a long time. He sighed and said in a low voice.

"Daye Marsh and the Taishan mountain area are both barren lands. How can they possibly support 100,000 Yellow Turban rebels from Yanzhou and hundreds of thousands from Qingzhou? ... Therefore, after heading south to Daye Marsh, we must continuously attack and defeat the powerful clans and strong families of Yanzhou in order to obtain food supplies?"

"Yes! Teacher, you are wise! Only powerful clans and wealthy families have food for the living! If we don't attack their estates, they will become guides for the government troops, providing them with supplies! Once the uprising begins, before the main force of the government troops arrives, these powerful clans of Yanzhou should be destroyed and killed as many as possible!..."

Zhang Cheng's expression remained unchanged, and his voice was calm, though a murderous aura surged within him. The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao closed his eyes for a moment, remained silent for a while, and then spoke again.

"Chengfu, for the sake of this foundation from Dayeze to Mount Tai... you've once again harbored murderous intent, wanting to eliminate the Cheng family of Dong'e? And then, through my divination, to incite another brutal struggle between the gentry and aristocratic families of Yanzhou? Are you determined to eliminate the aristocratic families of Yanzhou as much as possible?...

"Yes and no!...Teacher, I'm not targeting the gentry of Yanzhou, but rather the powerful clans of Yanzhou. We, the Taiping Dao, can try our best to win over the lower-ranking gentry, like we did with Wang Du, the magistrate of Dong'e County. But the powerful clans at the top, from the very beginning, have been mortal enemies with us commoners! Once they turn their swords against us, they will show no mercy!..."

After speaking, Zhang Chengfu bowed, his eyes as firm as iron, and made another request.

"Please, teacher, for the sake of the people of Yanzhou, use 'divination' to persuade the Duan family and reignite a bloody conflict between the powerful clans and aristocratic families of Yanzhou!"

"."

This time, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao closed his eyes. He remained silent for a full quarter of an hour before sighing.

“Chengfu, you didn’t witness the previous two purges of the factions, nor do you know how many families were destroyed and how much blood was shed when these eunuch clans turned against each other! Those powerful and influential families, with their deep roots and extensive branches, might not even be destroyed in the factional strife. The majority of those who were truly destroyed were innocent scholars from the lower and middle classes! This is the blood of the innocent, which goes against my thirty years of teaching to encourage good and help the people…”

"."

Zhang Cheng remained silent for a long time, then crawled two steps on his knees and knelt before his master. He prostrated himself heavily, kowtowed, and gritted his teeth.

“Teacher! We are here to change the world and establish a peaceful and prosperous era! This is not about discussing metaphysics, feasting and laughing, nor is it about the benevolence, righteousness, gentleness, courtesy, frugality and humility of gentlemen! ...This will result in bloodshed and death! Many, many, many people will die! The powerful families and us are inherently an irreconcilable spear and shield!”

"In what my disciple saw through the possession of his spirit, in the next thirty years, the number of common people who will die will be far more than ten million. One in four people in the world will die! And in the plague-stricken areas of Henan and Hebei, seven or eight out of ten will perish! At that time, it will be a scene of 'white bones exposed in the wilderness, and not a rooster crowing for a thousand miles. Only one in a hundred will survive, a thought that breaks one's heart!'..."

"Heaven bears witness! In this world, countless common people will die! If killing a powerful clan can save thousands of lives and bring us one inch closer to the heavens... then it is worth doing! Even if I die and sink into the sea of ​​blood in the underworld, unable to even show my face, I will have no regrets!"

A long silence fell over the room. The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao opened his eyes, looking at his prostrate disciples, a deep compassion gradually appearing in his profound gaze. After a long while, he shook his head and sighed softly.

"We cultivators do not deceive Heaven's will; we know the 'burden' of merit and sin. Since this 'divination' was performed by me, the lost merit and virtue will naturally be recorded on my shoulders. I will bear the consequences of this killing..."

"I only wish to give you a few more words of advice! The path you have chosen is both the beginning of a great vow and the gateway to great misfortune. If you wish to walk this great path of great vow and great misfortune, you must always guard your original heart! If you do not have great compassion to help others, and if you do not have great perseverance to control your desires... then sooner or later you will be taken advantage of by murderous and evil spirits and fall into the evil path of great misfortune!"

"Heaven above, pure spirit within! May you uphold your original aspiration and persevere to the end!~~"

Having said this, the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao stood up and sighed one last time. He took down his divination board, put on a Taoist robe, took his peach wood sword for protection, and calmly walked out the door. Behind him, Zhang Chengfu lay prostrate on the ground in silence, his heart as firm as iron, only his eyes were moist.

(End of this chapter)