You have truly caused me great suffering!

Jinghu North Road, Dingzhou, Wuling County.

When Jinghu is bountiful, the whole country is well-fed. This place has millions of hectares of fertile land and a dense network of waterways: the Yangtze River, Han River, Xiang River, Zi River, Yuan River, Li River and other rivers crisscross the area. In addition, the land of a thousand lakes and the regulating effect of Dongting Lake form an abundant source of irrigation water.

The soil is fertile. The Jianghan Plain and Dongting Lake Plain were formed by the long-term alluvial deposits of the Yangtze River and its tributaries. The soil layer is deep and rich in humus, making it especially suitable for rice cultivation.

The climate is suitable, with rain and heat occurring simultaneously, and a long frost-free period, allowing for the planting of two or even three crops a year.

After the founding of the Song Dynasty, the north was constantly plagued by war, while since the Tang and Five Dynasties, the north had always been relatively advanced.

People fleeing the war and heading south brought with them advanced agricultural tools and farming experience, and Jinghu became the granary of the Song Dynasty.

After being acquired by scholar-officials, most of the fertile land in this area fell into their hands. Chen Shaoqing then surveyed the land, funded its recovery, and used the proceeds to reward his soldiers.

The Da Jing dynasty's resettlement of the Dingnan army was not simply about distributing land and granting them gold; rather, it was a systematic effort to help them settle down and establish themselves.

The caravan would help them move their people and belongings, the imperial court would bestow upon retired soldiers oxen and farming tools, and would also help them choose what crops to cultivate.

Many soldiers, after being allocated fertile land, built manors, and the crops were supplied to the government or even exclusively to their former superiors.

Rice, wheat, vegetables, chickens, ducks, geese, deer, roe deer, and fish are all their products.

Wuling County was a county seat in the Jinghu region. A dozen or so military households were assigned to this place and scattered in various villages.

Li Zheng was one of them. He didn't look very tall, and was even a bit thin, but the muscles on his arms were bulging when he rolled up his sleeves. He rode on horseback with a somewhat nonchalant attitude, but the horse seemed to know his intentions and would never stray from the right path.

As he walked, he suddenly heard a commotion ahead. Li Zheng looked up and saw a familiar figure in the distance.

"Du Laowu!"

A man stepped out from the crowd. He was tall and strong, but also very thin. His name was Du Wu. He and Li Zheng were both from the Dingnan Army's Yinzhou faction and happened to be assigned to the same county.

Upon seeing Li Zheng on horseback, his eyes lit up. "Li Zheng, you've come at the perfect time!"

"what happened?"

"His Majesty has issued an imperial edict!"

Li Zheng suddenly opened his eyes, leaned on the horse's neck, and said, "Good! Good! Is it because the Tartars are causing trouble again? His Majesty has summoned us brothers back to fight!"

“No, that’s not it,” Du Wu said. “Something’s happened here. It’s called the ‘Great Sage Cult,’ and they’re saying they want to overthrow His Majesty and become emperor themselves.”

"That scoundrel has the guts to do this! Doesn't he even take a piss and look at his own face? His Majesty is the Mandate of Heaven, his words are law, he sits on the Purple Star throne, and governs all the people under Heaven! How dare that donkey-pig-like blockhead have such treasonous thoughts?" Li Zheng shouted loudly, "I'm the first to object! Du Laowu, do you know who's coming to suppress the bandits?"

"I heard it's because Pang Ge wasn't hiding."

Li Zheng felt a little regretful; if a general from the Yinzhou faction had come, they might have been able to join in the bandit-hunting.

"The imperial edict says that all local village leaders and elders are to cooperate with the army to capture the rebels and cultists. You should also go back and prepare. We'll gather together tonight to discuss how to divide the roads and intercept the cultists."

"it is good!"

The two were both angry and happy, finally they had something important to do, so they hurriedly returned to the village to gather the able-bodied men.
-
Songjia Village is located in a remote mountain valley, rarely visited by travelers, and has only about a dozen households.

Most of them are gathered in the flat area in the east of the village, except for one house which stands alone on a hill six or seven feet high in the west of the village. It has a mud-brick wall about half a person's height and three yellow mud-brick houses, just like an ordinary farmhouse.

No one expected that the famous "Great Sage" was hiding here.

For more than a decade, Zhong Xiang traveled from village to village, treating people's illnesses while secretly spreading his religion.

Gradually, a secret, mutually supportive "society" centered on itself was formed.

Those who join the cooperative will all "prosper in farming and silkworm rearing, and enjoy abundant bodily benefits."

As for how to make it prosperous?

They would gather together, sneak into wealthy homes at night, kill and rob, and then distribute the loot to their followers.

Zhong Xiang, who had some education, embellished this method by saying: "The law that distinguishes between the noble and the lowly, the rich and the poor, is not a good law. If I were to practice the law, I would treat the noble and the lowly equally, and the rich and the poor equally."

Because there were many bandits and strongholds near Dongting Lake, his followers gradually grew in number and then set their sights on these bandits.

This is actually similar to how people start out in the Water Margin. They first occupy a piece of land, and once they become powerful, they begin to annex other mountain strongholds.

However, cult bandits are generally much more powerful than local bandits or river bandits, because regardless of whether they are cults or not, they already have a program.

The followers are more courageous, more loyal, and more obedient to orders, naturally doubling their fighting power.

Nowadays, there is no larger gang in the Dongting Lake area than his.

Many ordinary people also secretly joined the "Great Heavenly Cult," receiving Zhong Xiang's help in robbing the rich to help the poor, serving as his eyes and ears, and also helping him recruit more relatives and friends to join.

At this moment, Prime Minister Zhong was painting a stool, listening to his men talk about the imperial edict in the city, and his expression remained unchanged.

"Come on then, what we're doing can't be kept secret anyway."

Over the years, Prime Minister Zhong has been in a dilemma. If he spreads his religion too much, he is afraid of alarming the imperial court. But if he stops moving forward and does not continue to kill the rich and powerful, what will he use to help everyone, regardless of status, to achieve a more equitable distribution of wealth?

Now the emperor has finally been alerted.

The emperor of the Great Jing Dynasty was not the emperor of the Great Song Dynasty. He was the one who had wiped out the western bandits and northern barbarians. How could he allow himself to dominate Dongting Lake?

But if you ask him if he's afraid, he's not really afraid; at worst, he'll just dive into Dongting Lake.

Hidden in the water fortress, who could find it? It could hide for three to five years, and then emerge when the storm had passed.

Those gathered around him at this moment were all his trusted confidants. Zhong Ziyi couldn't help but ask, "Father, what are you really thinking?"

Zhong Xiang sighed, "Back when the Ming King started his rebellion in Qingxi, I thought the Great Song Dynasty didn't look like it could last long. I originally planned to lead you all in a big upheaval, maybe we could dominate a region and get a share of the spoils in this chaotic world."

"Who knew that Chen Shao would suddenly appear? Now his Great Jing is strong and well-equipped, and we are no match for him. Rebellion is impossible. But I really can't bear to give up the family business that my brothers have built."

"There are only two paths now: either surrender and become a minor official after being granted amnesty, or hide in the water fortress and wait two or three years before coming out again."

No one expected him to be so cowardly.

Nowadays, everyone is no longer considered worthless. With the increasing number of believers, they have hundreds or even thousands of followers.

They were unwilling to give up everything and retreat into the world of martial arts.

When he reappears, will the believers still believe in "Great Sage Tian"?

“Great Sage, what you’re saying is utterly foolish. Over the years, how many wealthy and powerful families have we killed? Their sons and relatives are all officials. To offer amnesty? That’s like throwing sheep to the wolves. Even if they don’t come after us now, they’ll be eaten alive in a few years, leaving not even a bone fragment.”

"Hiding would make things even more difficult. What about the brothers and sisters in the church?"

Zhong Ziyi nodded and said, "Father, in my opinion, let's rebel!"

Zhong Xiang has traveled all over the country over the years and has gained some experience, unlike these people.

The fact that he lives in such a place shows that he is quite cautious.

Zhong Xiang glared at his son and cursed him inwardly as an idiot. Shouldn't one wait for the right time to rebel? If you rebel now, not only will your entire clan be wiped out, but your entire family will be exhumed.

Moreover, his followers are different from those during Fang La's time; they are all deeply hidden and cannot be easily found out!

When I come out again, I can still contact them, but during this time, missionary work will be restricted.

Just then, a child with his bottom showing rushed over and said, "Great Sage, many strangers have entered the village, carrying knives!"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Xiang immediately stood up and led a group of brothers into the room with practiced ease.

Open the bed board, clear away the clutter, and there was a hole.

After the group went inside one by one, the wooden plank on top was lowered, and everything returned to normal.

When Liu Bentao, the head constable of Wuling County, first arrived, he thought he had come to the wrong place. What was there to preach in such a dilapidated place?

"Officer Liu, this is the place, the place I painstakingly searched for." One of the ruffians who followed us swore to the heavens that he had not led us astray.

Since they were already there, they figured they might as well go and take a look. Liu Bentao, along with several constables from Wuling County, called out through the bamboo gate of the courtyard wall, "Is anyone inside?"

"Who is it?" A woman came out of the house. Seeing the group's clothes and the weapons they carried, she immediately looked panicked and asked, "Who are you? Who are you looking for?"

"I heard there's a cult called the Great Sage here. Is your leader surnamed Yang?" The woman's face was filled with panic. Her hands went limp, and the basket at her waist fell to the ground with a thud. "Oh dear, this is a huge injustice!"

The rogue Wei San sneered, "You still dare to argue? You remember Qi Junyan, the cult bandit our county magistrate arrested, right? I saw him run here three times with my own eyes."

The woman suddenly pointed at the scoundrel and cursed, "Aren't you Wei Xian, that gambling addict from Weijia'ao next door? You're always snotty-nosed, and you've lost everything! Everyone knows you're a spendthrift and a jinx; you even bet your own mother's coffin money on dice!"

Now, burdened with a mountain of gambling debts and nowhere to fill the hole, you come to the yamen (government office) to lie and frame us, accusing us of being religious sympathizers? Bah! Nine and a half out of ten words spitting from your filthy mouth are farts! You're just trying to trick the officials into giving you a few coins to keep you afloat at the gambling den!

Hey, how dare a village woman throw a tantrum? The constables were furious. Some kicked the door, others climbed over the wall, and they rounded up the woman in the courtyard.

"What are you trying to do?" The woman took a step back, looking at the crowd warily.

No matter the era, those in power are never afraid of ordinary people, nor will they allow their dignity to be offended.

"Enough with the nonsense, call out your boss!" A constable, leaning on his sword, said arrogantly.

"My husband hasn't come back," the woman cried out.

"Has he not returned? Or is he hiding and afraid to face people?" another constable asked.

"Don't believe me then," the woman snapped, trying to walk past the crowd.

A constable grabbed her wrist and sneered, "We won't come here for nothing. If we can't find your man, we'll take you back to take the blame."

The woman's wrists were being squeezed so hard by the constable that they cracked, and her face was contorted with pain. She gritted her teeth and said, "You damned bastards, all you know how to do is bully poor people like me!"

"This woman is quite old, but her skills are still pretty nimble." Several constables laughed in unison.

“You…” the woman said bitterly.

Officer Liu coughed lightly, "Let's get down to business first!"

The group immediately stopped laughing, and the constable awkwardly released his grip and stepped aside. Liu, the head constable, ignored them, drew his knife, and entered the house. The house had a typical layout with one bright room and two dark rooms. There were kang beds on both the east and west sides. The kang bed in the east room was piled with miscellaneous items, indicating that no one had lived there for a long time. The kang bed in the west room was connected to the stove. The furnishings were simple and could not hide anyone.

He walked around the front and back of the house, but saw nothing unusual. He then walked up to the woman and looked her over. She was over forty years old, her face was covered in dust, her head was wrapped in a blue turban, and she was wearing a round-cut cotton jacket with a blue apron over her skirt. She was dressed like an ordinary woman from a rural household.

"Your husband's name is Zhong the Carpenter?" Liu Ru asked casually.

A fleeting look of nervousness crossed the woman's face. "Yes, we are all honest people who make a living by doing carpentry work. This gambling addict framed us. Please investigate, sir."

A thought flashed through Liu's mind: if it really was Prime Minister Zhong, he would be set for life.

You should know that Zhong Xiang was a cultist who was listed on the imperial edict.

He wasn't going to let go of even the slightest chance. Officer Liu circled around the woman.

"That scoundrel Fang La, before he rebelled, also acted under the guise of a stonemason." Constable Liu's tone was sinister as he grabbed the woman's shoulder.

Just as he was about to begin the interrogation, suddenly, with a whoosh, an arrow shot out from the wall and struck him squarely in the throat.

Arrows pierced through the air, and with the cries of the constables, a group of people burst out of the mud walls with a bang, charging towards the constables.

The room was filled with dirt and dust, along with the stench of blood.

Amidst the swirling dust, Zhong Xiang's expression was obscured, though his eyes held a somewhat grave look.

Now they have no choice but to rebel.

When Zhong Ziyi saw his mother being humiliated, he was the first to shoot and kill the head constable in Wuling City. The government would definitely not let this go.

They came here on official business, so they naturally reported it to the authorities.

"Great Sage, don't hesitate, let's do it!"

Zhong Xiang nodded and said, "Summon all the believers, we're rebelling!"

He was calculating in his mind that if he could capture one or two cities, he might be able to get better treatment if he offered amnesty then.

But these innermost thoughts cannot be told to these hotheads in front of me, otherwise why would they risk their lives for me?

It's a pity that my son is also an idiot, otherwise I could discuss it with him.
-
Jinling, within the imperial city.

Zhong Shizhong entered the hall and respectfully bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"No need for formalities, someone come and offer me a seat."

Zhong Shizhong straightened up and looked up to see that besides the emperor sitting behind the imperial desk, there was also a beautiful young girl browsing through the books on the bookshelf.

This woman looked very familiar. Upon closer inspection, I realized she was my fourth uncle's younger sister, now the Empress.

Zhong Lingxi took out a book, turned around and said with a smile, "Second Brother, hello there."

Zhong Shizhong stood up again, bowed, and said, "Your subject greets the Empress."

Zhong Lingxi found it rather dull. When her elder brother Zhong came, he wasn't so polite, and it felt like she was missing out on the warmth of family.

When she was serving Chen Shao last night, he mentioned that he had Li Qingzhao's manuscripts of poems. When she came to look for them today, she found that they were indeed there.

She waved the book in her hand and said, "I'm taking it now."

"As you wish, as you wish." Chen Shao said indulgently, "It's rare for my husband, Xiao Zhong, to come back. Today, I've asked Lao Zhong to bring his family as well. Consider this a family banquet, where we men can drink together. You can entertain the women."

Zhong Lingxi nodded, then sat down in front of Chen Shao and began to read the book carefully.

Xiao Zhong wasn't very clear about family matters, especially since his aunt was young and things could easily get complicated. Xiao Zhong rarely went to their room.

Seeing how close his younger sister was to the Emperor, he felt somewhat gratified.

Chen Shao asked, "Minister Zhong, you have been guarding Longyou for the past few years and have wiped out many bandits and barbarians. You have worked hard."

Xiao Zhong blushed; by the time he arrived in Longyou, the war was already over.

Over the years, he has been capturing escaped Tibetans and sending them to fortified villages in the northwest.

It's not difficult at all.

To open up the Western Regions, one must first open up Longyou. Longyou is an extremely important place. The fact that the emperor sent himself to guard it shows his trust in the Zhong family.

Today, Longyou and Qinghai are connected, forming not only the southern route of the Silk Road but also the center of the Xihe Road tea and horse trade. Merchants from the Western Regions often entered Qin via the Qinghai Road, trading incense, medicine, and fine horses.

The pastures of the Hexi and Hehuang regions thus transported horses, cattle, and sheep into the Central Plains in exchange for grain, silk, and ironware.

Xiao Zhong hesitated for a moment, but still told Chen Shao the truth, "The Zhe family seems to have been plotting to rise again."

Chen Shao chuckled and said, "I know. It's already extremely rare for them to voluntarily offer up their land and grain. Which family doesn't want to bring blessings to their descendants and build a family fortune? As long as they don't seize power in a region, I won't be afraid of them."

"The Zhe family and I protected each other in the Northwest back then. One of them may have had ambitions, but times have changed. It is only natural for him to have ambitions in chaotic times, but I believe he can see the situation clearly in a prosperous era."

Upon hearing that Chen Shao was willing to give the Zhe family a chance, Xiao Zhong couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

For an emperor, the phrase "revealed ambition" should be a capital offense.

Chen Shao was actually willing to give them a chance.

If Xiao Zhong didn't know Chen Shao's character, he would have thought he was being sarcastic.

Ultimately, Chen Shao was confident; the empire was far too secure for him.

Their core support base is rooted in the people; many people rise to power through their own efforts.

The Zhe family has produced a continuous stream of talented individuals over the centuries, and possesses an excellent family tradition and scholarship for cultivating its members.

Especially in the military, many famous generals emerged.

Since His Majesty has no reservations, Xiao Zhong was happy to give his former comrades from the Western Army a boost. He said, "I have spoken with the Zhe family. They want to make a name for themselves in the navy."

"That's great, that's exactly what I was thinking." Chen Shao's eyes lit up. "I'm preparing to build three new naval forces. We're short of soldiers and ships, but those can be quickly made up for. The only problem is finding good generals."

"Invite the Zhe family to the imperial banquet tonight!" (End of Chapter)