1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 12 You are really good at judging people

The person who came out of the Shi family courtyard to greet Peng Gang was Shi Dakai's cousin, Shi Xiangzhen.

Peng Gang carried a smoked pig leg into the house and put it down.

"We're all brothers, why bring so many things when you come to visit?" Shi Xiangzhen said reproachfully as he accepted Peng Gang's gifts.

"Did Brother Dakai go out to suppress bandits with Commander Zhou?" Peng Gang asked, taking the tea that Shi Xiangzhen handed him.

“That Zhou fellow is no good. We Shi family members aren’t stupid enough to work for him,” Shi Xiangzhen said, shaking his head.

"Qin Richang's family from Liuhe Village worked at the silver mine in Longshan for the past few years and saved some money. This year, they quit their jobs and joined the local militia. They had time to move their grandfather's grave, but the grave they had just bought at the beginning of last year was invaded and stolen by the Tujia people from their own village."

The Qin family is outnumbered and outgunned, and Mr. Feng personally asked our Shi family for help. How could we stand idly by? It just so happens that Da Kai is also in the militia, so he led his men to Liuhe Village to assist. He's probably currently engaged in a brawl with the local thugs there.”

Qin Richang, the silver miner from Longshan in Guixian County, is almost certainly the future Prince Yan, Qin Rigang.

There were many words that had to be avoided in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In addition to the Heavenly Father and Heavenly Brother in heaven and the Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan on earth, the names of the five kings who started the uprising also had to be avoided.

After being enfeoffed as a king in Yong'an, Qin Richang changed his name to Qin Rigang to avoid using the taboo name of the Northern King, Wei Changhui.

This small local militia in Guixian County is truly full of hidden talents.

Although Qin Rigang was not granted the title of king during the Yong'an period, he was still appointed as the Grand Chancellor of the Heavenly Office, ranking first among all officials, second only to the Heavenly King and the Five Kings of the First Uprising.

"So that's how it is. Those bumpkins from Liuhe Village are in for trouble." Peng Gang laughed. "When it comes to armed fights, no one in your county can match the Shi family."

The fact that the Tujia people of Liuhe Village fought against the combined forces of the future Heavenly Kingdom's Wing King and the Heavenly Official Prime Minister was undoubtedly a glorious moment for the village.

"They deserve their bad luck," Shi Xiangzhen said indignantly.

"If we don't teach these bumpkins a lesson and let them bleed, they'll really think we're easy to bully."

"Master Peng, it's a rare treat for you to come all this way. Let us show you some hospitality today and prepare a feast for you. Please stay at our house for the night. Da Kai should be back by tomorrow." Shi Zhenlun rushed back as soon as he heard that Peng Gang had come to visit.

“Brother Zhenlun, it’s not that I’m unwilling to do you the honor, but I really have important business to attend to today. I need to go to Honglianping in Pingzaishan to check on the mountain. I can’t stay long. We’ll definitely have a good drink another day,” Peng Gang said, adjusting the hemp rope tied around his waist.

"Alright, alright, you can't drink now. It's a bit of a downer to just eat meat and vegetables without drinking. We can drink next time." Although Shi Zhenlun was a rough man, he could still see through Peng Gang's obvious hint and stopped trying to persuade him to stay.

That day at Peng Gang's house, Peng Gang mentioned to the Shi brothers that he was going to Pingzaishan to burn charcoal, and Shi Xiangzhen still remembered it.

“Pingzai Mountain Lotus Flat? That place is not very peaceful. Although there are no big bandits, there are countless petty bandits.” After thinking for a while, Shi Xiangzhen turned his head and said to Shi Zhenlun.

“Zhenlun, you’re free lately, so take a few brothers and accompany Master Peng on a trip. While you’re at it, pick up a few baskets of good charcoal to sell at Bitan Floodgate. Don’t forget to send some rice, flour, and wine to the magistrate of Bitan Floodgate, and also ask the magistrates what the price of charcoal is at Jiangkou Market recently.”

If Chen Balong from Bitan is willing to sell us some gunpowder and lead pellets, remember to buy some back.”

"Alright," Shi Zhenlun replied readily, turning around to get ready.

Peng Gang and Xiao Guoying had a simple meal at Shi Xiangzhen's place, and then set off with Shi Zhenlun.

After winding their way for nearly thirty miles along a mountain road northwest of Nabang Village, the group arrived at Malaikou on the banks of the Qianjiang River.

In the second half of the journey, Peng Gang, who only carried rations, gritted his teeth and persevered, barely managing to keep up with the group. He was already exhausted and out of breath.

Turning his head again, he saw his uncle, who was carrying over a hundred pounds on his shoulders and in his hands, and Shi Zhenlun and the others. They were only slightly out of breath and still had energy left.

He needs to work on his footwork, because he'll be leading a rebellion across much of China in the future, and good footwork is essential for marching.

“Master Peng, this must be the first time you’ve walked such a long mountain road,” Shi Zhenlun said, noticing Peng Gang’s fatigue and discomfort, and handed him a water bottle. “Take a break. There are many boatmen selling fish on rafts near Qianjiang. We can flag down a raft that’s going our way and go directly to Bitan Xun.”

Boat people are the Tanka people who have made a living by farming on the water for generations and are unable to own property on land.

Later, Luo Dagang and Su Sanniang, who left the Heaven and Earth Society to join the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, were the local boatmen's armed forces.

Like charcoal burners, boat owners are a marginalized group in Guangxi, and it could even be said that the boat owners' situation is more difficult than that of the charcoal burners.

Peng Gang tilted his head back and took a swig of water, then returned the water bottle to Shi Zhenlun. He then took out some smoked dried fish from his zipper and shared it with everyone.

He brought extra food, which he and his uncle couldn't finish, so they decided to share some to lighten their load.

After the group had finished eating, Shi Zhenlun ran to the riverbank and flagged down a boat. He was about to ask the boatman if he was going to Bitan Xun when he was surprised to find that the boatman was someone he knew: "Big Head Sheep?"

The boatman who steered the boat had a very large head, truly deserving of the nickname "Big-Headed Sheep."

This person's appearance was very different from the locals; he had unusual bone structure, and even his braids were brown.

"So it's the Shi brothers. Where are you going?" Big Head Sheep was talking to Shi Zhenlun, but his eyes kept darting around Peng Gang.

Although Peng Gang had specially chosen a patched old outfit before leaving home, the clothes were still relatively clean. In addition, Peng Gang's complexion and demeanor did not look like those of a poor family. Among a group of miserable people, he stood out like a crane among chickens, rather conspicuous.

Finding that Big Head Sheep's attention was fixed on Peng Gang's chain, Shi Zhenlun pulled Peng Gang to his side and solemnly warned, "This is my sworn brother! Big Head Sheep, don't you dare try anything funny with him!"

"Oh." Big Head Sheep's expression turned somewhat unpleasant upon hearing this, and he ignored Shi Zhenlun.

"Are you going to Bitan Xun?" Shi Zhenlun asked.

"No, no, Shi brothers, see you later." Big Head Sheep impatiently refused Shi Zhenlun and rowed away without looking back.

Watching the big-headed sheep sail away, Peng Gang said to Shi Zhenlun, "This guy doesn't look like a good person at all. He looks like a river bandit. Do you know him?"

During the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods, life was difficult for ordinary families in Guangxi, let alone for these boat-dwelling households who made a living by farming on the water.

Many boatmen also worked as pirates.

In the 26th year of the Daoguang Emperor's reign, Ren Wenbing, Li Guanbao, and others gathered their Heaven and Earth Society's waterborne armed forces and operated on the Qian and Yu Rivers, which was known as the Boat Army Uprising.

The Qing government in Guangxi mobilized the entire province to suppress the rebellion and offer amnesty to the remaining forces, barely managing to quell the boatmen's uprising.

Although the boat army was pacified, the large-scale pirates who openly defied the government and raised their flags temporarily disappeared. However, sporadic pirates still existed as numerous as the sands of the Qianjiang River, and could not be eradicated.

“It’s not just that he looks like him, he is a river pirate. This Zhang Zhao, the big-headed sheep, is not only a river pirate, but also a notorious leader of the Heaven and Earth Society in the Qianjiang area. This guy is very snobbish. He doesn’t want to hitch a ride with us. We’ll just wait for the next boat.” Shi Zhenlun was a little unhappy and didn’t want to bother arguing with someone like Zhang Zhao.

In reality, most bandits, like Chao Gai's gang during the robbery of the birthday gifts, lived ordinary lives in their spare time and gathered together to rob people when they had business. Those who became outlaws and ruled the mountains were actually a minority.

After waiting for more than half an hour, Shi Zhenlun finally stopped a group of rafts. The leader of the rafts was a man in his thirties who looked honest, kind, and simple.

"Is this also a bandit leader from the Heaven and Earth Society?" Peng Gang joked.

"Master Peng, you have a keen eye for people. You were right." Shi Zhenlun was quite surprised.

Peng Gang's ability to identify two bandits in succession suggests he wasn't a first-time traveler. No wonder even Mr. Feng praised Peng Gang highly, considering him extraordinary.

(End of this chapter)