It all started with one person becoming a shaman, but the Stand user...

Qinghe Miao didn't ask any further questions.

In any case, no one can be greater than the few people he knows in the future.

Huang Wulang's expression turned even more unpleasant:

"Leaving aside the Jin Kingdom for now, the main person we are dealing with and relying on in the Liang Kingdom is a military general in the court named Huang Wenjing."

Huang Wenjing?

Qinghe Miao's heart stirred; this name... he seemed to vaguely remember it.

With the [General History] ability, after briefly recalling the fragmented historical materials and online information I had seen, a vague image emerged.

A general of the Later Liang dynasty during the late Tang and Five Dynasties period.

He followed Zhu Wen in fighting Huang Chao and pacifying Caizhou in his early years, and was considered one of Zhu Wen's old subordinates.

He rose to a powerful position in the Later Liang regime, holding the titles of Right Dragon and Tiger Commander and Imperial Guard Commander.

It seems that it was at the end of Zhu Wen's reign that he angered the increasingly violent Emperor Taizu of Liang over a trivial matter, and was beheaded on some pretext.

Chapter 71 The Treatment of a Great Teacher

"This General Huang served under Emperor Taizu in suppressing Huang Chao in his early years and made great contributions. Now he holds the official position of Right Dragon and Tiger Commander and Imperial Guard Commander, and controls a portion of the Imperial Guards. He wields considerable power."

Huang Wulang's next words confirmed and supplemented Qing Hemiao's memory:

"Most of our tribute went into his pocket, and he did indeed protect our trade routes. But... but we just received definite information."

Not long ago, when General Huang accompanied the Emperor on his northern expedition, he offended the Emperor because his warhorses were not strong enough. The Emperor was furious and, on the grounds of "weak horses and neglect of military duties," had him executed!

Because the horses weren't well cared for, a high-ranking general was to be executed...

This does indeed match Qinghe Miao's impression of the historical records describing Zhu Wen's cruelty.

That Emperor Taizu of Liang was no longer the hero who shared weal and woe with his soldiers.

Instead, they were tyrants who indulged in power and pleasure, and who readily used murder to establish their authority.

As the saying goes, "Even if you have a fortune, the animals with fur don't count."

The condition and coat color of livestock are greatly affected by weather, feed, soil and water, and even individual differences.

Many things are lost due to accidents, which is beyond human control.

Using this as a pretext to kill is less a crime than a punishment.

It's more accurate to say it's a case of making trouble out of nothing.

As for how the two got together...

Even without Huang Wulang saying anything, one can guess a thing or two just by looking at the surname.

Huang Wenjing was from Jinxiang, which is in the Shandong region in later generations.

Huang Wulang's family is the Huang clan of Hebei.

Although they are not from the same lineage, in ancient times, it was common practice to connect through clan relationships.

Huang Wenjing needed local "white gloves" and "money bags" to bolster his power and private coffers, while Huang Wulang needed the "protective umbrella" of the imperial court to safeguard his smuggling business.

The collusion between officials and businessmen led to a swift agreement between the two parties.

But the same applies.

If Huang Wenjing loses power and is killed, Huang Wulang, with his enormous fortune, will surely not escape either.

The astonishing wealth generated by the entire Taihang Mountain Ancient Road is enough to make any force envious.

At that time, not only the newly appointed generals, but even Zhu Wen himself would probably be tempted.

They could easily use a perfectly legitimate reason to uproot Huangjiabao and the entire smuggling network, and seize all its assets.

That will be an absolute feast.

That's why we haven't taken action yet.

It's simply because the imperial court was previously organizing a northern expedition and hasn't had time to extricate itself yet.

We also have to wait for the person of importance to take the first bite.

But once someone steps forward to take action...

The remaining jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, who have long coveted the opportunity, will surely swarm in.

Divide them up and eat them; not even a bone or scrap will be left!

Huang Wulang analyzed the pros and cons and earnestly spoke:

"Master, when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. We will all be implicated and have no chance of survival. Rather than sit and wait to die, being treated as fat sheep to be slaughtered by those greedy officials and soldiers, having our homes confiscated and our families exterminated, it would be better... better to take advantage of the fact that everyone is still watching and the court's attention is still drawn to the war in the north, and let us unite with all our brothers in the Taihang Mountains who have a stake in the matter."

Those powerful clansmen, bandits, and even some local garrison soldiers dissatisfied with the Liang court acted ahead of time, occupying several strategic passes and raising their flags for self-defense! At that point, they would be able to attack or defend, and whether they chose to submit to the Prince of Jin in the north, join other forces in the south, or even establish their own independent power and wait for a better offer, they would still have a glimmer of hope!

I see!

It wasn't that Huang Wulang and his men suddenly became ambitious and took the initiative to engage in this business that would ruin nine generations of their families.

Rather, they were forced into this situation because they were already facing the catastrophic prospect of being uprooted and destroyed.

In order to survive, they had no choice but to take risks and try to stick together for warmth.

They even preemptively strike, forcing others to take desperate measures!

What Qinghe Miao cared about even more was that he remembered Huang Wenjing's incident in the second year of the Qianhua era.

That is, 912 AD.

In the same year, something currently unknown will occur, yet it will impact the global landscape and cost countless lives.

"912 AD... if I remember correctly."

Qinghe Miao's thoughts raced:

"Around this year, the 'Bad Guy' Yuan Tiangang will take the initiative to approach Yang Shuzi of Jianlu! Knowing that he has no other choice, Yang Shuzi, after giving the female supporting character Lu Linxuan a warning, will send the two senior and junior brothers and sisters down the mountain and order them to escort an item to the Hidden Soldier Valley in Zhongnan Mountain! The story of 'Bad Guy' will officially begin from here!"

At that time, Li was seventeen years old, a year younger than he is now, and from then on, the prince entered the world of martial arts.

This marked the beginning of the legendary life of Li Xingyun, the male protagonist of this world.

Of course, the true protagonist of this chaotic and cruel era of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms would probably not be born for another fifteen years.

Now, Qinghe Miao has to make her own choice.

He fell silent, his fingers tapping the table unconsciously, making a soft "thud, thud" sound that was particularly clear in the quiet hall.

The sound of the wind outside the window and the noise in the distance seemed to be shut out.

After a long pause, he finally raised his head and asked, his voice so calm it was as if no emotion was emanating from him:

"So, what do you want me to do?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Wulang and the others seemed to receive a signal of hope. Their spirits lifted, and they all rose from their seats, solemnly clasped their hands in greeting, and said in unison:

"This matter cannot be accomplished by our Huang clan alone; it will be extremely difficult! Although the brothers in the mountains are driven by self-interest, they also have different thoughts and are difficult to unite. We can only hope that Daoist Feng Qingmiao can lead with his great magical power and wisdom."

"By personally stepping forward and rallying the troops, you have raised the banner high! With your prestige and extraordinary status, you will surely command the heroes and unite the brothers in the Taihang Mountains into one! We are willing to follow you to the death, Master, and together create a great cause!"

To unite them and elect oneself as leader?

Qinghe Miao found it amusing that he didn't know he possessed such abilities, and asked in return:

What if I don't agree?

It's not that things can't be done, but they absolutely cannot be done this way.

The other party's intentions were crystal clear.

They alone cannot unite the various factions in the Taihang Mountains who have ulterior motives.

So, they're treating him like Zhang Jiao, the great sage and wise teacher of yesteryear?

They wanted to push him out as a scapegoat, given his military strength, control of core resources, and prestige among refugees and some outlaws.

Used as flags, as signs, and even as targets.

The leader listened to the scenery.

But another villain surnamed Huang in a film or television work put it well.

The boss is just an empty shell; every day when he opens his eyes, he has to manage the food, drink, and daily needs of thousands of people.

In the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, where the process of rebellion was already quite sophisticated, not only could you rebel against others, but others could also rebel against you.

There are all sorts of strange people, and sometimes you can't reason with them. They'll contradict you if you say the opposite, and they won't give you any face at all.

Once the initial pressure is over, things go around in circles, and who knows when the relationship might fall apart.

In the end, it all came to nothing.

So what's the point?

Moreover, Qinghe Miao clearly remembered that in the same year that Li Xingyun emerged from seclusion, Zhu Wen was also about to die.

The internal situation in Liang is about to become more turbulent, and the external pressure will also change as a result.

The situation is far more complex than Huang Wulang and the others had anticipated.

Chapter 72 The Three Rules are really useful.

From an outsider's perspective.

In this smuggling profit chain, Qing Hemiao's position is that of a "producer".

Any force that wants to take over or continue this incredibly profitable trade route can do so by taking over from anyone.

But the least likely thing to be touched is his source.

At most, they'll use the guise of protection to actually imprison him.

As long as he can secure a supply of goods, Qinghe Miao's life is not in danger.

What's more, he can return to the world of Under One Person at any time.

What do Huang Wulang and the others want to do to me?

Qinghe Miao had already made up his mind.

Then, as if remembering something, he picked up the slightly cool teacup in his hand, lowered his head, and began to sip the tea.

Then I checked the system, and there were no system prompts, and everything in the status bar was normal.

He put down his teacup, looked up at Huang Wulang, and asked curiously:

"Huh? There's no poison in this tea. You didn't bribe anyone in my temple beforehand to poison me. Judging from this situation, the few of you alone definitely don't have the strength to take me down by force."

And you yourselves said that you alone couldn't possibly unite all the heroes of Taihang Mountain. So, if... I simply refuse, are you just going to stop rebelling? Quiet down and go home to await your deaths?

"How could this be!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Wulang smiled wryly, quickly cupped his hands in greeting, and spoke with utmost sincerity.

"The Taoist priest has given us Huangjiabao a second life, and his kindness is heavier than Mount Tai. How could we possibly have such despicable thoughts, let alone the slightest intention to coerce him!"

He paused, then his expression hardened as he said:

"If the Taoist priest agrees, we will certainly serve him as our lord and do our utmost to help him. If we really do not wish to venture into this dangerous place, we will never dare to have the slightest complaint."

However, without the Taoist priest as our banner and backbone, we could only flee like stray dogs, scattering and seeking refuge with other forces.

But if that were the case, our Huang clan, and even the other families and village chiefs involved, would be isolated and scattered, our strength dispersed. Those who would seek refuge there would be nothing more than scattered remnants of defeated soldiers and wealthy households fleeing with their belongings; we would likely receive no attention whatsoever.”

Just look at the homeless people on the roadside then, and you'll see.

Similarly, never underestimate anyone.

Other families and forces that engaged in smuggling in ancient times, who couldn't see through this principle?