Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 472 East-West Taiping Road

In the fourth year of the Hongjia era of the Han Dynasty,
He Bo emerged from the plateau and slid down the fertile, watery road of the Yangtze River all the way to Sichuan.

then,

He met Zhou Jian here.

"How did you end up as an outlaw and become a bandit?"

He Bo was quite surprised to see his old friend who looked much older and asked him a question.

Zhou Jian, his hair and clothes disheveled, tearfully recounted his experiences over the years—

After separating from He Bo, Zhou Jian stayed at home for several years, taking care of his elderly parents and using the medical skills he had learned through sex work to treat the villagers around him.

His reputation spread quickly, and he became a well-known doctor in the surrounding area.

No one will fear Zhou Jian anymore because of his six fingers, nor will they insult or slander him.

So two years ago,

Zhou Jian's parents, having put aside their worries about their descendants, passed away peacefully in their sleep.

Zhou Jian buried them and observed a year of mourning at home. Then he packed his bags again, left his hometown, and started a human flesh business.

After dealing with both the dead and the living for several years, Zhou Jian felt that his medical skills were not yet advanced enough and he still needed to continue learning.

unfortunately,

Without He Bo's company, Zhou Jian's luck was really bad as he traveled alone to a foreign land.

He had only been away from his homeland for a short time when he encountered one unexpected event and setback after another.

First, they traveled to Huaiyang County, where they encountered a fellow fugitive who had followed Shen Tusheng in the uprising and was wanted by the imperial court.

Exhausted and suffering from various wounds, they coerced Zhou Jian, a physician skilled in treating external injuries, into helping them with their cultivation.

Zhou Jian had no choice but to accept it.

Because of this experience
In addition to Zhou Jian's original "numerous crimes", the warrant for his arrest became even more severe.

And this time,
There was no benefactor like Kong Guang to lend a helping hand and cover things up for him.

Zhou Jian could only turn his leisurely travels into a frantic and desperate escape.

He came from his hometown along the Yangtze River to the land on the south bank of the Yangtze, and was then swept away by the torrent overflowing from people's hearts to the Sichuan region in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze.

This place is relatively enclosed.

The imperial court's control over this area was naturally not as strict as that in the Central Plains.

Zhou Jian thought,

Having come here, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy a peaceful life.

With such wonderful expectations,
He rolled up his sleeves, took his tools, and mysteriously ventured into the sparsely populated mountains, attempting to engage in in-depth and friendly exchanges with the people of Sichuan.

then,

Zhou Jian was coerced again.

"Who knew there would be a rebellion here!"

Sitting on a cleaned-up large rock with his friends, Zhou Jian looked up at the sky and let out a sigh full of helplessness.

Last November,
A man named Zheng Gong from Guanghan led about sixty people in an uprising.

They attacked government offices, released prisoners, seized weapons from armories, and then fled to the mountains, emulating the deeds of Emperor Taizu of Han, Liu Bang, who occupied Mangdang Mountain, to set up camp and develop their power.

Zheng Gong then called himself "Mountain Lord" and once again led his men to conquer the lands of four surrounding counties.

The Han court was naturally furious.
"Why are there traitors everywhere!"

The emperor, who had just acquired two peerless beauties and was hopelessly infatuated with the sisters, rarely stepped into the court, pounding his fist on the table as he spoke:
"Quickly quell the rebellion for me!"

then,

Upon receiving orders from the central government, the Sichuan region mobilized troops from two prefectures, totaling 30,000 men, to deliver a powerful blow to Zheng Shanjun.

Zheng Gong had no ability to resist.
Actually,
How can a group of people who cannot bear oppression, and thus rise up in anger, but are too weak and hide in the mountains and forests, be said to have "power"?

The reason why a single call to action could be so popular during the chaos at the end of the Qin Dynasty was because...
Aside from public opinion,

It also lies in the fact that there are many hidden nobles from the six former kingdoms in various places, waiting for the opportunity to restore their kingdoms.

And now,
Even though some people still run rampant in the localities, ignoring the laws and orders of the imperial court;
Even though some people still occupy land in the local area and regard the foundation of a place as their own private property;
Even though some people still collude with the government to seek personal gain, deceiving both superiors and subordinates...

But how could they possibly betray the Han Dynasty?

Their wealth and status all stemmed from the powerful nation of the Han Dynasty!

With a powerful nation,

Only then can one become wealthy!
This truth,

People like Zheng Gong, who are insignificant and insignificant, would not understand, nor do they need to understand.

All they need to do is give their all for the strength of the Han dynasty.

Don't complain.
Do not resist

Don't resist.

We cannot let the slight suffering of ordinary people cause this beautiful land to lose its vibrant colors.

Yes,

Beneath this magnificent and colorful backdrop,
People like Zheng Gong are only fit to use blood to paint the canvas.

After realizing that he was ultimately unlikely to succeed and that failure was imminent,
After sweeping through multiple counties and dominating the land for a year, Zheng Shanjun, dejected, announced the "dissolution" to his brothers.

Let's go our separate ways!

"What in the world is more important than one's own life?"

Zhou Jian was thus able to escape.

But he didn't have time to change his clothes. He hurriedly followed the mountain path, bypassing the imperial army that was besieging Zheng Gong's stronghold, and arrived here to meet He Bo.

"Why is it that there are always people who rebel?"

With both hands clutching the food He Bo provided, Zhou Jian, exhausted and hungry, stuffed his mouth full, yet still managed to squeeze out his doubts through the gaps in the food.

He Bo simply smiled and asked him, "You've traveled to so many places, don't you know why?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jian swallowed his food with difficulty, pounded his chest and choked a couple of times, then fell silent and sighed.

He then asked another question, "How can the world change so quickly?"

“When I traveled with you before, I didn’t feel much, but now that I’ve traveled on my own, I’ve seen a lot more.”

He Bo told him, "You're a medical student, haven't you heard the story of Bian Que meeting Duke Huan of Cai?"

Did Duke Huan of Cai fall ill when he was near death?

When Bian Que told him, "Your Majesty has an illness in the skin and muscles," how did Duke Huan of Cai respond?

There are too many people and too many things in this world.
Conflicts and problems accumulate gradually.
Then, when it exceeded its load-bearing limit, it collapsed with a crash.

Before everything was exposed,
Who would think there's a problem and that it needs to be addressed?
When a wise person points this out...
Whether the parties involved can actually listen to what is being said is also a big question!

Zhou Jian then said, "That makes sense."

"It's just a pity for the innocent people."

“I was born into a family where I had no worries about food and clothing, yet I have fallen to my current state of poverty. What about those who are already poor?”

“I have suffered such hardship and heard the cries of many people. I feel really bad and have the idea of ​​doing something for them, but I don’t know how to do it.”

Initially, when Zheng Gong and his ilk coerced them into going up the mountain, turning law-abiding citizens into rebels,
Zhou Jian was extremely angry.

It's important to know that in today's world, household registration is categorized into different levels!
No matter how much he pleaded, he was a respectable person with a registered residence.
If this leads to becoming a lowly, unregistered vagrant, wouldn't that be a disservice to our ancestors?
But Zheng Gong didn't drag everyone down with him. Instead, he distributed the village's wealth, keeping only himself and telling everyone to fend for themselves. This caused Zhou Jian to have additional emotional reactions.

"He's not entirely good, nor entirely bad... In times of peace and prosperity, he probably wouldn't rebel, would he?"

He Bo scoffed and said, "If he were truly a rebellious person, he wouldn't have led about sixty people to storm the government office."

He then said to Zhou Jian, who was deep in thought, "If you have a heart to help others, you can go to Heming Mountain."

“There are people called Taiping Dao preaching there. You can go to them to clear up some doubts.”

Zhou Jian followed his advice.

After borrowing some money from He Bo, changing his clothes and disguising himself, he set off again from Guanghan to Shu County.

He Bo accompanied him for a while, and after Zhou Jian reached Heming Mountain and met the Taiping Daoists, he jumped into the river again and flowed freely.

……

At the same time,
Taipingdao, rooted in the Qin state, is also fulfilling its duty of "saving the world and speaking out against injustice".

They arrived at Longnan Commandery in the Qin state—

This place is located south of the Longshan Mountains, west of the Mediterranean Sea, and north of the plateau where Longxi County is located.

The barbarians from beyond the borders once called them "Phoenicians" or "Syrians".

of course,

After the Qin people arrived here, bringing conquest and unification, this land became Longnan of the Xia Dynasty.

Under the rule of the Qin people,
This land, with its mild winters and dry summers, which is conducive to farming, once enjoyed a glorious and peaceful period due to its thriving maritime trade and its advantageous location connecting to Lixuan.

But all of that was lost with the war.

First, that rebellious prince led his army to plunder this place.
Then an earthquake struck.

Then, Romans invaded again by ship.

The local warlords would frequently come down to collect taxes, even though they knew the people had been drained of their lifeblood and their very being.

In less than ten years,

The former prosperity has vanished without a trace.
Only countless terrified, emaciated people, their faces filled with fear, walked hunched over on the road, as if the mere thought that straightening up would cost them their last remaining life. "This is hardly a human world."

In the makeshift shed, the Taoist priests who were providing relief and free medical care to the suffering people recalled the numb faces they had seen, and their hearts tightened.

"It's probably even more terrifying than at the end of summer."

Although the new summer was chaotic at that time

However, the people could still run into the mountains to find food and seek refuge.

But in the Western Sea, in this more distant, rain-scarce region,

The barren mountains can only grow low-lying grass and trees, which can't even cover themselves, let alone the poor people.

If the Way of Peace had not followed the wisdom of the Mohists and established sufficient organization and military strength,

The moment they arrived with herbs and food, they were robbed by the starving people, plunging the area into chaos, and there was no point in talking about relief or preaching.

"Let's save as many as we can."

"Otherwise, what are we doing here?"

The leading Taoist priest said this.

He looked down and rummaged through the bag of grain, and found that the beans inside were almost gone, so he frowned.

As the Taoist priest poured the handful of beans into his palm and counted them one by one, someone hurriedly came over.

The newcomer had a somewhat profound appearance, unlike the typical appearance of a gentleman from the Central Plains, and spoke with a thick accent.

He said, "My wife is in labor, but a long time has passed and the baby still hasn't been born. I hope you can come and take a look."

One of the Taoists said, "Don't listen to this guy!"

“I saw him loitering around here a long time ago, and he looked very strange!”

"If you were truly worried about your wife and children, why would you have delayed until now?"

"Besides, he is a barbarian. We don't even have enough energy to help our fellow Chinese, so why should we waste it on these barbarians?"

Although in Longnan Prefecture,
Due to the high mountains and deep valleys

The region is vast and complex.
They were not completely influenced by the Qin people.

Many of the barbarian tribes that were pursued and conquered by the Qin people in those days have also taken advantage of the terrain to hide and multiply to this day.

This has resulted in local customs, which, while primarily based on Qin culture, often feature foreign accents and appearances.

Upon hearing the objections, the man's face flushed red, and he began to plead with the Taoist priest, stammering and hesitant.

"My wife and I are at the same age as us, and we've only just had a child."

"If anything happens to them, I won't be able to live either!"

The Taoist priest sighed, "I can sense your intentions, but you are indeed somewhat suspicious."

"If you cannot be honest with me, then I have no choice but to refuse your request."

Having no other option, the man began to explain his predicament—

original,

He was born into a non-Han ethnic group that was suppressed by the Qin court.

To escape the horrific punishment of "extermination of nine generations of relatives," their ancestors led their people into the mountains.

Until the storm subsided,

They only emerged from this situation a few decades ago and started a new life.

However, due to the preservation of their tribal customs and the obvious differences in appearance compared to those who received the bloodline of the Xia people,
This led to considerable exclusion from their family in the surrounding area.

There was no neighborly relationship.
They had little money.
None of his clansmen knew medicine.
Unfortunately, they encountered the problem of a difficult birth.
This person was so anxious that he had no choice but to disobey the teachings of his ancestors and seek help from the heretical Taiping Dao.

"Is that right?"

The Taoist priest stroked his beard, recalled what he knew, and found that what the other person said did indeed match some of it.

After all, this is the Western Sea.

There was a group of people who were shameless, greedy, and had a nature like a wolf from Zhongshan, and who were incorrigible despite repeated admonitions. As a result, they were repeatedly suppressed, had their homes confiscated, and were exiled by the Qin rulers and ministers.
I've also heard of Taipingdao, who came from Xinxia.

of course,

The Taiping Dao had some understanding of it, but initially it was just to get a feel for the various sects in the Western Sea in order to debate with them and compete for followers.

The rest was simply because its uniqueness compelled me to delve deeper.

"Then let's go." The Taoist priest stood up, intending to have his mount follow.

The Taoist priest tried to stop them, saying, "These barbarians are shameless by nature; I'm afraid they might be in danger."

The Taoist priest calmly replied, "If these guys could still gather enough power here under the repeated ravages of the Qin court, they wouldn't have survived these past few years."

The generals of the regional military governorships are desperately short of money!

Hu people,

Wealthy Hu people,
The wealthy but disobedient barbarians
The Hu people are rich, disobedient, and have a terrible reputation among the people!

That's a money bag sent from heaven!
Skinning those people alive might actually bring you good karma!
Having witnessed the ways of various regional warlords, the Taoist priest did not believe that the other party had the power to rival the Way of Peace.

Moreover, the martial virtue inherited from the Mohists, and the skills honed during the uprising,
If the other party doesn't understand the "Taiping Jing," the Taoist priest doesn't mind using fists, feet, and swords to discuss the Tao with them!
"Let's go!"

The Taoist priest spurred his horse and, with several other Taoist priests, followed the barbarian to a remote village.

The other party was indeed not lying.

His wife was enduring the suffering of procreation.

The Taoist priest went inside to help deliver the baby.

But as the situation improved and the child gradually peeked out,
A noisy argument could be heard outside.

The Taoist priest guarding outside said:
"It's that Hu Jiao who's causing trouble."

“They are inherently selfish and share their things with different people, so they also reject outsiders interfering in their affairs.”

"Now that we hear you're here, their elders have even declared that they'd rather the woman and child die than let the heretics defile their bodies!"

Upon hearing these words, the Taoist priest was also furious.

"These barbarians deserve to be killed!"

"Taking advantage of the current turmoil in Qin, where the court is too lazy to bother with them, they've become arrogant again!"

He calmed the woman down, reassuring her to give birth, then took his nine-section staff and went outside.

The Hu priest, accompanied by several men, stood outside menacingly, glaring at him.

The Taoist priest didn't move an inch, but only said to the Taoist priests on his left and right, "Follow me!"

Then, the Taiping Dao (a group of Taoist priests) formed a battle formation and began to gang up on the other side.

The battle ended quickly.

The Taiping Dao, with its long-tested military strength, achieved a well-deserved victory.

The Taoist priest, with an air of otherworldly wisdom, brushed the dust off his clothes. "Don't you realize that our Taiping Dao, which spreads its teachings in this chaotic world, would be ignorant of martial arts?"

The Taoist priest beside him was still somewhat worried, "This is a place where the Hu people gather. If we destroy their shrine, won't it cause the local villagers to come and attack us?"

"how is this possible?"

“Barbarians have never understood human nature. Treating them with the same methods used to deal with beasts is enough.”

But beasts and their ilk
Once their leader falls and they realize the enemy's strength, they won't have any extra courage to rush forward.

After all,

The Taoist priest flicked his sleeve, thrusting his nine-section staff into the fallen Hu priest, immobilizing him. He then addressed his disciples inside the room:
"Let her give birth!"

All come,

If we don't have a child

But all that hard work by the old horse was for nothing.

The poor husband pretended not to see the sacrifice on the ground, anxiously waiting for news while rubbing his hands together.

soon,

A cry rang out.

The Taoist priest came out wiping his sweat and said, "She gave birth to a baby girl!"

The husband immediately cheered, rushed into the house, grabbed his wife's hand, who was so exhausted she was in a daze, and stared at the swaddled baby beside her.

"Her name is...her name is Maria!"

"Let's call her Maria!"

In their Aramaic language, the name means "bitter".

Growing up in such an era,

Growing up in such a family,

Only "bitterness"
That is the child's true identity.

But his wife, with her last remaining strength, whispered, "...I also want a Qin name."

“We live here, and giving her a name like this will help her live a better life.”

Even if parents believe their child is destined for a bitter life,

But who wouldn't want their child to taste a little sweetness?

The devout husband, who valued clan traditions but had chosen an outsider to assist with the delivery, moved his lips, and finally nodded silently.

(End of this chapter)