Taiheiki

Chapter 293 Confession
“How could Duan Jiong possibly agree to that!” Zhang Huan said. “Going to a place like Jiaozhou, that’s not rewarding a meritorious official, it’s clearly exile! If I were Duan Jiong, I definitely wouldn’t agree!”

“Liangzhou is also a harsh and cold place. Duan Jiong was doing a good job, so why was he exiled when he went to Jiaozhou?” Wei Cong asked.

“How can they be the same!” Zhang Huan exclaimed urgently. “Liangzhou has a mild climate, fertile land, and is surrounded by the Yellow River. Merchants and travelers pass through it, making it a superior prefecture. Not to mention, Liangzhou is Duan Jiong’s hometown. How can Jiaozhou compare?”

"Oh!" Wei Cong laughed, "I almost forgot, Zhang Sikong, you're also from Liangzhou!"

"What does this have to do with where I'm from! General, just ask a few people in Luoyang if they have to choose between Jiaozhou and Liangzhou, and they'll all tell you they'll choose Liangzhou!"

Wei Cong smiled and didn't continue arguing with Zhang Huan. He knew Zhang Huan was telling the truth. For the Chinese during the Han Dynasty, and even the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and the Tang Dynasty, Liangzhou was a name representing wealth and hope. Although deep inland with low rainfall, it boasted highly developed agriculture and animal husbandry thanks to the snowmelt from the Qilian Mountains and the Yellow River flowing through it. Furthermore, the ancient Silk Road, connecting the east and west ends of Eurasia, passed through the region, making Liangzhou the closest passage from ancient China to the Western Regions. Besides the commercial benefits, it also brought a wealth of new technologies and ideas from the outside world. In contrast, Jiaozhou, with its backward agriculture and animal husbandry during the Han Dynasty, while having maritime trade, couldn't compare to Liangzhou in terms of maritime revenue due to its underdeveloped navigation technology. Of course, all of this was before Wei Cong's arrival, but such things couldn't be convinced by words alone. He'd wait until Duan Jiong arrived in Luoyang before discussing it further.

"Minister Zhang! Duan Jiong is your fellow townsman and also your junior. You can write him a letter saying that the court greatly appreciates his achievements and will reward him handsomely. But since ancient times, many have started well, but few have finished well. I hope he will be careful in his words and deeds, preserve his good name, pass on his rank and emoluments to future generations, and remain with the country until the end!"

On his way home, Zhang Huan was preoccupied with worries. Wei Cong's last words kept echoing in his mind. There was a hint of threat in Wei Cong's words, but considering the reward he had previously offered, there was another meaning behind it. Was Wei Cong wary of his relationship with Duan Jiong? Yes, unlike Feng Kun, he and Wei Cong had long disagreed, but Wei Cong's power far surpassed his own, and as Dou's son-in-law, he had no choice but to submit. If Duan Jiong were to achieve great merit and ascend to Luoyang, an alliance between them would give them the strength to rival Wei Cong. Was that why he suggested sending Duan Jiong to Jiaozhou? Damn it, so while Wei Cong's words were ostensibly about Duan Jiong, were they actually a warning to Zhang Huan? Thinking this, Zhang Huan broke out in a cold sweat.

Upon returning to his residence, Zhang Huan immediately summoned the messenger Zhang Ji and bluntly asked, "Tell me the truth, how many troops does your captain currently command?"

"How many troops?" Zhang Ji was puzzled by the question and answered cautiously, "There are probably less than 20,000 infantry and cavalry, but most of them are volunteer soldiers from the Qiang and Hu tribes. They have been in the army for a long time and will be disbanded after the rebellion of the Eastern Qiang is quelled!"

"That Duan Jiming deserves to die!" Zhang Huan cursed inwardly, feeling both happy and disappointed. He was disappointed because Duan Jiong's forces were limited, and even if he joined forces with him, he could not threaten Wei Cong. He was happy because he did not have to make such a dangerous choice and push the country into a new civil war.

"Very well, you shall return tomorrow. I will not write a reply; just pass on a verbal message for me! General Wei is magnanimous and does not treat us differently because we are from Liangzhou. I hope you will soon withdraw your troops and go to Luoyang to pay homage to the Emperor. Though you may not become one of the Three Dukes, becoming a Marquis of Ten Thousand Households will not be difficult! Do you understand?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji was overjoyed and quickly lowered his head, saying, "This humble general will remember!"

"Alright, you must be tired from the journey. You should get some rest tonight!" Zhang Huan said.

"Yes!" Zhang Ji responded, bowed twice, and said, "This humble general thanks the Minister of Works on behalf of the Colonel!" Then he bowed slightly, backed out the door, and turned to leave.

“This should be the right choice!” Zhang Huan walked to the window and looked at the moon in the sky outside. “It’s not that I’m afraid of Wei Cong, it’s just that the Han Dynasty can no longer withstand a civil war!”

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Zhongmu (present-day Zhongmu County, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province)

A southerly breeze ruffled his tangled hair, warm and fragrant, like the fingertips of his concubines at home. Yuan Shu listened to the birdsong in the reeds not far away and felt the pulse of the river. The rowboat beneath his feet was sailing into the distance with the movement of the long oars. Once he entered Putian Marsh, he would be safe. This vast lake had too many rivers connecting the north and south; no one could find themselves here.

Yuan Shu felt the world was so sweet that he almost fainted. "I've escaped! The sunlight shines on me. Of all the members of the Runan Yuan clan in Luoyang, only I have escaped. Now, no one can compete with me for the position of clan head." Suddenly, he burst into laughter, startling the birds in the nearby reeds.

"Keep your voice down!" Wu Jing complained, his brow furrowed ever since he went on the run. Perhaps this guy had been scared out of his wits by Wei Cong, mistaking even a scarecrow for a pursuer sent by Wei Cong, just like a wild sparrow stealing ears of wheat.

But this fellow could row a boat, tend livestock, drive a carriage, and even do some carpentry. His arms were covered in muscles, and his hands were calloused. Even after rowing for most of the night, he showed no signs of fatigue, while Yuan Shu, holding the other oar, was far inferior. Ultimately, Wu Jing had indeed been wanted by the imperial court and had spent a long time on the run, wandering the martial world. While Yuan Shu had also befriended many wandering knights, he was, in essence, a noble son of the Yuan clan of Runan; a life of luxury and extravagance was his true nature.

“We really didn’t need to go through all this trouble!” Yuan Shu placed the wooden oar across his knees. “We’re already hundreds of miles from Luoyang, and we’ve taken such a long detour. How could Wei Cong have imagined we were here!”

"Row faster!" Wu Jing's voice was as cold and hard as the wooden oar in his hand: "I'm not worried about the government officials. Have you forgotten the bounty we saw on you last time? A million coins for taking his head or capturing him alive, and three hundred thousand coins for providing information. Wei Cong himself will also receive an additional three hundred taels of gold. With such a generous reward, what do you think someone would do if they discovered your whereabouts?"

"I'll report this to the authorities immediately!" Yuan Shu replied nonchalantly. "But do you think anyone will recognize us now? To be honest, in my current state, even if I stood in front of my concubines, they wouldn't recognize me. Not even those I've been intimate with, let alone the inhuman, ghostly portrait on the notice. In my opinion, our biggest worry right now isn't the informant, but the bandits and thieves along the way. Rowing until we're exhausted isn't a good idea!"

"Alright!" Wu Jing thought for a moment and nodded. "Let's row to the reeds ahead and rest for a while before we talk about it!"

"That's right!" Yuan Shu chuckled and rowed the boat into the reeds ahead. The two men stuck long poles into the muddy lakebed and tied them tightly with ropes before taking turns to rest. Wu Jing was on duty initially, idly looking at the countless reeds around him when he suddenly heard Yuan Shu ask, "By the way, what do you think we can do to defeat Wei Cong?"

"How should I know!" Wu Jing replied irritably, "You were the one complaining about being tired just now, and now that it's your turn to rest, you're not resting properly instead of spouting nonsense!" "I am physically tired, but my mind can't calm down!" Yuan Shu said, "To be honest, I always thought Wei Cong was nothing but a despicable villain, utterly devoid of integrity, and that his current position was purely by luck, destined for destruction sooner or later. But—"

"What's wrong? Has your opinion changed?" Wu Jing asked.

"Hmm!" Yuan Shu slowly nodded: "Look at how many people he killed and how many enemies he made. Shouldn't he be besieged and killed by the people of the world?"

"This is only because the people of the world are temporarily afraid of his military power! But this will not last long!" Wu Jing replied.

"What did Zhang Huan and Feng Kun say?" Yuan Shu asked. "Feng Kun is one thing, but Zhang Huan is a renowned scholar from Liangzhou, on par with Huangfu Gui. How could someone like him be willing to be at Wei Cong's beck and call?"

"It's nothing more than high-ranking positions and generous salaries!" Wu Jing sneered. "They usually put on an image of being upright and honest, but when they see high-ranking positions and generous salaries, they rush to claim them. Wei Cong also offered a high price, the Three Dukes, and a stipend of ten thousand households. It's not surprising that Zhang Huan went for it! Don't worry too much. Wei Cong can't afford many of these. He can't possibly appoint seven or eight Three Dukes, can he?"

"That's true!" Yuan Shu nodded. "However, there aren't many people like Zhang Huan and Feng Kun!"

"If you can't sleep, then I'll rest!" Wu Jing retorted irritably. "Wei Cong can bribe one or two people, but he can't bribe everyone in the world. This time, just because of the Deer Valley incident, he killed nearly a hundred heroes and famous figures, and implicated two or three thousand people. Such a big matter will not just pass by like this. The reason it hasn't erupted yet is simply because people are afraid of Wei Cong's military power, but he won't be this strong forever. As soon as he encounters a slight setback, he will be attacked by everyone! All we can do is survive and wait for that time!"

"Hmm!" Yuan Shu nodded, about to echo Wu Jing's words. Suddenly, Wu Jing made a shushing gesture. Yuan Shu knew the other's experience in the ways of the world far surpassed his own, so he quickly held his breath. After a moment, Wu Jing lowered his voice: "Gonglu, did you hear that? It sounds like a crowd reciting scriptures!"

Yuan Shu listened intently and said, "It does seem so, but it's a bit far from here, so it's none of our business!"

"No way!" Wu Jing shook his head: "Judging from the voices, there are at least forty or fifty people. So many people hiding in the reeds must be either thieves or criminals. They know this place much better than we do. Once we leave the reeds and they find us, we won't be able to escape!"

"What should I do?"

"Let's find out what's going on first, then make a decision: row this way!"

The two then tiptoed toward the source of the sound. After about a hundred steps, the chanting stopped, and was replaced by a clear male voice.

"Heaven is the most fair. Those who are sick are guilty of sins, so Heaven is punishing them. You should kneel down and repent to Heaven for your sins, then drink the talisman water, and your illness will naturally be cured!"

Yuan Shu rowed again and found that the land ahead was muddy, clearly an island in a lake. He used his long oar to push aside the reeds and looked inside. On the land ahead, he saw nearly a hundred people, some lying down and some sitting. Judging from their clothes, most of them were poor, and their faces were haggard; some were swollen, indicating they were all ill. Standing among them was a tall Taoist priest, holding a wooden staff, with an iron pot beside him, speaking loudly to the crowd. The clear voice he had heard earlier was his.

"There's no need to worry, everyone. Heaven cherishes life and sees you all as children, without discrimination based on wealth or poverty. As long as you sincerely repent and apologize, Heaven will bestow talismanic water upon you, and you will be cured simply by drinking it!" Seeing that the crowd was hesitant and dared not approach, the Taoist priest raised his voice a few not far away and pointed his long staff at a sallow-faced boy not far from him, saying, "You, you come here!"

"Me!" The boy, seeing the wooden staff pointing at him, didn't step forward but instead shrank back. "No, no, Daoist Master, you should find someone else."

"Is your child's stomach bloated and uncomfortable, unable to eat or defecate?" the Taoist priest asked. "If this illness isn't properly treated, he'll die from overeating in a couple of days. But if he takes the talisman water, he'll recover immediately. You, woman, should think this through!"

"Yes, yes, that's exactly what happened to my child!" The woman was overjoyed to hear that the Taoist priest had correctly described her child's symptoms. She quickly kowtowed twice to the priest and said, "Taoist priest, please have mercy and save this child. Our whole family will serve you like cattle and horses!"

"You don't need to kneel!" The Taoist priest helped the woman up and laughed, "Heaven cherishes life, how could I stand by and watch someone die? But if you want to save someone, you must first sincerely repent, otherwise even if I give you talisman water, it will do you more harm than good!"

The woman looked at the Taoist priest, then at her half-dead son, gritted her teeth, and said, "Since the child is like this, why don't I repent a few words on his behalf?"

“Mother and child are one, they are all the same!” the Taoist priest laughed.

"Alright!" The woman gritted her teeth and said to the Taoist priest, "Last year there was a poor harvest, and there was not much food at home. This child is the only son in two generations of my family. My father-in-law couldn't bear to see his grandson starve to death, so he would give half of his own food to this child at every meal. As a result, as a result—" At this point, the woman lowered her head, her face full of pain.

(End of this chapter)