Jinting Han people

After Du Tao conquered southern Hunan, refugees from all over Sichuan and Chongqing flocked to the area like wildfire. For a time, the Lianshui ferry crossing north of Xiangnan City was bustling with activity as people continuously joined the army. The market was teeming with people, so much so that the lights at the ferry crossing stayed on day and night. Large and small boats continued to gather, stretching for miles across the Lianshui River.

The newcomers and the old comrades alike wore the same excited faces, unable to suppress the long-suppressed thoughts in their hearts. Upon meeting, they immediately began to discuss their visions for the future. Strangely, although many had never spoken before, they all spoke in unison: "When will we return to Yizhou? When will we be able to see the King of Han?"
However, as the commander-in-chief unanimously chosen by the entire army, Du Tao was fully aware of the current situation. Xiangzhou was located in the heart of Jingnan, surrounded by enemies on all sides: Wang Ji of Guangzhou to the south, Wang Dun of Jingzhou to the north, the Wuxi barbarians to the west, and Wang Kuang of Jiangzhou to the east. Once news of his uprising spread, the refugee army would inevitably face encirclement and suppression from multiple directions. To think that he could lead his troops directly north under such disadvantages, cross the Yangtze River, and return to Yizhou was undoubtedly a pipe dream.

Therefore, Du Tao had already made his decision: rather than leading his troops westward, it would be better to first conquer Xiangzhou, hold Jingnan, and seek aid from the King of Han. This was a golden opportunity for the King of Han to annex Jing and Xiang; since the King of Han wanted to restore the Han Dynasty, he would certainly not miss it and would definitely lead his troops to aid him. However, the difficulty lay in the fact that Xiangnan was too far from Bashu, thousands of miles away, with dozens of passes in between. It would be extremely difficult to send a message to Bashu. If discovered, it would certainly be a matter of life and death.

Therefore, to successfully request reinforcements, Du Tao needed to send a shrewd and reliable person as an envoy. After much deliberation, he finally entrusted the matter to Wang Zhen.

Wang Zhen, courtesy name Gongcheng, was also from Shu (Sichuan) and served as Du Tao's deputy. Unlike others, Wang Zhen was not originally a scholar; he had become a bandit with refugees before joining Du Tao's service. He was quite cunning, a self-taught man, unconventional in his actions, and adept at reading people. Through persistent effort, he gained a reputation among the local literati, who called him "Little Chen Ping," meaning he had flaws in personal conduct but was extremely quick-witted.

Du Tao usually relied heavily on him. When Du Tao was arrested, it was Wang Zhen who led the people to block the gate and rescue him from the inspector. Now, to travel to Chengdu to seek help from the Prince of Han, they needed someone skilled in adaptability and possessing great courage. In Du Tao's opinion, only Wang Zhen among his subordinates was capable of this important task.

So the two men parted ways at the ferry crossing. It was a sunny day; sunlight streamed down the Lian River, casting a shimmering golden glow on the boats along the banks. Watching the crowds coming and going at the ferry, both men were filled with emotion. They hadn't expected that in just over ten days, they would rise from obscure county magistrates and constables to become leaders of hundreds of thousands of people. They felt both proud and worried about this.

Du Tao held Wang Zhen's hand earnestly and said, "Gong Cheng, the future and lives of tens of thousands of people are now in your hands. You are our army's Zhang Song, so be careful on the road."

Wang Zhen remained extremely calm. He chuckled and said, "My lord, rest assured. In two months, or at most three months, I will definitely bring you reinforcements. I'm just afraid that neither Wang Dun nor Wang Kuang will be a match for you. By then, you will have already conquered the north and south, and have reached Xiangyang. You won't need the King of Han's reinforcements anymore."

Du Tao smiled upon hearing this, cupped his hands, and said, "Then I'll take your good wishes. If I really manage to reach Xiangyang, I hope you can put in a good word for me before the King of Han and help me get a title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households!"

The road was treacherous, but both men feigned ease. Wang Zhen checked the provisions and gold and silver in his luggage, took two guards, boarded the boat, and formally bid farewell to Du Tao. As the boat slowly sailed away from southern Hunan, Wang Zhen looked back at the ferry crossing. Amidst the surging waves, Du Tao and the others had been watching him from the ferry, the willows swaying and the reeds rippling, gradually obscuring them completely. Less than two hours later, he drifted downstream from the Lian River and arrived at the much wider and more expansive Xiang River. At this moment, his vision suddenly opened up, revealing a vast expanse of misty water and an endless expanse of heaven and earth, making him seem like a piece of duckweed floating on the river.

From here onwards, this area falls under the control of the Jin dynasty.

Wang Zhen thought that the rebels had been in rebellion for over ten days, so the news must have spread, but reinforcements probably hadn't arrived yet. Therefore, the Jin army in the surrounding area should be heavily fortified, but they wouldn't dare to leave the city to search. So he made up his mind that on the first night, he wouldn't go ashore, but instead, he and his followers would take turns rowing north without stopping for a moment.

The sound of waves crashing filled the night, a cool breeze blowing, accompanied by faint howls of wolves and hoots. Just as Wang Zhen had predicted, the houses on both banks were unusually quiet, without a single light in sight. But when passing Linxiang City (present-day Changsha), he saw the city walls brightly lit, with many people moving about. Wang Zhen even saw people pointing at the boats, but ultimately no one left the city, indicating that martial law had been declared in Changsha Prefecture.

Because of the favorable winds and currents, by dawn the next day, they had already traveled two hundred li on the Xiang River and could see the banks of the Miluo River. Upon reaching this point, Wang Zhen felt that he had passed the first hurdle and was about to head north into Dongting Lake. He felt a great sense of relief and then thought of Qu Yuan. He imitated the Confucian scholar and slowly recited: "Washing his feet in the Canglang River, the Chu minister was intoxicated by pepper and orchid. Where can one find good governance? The fisherman on the islet."

Upon entering Dongting Lake, a sudden downpour began, the wind and waves intensified, and the boats were forced to go against the current. Fortunately, the atmosphere of war was not yet strong, and the people were unaware of the impending battle. Fishermen were still fishing on the lake, and there were temporary markets along the shore. Wang Zhen and his companions resupplyed and inquired about the surrounding area, only to receive bad news: Tao Kan, the military advisor from Jiangzhou, had already entered Baling and was rigorously inspecting all passing travelers and boats.

Baling was a necessary ferry crossing for those heading north to the Yangtze River, and it was impossible to bypass it by water. Wang Zhen knew that Tao Kan was cautious and meticulous, and that he was unlikely to be able to hide anything from him. So he immediately changed his mind and said to his followers, "Let's abandon the boat and take the land route!" The three of them immediately abandoned the boat, sank it in a reed marsh, and then bought six horses at the local market and traveled west by land from Nanping County.

Traveling through Nanping County was not easy, as it was under the jurisdiction of Ying Zhan. Although Ying Zhan was known for his benevolent rule, he was also ruthless in enforcing military discipline, resulting in extremely strict oversight within his territory. However, because Ying Zhan was acquainted with Du Tao, Wang Zhen knew Ying Zhan's background perfectly well. When he encountered checkpoints along the way, he would carry the documents of the prefect he had captured in Xiangnan, claiming to be Ying Zhan's brother-in-law and possessing an urgent military report to deliver to the Prefect of Badong. He told this lie with unwavering conviction and without a hint of shame, and coupled with his air of officialdom, the soldiers guarding the checkpoints dared not investigate further and let him pass.

This allowed him to travel unimpeded from An'nan County all the way to Yiling. Passing through Jiangling, they discovered a large army crossing the river on the opposite bank. Banners fluttered on the warships, and the sheer volume of people created an imposing atmosphere, clearly indicating preparations for an advance on Xiangzhou. This overwhelming force left them stunned for a long time, and they could only silently wish their compatriots in southern Hunan good luck.

Upon reaching Yiling, the Jianghan Plain came to an end, and the remaining route consisted entirely of mountain roads. As they traveled westward, steep canyons rose abruptly as if carved by a knife, and mountain peaks resembled giant, winding serpents shrouded in wisps of blue clouds. Consequently, the mountain paths were narrow and rugged, making even the horses' ascent extremely difficult. Fortunately, they were now quite far from Xiangzhou, and no one was on guard against them anymore. Wang Zhen only needed to disguise himself as a merchant to travel normally through the verdant mountains and clear waters. However, there was still one final hurdle to overcome: Jiangguan and Baidi City. This was the front line between the Jin and Shu Han dynasties. While the other passes could be relaxed, this was the only one where vigilance was impossible. Moreover, the terrain here was treacherous. To bypass it would require a long detour through dense, sunless forests, where even one or two people could easily get lost, wasting precious time. And to pass through the pass head-on, ordinary words and tricks would be ineffective. After much thought, Wang Zhen only had one option: to take advantage of the darkness and swim across in the dark.

This was no easy task, given the numerous reefs and swift currents in the area; a single misstep could lead to being swept away by the turbulent waters and drowning. But there was no better way.

That night, they stripped down to only their shorts, wrapped their belongings in cowhide, and floated on the water, carefully avoiding the campfires and shadows on the shore. Wang Zhen was the best swimmer, so he led the way, struggling to keep his body steady in the water while keeping an eye on the campfires and shadows on the shore.

It must be said that even with prior warning, they still underestimated the strength of the undercurrent. Wave after wave crashed against their bodies, quickly leaving them feeling cold and numb. They had to repeatedly seek out hidden reed beds to rest and recover their strength before plunging back into the water. After enduring nearly two hours in the water, Wang Zhen couldn't help but curse himself inwardly. He cursed himself for being foolish to come and suffer like this, and he was also unsure if the mission would even succeed. He even felt a bit resentful towards the distant King of Han.

In a daze, they finally passed through Baidi City. By this time, one of their followers was missing, and the other's legs were trembling as if he might collapse at any moment. But they dared not rest for long, so they leaned against a tree trunk and continued westward. In any case, they had finally passed this last hurdle and officially entered Sichuan.

For the rest of the journey, without horses or boats, Wang Zhen had to rely solely on his own two legs. He hadn't anticipated the difficulties ahead; due to the prolonged stalemate between the two armies, the surrounding residents had been relocated, creating a two-hundred-mile-long no-man's-land. Wang Zhen's rations were exhausted, his straw sandals were worn out, and he was even more weakened. They could only cut pieces of cowhide from their luggage to wrap around their feet, enduring their hunger as they continued south along the treacherous mountain path.

After walking for two days, his legs were almost numb and his feet were covered in blisters, but he still hadn't reached Linjiang. Just when Wang Zhen was almost in despair, he finally met a hunter who was out gathering herbs. This kind man shared his food with them and guided them, and Wang Zhen finally arrived in Linjiang City.

From then on, everything went smoothly. Wang Zhen first entered Jiangzhou and met Zhang Guang, the governor of Jiangzhou. Zhang Guang was very surprised to hear that Wang Zhen was a refugee from Shu who came from Xiangzhou. He asked Wang Zhen in detail about his journey and learned about the hardships he had encountered. He was very moved and praised him, saying, "Lord Wang is both wise and brave. He can probably be considered a person like Zhang Qian."

What Zhang Guang didn't know was that Wang Zhen was also quite surprised by what he saw along the way. The troops he had encountered in Jiangzhou were the most disciplined he had ever seen, full of spirit, and not only were they as close as family, but the people also showed no fear of the soldiers. Some soldiers even joined the locals in farming and reclaiming wasteland, a stark contrast to the Jin army in Jing and Xiang. He could see that some soldiers were not from Shu, yet they still enjoyed the support of the local people, something even Du Tao couldn't achieve, and he still couldn't stop the conflict between the refugees and the local population.

He initially thought that perhaps this was Zhang Guang's unique talent; after all, his appointment as the governor of Jiangzhou meant he must be a leading figure under the Prince of Han. However, this idea was quickly shattered. When Zhang Guang sent Wang Zhen a boat, escorted by special soldiers, to Chengdu, Wang Zhen found the same scene along the way. Because it was the off-season for farming, many farmers sat chatting among the lush green fields, and there were many merchants at the ferry crossings and markets. Under the soldiers' patrols, everything was orderly.

This peaceful scene moved Wang Zhen. He was from Jianwei County and still remembered the chaos when he left his hometown. Yet, within a few years, his hometown had achieved such tranquility, surpassing even the past, bringing Wang Zhen an unprecedented sense of peace. A smart man like him, he originally did not believe in any Taiping Zhenjun (True Lord of Great Peace), but seeing such a scene, he couldn't help but believe a little.

Upon arriving at the ferry crossing south of Chengdu, Wang Zhen immediately spotted a amiable middle-aged man standing amidst the bustling crowd. He wore a blue silk robe and was accompanied by dozens of imposing guards. His distinguished bearing clearly indicated a person of high status. Wang Zhen thought: "I heard that Governor Zhang had informed the Prince of Han in advance; this must be the envoy specially sent by the Prince of Han to welcome me."

He was somewhat moved. After all, he was an unknown figure, and to receive such courtesy from the King of Han was a testament to the King's high regard for him. Of course, he also knew that this was not only a sign of the King's respect for him, but also an indication of his concern for Xiangzhou and the refugees of Bashu. As long as they could gain a certain status in the King of Han's eyes, then the suffering he had endured would not have been in vain.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he disembarked, before he could even greet the envoy by name, the soldiers accompanying him rushed forward, bowed their heads, knelt before the envoy, and shouted in unison, "Long live Your Highness!"

Only then did Wang Zhen realize that the person in front of him was the Prince of Han, who had personally come out of the palace to greet him!
Liu Xian raised his hand, gesturing for them to stand up, and said with a smile, "You've all worked hard, there's no need for such formalities."

Then he pulled Wang Zhen, who was shocked and at a loss, aside and said in a gentle tone, "I heard that Gong Cheng came from afar to plead for the people. I am very worried. May I ask if the elders of Xiangzhou are well?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhen looked up and saw the earnest concern on the King of Han's face, and a surge of warmth welled up in his chest. His years of wandering away from home had exposed him to countless acts of cruelty and cunning, and he himself had become adept at using lies to survive and profit. But at this moment, a simple greeting was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

He bowed respectfully in front of everyone, then took out the letter of appeal written by Du Tao from his bosom, solemnly held it above his head, and presented it to Liu Xian, saying slowly, "Your Highness, this is the petition from Governor Du Xiangzhou, and also the earnest hope of the elders of Xiangnan. I have not failed in my duty, and present it to Your Highness today." (End of this chapter)