Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 43: Who would object to Cheng Fu sitting at the head of the table?

"hu~hu~"

Outside the temple, snow fell silently, covering the pines and stone beasts before the steps, creating a somber and tranquil atmosphere. Inside the temple, the fire crackled softly, resin bursting and steam rising into the chimney on the roof.

The leaders and their disciples, all with the faces of villagers, looked up at the Great Teacher at the head of the group, and at the young man who had uttered such bold words. They were covered in the smell of sweat and mud, like the earthy scent of an autumn field, mixed with the pine resin of a temple.

Such an expression, such an aura, made Zhang Chengfu feel a sense of warmth and familiarity, as if he were standing in a field.

Zhang Jiao, the Great Teacher of Virtue, sat upright, his expression as firm as stone, his yellow robe gleaming dimly in the firelight. Before the assembled tribal leaders, he asked in a deep voice.

"Chengfu, why do you want to eliminate the powerful Li family of Chengshi County?"

"Teacher, the powerful Li family persecutes the common people, keeps retainers who serve the government, and are its henchmen—they are doomed to die! The Li family is located near the Great Wild Marsh, familiar with its terrain and advantages, and has a large number of retainers protecting them. Once we launch our uprising, the terrain of the Great Wild Marsh will be of paramount importance; we must seize it first. This is the key to our ability to resist the imperial army, especially the imperial cavalry and heavy armor!..."

Zhang Chengfu looked around at the group of commanders, his expression as firm as iron, and his voice as powerful as a hammer.

"Daye Marsh connects to the Henan water system! By controlling Daye Marsh, we can connect the waterways of various regions and constantly harass the government army's supply lines, preventing them from launching a full-scale attack. Such a strategic advantage must not be shared with the government army! Therefore, the powerful clans surrounding Daye Marsh are our primary enemies! The Li family, who possess military strength and are familiar with the terrain, must be eliminated immediately!"

Hearing these profound words, the leaders all looked surprised. Zhang Bao, the Heavenly Physician, frowned, glanced at Zhang Jiao, and remained silent in deep thought. After the uprising, the priority was to seize the area around Daye Marsh, using it to maneuver against the government troops, instead of directly attacking the county seat? This adjustment in strategic objectives…

Zhang Jiao, the Great Teacher, remained calm, looked around at the assembled leaders, and said solemnly.

"The imperial army, especially the Liangzhou border troops, has always been known for its fierce cavalry and sharp armor. At the beginning of our uprising, we must not underestimate them and engage in direct combat with the imperial army. We must, as Chengfu said, avoid their strengths and attack their weaknesses, prioritizing control of the complex terrain of Daye Marsh, followed by the Taishan mountain area... I swear to Heaven, do you all remember this?!"

The many leaders exchanged bewildered glances, speechless for a moment. If Zhang Chengfu had proposed such a "strategic goal," they would have scoffed. A mere youth who had only joined the Way of Peace three years ago and had yet to achieve anything, dared to teach these veterans how to do things?
But when the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao gave such solemn instructions, looking into their eyes one by one, the many leaders had no choice but to nod and agree.

"Heaven bears witness! Yes!..."

Clearly, such a strategic shift cannot be achieved in a single meeting. More talks, close cooperation with Zhang Bao (the Heavenly Physician), and detailed discussions with each of the tribal leaders are needed. The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao said no more, but instead looked at Zhang Chengfu and asked openly.

"The powerful Li family controls an entire county and has numerous guards and retainers... How can we eliminate them?"

"Heaven above! We must borrow the Duan family's sword."

The great teacher Zhang Jiao remained calm and continued to ask questions.

"How can you, alone, borrow the Duan family's knife?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chengfu paused slightly, sensing a test in the question. He glanced at the assembled commanders and understood his master's good intentions. After a moment of silence, he spoke in a deep voice, his tone as cold as the snow outside the temple.

"In Chengwu County, we have already used divination, prophecies, and denunciations to incite conflict between the official and aristocratic families, drawing the Duan family's sword to strike against the powerful clans and gentry of Yanzhou… Such a scheme can only be carried out when neither the official nor the aristocratic families are on guard. And once this sword falls, the more powerful clans and gentry that are destroyed, the better, to remove as many obstacles as possible for our uprising in Yanzhou!…"

"For the eunuchs, once they start using their swords, the more aristocratic families they kill, the better! Once the conflict between them and the aristocratic families erupts, even if they discover that we are the ones fueling the flames, they will never stop! For the eunuchs, the more aristocratic families they kill, the more they implicate others, the more 'evidence' they can find to explain to the emperor, and the more the aristocratic families should be killed! In the end, if they discover some aristocratic family's 'unforgivable treason,' crushing the aristocratic families of Yanzhou so much that they can never recover, that would truly satisfy their desires!"

"Therefore, killing the Cheng family is just the beginning. Since the prophecy says, 'A blade rises from Dongheng, severing wood in two,' who is this 'blade' that is meant to harm the Duan family? How could a single member of the Cheng family be worthy of harming the Duan family?"

At this point, Zhang Chengfu's expression turned slightly cold, his face full of determination.

"The teacher asked how to borrow a knife... This Li family of Chengshi County is located in Jiyin Prefecture, only a few dozen miles from Chengwu County, where the Duan family manor is located. They have hundreds of guards capable of killing; aren't they the 'blade' mentioned in the prophecy? If they are the 'blade' hidden by the aristocratic families, they can reach the Duan family manor in just one day and one night and wipe out the entire Duan family!..."

“If it were before, the Duan family wouldn’t have cared. But now, our prophecies and divinations have reminded them of the ‘threat’ posed by the powerful Li family. They will surely be greatly alarmed and will break down the Li family!”

Upon hearing this bloody plot—"to fuel the flames, incite the slaughter of the eunuchs, and expand the scope of the repercussions"—the Great Teacher Zhang Jiao lowered his eyes, while the Heavenly Physician Zhang Bao's eyes twitched. Both of them understood perfectly. The tribal leaders below, however, understood in different ways: some understood, some understood partially, and some understood nothing at all.

After a long while, the Great Teacher spoke again.

"Your scheme, claiming that the Li family is a 'blade,' is baseless and unsubstantiated. How can the Duan family believe it?"

"Teacher, for the Duan clan, a powerful aristocratic family already in a state of crisis, the crime of the powerful Li clan lies not in what they actually did to harm the Duan clan, but in whether the Li clan has the ability to harm them! As soon as they see that the Li clan has such ability, suspect that the Li clan has followed the prophecies, and witness the Li clan's collusion with the aristocratic families, they will inevitably take action!..."

"After all, although the Li family has many guards and retainers, they are ultimately just a local tyrant. They have no renowned scholars, no high-ranking officials, not even a county magistrate. So what if the Duan family killed the wrong person? They killed him, and that's that..."

Zhang Chengfu's eyes were deep as he pondered the mindset of these powerful families, feeling both their immense power and their intense sense of unease.

At this moment, he stood in the history of a thousand years later, insightful about the power struggle at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, like a chess player who took advantage of the situation to make his first move!

"We've borrowed the Duan family's weapon to kill the powerful Li family. We only need to do two things. First, let the Li family's prophecies reach the Duan family's ears, turning them into a tangible threat. Second, find evidence of the Li family's collusion with the aristocratic clans and present it to the Duan family!..."

"As for how to prove it specifically, that depends on the situation..."

At this point, Zhang Chengfu first looked at the astonished Jiyin Qu Commander Fan Shuo and asked in a gentle voice.

"Commander Fan, have you sent any of your clan's children to study at the prestigious families in the prefectures and counties?"

After a moment's thought, Fan Shuo, the commander of the Jiyin Canal, nodded.

"Of course! The Li family's ancestral home is in Shanyang. Some of their children studied at the Man family, a prominent clan in Shanyang, and they were proud of it, often praising it to the county officials."

"The Man family, a prominent clan in Shanyang? Excellent! Now we've connected with another powerful family!..."

Zhang Chengfu pondered for a moment, the name "Man Chong" from later generations coming to mind, wondering how old he was now. He lowered his eyes, looked at the deep-thinking chieftain Bu Si, bowed, and asked respectfully.

"Commander Bu, you mentioned before that the Li family has a son who is a county magistrate in Dong'e County? Is he close to the Cheng family of Dong'e and often visits them during festivals?"

Qu Shuai Bu Yi thought for a moment and nodded.

"Yes, definitely." "If this person hears rumors and learns that the Cheng family is in trouble, would he go to inform them?"

"That I do not know. Perhaps we could give it a try?..."

"Well, as long as the Cheng family gets wind of the situation and flees beforehand, it doesn't matter whether this person informed them or not. As long as the Duan family is suspicious, that's enough! In this way, the Cheng, Li, and Man families will be connected!"

"Jiyin County is the center of Yanzhou. These three powerful families and clans are not far from the Duan family. How can they prove their innocence and absolve themselves of any connection to the calamity that led to the Duan family's extermination? The gentry and aristocratic families are sworn enemies, and the Duan family will not believe them! As for us, we can do a lot by using others to do our dirty work..."

Zhang Chengfu's voice was calm, yet filled with a chilling intensity. He solemnly bowed to Zhang Jiao and continued.

"Master, please forgive your disciple for committing this evil deed, which paves the way for the uprising! Please entrust me with the task of eliminating the powerful Li family by borrowing their strength, and allow me to borrow the manpower of the various leaders!"

"Ok!"

Zhang Jiao, the Great Teacher of Virtue, sat beneath the statue of the Eastern Peak Emperor, a complex expression flashing across his face. Then, he looked solemnly at the various Qing and Yan commanders, whose expressions differed.

"Heaven is above, and the Eastern Peak Emperor is in the east! I have placed Chengfu here in this position; your expressions have changed, and you must be dissatisfied!..."

"And now, I'll make a bet with you. If Chengfu can accomplish the great task of annihilating the powerful Cheng clan and the tyrannical Li clan, then from this day forward, he can sit at the head of the table in this land of Qing and Yan! If he fails, then he will sit at the foot of the table..."

As he spoke, the great teacher Zhang Jiao raised the corners of his mouth and smiled.

"Heaven bears witness! What do you think?"

"?!this…"

The many chieftains exchanged glances, understanding the Great Teacher's intention to pave the way for this young man, but none of them spoke for a moment. The Great Teacher waited a few breaths, sighed inwardly, and looked at Bu Si, the most loyal and highest-ranking chieftain of Dongjun.

"Bu Si, what do you think?"

"Heaven bears witness! Great Teacher, the Yellow Turban followers of Dongjun have suffered greatly at the hands of the Cheng family of Dong'e... If this young man... cough, if Zhang Chengfu can truly eliminate the Cheng family... then I will acknowledge him and allow him to sit at the head of my table!"

Dongjun chieftain Bu Si reluctantly expressed his opinion, followed by chieftains Zhang Bo and Liang Zhongning. Then, Jiyin chieftain Fan Shuo was quite straightforward, laughing together with Da Yeze chieftain Peng Gui.

"Heaven bears witness! If Chengfu can eliminate the powerful Li family of Chengshi County in Jiyin, then we are willing to let him sit at the head of the table!"

"Zhai Cheng, what do you think?"

Upon hearing the roll call, Zhai Cheng, the commander of Shanyang, remained silent for a moment, stroked his beard, and answered somewhat reluctantly.

"Heaven bears witness! It is good to eliminate the powerful Li family... but the Changyi Man family, a prominent clan in my Shanyang County, is the biggest obstacle to the Taiping Dao uprising in Shanyang! If Chengfu can also eliminate the Changyi Man family, then I will acknowledge him and let him sit on the throne!"

"The Cheng family of Dong'e, the Li family of Cheng, the Man family of Changyi...you all!..."

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao sighed, his gaze toward the leaders becoming stern, and said solemnly.

"Then these three will do! Eliminate the threat from these three families. If Cheng Fu can accomplish this, then his position as the head of Qingyan will be secure! Anyone else object?... If not, just say so!..."

".promise!"

Before the Great Teacher, the dozen or so chieftains remained silent for a moment, and regardless of their inner thoughts, they all nodded and agreed. The Heavenly Physician Zhang Bao remained silent, sensing his brother's impatience and anticipating something.

"so be it!"

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao nodded, patted Zhang Chengfu on the shoulder, and told him to return to his seat. Then, he looked at Zhai Cheng, the leader of Shanyang, and gave him instructions.

"Zhai Cheng, tell me about the situation in Shanyang County!"

"Yes!"

Zhai Cheng was in his early forties, with gray hair mixed with black, and a weathered face. He was a veteran from a county or prefecture, experienced in many things, and spoke only to the point.

"My Shanyang County is not large, but the Si River runs through it from east to west, and the best and most fertile land is located along its banks. The Shanyang Taiping Dao has over ten thousand believers, and can gather a thousand able-bodied men. I have roughly assessed these men; they are capable, not the kind of hordes of haphazard, chaotic figures you see!..."

"The Si River flows across the land, with Changyi to the west and Gaoping to the east. Among the prominent clans of Shanyang, besides the Man clan of Changyi mentioned earlier, the most famous is the Liu clan of Gaoping. They are relatives of the emperor and own tens of thousands of acres of land! This Liu clan of Gaoping has a member named Liu Biao (Liu Jingsheng), who is extremely famous among the gentry. His name is known everywhere, and he is said to be one of the 'Eight Outstanding Members of the Party'... "

"But later, along with Zhang Jian, he angered the eunuchs and was imprisoned by the emperor. His whereabouts are unknown. If he's hiding in the Liu family manor in Gaoping County, and suddenly appears when we rise up, rallying the surrounding powerful families, he'll be an extremely difficult opponent!..."

"Then there's the powerful Wang family of Shanyang, also around Gaoping, with tens of thousands of acres of land... Anyway, to the east of Shanyang County, there are many tributaries of the Si River, excellent fields, and many powerful families, all clustered together with the powerful families of Lu and Pei, making it difficult to attack! But to the west is the powerful Man family, which is isolated and easier to attack..."

Zhang Cheng listened intently and heard many familiar names. The terrain of Shanyang County was such that the powerful clans were weak in the western part near Daye Marsh, while the powerful clans were strong in the eastern part near Lu.

The Yellow Turban forces in Shanyang are not strong. If they really want to start an uprising, they must avoid the east in the early stages and operate in the west, relying on the Great Lake!

East of Shanyang Commandery lies Rencheng Kingdom, even smaller, and the two-hundred-mile-long Kangfu Road is a desolate wasteland. The Taiping Dao hasn't developed any significant territory there, and currently, there are no Rencheng Kingdom leaders in the ancestral temples. East of Rencheng Kingdom lies the second key point, the strategically crucial Taishan Commandery! And those who understand the situation at Taishan are not the Yellow Turbans of Yanzhou, but the Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou…

The Great Teacher Zhang Jiao shifted his gaze to Da Fang, the second most trusted chieftain after Bu Si. Then, he smiled and called out names, also casually summoning Xiao Fang, one of the chieftain's subordinates.

"Zhang Rao, Guan Hai! You two have always been active in the Taishan Commandery and the Beihai Kingdom. Tell me about the situation in Taishan Commandery!"

Zhang Chengfu looked up and saw a middle-aged man with a strong build and wearing a yellow turban, leading another young man, who nodded in agreement.

"promise!!"

(End of this chapter)