Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 52 Zhang's blade spares no women or children! You may now head south~ (Thanks to Alliance Leader "Le Zhong")
On the official road to Dong'e, the snow had stopped and the wind had died down, leaving the wilderness a vast expanse of white. Only patches of red snow remained, slowly melting into water, then freezing into an even darker red. Cheng's close followers lay prostrate on the red snow, their bodies scattered about, the stench of blood wafting through the air. Several riding horses lay on the snow, neighing and struggling, their hooves injured in the collision, leaving them no choice but to be slaughtered.

"The Cheng family of Dong'e, Cheng Li. The Dong family of Dingtao, Dong Dubo. The Li family of Chengshi County, Li County Magistrate. Taiping Circuit, County Assistant Wang Du, County Assistant Shi Sangping..."

Zhang Chengfu stood silently, the middle-aged scholar's corpse before him, his mind filled with the figures of Dong'e County. The death of this Mr. Cheng was like the first thread pulled loose. And who would be connected to this thread, and how would it be connected? This was the moment that would test his political acumen.

“Chengfu, in this attack, we lost two and were wounded two. The Cheng family lost twelve and captured two! In this battle, we captured twelve suits of armor, eleven horses, and twenty silver ingots—yes! Large silver ingots weighing one jin each! Hmm, there are three wounded horses; we'll have to slaughter them for meat!”

Gao Daonu finished cleaning up the battlefield, his shoes stained with blood, and excitedly came to report. Unbeknownst to them, the order of the two brothers seemed to have reversed, with Zhang Chengfu now in charge of everything.

"Two brothers were broken and two were injured? I'll go check!"

Zhang Chengfu walked forward with a solemn expression and personally inspected the dead and wounded. The two wounded soldiers were not seriously injured and would recover in a few months with proper care. As for the two disciples who died in battle, they were both locals from Dongjun, and their bodies needed to be taken back for burial.

"May the world be at peace, may your soul return to its rightful place and enjoy eternal tranquility!"

Under the complex gazes of the commanders, Zhang Chengfu knelt before the corpses, praying for the souls of his fallen brothers. Meanwhile, Gao Daonu busied himself on the other side, butchering three wounded horses for meat. The three Jiang brothers, along with a few others, found a patch of soft mud and skillfully began digging a grave.

As for the county magistrate, Shi Sangping, he appeared dazed, glancing at Cheng Li's corpse every now and then, seemingly still unable to believe it. Such a powerful figure in Dong'e County, the head of the Cheng family, known for his ruthlessness and cunning, whom no one dared to offend, had actually died so suddenly?!

"Chengfu, what should we do with these two Cheng brats? Kill them too?"

Only after Zhang Chengfu finished praying for his brothers did Bu Si, the chieftain of Dongjun, come forward with his two eldest sons from the Cheng family. The two brothers fled on horseback, their actions differing, but neither went very far.

The elder brother, Cheng Wu, abandoned his horse midway and hid in the forest, but his footprints couldn't be hidden in the snow. Although it took some effort, he was still captured by the disciples. The younger Cheng Yan, on the other hand, simply ran towards the main road and was easily caught.

"Are you Cheng Wu?"

"Bah! You dog of a Duan family!"

Zhang Chengfu asked calmly, but the young man Cheng Wu, his eyes filled with hatred, spat out a mouthful of saliva, which landed squarely on Zhang Chengfu's cheek. Zhang Chengfu raised an eyebrow, calmly wiped it away, and moved on to the next person.

"Are you Cheng Yan?"

"I...I am..."

Zhang Chengfu asked again, and the young Cheng Yan, his face filled with fear, trembled. His face was covered in tears, and he could barely speak.

"."

Zhang Chengfu tapped his brow, pondered for a few moments, and then summoned County Magistrate Shi Sangping. He smiled gently, sized up the respectful County Magistrate Shi, and asked...

"Would you like to advance further, perhaps to become a county magistrate or county lieutenant?"

"Huh? What does my lord mean?"

“With Magistrate Wang taking the head of the Cheng family patriarch, the Duan family will surely be satisfied, and his promotion to magistrate of Dong’e is just around the corner! Logically speaking, Sang Jun is the best candidate to succeed the magistrate, but Magistrate Wang is still in office, so there may be other candidates to consider.”

Zhang Chengfu spoke calmly and gently to Sang Ping.

"I think Sang Jun has also done a great job! Not only did he arrest the criminals for the county magistrate, but he also personally killed the eldest son of the Cheng family. He's a prominent talent in the Duan family's eyes. Meanwhile, County Magistrate Li not only failed to arrest the Cheng family, but also leaked the information, letting the head of the Cheng family go. His day of reckoning is not far off!..."

"Judging from Sang Jun's appearance, he is brave and decisive, and has the makings of a county magistrate!"

At this point, Zhang Chengfu smiled and took out a blood-stained iron dagger, placing it in Sang Ping's hand—the very dagger used to kill Cheng Li. Then, he patted Sang Ping on the shoulder, pointed to Cheng Wu, the eldest son of the Cheng family, and gave instructions.

"Sang Jun, please! Go and take his life!"

"Ah! This... I... I'll kill them?"

County Magistrate Shi Sangping trembled violently, his hand going limp as he looked at Cheng Wu's face. This was the eldest son of the prestigious Cheng family! If he were to strike, Sangping would have no way out but to board the Taiping Dao's ship...

"What, Mr. Sang, you're unwilling? That's a bit of a pity!"

Zhang Chengfu asked with a smile, his voice very soft. But these light words, falling into Sang Ping's ears, were like a resounding bell, making his blood surge! He gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and stabbed the Cheng family's eldest son in the heart, then twisted it!
"go with!"

"what!"

The agonizing screams lasted for a few breaths before abruptly ceasing. Sang Ping trembled as he released his grip, stumbled backward, and collapsed onto the snow. Zhang Chengfu, his expression unchanged, wiped the blood from Sang Ping's face with his sleeve and comforted him.

"Don't worry, Sang Jun! From now on, you are one of us! We will live and die together, and be loyal to each other."

"Yes!...Yes! My lord, from now on, I will follow your every command!"

Zhang Chengfu nodded and patted Sang Ping on the shoulder, making the tall county clerk feel flattered. Then, he picked up his knife and looked at the trembling, tearful young man, Cheng Yan, silently observing him for a long time.

"I beg...I beg you...you..."

Standing before the corpses of his father and brother, the young Cheng Yan felt weak all over and could not stand up. He collapsed to his knees with a thud.

"Please...spare my life!"

Zhang Chengfu remained silent for a long time, looking at the young man from a noble family who was about the same age as him. He gripped the hilt of the sword loosely and then tightly, until Cheng Yan was in tears, before he sighed.

"Although we are retainers of the Duan family and have been entrusted with this task... Zhang will not kill women and children under his blade! You should leave now! Escape quickly, lest we catch up with you again!"

"Ah?...Your Majesty? Your Majesty is willing to let me go? Thank...Thank you for sparing my life!..."

Young Cheng Yan trembled, his face showing disbelief and hope. Tears streamed down his face as he tried to get up and run away. But just as he stood up, Zhang Chengfu frowned and called out, "Wait!"

"?! Spare me, my lord!!"

"Alas! We are men of our word, how could we be people who break our promises? Rise, rise!... Dao Nu, bring a horse!"

Zhang Chengfu shook his head, then reached out his sleeve to wipe away Cheng Yan's tears. The young man from the Cheng family seemed frozen, his body motionless, forcing out a smile that resembled a cry.

"Ride a horse and bring provisions. That's how you escape far! Remember to stop and feed the horse at night; if it runs out of steam, it can die. Understand?"

"Ming...understand!"

Zhang Chengfu gently reassured Cheng Yan, placing the reins of a horse in his hand. The horse carried three or four days' worth of rations and water. Then, looking into the boy's fearful yet expectant eyes, he spoke softly.

"You've been heading east all the way; where were you originally planning to escape to?"

"...The Zhang family of Dongping...My grandfather said that the Zhang family of Dongping has a feud with the Duan family...and can protect us as we flee to Mount Tai..."

"Oh! The Zhang family of Dongping, Taishan, um, the Bao family of Taishan."

Zhang Chengfu nodded slightly, then tapped his brow. The Zhang family of Dongping was a top-tier aristocratic family, and Zhang Miao, the "Eighth Chef," was renowned throughout the land. Although the Duan family also hated these people, since the previous purge hadn't broken through their ranks, it seemed unlikely they would be able to cut down on them anytime soon. Therefore, this thread couldn't be pulled eastwards first; it had to be pulled southwards first, the more threads the better!

"Young master, you mustn't go east. Going east means certain death!"

Zhang Chengfu, with a gentle expression, patted Cheng Yan's shoulder, making the young man's knees go weak. Then, he pointed south, his expression turning solemn, and said in a deep voice.

"You must mount your horse and flee south! Do you know Li, the county magistrate of Dong'e?"

“I know him…I know him! He comes to visit often…and is very respectful to my grandfather…but my grandfather…looks down on his background…I heard he’s just…a local tyrant…”

"Yes, the Li family are local tycoons near Da Ye Ze! You should flee south, along the Hu Zi River. If you keep going south from Da Ye Ze, you'll reach Cheng Shi County. The Li family, the county magistrate, lives in Cheng Shi County. Just ask around there, and you'll find the Li family's land!"

"The Great Wilderness Marsh is dense and crisscrossed by waterways, harboring countless fugitives from the imperial court. Only the Li family of Chengshi County can protect you within the Great Wilderness Marsh, understand?"

"I understand... I understand!..."

"Then say it again."

"Follow...follow the Huzi River southward, cross...cross the Daye Marsh, go...go to the Li family in Chengshi County!..."

"Good! Excellent! Remember, if you get lost, ask someone for directions. They'll show you the way!"

"I...I've got it!"

"Alright, let's mount up and go! Quickly!"

Zhang Chengfu nodded in satisfaction, patted Cheng Yan on the shoulder, and gestured for him to proceed.

Cheng Yan was stunned for a moment, then scrambled onto his horse, still somewhat incredulous. He looked back tremblingly, spurred his horse forward a few steps, looked back again, and spurred it forward a few more steps. After doing this three times, he finally gave his horse a sudden jerk and fled south like the wind!

"Ah."

Watching the young man ride away on horseback, fleeing south, Zhang Chengfu's lips curled into a smile. Then, he looked at Peng Gui, the commander of the Onozawa tribe, his expression solemn, and gave his orders.

"Peng Gui, you personally take two men and ride behind him! Secretly protect this young man along the way. If he gets lost, send someone to guide him. If he doesn't head south, force him to go south!"

"Once you reach Ohnosawa, that's your territory. Tell your brothers to make sure he escapes to the Li family manor!"

"Let him rest in villages and towns along the way so that others can see him. But once he escapes into the Li family manor, immediately spread the nursery rhyme! Say, 'The Li family is hiding 'Little Zhang Jian,' and 'Little Zhang Jian' will destroy the Duan family! Do you understand?'"

"Understood! Yes, as you say!"

Commander Peng Kui looked on with awe and nodded respectfully, showing the demeanor of a subordinate for the first time. Then, he selected two skilled men, mounted their horses, and, treading through the flying snow, chased after the newly left hoofprints.

"Hmm. That should be enough. Bury the body! Oh, right! We also need two severed heads to report our achievements! Dao Nu, give me two prepared wooden boxes."

"promise!"

Zhang Chengfu took the wooden box and gave another one to Sang Ping. Then, he slowly walked to the fallen Cheng Li, bowed, and bent down with his sword in hand. When he stood up again, the wooden box was already closed, but the bottom of the box was stained red, slowly solidifying in the snow.

"Bury them before you leave! Consider it an acquaintance, may their souls rest in peace!"

The chieftains and their followers nodded in obedience and buried the thirteen corpses in the pit. Zhang Chengfu thought for a moment, then carved the three names of Cheng Zhongde and the character "Yu" on a nearby tree. After that, he mounted his horse, carrying the severed heads and a hunting bow, and looked around at the chieftains whose expressions had changed and who now showed some respect. He smiled and said...

"Let's go! To Dong'e County! Wang Du, the magistrate of Dong'e County, is one of our own from the Taiping Dao! He is the key to our plan. We still need his help to break into the powerful Li family!"

"May peace reign and a bright future emerge!"

"Yes! We've fought our way out and brought peace and prosperity! Haha!"

"Giddy up! Giddy up!..."

As the sun set, the group rode westward, the twilight as blood-red as the earth. The sound of hooves faded, the stench of blood lingered in the wind, and only a few patches of red snow remained at the site. A newly risen mound, covered with fresh yellow earth, stood beside a tree inscribed with a name. This ambush had lasted only half a day. And the world had lost a hero of a noble family, and one less enemy of the common people.
(End of this chapter)